Abstract:
A tray for use during painting includes a stair adaptor for leveling the tray along stairs and maintaining the tray on a workbench. The tray body has at least one utility recess defined therein for situating paint cans, paint stirrers, and paint brushes. A roller tray is further defined within the tray body. A front cut-out is defined along the front which is well-suited to allow the tray to be secured to a workbench by way of workbench swivel pegs. Slots are defined within the underside traveling an entire width of the tray body. A stair adaptor is adapted to engage the slots. As a result, upon placement of the tray body on an upper step of a stairway the stair adaptor levels the tray while the base of the stair adaptor rests on an adjacent lower step.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS: 
       [0001]    The instant application claims benefit of provisional application Ser. No. 61/521,427 filed Aug. 9, 2011, the disclosure of which is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention: 
         [0003]    The instant invention relates to organizational trays. In particular, described is a tray for holding paint and utensils. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art: 
         [0005]    Various tools and brushes for exterior and interior painting are obviously known in the art. So too are different types of trays and roller pans for containing and rendering easily-accessible the paint used for the project, as well as the brushes, cans, and rollers. For instance U.S. Pat. No. D303,467 shows a paint tray having a recess for holding a paint can. The tray itself is recessed to hold various painting tools. U.S. Pat. D548,417 to Kohn shows a similar recess within a paint tray, further including a recess defined within the tray for holding a roller.  FIG. 1  of U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,345 also shows a paint brush recess within a rolling tray. 
         [0006]    Standard also are workbenches, designed typically as flat, sturdy tables. Design may be varied according to their inclusion of means for fixing workpieces, means for storing tools, or by including features which allow the bench&#39;s height to be varied, among others. Workbenches are also commonly used by painters to hold or support the aforementioned trays, cans, and brushes. 
         [0007]    Furthermore, different types of trays perform various functions and are adapted to be used at various locations. U.S. Patent Publication 2009/0173849 to Rose et al. teaches a holder for a paint container which can be used on uneven surfaces. The holder includes a base and at least one leg selectively positionable for fixing the angle of the leg. U.S. Pat. No. 5,217,193 to Drucker relates to a paint can holder for use on an angled roof 
         [0008]    There is a need then for a tray which can be used at alternative locations such as within a stairwell or on a staircase and but which is still compatible with typical painting and repair equipment. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    It is the objective of the instant invention to provide a paint try which is compatible with various workbenches. 
         [0010]    It is further the objective to provide a paint try which can be used within a stairwell or on unlevel stair surfaces. 
         [0011]    It is further an objective of the instant invention to provide a paint try which is multi-functional. 
         [0012]    Accordingly, the instant invention comprehends a tray for use during painting, which includes a tray body having an outer perimeter, an underside, a left side, a right side, a front, and a back. At least one utility recess is defined within the tray body with each utility recess performing various functions including the ability to situate paint cans, paint stirrers, and paint brushes. A roller tray is defined within the tray body angling downward from the front to the back. A front cut-out is defined along the front which is well-suited to allow the tray to be secured to a workbench by way of the workbench swivel pegs. A side cut-out is defined within the right side of the tray body. A slot is defined within the underside traveling an entire width of the tray body. A stair adaptor, further comprising a base; a pair of tubular leg seats upstanding from the base; an adaptor surface; a mating member integrally attached to the adaptor surface, the mating member shaped substantially similar to a shape of the slot and configured to slidably engage with a respective one of the slots on the underside; and a pair of adaptor legs extending downward from the adaptor surface configured to be received within the tubular leg seats. As a result, upon placement of the tray body on an upper step of a stairway the stair adaptor levels the tray while the adaptor base rests on an adjacent lower step. A least one locking bar is shaped to engage an end of the mating member such that upon engagement by friction the mating member can be locked in place to secure the stair adaptor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  shows a perspective view of the instant tray. 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  shows an exploded perspective view of the instant tray along with the system&#39;s additional components. 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  shows a perspective view of the instant tray in use on a workbench surface. 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  shows another perspective view of the tray on a workbench with the stair adaptor aiding in its placement. 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of the instant tray in use along a staircase. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
       [0018]    The invention will now be described in detail in relation to a preferred embodiment and implementation thereof which is exemplary in nature and descriptively specific as disclosed. As is customary, it will be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended. The invention encompasses such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated assembly, and such further applications of the principles of the invention illustrated herein, as would normally occur to persons skilled in the art to which the invention relates. This detailed description of this invention is not meant to limit the invention, but is meant to provide a detailed disclosure of the best mode of practicing the invention. “A” or “an” as used in the disclosure and claims may mean one or more. 
