GB2406809A

GB2406809A - Liner for paint container

Info

Publication number: GB2406809A
Application number: GB0412034A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Thomas Peter Causton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2003-05-28
Filing date: 2004-05-28
Publication date: 2005-04-13
Anticipated expiration: 2024-05-28
Also published as: GB2406809B; GB0412034D0

Abstract

A liner 40 is formed from plastic sheeting and is shaped and arranged to line the inside of a decorator's scuttle 10. Paint can then be poured into the liner 40 and the liner 40 acts to separate the paint from the scuttle 10. Thus, when the paint is no longer needed, the liner 40 can merely be thrown away, leaving a clean scuttle 10. The liner 40 may be provided with an adhesive strip (80 figure 2) for securing it to the scuttle 10. The liner 40 may be provided with a tie (280 figure 4) for securing it to the scuttle 10.

Description

Minimising Cleaning of Paint-Receiving Containers This invention relates

to painting and decorating. More particularly, it relates to minimising cleaning of paint-receiving containers used in painting and decorating.

Persons employed as decorators in the painting and decorating industry use paint-receiving containers for holding paint. One such form of container is termed a "scuttle". A scuttle is a substantially flat-sided container having a rectangular base, with a peripheral wall projecting up from the edge thereof to form a cuboid container, but with an open top. Another such form of container is termed a "kettle". A kettle is a substantially cylindrical container having a flat circular bottom with a peripheral curved wall projecting up from the edge thereof and with an open top. Scuttles and kettles are for holding paint into which rollers or brushes may be dipped by a decorator in the course of painting and decorating.

When a decorator has finished using a scuttle or kettle, he cleans the paint from it. This is a time-consuming exercise that requires a large quantity of water if the scuttle or kettle is to be thoroughly cleaned. Such cleaning is done both when a job is finished or when paint of a different colour is to be substituted for that in the scuttle or kettle in order to avoid contaminating paint of one colour with paint of a different colour. Alternatively, a decorator may posses several different scuttles or kettles, each for use with a respective colour. Scuttles and kettles are bulky and so bringing several different ones to a work site is difficult.

It is a object of this invention to address these problems.

According to a first aspect of this invention, there is provided a liner shaped and arranged to line the inside of a decorator's scuttle or kettle, wherein the liner is substantially impermeable to paint.

According to another aspect of this invention, there is provided use of a liner for lining the inside of a decorator's scuttle or kettle for receiving paint, the liner being shaped and arranged to line the inside of a decorator's scuttle or kettle and being substantially impermeable to paint.

According to a further aspect of this invention, there is provided a method of minimising cleaning of a decorator's scuttle or kettle, including the step of: lining a scuttle or kettle with a liner to act as a barrier between paint received in the scuttle or kettle and material thereof, the liner being shaped and arranged to line the inside of a scuttle or kettle and being substantially impermeable to paint.

This is advantageous in that the liner acts as a barrier between paint held in the scuttle or kettle and material of the scuttle or kettle, such that the paint does not contact and adhere to that material. Thus, after painting, there is no need to clean paint from the scuttle or kettle, it is enough to remove and dispose of the liner. Additionally, if paint of one colour is to be used and then paint of a different colour is to be used, there is no need to clean the scuttle or kettle of the paint of the first colour. Instead, the liner used with the paint of the first colour can be removed and another liner inserted to act as a barrier against paint of the other colour. This saves time and also removes the need for large quantities of cleaning water. Also, only one kettle or scuttle need be taken to a work site.

Preferably, the liner is of a plastic material that is deformable to follow internal contours of the scuttle or kettle. The liner may be of a material that is big-degradable. The liner may be of a material and/or of a thickness that renders it resistant to wear and/or abrasion.

Where the liner is shaped and arranged to line the inside of a scuttle, the liner may be shaped and arranged so as to substantially form five sides of a cuboid.

