AU2005242179B2

AU2005242179B2 - Paint roller tray

Info

Publication number: AU2005242179B2
Application number: AU2005242179A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Valentino Fuda
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2004-12-10
Filing date: 2005-12-09
Publication date: 2010-10-28
Anticipated expiration: 2025-12-09
Also published as: AU2005242179A1

Description

P/00/011 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT ORIGINAL Name of Applicant: VALENTINO FUDA Actual Inventor(s): VALENTINO FUDA Address for Service: COLLISON & CO.,1 17 King William Street, Adelaide, S.A. 5000 Invention Title: PAINT ROLLER TRAY Details of Associated Provisional Application(s): Australian Patent Application No. 2004907043 Dated 10 December 2004 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us: 2 TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a paint roller tray or an insert for a paint roller tray, and to methods for using these. BACKGROUND ART 5 A standard feature of nearly all paint roller trays is an inclined surface or wall, which inclines upwardly from a paint well toward an edge of the tray. Once the roller has been dipped in the paint well, any excess paint is then rolled off of the paint roller by rolling it against this wall. The effectiveness of this rolling is largely dependent upon the orientation of the 10 inclined surface relative to the roller and the user. It is often necessary therefore to rotate the tray in order to properly position the inclined surface relative to the user. This can be particularly problematic for a person using a ladder or scaffold, as they must continuously be climbing up and down in order to reposition the tray. 15 It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a paint roller tray which will allow the foregoing problem to be at least substantially ameliorated, or which will at least provide the public with a useful alternative. Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying 20 drawings, wherein, by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of the present invention is disclosed. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION In one form of this invention there is proposed a paint tray including a paint well, and a roller receiving portion that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the 3 paint roller so as to create sufficient engagement between the tray and the roller that the tray can then be moved in any direction on the ground by pressure to move being effected through the roller. Preferably, the paint tray includes an inclined surface inclining upwardly from 5 the well toward an edge of the tray for rolling excess paint off of a paint roller. Preferably, the roller receiving portion is an elongate trough. Preferably, the direction of elongation of the trough and the direction of inclination of the inclined wall are substantially normal to one another. Preferably, the tray is mounted upon wheels or rollers. 10 Preferably, the trough is suspended above the well. Preferably, the elongate trough is adapted to securely but releasably retain the full length of the paint roller. Preferably, the tray is square or rectangular, such that the tray has a floor and two pairs of opposing sidewalls. 15 Preferably, there is a wheel positioned near each of the sidewalls of the tray. Preferably, the wheels positioned near a first pair of opposing side walls are fixed in position relative to the walls, so that they can only rotate in a direction parallel with the sidewalls. Preferably, the wheels positioned near the second pair of opposing sidewalls 20 are castor wheels. In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in a method of using the aforementioned paint tray, including the steps of inserting a portion of a paint 4 roller within the roller receiving portion and then moving and or positioning the tray on the ground by using pressure effected through the roller. Preferably, this method includes the further steps of removing the roller from the roller-receiving portion and then wetting the roller by dipping it into the paint 5 well. Preferably, this method includes the further step of removing excess paint from the roller by rolling it against the inclined surface. In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in an insert for a paint tray that is adapted to engage the paint tray, the insert including a roller receiving 10 portion that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the paint roller so as to create sufficient engagement between the tray and the roller that the tray can then be moved in any direction on the ground by pressure to move being effected through the roller. Preferably, the roller-receiving portion is an elongate trough. 15 Preferably, the trough is suspended above a paint well. Preferably, the insert is adapted to be suspended from a sidewall of the paint tray. Preferably, the direction of elongation of the trough and the direction of inclination of an inclined wall are substantially normal to one another. 20 In a further form, the invention may be said to reside in a method of using the aforementioned insert, including the steps of applying the insert to the paint tray, inserting a portion of a paint roller within the roller receiving portion and then moving and or positioning the tray on the ground by using pressure effected through the roller and the insert.

