Abstract:
An paint roller assembly having a paint roller and an elongated extension pole. The paint roller is coupled to the extension pole by a pivoting head that is selectively lockable at various user-selected angles. The pivoting head and paint roller include complementary seat and recess sections that always position the roller either parallel or perpendicular to the pivot head&#39;s axis of rotation.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention relates to paint rollers and, more particularly, to paint rollers having an articulated multi-position handle. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Painters oftentimes use hand roller paint applicators having a nap-covered rolling sleeve or tube that is coated in paint. The paint is subsequently rolled onto the object desired to be painted. Ordinarily these objects have a large flat surface, e.g., a wall. These paint rollers provide a quick, reliable, and relatively inexpensive tool for applying paint to these surfaces. 
   In certain applications, the paint roller is mounted upon an extension rod or pole that allows a user to extend his reach and paint a larger surface area without using additional equipment such as ladders or scaffolding. While these extension poles do permit a user to paint areas that are otherwise difficult to reach, they are merely elongated straight handles that do not provide any flexibility to the user to paint around obstacles that may need to be avoided while painting. 
   For example, a painter may need to paint a portion of a wall that is above wall-mounted signs, cabinets, or shelves. Present, straight pole extensions will not easily allow the painter to reach the entire surface and the painter will normally have to climb a ladder to paint the areas that he cannot reach with the extension pole mounted paint roller. 
   The above-described secondary painting that must be done creates additional work for the painter and increases the likelihood of injury due to the painter having to “leave the ground” and climb upon a ladder or scaffold. 
   Previous attempts to overcome the limitation of straight pole extensions include U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,207,755 issued May 4, 1993 to Gregory J. Ampian for “Universally Adjustable Paint Roller”; 5,860,902 issued Jan. 19, 1999 to Bor-Zeng Bohr Jang et al. for “Paint Roller Frame with an Adjustable Handle”; 5,050,261 issued Sep. 24, 1991 to Roland J. Hofacker for “Angularly Adjustable Adapter for Paint Rollers”; 3,357,035 issued Dec. 12, 1967 to Ralph Ficke for “Brush and Roller Extension Pole”. None of these prior art patents, however, provide a paint roller assembly that, among other advantages, is positionable at multiple angles and includes a locking mechanism that is biased in the locked position to ensure that the paint roller stays at the selected angle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The present invention is a paint roller assembly having a paint roller and a pivoting extension handle. The assembly includes at least one extension pole that is selectively coupled to a pivoting head that receives the extension pole at one end and is coupled to the paint roller at the other end. The pivoting head includes a locking pin assembly that allows a user to select the angle the paint roller is positioned relative to the pole held by the user, i.e., the handle. 
   It is an advantage of the present invention to provide a paint roller assembly including an elongated pole-type handle; a paint roller having a roller sleeve that rotates about a first axis; and a pivoting assembly that pivotally couples the handle to the paint roller, wherein the pivoting assembly rotates about a second axis that is either parallel or perpendicular to the first axis. 
   It is another advantage of the present invention to provide a paint roller assembly including an elongated generally cylindrical handle; a pivot assembly having a handle end and a roller end, wherein the roller end is pivotally coupled to the handle end along a first axis, and the handle end is removably coupled to the handle; a locking assembly having a pivot assembly engagement portion that is movable from an open position where the engagement portion is remote from the pivot assembly and a closed position where the engagement portion engages the pivot assembly, the locking assembly is coupled to one of the two pivot assembly ends whereby the engagement portion is positioned to engage the other pivot assembly end; and a paint roller having a grip, a frame and a roller sleeve that is rotatably coupled to the frame perpendicular to the grip along a second axis, the paint roller is removably coupled to the roller end at the grip and the first and second axes are either parallel or perpendicular. 
   It is still another advantage of the present invention to provide a paint roller assembly having complementary hex-shaped fittings on the paint roller grip and pivoting assembly, thereby preventing the paint roller from rotating upon the pivoting assembly. 
   It is yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a paint roller assembly having at least one quick-disconnect locking clip that is biased in a closed or locked position, the clips may be used to couple the paint roller to the pivoting assembly and for locking the pivoting assembly at a user-selected angle. 
   It is still yet another advantage of the present invention to provide a paint roller assembly having a pivoting member that may be readily disassembled from an extension pole and paint roller thereby allowing a user to easily transport the components of the paint roller assembly and allowing for additional extensions or pivoting members to be added. 
