GB2445235A

GB2445235A - A paint roller cleaning device

Info

Publication number: GB2445235A
Application number: GB0723992A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ed Adamson
Original assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Current assignee: Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd
Priority date: 2006-12-23
Filing date: 2007-12-10
Publication date: 2008-07-02
Anticipated expiration: 2027-12-10
Also published as: GB2445235B; GB0723992D0; MA31020B1; WO2008077469A1; ZA200905142B; EP2121346A1; GB0625876D0; TN2009000252A1

Abstract

A paint roller sleeve cleaner 10 comprises a substantially cylindrical sleeve 12 having an inside surface 14, the inside surface 14 including at least one helical rib 16 projecting radially inwards such that when the cylindrical sleeve 12 is passed over an associated roller sleeve (56, fig 6), there is a radial close fit between the helical rib 16 and the roller sleeve (56, fig 6) such that paint on the roller surface (56, fig 6) is removed by the helical rib 16 scraping against the surface of the sleeve. Preferably the helical rib 16 completes between one and three revolutions on the inside surface 14 of the cylindrical sleeve 12. The roller sleeve cleaner 10 may form part of the roller assembly and may either be snap-fitted or screwed onto the handle (52, fig 6) of the roller assembly. Alternatively the helical rib 16 may be replaced by at least two distinct annular ribs.

Description

A Roller Sleeve Cleaner The present invention relates to a roller

sleeve cleaner.

Known roller assemblies comprise a roller frame having a handle for a user to hold, and an elongated section to receive a roller sleeve. The roller assembly is arranged such that the elongated section, and therefore the roller sleeve can rotate so a user can hold the handle and apply paint to a surface such as a wall or ceiling.

A problem with known roller assemblies relates to cleaning the roller sleeve once the user has finished painting. This cleaning process uses a significant amount of water, takes a lot of time, and is often unsatisfactory in that not all of the paint is removed.

A further problem with known roller assemblies is having to remove the roller sleeve from the assembly to clean it, and therefore the user must handle the roller sleeve and risks coming into contact with the paint on the sleeve.

An object of the present invention is to provide more efficient means for cleaning a roller sleeve.

Thus, according to the present invention there is provided a roller sleeve cleaner comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve having an inside surface, the inside surface including at least one helical rib projecting radially inwards such that when tlie cylindrical sleeve is passed over an associated roller sleeve, there is a radial close fit between the helical rib and the roller sleeve such that paint on the roller surface is removed by the helical rib.

A user can now remove the paint from the roller sleeve using the roller sleeve cleaner without the need for a significant amount of water.

Preferably the helical rib forms at least one complete revolution on the inside surface, most preferably the helical rib forms one revolution. Increasing the number of revolutions increases the contact between the ribs and the roller sleeve. The applicant has found that between one and three revolutions enables a significant amount of paint to be removed without undue effort when passing the cleaner over the roller sleeve.

Preferably the inside surface includes an annular rib projecting radially inwards, the annular rib being spaced from the helical rib. The addition of an annular rib assists in removing paint from the roller sleeve as the roller cleaner passes over it.

According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a roller sleeve cleaner comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve having an inside surface, the inside surface including at least at least two distinct annular ribs projecting radially inwards such that when the cylindrical sleeve is passed over an associated roller sleeve, there is a radial close fit between the annular ribs and the roller sleeve such that paint on the roller surface is removed by the annular ribs.

Preferably the cylindrical sleeve is made of a flexible material such that it can be squeezed when positioned on the roller sleeve such that the annular or helical rib can grip the roller sleeve and remove the roller sleeve from its associated frame. This enables a user to remove the roller sleeve from the roller frame without having to touch the roller sleeve, and therefore there is no need for the user to contact paint on the roller sleeve.

The invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a perspective view of a roller sleeve cleaner according to the present invention, Figure 2 is a sectional perspective view of the roller sleeve cleaner of Figure 1, Figures 3 and 4 are perspective views of the roller sleeve cleaner of Figure 1, Figure 5 is a side view of a roller assembly including the roller sleeve cleaner of the present invention, Figure 6 is a front view of the roller assembly of Figure 5, Figure 7 is a sectional front view of part of the roller assembly of Figure 5 showing how the roller sleeve attaches to the handle of the roller assembly, Figure 8 is a perspective view of the roller assembly of Figure 5 with the sleeve cleaner attached to the handle, Figure 9 is a perspective view of the roller assembly of Figure 5 with the roller sleeve cleaner detached from the handle and being passed over the roller sleeve, Figure 10 is a front view showing the interaction between the roller assembly of Figure 5 and the roller sleeve cleaner as it is passed over the roller sleeve, and Figure 11 is a sectional front view of part of an alternative roller sleeve cleaner.

With reference to Figures 1 to 4, there is shown a roller sleeve cleaner 10 comprising a substantially cylindrical sleeve 12.

The cylindrical sleeve 12 includes a through aperture 13 with a first end 15 and a second end 17. The first end 15 has a smaller diameter in comparison to the second end 17 such that the cylindrical sleeve is tapered (shown clearly in Figure 7). The second end 15 includes a flared portion 21.

The cylindrical sleeve 12 has an inside surface 14 and an outside surface 23. The inside surface 14 has a helical rib 16 which projects radially inwards and completes 1.25 revolutions over a pitch height of l6.25mm. For the avoidance of doubt the term helical includes any screw type arrangement where the beginning and end of the rib do not coincide, and includes, for example, a spiral.

The inside surface 14 also includes an annular rib 18 which is positioned between the helical rib and the second end 17 of the cylindrical sleeve 12. A small circumferential indent 20 is positioned on the inside surface 14 adjacent the underside 19 of the annular rib 18. For the avoidance of doubt the term annular includes any arrangement where the beginning and end of the rib coincide. and includes, for example, a circular rib.

With reference to Figures 5 and 6 there is shown a roller assembly 50 comprising a roller frame 54, which is typically fabricated from metal wire, an elongated section 56 which is fixed to the roller frame 54, a handle 52 which is fixed to the roller frame 54, and the roller sleeve cleaner 10 which is attached to the handle 52. The handle has an outer surface 53.

The roller assembly 50 and the means by which the handle 52 and elongated section 56 are fixed to the frame 54 are known in the art except for the provision of the roller sleeve cleaner 10 and the means by which it is attached to the roller assembly 50.

With reference to Figures 5 to 7, the handle 52 includes three equally spaced annular latches 60, each having a radially outward projection 62. The roller sleeve cleaner 10 attaches onto the handle 52 by a snap-fit between the outward projections 62 and the circumferential indent 20. Since the indent 20 is circumferential, it is not necessary to rotationally align the roller sleeve cleaner 10 relative to the handle 52 in order to obtain the snap-fit. It can be seen from Figure 7 that the latches 60 are slightly inwardly offset from the outside surface 53 so that there is a substantially unbroken and smooth join with the outside surface 23 of the roller sleeve cleaner 10.

In an alternative embodiment, the helical rib could be used to secure the cleaner onto a cooperating helical rib of the roller handle, thereby negating the need for a snap-fit arrangement.

The roller sleeve cleaner 10 is used as follows with reference to Figures 8 to 10: Firstly a user will use the roller assembly to paint a surface (not shown) by loading the roller sleeve 56 with paint from a roller tray (not shown). The roller assembly will be as configured in Figure 8 with the roller sleeve cleaner 10 attached to the handle 52.

When the roller sleeve 52 needs to be cleaned, the user will grasp the roller sleeve cleaner 10, manoeuvre it around the roller frame 54, and then pull it over the roller sleeve 56 as shown in Figure 10. The close fit between the helical rib 16 and the roller sleeve 56 removes paint 80 from the roller sleeve 56 as it is passed over. If paint remains on the roller sleeve 56 then the roller sleeve cleaner 10 can be passed over the roller sleeve 56 again until the user is satisfied all the paint has been removed.

The fact that the close fit is between a helical rib and the roller sleeve as opposed to a single annular rib increases the quantity of paint removed from the roller sleeve.

