Abstract:
A multi-roller applicator for the application of paint having a handle member and a frame member, the frame member having secured thereto in parallel relationship, a pair of spaced apart axles for the receipt of a frame core member and paint absorbing sleeve member rotationally mounted thereon for the application of paint.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     The present invention relates to painting and in particular to applicators such as paint rollers, and more particularly to a multi-roller paint applicator.  
         [0003]     2. Description of the Prior Art  
         [0004]     The application of paint is accomplished normally in one of three ways. For large, uninterrupted areas, paint is normally applied by spraying. For small areas, or detail work such as around door frames and window frames, a paint brush is usually employed. For larger areas of walls or ceilings which have interrupted areas, the paint is normally applied with a paint roller which allows the user to cover a greater quantity of area in less time.  
         [0005]     Present paint rollers are normally of one piece construction and fabricated from an elongate metal rod member. The metal rod is formed into a straight handle end which is then bent at an angle generally perpendicular to handle and then rebent to define a length which is parallel to the handle and rebent a third time to form the roller support portion which is perpendicular to the handle end and which would normally be bisected by the handle end if the handle end were extended beyond the first right angle. The roller support portion of the metal rod slidably mechanically receives the paint roller and the internal frame upon which the paint roller is mounted. The paint roller and frame rotate freely on the rod portion. The roller is constructed of an outer layer of paint absorbing material and depending upon the surface which it is going to be used to cover, the paint roller is normally characterized as a rough or a finish roller.  
         [0006]     The paint is normally poured into a receptacle having a tilted base which allows the user to via the handle end of the paint roller to place the roller into a quantity of paint and rotate the roller on the angled surface so that sufficient paint is absorbed on the outer surface of the roller. The user then contacts the roller with the surface to be painted and with a back and forth, or up and down motion causes the roller to rotate applying paint to the surface.  
         [0007]     The handle end of the roller can vary in length depending on the type of painting required. For high walls or for ceilings, the handle end may be several feet long to allow the user to reach the area to be painted without having to use an elevation means. For a standard height wall, the handle portion may average approximately one foot.  
         [0008]     Depending upon the surface to be painted, the user may have to apply several coats of paint. This could require two coats with the same type of roller or a first coat with a rough roller followed by a second coat with a finish roller.  
         [0009]     While the application of paint by a paint roller is much quicker than if applied by a brush, the application by means of a paint roller may require the user to paint over the same surface area a plurality of times.  
         [0010]     Applicant&#39;s invention provides for a multi-roller assembly in which two or more rollers are secured in parallel alignment on a single handle means. The rollers may rotate independently or the rollers may be juxtaposed such that the rotation of one roller causes the other roller to rotate by frictional engagement. This type of assembly allows the user to mount a combination of finish rollers or rough rollers on the applicator means depending upon the surface to be painted and allows for more paint to be applied in less time.  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0011]     An object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator in which a plurality of paint rollers are mounted.  
         [0012]     Another object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator in which a plurality of rollers simultaneously apply painting to the surface desired.  
         [0013]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator in which the plurality of rollers rotate independently.  
         [0014]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator wherein one of the plurality of rollers in rotation causes the rotation of the adjacent roller.  
         [0015]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator in which the user can combine rollers of the rough finish type and the fine finish type.  
         [0016]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator which allows more paint to be deposited on the surface to be painted than with a single roller.  
         [0017]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator which decreases the number of coats of paint that may have to be applied to the surface to be painted.  
         [0018]     A still further object of the present invention is to provide for a novel paint applicator adaptor which allows the paint applicator having a single roller to be converted to a paint applicator having a plurality of rollers.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0019]     A multi-roller applicator for the application of paint having a handle member and a frame member, the frame member having secured thereto in parallel relationship, a pair of spaced apart axles for the receipt of a frame core member and paint absorbing sleeve member rotationally mounted thereon for the application of paint. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0020]     These and other objects of the present invention will become apparent particularly when taken in light of the following illustrations wherein:  
         [0021]      FIG. 1  is a planar top view of the prior art;  
         [0022]      FIG. 2  is a planar top exploded view of the multi-roller paint applicator of the present invention;  
         [0023]      FIG. 3  is a planar top view of the multi-roller paint applicator of the present invention;  
         [0024]      FIG. 4  is a side view of the multi-roller paint applicator of the present invention;  
         [0025]      FIG. 5  is a side view of an adaptor for conversion of a single roller paint applicator to a multi-roller paint applicator;  
         [0026]      FIG. 6  is a top view of the adaptor of  FIG. 5 ; and  
         [0027]      FIG. 7  is an end view of the adaptor of  FIG. 5 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0028]      FIG. 1  is a planar top view of a painting roller assembly of the prior art. Paint roller  10  consists of a rod member  12  which is bent and/or angled so as to serve both as a handle portion  14  and an axle  16  for a rotational paint sleeve  18  and frame or core member  20 . The handle portion  14  of rod  12  is fitted with a frictional grip  22 . The handle portion  14  of rod  12  is first bent or angled at  24  so as to form a right angle or an obtuse angle with handle portion  14  and is identified by segment  26 . The rod member is then again bent or angled to form segment  28  which is substantially parallel to handle portion  14 . Segment  28  is then bent at a 90 degree angle to form the axle portion  16  for support of frame or core member  20  and paint sleeve  18  the circumference of which is covered by a paint absorbing material such as felt, fleece or foam. As a general design, the extension of handle member  14  would bisect the axle member  16  thereby providing ease of use by the user.  
