GB2434997A

GB2434997A - Paint stirring tin

Info

Publication number: GB2434997A
Application number: GB0602809A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Daniel Bolton
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-11
Filing date: 2006-02-11
Publication date: 2007-08-15
Also published as: GB0602809D0

Abstract

Internal stirring mechanism for stirring paint in a conventional paint marketing can 1, the ones normally found on general sale sealed by a lid. The marketing paint can has a mechanism built in with an external stirring mechanism to which it is attached enabling you to stir the paint whilst the can is sealed. Paint is stirred by applying external rotational force to the turning wheel 7 which in turn rotates the multi bladed propeller inside the can 1. The turning wheel 7 is attached to the shaft 5 of the mixing blade propeller, the multi bladed propeller 5 goes through a sealing device which seals the hole 16 at the bottom of the tin 3 and is attached to the turning wheel, this enables the hole 16 to be sealed as not to let paint out but by a seal that allows the multi bladed propeller 5 to turn when the external turning wheel 7 is turned. The top of the shaft 5 sits within the internal flange 4 on the inside of the paint lid 2 to stabilise the mixing mechanism whilst it rotates, mixing the paint. To operate, turn the can, if required, upside down to access the stirring wheel, rotate the stirring wheel 7 to mix the paint and then turn upright. Remove the lid 2 to access the stirred paint.

Description

Paint stirring tin

Background

This invention relates to an internal paint stirring mechanism within a marketing paint can.

When using paint to decorate internally or externally from a conventional paint marketing can, it is often found that paint inside is not in a condition for painting but actually needs to be stirred to mix the paint as heavier parts sink to the bottom of the can.

Generally you would open the can and find an external implement to stir the paint with to mix the heavier components with the rest of the paint as to get a smooth more constant paint.

This can be time consuming and also you may miss certain areas in the can leaving the paint ineffectively stirred. As the lid is open, paint can splash outside the can and you are also left with an external apparatus that is covered in paint that you either have to dispose of or clean.

Statement of Invention

To overcome this, the invention is an internal mechanism, mixing blades, that is inside the marketing paint can or container which allows you to stir the paint by applying external rotational force that turns the internal mechanism whilst the container remains closed. The mixing blades rotate allowing the paint to be effectively stirred and rotate in the direction of the external turning device. You then access the paint as you would a conventional marketing paint can by removing the lid.

The turning mechanism is in a recess on the can allowing the can to be stored as you would a conventional marketing paint can and stacked as normal for storage or distribution.

Advantages By rotating the internal mechanism through external rotational force you stir the paint inside the paint marketing can and therefore don't need to find an external apparatus. The paint can remains sealed whilst it is being stirred, this protects the user from paint splashing as the entire can is sealed and therefore there is no mess or external apparatus to find, dispose of, or clean afterwards as the mechanism remains attached to the stirring wheel inside the can.

The paint is stirred evenly as the mixing blades rotate on an axis stabilised within the can enabling it to move evenly in a set area stirring the paint, the blades move in relation to the rotation of the turning wheel turned by the user.

Introduction to drawings

An example of the invention will now be descnbed by referring to the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 shows a normal container of paint that would require an external implement to stir the paint.

Figure 2 shows a normal container of paint incorporating my design Figure 3 shows the mechanism broken down as to how this can be assembled.

Detailed description

Figure 1 shows a standard marketing paint can 1 in which exterior or interior paint is marketed. The paint can has a lid 2 and a bottom wall 3 and includes a cylindrical peripheral wall 13. Upon opening the paint can lid 2, with a screwdriver or the like, you wouid then use an external apparatus to stir the paint, as it is common that unless stirred, the paint isn't in a condition for painting as paint is thicker at the bottom of the paint container than the top.

Figure 2 shows the standard marketing can i again, in which paint is marketed with a lid 2 and a bottom wall 3 and the cylindrical peripheral wall 13. The lid 2 has an internal flange 4 in which the top of the shaft of the mixing blades s sits. The stirring mechanism 6 is used to stir the paint when the turning wheel 7, which sits in the recess area 8 of the bottom wall 3, is turned. It is best advised to turn the tin over and place on a staIt surface to apply force to turn the turning wheel 7, once this has been sufficiently turned theb turn the can i over and remove the lid 2. Upon removing the marketing can lid 2, the mixing blade mechanism 5 remains within the can. The shaft of the mixing mechanism 5 goes through a seal at the bottom of the can, in this case for illustration purposes an external flange ii which sits within the internal flange 9 or such like to seal the hole 16, and the shaft of the mixing blade is attached to the turning wheel 7 To turn the multi bladed propeller, apply rotational force to the external turning wheel i, this turns the shaft 5 that has the mixing blades e attached and this stirs the paint. The mixing blades could take many forms but I have chosen to use this design for illustration purposes.

The hole in the can 16 where the shaft is attached to the turning wheel 7 would be sealed by a device, again I have used an external flange ii which goes through a hoie in the bottom of the can 16 at the bottom of the wall 3 and is attached to the internal flange e to seal the can for illustration purposes. This ensures the paint, when the lid 2 is properly closed, maintains its quality and doesn't dry out due to long periods of external exposure or leak out of the bottom of the can. You could also have a rubber washer 17 at the top of the seal if required to help seal the can.

