GB2487658A

GB2487658A - Paint roller handle

Info

Publication number: GB2487658A
Application number: GB1201275.3A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Sieghard Amann; Joao Jorge Bergner; Dirk Beisheim; Dominik Maurer
Original assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Current assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
Priority date: 2011-01-25
Filing date: 2012-01-24
Publication date: 2012-08-01
Anticipated expiration: 2032-01-24
Also published as: CN102615023B; GB2487658B; DE102011003121A1; GB201201275D0; CN102615023A

Abstract

Paint roller handle 10 comprising a gripping region 12, a paint roller receiving housing 14, a paint distributor 16 and a paint roller 18, wherein the paint distributor 16 and the paint roller 18 are disposed in the paint roller receiving housing 14. The paint distributor 16 is preloaded in the direction of the paint roller 18, wherein there is connected to the paint distributor 16 a supply line 32, which supplies paint to the paint distributor 16 and which on its free end remote from the paint distributor 16 is provided with a line connection 34 for the purpose of connecting a pump pressure line. The paint distributor 16, the supply line 32 and the line connection 34 form a unit that is fastened in a manually releasable manner to the paint roller handle 10. This arrangement facilitates cleaning of the various components.

Description

S Title

?ainfQP handle and paint aing device having such paint roller handle The present invention relates to a paint roller handle comprising a gripping region, a paint roller receiving housing, a paint distributor and a paint roller, wherein the paint distributor and the paint roller are disposed in the paint roller receiving housing and the paint distributor is preloaded towards the paint roller. The present invention further relates to a paint applying device comprising a pump, a drive motor that drives the pump, a housing that receives the pump and the drive motor, a suction line connected to the pump, and a paint roller handle of the initially described type that is connected by a pressure line to the pump.

Such paint applying devices, which are often also referred to as electric paint rollers, as well as paint roller handles of the initially described type are known in various designs from the background art. They are used primarily during refurbishment and maintenance work to paint large surface areas, wherein in particular low-viscosity dispersion paints, latex paints, primers that are dilutable with water, varnishes, oils and water-based wood preservatives are processed.

In contrast to conventional paint applying devices that have mechanical paint rollers, when using electric paint rollers the final cleaning of the tool after carrying out the painting work is a major problem. In order to prevent malfunctions in the paint feed, after using the paint applying device it, is essential to carry out a thorough S cleaning of all of the components involved in feeding the paint. These are in particular the pump, the suction line, the pressure line, the paint distributor, the paint roller and all of the parts connecting these components. Cleaning is very time-consuming and has to be carried out with great care because even superfine dried-on residues of paint can lead to clogging of the components involved in feeding the paint, which may result in the impairment of subsequent painting work and ultimately in the failure of individual components.

IS

Against this background art, an object of the present invention is to provide a paint roller handle as well as a paint applying device of the initially described type that may be cleaned easily, reliably and within a short time.

To achieve this object the present invention provides a paint roller handle of the initially described type, which is characterized in that connected to the paint distributor is a supply line, which supplies paint to the paint distributor and which on its free end remote from the paint distributor is provided with a line connection for the purpose of connecting a pump pressure line, wherein the paint distributor, the supply line and the line connection form a unit that is fastened in a manually releasable manner to the paint roller handle. Thus, this unit, which in conventional paint roller handles is accessible only with difficulty, may according to the present invention be easily disassembled to allow it to be cleaned thoroughly, conveniently and within a short time.

According to a development of the present invention the line connection is held on the paint roller positively and/or using at least one manually actuable locking element, such as for example a locking pin or the like. In this way a simpler, easy-to-handle construction is achieved.

In the gripping region or in a transition region between gripping region and paint roller receiving housing an opening is advantageously provided, through which the line connection extends outwards in the mounted state. The line connection is therefore accessible from outside, so that the pressure hose of a paint applying device may easily be disposed on it. On the line connection a cover for sealing the opening is preferably formed to prevent the penetration of impurities into the paint roller handle.

