US3811606A

US3811606A - Removable cover for paint container rim

Info

Publication number: US3811606A
Application number: US00214291A
Authority: US
Inventors: J Higgins
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1970-10-08
Filing date: 1971-12-30
Publication date: 1974-05-21
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-21

Abstract

An attachable and detachable annular collar-like compressibly resilient plastic cover for temporary use atop the circumferentially grooved lid supporting lip or rim commonly present on the upper openable end of a paint containing can. The lower inner and outer peripheral portions of the cover have inwardly directed circumferential portions for snap engagement over the usual inner and outer rim beads of the can rim and the cover assembly seats atop the rim in reasonably good fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith. The cover includes conical inwardly and downwardly sloping top surfaces which cause surplus paint to gravitate back into the can and a narrow smooth inner peripheral surface is fashioned into and provides an efficient brush scraping edge. Diametrically opposite generally radial recesses are formed in the top surface of the cover to provide paint returning notches and the cover further includes encircling outer grooves located at the juncture of the outer and top surfaces of the cover to provide an effective drip catcher communicatively cooperable with the paint return notches. Also, diametrically opposite upper surface portions of the cover disposed between and spaced from the notches are selectively usable for pouring paint from the associated paint containing can.

Description

United States Patent [1 1 Higgins [11] 3,811,606 [451 May 21, 1974 1 REMOVABLE COVER FOR PAINT CONTAINER RIM [76] Inventor: Jerome C. Higgins, 3139 E.

Glenrosa Ave., Phoenix, Ariz. 85016 [22] Filed: Dec. 30, 1971 [21] Appl. No: 214,291

Related U.S. Application Data [63] Continuation-impart of Ser. No. 79,170, Oct. 8,

1970, abandoned.

[52] U.S. Cl. 222/570 [51] Int. Cl B65171 5/74 [58] Field of Search 222/570, 571, 424, 109,

' ZZZ/318,567, 569, 109

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,307,752 3/1967 Anderson 222/569 X 2,960,257 11/1960 Sasse 222/570 X 1,165,787 12/1915 Lance 222/109 3,372,832 3/1968 Yeater et a1. 222/570 X 2,793,790 5/1957 Kahler 222/109 3,356,266 12/1967 Pinter, Jr. 222/569 X 3,309,000 3/1967 H averstick, 222/569 3,499,825 3/1970 Falcone et a1. 195/139 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Clarence A. OBrien; Harvey B. Jacobson 57 ABSTRACT An attachable and detachable annular collar-like compressibly resilient plastic cover for temporary use atop the circumferentially grooved lid supporting lip or rim commonly present on the upper openable end of a paint containing canflhe lower inner and outer peripheral portions of the cover have inwardly directed circumferential portions for snap engagement over the usual inner and outer rim beads of the can rim and the cover assembly seats atop the rim in reasonably good fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith. The cover includes conical inwardly and downwardly sloping top surfaces which cause surplus paint to gravitate back into the can and a narrow smooth inner peripheral surface is fashioned into and provides an efficient brush scraping edge. Diametrically opposite generally radial recesses are formed in the top surface of the cover to provide paint returning notches and the cover further includes encircling outer grooves located at the juncture of the outer and top surfaces of the cover to provide an effective drip catcher communicatively cooperable with the paint return notches. Also, diametrically opposite upper surface portions of the cover disposed between and spaced from the notches are selectively usable for pouring paint from the associated paint containing can.

I 6 Claims, Drawing F igure s fATENTEDMY 21 I974 3 81 1, 6 06 Rims Stacked REMOVABLE COVER FOR PAINT CONTAINER RIM This. application comprises a continuation-in-part of my co-pending U.S. application Ser. No. 79,170 for REMOVABLE COVER FOR PAINT CONTAINER RIM, filed Oct. 8, 1970, now abandoned.

This invention relates to readily applicable and removable paint can attachments such as are designed and adapted to temporarily span and protectively cover the circumferentially grooved lip-like flange or rim which is commonly provided on currently marketed paint containing cans and has to do, more particularly, with a simple, practical one piece plastic ring-like cover which stations and effectually seals itself in its given position and features significant self-contained improvements.

