Patent Publication Number: US-2012034014-A1

Title: Touch-Up Painting System and Method

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
     This application claims the benefit of Provisional Application No. 61/370,356, entitled “TOUCH-UP PAINTING SYSTEM AND METHOD,” filed on Aug. 3, 2010, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present disclosure generally relates to painting systems and applications, and more particularly to systems and methods for containing paint, painting specific areas of a surface, and creating precise painted edges. 
     BACKGROUND 
     There are many different ways to apply paint to a surface with paint. For example, painting a wall of a home may be done using a paint brush, a paint roller, or a paint sprayer. Paint comes in a variety of colors and may be purchased in gallon-sized cans. After a surface is painted, normal use may cause certain areas of the surface to become marred. If the original paint used on the wall has been discarded, additional matching paint may need to be purchased. Purchasing paint in a gallon-sized can for a small, touch-up paint job may result in wasting large quantities of paint. Further, if the original paint was saved in a gallon-sized can, a user would have to open that can, stir to mix the paint, pour the paint into a tray, and use a brush to apply paint to a marred surface, thereby involving additional effort and various components that would need to be cleaned after painting the marred surface. 
     SUMMARY 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a touch-up painting system including at least one container sized to be held in a human hand and containing a quantity of paint, a cap coupled to the at least one container and defining an aperture, and at least one paint applicator coupled to the cap, wherein paint flows from the at least one container through the cap and into the at least one paint applicator to apply touch-up paint to a surface. The system also may include a housing, wherein the at least one container, the cap, and the at least one paint applicator may be secured when the system is not in use. The system may further include at least one funnel to transfer the quantity of paint into the at least one container. The system may include a storage cap coupled to the neck of the at least one container when the system is not in use. 
     The at least one paint applicator may be a brush assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure, and the brush assembly may include a stiffener/plate, a brush, a porous layer and/or a bristle layer, wherein the aperture of the cap may extend through the stiffener/plate of the brush assembly. The stiffener/plate may have at least one straight edge that extends beyond the brush for certain trim painting. The brush assembly may form an angle with the container through an angular extension positioned between the cap and the brush. The at least one paint applicator also may be a sponge assembly according to embodiments of the present disclosure. 
     Embodiments of the present disclosure may provide a method of applying paint to a surface. Such a method may include securing a paint application assembly to a container holding a quantity of paint, the paint application assembly comprising a cap portion secured to a neck portion of the container, the cap portion defining an aperture. The method further may include holding the container, tipping the container to allow paint to flow through the first aperture to the paint application assembly, and dispensing paint from the paint application assembly onto the surface. The method also may include removing a storage cap from the container prior to securing the paint application assembly to the container. The method may further include inserting a funnel into the neck portion of the container and pouring paint into the container through the funnel. 
     The paint application assembly utilized in this method according to embodiments of the present disclosure may be a brush assembly and/or a sponge assembly. The brush assembly may include a porous layer, a stiffener/plate, and/or a brush, and the aperture of the cap portion may extend through the stiffener/plate. The method may include compressing the porous layer during the dispensing step. 
     A touch-up painting system according to embodiments of the present disclosure may include at least one container formed to be held in a human hand and to house a quantity of paint, at least one brush assembly to be coupled to the at least one container through a cap portion, at least one sponge assembly to be coupled to the at least one container through the cap portion, and at least one funnel to be inserted into a neck portion of the at least one container to dispense the quantity of paint into the at least one container. The system also may include a housing wherein the at least one container, the at least one brush assembly, the at least one sponge assembly, and the at least one funnel may be secured when the system is not in use. The system may further include at least one storage cap secured to a neck portion of the least one container when the system is not in use. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       For a more complete understanding of this disclosure, reference is now made to the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a container/brush assembly of a touch-up painting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2A  depicts an embodiment of a brush assembly shown in  FIG. 1  according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2B  depicts an alternate embodiment of a brush assembly according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 2C  depicts an alternate embodiment of a brush assembly according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an embodiment of a storage cap according to the present disclosure; 
         FIG. 4  depicts a flow diagram of a method for performing touch-up painting according to an embodiment of the present disclosure; and 
         FIG. 5  depicts a touch-up painting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The present disclosure generally provides improved touch-up painting systems and methods for economically storing a relatively small quantity of paint that may be used to perform touch-up painting. Systems and methods according to embodiments of the present disclosure may allow paint to be stored in a container, and the container storing the paint may then be used to apply paint to touch-up a marred surface or to outline a perimeter portion of a surface with paint. Paint may flow from the container through an aperture in a cap secured to the container, and the paint may be received through a brush or sponge assembly affixed to the cap. The brush/sponge assembly may be used to apply the paint while a user grasps or holds the container. 
