Patent Abstract:
A paint tray system including a paint tray and a lid that may be sealed to the paint tray in a generally airtight manner. The shape of the lid corresponds to the interior of the paint tray so that the volume of air sealed in the paint try by the lid is minimized. The underside of the lid may also include a recess that may receive a paint applicator between the paint tray and the lid. The paint tray may also include an applicator rest for holding a paint roller in the paint tray while keeping the handle out of a paint reservoir.

Full Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/889,241, filed Jul. 12, 2004, which is a continuation application of International Application No. PCT/US03/00980 filed Jan. 14, 2003, and claims benefit of U.S. provisional patent application Ser. No. 60/349,009, filed Jan. 14, 2002, the teachings of which applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     FIELD OF INVENTION 
     This invention relates to plastic and metal paint tray assemblies and paint kits, more particularly to a paint tray assembly that has a sealable lid and a paint kit with a sealable lid and paint applicator such as a roller assembly. 
     BACKGROUND 
     This invention relates generally to sealable paint tray assemblies and paint kits, more specifically to a combination wet architectural coating and wet coating applicator storage container, dry storage container, and dry package assembly for sealable paint tray assemblies or paint kits. For convenience of description, reference will hereafter be made to “paint” as representative generally of architectural coatings. References will hereafter be made to “paint kit” as representative generally of a paint tray, lid and paint applicator such as a roller assembly. 
     Conventional roller painting equipment used by consumers or professionals almost invariably consists essentially of a roller assembly and a paint tray. A batch of paint from a one gallon or other convenient sized container of paint is poured into a tray which usually has a storage capacity considerably less than the volume of the paint container, and the roller sleeve is dipped into the tray as the work progresses until the batch is exhausted, at which time another batch is poured into the tray. It is always hoped that the paint in the tray will be exhausted at the same time as the person applying the paint quits for the day or leaves the job for an extended period of time so that a skin will not form on the paint left in the tray and the paint applicator will not harden due to solvent evaporation, but quite often this does not happen. As a consequence the user has the option of throwing out or cleaning the roller sleeve and pouring the unused paint back into the original container, which is invariably a messy and time consuming process with the potential for spillage on a floor or carpeted surface, or leaving the roller assembly and unused paint in the tray until the user can return to finish the job. If the paint is left in the tray, removing the skin that forms over the paint reservoir is an even messier task than pouring out the unused paint with all the above described disadvantages. In addition, due to solvent evaporation, the now skin free paint will often be thicker than when it was poured from the original container and, as a consequence, the surface cover ability and quality may consequently be lowered. Items like roller sleeves are often replaced once painting is resumed. This becomes expensive to replace the roller sleeves at every new starting point but is often a popular choice rather than the long, messy, and often aggravating process of washing a roller sleeve at any point when the tray and paint accessories are not in use. 
     Attempts have been made to address the above disadvantages but none to our knowledge has been sufficiently successful. For example, a number of proposals have been made involving a mating lid for a tray but many, and possibly a majority, of said proposed structures attempt to make a provision to also contain paint accessories such as roller assemblies, brushes and pads in the closed space formed by the tray and associated lid. An assembly of items such as a tray, lid and a paint applicator can be referred to as a paint kit. Such past construction has however had inherent disadvantages when used as wet storage units in that all, or nearly all, trays include an inclined ramp near the front thereof for the purpose of “rolling out” or distributing a fresh roller sleeve load of paint after dipping into the paint reservoir so that the paint is evenly distributed on the roller sleeve prior to application to a receiving surface. The surface of the inclined ramp becomes coated with wet and sticky paint when in use and hence if an applicator handle is laid thereon preparatory to closing the lid on the tray, the handle becomes sticky and unusable thereby requiring cleaning prior to recommencing use. 
     Further attempts have been made to address the above disadvantages and in focusing on this particular disadvantage, created other problems. For example, some proposals have included additional structure to hold the handles of both the brush and roller assembly away from the wet ramp by extending the handles outside of the tray when the lid is closed. This of course lends itself to accidental tripping on and kicking of the tray assembly and it also uses as much as twice the space necessary to store the tray assembly with protruding applicator handles while not in use. 