More particularly, the cover herein disclosed is such in construction and capability that it lends itself to acceptably feasible use on varying sizes of paint cans such as 4 m6 fluid once cans, pints, quarts, half-gallons, gallons. and so on. It is also such in contoured configuration that it can be molded in one piece and, since it is appropriately resistant to commonly used paints, it is destined for long and acceptably serviceable use b professionals and amateurs.

For background purposes, it may well be pointed out here that it is common in the art to provide ring-like covers which can be brought into use after the can lid has been pried off and which when applied serves to protectively overlie and shield the grooved lip or flange of a paint containing can whereby the lid of the can can be replaced and subsequently removed without difficulty. A simple channel-shaped cover is shown, for example, in a patent of Alfred E. Hendershot, U.S. Pat. No. 2,903,154. A similar removable lip for paint containers which features a pouring spout is shown in a patent issued to Joseph Pinter. .Ir., U.S. Pat. No. 3,356,266. These two reference patents are indicative, generally stated, of the state of the art to which the instant invention relates.

An object of the invention, broadly stated, is toimprove upon the aforementioned prior patents and, in so doing, to advance the art and to provide what is thought to be an innovation and which is such in construction and appropriateness that it will appeal to manufacturers, retailers, painters and other users in that it well serves the purposes for which it has been devised and effectually used.

Briefly, the attachment is characterized as a rim cover and comprises an endless or annular collar. This collar is designed and adapted to align itself with and protectively overlie the vulnerable surfaces of the aforementioned rim. It is ring-like in plan and embodies an annular body portion which is of a transverse crosssectional dimension greater than the width of the rim with which it is to be cooperatively associated. It has a top surface. inner and outer annular peripheral surfaces. and an underside. A major portion of the underside defines a downwardly opening annular recess defined between inner and outer peripherally extending depending skirt or wall portions and these skirt or wall reinforcing beads of the annular can rim and thus the collar may be snap engaged in position to wholly overlie all of the upper surfaces of the associated annular can rim.

The collar is preferably molded from one piece of compressibly resilient plastic or equivalent material. The conical top surface is suitably inclined and slopes inwardly and downwardly in a manner to cause overflow or surplus paint to flow by gravity back into the container portion of the can and thus be retrieved. The top surface of the collar is provided with diametrically opposite paint return notches and inbetween diametrically opposite surface portions of the collar define pouring areas over which paint may be poured from the associated paint container into a bucket or tray, as the case may be.

Another object of this invention is to provide a paint container rim cover in accordance with the preceding object and which may be readily constructed of various sizes for use in conjunction with various size paint containers.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an annular cover for the annular rim of a paint'container which will not only prevent the lid retaining groove of the rim ofthe paint container from having paint drippings collected therein but which will also serve to facilitate the pouring of paint from the associated paint container and further prevent the dripping of paint downwardly along the outer surfaces of the associated paint container.

A final object of this invention to be specifically enumerated herein is to provide a paint can rim cover in accordance with the preceding objects which will conform to conventional forms of manufacture, be of simple construction, and easy to use, so as to provide a device that will be economically feasible, long lasting and relatively trouble-free in operation.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had portions are downwardly divergent whereby a plurality of the annular collars may be stacked for compact shipment and storage. The lower marginal edge portions of the skirts or wall portions include inwardly directed portions for snap engagement with the inner and outer to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating the paint container rim cover of the instant invention in position on the top of a conventional form of paint container with the cover in position overlying the rim of the container;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 33 of FIG. I; and

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a plurality of the covers disposed in stacked relation for compact storage and/or shipment.

Referring now more specifically to the drawings, the numeral 12 generally designates a conventional form of paint container including an upper end annular rim referred to in general by the reference numeral 14. The rim 14 includes anouter peripheral bead l6 joining the outer periphery of the rim 14 to the upper marginal edge of the side walls 18 of the container 12 and an inner peripheral reinforcing bead 20. The rim l4 further defines an annular upwardly opening groove 22 in which to receive a cooperable rim carried by a conventional container lid (not shown) with the lid rib frictionally received within the groove 22 in order to tightly close the upper end of the container 12.

