Paint roller bearing support assembly

The paint roller bearing support assembly is for use with a paint roller. The roller bearing support assembly comprises a tubular sleeve, defining a generally cylindrical main body circumscribing an inner cylindrical channel, with the channel sized for through-engagement by the shaft in friction-fit interlock fashion. A cylindrical end cap roller is also provided, defining a cylindrical outer wall member, sized to fit within the cylindrical paint roller in friction fit fashion, and a cylindrical inner wall, for surrounding said shaft. A pair of closely spaced annular ribs are provided radially outwardly from the sleeve, wherein the annular cavity formed therebetween is releasably engaged by a flange depending radially inwardly from the end cap roller inner wall. Hence, axial displacement of the bearing relative to the shaft is prevented. This support assembly is thus adaptable to paint rollers of different lengths.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
This invention relates to tools for painters. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
A conventional paint roller system consists of a shaft carried by a handle 
via an elbowed arm. Cylindrical bearings anchor at both ends of the shaft 
the opposite ends of a few, e.g. four spring-biased axial rods that are 
outwardly bent. A hollow cylindrical paint roller is axially engageable 
along the shaft, whereby a friction fit interlock occurs between the 
spring-biased tension rods and the inner face of the cylindrical paint 
roller. The end bearings also enable free rotation of the paint roller 
around the shaft. 
A first problem with such conventional paint rollers is that, because of 
the need to anchor the tension rods to the shaft end bearings, a shaft of 
a given length can accommodate only a single length of paint roller. That 
is to say, the paint roller system is not versatile. A second problem is 
that the outwardly biased tension rods have a tendency to burst the 
cardboard sheet backing of the cylindroid hollow paint roller, 
particularly after repeated use of the paint roller, wherein the paint 
roller becomes unusable. 
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION 
The gist of the invention is to therefore address the problem outlined in 
the background of the invention paragraph, by providing an improved paint 
roller bearing system that will be able to accommodate paint rollers of 
different lengths. 
A corollary object of the invention is to improve convenience of use and 
reduce expenses for painting jobs. 
An important object of the invention is to extend the useful lifetime of 
the paint roller. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
According to the invention, there is disclosed a paint roller bearing 
support assembly for use with a paint roller, the paint roller of the type 
having a handle-carried straight shaft and a cylindrical paint roller to 
be carried coaxially around the shaft, said roller bearing support 
assembly comprising: (a) a tubular clamping bearing sleeve member, 
defining a generally tubular main body circumscribing an inner tubular 
channel member; said channel member sized for axial through-engagement 
therein by said shaft in releasable friction-fit interlock fashion; (b) an 
end cap roller member, defining a cylindrical outer wall member, sized to 
fit within said cylindrical paint roller in releasable friction fit 
fashion, and a tubular inner wall member, for freely surrounding said 
shaft; and (c) means for interconnecting in freely rotating fashion said 
end cap roller member inner wall member and said clamping bearing sleeve 
member whereby axial displacement of the former relative to the latter is 
prevented; wherein said roller bearing support assembly is adaptable to 
paint rollers of different lengths, and is for use as a pair of roller 
bearing support assemblies at the opposite end portions of the paint 
roller shaft. 
According to one embodiment of said end cap roller 
member.backslash.clamping bearing sleeve member interconnecting means, it 
is releasable and includes: (a) a pair of closely spaced circumferential 
ribs which radially outwardly depend from an intermediate section of said 
clamping bearing sleeve member main body integrally thereof, whereby an 
annular cavity is defined therebetween, said ribs being diametrally 
smaller than the internal diameter defined by said inner wall member of 
said end cap roller member; and (b) a flange which radially inwardly 
depends from one end of said inner wall member of the end cap roller 
member, wherein said flange releasably engages said annular cavity. 
Preferably, there is provided additional circumferential ribs, provided in 
axially spaced successive positions, said additional ribs for free 
engagement with said end cap roller inner wall in axially spaced fashion 
for maintaining axial alignment of the shaft relative to said end cap 
roller member. Means for facilitating engagement of said lip into said 
annular cavity could also be envisioned; these facilitating means would 
then include: (a) the formation of a plurality of bores in said main body 
of the clamping bearing sleeve member, whereby a latticed half portion of 
said clamping bearing sleeve member is achieved; and (b) the selection of 
a sturdy resilient material for the constituting material of said clamping 
bearing sleeve member main body. 
It is envisioned to provide axial ribs carried by said end cap roller outer 
wall member radially outwardly therefrom, said axial ribs for friction-fit 
interlock between said end cap roller member and said cylindrical paint 
roller. These axial ribs could be of a cross-sectional shape chosen from 
the group comprising: V-shape and U-shape. 
