Abstract:
A paint loading system including a pump and a tray that are releasably mounted on a paint container. The pump is used to discharge paint into the tray, where the paint can be loaded onto an applicator. The tray drains excess paint into the container. The loading system may include a removable tray having surface features aiding in the transfer of paint to the applicator. The loading system includes a spout allowing paint to be poured from the paint container without necessitating the removal of the loading system from the paint container.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    This invention relates generally to the field of paint trays and, more particularly, to trays used in transferring paint to applicators such as brushes, rollers, pads, and the like. 
         [0002]    Prior art paint trays of various shapes and sizes are used to load various types of applicators with paint. These paint trays typically require that paint be poured from a paint can into a tray and any excess paint remaining in the tray after use must be poured back into the paint can or discarded. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Embodiments of the present invention provide a paint loading system that may include a pump and a tray that are releasably mounted on a paint container. The pump may be used to discharge paint into the tray, where the paint may be loaded onto an applicator. The tray may drain excess paint into the container. Other features of the invention may include a removable tray having surface features aiding in the transfer of paint to the applicator. The loading system may include a spout allowing paint to be poured from the paint container without necessitating the removal of the loading system from the paint container. 
         [0004]    In a first aspect of the present invention, a loading system may include a base adapted to couple with a container holding a liquid, a tray supported by the base, and a pump adapted to discharge a portion of the liquid onto the tray. 
         [0005]    The tray may include a liquid return adapted to drain liquid from the tray into the container. The tray may include one or more surface features. The tray may include a sloped floor, the pump may discharge the liquid proximate a high portion of the tray, and the liquid return may be located proximate a low portion of the tray. The tray may be adapted to load the portion of the liquid onto an applicator. The applicator may be a brush, roller, edger, cloth, corner painting tool, or pad. The surface features may include a plurality of truncated cones. At least one of the truncated cones may include a hole such that liquid may flow from within the tray to beneath the tray through the hole. 
         [0006]    The base may include at least one barb adapted to engage the container. The tray may be releasably attached to the base. The displacement of the pump may be approximately equal to the volume of liquid necessary to load an applicator. The pump may be a positive displacement pump comprising a piston slidable within a cylinder. The base may include a spout adapted to allow pouring of the liquid from the container while the loading system is attached to the container. The container may be a can, a bucket, or a bottle. 
         [0007]    The base may be adapted to releasably couple with the container and the base may include at least one barb adapted to engage the container and a spout adapted to allow pouring of the liquid from the container while the loading system is attached to the container. The tray may be releasably attached to the base and may include a liquid return located proximate a low portion of the tray adapted to allow liquid to drain from the tray into the container, a sloped floor, and at least one surface feature including a plurality of truncated cones wherein at least one of the truncated cones includes a hole such that liquid may flow from within the tray to beneath the tray through the hole. The pump may be a positive displacement pump comprising a piston slidable within a cylinder, the pump may discharge the portion of liquid proximate a high portion of the tray, and a displacement of the pump may be approximately equal to a volume of liquid necessary to load an applicator. The container may be a can, a bucket, or a bottle. The applicator may be a brush, roller, edger, cloth, corner painting tool, or pad. 
         [0008]    In a second aspect, a loading system may include a base adapted to releasably couple with a container holding a liquid, a first tray adapted to releasably couple with the base and having at least one surface feature, and a pump adapted to withdraw a portion of the liquid from the container and discharge the portion of the liquid into the first tray. The base and the tray may cooperate to allow drainage from the tray into the container. 
         [0009]    In a detailed embodiment of the second aspect, a loading system may further include a second tray adapted to releasably couple with the base in place of the first tray such that the pump discharges the portion of the liquid into the second tray. The second tray may have at least one surface feature that is different from at least one surface feature of the first tray. 
         [0010]    In a third aspect, a method of loading an applicator with a liquid may include the steps of providing a container holding a liquid; providing a loading system, the loading system including a pump adapted to pump the liquid and a tray adapted to receive liquid discharged from the pump; coupling the loading system to the container; operating the pump to discharge a portion of the liquid onto the tray; providing an applicator; loading the applicator with at least some of the portion of the liquid in the tray. 
         [0011]    In a detailed embodiment of the third aspect, the liquid may include paint, stain, oil, sealant, coating, and/or epoxy. In another detailed embodiment of the third aspect, the applicator may include a brush, roller, cloth, edger, corner applicator, and/or pad. 
