Abstract:
Disclosed is a paint roller device comprising an inner hub and an outer hub spaced by a cage of wires and adapted for supporting a paint roll sleeve. A cylindrical retainer extends axially outwardly from the outer hub and is adapted to retain a ball therein, the cylindrical retainer being spaced radially inwardly from the periphery of the outer hub to define a gap between an inside surface of the paint roll sleeve when on the roller. The end of the paint roll sleeve on the paint roller device and an end of the retainer define a plane perpendicular to an axis of the roller, and at least a portion of the ball extends a predetermined distance axially outwardly from the plane. The gap between the sleeve and the cylindrical extension prevents paint from interfering with the ball.

Description:
[0001]    Applicant claims convention priority to the Canadian application filed Mar. 27, 2013, Canadian Patent File No. 2,810,808. 
       FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The invention relates to a paint roller and more particularly to a paint roller having guide means to guide the roller along a surface so a clean line is provided at the edge of another surface. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Paint rollers have been known for years and are acknowledged to speed up the painting of large surfaces as well as providing a good finish; better than a brush or a paint pad may do. When it comes to painting on one surface close to an adjoining surface at an angle to the surface being painted, the ability to paint close to the adjoining surface without paint getting on the adjacent surface has resulted in paint rollers or pads being modified in order to provide a clean line of the painting surface to the adjacent surface without paint impacting on the adjacent surface. 
         [0004]    U.S. Patent Publication 2002/0073500 A1 published Jun. 20, 2002 of Pavlou discloses a paint roller providing a guide means for attachment to the cap of the free end of the roller distant from the handle. The guide means has a first closed end and a second end, attached to the distal end of the paint roller. The closed end has one or more apertures and spring biased bearing means mounted on the guide means wherein the bearing means project through the aperture(s) to guide the paint roller along the adjacent surface close to the junction of the two surfaces. The roller is designed and configured so that the sleeve extends along the roller right to the closed end and paint on the sleeve at the end can move across the face of the closed end unless extreme caution is taken. Further, with the spring biased guide means, the user of the paint roller must be careful not to exert too much sideways pressure on the paint roller or else the bias of the spring is overcome, the ball bearing depresses and the clean line of paint intended will be lost. This is particularly the case when one is painting a ceiling or wall overhead with an extended handle. 
         [0005]    Accordingly, the Pavlou device requires careful concentration to be sure that the pressure applied to the paint roller when adjacent the second wall or the like does not overcome the spring bias, particularly if paint on the roller has leaked across the closed end. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    An aspect of the invention provides for a paint roller device having an inner hub and an outer hub spaced by a cage of wires and adapted for supporting a paint roller sleeve. A handle is associated with and extends from the inner hub. 
         [0007]    A cylindrical retainer extends axially outwardly from the outer hub and is adapted to retain a ball therein. The retainer is spaced inwardly from the inside of a paint sleeve when the sleeve is on the roller device, the end of the paint sleeve on the roller device defining a plane perpendicular to an axis of the roller. At least a portion of the ball extends a predetermined distance outwardly from the plane. 
         [0008]    In a preferred aspect, the distance of the ball outwardly of the plane can be adjusted relative to the plane of the roll. 
         [0009]    The outer end of the cylindrical retainer for the ball has a flange to rotatably retain the ball therein, the retainer and flange being preferably of plastic. 
         [0010]    Another embodiment of the invention provides for a dual paint roller device wherein there are two paint rollers supported in laterally spaced position, at least one roller is configured as set forth above. Preferably both paint rollers are of similar configuration each with means to adjust the outward distance of the ball relative to the plane of the two sleeves when on the rollers. 
         [0011]    The invention also comprehends a paint roller accessory comprising a plate adapted to be connected to an outer end of a paint roller outer hub. A cylindrical retainer extends outwardly from the plate, the cylindrical retainer having an inwardly flanged end adapted to hold a ball therein. The diameter of the retainer is less than the diameter of the plate. The accessory can be configured to be attached to the end of the outer hub by screws or like fasteners, or as an alternative, by a thin cage of flexible arms of plastic material extending rearwardly over the periphery of the outer hub.
       The design of the roller with the ball allows for a small space between the wall and the ceiling or adjacent wall, thus allowing for an even line while painting.   The spacing or outward extension of the ball can be adjusted from 2 mm to 6 mm with the special mechanism within the paint roller.   The gap between the location of the ball and end of the sleeve prevents paint from interfering with the ball.   The construction of the dual paint roller allows painting of wall surfaces as high as 5 meters without the use of ladders and scaffolds.   There is no more need to use painter&#39;s tape, thus eliminating or minimizing the prep time.   Due to the originality of the construction, productivity can be increased by 2-3 times between the start and completion of the job.   The paint roller allows for easier painting of hard to reach and awkward spaces such as stair case areas without having to use scaffolding.   The paint roller is simple to use regardless of whether you are a professional painter or someone who has no experience at all. The design allows for a professional looking finish no matter who does it.   The paint roller of my invention is distinct from tools used for “edging” in that the tool in one embodiment consists of two paint rollers to roll the paint on the wall unlike competitor products which all use paint pads and drag the paint across the surface. My method distributes the paint more even and much easier leaving the painted surface looking professional and finished in half the time.       