   These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when viewed in accordance with the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The description refers to the accompanying drawings in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views, and in which: 
       FIG. 1  is a side view of the preferred embodiment of the articulated paint roller assembly in use by a painter; 
       FIG. 2  is a side view of the pivot assembly of the preferred articulated paint roller assembly; 
       FIG. 3  is top view of the pivot assembly; 
       FIG. 4  is a side view of the roller-receiving end of the pivot assembly; 
       FIG. 5  is a side view of the extension-receiving end of the pivot assembly; 
       FIG. 6  is a front view of the roller-receiving end of the pivot assembly; 
       FIG. 7  is a rear view of the paint roller; 
       FIG. 8  is a partially exploded view of the articulated paint roller assembly, including alternate extension poles; and 
       FIG. 9  is a side view of an alternate embodiment of the articulated paint roller assembly having a second extension pole in use by a painter. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
   Referring to  FIG. 1 , a preferred embodiment of an articulated paint roller assembly  10  is shown. Assembly  10  includes a paint roller  12 , a pivot assembly  14 , and an extension pole or handle  16 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, extension pole  16  is a conventional elongated “broom-handle” style pole or rod having a male fastener end  17 . In another embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 8 , pole  16  may be replaced with a conventional telescopic or extensible pole  16 A having a number of concentric cylindrical members that cooperate to allow a user to vary the length of the extension handle  16 A. 
   Paint roller  12  is essentially a conventional paint roller having a generally cylindrical hand grip or handle  18 , a wire body  20  that extends from one end of the grip  18 , and a roller frame  22  that is rotatably coupled to wire body  20 . Frame  22  is sized to fit within and retain conventional nap-covered tube-shaped paint applicators  24 . In the preferred embodiment, frame  22  and applicator  24  are co-planar with grip  18  and are oriented perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of grip  18 . As will be discussed in greater detail below, paint roller  12  differs from conventional paint rollers only in the configuration of the bottom extension-receiving end of grip  18 . 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 2-6 , pivot assembly  14  is preferably formed from two pivotally coupled bodies or ends  30  and  32 . As best shown in  FIGS. 4 and 6 , roller-receiving end  30  has a disc-shaped portion  34  and a male extension  36  that projects from the curved side  38  of disc  34 . Disc  34  is generally circular and has a bore  40  passing through its center. A number of angular-location bores  42  are also formed through disc  34  running parallel to bore  40 . Location bores  42  are preferably positioned around bore  40  in the shape of a semi-circle and each bore  42  is located an equal distance from bore  40  and these bores  42  are spaced at equal angles. One of the bores  42 A is centrally disposed relative to the other location bores  42  and, like center bore  40 , intersects a longitudinal axis  44  passing through the center of extension  36 . In the preferred embodiment, nine location bores  42  are formed in disc  34 , these bores are spaced across a one-hundred-eighty degree semi-circle (i.e., are spaced 22.5 degrees apart). 
   Extension  36  includes a generally rectangular member  46  that projects from the side of disc  34 . A hexagonal seat  48  extends from the outer end of member  46 . Further, a cylindrical plug  50  projects from seat  48 . In the preferred embodiment, seat  48  and plug  50  are both centered along axis  44 . 
   A quick-disconnect locking assembly or clip  52  is mounted upon one of the sides of member  46 . In the preferred embodiment, clip  52  has a lever arm  54  that is pivotally coupled to a base  54 . The clip  52  is disposed upon member  46  such that one end of arm  54  is positioned above the cylindrical plug  50 . A cylindrical retention pin  56  extends down from arm  54  in the direction of plug  50 . It should be appreciated that clip  52  is located upon member  46  such that pin  56  is substantially tangent to the curved surface of plug  50 . A spring  56  biases the arm  54  so that pin  56  is forced downward in a closed position, i.e., in the direction of plug  50 . 
   As shown best in  FIGS. 3 and 6 , hexagonal seat  48  projects from member  46  such that the corner  60  where two of the hex-faces meet is oriented to be co-planar with the centerline of pin  56  and axis  44 . 
   Pivoting assembly  14  also includes an extension-receiving end  32 . Extension receiving end  32 , as best shown in  FIGS. 2 and 5 , has a generally rectangular body  62  having a yoke or channel  64  formed through one end to create a pair of parallel spaced flanges  66 ,  68 . Yoke  64  is sized to slidably receive disc  34 . Axially aligned bores  70 ,  72  are formed through the respective flanges  66 ,  68  near their outer edges. Flanges  66  and  68  extend from body  62  such that when bores  70  and  72  are axially aligned with center bore  40 , a small gap exists between side  38  of disc  34  and the bottom wall  74  of yoke  64 . 