Preferably, there is provided means for facilitating shaft engagement 
through said channel member of the clamping bearing sleeve member, while 
not compromising the friction fit interlock capability of said channel 
member. These facilitating means could include: (a) an elongated axial 
slit made about an end portion of the main body of said clamping bearing 
sleeve member; and (b) the selection of a sturdy resilient material for 
the constituting material of said clamping bearing sleeve member main 
body. 
According to a second alternate embodiment of the end cap roller 
member.backslash.clamping bearing sleeve member interconnecting means, 
there would be provided: (a) a pair of closely spaced circumferential ribs 
which radially outwardly depend from an intermediate section of said 
clamping bearing sleeve member integrally thereof, whereby an annular 
cavity is defined therebetween, said ribs being diametrally smaller than 
the internal diameter of said inner wall member of said end cap roller 
member; (b) a pair of closely spaced axial notches at an end portion of 
said end cap roller inner wall, whereby an axial finger is formed between 
said notches, said finger including a radially downwardly depending lip; 
and (c) the selection of a sturdy resilient material for the constituting 
material of both said end cap roller member and said clamping bearing 
sleeve member; wherein said lip releasably engages said annular cavity of 
the clamping bearing sleeve member. Means for facilitating engagement of 
said flange into said annular cavity could then be envisioned, including: 
(a) the formation of a plurality of bores in said main body of the 
clamping bearing sleeve member, whereby a latticed half portion of said 
clamping bearing sleeve member is achieved; and (b) the selection of a 
sturdy resilient material for the constituting material of said clamping 
bearing sleeve member main body. 
Preferably, said end cap roller member is substantially shorter than said 
clamping bearing sleeve member. 
Still another alternate embodiment of end cap roller 
member.backslash.clamping bearing sleeve member interconnecting means 
could include: (a) a few notches, made axially at one end portion of said 
main body of the clamping bearing sleeve member; (b) the selection of a 
sturdy, resilient material for the constituting material of said clamping 
bearing sleeve member main body; (c) a first circumferential rib which 
radially outwardly depend from an intermediate section of said clamping 
bearing sleeve member main body; and (d) a second circumferential rib 
which radially outwardly depend from the end of said notched end portion 
of clamping bearing sleeve member, said second rib being also notched, 
whereby said inner wall member of the end cap roller member is sized to 
rotatably fit between said first and second ribs of the clamping bearing 
sleeve member while axial movement of the clamping bearing sleeve member 
relative to the end cap roller member is substantially prevented.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
The paint roller 20 of FIG. 1 consists of a cylindrical hollow paint roller 
22, rotatably mounted around an inner shaft 24, with shaft 24 being 
endwisely carried at one end by a transverse handle (not shown) via an 
elbowed arm 26. The paint roller 22 conventionally consists of a radially 
inward cylindrical cardboard backing 22a, which supports a radially 
outward, cylindrical fabric sheet 22b. Paint roller 22 is releasably 
anchored to the shaft 24 by a pair of anchoring means 28, each located at 
a respective end portion of the shaft 24. 
In accordance with a first embodiment of paint roller anchoring means, 28, 
illustrated in FIGS. 2-6 of the drawings, and particularly in FIGS. 5 and 
6, there are provided, at each end portion of the shaft 24, an cylindroid, 
partly slitted tubular clamping bearing sleeve member 30, and a cylindroid 
end cap roller 32. Clamping bearing sleeve 30 is axially longer and 
diametrally much smaller than end cap roller 32 . Clamping bearing sleeve 
30 is hollow so as to define a cylindrical inner channel 34 having a 
diameter complementary to that of the shaft 24, so that a friction fit 
interlock occurs between shaft 24 and clamping bearing sleeve 30 upon 
shaft 24 engaging axially into and through channel 34. 
To facilitate axial engagement of clamping bearing sleeve 30 through the 
end 24a of shaft 24, a fraction of the axial length--e.g. half of the 
length--of the cylindrical wall 36 of clamping bearing sleeve 30, is 
slitted at 38, starting with a diametrally enlarged or flared end mouth 40 
of clamping bearing sleeve 30. By forcibly expanding the slitted wall 
portion 36, e.g. manually, the slit 38 opens slightly, thus facilitating 
through passage of the shaft 24 through the inner channel 34 of clamping 
bearing sleeve 30. 
A number of axially spaced, annular ribs 42, 42', are formed on the 
diametrally external face of the clamping bearing sleeve 30, with ribs 42 
being on the unslitted portion of clamping bearing sleeve 30 while ribs 
42' are on the slitted portion of clamping bearing sleeve 30 (annular ribs 
42' are also slitted, of course). Preferably, the end 44 of clamping 
bearing sleeve 30 opposite mouth 40 is also flared outwardly. Preferably 
also, the flaring of mouth 40, 44, form radially outwardly projecting 
annular ribs. 
