EP2332742A1

EP2332742A1 - Attachment member for paint containers with scraper

Info

Publication number: EP2332742A1
Application number: EP10193104A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Brian Fjord Christensen
Original assignee: Techno Trading AS
Current assignee: Techno Trading AS
Priority date: 2009-12-01
Filing date: 2010-11-30
Publication date: 2011-06-15

Abstract

An attachment member (1) for mounting on a container (2), e.g. a paint can or bucket, where the container at an upper end has an opening and is adapted with means (6) for interacting with a lid, where the attachment member is adapted with mounting means (3) corresponding to the upper end of the container, where the attachment member includes an inwardly directed, inner scraping edge (4) with at least one surface (5) connected with the mounting means of the attachment member, the surface extending across the opening of the container and preferably in contact with the edge of the opening.

Description

Field of the Invention

The present invention concerns an attachment member for mounting on a container, e.g. a paint can or bucket, where the container at an upper end has an opening and is adapted with means for interacting with a lid, where the attachment member is adapted with mounting means corresponding to the upper end of the container.

Background of the Invention

When applying paint, it is usual either to pour the paint from a paint pot into another vessel or to dip the paint brush directly into the paint pot.
When pouring paint over into another container, paint is easily deposited at the edge of the paint pot. Therefore, the edge is to be cleaned before the lid can be put on the paint pot in order to avoid the lid becoming stuck or the paint in the pot drying up due to leaks caused by paint on the edge.
By painting small elements, such as door casings or window strips, it is inexpedient to pour the paint into another container since too much paint is wasted thereby. Therefore, it is usual to apply paint directly from the paint pot. By such application, it is usual that the brush is scraped off on the edge of the paint pot in order to get uniform distribution of paint on the paint brush. Hereby, paint remains are left on the edge, and the same problems arise as if having poured paint out of the pot.

Object of the Invention

It is the object of the invention to indicate an accessory for paint pots which at least keeps the edge free from paint residue.

