Patent Publication Number: US-7216394-B2

Title: Paint roller frame and apparatus

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
   This application is a continuation-in-part of application Ser. No. 10/116,153 filed Apr. 4, 2002, now abandoned. Priority is also claimed to Provisional Application 60/283,427 filed Apr. 11, 2001, the disclosures of both being expressly incorporated herein by reference. 

   FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   This application relates generally to paint roller apparatus, and more specifically to an improved paint roller carrying frame and apparatus having means formed in the handle shaft thereof for displacing the carried roller out of the plane of the handle and for resiliently absorbing the shock forces normally transmitted into the handle as the apparatus is being used. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Heretofore, various types of paint roller supporting frames have been provided in applicator assemblies for enabling paints and other fluid coating materials to be applied to a wide variety of surfaces. A typical applicator includes a frame with a handle for the user to grasp the applicator and a rotatable absorbent covering, or roller, mounted on the end of the frame opposite the handle to permit the user to roll paint onto a surface. The frame and roller handle are sufficiently rigid so that a user can apply sufficient pressure to the roller via the handle and frame to roll the paint onto a surface. When a user needs a longer handle in order to paint overhead surfaces, the conventional way to extend the length of the roller carrying frame is to insert a second longer handle into a threaded socket provided in the butt end of the roller handle. In many situations it is desirable that the roller per sé be turned at an angle relative to the handle so that the user is able to place and then roll the roller as required to apply the paint to the intended surface. 
   Applicant has identified two related problems associated with the prior art that serious detract from the usefulness or effectiveness of the available roller painting apparatus. One of the problems relates to the positioning of the axis of rotation of the roller in the same plane as the handle, so as to require an unfavorable wrist extension when using the apparatus. Another problem is that means are not provided in the prior art for absorbing the vibratory energy generated and transmitted back to the handle as the roller rolls over the surface being coated. As a consequence the roller tends to skip rather than glide as it moves across the surface to be painted, and the hands and arms of the user become fatigued. These two factors contribute substantially to the tiring of the user and the inefficiency of use of the common roller applicator. 
   Numerous configurations of handle and frame have been provided to accommodate the need for positional adjustment of the roller relative to the handle. For example, McGrew U.S. Pat. No. 4,089,082 discloses an adjustable paint roller having in addition to a knuckle joint which pivots the roller support bar on the connector shank, a supplemental elbow brace connecting the shank and the roller support bar to provide additional strength. The elbow brace is comprised of two pivotal legs one of which abuts against the shank of the assembly when the roller is in its position of maximum adjustment, thus limiting this position to an 80 degree adjustment from the normal orientation of the roller. The other leg of the elbow brace will abut the roller support assembly when the elbow joint is thrust forwardly so that a 45 degree angle is automatically established in this mode. Note however, that at all positions of adjustment, the roller lies in the same plane as the handle. 
   An adjustable roller similar to that of McGrew is disclosed by Beck U.S. Pat. No. 4,528,714 which incorporates a bolt and wingnut assembly into his frame structure to permit positional change of the roller relative to the frame and handle. But here again, the roller and handle remain in the same plane. 
   Another attempt to address the problems sought to be solved by the present invention is provided by Jang, et al. who improve on the Beck concept by providing a paint roller frame assembly having an adjustment capability that permits switching between two paint rolling directions or between two tilted painting angles. The frame comprises a roller cage assembly, a shaft for receiving the roller cage assembly, and a handle for supporting the shaft. The handle or its extension pole comprises two substantially elongated members that are releasably fastened with a fastening means. Each of the mating ends of the two handle members has an oblique end section to which the normal is inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the corresponding handle member at angle. Although this structure may address one of the objectives of the present invention in a different way, the bolt together fastening means to effect angulation between handle and roller clearly does not address the issue of absorption of shock forces transmitted from the roller into the handle. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore a principal objective of the present invention to provide an improved paint roller frame apparatus adapted to be anatomically more suited to the hand and arm of a user. 
   Another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved paint roller frame apparatus having the capability of absorbing shock forces created in the roller as it is rolled or a surface to be coated. 
   Still another objective of the present invention is to provide an improved paint roller frame apparatus adapted to be anatomically more suited to the hand and arm of a user as well as having the capability of absorbing shock forces created in the roller as it is rolled over a surface to be coated so as to tend to reduce the fatigue experienced by a user when using apparatus of this type to apply a coating of liquid material to a surface. 
   Briefly, a presently preferred embodiment of the present invention provides an improved paint roller frame made from a single length of rod having a first 90 degree bend delimiting a first segment formed at one end thereof and adapted to form an axel about which a paint roller will be rotatably mounted, and second and third bends delimiting second and third segments both of which lie in a plane in common with the first segment. The remaining portion of the rod is further deformed at a mid-portion thereof to include a fourth bend in which the rod is wound through 391 degrees about an imaginary axis extending parallel to the first segment and delimiting a fourth segment lying in the common plane and a fifth segment lying in a plane intersecting the common plane at an angle of 31 degrees, the fifth segment being adapted to be affixed to an elongated handle member. When combined with a paint roller and handle, a novel paint roller assembly is provided in accordance with the present invention. 