         [0029]     Typically frame or core member  20  paint absorbing sleeve member  18  are in snap fit engagement on axle member  16  and can be slidably removed therefrom with the paint sleeve member  18  being separated from frame or core member  20  for ease of cleaning.  
         [0030]      FIGS. 2, 3  and  4  are a planar top exploded view, top view, and side view of a multi-roller paint applicator of the present invention. Multi-roller paint applicator  40  is similar to that of the prior art in that it is formed of a rod member  42  forming a handle portion  44  having a grip member  46  secured thereto. Rod member  42  is bent or angled at the termination of the handle portion  44  to form a right angle or obtuse segment  48  and then bent or angled to form a segment  50  which is substantially parallel to handle portion  44 . Segment  50  is then bent or angled at 90 degrees to form a first axle member  52  for receipt of a paint absorbing sleeve  54  and frame or core member  56 . A second axle member  58  is secured to segment  50  by a weld if the rod member is of metal or in the molding process if the rod member is of a high impact plastic.  
         [0031]     Second axle member  58  is for the receipt of a second frame or core member and second sleeve member  60  and  62  in parallel relationship with the first frame or core member  56  and first paint absorbing sleeve member  54 . First and second frame members  56  and  60  and first and second roller members  54  and  62  are secured to the first and second axle means respectively by snap fit engagement with which allows for the rotation of the roller means.  
         [0032]     Since there are two axle members and two paint absorbing roller members associated with the multi-roller paint applicator, the handle means and the first and second axle means are not suitable for positioning in the same plane since it is desirable that both rollers contact the painting surface simultaneously, a handle means in the same plane as the axle means would mean that the user&#39;s hand would most likely come in contact with the painting surface or the wet paint applied thereto during the painting process. Therefore, handle portion  44  of multi-paint roller  40  is formed at an obtuse angle with the plane in which the first axle member  52  and second axle member  58  are positioned.  
         [0033]     In the embodiment illustrated in  FIG. 2 , first paint absorbing roller and the second paint absorbing roller could both be characterized as finishing rollers. They would be used for a smooth surface having a previously layer of paint applied thereto. Paint absorbing sleeves  54  and  62  of  FIG. 2  would be positioned on first and second axles  52  and  58  and rotate independently of each other as they were drawn across the surface to be painted. As such, there would be a gap  68  between the rollers when affixed onto first and second axles  52  and  58 .  
         [0034]     In a further embodiment, first axle means  52  could be fitted with a rough point absorbing sleeve  54 , which generally has a greater depth of paint absorbing material increasing its outer circumference in order to absorb more paint from the paint tray for application to the surface to be painted. A rough roller would be utilized on a pristine surface having no prior paint applied or to a slightly textured surface. The deeper pile allows for the application of paint into the exposed uneven surface. The rough point absorbent sleeve  54  could be coupled with a paint absorbing sleeve  62  affixed to second axle means  58  which would be characterized as a finishing roller so as to follow the rough roller and smooth the surface paint. In this configuration, a rough paint application roller is generally of greater circumference than a finishing roller.  
         [0035]     The rough paint applying roller would rotate in one direction during the push stroke of applying the paint and in a reverse direction during the pull stroke in applying a coat of paint. Since it is in abutting contact with the finishing roller, the finishing roller would rotate in the opposite direction of the rough paint applying roller during the push and pull strokes.  
         [0036]      FIGS. 5, 6 , and  7  illustrate an adaptor for conversion of a single roller paint applicator as illustrated in  FIG. 1  into a multi-roller paint applicator. In this embodiment, the single roller paint applicator  10  has secured thereto in parallel alignment with its original axle means  16 , a second axle means  17  which is fixedly secured to a mechanical fastening clip  19  which in turn is fixedly secured to segment  28  of rod member  12  such that the spacing between the original first axle member  16  and the second axle member  17  is sufficient for the positioning of a separate frame member  21  and paint absorbing sleeve  23  on second axle means  17  in parallel relationship to axle  16  for operation in accordance with the discussions concerning  FIGS. 2, 3 , and  4 . In order to accommodate the two rollers in contact with the surface, the handle portion  14  could be bent so as to form an obtuse angle with the plane of the first and second axle members  16  and  17 .  
         [0037]     The clip member  19  would be of two piece construction having a first half  80  and a second half  82 . When secured together, halves  80  and  82  would define two throughbores  84  and  86  running in parallel relationship for the length of the clip member  19 . The upper throughbore would be for the receipt of a rod member  88  which would serve as the second axle means  17 . The lower throughbore  86  would be for receipt of segment arm  28  of rod  12 . Rod  88  which forms second axle means  17  would be secured in parallel relationship within clip  19  with segment  28  of rod  12 . Upon exiting the clip, the rod member  88  turns away from and downwardly from segment  28  so as to be positioned in the same plane as axle  16 . The two halves  80  and  82  of clip member  19  will be securable by threaded fasteners to maintain their orientation.  
         [0038]     It will be recognized that the multi-roller paint applicator as described herein, is disclosed with a handle of relatively short length of approximately one foot for a typical paint applicator which would be utilized by an individual standing in front of the wall without the requirement of any additional elevational means. It will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that the extension of the handle will allow for the user to paint elevated areas without the need for the user to require any elevation means and that such extension of the handle will not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention as disclosed. Still further, they will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that a further extension of the handle and modification of the angle between the handle and the plane of the parallel axle means can be afforded so that an individual user may stand on the floor without the benefit of any elevational means and apply paint to an elevated ceiling.  
         [0039]     While the present invention has been described with respect to the exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be recognized by those of ordinary skill in the art that many modifications or changes can be achieved without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Therefore it is manifestly intended that the invention be limited only by the scope of the claims and the equivalence thereof.