Patent Publication Number: US-6334509-B1

Title: Stepladder caddy

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     Not applicable. 
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
     Not applicable. 
     REFERENCE TO MICROFICHE APPENDIX 
     Not applicable. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to the field of work accessories, and more particularly to a stepladder caddy. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     As can be seen by reference to the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,782,314; 5,901,998; 5,941,344 and 5,967,259 the prior art is replete with myriad and diverse stepladder tool organizers. 
     While all of the aforementioned prior art constructions are more than adequate for the basic purpose and function for which they have been specifically designed, they are uniformly deficient with respect to their failure to provide a simple, efficient, and practical stepladder caddy. 
     As a consequence of the foregoing situation, there has existed a longstanding need for a new and improved stepladder caddy and the provision of such a construction is a stated objective of the present invention. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Briefly stated, the present invention provides a stepladder caddy including first and second containers interconnected by a horizontal top plate and downwardly and outwardly disposed front and rear flanges. When positioned on the top step of a stepladder, the top plate rests on the top step, the front and rear flanges rest on the upper portion of the front and rear legs, and the first and second containers are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the top step where they are readily accessible to a worker. The top plate is positioned down from the top peripheral edges of the first and second containers and the front flange extends up to the top peripheral edges to form a ridge so that objects placed on the top plate are restrained from sideways or forward movement. The second container is tapered and includes a raised grid surface for removing excess paint from a roller or brush. The second container also includes a cover with a hollow vertical handle sized to receive the handle of a paint roller extending from the second container. Hand-grip openings formed in the first and second containers, and a recessed handle attached to the top plate may be used to transport the caddy when not in use on a stepladder. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other attributes of the invention will become more clear upon a thorough study of the following description of the best mode for carrying out the invention, particularly when reviewed in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the stepladder caddy of the present invention in use on a stepladder with the first and second containers being disposed on opposite lateral sides of the stepladder; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view showing the cover for the second container being positioned on the second container; 
     FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the stepladder caddy; 
     FIG. 4 is a top plan view thereof; 
     FIG. 5 is a right side elevational view thereof; 
     FIG. 6 is a partial perspective view of the stepladder caddy showing the handle on the top plate in the raised carrying position; 
     FIG. 7 is a right side partial perspective view with portions of the second container cut away to show the raised grid on the inner surface of the second container; 
     FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the cover for the second container; and 
     FIG. 9 is a left side partial perspective view showing the cover for the second container in a position similar to that illustrated in FIG.  2 . 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     As can be seen by reference to the drawings, and in particularly to FIG. 1, the stepladder caddy that forms the basis of the present invention is designated generally by the reference number  10 . The caddy  10  includes a first container  20  and a second container  30  interconnected by a horizontal top plate  40  and downwardly and outwardly disposed front and rear flanges  42  and  44 . The top plate  40  is positioned down from the top peripheral edges of the first and second containers  20  and  30  and the front flange  42  extends up to the top peripheral edges to form a three-sided ridge around the top plate  40 . 
     The second container  30  is tapered and includes an inner surface with a raised grid  32 . The second container  30  also includes a cover  34  with a hollow vertical handle  36  sized to receive the handle of a paint roller  1 . Hand-grip openings  28  and  38  are formed in the first and second containers  20  and  30 , respectively, and a recessed handle  48  is pivotally attached to the top plate  40 . It is to be understood that other types of handles may be used in conjunction with the containers  20  and  30  and the top plate  40 . 
     In use, the caddy  10  is positioned on a stepladder  3  over the top step  5  so that the underside of the top plate  40  rests on the top step  5 , the front and rear flanges  42  and  44  rest on the upper portion of the front and rear legs  7  and  9 , and the first and second containers  20  and  30  are disposed on opposite lateral sides of the top step  5  where they are readily accessible to a person working on the stepladder  3 . 
     The caddy  10  may be used by maintenance workers, painters, electricians, plumbers and others to hold various tools and supplies. The caddy  10  fits on any standard stepladder  3 , provides safety and stability, can be used by left-handed or right-handed workers, and does not extend out further than the base legs of the stepladder  3  so that it can be positioned close to a wall. 
     When used for painting, the second container  30  may be filled with up to a gallon of paint and can accept a standard sized paint roller  1 . The cover  34  provides an airtight seal for the paint in the second container so it will not evaporate or skin over during periods of non-use. The hollow handle  36  is sized to slip over the protruding handle of any paint roller  1  left in the second container  30 . Also, the cover  34  may be used as a painter&#39;s pallette where the hollow handle  36  can hold a supply of paint and accept a small brush for use on small jobs such as trimming window frames. 
     Although only an exemplary embodiment of the invention has been described in detail above, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the following claims.