         [0012]    In yet another detailed embodiment of the third aspect, the method may further include the steps of operating the pump a second time and loading the applicator a second time following the completion of the step of loading the applicator. The method may further include the step of priming the pump prior to operating the pump to discharge a portion of the liquid onto the tray. 
         [0013]    These and other aspects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments exemplifying of the invention as presently perceived. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0014]    The detailed description particularly refers to the accompanying Figures in which: 
           [0015]      FIG. 1  is an exploded isometric view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system; 
           [0016]      FIG. 2  is a side elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system installed on a paint can; 
           [0017]      FIG. 3  is a rear elevation view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system installed on a paint can; 
           [0018]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system installed on a can; 
           [0019]      FIG. 5  is a plan view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system; and 
           [0020]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0021]      FIG. 1  depicts an exemplary embodiment of the present invention loading system  10 . The exemplary embodiment includes a base  12 , a tray  14 , and a pump  16 . As shown in  FIGS. 2-4 , the loading system  10  is adapted to couple with a container  18  holding a fluid. In the exemplary embodiment, container  18  is a standard one gallon (3.61 liter) paint can. It is within the scope of the invention for the base  12  to be adapted to couple with other containers, such as, but not limited to, cans of other sizes (e.g., a one pint can), buckets (e.g., a five gallon (18.92 liter) bucket), and/or bottles. 
         [0022]    In the exemplary embodiment, base  12  couples with container  18  using rounded barbs  52 ,  54 ,  56  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The exemplary embodiment utilizes four rounded barbs, only three of which are visible in  FIG. 6 . The base  12  may utilize other attachment means (such as, but not limited to, other elastically-deformable features on the base  12 , a friction fit between the base  12  and the container  18 , and/or one or more gaskets interposed between base  12  and container  18 ) in place of or in addition to rounded barbs  52 ,  54 ,  56 . 
         [0023]    In the exemplary embodiment, base  12  includes a threaded portion  66  adapted to couple with collar  32  on the pump  16 . Other means (such as, but not limited to, threaded fasteners, snap-fit components, and/or friction-fit components) may be used in place of or in addition to threaded portion  66  and collar  32  to couple the pump  16  to the base  12 . 
         [0024]    In the exemplary embodiment, base  12  includes spout  62  in fluid communication with the interior of container  18  via opening  64 . Spout  62  is adapted to allow pouring of the fluid in container  18  without the need to remove the loading system  10  from the container  18 . For example, a user may wish to pour paint from a paint can into a large roller tray while leaving the loading system attached to a paint can. The loading system may include an alternative pouring means (such as, but not limited to, a spout located on the side wall of base  12 ) or no pouring means on base  12 . Further, the pump  16  may be adapted to discharge liquid into another receptacle, such as a large roller tray. 
         [0025]    In the exemplary embodiment, base  12  includes ports  58 ,  60  which are adapted to convey liquid from tubing  48 ,  50  to tray  14 . In the exemplary embodiment, ports  58 ,  60  are divergent along the flow path of the liquid such that the liquid is dispersed along a substantial portion of the width of the tray  12 . In other embodiments, the loading system may not include such ports or the loading system may include one or more ports having other configurations (such as, but not limited to a single port and/or non-diverging ports). 
         [0026]    In the exemplary embodiment, the base  12  is made of molded plastic. Such a composition may reduce the difficulty of cleaning the loading system after use. The base  12  may be constructed of other durable or disposable materials. 
         [0027]    In the exemplary embodiment, tray  14  is adapted to releasably fit within cavity  26  in base  12  as shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . In other embodiments, tray  14  may be attached to base  12  such that tray  14  is not readily removable. Further, the tray  14  may be constructed integrally with the base  12 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the exemplary embodiment tray  14  is generally rectangular in shape. One or more trays of different shapes (such as, but not limited to, square, triangular, circular, semi-circular, etc.) may be used in place of or in addition to tray  14 . 
         [0028]    In the exemplary embodiment, the floor  68  of tray  14  is sloped such that the portion near the pump  16  is higher than the portion farther from the pump  16 . The slope of the floor  68  of the exemplary embodiment tray  14  is apparent in  FIGS. 4 and 6 . It is within the scope of the invention to utilize a tray have a level floor and/or a tray with a steeper or shallower sloped floor. 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIG. 5 , the exemplary embodiment tray  14  includes liquid return slots  20 ,  22 ,  24 . Return slots  20 ,  22 ,  24  allow liquid to drain from the tray  14  into container  18  via cavity  26  in base  12 . In other embodiments, tray  14  may have no return slots or may have one or more return means of other shapes in addition to or in place of return slots  20 ,  22 ,  24 . 
