Paint tray

A paint tray comprises a main body member having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including a bottom floor, a right side wall, a left side wall, a pan end wall, and a reservoir end wall, wherein the right side wall, the left side wall, the pan end wall and the reservoir end wall each extend upwardly from the bottom floor to terminate in an upper edge. A plurality of apertures are disposed in the main body member. In use, tape is adhered to the exterior surface of the main body member at the plurality of apertures. A thin liner is placed onto the main body member at its interior surface so as to adhere to the adhesive surface of the tape at the plurality of apertures.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to paint can trays and more particularly to paint can trays that minimize waste and mess.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Paint trays are commonly used as a reservoir for paint in conjunction with the use of paint rollers. Such paint trays provide a lowered reservoir at one end and have a downwardly sloped end portion leading to the reservoir. The roller is rolled along the pan portion to permit even “pick-up” of the paint by the paint roller.

Conventional paint trays must come, of course, be cleaned after each use, which is difficult and time consuming. Further, if oil based paints are used, it requires the use of chemicals, such as terpentine, which is undersirable.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,765,123 issued Aug. 23, 1988 to Caldwell, discloses a process for covering paint trays. A flexible, paint-impervious bag is placed over the entire paint tray. It is completely unattached to the paint tray and is simply slid on and slid off. Since it is not secured to the interior surface of the paint tray, any jostling of the bag could cause spillage of paint, and also would cause the bag to readily interfere with a paint roller.

It is an object of the present invention to preclude the need for cleaning a paint tray.

It is an object of the present invention to make it easy for returning excess to a paint can.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a improved paint tray that does not interfere with a paint roller while picking up paint.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a novel paint tray comprising a main body member having an interior surface and an exterior surface, and including a bottom floor, a right side wall, a left side wall, a front end wall, and a back end wall, wherein the right side wall, the left side wall, the front end wall and the back end wall each extend upwardly from the bottom floor to terminate in an upper edge. A plurality of apertures are disposed in at least one of the bottom floor, the right side wall, the left side wall, the front end wall and the back end wall. In use, tape having at least one adhesive surface is adhered to the exterior surface of the main body member at the plurality of apertures. A thin liner is placed onto the main body member at the interior surface of each of the bottom floor, the right side wall, the left side wall, the front end wall and the back end wall, so as to adhere to the adhesive surface of the tape at the plurality of apertures.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a novel method of preparing a paint tray to accept paint for subsequent use. The method comprises the steps of providing a paint tray having a plurality of apertures therein; adhering tape having at least one adhesive surface to the exterior surface of the paint tray at the plurality of apertures; and placing a thin liner onto the main body member at the interior surface of each of the bottom floor, the right side wall, the left side wall, the front end wall and the back end wall, so as to adhere to the adhesive surface of the tape at the plurality of apertures.

In accordance with yet another aspect of the present invention there is disclosed a novel pre-adhesived tray liner bag for use with a paint tray. The pre-adhesived tray liner bag comprises a tray liner bag having an outer surface that is to contact the interior upwardly facing surface of a paint tray, and at least one strip of double-sided adhesive backed tape disposed on the outer surface, with a layer of release paper adhered to the outer surface of the double-sided tape.

Other advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as methods of operation and functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, the latter of which is briefly described herein below.

Advantages, features and characteristics of the present invention, as well as functions of the related elements of the structure, and the combination of parts and economies of manufacture, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following detailed description with reference to the accompanying drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring toFIGS. 1 through 16of the drawings, it will be noted thatFIGS. 1 through 15illustrate a first preferred embodiment of the paint tray of the present invention, andFIG. 16illustrates a second preferred embodiment of the paint tray of the present invention.

Reference will now be made toFIGS. 1 through 15, which show the first preferred embodiment of the paint tray, as indicated by the general reference numeral10. In its broadest sense, the first preferred embodiment paint tray10comprises a main body member20and paint tray liner bag30.

As can be best seen inFIGS. 1 through 7, the main body member20of the paint tray10has substantially the same overall shape as a conventional paint tray. It is preferably made from either plastic or lightweight metal, such as aluminum. The main body member20has an interior surface20aand an exterior surface20b. In the first preferred embodiment, as illustrated, the main body member20includes a bottom floor21, a right side wall22, a left side wall23, a pan end wall24, and a reservoir end wall25. The right side wall22, the left side wall23, the pan end wall24and the reservoir end wall25each extend upwardly from the bottom floor21to terminate in an upper edge26. The bottom floor21comprises a lower portion21aand sloped upper portion21binterconnected by a ramp portion21c. The paint tray10further comprises at least one leg member, and in the preferred embodiment as illustrated, left and right leg members29, disposed adjacent the pan end wall24.