     In some instances it is a requirement of a commercially practical tray assembly that the assembly function as a package so as to provide the option to the ultimate consumer of combining the tray assembly with an appropriate paint applicator such as a roller assembly, mini roller assembly and pads so that a paint kit is formed. There is accordingly a need for a tray assembly having a paint receptacle and a lid which provides a liquid tight, and virtually air tight, container when holding paint between active uses of the tray assembly and yet is easily assembled when the tray assembly is intended to function as a wet storage unit, and easily disassembled when the tray assembly is opened for active use. There is also a need for a paint kit consisting of at least a paint applicator and a tray assembly as above described, which displays the paint applicator and the tray assembly in a visually appealing manner when presented to potential purchasers in a retail outlet. 
     In addition to the foregoing requirements a tray assembly consisting of a tray and lid only, must occupy a minimal cubic space for manufacturing, shipping and displaying purposes. In effect, the trays should be nestable, the lids should be nestable, and a plurality of lids should add only a minute fraction of bulk to an equal number of trays so that manufacturing, shipping and displaying steps may be carried out at the lowest possible cost and least inconvenience. In this connection the lid should have surfaces to accommodate labels and other externally applied point of purchase marketing aids which assist in the selling potential of the tray assembly and roller assembly. If the lid is made from a clear plastic material a label on the underside of the lid will present the product for sale and, by turning over the lid, will provide use instructions. 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     A tray assembly including of a paint tray and a matching lid which, when assembled, forms a sealed container effective to maintain paint or other coating material and a paint applicator in a stable condition; that is, for an extended period of time without a skin forming on the paint or allowing the paint applicator to harden while not in use. In addition, the sealed tray assembly may dramatically reduce the volatile organic compound emissions inherent in paint from entering the atmosphere. The seal feature may be formed by a means for locking the lid to the tray by mating projecting flanges on the underside of the lid and the top edge of the tray. 
     The tray assembly may include a paint tray having the features above described in combination with an internal applicator rest for maintaining a supplemental applicator, such as a roller assembly, out of contact with the paint in the paint reservoir portion of the tray. The tray may also feature a recess or concave shape at the top of the incline ramp where the roller sleeve portion rests once the end of the roller assembly handle is placed in the internal applicator rest. This concave shape allows the user to fix the roller assembly&#39;s sleeve portion within it when the tray is in use and tow the tray around the work area without having to bend down to manually pick up the tray and risk injury to the user and to avoid accidental spillage. To assist the tray tow feature, the front area opposite the paint reservoir or the front legs of the tray, may be formed in an inward or outward curve to enable smooth transport. To further assist the tray tow feature, the back of the tray opposite the front legs and directly under the paint reservoir may include a second pair of legs that are rounded to assist in the smooth transport of the tray across the work area. Further more, the tray&#39;s bottom, directly under the paint reservoir may be elevated off the floor to minimize the friction and resistance against the tray assembly when pulled or towed across the floor. 
     The lid of the invention could be manufactured by a thermoforming process whereby; minimal material and forming costs are incurred in the manufacturing process. But most likely, the same manufacturing process will be used for forming both the tray and lid which would be an injection molding process to insure a proper fit and seal which would produce a better quality product. In addition, the lid and tray could be constructed so that like parts nest within one another to thereby realize maximum savings in shipping and handling costs when not sold as a kit. When the lid is sealed, the lid&#39;s surface just over the paint reservoir portion of the tray may be concaved inward in two halves stopping at a point just above the maximum paint fill line located on the tray in the paint reservoir portion. These two half portion of the lid may be separated by the location of the roller assembly handle when placed in the internal applicator rest. When the lid is sealed on the tray with the roller assembly in its proper location within the tray, the front portion of the lid&#39;s surface just over the roller sleeve portion of the roller assembly is convex in shape and forms closely around the roller sleeve portion. When the lid is properly sealed on the tray, and the roller assembly is properly located in the internal applicator rest, the above described lid closely mirrors the internal paint reservoir, and inclined ramp of the tray and the inclusive paint roller assembly. The purpose of this is to displace as much air within the sealed tray assembly to maximize and extend the period of time without a skin forming on the paint and the hardening of the paint roller sleeve portion of the roller assembly. 
     When the lid is opened and the tray assembly is in use, the inside of the above described lid may double as an additional paint applicator workstation. Popular paint applicators other than the standard nine-inch roller assembly are brushes, mini roller assemblies and pad applicators. In conventional paint trays and paint kits with or without lids, there is simply no place for these additional paint applicators to rest when not being used. These items are typically placed on paint cans, drop cloths, or are balanced on the corners of the conventional paint tray. Accidents in this regard occur far too often and add aggravation to an already difficult task. 
