AU614837B2 - Improvements in paint roller - Google Patents

Description

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W 4 614837 r 'r r Nfi--&--S-LANA-ANNA-F-ACH-1-N- APPLICANT: NUMB ER: PI 8255 FILING DATE: 13 MAY 88 j~ FORM COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA The Patents Act 1952 j 0 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR AN INVENTION ENTITLED: IMPROVEMENTS IN PAINT ROLLER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: 41 R 1 FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to paint rollers.

This invention has particular but not exclusive application to a paint roller assembly in which the plane of the rolling action is adjustable relative to the axis of the handle.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Typically, known paint rollers comprise a handle supporting a bearing member extending transversely of the handle upon which the roller rotates.

Australian Patent Applications 18293/67 and 30425/77 disclose the provision of a pivot point at the end of the handle so that the angle of attack of the roller is variable. It is 0 also known to provide a pivot point at the end of the roller.

However, both prior art approaches suffer from the .0*5 disadvantage that limited pressure can be applied to the surface being painted.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention aims to alleviate the above disadvantages and to provide an adjustable paint roller assembly which will be reliable and efficient in use. Other objects and advantages of this invention will hereinafter become apparent.

With the foregoing and other objects in view this invention in one aspect resides broadly in an adjustable paint roller assembly including: 25 a handle; a roller assembly; and a supporting frame having a substantially right angled rodlike member and a substantially U-shaped rod-like member, one end of said U-shaped member being pivotally and adjustably connected to one end of said right angled rod-like member; said handle being fixedly mounted on the other end of said right angled rodlike member and said rollei- assembly being rotatably mounted on the other end of said U-shaped rod-like member whereby the axis of rotation of said roller with respect to said handle axis is adjustably variable about an axis located between the end of said handle and said roller and transverse to both said rotation R.A, axis and said handle axis.

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la BRIEF REFERENCE TO THE DRAWINGS Figures 1 and 2 show two views of the paint roller of the invention; Figures 3A, 3B and 3C show views of the paint roller of the invention with the axis of the roller in different positions with respect to the axis of -the :0990, aS 0 *O0 550*0 *000 i a I t

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handle of the device; Figure 4 shows the paint roller from a more detailed viewpoint; Figure 5 shows details of the hinge between the handle and roller portions corresponding to a view along section A*A of Figure 4; and Figure 6 shows an exploded view of the hinge joint.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the drawings, item 1 designates the complete assembly which, in essence, comprises a roller assembly 4 rotatably mounted on rod mo:mber 3 which is joined by hinge assembly 17 to rod member 2 upon which a handle 13 (for manual use) is mounted. This arrangement 15 allows convenient use of the device with the axes of the handle and roller assembly defining an angle as may be selected by a user, for example, as shown in Figures 3A, 3B and 3C. Handle 13 is affixed to rod member 2, and includes a threaded hole 15 (Figure 1) in its free 20 end wherein an extension handle can be screwed so as to increase the re;ach of the device. At its other end, the handle includes a plurality of tabs 16 which, in use, can be caught on the edge of a paint tray to prevent the device sliding into the tray.

The hinge assembly comprises a pair of hinge body members in the form of upper and lower plates 8 having 555* S S a S 5 S 0 S 5 5.55 o o

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ooo oooo oooo stops 10 and 9 thereon respectively. These stops limit the movement of the hinge by mutual engagement 4 see for example Figure 4. Rod member 2 is affixed to the lower hinge body member by weld 14, and rod member 3 is similarly affixed to the upper hinge body member. A threaded stud 11 is fixed to the lower hinge body member and fits through hole 12 in the upper hinge body member, allowing the latter to rotate freely about the axis of the said stud. Finally, the assembly is 10 completed by wing nut 5 screwing onto said stud over a 00 friction washer 66, the latter inhibiting unscrewing of the wing nut.