         [0030]    As shown in  FIGS. 4-6 , the exemplary embodiment tray  14  includes a plurality of surface features on its floor  68 . In the exemplary embodiment, these surface features include cones  70  and ribs  72 . The cones  70  are truncated and each includes a cylindrical hole extending from the interior of the tray  14  into cavity  26  below. These holes allow liquid to drain from the tray  14  into the container  18  via cavity  26 . In the exemplary embodiment, the cones are 0.210 inches high. Other embodiments may incorporate no surface features or surface features of other shapes (such as, but not limited to, partial or full hemispheres, non-truncated cones, etc.) in addition to or in place of the cones  70  and ribs  72 . The surface features may include depressions relative to the floor of the tray and/or may include raised portions above the floor of the tray. Further, other embodiments may utilize holes of other shapes in the various surface features and may utilize surface features without holes. The size, shape, height, and other characteristics of the surface features may be adapted to produce desirable results when loading different applicators, such as, but not limited to, brushes, rollers, pads, cloths, edgers, corner applicators, etc. It is within the scope of the invention to provide interchangeable, removable trays having differing characteristics (such as, but not limited to, size, shape, and/or surface features) such that a user may selectively utilize a tray  14  specifically adapted for certain applicators. 
         [0031]    In the exemplary embodiment, tray  14  is made of molded plastic. Such a composition may reduce the difficulty of cleaning the loading system after use. The tray  14  may be constructed of other durable or disposable materials. It is within the scope of the invention to utilize a reusable tray  14  and to utilize single-use trays  14  or a single- use liner adapted to fit tray  14 . 
         [0032]    As shown in  FIG. 6 , the exemplary embodiment pump  16  includes a handle  28  attached to the top end of a hollow shaft  30 . The shaft  30  is attached to a piston  34  which is slidable within a cylinder  46 . The shaft  30  slides through a collar  32 , which is adapted to secure the pump  16  to the threaded portion  66  of the base  12 . The collar  32  may include a sealing means (such as, but not limited to, one or more gaskets or rings) to prevent any liquid present above the piston  34  from leaking between shaft  30  and collar  32 . 
         [0033]    In the exemplary embodiment, the outer perimeter of the piston  34  forms a seal with the inner surface of the cylinder  46 . It is within the scope of the invention to include a sealing means (such as, but not limited to, one or more gaskets or rings) between the piston  34  and the cylinder  46 . 
         [0034]    In the exemplary embodiment, a helical compression spring  36  biases the piston  34  in the upward direction. The spring  36  is made of an elastic metal and is interposed between piston  34  and the bottom end of cylinder  46 . The helical compression spring  36  may be replaced or supplemented by another biasing device or may be eliminated. 
         [0035]    In the exemplary embodiment, a suction tube  38  extends from the bottom of cylinder  46 . The suction tube  38  is structurally rigid such that it does not collapse when the pressure within the suction tube  38  is less than the pressure outside the suction tube  38  during operation of the pump. 
         [0036]    The exemplary embodiment pump  16  includes two one-way valves: intake valve  40  and a discharge valve comprising a ball  42  and a seat  44 . Intake valve  40  is made of a flexible material (such as, but not limited to, rubber or thermoplastic resin) and is adapted to allow flow from suction tube  38  into cylinder  46  and to prevent flow from cylinder  46  into suction tube  38 . The discharge valve comprises a glass ball  42  and a corresponding seat  44 . The discharge valve is adapted to allow flow from within shaft  30  to within handle  28  and to prevent flow from within handle  28  to within shaft  30 . In other embodiments, the arrangement and type of valves utilized may vary from that of the exemplary embodiment. 
         [0037]    In the exemplary embodiment, handle  28  is connected to base  12  via two tubes  48 ,  50 . The tubes  48 ,  50  are made of flexible, clear vinyl and have an interior diameter of 03/8″. The tubes  48 ,  50  are attached to handle  28  and base  12  using tubing clamps  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80 . The tubing clamps  74 ,  76 ,  78 ,  80  are metal spring clamps. The tubes  48 ,  50  are sufficiently long to allow a full stroke of pump  16  without crimping. It is within the scope of the invention to utilize alternative means to connect the pump  16  to the base  12  (such as, but not limited to, a single tube connecting the handle  28  to the base  12 , a direct connection between the discharge of pump  16  and base  12 , a nozzle on the pump  16  that deposits the liquid discharged from the pump  16  into the tray  14  using gravity, etc.) Further, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize tubing made of alternative materials (or colors) and alternative attachment means. 