According to a development of the present invention the supply line is configured to be stretchable in its axial extent, in particular is configured as an expansion bellows. The supplyline may accordingly follow movements of the paint distributor that are caused by the preloading in the direction of the paint roller.

The supply line is advantageously formed from a flexible, preferably rubber-like material. During cleaning it may accordingly be kneaded by the fingers in order to detach paint that is sticking to the inner wall of the supply line.

To achieve the initially stated object, the present invention further provides a paint roller handle of the initially described type, which is characterized in that the paint roller is held releasably on the paint roller S receiving housing by means of a clip connection. Such a clip connection is advantageous in that it may be released manually in,a simple manner without there being any risk of the hands of the user coming into contact with the paint roller and bedoming soiled.

According to a variant of the present invention the paint roller has projections, which protrude from the end faces of the paint roller in the direction of the paint roller axis and which for rotatably receiving the paint roller engage in substantially correspondingly formed recesses provided on the paint roller receiving housing, wherein at least one recess is provided in the region of a housing bracket and the housing bracket is configured elastically in such a way that projection and recess may be brought out of engagement by manually bending the housing bracket outwards. Such a housing bracket may be actuated with one hand, while the other hand of the user tightly grips the gripping region of the paint roller handle. In this way convenient and secure handling during release of the paint roller is guaranteed.

According to an alternative variant the paint roller at its end faces has recesses, which extend in the direction of the paint roller axis and into which for rotatably receiving the paint roller in substantially correspondingly formed projections provided on the paint roller receiving housing engage, wherein at least one projection is provided in the region of a housing bracket and the housing bracket is configured elastically in such a way that projection and recess may be brought out of engagement by manually bending the housing bracket outwards. In this way, similar advantages to those of the previously described variant are S achieved.

The recess is advantageously provided in a groove, which tapers in the direction of the recess and which during mounting of the paint roller on the paint roller receiving housing serves as an introduction aid. The mounting of the paint roller nay accordingly be carried out easily.

There is preferably formed on the gripping part a line duct that extends in particular up to the free end of the handle. In such a line duct the pressure line of a paint applying device may be disposed in such a way that it does not get in the way of the user when carrying out painting To achieve the initially stated object, the present invention moreover provides a paint applying device comprising a pump, a drive motor that drives the pump, a housing that receives the pump and the drive motor, a suction line connected to the pump, and a paint roller handle of the previously described type that is connected by a pressure line to the pump.

Further advantages and features of the present invention emerge from the following description of an embodiment of a paint roller handle according to the present invention ith reference to the accompanying drawings. These show: Figure 1 a schematic perspective view of a paint roller handle according to an embodiment of the present invention; S Figure 2 a schematic perspective view of a unit of the paint roller handle represented in Figure 1 that comprises a paint distributor, a supply line and a line connection and is represented by dashes in Figure 1; Figure 3 a partial plan view of the paint roller handle that shows the line connection of the unit represented in Figure 2 during mounting of the unit on the paint roller handle; Figure 4 a partial plan view of the paint roller handle that shows the line connection, and hence the entire unit represented in Figure 2, in the mounted state; Figure 5 a partial side view showing the connection between a paint roller receiving housing and a paint roller of the paint roller handle in the mounted state; and Figure 6 a schematic side view showing the connection shown in Figure 5 in the released state.

Figures 1 to 6 show a paint roller handle 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The paint roller handle 10 comprises a gripping region 12, a paint roller receiving housing 14 formed integrally with the gripping region 12, a paint distributor 16 and a paint roller 18, wherein the paint distributor 16 and the paint roller 18 are disposed in the paint roller receiving housing 14 and the paint distributor 16 is preloaded in the direction of the paint roller 18 by spring means that are not represented in detail.

The gripping region 12 of the paint roller handle 10 is ergonomically shaped to provide a good grip for the user.