   A pin or fastener  76  pivotally couples roller-receiving end  30  to extension-receiving end  32  through aligned bores  70 ,  40  and  72 . It should be appreciated that one of the bores  70 ,  72  may be threaded to accommodate an externally threaded fastener, such as a bolt. 
   Extension-receiving end  32  also includes a quick-disconnect locking assembly or clip  78  that is substantially the same as clip  52  discussed above. Clip  78  includes an angular-location pin  80 , similar to pin  56 , and is mounted upon body  62  such that pin  80  overhangs a through-bore  82  formed in flange  66 . Bore  82  is located within flange  66  such that, when fastener  76  couples ends  30  and  32  together, pin  80  is aligned with one of the location bores  42 . It should be appreciated that pin  80  extends from the bottom of the arm of clip  78  to pass through bore  82  and at-least partially into one of the location bores  42 . Further, pin  80  and bores  42  are complementarily sized (e.g., slip fit) so that pin  80  is effective to lock the pivoting ends  30 ,  32  at a fixed angular position. 
   Member  62  includes an extension pole-receiving bore  83  formed in the end opposite to wall  74 . Bore  83  preferably includes a first hex-shaped “quick-connect” recess  84  and a deeper threaded portion  85  to couple end  32  to a conventional extension pole having either a hex-shaped seat that is identical to seat  48  or external threading disposed on male fastener end  17 . As best shown in  FIG. 8 , two perpendicular pin locating holes  86  are formed in the outer surface of extension receiving end  32  adjacent to and running perpendicular to the opening of bore  83 . These holes  86  are positioned around end  32  having their longitudinal axes perpendicular to each other. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 7 and 8 , the bottom end  87  of paint roller grip  18  is shown. Centered upon end  87  is a hexagonal-shaped recessed portion  88  that is complementary to seat  48 . That is, recessed portion  88  is approximately sized to create a slip fit with seat  48 . Similarly, a cylindrical bore  90  sized to receive plug  50  is formed at the bottom of hex-shaped recess  88 . These hex-shaped fittings  48 ,  88  are complementarily shaped to permit paint roller  12  to be placed upon roller-receiving end  30  and cooperate to prevent the paint roller  12  from rotating upon end  30 . 
   Further, at least one roller-locking bore  92 ,  93  is formed within grip  18  proximate to end  87  and tangent to bore  90  (i.e., perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of grip  18 ). In the preferred embodiment, two bores are positioned upon grip  18  so that the centerlines of these bores  92  are parallel to and co-planar with the rotational axis  94  of sleeve  22  and roller  24 . Like corner  60  of seat  48 , two of the faces forming hex-shaped recess  88  meet at a corner  96 . The line defined by corner  96  is co-planar with axis  94 . It should be appreciated that each roller-locking bore  92  is sized to complement pin  56 . In this manner, paint roller  12  can be selectively fixed to roller-receiving end  30  so that axis  94  of the paint roller  12  is fixed in a position that is always parallel to the axis  98  of the pivot member (i.e., fastener  76 ) of the pivoting assembly  14 . 
   Additionally, two additional bores  93  are positioned upon grip  18  so that the centerline of these bores  93  are perpendicular to the rotational axis  94  of sleeve  22  and roller  24 . In this manner, paint roller  12  can be selectively fixed to roller-receiving end  30  so that axis  94  of the paint roller  12  is fixed in a position that is always perpendicular to the axis  98  of the pivot member (i.e., fastener  76 ) of the pivoting assembly  14 . 
   In another embodiment of the invention, shown in  FIGS. 8 and 9 , a second extension pole  100  may be disposed between paint roller  12  and pivoting assembly  14 . Pole  100  has a first end  102  that is substantially the same as male extension  36  of pivoting assembly  14 , including a quick-disconnect clip, hexagonal seat and cylindrical plug. The opposite end  104  of pole  100  is identical to the bottom  86  of paint roller grip  18 , including a hex-shaped recess, a plug-sized bore and pin-locking bore. 
   The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is to be understood that the terminology, which has been used, is intended to be in the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. 
   Many modification and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced other than as specifically described. For example and without limitation, seat  48  and recess  88  may be substantially any complementary shaped fittings that positively prevent the paint roller from rotating around the pivot assembly.