WO2008077470A2

WO2008077470A2 - A paint roller tray assembly

Info

Publication number: WO2008077470A2
Application number: PCT/EP2007/010723
Authority: WO
Inventors: Ed Adamson
Original assignee: Akzo Nobel Coatings International B.V.
Priority date: 2006-12-23
Filing date: 2007-12-10
Publication date: 2008-07-03
Also published as: ZA200905144B; GB0723968D0; GB0709943D0; EP2121347A2; GB0625869D0; GB2445233B; TN2009000251A1; MA31019B1; WO2008077470A3; GB2445233A

Abstract

A paint roller tray assembly (10, 110) comprising a paint roller tray (14) and a lid (12, 112), the paint roller tray (14) comprising a paint well (18) for holding paint (40), and a rolling surface (16) that is contiguous with the paint well (18), in which the roller tray (14) includes a divider (90) projecting from the rolling surface (16) so as to define a paint free compartment (96) on the rolling surface (16).

Description

A Paint Roller Tray Assembly

The present invention relates to a paint roller tray assembly.

Known paint rollers comprise a roller frame having a handle for a user to hold, and an elongated section to receive a roller sleeve. The roller is arranged such that the elongated section, and therefore the roller sleeve can rotate so as to apply paint to surfaces such as walls or ceilings.

Know paint roller trays comprise a paint well into which paint from a paint container is decanted, and a rolling surface. The paint roller is inserted into the paint well to load it with paint, and the rolled over the rolling surface so as to evenly distribute paint on the roller sleeve. The rolling surface is inclined relative to the horizontal such that any excess paint can flow back into the paint well.

Known roller trays do not provide any means for protecting items stored in the roller tray from paint on the rolling surface.

According to the present invention there is provided a paint roller tray assembly as defined in claim 1.

The provision of the divider enables items to be stored in the roller tray without coming into contact with paint on the rolling surface.

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 paint roller tray assembly according to the present invention,

Figure 2 is a simplified side view of the paint roller tray assembly of Figure 1,

Figure 2A is simplified side view showing the relative dimensions of the paint well of the paint roller tray assembly of Figure 1, Figure 3 is a simplified side view of the paint roller tray assembly of Figure 1 in an inclined position,

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the paint roller tray assembly of Figure 1 with the lid closed,

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the paint roller tray assembly of Figure 1 with a paint roller positioned on the paint roller tray,

Figure 6 is a simplified side view of the arrangement of Figure 5 with the lid closed, and

Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative paint roller tray assembly with the paint roller positioned on the roller tray and the lid closed.

With reference to Figures 1 and 2 there is shown a paint roller tray assembly 10 comprising a paint roller tray 14 and a lid 12. The paint roller tray 14 and the lid 12 are made from polypropylene.

The lid 12 is substantially the same shape in plan form as the roller tray, i.e. rectangular, and has a peripheral surface 28.

The paint well 18 is similar to those known in the art except that it has a semi- cylindrical base 20 as opposed to known flat bases. The provision of the semi- cylindrical base, i.e. the base has a semi-circular cross-sectional profile, allows the tray to be pivoted about the base.

The paint well 18 is also significantly deeper than those known in the prior art to allow greater storage of paint 40 in a more compact tray. With reference to Figure 2 A, the paint well is shown with more precise dimensions to emphasise the fact that it has a depth D which is greater than the length L. This is in contrast to known paint wells where the depth D is less then the length L, and typically in the order of L/4. The provision of the semi-circular base and the deeper paint well allows the tray to be pivoted about the paint well without paint spilling out of the tray. It will be appreciated that other base profiles would also allow the tray to be pivoted about the paint well, for example, an elliptical profile.

The paint roller tray 14 has a rolling surface 16 which is contiguous, i.e. it is directly joined, to the paint well 18. The rolling surface 16 is inclined such that paint can flow back into the paint well 18. The roller tray 12 has an upper peripheral surface 26

In Figure 2, a support foot 19 projects from and snap-fits onto the underside 21 of the rolling surface 16, and together with an underside 23 of the paint well 18, supports the paint roller tray 14.

The roller tray 14 can be supported on a horizontal surface 13 as shown in Figure 2, or with the provision of the support foot 19 and the semi-cylindrical base 20 of the paint well 18, supported in an inclined position, such as on stairs 50 as shown in Figure 3 (with the lid 12 removed). The provision of the deeper paint well also allows the roller tray to be inclined without paint 40 flowing out of the paint well.

In Figure 3, the paint roller assembly 10 is shown with the Hd 12 sealed onto the roller tray 14. The upper peripheral surface 26 of the roller tray 14, and the peripheral surface 28 of the lid 12 are arranged in a known manner, for example, using a snap-fit arrangement, such that a sufficient seal is formed around the entire periphery to prevent paint in the roller tray from drying.