Description of the Invention

According to the present invention, this is achieved by an attachment member for mounting on a container, e.g. a paint can or bucket of the kind mentioned in the introduction, which is peculiar in that the attachment member includes an inwardly directed, inner scraping edge with a least one surface connected with the mounting means of the attachment member, the surface extending across the opening of the container and preferably in contact with the edge of the opening.
The container on which attachment member is applied may e.g. be a paint bucket of plastic or a paint tin can, or of another metal, but is not limited thereto.
The container is equipped with a removable lid. The lid may have a shape typically found on plastic paint buckets where the lid encircles the upper end of the container. The lid may also be designed as typically on metal cans where the upper end of the container encircles the lid.
The container will typically contain fluid material like paint.
The mounting means of the attachment member may also be designed to encircle or be encircled by the upper end of containers. The attachment member may be designed such that it may be applied when the container has no lid on, when the container has a lid on, or both.
The attachment member includes an inner and inwardly facing scraping edge. This scraping edge is connected with the mounting means via a surface. The surface is preferably in contact with the edge of the opening. When painting, excess paint on the paint brush may be scraped off the scraping edge. Hereby is avoided that paint is deposited at the edge of the opening since it is covered by the surface. In that the surface is in contact with the edge of the opening it is furthermore ensured that the edge of the opening is kept free from paint if the container is tilted.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member includes a projection which at least is directly or indirectly connected with the surface and the mounting means.
The projection will preferably be formed like a pouring spout. Hereby is achieved that paint can easily be poured from the container while the edge of the opening is kept free from paint. It is thus to be understood that future references to the projection and the pouring spout refer to the same technical feature and not two separate elements. According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member includes a recess between the projection and the mounting means, the recess at least being connected with the surface.
By having a recess between the pouring spout and the mounting means where the recess is connected with the surface, possible excess paint which has run down the outer side of the pouring spout will be conducted back to the container via the recess and the surface instead of running down the side of the container. This provides additional certainty that no paint is spilled when pouring from the container.
Moreover, when the container is very full, and paint is thus deposited close to the scraping edge, it may be necessary to scrape the brush off on the pouring spout instead of the scraping edge. Excess paint will hereby also run back into the container, keeping the opening and outer sides of the container free from paint.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member is designed with circular shape, semi-circular shape, rectangular shape, I-shape or L-shape.
Hereby is achieved that the attachment member can be used on largely all kinds of containers. On very large containers it may be impractical with attachment members that cover the entire opening of the container, and here a semi-circular attachment member may be preferred. Some types of paint containers have a single straight side of the opening, and here an I-shaped attachment member may be preferred.
On preferably rectangular containers, an L-shaped attachment member can be used over one of the corners of the container.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the attachment member is circular as a relatively large number of paint containers have a circular opening.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member includes a removable lid enclosing the mounting means partially or entirely.
Hereby is achieved that the container can be closed without removing the attachment member. Containers of a soft metal material as e.g. tinplate cannot stand up to being opened and closed a large number of times since the lid will tend to be deformed under the action endured during opening and closing. In that the attachment member includes a lid, the container may temporarily be closed, and the paint therefore does not dry up by short interruptions in use.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the lid has a top area which is less than the bottom area of a container.
Hereby is achieved that the containers can be stacked. By many types of containers, the bottom is designed such that it has an edge that corresponds to the edge of the opening of the container. This entails that the edges abut on each others when the containers are stacked. In a particularly advantageous embodiment of the invention, the top area is designed such that it corresponds to the inner side of the edge at the bottom of a container. Hereby is ensured that the containers stand firmly during stacking.
Since the attachment member in one embodiment may be used simultaneously with the existing lid of the container, the attachment member may be applied to the container already in production. Combined with the said top area, this will mean that the containers are more easily stacked in a stable manner than without the attachment member.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member includes an external, outwardly facing detaching lug provided in connection with the mounting means.
Hereby is achieved that the attachment member may easily be removed from the container. After use, paint remains may easily sit on the attachment member, and a detaching lug for taking the attachment member off the container provides that removal may occur without the user getting paint on his hands as the lug is facing outwards. According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the attachment member includes at least one groove provided preferably at the centre of the projection, where the groove extends substantially in direction towards the surface.
A groove disposed in this way on the pouring spout causes the paint to be easier to pour while at the same time the risk of dripping is reduced as the said groove will act as guide for the paint during pouring.
According to a further embodiment, the attachment member is peculiar in that the surface is angled preferably between 30° and 60° relative to a plane in parallel with the top end of the container.
Hereby is achieved that the paint easily runs down the surface and back into the container.

Description of the Drawing

The invention is described in the following with reference to the drawing, wherein:

Fig. 1: shows one embodiment of the attachment member;
Fig. 2: shows the attachment member designed as a semi-circle;
Fig. 3: shows the attachment member with a projection and a recess;
Fig. 4: shows a second embodiment of the attachment member;
Fig. 5: shows the attachment member in a circular embodiment;
Fig. 6: shows a cross-section of attachment member applied on a container; and
Fig. 7: shows a lid.

List of designations:

1: Attachment member
2: Container
3: Mounting means
4: Scraping edge
5: Surface
6: Means for interaction with container lid
7: Projection
8: Recess with connection to surface
9: Top area
10: Detaching lug
11: Removable lid of attachment member
12: Grooves
13: Recess in lid of attachment member for interacting with mounting means
14: Recess in mounting means for interacting with container
15: Notch
16: Connection
17: Inner edge of container
18: Outer edge of container

In the explanation of the Figures, identical or corresponding elements will be provided with the same designations in different Figures. Therefore, no explanation of all details will be given in connection with each single Figure/embodiment.