 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a side view of an embodiment of the invention; 
           [0022]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the invention; 
           [0023]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the  FIG. 2  embodiment without a roller sleeve; 
           [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the  FIG. 2  embodiment; 
           [0025]      FIG. 5  is a front view of the paint roller support bracket of the  FIG. 2  embodiment; 
           [0026]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the roller support bracket of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0027]      FIG. 7  is a side view of the roller support bracket of  FIG. 5 ; 
           [0028]      FIG. 8  is a side view of an adjustable extension for the roller support for contacting the ball; 
           [0029]      FIG. 9  is a front view of a handle support bracket associated with the handle of the  FIG. 2  embodiment; 
           [0030]      FIG. 10  is a top view partly in section along line  10 - 10  of  FIG. 9  of the support bracket of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0031]      FIG. 11  is a side view of a support bracket of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0032]      FIG. 12  is a front view of the ratchet insert for the support bracket of  FIG. 9 ; 
           [0033]      FIG. 13  is a side view of the ratchet insert of  FIG. 12 ; 
           [0034]      FIG. 14  is a side view of the handle support bracket; 
           [0035]      FIG. 15  is an end view of the handle support bracket of  FIG. 14 ; 
           [0036]      FIG. 16  is a side view of a fastener bolt for securing the handle bracket to the roller support bracket; 
           [0037]      FIG. 17  is an end view of the fastener screw of  FIG. 16 ; 
           [0038]      FIG. 18  is a partly sectional view of an accessory embodiment which can be attached to existing rollers (appears with  FIG. 1 ); 
           [0039]      FIG. 19  is an end view of the embodiment of  FIG. 18  (appears with  FIG. 1 ); and 
           [0040]      FIG. 20  is another embodiment of the accessory device in side view (appears with  FIG. 1 ). 
       
    
    
       [0041]    The invention will be more fully appreciated and understood from the detailed description which follows. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0042]    Turning to  FIG. 1 , a first embodiment of the invention illustrates a paint roller device  24  with handle  26  with internal threaded recess  28  for a threaded extension (not shown). Although wire support  30  is shown with angled sections, the angles of the sections are for convenience and form no significant part to the invention. Rotatably connected with wire support  30  is inner hub  32  with flange  34 , against which a paint roller sleeve would abut in use. Extending from inner hub  32  is a sleeve support cage of wires  36 , four circumferentially spaced about a center rod  38 . Roller sleeve support wires  36  and rod  38  are connected to distal or outer end hub  40  which has a cylindrical retainer  42  extending outwardly from hub  40  for ball  44 . Ball  44  is held within retainer  42  by rim flange  46 , the ball  44  being pressed into the retainer and held therein so as to be able to rotate when contacting a surface. 
         [0043]    Hubs  32  and  40  are of plastic and flanged retainer section  42  is also of plastic into which ball  44  can be pushed and is retained by circular flange  46 . Ball  44  is held between flange  46  and the outer end  48  of hub  40  such that it can rotate freely. The ball is preferably a glass ball.  FIG. 1  also shows in dotted lines a sleeve  50  on the device  24  (without the wires  36  flexed inwardly) and it will be apparent that the distal end  52  of the sleeve  50  extends beyond hub  40  and ends in line with the end of flanged retainer  42 . The end of the sleeve defines a plane perpendicular to the axis of the sleeve. A cylindrical gap  54  is created between retainer  42  and the inside of sleeve  50  and the outer periphery of hub  40 . Accordingly, paint cannot creep across the face of the roller device to interfere with the operation of the ball  44 . 
         [0044]    Turning now to the  FIG. 2  embodiment, there is shown a dual paint roller device  60  having two rollers  62 ,  64 , at least one, and preferably both of similar construction to that of  FIG. 1  with the exception of the center rods  66  and  68  (rod  68  not shown in  FIG. 2 ) as further described below. The features of the rollers that are the same as those in  FIG. 1  have similar reference numbers with the “a” designation. Roller support bracket  70  includes rods  66  and  68  and bracket  70  is connected to rod  72  which is in turn connected to support bracket rod  74  which is parallel to rods  66 ,  68 .  FIGS. 5-7  illustrate more fully the roller support bracket  70  and includes rectangular plate  80  attached to support bracket rod  74 . The upper ends  84  and  86  of rods  66  and  68  are exteriorly threaded and extension  90 , only one being shown in  FIG. 8 , has hub  92  with threaded recess  94  for an adjustably threaded connection with ends  84  and  86  of rods  66 ,  68  thus providing adjustment means for the balls  44   a  relative to the ends  48   a  of the hubs  40   a.  Nut  96  on rods  66 ,  68  are lock nuts for locking, with hub  92 , the position of extension  90 . 