With reference to Figures 5 and 6, there is shown the paint roller tray assembly 10 as described above, with a paint roller 50 housed therein.

The paint roller 50 comprises a roller sleeve 52 which is connected to a handle 56 by a roller frame 54 as is known in the art.

The paint roller 50 further comprises a cylindrical support 58 that is integrated with the handle 56. The handle 56 has a handle grip portion 60 which the user will grasp to use the roller 50. It can be seen from Figure 6 that the cylindrical support 58 has a greater diameter than the handle grip portion 60.

With the roller sleeve 52 resting on the paint 40 in the paint well 18, it can be seen from Figure 6 that the provision of the cylindrical support 58 suspends the handle grip portion 60 above the rolling surface 16, and therefore the handle grip portion 60 will not come into contact with any wet paint on the rolling surface 16.

It can also be seen from Figure 6 that the roller 50 is folly housed within the roller tray 14 when the lid 12 is sealed on the roller tray, and therefore any paint on the roller sleeve 52 is prevented from drying. This allows the user to store the roller 50 when taking a break in a painting job without having to clean the roller sleeve.

The roller 50 is housed within the roller tray assembly by virtue of the height of the lid 12 and the roller tray 14 being sufficient such that the Hd can be sealed on the roller tray without fouling the handle 56.

In an alternative embodiment shown in Figure 7, the lid 112 includes a bulge 170 into which part of the handle 56 of the roller can extend, thereby enabling the roller to be housed within the paint roller tray assembly with the lid sealed on the roller tray.

With reference to Figure 5, the paint roller tray includes an upstanding divider 90 which projects upwardly from the rolling surface 16, and extends from a rear wall 91 of the roller tray 14 to the paint well 18 so as to define a paint free compartment 96 within which a paint brush 95 can be stored. Alternatively other items that need to be isolated from the rolling surface 95 can be stored in the paint free compartment 96. The provision of the divider 90 prevents paint on the rolling surface from entering the paint free compartment 96 by virtue of there being no path for paint to flow from the rolling surface into the paint free compartment.

The paint brush 95 can be retained in the paint free compartment 96 by the provision of a snap-fit type locator (not shown) positioned on the rolling surface inside the paint free compartment 96 such that the bristles 97 are positioned above the paint well 18 to allow excess paint on the bristle to drip in to the paint well 18. This enables a paint brush to also be stored within the roller tray with the lid on, and avoid the user having to clean it during a break in a painting job.

In contrast to the roller, the paint brush does not need its handle protected from the rolling surface since the rolling surface in the paint free compartment will not come into contact with paint.

It is also possible to store other items in the paint free compartment, to either protect the item from paint, or to prevent paint on the item from drying.

Claims

1. A paint roller tray assembly comprising a paint roller tray and a lid, the paint roller tray comprising a paint well for holding paint, and a rolling surface that is contiguous with the paint well, in which the roller tray includes a divider projecting from the rolling surface so as to define a paint free compartment on the rolling surface.

2. A paint roller tray assembly according to claim 1 including a lid which seals onto the paint roller tray such that paint on the rolling surface or in the paint well is not exposed to the atmosphere,

3. A paint roller tray assembly according to claim 1 or 2 in which the paint well has a depth that is greater than its length.

4. A paint roller tray assembly according to any preceding claim in which the rolling surface is inclined relative to the horizontal such the paint on the rolling surface can flow back into the paint well.

5. A paint roller tray assembly according to any preceding claim in which the paint rolling surface is a solid surface.

6. A paint roller tray assembly according to any preceding claim in which the paint roller tray is a single plastic moulding.

7. A paint roller tray according to any preceding claim in which the paint well has a substantially semi-cylindrical base.

8. A paint roller tray according to any preceding claim including a support foot that extends from an underside of the rolling surface so as to support the roller tray in use.

9. A paint roller tray assembly according to any preceding claim, further comprising a paint roller, in which the paint roller can be housed within the assembly when the lid is sealed on the roller tray such that paint on the paint roller is not exposed to the atmosphere.

10. A paint roller tray assembly according to claim 9 in which the paint roller includes a handle dimensioned such that when resting on the rolling surface, a grip portion of the handle is suspended above the rolling surface.

11. A paint roller tray assembly according to any preceding claim further comprising a paint brush, in which the paint brush can be housed within the paint free compartment.

12. A paint roller tray comprising a paint well for holding paint, and a rolling surface that is contiguous with the paint well, in which the paint well has a depth that is greater than its length.

13. A paint roller tray according claim 12 in which the paint well has a substantially semi-cylindrical base.

14. A paint roller tray comprising a paint well for holding paint, and a rolling surface that is contiguous with the paint well, in which the paint well has a substantially semi-cylindrical base.

15. A paint roller tray or a paint roller tray assembly as substantially described herein with reference to the accompanying drawings.