Detailed Description of Embodiments of the Invention

Figs. 1a and 1b show one embodiment of the attachment member 1. The attachment member 1 includes mounting means 3 for interacting with a container 2. The attachment member 1 includes a removable lid 11. In this embodiment, the attachment member is circular.
Fig. 2 shows the attachment member 1 designed as a semi-circle. The attachment member includes a scraping edge 4 and a surface 5 connecting the scraping edge with the mounting means 3. In this embodiment, the mounting means 3 are equipped with a recess 14. This recess 14 interacts with the edge of a container (not shown) such that the attachment member 1 stays firmly.
Fig. 3 shows the attachment member 1 with a projection 7 and a recess 8. The projection 7 acts a pouring spout when paint is poured from the container (not shown) upon which the attachment member is attached. The recess 8 ensures that possible paint running from the outer side of the projection 7 will be conducted away from the mounting means 3. The recess 8 is connected to the surface 5 (not shown). This contributes to possible paint being conducted back to the container.
Fig. 4 shows a second embodiment of the attachment member shown in Fig. 3. Here, the mounting means are provided a recess 14 for interacting with the edge of a container (not shown). Moreover, the connection 16 between recess 8 and surface 5 is shown.
Fig. 5 shows the attachment member 1 in a circular embodiment. In this embodiment, the mounting means 3 further include a notch 15. This notch 15 functions together with the recess 14 as a further fastening for a container edge (not shown), since the gap between the recess 14 and the notch 15 will preferably be as large as the edge of the container, and thereby the attachment member 1 is retained. Moreover, the notch 15 provides that the distance from the container edge (not shown) to the surface 5 can be determined.
The attachment member 1 may further include a detaching lug 10 provided at the outer side of the mounting means. The detaching lug 10 may be applicable if other parts of the attachment member 1 have been covered by paint, and the attachment member 1 is desired to be removed without getting paint on the hands.
Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of the attachment member 1 mounted on a container 2. Here, it is seen that the surface 5 is in contact with the inner edge 17 of the container. In that the surface 5 abuts on the inner edge 17, it is ensured that no paint gets into contact with the part 6 of the container on which the container lid is applied.
In addition, it is seen on the Figure how the recess 14 of mounting means interact with the outer edge 18 of the container 2.
Fig. 7 shows a lid 11. The lid 11 has projections 13 at the inner side (recesses on the outer side). These projections 13 interact with the recesses 14 on the mounting means 3. This provides that the lid 11 stays firmly and fits rather tightly. The lid 11 may therefore be used temporarily during short interruptions in the paint work such that the paint does not dry up. In an embodiment, the lid may further include grooves 12. This will contribute to the carrying capacity of the lid being increased, and thereby many containers (not shown) may be stacked upon each other even if the lid 11 is made of thin plastic.
In one embodiment, the top area 9 of the lid 11 may be smaller than the bottom of the container (not shown). For cylindric containers, this provides in particular that the containers can be stacked in a more stable way than without the attachment member.

Claims

An attachment member for mounting on a container, e.g. a paint can or bucket, where the container at an upper end has an opening and is adapted with means for interacting with a lid, where the attachment member is adapted with mounting means corresponding to the upper end of the container, characterised in that the attachment member includes an inwardly directed, inner scraping edge with a least one surface connected with the mounting means of the attachment member, the surface extending across the opening of the container and preferably in contact with the edge of the opening.
Attachment member according to claim 1, characterised in that the attachment member includes a projection which at least is directly or indirectly connected with the surface and the mounting means.
Attachment member according to claim 2, characterised in that the attachment member includes a recess between the projection and the mounting means, the recess at least being connected with the surface.
Attachment member according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the attachment member is designed with circular shape, semi-circular shape, rectangular shape, I-shape or L-shape.
Attachment member according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the attachment member includes a removable lid enclosing the mounting means partially or entirely.
Attachment member according to claim 5, characterised in that the lid has a top area which is less than the bottom area of a container.
Attachment member according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the attachment member includes an external, outwardly facing detaching lug provided in connection with the mounting means.
Attachment member according to any of claims 2-7, characterised in that the attachment member includes at least one groove provided preferably at the centre of the projection, where the groove extends substantially in direction towards the surface.
Attachment member according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the surface is angled preferably between 30° and 60° relative to a plane in parallel with the top end of the container.