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Rod 3 supports the roller assembly rotatably 5 0 thereon, being held from translation inwardly of the 15 rod by stops 7 in the form of raised portions thereon.

u The assembly itself comprises a plurality of flexible rods 4a, which may be of metal, set into end members 4b, which hold the rods in a generally cylindrical configuration adapted, in use to receive a oI.. 20 paintiholding cover, constructed of lambswool, sponge rubber, sponge foam or the like absorbent type of materials. The end members 4b include a bearing section forming a rotatable support upon rod member 3. The end member at the free end of the roller includes a flange arrangement or the like, adapted to engage a ridge or depression (encircling rod member 3) whereby to prevent T I the roller assembly sliding off the free end of rod member 3. Preferably this attachment is arranged to be operated as a resilient fastening means, so that the roller assembly can be forced by hand from the free end of rod member 3 for cleaning or replacement. If desired a "circlip" type fastening arrangement could be used instead of the means described, or a simple grub screw arrangement could be used.

The construction described facilitates use of the I 10 paint roller as from a single position the span of use is increased by means of varying the angle without the user having to hold his or her arm and hand at tiring angles.

Obviously, the fastening means need not be the wing nut arrangement shown, but could be any attachment o i means enabling the said angle to be varied, and fixed for a particular use.

To recapitulate this innvention provides a paint roller comprising a handle, a roller assembly, and a 20 pair of rod members, the handle being mounted on one osaid rod member, the roller assembly being rotatably mounted on the other said rod member, and said rod members being connected to each other by means of an adjustable hinge assembly whereby the angle defined between the axis of rotation of the roller assembly and the longitudinal axis of the rod member upon which the handle is mounted can be varied.

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Claims (8)

1. An adjustable paint roller assembly including: i a handle; a roller assembly; and 5 a supporting frame having a substantially right angled rod- i like member and a substantially U-shaped rod-like member, one end i{ |of said U-shaped member being pivotally and adjustably connected to one end of said right angled rod-like member; said handle being fixedly mounted on the other end of said right angled rod- i 10 like member and said roller assembly being rotatably mounted on j the other end of said U-shaped rod-like member whereby the axis I of rotation of said roller with respect to said handle axis is I* adjustably variable about an axis located between the end of }j said handle and said roller and transverse to both said rotation 3i axis and said handle axis.

2. An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim 1, wherein said rod-like members are pivotally and adjustably connected by a hinge assembly.

3. An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim 2, wherein said hinge assembly comprises a pair of plates each respectively attached to one of said rod members, one of said plates including a hinge pin member attached thereto and extending through an aperture in the other said plates, and a fastening member holding said plates together, whereby said plates may relatively rotate about the axis of said hinge pin member. 30

4. An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim 3, wherein each said plate includes a projection at its periphery, said projections co-operating by mutual engagement to act as a stop to limit the amount of relative rotation between said pair of plates.

An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim 4, W4 wherein said hinge pin member comprises a stud, said fastening member comprises a wing nut, and a friction washer being located -/between said wing nut and the plate adjacent thereto, whereby loosening of said wing nut is inhibited. 1 fl, 1 1

6. An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim wherein said roller assembly comprises a pair of cylindrical members rotatably mounted on said other end of said U-shaped rod- like member, said cylindrical members being spaced and joined by a plurality of flexible rods, said rods being substantially parallel to said one end of right angled rod-like member to define a substantially cylindrical surface of revolution, adapted to receive a sleeve of paint absorbent material.

7. An adjustable paint roller assembly as claimed in Claim 6, said roller assembly being retained on said U-shaped rod-like member by stop means which locate said assembly in a fixed position longitudinally of the axis of said one end of said right angled rod-like member.

8. An adjustable paint roller assembly substantially as herein described with reference to the drawings. *S. e e j O 3 00 I -p 4--of thec ax ei! said rod member. 7. A paint roller as clai m d-i n-any one of claims 1 to 6 substant' 11 as hereinbefore described and ilusraed with referencc to the rwn~ G.MQ-FAgH-N--and-S-I-BVANA-ANNA-FAEE-IfN- c~ G~O C