         [0045]    Turning to  FIGS. 9 to 13 , the handle bracket  100  is adapted to connect with roller bracket plate  80 . Plate  80  is slotted at  104  with internal recesses  106  such that roller bracket plate  80  and upper portion of rod  74  will fit within the recesses  104  and slot  106 . Handle bracket  100  has two rearwardly extending plates  110 ,  112 , plate  110  having a rectangular aperture  114  therein as shown in  FIGS. 10 and 11  and plate  112  has a circular aperture  116 .  FIGS. 12 and 13  illustrate rectangular ratchet plate  120  which fits within recess  114  of plate  110  and provides ratchet disc  122  on one face. Handle  130  has a ratchet disc  132  which cooperates with ratchet disc  116  and provides for selected adjustment of the handle  130  relative to the position of the rollers, handle  130  having an internally threaded bore  132  for coupling an extension (not shown) thereto. 
         [0046]    The threaded winged fastener  140  shown in  FIGS. 16 and 17  in conjunction with a nut  142  ( FIG. 2 ) secures the handle  130  to bracket  100  and permits selected rotation of the handle  130  relative to the rollers  62 ,  64 . 
         [0047]    Although the embodiment of  FIG. 1  does not show an adjustable center rod, it will be appreciated that the single roller embodiment may equally have a mechanism to adjust the location of the ball relative to the plane defined by the circular end of the sleeve roller extending outwardly from hub  40 . 
         [0048]    An exemplary paint roller I have used has a length of about 100 mm from the inside of the flange  34  of inner hub  32  to the outer surface  48  of outer hub  40 , with both hubs having a diameter of 35 mm and an axial length of 15 mm. The cylindrical extension  42  has an axial length of 27.5 mm and a diameter of 19 mm. The flanged opening  46  has a diameter of 14 mm with the glass ball a diameter of 16 mm. The depth of the interior of cylindrical extension  42  for the ball in  FIG. 1  for example, is 17.5 mm. The length of the paint sleeve is 127 mm and is preferably a high density foam sleeve rather than a nap roller found in the art, although the latter will work effectively. 
         [0049]    Although not essential, the preferred angular relationship of handle  26  relative to the axis of the rod  38  is shown in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0050]    The preferred ball is a glass ball as it will not mark the surfaces in which it engages as much as metal balls. However, the device will also work with metal balls or plastic balls. 
         [0051]      FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate an attachment or accessory for an existing paint roller. 
         [0052]      FIGS. 18 and 19  illustrate an attachment or accessory device  140  comprising a plate  142  from which cylindrical ball retainer  144  extends. Plate  142  has apertures through which screws  146  or like fastener means can secure plate  142  to outer hub  148  of an existing paint roller. 
         [0053]    Attachment  140  can be sold separately with small screws in a kit with simple instructions to drill small holes in the end of the plastic hub  148 , if necessary. The attachment of accessory  140  to the hub is made prior to the insertion of the hub into a pain roller sleeve  150 . 
         [0054]    The embodiment of  FIG. 20  shows a further embodiment of the accessory with plate  160  having three thin rearwardly extending flexible arms  164  with a slightly bulbous ends  166  to the arms. The plate  160  is fitted to the outer hub  16  with arms  164  flexed outwardly over the periphery of the hub. The bulbous ends  166  are directed inwardly when the arms have moved over the hub. When a sleeve is forced over the outer hub the arms of the plate is held against the hub by the friction between the arms  164  and sleeve. The bulbous ends  166  resist the plate being forced away from the hub when the sleeve is removed from the roller. 
         [0055]    In Summary; 
         [0056]    To avoid paint spilling over the end of the roller onto the ball during painting, the construction of the roller has two safeguards: 
         [0057]    1) The ball sits inserted in a special cylinder retainer extending from the outer hub; and 
         [0058]    2) The roller sleeve fits over the roller cage and the outer end of the roller sleeve is on the same level or plane as the top of the cylinder retainer (which houses the ball). This allows for any paint to safely spill over into the created gap or reservoir allowing for a clean line finish. To assure a quality finish and a clean line when painting at a 90° angle, it is most preferred to use a high density foam roller sleeve, especially while painting at a height (up to 5 m) using the dual roller embodiment which requires the use of an extension pole. However, a regular yellow foam sleeve may also be used at lower levels. 
         [0059]    The advantage of this invention, as well as the timing in which it takes to finish a job from beginning to end, has been verified by myself with a prototype that I made. I have successfully painted a wall with a dual roller system that was 4.5 meters high in a stairwell and it did not require any prep work such as taping. 
         [0060]    Further, the bracket arrangement illustrated in figures such as  FIG. 2 , and more particularly, in  FIGS. 9 to 16 , is an arrangement for particular use with the dual or double paint roller embodiment with an extension pole. The simplicity and originality of the construction of the bracket arrangement allows for a quick swap with another set of dual paint rollers when painting multiple colours. The bracket arrangement is new and original specifically for use with the dual or double roller embodiment. 
         [0061]    The scope of the claims should not be limited by the preferred embodiments set forth in the description, but should be given the broadest interpretation consistent with the description as a whole.