However, in contrast to the prior art, the main body member20has a plurality of slot shaped apertures40disposed therein, in at least one of the bottom floor21, the right side wall22, the left side wall23, the pan end wall24, and the reservoir end wall25. In the preferred embodiment as illustrated, there are slot shaped apertures40disposed in each of the bottom floor21, the right side wall22, the left side wall23, the pan end wall24, and the reservoir end wall25. As can be seen in the Figures, there are groups of slot shaped apertures40that are longitudinally aligned with each other, in various parts of the main body member20. More specifically, there are four groups of two longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40each and one group of three longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the sloped upper portion21bof the bottom floor21, one group of three longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the ramp portion21cof the bottom floor21adjacent the lower portion21a, one group of three longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the lower portion21aof the bottom floor21, one group of four longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the right side wall22, one group of four longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the left side wall23, one group of three longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the pan end wall24, and one group of three longitudinally aligned slot shaped apertures40in the reservoir end wall25. Such longitudinal alignment of the slot shaped apertures40permits maximum exposure of the adhesive surface52of the tape50to the interior surface20aof the main body member20.

In use, an adhesive back tape50, such as masking tape, is adhered to the exterior surface20bof the main body member20of the paint tray10along the slot shaped apertures40, as can be best seen inFIGS. 8 through 13. The adhesive surface52of the tape50faces the interior of the paint tray10, and can be contacted from the interior of the paint tray10, as permitted by the slot shaped apertures40.

Also in use, the thin and pliable paint tray liner bag30having a mouth31is placed over the main body member20, as indicated by arrows “A”, and then onto the main body member20at the interior surface20aof each of the bottom floor21, the right side wall22, the left side wall23, the pan end wall24and the reservoir end wall25, as can be best seen inFIG. 15. The paint tray liner bag30is pressed down such that it adheres to the adhesive surface52of the tape50at the plurality of slot shaped apertures40, thus causing the paint tray liner bag30to essentially take the shape of the main body member20, as can be best seen inFIG. 15. Further, the paint tray liner bag30is precluded from moving around, when a paint roller is “picking up” paint from the paint tray10.

When the paint in the paint tray10, as held by the paint tray liner bag30, is no longer required, the paint tray liner bag30can be carefully removed from the paint tray10so as to carry the excess paint with it. The excess paint in the paint tray liner bag30can be poured back into the paint can. Subsequently, the paint tray liner bag30can be disposed of through proper recycling channels for chemicals.

The tray liner bag30can be made from a thin plastic polymer sheet material, and may perhaps be a grocery bag, or the like, or alternatively can be made from a treated paper material. Also alternatively, a liner that is substantially a sheet and does not have the shape of a bag can be used.

It is also envisioned that the tray liner bag could be used as a promotional product, such as by beverage companies, to promote their products in conjunction with painting.

In an alternative embodiment, it is contemplated that a paint tray that uses the paint tray liner bag30could be made from cardboard, and could be sold in a flat configuration, which minimizes shipping space. For use, the flat cardboard paint tray would be folded into a three-dimensional in-use configuration.

In a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, as shown inFIG. 16, a pre-adhesived tray liner bag, as indicated by the general reference numeral100, is contemplated. The pre-adhesived tray liner bag130of the present invention comprises a tray liner bag130made from a thin plastic polymer sheet material, with an adhesive backed tape132disposed on the outer surface131that is to contact the interior upwardly facing surface of the paint tray (not shown). As shown inFIG. 16, the tray liner bag130has strips of double-sided tape132on the outer surface131thereof. A layer of release paper134is adhered to the outer surface of the double-sided tape132. In order to install the tray liner bag130onto a paint tray for use, the release paper134is removed from the double sided tape132and the tray liner bag130is turned over such that the double-sided tape132faces the paint tray. The tray liner bag130is then placed over the paint tray and pressed down onto the interior upwardly facing surface of the paint tray. Either the paint tray as taught herein or a conventional paint tray can be used. Also, if desired, adhesive backed tape could be placed on the opposite facing surface of the bag (as considered when it is in place on a paint tray) in order to adhere the tray liner bag to the bottom surface of the paint tray, in order to secure the bag even more fully.

As can be understood from the above description and from the accompanying drawings, the present invention provides a paint tray that does not need cleaning, wherein it is easy to return excess paint to a paint can, and that does not interfere with a paint roller, all of which features are unknown in the prior art.

Other variations of the above principles will be apparent to those who are knowledgeable in the field of the invention, and such variations are considered to be within the scope of the present invention. Further, other modifications and alterations may be used in the implementation of the present invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.