US20030052128A1

US20030052128A1 - Paint can cover

Info

Publication number: US20030052128A1
Application number: US09/956,218
Authority: US
Inventors: John Cheever; Richard Cheever; Amelia Cheever; Linda Mason
Original assignee: JP PLASTICS Inc
Current assignee: JP PLASTICS Inc
Priority date: 2001-09-20
Filing date: 2001-09-20
Publication date: 2003-03-20

Abstract

A throw-away plastic lid comprised of two parts. The first part fits over a container opening, specifically engaging the periphery of the container including the container's annular channel about its periphery. The first part has a substantial, half-moon shaped, central opening. The second part of the lid is attached to the first part by means of a flexible strip and provides a cover which frictionally engages the lid first part. In another embodiment of the invention, the lid first part has a brush holder attached to its periphery.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to removably covers for containers, and in particular, to a cover particularly useful for covering a paint can after opening.

For many years paint and other products have been sold in cans which include a top closure in the form of a lid having a downwardly projecting peripheral ridge usually formed by a reverse bend and which is tightly received in an annular groove extending about the top of the cam immediately inside of the cylindrical side wall of the can. This structure provides a good initial seal for the contents and the lid is conveniently removable and then replaceable when the can contents are to be further kept without exposure to the atmosphere. A common problem in the use of such cans is that when the can is opened and paint is used directly from the can by dipping a paint brush, paint enters the groove, and the presence of the paint in the groove when the lid is replaced eventually affects the seal and/or causes problems when the lid is to be removed at a later time.

Furthermore, when painting outdoors directly from the paint container, it is not uncommon to have debris, such as leaves, bugs, pollen, tree and plant seeds, fall into the paint within the container. Also, when taking a break for coffee, lunch or some chore requiring painting to be interrupted, the paint container must be covered to prevent a paint “skin” from forming on top of the paint.

Furthermore, when painting, it is customary to dip a brush into a paint can and to wipe the brush against the side of the can to remove excess paint to prevent its running down the brush handle during use. The brush face is straight while the can is circular so obviously the wiping action is not uniform across the brush face. To remove enough paint from the middle to prevent later running of paint, obviously the sides of the brush will have too much paint removed. Moreover, wiping results in some pain running down the outside of the paint can with consequent staining of the support surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a throw-away plastic lid comprised of two parts. The first part fits over a container opening, specifically engaging the periphery of the container including the container's annular channel about its periphery. The first part has a substantial, half-moon shaped, central opening. The second part of the lid is attached to the first part by means of a flexible strip and provides a cover which frictionally engages the lid first part. In another embodiment of the invention, the lid first part has a brush holder attached to its periphery.

These together with other objects of the invention, along with various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed hereto and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there is illustrated a preferred embodiment of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a side perspective of one embodiment of the invention in an “open” configuration. [0007]
FIG. 2 is a side perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 in a “closed” configuration. [0008]
FIG. 3 is a side perspective of another embodiment of the invention in an “open” configuration. [0009]
FIG. 4 is a side perspective of the embodiment shown in FIG. 3 in a “closed” configuration. [0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