The foregoing comprises a description of a conventional form of paint container and its associated lid.

The cover of the instant invention is referred to in general by reference numeral 26 and defines an annular body 28 which is generally inverted U-shaped in cross-section throughout most of its circumferential extent. The body 28 includes an inner downwardly and inwardly inclined wall or skirt 30 and an upstanding downwardly and outwardly inclined wall or skirt 32 with the upper marginal portions of the

walls

30 and 32 being joined together. The wall 30 is substantially inverted truncated cone-shaped in configuration and includes a further inwardly inclined lower marginal portion 34 terminating downwardly in a downwardly and outwardly inclined truncated cone-shaped wall portion 36. The lower periphery of the wall portion 36 terminates in an upwardly directed generally cylindrical reinforcing flange 38.

The lower marginal portion of the wall or skirt 32 includes a radially outwardly extending annular horizontal wall 40 which in turn terminates radially outwardly in a downwardly directed cylindrical flange 42 which terminates at its lower end in a reversely bent cylindrical portion 44.

From FIG. 2 of the drawings, it may, therefore, be seen that the

portions

38 and 44 of the body 28 may be snap engaged over the

beads

20 and 16 of the rim 14 in order to secure the body over the rim 14 in a manner fully enclosing all upper surfaces of the rim l4 and thus precluding any possibility of any paint collecting in the groove 22 to subsequently interfere with'the replacement of the conventional lid (not shown) of the container 12.

Rather than having the upper marginal portions of the walls or

skirts

30 and 32 joined along a peripherally extending apex corner, the body 28 includes a peripherally extending gutter 46 which opens upwardly and outwardly and includes diametrically opposed low points 48 and diametrically opposite high points 50 with the diameters of the body 28 along which the

points

48 and 50 lie being disposed at generally right angles relative to each other.

The gutter or channel 46 is defined by an upstanding wall portion 52 which is slightly downwardly and outwardly inclined and extends downwardly from the upper periphery of the inner wall or skirt 30 and the wall portion 52 coacts with a generally annular slightly downwardly and inwardly inclined wall portion 54. The wall portion 54 extends from the upper marginal portion of the outer wall or skirt 32 to the lower marginal portion of the wall portion 52. However, as hereinbefore set forth. the gutter or channel 46 includes diametrically opposite high points 50 and diametrically low points 48.

The wall portions 52 and the wall or skirt 32 are inclined approximately relative to the vertical in order to enable a plurality of the bodies 28 to be disposed in closely stacked relation in the manner illustrated in FIG. 4 of the drawings thereby enabling the covers 26 to be compactly stored and shipped.

The upwardly projecting ridge portion of the body 28 defined above the horizontal annular wall 40 is interrupted at diametrically opposite points disposed on the same diameter of the body 28 containing the low points 48. in these areas, return channels 56 are defined with each return channel 56 being disposed between circumferentially spaced end panels 58 of the aforementioned ridge and in the areas of the return channels 56 disposed between the end wall or panels 58 the lower marginal portion 36 includes upward and outward extensions 60 forming the bottom walls of the return channels 56 which merge into the adjacent low points of the wall portion 54. It will also be noted that the end walls 58 converge downwardly so as to further facilitate stacking of the bodies 28.

In operation, after the conventional lid for the container 12 has been removed, the removable cover is applied over the rim 14 in the manner hereinbefore previously set forth. Then, a painter may dip his paint brush in the container to apply paint to the bristles of his brush and the apex edge at the juncture of the lower marginal portion 34 and wall portion 36 may be utilized to wipe excess paint from the brush bristles. If, during this wiping process, any paint is wiped off on the wall or skirt 30, such excess paint will flow by gravity downwardly along the wall or skirt 30 and back into the container. Further, if any paint flows over the apex edge defined between the upper marginal portion of the wall or skirt 30 and the wall portion 52, such paint will flow downwardly along the outer surfaces of the wall portions 52 and into the gutter or channel 46 for subsequent draining by gravity along the gutter or channel 46 toward an adjacent low portions 48 thereof which defines the upper extremity of the bottom wall 60 of the return channel 56 to which such paint may flow back into the container 12.