The liner may be shaped and arranged to line a scuttle having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the following table, the dimensions being in mm: Length Width Depth 530 310 240 410 280 210 310 210 195 260 200 180 180 180

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The liner may include five substantially rectangular panels, attached to one another so as to substantially form the seven sides of the cuboid, the cuboid preferably having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the preceding table. The liner may include two substantially rectangular panels, one edge of one of the panels being attached around the periphery the other of the panels to substantially form the cuboid.

Where the liner is shaped and arranged to line the inside of a kettle, the liner may be shaped and arranged so as to substantially from the base and curved sidewall of a cylinder. The liner may be shaped and arranged to line a kettle having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the following table, the dimensions being in mm: | Diameter Depth 230 190 145 90 The liner may include two panels, one substantially circular and the other substantially rectangular, and attached to each other to substantially form the based and curved sidewall of the cylinder, the cylinder preferably having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the preceding table Preferably, the liner is shaped and arranged to substantially fit the inside of the scuttle or kettle. More preferably, the liner may closely fit the inside of the scuttle or kettle. The liner may be of substantially the same dimensions as the scuttle or kettle.

The liner may include adhesive thereon for adhering the liner to material of the scuttle or kettle. The adhesive may be an adhesive strip that is preferably adjacent a paint-receiving opening of the liner. The adhesive strip may be covered with a removable tear-off protective strip. s

The liner may include tying means positioned adjacent the open end of the liner and arranged to be tied around the scuttle or kettle so as to at least partially secure the liner thereto. The tying means may include an elongate flexible member, such as a tie, which may be plastic. The tying means may run through a seam formed adjacent the open end of the liner. The seam may be formed by folding over material of the liner. Preferably, the seam has at least one opening therein through which the tying means may extend. Preferably, the tying means has length greater that the length of the seam and so is arranged to extend through the opening and thereby to be accessible by a user.

Specific liners in which this invention is embodied will now be described by way of example only and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure I is a perspective view of a scuttle and of a liner for lining the scuttle; Figure 2 is a side elevation of an alternative scuttle liner; and Figure 3 is a perspective view of a kettle and of a liner for lining the kettle.

Figure I shows a decorator's scuttle 10, which, as stated above, is a generally cuboid container, but without a top. Thus, the scuttle 10 includes a generally rectangular base (not visible) and four sides 20 each projecting up from a respective one of the edges of the base to terminate at an opening 30. Each of the sides 20, although generally rectangular, is actually more precisely described as a parallelogram. This is because the top edge of each side 20 is longer than its bottom edge. Thus, the opening is of larger area that the base or, put simply, the scuttle 10 is tapered in towards its base.

Also shown in Figure I is a scuttle liner 40 for lining the scuttle 10. The scuttle liner 40 is formed from a plastic sheet of a material that is big-degradable and resistant to common forms of paint used in painting and decorating. The sheet is sufficiently thick so as to have good resistance to wear and abrasion. For example, the sheet may be approximately twice as thick as a domestic bin liner.

The scuttle liner 40 is for placing inside the scuttle 10 so as to closely line that scuttle 10. The scuttle liner 40 is therefore also generally cuboid and without a top. More precisely, the scuttle liner 40 is constructed of five panels of the plastic sheet material: one base panel (not visible) and four side panels 50.

Each of the side panels 50 is welded along a lower edge to a respective one of the edges of the base panel. Each of the side panels 50 is also welded to neighbouring side panels 50 along its two edges that are adjacent that lower edge. The base panel and the side panels 50 are of such size that when they are welded to one another in this way, a scuttle liner 40 is produced that is a close fit inside the scuttle 10. It may therefore be necessary to have a base panel that is slightly larger that the base of the scuttle 10 and side panels 50 that are slightly larger that the respective side of the scuttle 10 against which that are to be placed, in order to allow for material being included in a seam as a result of being welded. In the scuttle liner 40 shown in Figure 1, a seam 60 is produced by each line of welding.

In operation, the scuttle liner 40 is orientated such that the seams 60 are inwardly-facing and the liner 40 is then placed inside the scuttle 10. The scuttle may then have paint place in it. Any such paint is separated from material of the scuttle 10 by the liner 40. Thus, the scuttle liner 40 acts as a barrier between the paint and the scuttle 10. A decorator may then dip his brushes or rollers in the paint held in the scuttle 10 in the usual manner.