         [0019]    With reference then to  FIGS. 1-5 , shown is the instant tray. Tray has a tray body  1 , an outer perimeter  2 , an underside  3 , a left side  4 , a right side  5 , a front  6 , and a back  7 . 
         [0020]    Although the overall shape of the tray body  1  may vary, it preferably is formed generally as a rectangle in the preferred embodiment since it is well-suited to be situated on workbenches, as further described. A disposable tray liner  24  can be used which will conform to the shape of the tray body  1 . 
         [0021]    Traveling around the outer perimeter  2  is raised edge  25 . Raised edge  25  is raised to upstand vertically around the edge so as to contain paint drips and spills. 
         [0022]    Tray body  1  includes multiple recesses, which are preferably indentations defined downward into tray from its top, hereinafter defined collectively as “utility recesses  8 ”. Each utility recess  8  is defined within the tray body  1  and performs various functions. For one, defined within tray body  1  is a paint stirrer recess  26  formed as a shallow pocket wherein a wooden paint stirrer or similar can be situated. Paint stirrer recess  26  as shown is generally rectangular to conform or be similar to the typical size and shape of a paint stirrer. Another utility recess  8  is the paint can recess  27   a,  generally circular to contain a container such as a paint can. A paint brush recess  28  is further defined within tray body  1  to, in one embodiment, hold a paint brush, but it can be used to secure any article if need be. Of note is that a brush grip  8   a  is formed adjacent to the top edge of the paint brush recess  28 . The brush grip  8   a  preferably includes a pair of opposing, raised tabs which are spaced to define a slot which can be used to contain the small handle affiliated with a paint brush. In this manner the brush end resides over the paint brush recess  28  to contain any drips. A trim tray recess  29  is also defined within the tray body  1 , which can contain small amounts of paint and is typically the larger recess relative to the paint brush recess  28 . Lastly, a roller tray  9  is defined within the tray body  1 , optionally angling downward from the front  6  to the back  7 , enabling the tray to be used with a roller. 
         [0023]    Now to the front  6  of the tray body  1  with continued reference to  FIGS. 1-4 , defined therein is a front cut-out  10 . Although not shown, an additional and identical cut-out is provided on the back  7  of the tray. Each cut-out  10  travels most of the length of the tray body  1  but not quite up to the raised edge  25  of tray body  1 . Front cut-out  10  is the area in which work bench swivel pegs  23  may abut, as will be further described with reference to  FIG. 3 . 
         [0024]    A pair of side cut-outs  11  is defined within the right side  5  of tray body  1 , which will aid in the implementation of the stair adaptor  13 , namely serving as the receiver for the locking bar  19 . An additional pair of matching side cut-outs (not shown) can reside within the left side  4  of tray body  1 . Further in conjunction with the stair adaptor  13 , one or more a slots  12  is defined in the underside  3  of the tray body  1  traveling the entire length of the tray body  1 . As shown, each slot  12  in cross-section is generally of an inverted trapezoid shape but may vary depending on the shape of the stair adaptor  13 , as further described. 
