Patent Publication Number: US-2005133518-A1

Title: Modified paint can with pouredge and insert

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS  
      This application is closely related to and claims benefit from U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/531,669 filed Dec. 22, 2003. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention relates, in general, to an aid for painting and, more, particularly, the present invention relates to a paint can modification which makes pouring easier along with an insert for keeping the paint in the container when a brush is wiped to remove excess paint.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Paint cans have been used for years with hardly any modification to the can. Invariably paint cans have a rim around the circumference of the can wherein a lid is inserted to seal the can and prevent spillage. However, there is a problem that exists with the present can in that when paint is poured out of the can paint always ends up in the rim and when the lid is reapplied to the can great care must be taken to prevent paint from spattering when the lid is forced into the rim. Also when one is pouring from the can with a rim care must be taken to prevent spillage. One other problem encountered with cans having the normal rim is that when the brush is wiped on the rim to remove excess paint, paint generally gets into the rim and it becomes difficult to keep the brush clean.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention provides an apparatus disposed in a paint can for at least one of removing excess paint from a brush, pouring paint from a can without paint being trapped in a recessed portion of such can which receives a lid and for immersing bristles of a brush in such paint in such can during periods of inactivity. The apparatus comprises a container member having a predetermined shape and size. A specially configured pouring spout is formed integral with the container member and an elongated rod like member is secured to the container member closely adjacent an upper edge thereof and there is a lid for sealing such container member.  
     OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
      It is, therefore, one of the primary objects of the present invention to provide a paint can wherein a portion of the rim is removed so as to provide a pouring means.  
      Another object of the present invention is to provide a means for cleaning excess paint from a brush prior to painting without getting paint in the rim.  
      Still another object of the present invention is to provide a means in a plastic paint can for cleaning excess paint from the brush.  
      Yet another object of the invention is to provide a modified can which is inexpensive to manufacture.  
      In addition to the numerous objects and advantages of the present invention which have been described with some degree of particularity above, it should be both noted and understood that a number of other important objects and advantages of the invention will become more readily apparent to those persons who are skilled in the relevant art of painting from the following more detailed description of the invention, particularly, when such detailed description is taken in conjunction with the appended claims. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1  is a top view of a metal paint can according to an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 2  is a cross section of the can in  FIG. 1  taken across the lines II-II.  
       FIG. 3  is a perspective view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 .  
       FIG. 4  is planar view of the insert according to an embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 5  is planar view of the insert according to an alternate embodiment of the invention.  
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a plastic paint can according to an embodiment of the invention.  
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED AND VARIOUS ALTERNATE EMBODIMENTS OF THE PRESENT INVENTION  
      Prior to proceeding to the more detailed description of the present invention, it should be noted that for the sake of clarity in understanding the invention, identical components with identical functions have been designated with identical reference numerals throughout the drawing Figures.  
      Illustrated in the drawing Figures is an apparatus, generally designated  10 . Such apparatus  10  includes a paint can. Such paint can  10  is modified by having a portion  2  of the rim  4  removed for easier pouring. Illustrated in  FIG. 2  is a modification of the can  10  which will permit sealing with the lid  8  in that portion  2  of the can  10  where such rim  4  has been removed. As is seen in the Figure there is a slight curvature  6  in the can  10  wall which permits the lid  8  to seal against the curvature  6 .  
      An elongated rod  12  is disposed in such paint can  10  to be used to remove paint from the brush (not shown) prior to application. The elongated rod  12  is one of plastic and metal. For use with a conventional can (normally this would be a metallic can) it is presently preferred that such elongated rod  12  be metal. It is also preferred that such elongated rod  12  be a wire very similar to the wire that is used for the handle  14  of the paint can  10 . The elongated rod  12  is substantially parallel to the handle  14  of the paint can  10  when the handle  14  is in the raised position. The elongated rod  12  is attached to the paint can by any one of several means. It can be a friction  16  or snap fit  18  wherein the rod  12  has a knob on the end which fits under the rim  4  of the can  10  and is held in place by friction. The rod  12  could also be attached to a portion of the rim  4  of the can  10  by spot welding. The elongated rod  12  is attached so that the rod  12  is between about 4 inches to about 4½ inches long which, therefore, leaves the large portion of the paint can  10  free for dipping the brush into. The elongated rod  12  is used to remove excess paint from the brush before painting. Since all excess paint merely drains back into the can there is no mess with paint getting in the rim  4 . The thin wire also makes it easier to determine the amount of paint the painter wishes to have on the brush by the amount of pressure exerted on the rod  12 . More brush pressure means that less paint is left on the brush whereas less pressure means more paint on the brush.  
      As is evident in  FIG. 1  the can rim  4  for a metal paint can  10  is altered in an embodiment of the invention. A portion of the rim  2  is removed so that an easy pouring region of the can is formed. The painter does not have to pour paint over the rim as is presently done but pours from the area where the rim  4  is removed. This makes pouring much easier with less paint spillage and also having less paint spilled on the outside of the can  10  and in the rim  4  of the can  10 .  
      To insure a seal with the lid  8  of the can  10  in a present embodiment since a portion  2  of the rim  4  is removed the present invention provides for a slight curvature  6  of the side wall of the can  10  as is seen in  FIG. 2 . The lid  8  fits against this curvature  6  and provides a seal for the lid  8 .  
      Illustrated in  FIG. 6  is a plastic paint can  10  according to an embodiment of the invention in which an elongated rod  12  is disposed in the container opposite the pouring spout.  
      While a presently preferred embodiment and alternate embodiments of the present invention have been described in detail above, it should be understood that various other adaptations and/or modifications of the invention can be made by those persons who are particularly skilled in the art without departing from either the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.