When the decorator has finished painting, or wishes to substitute paint of another colour for that in the scuttle 10, he pours any unused paint out of the scuttle 10. The scuttle liner 40 can then be removed and disposed of, leaving the scuttle 10 free from paint without need of being cleaned. If paint of another colour is to be used, another scuttle liner 40 can then be placed in the scuttle before that scuttle receives that other paint.

A scuttle liner 40 that is a close fit inside the scuttle 10 is advantageous in that any tendency for the liner 40 to become creased is minimised. Creases are disadvantageous in that they can trap paint. This can be a waste and can render removal of the scuttle liner 40 messy if any trapped paint is released during that removal.

Figure 2 shows an alternative scuttle liner 70. This scuttle liner 70 is, in general, the same as the liner 40 described above with reference to Figure 1, but includes a respective strip of adhesive material 80 along each side panel.

The strips 80 are arranged so as to be on outwardly-facing surfaces of the alternative scuttle liner 70 during use and adjacent the uppermost edges of the side panels. The alternative scuttle liner 60 is provided with each strip of adhesive material 80 covered by a tear-off strip of paper (not shown), such that removal of the strip of paper exposes the adhesive material 80 previously covered thereby. In use, the strips of adhesive material 80 are used to affix the alternative scuttle liner 70 to the scuttle 10.

In a further alternative embodiment which is not shown, another scuttle liner is provided in which there are only two panels of material: a base panel and a side panel. The base panel is, in general, the same as that described above with reference to Figure 1. The side panel is in place of the four side panels: it is substantially rectangular with a long side being substantially the same length as the perimeter of the base panel and being welded to that perimeter along the length of that side; and with two short sides of the side panel being welded to one another. As before, the panels may need to be sized appropriately to take account of welding and such that the scuttle liner can be a close fit inside the scuttle.

Figure 3 shows a decorator's kettle 100, which, as stated above, is a generally cylindrical container, but without a top. The kettle 100 therefore includes a generally circular base (not visible) with a generally tubular wall 110 projecting upwards from the edge thereof. Although generally tubular, the wall 110 is more precisely described as being frusto-conical. This is because the tubular wall 110 defines a larger diameter at its top that at its bottom. In other words, the kettle 100 tapers in towards its base.

Also shown in Figure 3 is a kettle liner 120 for lining the kettle. The kettle liner 120 performs the same function as the scuttle liners described above and is therefore similarly arranged and constructed. The principal difference between the kettle liner 120 and the scuttle liners is in their shape. The kettle liner 120 is for closely fitting the inside of the kettle 100. It therefore includes a base panel (not shown) and a side panel 130. The base panel is circular and the side panel 130 is, in general, rectangular, but shaped so as to be frusto-conical when welded along a shorter one of its two long edges to the circumference of the base panel, and when its two shorter sides are welded together. Again, the panels may be appropriately sized to allow for material thereof being included in seams 140.

Figure 4 shows another scuttle liner 240 for use with the scuttle 10 described above with reference to Figures 1 and 2. This other scuttle liner 240 is generally the same as the scuttle liner 40 described with reference to Figure 1 (but alternatively may be the generally the same as the others of the liners described above), but differs in that each of its four side panels 250 projects further from a base panel (not visible) to which they are joined along their lower edges than is the case with the side panels of the scuttle liner 40 described above with reference to Figure 1. Thus, when this other scuttle liner 240 is placed inside the scuttle 10, the side panels 250 of the liner 240 extend beyond the side of the scuttle 10.

The side panels 250 of this other scuttle liner 240 further differ from those of the liner 40 described with reference to Figure I by having their uppermost and free edges folded over to form a seam 270. To maintain the seam 270, each edge is welded against material of the respective side panel 240 against which it lies when folded over. The seam 270 has a cut-out 275 formed therein which provides access to the inside of the seam 270. A plastic tie 280 is included inside the seam. The tie 280 extends through the entire length of the seam 270 and such that its two end portions 285 extend through the cut-out so as to be accessible by a user.