When it is desired to pour paint from the container 12, paint is poured over the cover 26 in the areas thereof defined by the arrows 64 in FIG. 1 and any paint which tends to drip downwardly over the wall portion 52 after the pouring operation has been terminated will also flow backwardly through the gutter or channel 46 and an associated return channel 56 into the container 12.

In order to facilitate removal of the cover 26,'a window 66 (see FIG. 1) is formed in one lower outer peripheral portion of the cover 26 in order to expose the bead 16 in order that a suitable implement, such as a screwdriver shank, or the like, may be utilized to pry the cover 26 from the bead 16.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shownand described, and accordingly all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. For use atop and in conjunction with an annular circumferentially grooved lid supporting and keying rim at the upper openable and closable end of a conventional paint containing can: a readily attachable and detachable rim cover comprising an endless collar designed and adapted to align with and protectively overlie said rim. said collar embodying an annular body portion of generally inverted U-shaped cross-section and of a transverse cross-sectional dimension greater than the width of said rim and having an underside, a top surface and inner and outer peripheral surfaces, said underside being releasably frictionally engaged over said rim, said top surface including an inner peripheral portion inclined and sloped inwardly and downwardly to cause loose paint thereon to flow by gravity into the container portion of the can and be thus retrieved, said top surface further including an outer peripheral portion defining a peripheral upwardly and outwardly opening paint retaining groove including a bottom wall inclined inwardly and downwardly, said top surface further being provided with peripherally spaced generally diametrically opposite radially extending inwardly and downwardly inclined recesses which open upwardly through said inclined top surface inner peripheral portion and are communicated at their outer and inner ends with the lowest portions of said groove and lower portions of said innerperipheral portion whereby to provide paint return means from said groove, said inclined inner peripheral portion of said top surface, except for said recesses, extending fully about said rim cover. I

2. The combination of claim 1 whereinsaid groove includes diametrically opposite elevated portions, said groove being downwardly inclined, in both directions, from each of said elevated portions toward the portions of said groove into which the outer ends of said recesses open.

3. For use atop and in conjunction with an annular circumferentially grooved lid supporting and keying rim at the upper openable and closable end of a conventional paint containing can: a readily attachable and detachable rim cover comprising an annular collar including undersurface portions for embracingly engaging and snap-fit engagement over the inner and outer peripheral portions of the rim in at least reasonably good fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith, said collar including upper surface portions defining an upwardly opening inverted generally truncated coneshaped gravity flow return surface and a pair of generally diametrically opposite and radially extending return channels opening upwardly through said return surface, said channels being inwardly and downwardly inclined, said upper surface portions further defining a pair of peripherally extending upwardly opening outer gutters extending about the periphery of said'collar outwardly of said return'surface, each of said gutters including a mid-portion and opposite end portions with the mid-portions of said. gutters disposed immediately outwardly of generally diametrically opposite portions of saidreturn surface centrally intermediate said channels, said mid-portions of said gutters being elevated relative to the opposite ends of said gutters and spaced slightly below the adjacent upper and radial outermost portions of said diametrically opposite portions of saidreturn surface, said gutters each being slightly downwardly inclined from the mid-portion thereof toward the opposite ends thereof, adjacent opposite ends or said gutters merging into the outermost extremities of said channels from opposite sides thereof for gravity flow of liquids from the opposite ends of said gutters into the outermost extremities ofsaid channels, the radial outermost portions of said diametrically opposite portions of said cone-shaped gravity flow return surface registered with said elevated gutter mid-portions defining pour areas over which liquid paint within an associated can may be poured, the opposite inclination of the end portions or each gutter disposed on opposite sides of the mid-portion thereof enabling any paint tending to run down the exterior of said rim cover, adjacent one of said pour areas after a pouring operation, to be collected and divided into two separate flow paths flowing toward the opposite ends of the corresponding gutter and the return channels communicated there with.