On the underside of the gripping region 12 a location opening 20 is formed, in which a remote operator control unit 22 is disposed and fastened releasably by detent means that are not represented in detail. The remote operator control unit 22 is used to actuate and control a pump of a paint applying device, which pump is not represented in detail and is connected by a suction line to a paint reservoir and by a pressure line to the paint roller handle 10. To put it more precisely,. the volume rate of flow of paint to be supplied to the paint roller handle 10 may be controlled by means of a manually operator-controllable actuating switch 24. Formed on the upper side of the gripping region is a line duct 26, which extends up to the free end of the paint roller handle. As is hown in Figure 1, the pressure line 28 may be inserted into this line duct 26 so that it is protected from external influences and does not get in the way of the user holding the paint roller handle 10. Along the line duct 26 a plurality of clamping projections 30 are formed, which are used to fasten the pressure line 28 accommodated in the line duct 26.

In order to connect the paint distributor 16 disposed in the paint roller receiving housing 14 to the pressure line 28, a supply line 32 is connected to the paint distributor 16 and is provided at its free end remote from the paint distributor 16 with a line connection 34, to which the pressure line 28 may be connected. The paint distributor 16, the supply line 32 and the line connection 34 in this case form a coherent unit 36. In order to lead the line connection of the unit 36 disposed in the interior of the paint roller handle 10 outwards for the purpose of connecting the pressure line 28, in a transition region 38 between the gripping region 12 and the paint roller receiving housing 14 an opening 40 is provided, through which the line connection 34 extends outwards in the mounted state and on the edge of which the line connection 34 is positively received. In order to seal the opening 40, on the line connection 34 a cover 42 is formed, which likewise lies positively against the edge of the opening 40. The supply line 32 is configured as an expansion bellows that is stretchable in its axial extent and is manufactured from a flexible, rubber-like material. The supply line 32 may accordingly without difficulty follow movements of the paint distributor 16, which is preloaded in the direction of the paint roller 18.

The paint roller 18 is held releasably on the paint roller receiving housing 14 by means of a clip connection. For this purpose, the paint roller 18 has projections 46 with a circular diameter, which protrude from the end faces 44 of the paint roller 18 in the direction of the paint roller axis A. For rotatably receiving the paint roller, these projections 46 engage into substantially correspondingly formed recesses 46 that are provided on the paint roller receiving housing 14. One recess 48 in this case is provided in the region of a housing bracket 50, wherein the housing bracket 50 is configured elastically in such a way that the projection 46 and the recess 48 may be brought out of engagement by manually bending the housing bracket SO outwards in the direction of the arrow 52, as is shown in Figure 6. To facilitate mounting of the paint roller 18, the recess 48 provided on the housing bracket 50 is positioned in a groove 53 that tapers in the direction of the recess 48. In the course of mounting, the projection 46 accordingly need merely be inserted into the groove 53 and pressed in the direction of the paint distributor 16, before latching automatically in the recess 48.

Tb put the paint roller handle 10 into operation, the pressure line 28 of a paint applying device associated with the remote operator control unit 22 merely has to be connected to the line connection 34. If the actuating switch 24 of the remote operator control unit 22 is then actuated by the user, paint is supplied through the pressure line 28 and the supply line 32 to the paint distributor 16, which distributes the paint uniformly on the paint roller 18 so that the user may apply a uniform coat of paint onto a surface area that is to be painted.

On completion of the painting work1 as already described in detail in the introduction, all of the components involved in feeding the paint have to be cleaned very thoroughly.

In order to clean the paint roller 18, the user, who is holding the gripping region 12 of the paint roller holder with one hand, uses the other hand to bend the housing bracket 50 in the direction of the arrow 52 so that the paint roller 18 is automatically released from the paint roller receiving housing 14. Thus, the user may deposit the paint roller 18 for example directly in a cleaning container without running the risk of coming into contact with the paint roller 18. In a further step the connection between the pressure line 28 and the line connection 34 is released, whereupon the line connection 34 and the cover 42 formed thereon may be brought out of the positive engagement with the opening 40, as is shown in Figure 3.