In use, and after placing this other scuttle liner 240 in the scuttle 10, the seam 270 is placed over and around the rim of the scuttle 10. The end portions 285 of the tie 280 are then grasped by a user, pulled tightly towards one another and tied together. This serves to secure the liner 260 to the rim of the scuttle 10.

It will be understood that this other scuttle liner 240 represents a modified form of the scuttle liner 40 described with reference to Figure 1; and that the modification is the addition of the seam 270 with the tie PRO. It is envisaged that this modification may also be incorporated into the alternative scuttle liner and/or the kettle liner 120 described above with reference to Figures 2 and 3 respectively.

Figure 5 shows a further alternative form of scuttle liner 340 that is formed from a single piece of plastic sheet material. This single piece scuttle liner 340 is intended for the same purpose as the scuttle liner 10 described above with reference to Figures I and 2, and the alternative scuttle liner 240 described above with reference to Figure 4. The principal difference between the single piece scuttle liner 340 and those described above is that this scuttle liner 340 is, as stated, formed from a single piece of sheet material. Figure 5 shows the single piece scuttle liner 340 in a just-made configuration or a configuration for storage, rather than a configuration in which the liner 340 is ready for use.

Specifically, the liner 340 is shown in Figure 5 as a folded, or a substantially 2D or "flat" arrangement. This is because the manner in which the single piece scuttle liner 340 is constructed is most easily understood when the liner 340 is considered in this arrangement.

To construct the liner 340, a substantially rectangular sheet of plastic material is folded in half. Thus, two previously opposite end edges 350 of the sheet lie on top of each other, each of the two side edges 360 is folded back on itself and a folded edge 370 is created opposite the end edges 350 and running between the two folded side edges 360. The sheet is further folded by taking the folded edge 370 and moving this towards the end edges to create a four-ply concertina-like fold arrangewcnt 380 at the mid point of this sheet between the two end edges. The arrangement is such that the part of sheet that is at the mid point between the two end edges 350 is sandwiched in the middle of the four ply fold arrangement 380.

The single piece scuttle liner 340 also includes a tie-receiving seam 390 at the end edges 350 of the sheet. These end edges 350 correspond to a paint receiving opening of this scuttle liner 340. The seam 390 is created in two halves. One half of the seam is created by folding back one of the end edges 350 of the sheet; and the another half of the seam is created by folding back the other end edge 350 of the sheet. Each end edge 350 is then welded in this position by a weld 352 running parallel to and along the length of each edge 350. A tie 392 of plastics material is provided in a loop through each half of the seam 390. It will be appreciated that forming a seam in this way results in two access holes 394, one at each end of the end edges 350. These holes 394 allow access to the tie 392 by a user.

When the seams 390 have been formed, the folded side edges 360 of the sheet are also welded. This is done by providing weld lines 362 parallel to and along the length of the folded side edges 360. Thus, the single piece scuttle liner 340 is constructed.

Although it is stated hereinabove that the sheet from which the single piece of scuttle liner 340 is constructed is substantially rectangular, it can be seen from Figure 5 that the finished scuttle liner 340 is actually trapezium (using the British meaning of this term) in profile and when in its just-constructed state. It would therefore be appreciated that the sheet of material from which the scuttle liner 340 is constructed is not an exact rectangle, but instead becomes slightly narrower away from each end of its length to reach a narrow point at a midpoint between its ends. In this way, the sheet from which this scuttle liner 340 is constructed might be thought of as being slightly waisted, all be it in an angular, rather than a curved fashion.

For use, the single piece scuttle liner 340 is opened up and the four-ply concertina arrangement 380 is pushed down slightly and away from the seamed end edges 350 of the liner 340 such that the liner 340 approximates to the internal shape of a scuttle (not shown in Figure 5) that is to be lined. The liner 340 is then placed in the scuttle and the seamed end edges 350 of the liner 340 folded over the rim of the scuttle so that the liner 340 may be secured to the scuttle in the manner described above with reference to Figure 4.