5 Preferably, this method includes the further steps of removing the roller from the roller-receiving portion and then wetting the roller by dipping it into the paint well. Preferably, this method includes the further step of removing excess paint from 5 the roller by rolling it against the inclined surface. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a better understanding of this invention it will now be described with respect to the preferred embodiment which shall be described herein with the assistance of drawings wherein; 10 Figure 1 is a top perspective view of the paint roller tray; Figure 2 is a top perspective view of the paint roller tray showing a paint roller seated in the roller-receiving portion; Figure 3 is a top perspective view of the paint roller tray showing the paint roller running along the inclined surface; 15 Figure 4 is a perspective view of the underside of the paint roller tray; and Figure 5 is an end view of the paint roller tray. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Now referring to the illustrations, and in particular to Figure 1, there is a steel paint roller tray assembly 1, which includes a rectangular tray 2 that has a floor 20 3 and two pairs of opposing sidewalls 4 and 6, which define a paint well 8. The floor 3 of the tray is slightly inclined relative to the ground, so as to cause the paint to well at one end of the tray.

6 The uppermost edge of each of the trays sidewalls has been rolled downward to create a smooth rounded edge. The tray 2 sits upon a small carriage 10, from which it can be removed for cleaning purposes. The carriage too is rectangular in portion, with low 5 upstanding walls, which together with a floor define an area adapted to seat the paint roller tray 2. There are six wheels secured to the underside of the carriage floor. Near each of the middle of the two longest sidewalls 6 there is positioned a pair of wheels 12, these wheels are aligned with parallel axes, which are further fixed relative to the side wall 6 of the tray such that they can only roll in a 10 direction parallel to the longer sidewalls. Near each of the middle of the two shorter sidewalls there is positioned a castor wheel 14 of a same or similar size and height as the fixed wheels 12. The tray has a pair of handles 16 attached to it. These handles allow the tray 2 to be lifted from the carriage 10 for cleaning purposes. 15 There is an inclined planar surface 20 suspended above, and inclining upwardly from the well 8 toward an edge of the tray. This inclined surface 20 is used for rolling excess paint off of a paint roller. The inclined surface is made from a thin sheet of stainless steel. At a first end of this thin sheet of steel the inclined surface has a downward rolled lip 22, which is adapted to sit atop the upper 20 edge of the sidewall 6. This inclined steel sheet then is removable to simplify cleaning. At a second end of the sheet, the inclined surface has linear corrugations 24 formed into it. These corrugations improve the effectiveness of the inclined surface in removing paint from the roller. There is a roller-receiving portion 30 into which at least a portion of the paint 25 roller can be laid. This roller-receiving portion is made from a thin sheet of stainless steel. At a first end this thin sheet of steel the roller-receiving portion has a downward rolled lip 32, which is adapted to sit atop an upper edge of the sidewall 6. This roller receiving portion sheet then is removable to simplify 7 cleaning. Towards the second end of the sheet it is rolled into an upwardly facing trough 34, which is adapted to securely but removably seat the entire length of a paint roller. When arranged correctly, the roller-receiving portion 30 sits atop the sidewall 6 5 so that the trough 34 is suspended above the deep end of the trays well 8. The inclined surface 20 then inclines upwardly from the well 8 so that its first end sits atop the opposing sidewall 6 to the wall supporting the roller-receiving portion 30. In use, a roller 40 can be seated in the trough 34 so as to cause the roller to 10 sufficiently but removably engage the tray assembly 1. The tray then can then be moved in any direction upon its wheels 12 and 14 by pressure to move being effected through the handle 42 of the interconnected roller 40. Once a user feels that they have positioned the tray 1 in a position where they can comfortably and effectively roll the roller 40 on the inclined surface 20, they 15 are ready to apply paint to the roller by dipping it in the deep end of the well 8. The arrangement of the roller receiving portion 30 and the inclined surface 20 relative to the tray 2 gives a user clear, unrestricted access for the roller 40 in the deep end of the well 8. Having applied paint to the roller 40 the user can be assured that the inclined 20 surface 20 is in the ideal position for rolling, as the trough 34 and the inclined surface 20 are normal to one another. When rolling of the roller 40 against the inclined surface 20 begins, the tray 1 will not move because the direction of rolling is normal to the direction in which the fixed wheels 12 can rotate. 25 A significant advantage then of the paint roller tray according to the present invention then is that a person painting from a ladder or scaffold can position the tray, apply paint to the roller, and roll the roller against the inclined surface 8 to remove excess paint from the roller, without having to get down from their position on the ladder or scaffold. It would be understood by a person skilled in the art that it is easy to vary the tray from the embodiment described. The tray for instance may be moulded 5 from a plastic material, in which case the roller receiving portion and inclined surface may be integrated into the moulding. The roller-receiving portion may be a pair of upturned hooks instead of a trough; rollers might replace the wheels, and these in turn may be fixed directly to the floor of the tray instead of to a carriage. 10 Although the invention has been herein shown and described in what is conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment then, it is recognised that departures can be made within the scope of the invention, which is not to be limited to the details described herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the appended claims, so as to embrace any and all equivalent 15 devices and apparatus.