       FIG. 1  depicts container/brush assembly  10  of a touch-up painting system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. Container/brush assembly  10  may include brush assembly  12  and container  14 . Container  14  may be sized to contain a relatively small quantity of paint. For example, container  14  may be suitable for touch-up painting because it may contain a fraction of the paint that is typically contained in a gallon-sized paint can. For example, container  14  may hold approximately 3-20 ounces of paint. However, it should be appreciated that container  14  may be sized to contain any quantity of paint as long as a user may relatively comfortably handle container  14  when applying the paint to a surface. Container  14  may include neck  16 . In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, an exterior surface of neck  16  may include threads. The threads may receive corresponding threads of cap  30  when cap  30  is twisted and screwed on the threads of neck  16 . In an alternate embodiment of the present disclosure, cap  30  may be secured to neck  16  using a snap. 
     Container  14  may be generally cylindrical in shape and may be sized to be grasped and held comfortably by a human hand. In this manner, container  14  may be used as a handle when a user is applying the paint contained in container  14  to a desired surface. Container/brush assembly  10  may be more often used for touch-up painting because container  14  may hold a relatively small quantity of paint relative to that amount included in a gallon-sized can, for example. Container  14  may include a label or printed surface for the user to identify the corresponding room(s) where paint may be applied. 
     Container  14  may be constructed from any suitable material, such as plastic or metal. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, container  14  may be formed by a blow-molding operation that forms any suitable type of synthetic material, such as plastic. Neck  16  may receive a funnel (such as funnel  501   a ,  501   b  or  501   c  as depicted in  FIG. 5 ) that may be used to allow paint to be poured more easily and with less mess into container  14 . In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, a funnel sized to be received through neck  16  of container  14  may be used in more than one touch-up painting system. 
       FIG. 2A  illustrates brush assembly  12  of  FIG. 1 . Brush assembly  12  may include cap  30  and brush  35 , as well as porous layer  36  and/or bristles  38 . Cap  30  may have threads to allow cap  30  to be secured to neck  16  of container  14 . In another embodiment of the present disclosure, cap  30  may snap onto neck  16 . Cap  30  may be made from the same or different material as container  14 . In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, bristles  38  of brush  35 , if included in a brush assembly, may be shaped and positioned to allow application of a smoother coat of paint. 
     Brush assembly  12  may include stiffener/plate  34 . Stiffener/plate  34  may be secured to cap  30  and brush  35  using any suitable adhering technique, or stiffener/plate  34  and cap  30  may be formed as a single unit. For example, in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, cap  30  and stiffener/plate  34  may be formed as a single continuous part using any suitable synthetic material, such as plastic. In other embodiments of the present disclosure, stiffener/plate  34  may be constructed using corrugated stiffener or plastic with ribs. 
     Stiffener/plate  34  may include four perimeter straight edges. In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, one, some, or all of the straight edges may extend beyond brush  35 . For example,  FIG. 2B  shows the two longer edges of stiffener/plate  33  extended beyond the boundary of the remainder of brush assembly  13 . Including such straight edges may make creating painted straight edges easier and more precise. Brush assembly  13  may be similar to brush assembly  12  with the exception of extended stiffener/plate  33 . Stiffener/plate  34  may be glued to cap  30  in certain embodiments of the present disclosure, or it may be constructed as a single unit. Aperture  32  may be defined by a top portion of cap  30  and may extend through stiffener  34 . Aperture  32  extended through cap  30  and stiffener/plate  34  may allow paint to be received from container  14  and applied by brush assembly  35 . 