It is envisaged that a single piece kettle liner may be constructed in a way similar to the way in which the single piece scuttle 340 described above with reference to Figure 5 is constructed.

Claims

1. A liner shaped and arranged to line the inside of a decorator's scuttle or kettle, wherein the liner is substantially impermeable to paint.

2. A liner according to claim 1, wherein the liner is shaped and arranged to substantially fit the inside of the scuttle or kettle.

3. A liner according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the liner is arranged to closely fit the inside of the scuttle or kettle.

4. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is of substantially the same dimensions as the scuttle or kettle.

5. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is of a plastic material that is deformable to follow internal contours of the scuttle or kettle.

6. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is of a material that is big-degradable.

7. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is of a material and/or of a thickness that renders it resistant to wear and/or abrasion.

8. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is shaped and arranged to line the inside of a scuttle, and the liner is shaped and arranged so as to substantially form five sides of a cuboid.

9. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner is shaped and arranged to line a scuttle having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the following table, the dimensions being in mm: Length Width Depth.

530 310 240.

410 280 210.

310 210 195 260 200 180 180 180

10. A liner according to claim 9, wherein the liner includes five substantially rectangular panels, attached to one another so as to substantially form the seven sides of the cuboid, the cuboid preferably having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the preceding table.

11. A liner according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the liner includes two substantially rectangular panels, one edge of one of the panels being attached around the periphery the other of the panels to substantially form the cuboid.

12. A liner according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the liner is shaped and arranged to line the inside of a kettle, and the liner is shaped and arranged so as to substantially from the base and curved sidewall of a cylinder.

13. A liner according to claim 12, wherein the liner is shaped and arranged to line a kettle having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the following table, the dimensions being in mm: Diameter Depth 230 190 145 90

14. A liner according to claim 13, wherein the liner may include two panels, one substantially circular and the other substantially rectangular, and attached to each other to substantially form the based and curved sidewall of the cylinder, the cylinder preferably having substantially one of the sets of dimensions laid out in the preceding table

15. A liner according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or claims 10 to 11, wherein the liner is formed from a single sheet that is folded back on itself such that one end edge of the sheet lies adjacent an opposite end edge, and each of the two side edges running between the end edges is folded back on itself and joined to itself along its length.

16. A liner according to claim 13, wherein the liner is further folded adjacent the midpoint between its end edges such that there are four layers of the sheet joined to one another along a portion of the side edges adjacent the midpoint.

17. A liner according to claim 13, wherein the portion of the side edges that is closest to the midpoint lies in one or both of the middle two layer of the four layers of the sheet joined to one another

18. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner includes adhesive thereon for adhering the liner to material of the scuttle or kettle.

19. A liner according to claim 18, wherein the adhesive is an adhesive strip that is preferably adjacent a paint-receiving opening of the liner.

20. A liner according to claim 19, wherein the adhesive strip may be covered with a removable tear-off protective strip.

21. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the liner includes tying means positioned adjacent the open end of the liner and arranged to be tied around the scuttle or kettle so as to at least partially secure the liner thereto.

22. A liner according to any preceding claim, wherein the tying means may include an elongate flexible member, such as a tie, which may be plastic.

23. A liner according to claim 21 or claim 22, wherein the tying means may run through a seam formed adjacent the open end of the liner.

24. A liner according to claim 23, wherein the seam may be formed by folding over material of the liner.

25. A liner according to claim 23 or claim 24, wherein the seam has at least one opening therein through which the tying means can extend.

26. A liner substantially as described hereinbefore with reference to the accompanying drawings and/or as shown in one or more of those drawings.

27. Use of a liner according to any preceding claim for lining the inside of a decorator's scuttle or kettle for receiving paint.

28. A method of minimising cleaning of a decorator's scuttle or kettle, including the step of: lining a scuttle or kettle with a liner according to any one of claims 1 to 25 to act as a barrier between paint received in the scuttle or kettle and material thereof.