Abstract:
A paint striper has a main body having a head portion, an interior cavity, and a slot in fluid communication between the head portion and the interior cavity. The slot is configured for receiving a wheel, and the interior cavity is configured for receiving paint. A wheel is rotatably mounted in the slot with a portion of the wheel extending into the interior cavity. A shoulder extends from the main body, and a guide extends from the shoulder for following a guide track formed in a strip positioned on a surface of the vehicle, wherein the track is substantially parallel to the desired position of the pinstripe. The strip is secured in position on the surface of the vehicle using adhesive which permits removal of the strip from the surface of the vehicle without leaving a residue, and re-use of the strip on a surface of another vehicle.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The invention relates generally to pinstriping and, more particularly, to a method and tool for applying pinstriping to vehicles. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Purchasers and owners of vehicles, such as automobiles and trucks, often desire to improve the appearance of their vehicle by pinstriping their vehicles, or portions of their vehicles. This may be achieved by manually applying with a paint brush a pinstripe onto the vehicle. It is very difficult though to obtain consistent, high-quality results from manually painting a pinstripe onto a vehicle. Moreover, such technique is also very time-consuming. 
     In an attempt to improve the quality of pinstripe, a roller device has been developed, as described, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,988,710 entitled “Striper” which issued to Samuel B. Beugler on Jan. 22, 1935. Such roller device is used in lieu of a brush and includes a removable closure cap having a slot through which a striping wheel rotates in a manner such that all of the paint adhering to the wheel, after it has engaged the surface being pinstriped, is carried back into the barrel. The device further includes a guide bar extending from the device for insertion in a guide strip. The guide strip is preferably magnetic so that it may be positioned on a vehicle with a metallic surface, and includes a groove configured for receiving the guide bar. In operation, the guide bar is positioned in the groove of the guide strip, and the device is moved along the guide strip as the wheel of the device is rolled with paint along the surface of the vehicle, thereby applying paint to the vehicle in a relatively straight line. 
     There are a number of drawbacks associated with using the Beugler roller device to apply a pinstripe to the surface of a vehicle. For example, the guide bar is difficult to maintain in the groove of the guide strip while moving the device along the strip. Furthermore, since the guide strip relies on magnetism to attach to the vehicle, the strip may not be used with vehicles having non-metallic surfaces, such as fiberglass, composites, and the like. 
     In another attempt to cure the drawbacks associated with conventional techniques for applying pinstriping, stencils have been developed in which a pinstripe is applied to the surface of a vehicle by painting within the bounds provided by the stencil. There are a number of drawbacks associated with using stencils also. For example, stencils are difficult to use under windy weather conditions, because a stencil will tend to not stay lined up on a vehicle as it should to permit a pinstripe to be applied. A stencil will also tend to bubble up on a hot car surface, permitting paint to bleed through the edges of the pinstripe. A stencil also requires more paint to make a pinstripe than any other method available for pin striping. It is also difficult to make a tip with a stencil, a pinstripe with multiple lines and/or colors, or to remove a stencil from a vehicle without getting paint on any other part of the vehicle. As a result of the foregoing, stencils are relatively time-consuming and more expensive than other methods. 
     While pinstriping technology has evolved, substantial skill, experience, and time is still required to apply a pinstripe to a vehicle with consistent high-quality. Accordingly, a continuing search has been directed to the development of methods and tools by which people, with or without substantial experience, may apply pinstriping to a vehicle in a reasonable amount of time with consistent high-quality. 
     SUMMARY 
     The present invention, accordingly, provides an improved pin stripping tool and method having a main body comprising a head portion, an interior cavity, and a slot in fluid communication between the head portion and the interior cavity. The slot is configured for receiving a wheel, and the interior cavity is configured for receiving paint. A wheel is rotatably mounted in the slot with a portion of the periphery of the wheel extending into the interior cavity. A shoulder extends from the main body, and a guide extends from the shoulder, the guide being configured for following a guide track formed in a strip positioned on a surface of the vehicle, wherein the track is substantially parallel to the desired position of the pinstripe. 
