Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02545904 2006-05-05
STORAGE SYSTEM FOR A PAINT-WET PAINT ROLLER COVER
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a paint roller, and more particularly to a
resealable storage bag for a paint roller cover.
A paint roller provides effective application of paint over relatively large
surface areas. The paint roller includes a removable paint roller cover which
receives paint for application to a surface. Typically, the paint roller cover
is
cleaned which may be a relatively time consuming process. Oftentimes, the
paint
roller cover is discarded after usage.
Disadvantageously, discarding the paint roller cover may be relatively
expensive. As paint rollers are typically utilized for relatively large
surface areas, it
is quite common to paint in multiple sessions, perhaps over a multiple of
days. Even
when taking a break from painting, a paint-wet paint roller cover may be
rendered
IS unusable by paint drying thereon. Cleaning the paint roller cover for such
short
breaks is typically more trouble than simply discarding the paint roller
cover.
Accordingly, it is desirable to provide a storage system for a paint roller
cover which permits storage of a paint-wet paint roller cover for relatively
short time
periods without the necessity of cleaning.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
A paint roller cover storage system according to the present invention
includes a paint roller cover container sized to store a single paint roller
cover. A
resealable closure selectively closes the paint roller cover container to form
a
generally airtight environment for the single paint roller cover.
In use, a paint-wet paint roller cover is inserted into the paint roller cover
container and sealed therein by the resealable closure. As the paint roller
cover
container creates a generally airtight environment, the paint-wet paint roller
cover
may be stored - such as overnight - until further painting will occur. Such an
arrangement greatly facilitates painting without the waste associated with
disposing
of a paint-wet paint roller cover or the laborious and time consuming process
required to clean the wet paint from the paint roller cover. The paint roller
cover
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CA 02545904 2006-05-05
container being flexible permits grasping of the paint-wet paint roller cover
after the
paint roller cover container is installed to facilitate removal of the paint-
wet paint
roller cover from the roller.
Furthermore, by utilizing a paint roller cover container that stores only a
single paint roller cover, the paint roller cover container may be utilized as
part of a
kit for sales of the paint roller cover.
The present invention therefore provides a storage system for a paint roller
cover which permits storage of a paint-wet paint roller cover for relatively
short time
periods without the necessity of cleaning.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The various features and advantages of this invention will become apparent
to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description of the
currently
preferred embodiment. The drawings that accompany the detailed description can
be briefly described as follows:
Figure 1 is a general perspective view a paint roller for use with the present
invention;
Figure 2A is an expanded front view of a paint roller cover container;
Figure 2B is an expanded side view of the paint roller cover container of
Figure 2A;
Figure 2C is an expanded front view of another paint roller cover container;
Figure 2D is an expanded view of a resealable seal of the paint roller cover
container;
Figure 2E is an expanded view of another resealable seal of the paint roller
cover container;
Figure 2F is an expanded view of the resealable seal of Figure 2E in a flexed
open position.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Figure 1 illustrates a general exploded view of a paint roller 12. The paint
roller 12 includes a handle 14 which supports a roller 16. The roller 16
receives a
removable paint roller cover 18 which is typically a tubular member with
various
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surfaces which retains a quantity of paint for application to a surface as
generally
understood.
Referring to Figures 2A and 2B, a paint roller cover storage system 20
includes a paint roller cover container 22 sized to store the paint roller
cover 18.
Notably, only a single paint roller cover 18 is storable within the paint
roller cover
container 22.
The paint roller cover container 22 includes a resealable closure 24 mounted
adjacent an end segment of the paint roller cover container 22. The paint
roller
cover container 22 is preferably an elongated plastic bag which is generally
rectilinear in shape. Alternatively, the paint roller cover container 22'
includes a
circular bottom 26 (Figure 2B) opposite the resealable closure 24 such that
the paint
roller cover container 22' closely fits over the cylindrical paint roller
cover 18.
The resealable closure 24 selectively closes the paint roller cover container
22 and creates a generally airtight environment for a single paint roller
cover 18
(Figure 1). The resealable closure 24 preferably includes an adhesive flap 30
(Figure 2D) or a zip-lock type closure 28 (Figure 2E). With the zip-lock type
closure 28, the zip-lock may be squeezed open (Figure 2F) such that the paint
roller
cover 18 is readily inserted therein without requiring a user to touch the
paint-wet
paint roller cover 18.
In use, the paint-wet paint roller cover 18 is inserted into the paint roller
cover container 22 and sealed therein by the resealable closure 24. As the
paint
roller cover container 22 creates a generally airtight environment, the paint-
wet paint
roller cover 18 may be stored - such as overnight - until further painting
will occur.
Such an arrangement greatly facilitates painting without the waste associated
with
disposing of a paint-wet paint roller cover or the significant time required
to clean
the wet paint from the paint roller cover. The paint roller cover container
22, being
a generally flexible bag, also permits grasping of the paint-wet paint roller
cover 18
after the paint roller cover container 22 is installed thereon to facilitate
removal of
the paint-wet paint roller cover 18 from the roller 16 (Figure 1).
Furthermore, by utilizing a paint roller cover container 22 which stores only
a single paint roller cover 18, the paint roller cover container 22 may be
utilized as
part of a kit for selling the paint roller cover 18. The paint roller cover
container 22
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not only functions as described above for relatively short term storage of a
paint-wet
paint roller cover 18, but because of the inexpensive nature thereof, also
operates as
an inexpensive storage and sale container for the paint roller cover 18
itself.
It should be understood that relative positional terms such as "forward,"
"aft," "upper," "lower," "above," "below," "bottom," and "top," and the like
are
relative terms and should not be considered otherwise limiting.
It should be understood that although a particular component arrangement is
disclosed in the illustrated embodiment, other arrangements will benefit from
the
instant invention.
The foregoing description is exemplary rather than defined by the limitations
within. Many modifications and variations of the present invention are
possible in
light of the above teachings. The preferred embodiments of this invention have
been
disclosed, however, one of ordinary skill in the art would recognize that
certain
modifications would come within the scope of this invention. It is, therefore,
to be
understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be
practiced otherwise than as specifically described. For that reason the
following
claims should be studied to determine the true scope and content of this
invention.
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