Inside the can t the top of the shaft 5 can sit within an internal flange 4 if required, on the inside of the can lid 2 to allows it to freely rotate but hold it on a set axis when the marketing paint lid 2 is closed and the turning wheel 7 used.

Figure 3 Illustrates the marketing paint can i with the internal stirring mechanism in a three-dimensional form to show how this is constructed. The illustration shows the marketing paint can i with the cylindrical peripheral wall 13 and the can lid 2 with the can lid internal flange 4 if required, the internal flange 4 would sit on top of the mixing blade shaft 5 when the lid 2 IS closed leaving enough room for the shaft 5 to turn to mix the paint. The mixing blades s and the shaft s are one solid piece, again the mixing blades can take many forms but I have used this design for illustration purposes. As described in figure 2 the bottom of the shaft s is attached to the turning wheel 7, and the shaft goes through the seal, for illustration purposes I have used an external flange ii which goes through the hole 16 at the bottom of the tin and in turn sits within the internal flange s which ensures the tin is completely sealed this could be aided by the internal washer 10 and external washer 12 if so desired although other forms of seal could be used. You could also have a rubber washer 17 at the top of the seal ii if required to help seal the can. The turning wheel 7 sits within the recess of the can 8 at the bottom wall 3 of the marketing paint can i this enables the cans to be stacked as normal and therefore not have any pieces sticking out which would make it difficult to stack for storage or distribution.

In figure 3, the two exert boxes, showing the constructed internal 9 and external ti flanges, show again how the paint can i will look when the turning wheel 7, a seal, and mixing blades are assembled ready for use.

The entire unit is sealed and the internal mechanism remains within the can at alJ times, paint is accessed by removing the lid 2 as you would with a conventional marketing paint can.

Once finished you re-apply the lid 2 ensuring the internal lid flange 4 sits on the mixing blade shaft 5 if using such an internal flange 4 so that this can be re-stirred as often as required.

Although particular embodiments of the invention have been disclosed in detail to illustrate it clearly, it will be recognised that variations or modifications of the discussed apparatus, including the rearrangement of parts, lie within the scope of the present invention. 1k

Claims

Claims 1. A can comprising an integral stirring mechanism 6, the

stirring mechanism 6 being operable from outside the can.

2. The can according to claim 1, wherein the can 1 comprises a turning wheel 7, the turning wheel 7 being configured to rotate the stirring mechanism 6.

3. The can according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the stirring mechanism 6 comprises at least one mixing blade.

4. The can according to any of claims 1 to 3, wherein the stirring mechanism 6 comprises a shaft 5 comprising the at least one mixing blade.

5. The can according to any of claims 1 to 4, wherein the can further comprises a lid 2 and a bottom wall 3 comprising an aperture 16; and wherein the shaft 5 is configured to extend through the aperture 16.

6. The can according to any of claims 2 to 5, wherein the turning wheel is located on the bottom wall and the shaft 5 is configured to be connected to the turning wheel 7.

7. The can according to claim 6, wherein the turning wheel 7 is located in a recessed area 8 of the bottom wall.

8. The can according to any of claim 5 to 7, wherein the lid comprises a flange 4, configured to receive the shaft

I

5; and wherein the shaft 5 is dimensioned to extend into the flange 4 when the lid 2 is in position on the can.

9. The can according to any of claims 5 to 8, wherein the can further comprises a seal arranged between the aperture 16 and the shaft 5.

10. The can according to claim 9, wherein the seal comprises an internal flange 9, an internal washer 10, an external flange 11 and an external washer 12; and wherein the internal and external washers 10, 12 are located either side of the bottom wall; the external flange 11 is arranged to be located through the external washer 12, the aperture 16 and the internal washer 10; and the internal flange 9 is arranged over external flange 11 to form the seal.

11. The can according to any preceding claim, wherein the blade is configured to extend perpendicularly from the shaft 5.

12. The can according to claim 11, wherein the can comprises a cylindrical peripheral wall 13; and wherein the at least one mixing blade is dimensioned to extend from the shaft to the peripheral wall 13.

13. The can according to any of claims 11 to 12, wherein the at least one blade is dimensioned to extend from the bottom wall to the lid.

14. The can according to any of claims 11 to 13, wherein the at least one blade is arranged to connect to the shaft in the proximity of the lid and in the proximity of the bottom wall to form an aperture between the blade and the shaft.

15. The can according to any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the can comprises first and second blades arranged to extend concentrically along the same plane from a point on the shaft; and wherein the first blade is dimensioned to fit within the second blade.

16. The can according to any of claims 11 to 14, wherein the can comprises a plurality of blades arranged to extend in opposite directions towards the peripheral wall 13 from the shaft.

17. The can according to any preceding claim, wherein the turning member 7 is substantially disc shaped and the edges of the disc comprise regions adapted to aid gripping.

18. A can substantially as herein described with particular reference to the accompanying drawings.