As clearly shown in FIG. 4 of the drawings, radially outturned mouth rib 44 
has the smallest external diameter; radially outturned slitted mouth rib 
40, the largest external diameter (to facilitate through passage of rod 
24); and annular ribs 42 and annular ribs 42', an external diameter 
intermediate ribs 40 and 44. Also, each rib 40, 42, 42', 44, should 
preferably be of cross-sectionally U-shape. 
It is understood that slit 38 and mouths 40, 44, facilitate forcible 
sliding motion of shaft 24 through the clamping bearing sleeve inner 
channel 34, without compromising the (releasable) friction fit interlock 
capability therebetween (due to the resiliency of the constituting 
material of the clamping bearing sleeve member 30). 
End cap roller member 32 includes a rigid cylindrical main body 46, having 
a radially outturned flange 48 at one end and a number of radially outward 
axial lips 50. Preferably, lips 50 are cross-sectionally V-shape (see FIG. 
6) or U-shape (see FIG. 7). Lips 50 and the cylinder paint roller 
cardboard backing 22a are of complementary diameters, whereby releasable 
friction fit interlock occurs therebetween upon engagement of cylindrical 
body 46 within the cylindrical hollow of paint roller 22. Flange 48 is 
diametrally larger than cylindrical cardboard backing 22a, so as to 
axially abut endwisely thereagainst when end cap roller 32 is fully 
inserted into paint roller 22 (see FIG. 4). 
Body 46 preferably carries a few integral, radially inturned, spaced, 
axially extending, rectangular spacer wings 52. (Wings 52 reduce weight, 
compared to a full end cap roller) A cylindrical body 54 is anchored to 
the radially inner edges of wings 52, whereby cylinders 46 and 54 are 
coaxial. Preferably, cylinders 46 and 54 are joined at their outer ends by 
an annular wall 47, with the radially outward end mouth flaring 44 coming 
flush with wall 47 in freely sliding fashion relative thereto. The inner 
end of radially inward cylinder 54 extends short of the corresponding 
inner end (opposite the flanges 48) of radially outward cylinder 46, and 
includes a radially inturned lip 54a. As suggested in FIG. 4, lip 54a has 
preferably a rounded contour in cross-section, defines an internal 
diameter smaller than the external diameter of lips 42, and is freely 
engageable between two closely spaced annular lips 42, 42, as illustrated, 
whereby bodies 36 and 46 become permanently interconnected in freely 
rotating fashion relative to one another. Hence, the bearing action of 
body 46 around body 36 enables free rotation of paint roller 22b relative 
to coaxial shaft 24. 
This interlocking of elements 30 and 32 may be done during manufacture 
thereof, or alternately, could be done preferably by the customer himself. 
When done by the customer himself, there should be provided means for 
facilitating engagement of flange 54a between the two closely spaced lips 
42; such means would preferably be a notch 55 (FIG. 4) made tangentially 
of wall 36, at a location intermediate the innermost lip 42 and the 
innermost lip 42' and proximate the annular cavity formed by the two 
closely spaced lips 42, 42, into which the flange 54a will fit. Notch 55 
enables slight, forcible, transverse flexing of the resilient tubular body 
36 relative to its longitudinal axis, just enough to bring said two 
closely spaced lips 42, 42, to clear lip 54a for engagement of the latter 
therebetween. 
The remaining annular lips 42, as well as the mouth flange 44, provide rib 
support for cylinder body 54, to prevent accidental axial tilt of shaft 24 
relative to paint roller 22. 
It can now be understood that, while the position of body 32 relative to 
body 30 remains fixed, the combined elements 30 and 32 are releasably 
slidingly engageable along shaft 24, to releasably fit paint roller shafts 
24 of different lengths; the radially outturned flange 48 being brought to 
its endwisely abutting operative position against the end of cardboard 
backing 22a, as illustrated in FIG. 4. With the present invention, the 
radially outturned lips 50 of body 32 should not damage the cardboard 22a, 
even after repeated uses (i.e. after repeated release and reengagement of 
the combined unit 30-32 from into the paint roller). The material of 
bodies 30, 32, should be sturdy, yet have some resiliency--a plastic such 
as Polyvinyl Chloride would be preferred. 