       FIG. 2C  illustrates an embodiment of brush assembly  15  where, when assembled with container  14 , brush assembly  15  forms an angle with container  14 . Brush assembly  15  may form any suitable angle with container  14 . In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, there may be at least a forty-five degree angle between brush  35  and container  14 . The angle may be created by angular extension  37  positioned between cap  30  and brush  35 . Angular extension  37  may be formed from the same material as cap  30 , and in some embodiments of the present disclosure, cap  30 , angular extension  37 , and stiffener/plate  34  may be formed as a single continuous part using any suitable synthetic material, such as plastic. In operation, brush assembly  15  in conjunction with container  14  may be tipped or inverted such that gravity may cause the paint within container  14  to flow through aperture  32  (not shown in  FIG. 2C ) and be received by brush  35 . Once received by brush  35 , paint may be applied to a desired surface using brush  35 . 
     In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, brush  35  may include porous layer  36 . Porous layer  36  may be a foam-type material. The pores of porous layer  36  may allow the paint to pass from container  14  to bristles  38 , if included in the brush assembly. In operation, porous material  36  may compress when pressure is applied to brush  35  during a painting operation according to embodiments of the present disclosure. Stiffener/plate  34  may prevent brush  35  from deforming around cap  30 , thereby allowing brush  35  to remain generally flat for applying paint to a particular area of the surface. 
       FIG. 3  depicts an embodiment of storage cap  40  according to the present disclosure. Storage cap  40  may be similar to cap  30 . For example, storage cap  40  may secure to neck  16  in a manner similar to cap  30 . It should be appreciated that storage cap  40  may include threads that may be received by the threads of neck  16 . Storage cap  40  may include continuous upper portion  42  to allow paint to be sealed in container  14 . 
     Once paint has been introduced into container  14 , storage cap  40  may be secured to neck  16  (as depicted in  FIG. 1 ). This may allow paint in container  14  to be stored for future use. In the event of future use of paint housed in container  14 , storage cap  40  may be removed from neck  16  of container  14 . After removing storage cap  40 , brush assembly  12  or a sponge assembly may be secured to container  14  to allow the user to use container/brush assembly  10  or a container/sponge assembly to paint a desired surface. After painting is complete, brush assembly  12  or a sponge assembly may be removed from container  14 , and storage cap  40  may be re-secured to neck  16 . Any paint remaining in container  14  that was not used for touch-up painting may be stored in the event that more touch-up painting may be desired in the future. 
       FIG. 4  depicts a flow diagram of a method for performing touch-up painting of a marred surface according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. In step  50 , paint may be poured into container  14 . The paint may be assisted into container  14  using a funnel (such as funnel  501   a ,  501   b , or  501   c  depicted in  FIG. 5 ) inserted in or otherwise attached to neck  16 . Once a funnel has been affixed to container  14 , paint may be poured through the funnel into container  14 . It should be appreciated that step  50  may be performed after a surface has already been completely painted using conventional means. In this manner, the same color and type of paint used when painting through conventional means may be poured into container  14  and stored for future application. It should be appreciated that storing paint in container  14  may be easier than storing paint in a conventional gallon-sized paint can. 
     In step  52  depicted in  FIG. 4 , storage cap  40  may be attached to container  14  in order to close or seal the container. Once storage cap  40  has been secured to neck  16  of container  14 , the paint may be ready for storage. In addition, container  14  may be marked or otherwise labeled to identify a particular room or surface where the paint was used. Such a label may also identify the color, the type of paint used, and the date that the original paint was applied, such as through conventional means. During storage, if scuff marks or other undesirable scratches, marks, and the like appear on the painted surface, paint stored in container  14  may then be used to touch-up a specific portion of the surface quickly, with no mess as compared to using conventional means. 
     When touch-up painting is to be performed, storage cap  40  may be removed from container  14  in step  54  depicted in  FIG. 4 . In step  56 , a brush/sponge assembly may be secured to neck  16  of container  14 . In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, the internal threads of cap  30  may be mated with the external threads of neck  16 , and a brush (such as brush  504  depicted in  FIG. 5 ) or a sponge (such as sponge  505  depicted in  FIG. 5 ) may, for example, be twisted on to neck  16  until it is secure. 
