Abstract:
A low-cost, stackable, ergonomic paint container includes a main reservoir for paint and an integral brush caddy. Structural provisions help prevent the waste of paint; prevent spillage of paint around the rim of the paint container; Inhibit contamination of the brush handle by dripping paint; and allow for ease of handling with one hand.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
         [0001]    The invention relates to a paint container that prevents the waste of paint, prevents spillage of paint around the rim of the paint container and allows for ease of handling with one hand.  
         BACKGROUND OF THE PRIOR ART  
         [0002]    There has been little innovation in the field of paint containers. The typical drawbacks to conventional “paint buckets” include (i) the waste of paint that spills over the bucket rim by wiping the brush against the bucket rim; (ii) the contamination of the paint bucket and surroundings by spillage of paint over the bucket rim; (iii) the contamination of the brush handle by dripping paint when no provisions are made for resting the paint brush in a suitable location on or about the paint bucket; and (iv) the ergonomic inadequacies of traditional paint bucket designs. 
       
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0003]    [0003]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exemplary paint container of the present invention.  
         [0004]    [0004]FIG. 2 is top view of the paint container of FIG. 1.  
         [0005]    [0005]FIG. 3 is a first sectional view of the paint container of FIG. 1.  
         [0006]    [0006]FIG. 4 is a second sectional view of the paint container of FIG. 1.  
         [0007]    [0007]FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternative embodiment of paint container of the present invention.  
         [0008]    [0008]FIG. 6 is a perspective view of another embodiment of paint container . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0009]    [0009]FIG. 1 illustrates a pre f erred embodiment of paint container body  10  of the present invention for preventing paint waste, for maintaining a clean rim about the paint container, and for ease of handling by the painter. The paint container has canted sides  12  that allow for verticle stacking of the paint containers. As can be seen in FIG. 1, the unitary body of the paint container is molded from any suitable plastic. The main body has a bottom wall portion  14  that transitions to the perimeter side wall portions  12 . The open top of the container is surrounded by a perimeter rim indicated at  15 .  
         [0010]    The main body  10  of the paint container further provides a secondary body portion  20  that comprises intermediate wall portions  22  extending upward from the bottom wall portion  14 . The top or upper portion of the intermediate wall portions form a longitudinal surface  25  or caddy that serves as structure for wiping excess paint from a brush. Thus, the painter need not use the rim of the paint container to remove excess paint from the brush. Any paint wiped from the brush naturally drains to the paint volume in the container.  
         [0011]    The longitudinal surface  25  also can serve as a caddy for a paint brush. When resting, the painter can rest the brush handle on the rim  15  and the brush portion on the caddy  25 . For this reason, the longitudinal surface of the intermediate wall portion preferably is from about 0° to 20° below the level of the perimeter rim of the container, thus allowing any excess paint to drain from the brush to the bottom of the container rather than onto the paintbrush handle. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate wall portion  22  and its proximal surface  25  may be offset from the opposing sides by different dimensions A and B, thus allowing the brush caddy  25  to accommodate a wider variation in brush sizes. The thin wall form of the intermediate wall portions  22  are also canted to allow for vertical stacking of paint containers. The rim of the container is further shown with (optional) notches  28   a  and  28   b  formed therein to receive the handle of a paint brush. The rim of the container is further adapted to cooperate with a snap-on cover, which will typically fit well since the rim will not be contaminated with spilt paint. The rim of the paint container is shown in a rectangular configuration, but it should be appreciated that round and other rim planforms fall within the scope of the invention.  
         [0012]    As can be seen in FIG. 3, the phantom view of a human hand shows that the paint container of the invention is adapted to be gripped easily from the bottom with the fingers and thumbs on an exterior of the container and in the opposing recess formed at the exterior of the intermediate wall portions. This aspect of the invention provides for handling the inventive container somewhat as a true “painter” holds a palette when working. This method of holding the container offers true ergonomic advantages as the center of mass of the contained paint volume may be rested on the painter&#39;s palm. Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the intermediate wall portion  22  and its proximal surface  25  may be offset from the opposing sides by different dimensions A and B. Depending on the volume of paint and the size of the painter&#39;s hand, the painter may select which side of the container to grip for comfort and ergonomic reasons.  
         [0013]    [0013]FIG. 5 illustrates an alternative embodiment  100  of paint container that carries an intermediate wall structure  120  that again serves as a brush caddy and wiping surface. In this embodiment, the intermediate wall portions  120  extend both upward from the bottom wall  14  and inward from the side wall  112 . Otherwise, the caddy has a longitudinal surface  125  similar to that of the first-described embodiment. The thin walls of the intermediate wall portions  122  are also canted to allow for vertical stacking of paint containers.  
         [0014]    [0014]FIG. 6 shows another embodiment of container body  200  of the invention that provides an intermediate structure  220  or secondary body portion for serving as a brush caddy and brush wipe  225 . In this embodiment, the secondary body portion  220  is detachable from the main body  200  by Page  2  a snap-type fit. Since an important feature of the invention is its ability to be stacked, the detachable secondary body portion  220  has a cross-sectional shape that allows it to clip to the rim  225  for shipping, storage and marketing. With the secondary body portion  220  clipped to the rim  225 , the container will still stack vertically. As can be seen in FIG. 6, the ends  228   a  and  228   b  of the secondary body member  220  are adapted to snap-fit into cooperating recesses  230   a  and  230   b  in rim  225 .  
         [0015]    [0015]FIG. 7 illustrates an additional embodiment of container body  300  that provides an alternative intermediate structure  320  (secondary body portion) that serves as a brush caddy and brush wipe  325 . In this embodiment, the secondary body portion  320  is attached to the main body  300  by a hinge-type bond indicated at  322 . Again, an important feature of the invention is its ability to be stacked, and the secondary body portion  320  may be hinged and/or folded to lie flat against a side wall for storage. In use, the secondary body portion  320  can be hinged upwardly and then folded to insert edge portions  328   a  and  328   b  into cooperating recesses  330   a  and  330   b  in the walls thereof. Thus, caddy surface  325  will be provided as described above in the first embodiment.  
         [0016]    Although particular embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be understood that this description is merely for purposes of illustration. Specific features of the invention are shown in some drawings and not in others, and this is for convenience only and any feature may be combined with another in accordance with the invention. Further variations will be apparent to one skilled in the art in light of this disclosure and are intended to fall within the scope of the appended claims.