   An advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved paint roller frame apparatus which is anatomically better suited to the hand and arm of a user than are prior art roller apparatus in that it allows the user to position his wrist at a more relaxed angle than has heretofore been required. 
   Another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved paint roller frame apparatus having the capability of absorbing shock forces created in the roller as it is rolled or a surface to be coated and thereby isolates the user at least in part from such forces. 
   Still another advantage of the present invention is that it provides an improved paint roller frame apparatus adapted to be anatomically more suited to the hand and arm of a user as well as having the capability of absorbing shock forces created in the roller as it is rolled over a surface to be coated and thereby tends to reduce the fatigue experienced by a user when using apparatus of this type to apply a coating of liquid material to a surface. 
   These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art after having read the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment illustrated in the several figures of the drawing. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a paint roller frame in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; 
       FIG. 2  is a right side elevational view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view elevation of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 4  is an elevational view from the handle end of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   The Concept of paint roller applicators is well known in the art. In general, a paint roller applicator includes a frame made up of a roller cage assembly, a shaft and a handle. The shaft is usually a properly bent metallic rod with one end connected to or integral with the roller cage, while the other end is connected to or partially embedded in a plastic or wood based handle. 
   The metallic rod is typically bent at two or three locations along its length so that it can be considered to consist of three or four segments each being a substantially straight member. The first segment is normally adapted to engage a cage or other means for mating with a roller of one type or another. The last segment is normally connected to an elongated generally cylindrical handle in such a fashion that the longitudinal axis of the handle lies in the plane of and extends substantially perpendicular to the roller cage axis. 
   Some paint roller frames are made from plastic and can break if excessive force or pressure is applied to them when applying paint materials. My preferred material is solid metal rod made of ¼ inch aluminum or steel. However, rod stock of other materials and diameters can be used. For certain applications rigid plastic rod, plastic coated rod or tubular rod may be suitable. Rod stocks of from 3/16 inch to 5/16 inch diameter are deemed suitable with ¼ inch aluminum or aluminum alloy being preferred. 
   The present invention provides an improved paint roller frame made from one piece of solid metallic rod  10  and has a 31 degree forward angle formed in the shaft by virtue of a single 391 degree loop formed in the approximate center of the frame portion extending out of the handle. However it has been found that loops of between 370 degrees and 405 degrees providing forward angles of between 10 degrees and 45 degrees are suitable for some applications. 
   More specifically, the rod  10  is deformed with a first 90 degree bend at  11  to form a first or distal segment  12  that serves as an axel shaft about which a roller cage  14  is journaled at its opposite ends  16  and  18 . Rod  10  is similarly deformed by with 90 degree bends at points  20  and  22  to delimit second and third segments  24  and  26 , both of which lie in a common plane with segment  12 . The bend  22  also delimits one end of a fourth segment  28  that extends to a deformation at  30  wherein the rod is wound through 391 degrees about an axis  32  that extends parallel to segment  12  but is offset from the plane defined by segments  12 ,  24 ,  26 , and  28 . The bend  30  also defines one end of a proximal or fifth rod segment  33  that forms a shaft adapted to mate with a bore in a wooden or plastic handle  34 . The net result of the several deforming bends is to provide a handle shaft segment  33  having a longitudinal axis that extends normal to a plane (different from the common plane mentioned above) including the roller shaft  12 , but to cause the longitudinal axis to intersect the above mentioned common plane at an angle of approximately 31 degrees. This relationship is perhaps most apparent from the orthogonally related view of  FIGS. 2 and 3 . 
   No adjustments are required to use this paint roller frame, therefore there are no parts to break, misplace or get paint materials embedded in. 
   When applying paint materials to vertical surfaces with a standard straight shaft roller frame, much force is required at the users wrist to push the roller applicator to the surface to spread the coating. With this improved design roller frame, the fixed 31 degree forward angle allows the user to hold the handle at a more comfortable wrist angle and helps apply paint materials to the surface to be coated with less effort or force. When a user pushes this paint roller frame up a vertical surface to apply paint materials, the upward movement forces the paint roller frame to push forward into the surface to be painted. The single 391-degree loop and forward angle allow the frame to flex and absorb any vibration or bounce cased by the surface and thereby helps keep the roller applicator in contact with the surface to be coated. 
   When applying paint materials on horizontal surfaces, this improved design roller frame can be turned over with the 31 degree angle extending down towards the surface being rolled. Alternatively, the 31 degree angle can be extended upwardly to facilitate passage of the roller under objects and obstructions with ease from an upright position when used with a pole extension attached to the handle. 
   This improved roller frame is also designed to be used to paint downward from overhead positions to apply coatings from structures such as bridge walkways or roadways over the wall or rails with an extension pole attached to the handle to apply a coating with less effort, more control and safety due to the forward 31 degree angle.