It can be seen from Figure 10 that a paint well 70 is defined by the helical rib 16, the roller sleeve 56 and the inside surface 14 of the roller sleeve cleaner 10. The paint well 70 enables removed paint to be temporarily held without spilling over onto the outside surface 23 of the roller cleaner 10, and therefore protects the user from removed paint.

Any paint that is not removed by the helical rib 16 will be collected and removed by the annular rib 18.

The provision of the flared portion 21 assists the user in gripping the roller cleaner 10, and additionally increases the volume of the paint well 70 to reduce the likelihood of paint spilling onto the outside surface 23.

Once the user has decided that sufficient paint has been removed, it is then possible to radially squeeze the roller sleeve cleaner 10 such that the annular and/or helical rib can grip the roller sleeve 56 to such an extent that the roller sleeve 56 can be removed form the roller frame 54 without the user having to come into contact with the roller sleeve 56.

From Figures 7 and 10 it can be seen that the annular rib 18 performs two functions, firstly to act as a locator for the latches 60, and secondly as described above to remove paint not picked up by the helical rib.

With reference to Figure 11 there is shown an alternative roller sleeve cleaner 110 that is identical to the roller cleaner sleeve 10 as described above except that the helical rib is replaced by an additional annular rib 148. The provision of annular ribs 118,148 increases the surface contact with paint on the roller sleeve so as to remove more paint in the same way that the helical rib will have more surface contact and therefore remove more paint when compared to a single annular rib.

With reference to Figure 12 it can be seen that the roller sleeve cleaner 10 or 110 has an additional benefit in that it has a diameter sufficient in comparison to the roller sleeve diameter such that the roller handle 52 is suspended above an associated surface 90 such as a roller tray surface, when the roller sleeve 56 is resting on that surface. This protects the roller handle 52, and hence the user, from contact with paint.

Claims

Claims I. A roller sleeve cleaner comprising a substantially

cylindrical sleeve having an inside surface, the inside surface including at least one helical rib projecting radially inwards such that when the cylindrical sleeve is passed over an associated roller sleeve, there is a radial close fit between the helical rib and the roller sleeve such that paint on the roller surface is removed by the helical rib.
2. A roller sleeve cleaner according to claim I in which the helical rib completes at least one revolution on the inside surface of the cylindrical sleeve.
3. A roller sleeve cleaner according to claim 2 in which the helical rib completes between one and three revolutions on the inside surface of the cylindrical sleeve.
4. A roller sleeve cleaner according to any preceding claim in which the cylindrical sleeve has a tapered cross-section.
5. A roller sleeve cleaner according to any preceding claim in which the inside surface includes an annular rib projecting radially inwards, the annular rib being spaced from the helical rib.
6. Aroller sleeve cleaner comprising a substantially c)4indrical sleeve having a -inside surface, the inside surface including at least at least two distinct annular ribs projecting radially inwards such that when the cylindrical sleeve is passed over an associated roller sleeve, there is a radial close fit between the annular ribs and the roller sleeve such that paint on the roller surface is removed by the annular ribs.
7. A roller sleeve cleaner according to any preceding claim in which the cylindrical sleeve is sufficiently flexible such that it can be squeezed when positioned on the roller sleeve such that the annular and/or helical rib can grip the roller sleeve and remove the roller sleeve from its associated frame.
8. A roller assembly including a roller sleeve cleaner according to any preceding claim, the roller assembly comprises a roller frame, a roller sleeve which is releasably attachable to the roller frame, and a handle, in which the roller sleeve cleaner is releasably attachable to the handle of the roller assembly.
9. A roller assembly according to claim 8 in which the roller sleeve cleaner snap-fits to the handle of the roller assembly.
10. A roller assembly according to claim 9 or 10 in which the roller is dimensioned such that when attached to the handle, and the roller sleeve is resting on a surface, the handle is suspended above the surface.
11. A roller assembly according to any one of claims I to 5 or any one of claims 7, 8, or 10 when dependant on claim I in which the helical rib is used to screw the roller sleeve cleaner onto a corresponding screw portion on the handle.