     Other advantageous features of the invention will become apparent from the following description of the invention. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING 
       Advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
         FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a paint kit consistent with the invention, the paint kit including, a sealable tray assembly consisting of a separate lid which may be assembled and disassembled from the tray body and a paint applicator such as a roller assembly; 
         FIG. 2  is a perspective side view of the sealable tray assembly showing the lid in sealing engagement with the tray body; 
         FIG. 3  is a perspective left end view of the tray body as shown in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a top plan view of the interior features of the tray body and a roller assembly properly placed in the internal applicator rest and concaved section of inclined ramp; 
         FIG. 5  is a section through the tray body taken at a position, which illustrates the roller assembly in side elevation; 
         FIG. 6  is a perspective of the inverse view of lid as seen in  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is a perspective of the inverse view of lid as seen in  FIG. 1  with additional paint applicators; 
         FIG. 8  is a perspective of the tray body at a position, which illustrates the roller assembly towing the tray body; 
         FIG. 9  is a perspective view of a tray body according to another embodiment of the present invention having a pitched tray body; and 
         FIG. 10  is a perspective view of the tray body embodiment of  FIG. 9  illustrating a plurality of ribs of varying height on the pitched tray body. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     In the following description of a specific embodiment like reference numerals will be used to refer to like or similar parts from Figure to Figure in the drawing. 
     Referring first to  FIG. 1 , the paint kit of this invention is illustrated generally at  10  in an exploded, disassembled condition. The paint kit  10  includes a tray assembly indicated generally at  11 , the tray assembly consisting of a lid indicated generally at  12  and a tray body indicated generally at  13 . The kit  10 , in addition to the tray assembly  11 , also includes a paint applicator indicated generally at  14 , here a roller assembly. The roller assembly  14  may include a handle  15  and a sleeve portion  16 . In  FIG. 1  the lid and tray are shown in an unassembled, exploded condition whereas in  FIG. 2  the lid and tray are shown sealed and assembled. 
     Tray body  13  of tray assembly  11  includes rear wall  17 , left wall  18 , right wall  19 , and bottom wall  20 . The upper peripheral co-planer edges of rear wall  17 , left and right side walls  18  and  19  and front wall  23 , terminate in an outwardly projecting flange  39 . The front end of the tray body  13  may be include several elements including, an incline ramp  21 , which terminates at a down turned plane  22 , best seen in  FIG. 4 . A generally vertically disposed portion of the front wall is indicated at  23 , wherein the wall portion  23  desirably flanks a concave section  24  that conforms to roller sleeve portion  16 , of roller assembly  14 . The concave section  24  includes left and right vertical sides  25 ,  26 . A tray towing section, indicated generally at  59 , may be located on front wall, as best seen in practice in  FIG. 8 , including a continuing concave section  27  blending smoothly into concave section  24  and a top plane  28 , which terminates at front-most wall  23 . The concave section  27  includes left and right vertical sides  29 ,  30 . An interior applicator rest  31 , formed generally in a U-shape, or similar upwardly opening protrusion, best seen in  FIG. 5 , may be disposed extending inwardly from interior of wall  17 . Roller assembly handle  15 , may rests in applicator rest  31  when roller assembly is not in use. A pair of legs may be formed descending from front-most wall  23 , indicated at  32 ,  33  which terminate in an inward and upward curve. A second pair of legs  34 ,  35  opposite legs  32 ,  33  may be provided to support the rear of the tray body  13  and keep bottom wall  20  sufficiently elevated off any surface for which the paint tray is set. The legs  34 ,  35  may be shaped in an open U-shape or curve. The floor of the inclined ramp  21  is preferably provided with a plurality of ribs  36  and a pair of paint draining channels  37 ,  38  arranged on either side of the ribs for removing excess paint from the roller sleeve portion  16  in a conventional manner. 
     Lid  12  includes a flat portion  49 , which surrounds a convex section indicated generally at  50  near the front end of lid. The convex section  50  may be formed as an upwardly and outwardly protruding hemi-cylindrical section that that may be bounded by left and right vertical sides  57 ,  58 . Flat portion  49  preferably terminates at a trough indicated generally at  61  near the rear end of lid  12 . The trough  61  may be formed by downwardly and inwardly inclined rear wall  62 , left and right downwardly and inwardly inclined side walls  63 ,  64 , respectively, and a front wall indicated generally at  65 . Front wall  65  and rear wall  62 , may be connected by a convex section  66 , that divides the bottom wall into two equal halves indicated at  67 ,  68 . The outer peripheral co-planer edges of rear wall  62 , left and right side walls  63  and  64  and flat portion  49 , terminate in an outwardly projecting flange  51 . The outwardly projecting flange  39  of tray body  13  may mate with the outwardly projecting flange  51  of lid  12  to seal the paint kit  10 . The convex section  50  and left and right vertical sides  57 ,  58  form an abutment, which mechanically blocks movement of paint applicator  14  in a parallel direction as next described. 