     In a further embodiment, the strip is secured in position on the surface of the vehicle using adhesive which permits removal of the strip from the surface of the vehicle without leaving a residue, and re-use of the strip on a surface of another vehicle. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a more complete understanding of the present invention, and the advantages thereof, reference is now made to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a pin striping tool embodying features of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a side elevation view of the tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is an exploded view of the tool of FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of the tool of FIG. 1 shown in operation; 
     FIG. 5 is a side elevation view of the tool of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the tool of FIG. 4; 
     FIG. 7 is a flowchart of steps for applying a pinstripe in accordance with the present invention; 
     FIG. 8 is an alternate embodiment of the present invention; and 
     FIG. 9 is a second alternate embodiment of the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     In the following discussion, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of the present invention. However, it will be obvious to those skilled in the art that the present invention may be practiced without such specific details. In other instances, well-known elements have been illustrated in schematic or block diagram form in order not to obscure the present invention in unnecessary detail. Additionally, for the most part, details concerning paint and the like have been omitted inasmuch as such details are not considered necessary to obtain a complete understanding of the present invention, and are considered to be within the skills of persons of ordinary skill in the relevant art. 
     Refer now to the drawings wherein depicted elements are, for the sake of clarity, not necessarily shown to scale and wherein like or similar elements are designated by the same reference numeral through the several views. 
     Referring to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the reference numeral  100  generally designates a pinstriping tool embodying features of the present invention. As described in further detail below, the tool  100  includes a main body  102  comprising a head  104 . The head  104  defines an opening  106  and a slot (not shown in FIG. 1) formed therein and configured for receiving a wheel  108 . The wheel  108  is rotatably secured therein via an axle  110  extending from a shoulder  112  positioned in the head  104 . A guide pin  114  extends downwardly (as viewed in FIG. 1) from the shoulder  112  for insertion in a guide (shown and discussed below with respect to FIGS.  4 - 6 ). The main body  102  is further configured for receiving a tube retainer  116 . The tube retainer  116  is configured for holding a tube  118  containing paint to be applied to form a pinstripe on a surface of a vehicle (not shown in FIG.  1 ). The tube retainer  116  also includes a post  120  configured for mating with a corresponding alignment slot (not shown in FIG.  1 ). While the post  120  and corresponding alignment slot are preferred, the pinstriping tool  100  may optionally be fabricated without them. 
     FIG. 2 shows a side elevation view of the pinstriping tool  100  of FIG. 1, with the tube retainer  116  removed. As shown therein, the tube of paint  118  includes a tube neck  202  which extends into a cavity  204  of the main body  102  for facilitating the communication of paint from the tube  118  to the main body  102 . 
     FIG. 3 shows an exploded view of the pinstriping tool  100 . As shown, the head portion  104  includes a race opening  301  configured for receiving the axle  110 . The axle  110  includes a raised portion  306  configured for snapping into a corresponding detent  308  formed in the race opening  301  for securing the axle  110  in the race opening  301 . As depicted in FIG. 3, a slot  302  is defined by the head  104  through which a portion of the periphery of the wheel  108  extends into the cavity  204 . An alignment slot  310  is formed in the main body  102  for receiving the post  120 . The tube retainer  116  defines a tube neck opening  314  for receiving the tube neck  202 . 
     FIGS. 4-6 exemplify how the pinstriping tool  100  may be set up for operation. Preferably, an adhesive-backed guide  402  is positioned on a surface  408  of a vehicle. The guide  402  preferably includes a double sided adhesive strip  502  that is effective within a temperature range of from 40°-160° F. for adhering the guide  402  to a surface of a vehicle, and for being removed from the vehicle surface without leaving a residue, so that it may be re-used on a surface of another vehicle. By way of example, such an adhesive strip  502  is commercially available from PluStar, located in Dallas, part number 14375. The guide  402  preferably includes two tracks  404  and  406 , such as grooves or ridges, formed therein for allowing the guide pin  114  to ride therein. Optionally, the guide  402  may include only a single track  404  for facilitating work in tight-fitting areas, such as under door mirrors, and the like, wherein multiple spaced-apart pinstripes may be applied by using multiple guide pins  114  extending from shoulders  112  of varying lengths. Alternatively, the guide  402  may include multiple tracks, such as three or four tracks similar to the tracks  404  and  406 , to permit a single guide pin  114  and shoulder  112  to be used in the application of a corresponding number of spaced-apart pinstripes, thereby rendering it unnecessary to switch out guide pins  114  and shoulders  112  of varying lengths for each of multiple pinstripes. 