Through an opening portion 40a having a larger diameter the line connection 34 together with the cover 42 may then be conveyed downwards into the paint roller receiving housing 14, so that the entire coherent unit 36 comprising the paint distributor 16, the supply line 32 and the line connection 34 may be removed from the paint roller handle and then cleaned.

The paint roller handle 10 represented in Figures 1 to 6 is notable in particular for the fact that all of the components involved in feeding paint may be disassembled without difficulty and separately cleaned. If one of the components is worn, it may easily be exchanged. The paint roller handle 10 according to the invention is moreover simultaneously of a simple construction.

Claims

Claims 1. Paint roller handle (10) comprising a gripping region (12), a paint roller receiving housing (14), a paint distributor (16) and a paint roller (18), wherein the paint distributor (16) and the paint roller (18) are disposed in the paint roller receiving housing (14) and the paint distributor (16) is preloaded in the direction of the paint roller (18), characterized in that there is connected to the paint distributor (16) a supply line (32), which supplies paint to the paint distributor (16) and which on its free end remote from the paint distributor (16) is provided with a line connector (34) for the purpose of connecting a pump pressure line, wherein the paint distributor (16), the supply line (32) and the line connection (34) form a unit that is fastened in manually releasable manner to the paint roller handle (10).
2. Paint roller handle (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the line connection (34) is held on the paint roller handle (10) positively and/or using at least one manually actuable locking element.
3. Paint roller handle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that in the gripping region (12) or in a transition region (38) between gripping region (12) and paint roller receiving housing (14) an opening (40) is provided, through which the line connection (34) extends outwards in the mounted state. t I I
4. Paint roller handle (10) according to claim 3, characterized in that on the line connection (34) a cover (42) for sealing the cpening (40) is formed.

5 Paint roller handle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply line (32) is configured to be stretchable in its axial extent, in particular is configured as an expansion bellows * 6. Paint roller handle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the supply line (32) is formed from a flexible, preferably rubber-like material.7. Paint roller handle (10), in particular according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a gripping region (12), a paint roller receiving housing (14), a paint distributor (16) and a paint roller (18), wherein the paint distributor (16) and the paint roller (18) are disposed in the paint roller receiving housing (14) and the paint distributor (16) is preloaded in the direction of the paint roller (18), characterized in that the paint roller (18) is held releasably on the paint roller receiving housing (14) by means of a clip connection.8. Paint roller handle (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the paint roller (18) has projections (46), which protrude from the end faces (44) of the paint roller (28) in the direction of the paint roller axis (A) and which for rotatably receiving the paint roller (18) engage into substantially correspondingly formed recesses (48) that are provided on the paint roller receiving housing (14), wherein at least one recess (48) is provided in the region of a housing bracket (50) and the housing bracket (50) is configured elastically in such a way that projection (46) and recess (48) may be brought out of engagement by manually bending the housing bracket (50) outwards.9. Paint roller handle (10) according to claim 7, characterized in that the paint roller (18) on its end faces (44) has recesses, which extend in the direction of the paint roller axis and into which for rotatably receiving the paint roller (18) in substantially correspondingly formed projections provided on the paint roller receiving housing (14) engage, wherein at least one projection is provided in the region of a housing bracket (50) and the housing bracket (50) is configured elastically in such a way that projection and recess may be brought out of engagement by manually bending the housing bracket (SO) outwards.10. Paint roller handle (10) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the recess (48) is provided in a groove (53) that tapers in the direction of the recess (48).11. Paint roller handle (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that on the gripping region (12) a line duct (26) is formed, which extends in particular up to the free end of the paint roller handle (10) . 12. Paint applying device (10) conprising a pump, a drive motor that drives the pump, a housing that receives the pump and the drive motor, a suction line connected to the pump, and a paint roller handle (10) according to one of the preceding claims that is connected by a pressure line (28) to the pump.13. A paint roller handle substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.14. A paint applying device substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.