         [0025]      FIG. 2  details the stair adaptor  13  for use in conjunction with the tray body  1 . The stair adaptor  13  includes a base  14 , which is a flat platform dimensioned to fit a stair. A pair of tubular leg seats  15  upstand perpendicularly from the base  14 . An adaptor surface  16  longitudinal in nature forms the support for a variety of components. Namely, a mating member  17  is integrally attached to the adaptor surface  16 , the mating member  17  shaped substantially similar to a shape of the slot  12  on the underside  3  of the tray body  1 . “Substantially similar” in this context means the shape of the mating member  17  is identical to the shape of the slot  12  but for the portion of the mating member that would not reside in the slot and the slight dimensional variance of the mating member  17  to allow the mating member  17  to fit within the slot  12 . The mating member  17  therefore is configured to slidably engage with a respective one of the slots  12  on the underside  3 . Then a pair of adaptor legs  18  extends downward from the adaptor surface  16 . The adaptor legs  18  are configured to be received within the tubular leg seats  15  and be temporarily fixed into position using any type of pin such as a cotter pin. As a result, upon placement of one half of the tray body  1  on an upper step of a stairway, the stair adaptor  13  while engaged to and supporting the other half of the tray body  1 , levels the tray body  1  while the adaptor base  14  rests on an adjacent lower step (see  FIG. 5 ). “One-half” as herein defined means the underside  3  of the tray body  1  which extends away from the center most slot. The other half would therefore be the opposing half which includes the slots  12 . 
         [0026]    A locking bar  19  is shaped with defined female hollow portions  20  to engage an end of the mating member  17 . In this manner, upon engagement by the female hollow portion  20  member by friction to the mating member  17 , the stair adaptor  13  can be temporarily locked in place to secure the stair adaptor  13  underneath the tray body  1  as raised stopping edge  22  of adaptor surface  16  abuts the opposite side of tray body  1 , namely disposed within the opposing cut-outs which mirror the side cut-outs  11  but on the left side  4  as mentioned above. Shown herein the locking bar  19  is a rectangular plate, but this shape may vary as long as it conforms to the side cut-out  11  because the locking bar  19  embeds itself into the side cut-out  11 . The shape of female hollow portion  20  may also vary but match the shape of each end of the mating member  17 . 
         [0027]    As an additional feature and with further reference to  FIGS. 2 and 5 , each adaptor leg  18  has formed integrally thereto an adaptor seat  30  formed as an extension at the top thereto. Each adaptor seat  30  has defined therein a cavity. A dowel rod  31  having two ends can therefore rest on the adaptor legs  18  spanning the distance between the adaptor legs  18  as each end sits within each respective cavity. As a result the dowel rod  31  can be used to hold towels, paper towels, or other similar draping articles. 
         [0028]    With particular reference to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , the tray body  1  is especially suited to be situated on a workbench  27  as desired. This is allowed by way of the flat underside  3 , the stair adaptor  13 , and/or the rear and front cut-out  10 . Each cut-out  10  is adapted to have abutted therein one or more swivels pegs  23 . As known, swivel pegs  23  are interchangeable projections which can be inserted into the workbench  27 . As such the dimensions of the workbench  27  are changed and therefore the instant tray can be located on the workbench  27  without sliding of its surface. 
         [0029]    In the embodiment above, the slots  12  which are most proximate to the front  6  would typically be used when the tray is in use on a stair (see  FIG. 2 ) using the stair adaptor  13 . However, the stair adaptor  13  is also used in conjunction with a workbench  27  having small dimensions by utilizing the slots  12  which are most central to the tray body  1 . Some smaller work benches do not open wide enough for an object to fit between the swivel pegs  23 .  FIG. 4  shows the stair adaptor  13  (hidden from view) engaged with its mating members  17  to the underside  3  of the tray body  1  with its adaptor legs  18  disposed downward. In this manner the stair adaptor  13  provides a securement mechanism for the tray to be used on a workbench  27  where the workbench here is very narrow. Although the tray body  1  overhangs the small workbench  27 , the tray body  1  is made more secure on the surface of the workbench  27  because the stair adaptor  13  with its adaptor legs  18  prohibit the sliding of the tray body  1  as the stair adaptor  13  and adaptor legs  18  reside within and through the parallel clamping boards of the workbench  27 . Furthermore, stair adaptor  13  includes lower lip  32  formed as an oblong flange on the front and back (not shown) of the adaptor surface  16 . When the stair adaptor  13  is used to secure the tray body  1  on the workbench  27 , the lower lip  32  will abut against the underside of the parallel clamping board of the workbench  27 , thus preventing the tray body  1  from tilting or being lifted out of the workbench  27 . Thus, the stair adaptor  13  provides two functions, namely stability on a stairwell (see  FIG. 5 ) and stability on small workbench surfaces (see  FIGS. 3 and 4 ).