Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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This invention relates to paint application.
More particularly this invention relates to a method
of applying paint to a substrate for a "touch-up".
Touch-up application of paint to a substrate is normally
a very difficult task to accomplish in order to obtain smooth
effects which would allow the touch-up paint to blend smoothly
into the paint on the substrate surface. Typically, to cover
a scratch or a chip of paint on a substrate surface, a user is
faced with a limited choice of how the scratch or chip can be
repaired to provide adequate results which are not noticeable
to the eye. Ordinarily, touch-up paint can be applied by means
of pressurized spray cans of paint to the scratch or chip but,
it is very difficult to control the amount of paint and the
area being painted in order to provide a touch-up application.
In the case of pressurized spray cans, which normally direct
their contents over a fairly wide area, it would be necessary
to isolate the scratch or chip by means of a protective coating
if one wanted to avoid overlapping of additional paint on the
substrate surface surrounding the chip or scratch. Moreover,
with pressurized spray cans, in trying to match the depth of the
paint scratch or chip with the adjacent paint, several
applications of paint from the pressurized spray can may be
necessary.
Another alternative that is used in practice is to
take a very small paint brush, such as an artist's paint brush,
and to apply the paint to the scratched or chipped area. On one
hand, the individual user can control the application of the
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paint to the chipped or scratched location, however a big
disadvantage with the use of bristles in such paint brushes is
that the bristles tend to provide an uneven coating of the paint
to the area or leave bristle marks on the substrate.
With this invention, applicant has developed a method
of applying touch-up paint to a substrate, which overcomes the
disadvantages outlined above, and which comprises utilizing as
paint application means, a paint applicator comprising gripping
means for gripping the applicator, absorbent means mounted on
said applicator, and a covering layer of a polyurethane foam
material enveloping said absorbent core, and applying a coating
of paint to a desired substrate utilizing said foam polyurethane
covering layer.
In greater detail of the present invention, applicant
has found that for touch-up application of paint to scratches,
chips or the like, the above type of structure provides a very
smooth and effective coating touch-up paint on the desired area
which is free from brush or bristle marks and which can be
controlled to apply the desired amount of touch-up paint to the
effected area. Thus, in the method of the present invention
utilizing the above described applicator means, the disadvantages
of spray painting for touch-up purposes can be eliminated - i.e.,
only the desired area for touch-up painting can be treated with
paint without the necessity of having to protect or mask adjacent
areas and conversely, the method of the present invention has
the advantages of the manual method of applying touch-up paint
in that the area being painted can be controlled manually but
does not have the disadvantage of leaving bristle or brush marks
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on the painted area.
The discovery of the fact that using a particular type
of paint applicator according to the method of the present
invention is believed to reside in the combination of the
particular type of foam covering, namely a polyurethane foam,
enveloping a core of absorbent material.
In carrying out the method, a preferred paint applicator
comprises an elongated handle for gripping the applicator,
which should be of a generally rigid nature and having at one
end, absorbent means associated with the gripping handle which
is enveloped by the polyurethane foam covering material. The
absorbent material is preferably of a cotton swab type although
other materials may be used for this purpose. The polyurethane
foam covering preferably comprises a sheet or layer of flexible
foam. This sheet or layer, in addition to forming the applicator
surface for use in the method of the present invention, encloses
the absorbent cotton material in a totally enclosed manner.
In one form of the present invention, suitable means
are provided for securing -the polyurethane foam about the
absorbent material, and preferably fixedly securing the same
to the handle of the device. Such means may comprise a metal
or plastic clip or alternatively an elastic band or even string
to maintain the polyurethane foam covering in place.
Irving thus generally described the invention, reference
will now be made to the accompanying drawings, illustrating
preferred embodiments and in which;
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Figure 1 is a perspective view of a touch-up applicator
used in the method of the present invention; and
Figure 2 is an exploded view of the components used in
the touch-up applicator, for use in the method of the present
invention
Referring to the drawings, and in greater detail, the
method of the present invention employs a touch-up applicator,
such as the structure shown in Figures 1 and 2. Thus, handle
means in the form of an elongated rod functioning as gripping
means is provided; typically handle 20 will be made of a wood
cylinder or alternatively, a plastic rod. Handle 20 preferably
does not have a great degree of flexibility although in some
applications, more flexibility than a "stiff" handle may be
required.
Mounted about one end of handle 20 is an absorbent cotton
swab 22 which.due.to the nature of the cotton fires need not
necessarily ye secured to one end of the handle 20. If desired,
however, a coating of adhesive may ye employed for retaining
the cotton swab 22 in place. Typically, the cot-ton swab 22
may be a small sphere of cotton; this may be wrapped around
the end of the handle 20 and extend from the handle outwardly
so that there is a "free" portion but in most cases, the bulk
of the cotton swab will be wrapped around the end of the handle.
The polyurethane foam covering is indicated by reference
numeral 24 and comprises a flexible layer of foam material.
For ease of manufacture, as shown in Figure 2, a die cut circular
shape may be employed which then can be wrapped around the
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absorbent portion of the structure as well as the handle 20,
and secured at its end by means of, for example, a clip or
band 26.
Typically, the polyurethane foam covering may range
in thickness from one sixteenth of an inch to a quarter inch
or more, depending on the particular application for which it
is used.
As will be appreciated the method of this invention can
be applied for a vast area of uses where touch-up application
of paint is desired. Thus, for instance, scratches and chips
can be easily touched-up or repaired on appliances such as
refrigerators and stoves, on cars and trucks, furniture, walls,
etc. The touch-up applicator may be used with both oil-based
and water-based paint and provides paint touch-ups which will
not crack, peel or fragment in normal use.
It will be understood that various modifications can
be made to the above described embodiments, without departing
from the spirit and the scope of the invention defined herein.