Referring to the drawings in detail wherein like elements are indicated by like numerals, there is shown a [0011] container 10, said container 10 having a closed bottom 11 from which cylindrical side walls 12 extend vertically upward, said container 10 being generally cylindrical in shape, said container 10 having a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the container bottom 11, said container 10 having an open top 13 with an inwardly directed radial perimeter flange 14 connected to said cylindrical side walls 12, said side walls 12, bottom 11 and perimeter flange 14 defining a container interior 15. The radial perimeter flange 14 will usually have an annular channel 16 formed therein for the original container lid (not shown).
The present invention provides a transparent, throw-away, [0012] plastic lid assembly 20 comprised of two parts. The first part 21 is a round element fitting over the container top 13, specifically engaging the periphery 17 of the container 20 and covering the container perimeter flange 14 including the container's annular channel 16. The first part 21 has a substantial, half-moon shaped, central opening 22. The second part 30 of the lid assembly 20 is attached to the first part 21 by means of a flexible strip 31 and provides a cover which frictionally engages the lid first part 21. In another embodiment of the invention, the lid first part 21 has a brush holder 40 attached to its periphery 23.
The lid assembly [0013] first part 21 is round having a top 24 and bottom 25, and is adapted to engage the open top 13 of a container 10. The first part 21 has an outer periphery 23 terminating in a flange 26 downwardly projecting from the first part bottom 25 in the direction of the container bottom 11 but outside the container side walls 12. The periphery flange 26 frictionally engages the container side walls exterior surface 18. The periphery flange 26 has a flexible strip 31 attached thereto. The peripheral flange 26 also has a tab 27 attached thereto opposite to the portion of the peripheral flange with the flexible strip 31. The lid assembly first part top 24 has a circular, ridge-like protrusion 28 formed thereon, said circular protrusion 28 being concentric with the first part outer periphery 23 and positioned radially a predetermined distance from the periphery 23 toward the first part center. The half-moon shaped, central opening 22 is formed within the circular protrusion 28.
As stated above the [0014] second part 30 of the lid assembly 20 is attached to the first part 21 by means of a flexible strip 31 and provides a cover which is adapted to frictionally engage the lid first part 21. The cover 30 has a top 32, bottom 33, and outer periphery 34 terminating in a flange 35 downwardly projecting from the second part bottom 33, said downwardly projecting flange 35 terminating in a second flange 36 projecting out from the first flange 35 in a plane parallel to the cover 33. The diameter of the periphery 34 is approximately equal to the diameter of the first part protrusion 28. When the cover 30 is closed over the first part 21, the cover periphery first flange 35 is adapted to engage the protrusion 28 along its outer side 29, while the cover second flange 36 engages the first part top 24 portion between the protrusion 28 and first part periphery 23. The flexible strip 31 is attached to the second flange 36. The cover 30 also has a tab 37 attached to the second flange 36 on the portion of the second flange 36 opposite to the portion attached to the flexible strip 31.
In another embodiment of the invention, the lid first part downwardly projecting [0015] peripheral flange 26 terminates in a brush holder 40. The holder has an open top 41 and closed bottom 42 interconnected by means of side walls 43. The top 41 has a generally, rounded, rectangular shape with the side walls forming a frustum shape toward the bottom 42, with the bottom 42 having smaller dimensions than the top 41. The brush holder 40 long dimensions are perpendicular to the radial axis of the lid assembly first part 21.
It is understood that the above-described embodiment is merely illustrative of the application. Other embodiments may be readily devised by those skilled in the art which will embody the principles of the invention and fall within the spirit and scope thereof. [0016]

Claims

We claim:

1. A removable lid for a container having a closed bottom from which cylindrical side walls extend vertically upward, said container being generally cylindrical in shape, said side walls having an exterior surface, said container having a longitudinal axis generally perpendicular to the container bottom, said container having an open top with a periphery attached to said side walls and an inwardly directed radial perimeter flange connected to said cylindrical side walls, said side walls, bottom and perimeter flange defining a container interior, comprising:

a first part adapted to engage the container top, said first part having a substantial, half-moon shaped, central opening over said container top opening;

a second part adapted to frictionally engage said first part; and

a flexible strip interconnecting said first part with said second part.

2. A removable lid as recited in claim 1, wherein:

the lid first part is round, has a top, a bottom, and an outer periphery terminating in a flange downwardly projecting outside the container side walls from the first part bottom toward the container bottom, said first part periphery flange frictionally engaging the container side walls exterior surface.

3. A removable lid as recited in claim 2, wherein:

the lid second part is round, has a top, bottom, and outer periphery terminating in a first flange downwardly projecting from the second part bottom, said downwardly projecting flange terminating in a second flange projecting out from the first flange in a plane parallel to the lid second part.

4. A removable lid as recited in claim 3, wherein:

the lid first part top has a circular, ridge-like protrusion formed thereon, said circular protrusion being concentric with the first part outer periphery and positioned radially a predetermined distance from the periphery toward a first part center.

5. A removable lid as recited in claim 4, wherein:

the diameter of the second part outer periphery is approximately equal to the diameter of a first part protrusion outer side, said second part periphery first flange being adapted to engage the first part protrusion along its outer side, and said second part second flange adapted to engage the first part top portion between the protrusion and first part periphery.

6. A lid as recited in claim 5, further comprising:

a brush holder attached to said first part periphery.

7. A lid as recited in claim 6, wherein:

said brush holder is attached to the lid first part downwardly projecting peripheral flange.

8. A lid as recited in claim 7 wherein:

the brush holder has an open top and closed bottom interconnected by a plurality of side walls.

9. A lid as recited in claim 8, wherein:

the brush holder top has a generally, rounded, rectangular shape with the holder side walls forming a frustum shape toward the holder bottom, with the bottom having smaller dimensions than the top, said brush holder having long dimensions perpendicular to the radial axis of the lid first part.

10. A lid as recited in claim 9, wherein:

the first part half-moon shaped, central opening is formed within the first part circular protrusion.

11. A lid as recited in claim 10, wherein:

the flexible strip has two ends, one end fixedly attached to the first part periphery flange and the second end attached to the second part second flange.

12. A lid as recited in claim 11, further comprising:

a tab attached to the first part peripheral flange opposite to the peripheral flange attachment to the flexible strip;

a tab attached to the second part second flange opposite to the second flange attachment to the flexible strip.

13. A lid as recited in claim 12, further comprising:

the lid first part and second part are transparent.