4. The combination of claim 3 wherein the under surface portions and the upper surface portions of said body are so constructed and inclined so as to enable a plurality of said annular bodies to be vertically stacked in at least partially nested relation.

5. The combination of claim 3 wherein said undersurface portions define depending inner and outer peripheral portions defining a downwardly opening annular recess for receiving the rim of the associated can therein.

6. The combination of claim 5 wherein said undersurface outer peripheral portion comprises a depending cylindrical flange terminating downwardly in a reversely bent upwardly directed cylindrical portion and the inner peripheral portion of said undersurface portion comprises a downwardly and outwardly inclined wall portion terminating downwardly in an upwardly directed generally cylindrical flange.

Claims

1. For use atop and in conjunction with an annular circumferentially grooved lid supporting and keying rim at the upper openable and closable end of a conventional paint containing can: a readily attachable and detachable rim cover comprising an endless collar designed and adapted to align with and protectively overlie said rim, said collar embodying an annular body portion of generally inverted U-shaped cross-section and of a transverse cross-sectional dimension greater than the width of said rim and having an underside, a top surface and inner and outer peripheral surfaces, said underside being releasably frictionally engaged over said rim, said top surface including an inner peripheral portion inclined and sloped inwardly and downwardly to cause loose paint thereon to flow by gravity into the container portion of the can and be thus retrieved, said top surface further including an outer peripheral portion defining a peripheral upwardly and outwardly opening paint retaining groove including a bottom wall Inclined inwardly and downwardly, said top surface further being provided with peripherally spaced generally diametrically opposite radially extending inwardly and downwardly inclined recesses which open upwardly through said inclined top surface inner peripheral portion and are communicated at their outer and inner ends with the lowest portions of said groove and lower portions of said inner peripheral portion whereby to provide paint return means from said groove, said inclined inner peripheral portion of said top surface, except for said recesses, extending fully about said rim cover.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said groove includes diametrically opposite elevated portions, said groove being downwardly inclined, in both directions, from each of said elevated portions toward the portions of said groove into which the outer ends of said recesses open.

3. For use atop and in conjunction with an annular circumferentially grooved lid supporting and keying rim at the upper openable and closable end of a conventional paint containing can: a readily attachable and detachable rim cover comprising an annular collar including undersurface portions for embracingly engaging and snap-fit engagement over the inner and outer peripheral portions of the rim in at least reasonably good fluid-tight sealed engagement therewith, said collar including upper surface portions defining an upwardly opening inverted generally truncated cone-shaped gravity flow return surface and a pair of generally diametrically opposite and radially extending return channels opening upwardly through said return surface, said channels being inwardly and downwardly inclined, said upper surface portions further defining a pair of peripherally extending upwardly opening outer gutters extending about the periphery of said collar outwardly of said return surface, each of said gutters including a mid-portion and opposite end portions with the mid-portions of said gutters disposed immediately outwardly of generally diametrically opposite portions of said return surface centrally intermediate said channels, said mid-portions of said gutters being elevated relative to the opposite ends of said gutters and spaced slightly below the adjacent upper and radial outermost portions of said diametrically opposite portions of said return surface, said gutters each being slightly downwardly inclined from the mid-portion thereof toward the opposite ends thereof, adjacent opposite ends or said gutters merging into the outermost extremities of said channels from opposite sides thereof for gravity flow of liquids from the opposite ends of said gutters into the outermost extremities of said channels, the radial outermost portions of said diametrically opposite portions of said cone-shaped gravity flow return surface registered with said elevated gutter mid-portions defining pour areas over which liquid paint within an associated can may be poured, the opposite inclination of the end portions or each gutter disposed on opposite sides of the mid-portion thereof enabling any paint tending to run down the exterior of said rim cover, adjacent one of said pour areas after a pouring operation, to be collected and divided into two separate flow paths flowing toward the opposite ends of the corresponding gutter and the return channels communicated therewith.