     Steps of operating the pin-striping tool  100  are depicted in FIG.  7 . At step  702 , the guide  402  is positioned on the surface  408  via the adhesive-backed strip  502 . At step  704 , a wheel  108  and shoulder  112  are selected, preferably using a pinstripe size chart (not shown). At step  706 , the wheel  108  is inserted into the opening  106  and slot  302  and, at step  708 , is secured in place by inserting the axle  110  through the opening  106  until the raised portion  306  snaps into place in the corresponding detent  308  of the race opening  301 . 
     At step  710 , a paint color is selected and a tube  118  of paint of such color is inserted into the tube retainer  116  until the tube neck  202  passes through the tube neck opening  314 . At step step  712 , the tube retainer  116  is positioned into the main body  102 , such that the alignment post  120  is preferably received by the alignment slot  310 . At step  714 , the tube  118  of paint is manually squeezed until paint is communicated into the cavity  204 . 
     At step  716 , the tool  100  is positioned on the vehicle surface  408  so that the guide pin  114  aligns with the track  404 , and the wheel  108  touches the surface  408 . The tool  100  is then moved with the guide pin following the track  404 , and the wheel  108  rotating and carrying paint from the cavity  204  to the surface  408 , thereby forming a pinstripe on the surface  408  of the vehicle. In accordance with step  718 , the steps  702 - 716  may be repeated, but with a paint of a different color and/or a different wheel  108  and/or size of shoulder  112 . In accordance with step  720 , the steps  702 - 718  may be repeated using a different track, such as a track  406  to apply a pinstripe spaced-apart from a pinstripe applied using the track  404 . If the guide  402  includes any additional tracks (not shown) similar to the tracks  404  and  406 , then the steps  702 - 718  may be similarly repeated to apply additional pinstripe using the additional tracks. 
     The embodiment of FIG. 8 is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, and identical components are given the same reference numerals. According to the embodiment of FIG. 8, a tube retainer  804  is adapted for receiving a solid stick of paint  802  which is communicated (e.g., via a plunger, not shown, at one end of the tube) into the cavity  204 . Operation of the embodiment of FIG. 8 is otherwise performed in accordance with the steps depicted above with respect to FIG.  7 . 
     The embodiment of FIG. 9 is similar to the embodiment of FIGS. 1-6, and identical components are given the same reference numerals. According to the embodiment of FIG. 9, a post  920  (similar to post  120 ) is formed on the main body  902  otherwise similar to the main body  102 ) to thereby replace the slot  310 , and a slot  910  (similar to slot  310 ) is formed in a tube retainer  916  otherwise similar to tube retainer  116 ) to thereby replace the post  120 . The slot  910  and post  920  are matingly configured. Operation of the embodiment of FIG. 9 is otherwise performed in accordance with the steps depicted above with respect to FIG.  7 . 
     It is understood that the present invention may take many forms and embodiments. Accordingly, several variations may be made in the foregoing without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. For example, the strip  502  may be fabricated from magnetic material for removably securing the strip and guide  402  to a metallic surface of said vehicle. Foam tape may be secured to the strip  502  and include adhesive for removably adhering the strip  502  and guide  402  to the surface of a vehicle, the adhesive preferably being effective within a temperature range of at least 40° to 160° Fahrenheit, and preferably being removable without leaving a residue on said surface of said vehicle. The guide  402  may be fabricated from plastic. The tracks  404  and  406  defined within the guide  402  may also be magnetized for facilitating travel of the guide pin  114  within the grooves. The guide  402  may be replaced with thin foam or an adhesive tape guide having a thin wire or string to form a raised ridge track on a surface thereof for guiding the guide pin  114  and pinstriping tool  100 . Another type of striping instrument or tool, such as a brush, may configured to utilize the tracks  404  and  406  of the guide  402 . 
     Having thus described the present invention by reference to certain of its preferred embodiments, it is noted that the embodiments disclosed are illustrative rather than limiting in nature and that a wide range of variations, modifications, changes, and substitutions are contemplated in the foregoing disclosure and, in some instances, some features of the present invention may be employed without a corresponding use of the other features. Many such variations and modifications may be considered obvious and desirable by those skilled in the art based upon a review of the foregoing description of preferred embodiments. Accordingly, it is appropriate that the appended claims be construed broadly and in a manner consistent with the scope of the invention.