Claims

1. A paint roller tray assembly including a rectangular tray with a floow 5 and two pairs of opposing sidewalls which define a paint well, the floor having two ends wherein one end is deeper than the other, the tray assembly being supported by ground engagable wheels and a roller receiving trough above the deeper end of the tray and having a shape and size to interengage with a paint roller to move and steer the tray 10 assembly by movement of a paint roller when located in the roller receiving trough.

2. The paint roller tray assembly of the preceding claim further characterized in that the paint try includes an inclined surface inclining 15 upwardly from the wall toward an edge of the tray for rolling excess paint off of a paint roller.

3. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the roller-receiving portion is an elongate 20 trough.

4. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the direction of the elongation of the trough and the direction of the inclination of the inclined wall are substantially 25 normal to one another.

5. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the tray is mounted upon wheels or rollers. 30

6. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the trough is suspended above the wall. 10

7. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the elongate trough is adapted to securely but releasably retain the full length of the paint roller. 5

8. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the tray is square or rectangular, such that the tray has a floor and two pairs of opposing side walls.

9. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims 10 further characterized in that there is a wheel positioned near each of the sidewalls of the tray.

10. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the wheels positioned near a first pair of 15 opposing sidewalls are fixed in position relative to the walls, so that they can only rotate in a direction parallel with the sidewalls.

11. The paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims further characterized in that the wheels positioned near the second pair 20 of opposing sidewalls are castor wheels.

12. A method of using the paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding claims including the steps of inserting a portion of a paint roller within the roller receiving portion and then moving and or 25 positioning the tray on the ground by using pressure effected though the roller.

13. The method of using the paint roller tray assembly as in the preceding method claims including the further steps of removing the roller from 30 the roller receiving portion and then wetting the roller by dipping it into the paint well. 11

14. The method of using the paint roller tray assembly as in any one of the preceding method claims including the further step of removing excess paint from the roller by rolling it against the inclined surface. 5

15. An insert for a paint roller tray assembly that is adapted to engage the paint tray, the insert including a roller receiving portion that is adapted to receive at least a portion of the paint roller so as to create sufficient engagement between the tray and the roller that the tray can then be moved in any direction on the ground by pressure to move being 10 effected through the roller.

16. The insert as in the immediately proceeding claim further characterized in that the roller receiving portion is an elongate trough. 15

17. The insert as in any one of the claims 15 to 16 further characterized in that the trough is suspended above a paint well.

18. The insert as in any one of claims 15 to 17 further characterized in that the insert is adapted to be suspended from a sidewall of the paint tray. 20

19. The insert as in any one of claims 15 to 18 further characterized in that the direction of elongation of the trough and the direction of inclination .of an inclined wall are substantially normal to one another. 25

20. A method of using the insert as in any one of claims 15 to 19 including the steps of applying the insert to the paint tray, inserting a portion of a paint roller within the roller receiving portion and then moving and or positioning the tray on the ground by using pressure effected through the roller and the insert. 30 12

21. The method of using the insert as in claim 20 including the further steps of removing the roller from the roller receiving portion and then wetting the roller by dipping it into the paint well. 5

22. The method of using the insert as in any one of the preceding method claims 20 or 21, including the further step of removing excess paint from the roller by rolling it against the inclined surface.

23. A paint roller tray assembly as described in the specification with 10 reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying representations.

24. An insert for a paint roller tray assembly as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying representations. 15

25. A method of using a paint roller tray assembly as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying representations. 20

26. A method of using an insert for a paint roller tray assembly as described in the specification with reference to and as illustrated by-the accompanying representations.