         [0038]    In the exemplary embodiment, the displacement of the pump is approximately equal to the volume of liquid necessary to properly load an edger. In some embodiments, the pump may be adapted to deliver the appropriate volume of liquid to load a specific applicator. In other embodiments, the pump may have a displacement other than the volume of liquid necessary to properly load a specific applicator. Further, it is within the scope of the invention to utilize a pump that is capable of delivering a volume less than its maximum displacement, such as by a partial stroke of the pump handle. 
         [0039]    In the exemplary embodiment, the pump  16  is made of molded plastic with the exception of the components described herein as being composed of other materials. Such a composition may reduce the difficulty of cleaning the loading system after use. The pump  16  may be constructed of other durable or disposable materials. Further, the pump  16  may be adapted to couple with a faucet to allow flushing with water. 
         [0040]    It is within the scope of the invention to include a pump of a different type than that described above. For example, the pump may be, without limitation, a peristaltic, impeller, or diaphragm pump as are well known in the art. Further, it is within the scope of the invention for the pump to be motor driven and/or manually operated. 
         [0041]    The exemplary embodiment loading system may be operated as follows. A user removes the lid from a can of paint and prepares the paint for use (by properly stirring the paint, for example). The user couples the loading system  10  onto the paint can  18  as shown in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0042]    The user primes the pump  16  by depressing handle  28 , causing handle  28 , shaft  30 , and piston  34  to move downward. This motion is opposed by spring  36 . Once the user has fully depressed the handle  28 , the user releases handle  28 . Spring  36  exerts an upward force on piston  34 , causing the paint in the paint can  18  to be drawn upward through the suction tube  38  and the intake valve  40  into the cylinder  46 . Several strokes of the handle  28  may be necessary to fill the entire flow path with paint. 
         [0043]    The user then operates pump  16  by depressing and then releasing handle  28 . After the pump  16  has been primed, depressing handle  28  causes paint within the cylinder  46  to flow upward through the shaft  30 . The upward flow lifts ball  42  off of seat  44  allowing paint to flow past the ball  42  and into tubes  48 ,  50 . The paint flows through tubes  48 ,  50  and into ports  58 ,  60 . Ports  58 ,  60  allow the paint to flood into the tray  14 . When the user releases handle  28 , spring  36  pushes the piston upwards, thereby drawing paint from the paint can  18  into the cylinder  46  in preparation for the next downward stroke of the piston  34 . 
         [0044]    The surface features of the floor  68  of tray  14  retain an appropriate amount of paint for loading an edger and the excess paint drains into the paint can  18  via the return slots  20 ,  22 ,  24  and the holes in the cones  70 . The user loads an edger (or another applicator) with paint from the tray  14  and uses the edger to apply paint to a surface. The user may operate the pump  16  as necessary to supply paint to the tray  14  for loading the edger. 
         [0045]    Although the exemplary embodiment described above is adapted for use with a one gallon paint can, it is within the scope of the invention to use the loading system with other liquids (such as, but not limited to, stain, oil, sealant, coating, and/or epoxy. In general, the present invention may be used with any liquid. 
         [0046]    Further, it is within the scope of the invention to use the loading system with applicators of various types (such as, but not limited to, brushes, rollers, edgers, corner painting tools, and pads). Certain aspects of the loading system may be adapted for use with certain applicators. For example, the displacement of the pump and/or the tray shape and/or features may be different for a loading system adapted for use with brushes than for a loading system adapted for use with rollers. 
         [0047]    While exemplary embodiments of the invention have been set forth above for the purpose of disclosure, modifications of the disclosed embodiments of the invention as well as other embodiments thereof may occur to those skilled in the art. Accordingly, it is to be understood that the inventions contained herein are not limited to the above precise embodiments and that changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the claims. Likewise, it is to be understood that the invention is defined by the claims and it is not necessary to meet any or all of the stated advantages or objects of the invention disclosed herein to fall within the scope of the claims, since inherent and/or unforeseen advantages of the present invention may exist even though they may not have been explicitly discussed herein.