In the alternate embodiment of cylinder body 32', illustrated in FIGS. 7-9 
of the drawings, reference numerals corresponding to those of the first 
embodiment are primed. As best seen in FIG. 9, the radially inner cylinder 
sheath 54' is characterized in that there is provided a pair of closely 
spaced, elongated, axial notches 60a, 60b, at the inner end thereof, 
whereby an axial finger 62 is formed therebetween. Finger 62 carries a 
radially inturned rounded lip 62a at its free inner end. This lip 62a 
replaces ring 54a (of the first embodiment) as a means for interconnecting 
elements 30 and 32', by engaging--as was the case for rings 54a--the 
annular cavity formed by said two closely spaced lips 42, 42, of the 
tubular clamping bearing sleeve member 30. Ribs 50' of body 32' may be 
rounded, instead of V-shape, in cross-section, relative to the first 
embodiment of body 32. 
FIG. 10 shows an alternate embodiment of clamping bearing sleeve element 
30' (all corresponding parts thereof corresponding to the first embodiment 
being primed). In this embodiment, the slitted half-portion of the 
clamping bearing sleeve 30' is the diametrally smallest, including the 
same annular ribs 42' and flared end mouth 40'; whereas the other 
half-portion of the clamping bearing sleeve 30' now includes four 
equidistant axial notches 70a, 70b, 70c, and 70d, about the outer free end 
thereof, but lacks annular ribs along its length except an innermost 
annular rib 43. Notches 70a-70d open into and through mouth flaring 44'. 
By virtue of these axial notches 70a-70d, and of the resiliency of the 
material constituting clamping bearing sleeve member 30', it is 
possible--as suggested in FIG. 11--to engage clamping bearing sleeve 
member 30' endwisely through the cylindroid channel formed by the inner 
cylinder body 54 of end cap roller member. Such engagement of clamping 
bearing sleeve member 30' is made simply by forcibly drawing toward one 
another the four axial legs formed between each pair of successive notches 
70a-70d, whereby the external diameter of mouth flaring 44' of clamping 
bearing sleeve member 30' becomes temporarily smaller than the internal 
diameter of cylinder body 54 of end cap roller 32; this in turn enables 
through-passage of the clamping bearing sleeve member 30 into the cylinder 
body 54, until annular rib 43 reaches and abuts against the inner end edge 
of cylindrical body 54. Preferably, the length of the unslitted portion of 
clamping bearing sleeve element 30' is such that, as annular rib 43 
reaches the inner end edge of cylindrical body 54, mouth flaring 44' comes 
to abut against the end cap roller end wall 47. 
The last embodiment of clamping bearing sleeve member is illustrated in 
FIGS. 12-13 and referenced 30". Corresponding reference numerals are 
double primed. Clamping bearing sleeve member 30" is similar to the first 
embodiment illustrated in FIG. 5, except that the slitted half-portion of 
the first embodiment has been replaced by a generally open, latticed, 
tubular portion 80. Latticed tubular portion 80 consists of a plurality of 
spaced circumferential first strips 82, and a few--e.g. four as in the 
drawings--equally spaced axial strips 84. Again, by virtue of the voids in 
the wall of tubular portion 80, a collapsible structure is obtained. Such 
collapsible tubular portion 80 will facilitate engagement of ring 54a (or 
lip 62a) from the end cap roller 32 (32'), due to the resilient material 
used for portion 80, simply by forcibly compressing portion 80 proximate 
said two closely spaced annular ribs 42", 42", whereby ring 54a or lip 62a 
will more easily engage into the annular cavity formed between said pair 
of successive closely spaced annular ribs 42", 42". Latticed portion 80 
will also facilitate through-passage of shaft 24 therein, in a releasable 
friction-fit interlocking fashion. 
It is understood that the means for rotatably interlocking the end cap 
roller 32 to the clamping bearing sleeve 30 (i.e., notches 70a70d and ribs 
43, 44' in the embodiment of FIG. 10; lip 62a and two closely spaced 
intermediate ribs 42, 42, in the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 8; or flange 
54a and the two closely spaced intermediate ribs 42, 42, in FIGS. 4-6) 
substantially prevent accidental axial displacement of the end cap roller 
32 relative to the clamping bearing sleeve 30. That is to say, some minor 
axial play could remain while this bearing system would still remain fully 
operational. The important consideration is that this axial play should 
not be such as to allow the end cap roller 32 to fall off from the shaft 
24 of the paint roller. 
It is to be noted that the present invention is not to be limited solely to 
the embodiments illustrated in the drawings. Various other paint roller 
systems according the invention should be considered to be encompassed 
within the scope of the present invention. For example, in an alternate 
embodiment of the invention (not illustrated in the drawings), it could be 
envisioned to have two interlocking cylinders, with the help of a groove 
on the interior cylinder, and of a rib on the exterior cylinder.