     Once a brush/sponge assembly has been securely affixed to container  14 , container  14  may be tipped to allow paint to flow to the brush or sponge in step  58 . Tipping or inverting container  14  may allow gravity to act on the paint thereby causing it to flow. The paint may flow through aperture  32  defined by cap  30  and stiffener/plate  34 . The paint may then flow through to the brush/sponge assembly. 
     Once the paint flows to the brush/sponge assembly affixed or secured to container  14 , paint may be applied to the desired surface in step  60 . A user may grasp and hold container  14  and apply the paint to the surface using the brush/sponge assembly. If there is still paint remaining in container  14  after paint has been applied to the desired surface, the brush/sponge assembly may be detached from container  14 , and storage cap  40  may be re-secured to container  14  thereby allowing for continued storage of the remaining paint. The container as well as the brush/sponge assembly may be washed out to eliminate excess paint so that a clean brush or sponge may be reused in a future painting application. Alternatively, the touch-up painting system or portions thereof may be discarded or replaced if the user chooses. 
     In certain embodiments of the present disclosure, it should be appreciated that multiple containers and brush/sponge assemblies may be employed such that each container and brush/sponge assembly may be used to store and apply a different color of paint. It should be appreciated that some of the steps illustrated in  FIG. 4  may be combined, modified, or deleted where appropriate, and additional steps may also be added to the flow diagram without departing from the objects of the present disclosure. Additionally, steps may be performed in any suitable order without departing from the objects of the present disclosure. 
       FIG. 5  depicts system  500  for performing touch-up painting according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. System  500  may include at least one funnel (such as funnels  501   a ,  501   b , and/or  501   c ) that may be constructed from a material, such as cardboard or plastic, that is sturdy enough to be able to withstand the transfer of paint. System  500  also may include at least one container  502   a ,  502   b , and/or  502   c . Each of containers  502   a ,  502   b , and  502   c  may be designated to hold a certain color or type of paint, and/or paint for a particular room in a structure, for example. Funnels  501   a ,  501   b , and/or  501   c  may be inserted into one of containers  502   a ,  502   b , and/or  502   c  to transfer paint into these containers. Additionally or alternatively, brush  504  or sponge  505  may be secured to one of containers  502   a ,  502   b , and/or  502   c  to apply paint to a surface. It should be appreciated that brush  504  and/or sponge  505  may be designed to be used with a particular color or type of paint, and/or paint for a particular room in a structure, for example. However, it should be appreciated that brush  504  and sponge  505  may be rinsed after being used as to permit re-use of brush  504  or sponge  505  in future painting applications. Each of the components of system  500  may be placed into housing  503  that is large enough to hold at least three funnels (such as  501   a ,  501   b ,  501   c ), at least three containers (such as  502   a ,  502   b ,  502   c ), and at least three brushes/sponges (such as brush  504  or sponge  505 ) according to an embodiment of the present disclosure. However, the size of housing  503  may be increased or decreased depending on the number of components to be contained within housing  503  without departing from the objects of the present disclosure 
     It may be advantageous to set forth definitions of certain words and phrases used in this patent document. The term “couple” and its derivatives refer to any direct or indirect communication between two or more elements, whether or not those elements are in physical contact with one another. The terms “include” and “comprise,” as well as derivatives thereof, mean inclusion without limitation. The term “or” is inclusive, and should be appreciated to mean “and/or.” The phrases “associated with” and “associated therewith,” as well as derivatives thereof, may mean to include, be included within, interconnect with, contain, be contained within, connect to or with, couple to or with, be communicable with, cooperate with, interleave, juxtapose, be proximate to, be bound to or with, have, have a property of, or the like. 
     Although the present disclosure and its advantages have been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions and alterations can be made herein without departing from the spirit and scope of the disclosure as defined by the appended claims. Moreover, the scope of the present application is not intended to be limited to the particular embodiments of the process, machine, manufacture, composition of matter, means, methods and steps described in the specification. As one of ordinary skill in the art will readily appreciate from the disclosure, processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps, presently existing or later to be developed that perform substantially the same function or achieve substantially the same result as the corresponding embodiments described herein may be utilized according to the present disclosure. Accordingly, the appended claims are intended to include within their scope such processes, machines, manufacture, compositions of matter, means, methods, or steps.