     As best seen in  FIGS. 1 and 4  the tray body  13  is preferably dimensioned to entirely receive the roller assembly  14  within the cavity formed in tray body  13 , such that the roller sleeve portion  16  may be generally received at  59 , and the roller handle  15  generally received in the interior U-shaped applicator rest  31  extending inwardly from the interior wall  17 . The roller assembly  14  preferably remains sufficiently above the surface of the inclined plane  21  to prevent contact therewith, or contamination with any pain thereon. The lid&#39;s convex section  50  in conjunction with concave section  24 , that preferably blends smoothly into concave section  27  of tray body  13  and with U-shaped applicator rest  31  fixed on the interior of wall  17 , acts as a stationary abutment to block movement of the roller assembly  14  in a parallel direction as best viewed in  FIGS. 1 and 4 . The length of the roller assembly with respect to the distance between front wall  23  and rear wall  17 , may be so dimensioned that the roller assembly  14  is locked into the position with only slight variation, in all angular orientations of the paint kit  10  with respect to the vertical; i.e., from the vertical position of  FIGS. 1 and 4  to a position ninety degrees tilted with respect thereto and all angles there between. Thus, whether the paint kit  10  is displayed for purchase in the vertical position or in a horizontal position ninety degrees removed from that position, the paint applicator  14  will generally retain its same relative position with respect to the tray assembly  11 , and hence an orderly, eye pleasing appearance of the paint kit  10  will always be presented to the retail customer. It will be understood of course that the width of any paint applicator, such as the roller assembly  14  used in the above described fashion, may be slightly less than the inside dimension of the two walls  17 ,  23 . Such slight clearance is not sufficient however to permit any paint applicator, such as a paint roller assembly  14  to become skewed with respect to the paint tray assembly  11  so that the orderly appearance of the paint kit  10  is maintained at all times. 
     The inverse, or inside, of lid  12 , as best seen in  FIGS. 6 and 7 , illustrates the underside of lid  12 , as it would look when tray assembly  11  is in use and open. The bottom walls  67 ,  68  are preferably provided with a plurality of ribs  69  for removing any excess paint from paint pads  70  and the inverse of convex section  66  of the lid  12  is now a concaved section, and may be used, for example, to hold a mini paint roller assembly  71 . Similarly, section  50  of lid  12  can now be used to rest an additional roller assembly if necessary, while the tray assembly is in use. 
     It should also be noted that paint kit  10  has a separate utility. Thus, since a good seal is desirably formed between the lid  12  and tray body  13  with the two parts may function as a sealed container for holding paint and a paint applicator, such as a roller assembly  14  between uses of the paint kit  10 . Thus, should the user not be able to complete a project and be forced to terminate work before the paint stored in tray body  13  is used, the lid  12  may be snapped onto the tray body  13  and the paint and roller assembly  14  be left overnight or longer with a lessened degree of solvent evaporation and the emissions of volatile organic compounds inherent in paint into the environment, and the consequent formation of a skin on the paint and the hardening of paint on the paint applicator when the paint kit  10  is not in use. 
     Turning to  FIG. 9 , another embodiment of the present invention includes a tray body  13  having a pitched inclined ramp  21 . The inclined ramp  21  includes a first portion  21   a  and a second portion  21   b  positioned to form an apex  21   c  of the ramp  21 . As such, the first portion  21   a  and the second portion  21   b  are angled downward from the apex  21   c  forming a pitched ramp  21  such that excess paint from the sleeve portion  16  of the roller  14  advantageously also runs downward as indicated by the arrow lines on the first portion  21   a  and second portion  21   b  of the inclined ramp  21 . The excess paint also runs downward off the first portion  21   a  and second portion  21   b  into associated drain lines  902  and  904  on either side of the outer edges of the tray body  13 . Each drain line  902 ,  904  is further sloped downward to the reservoir of the tray having a bottom wall  20 . 
     Turning to  FIG. 10 , the inclined ramp  21  of  FIG. 9  may advantageously have a plurality of ribs  906  of varying height. The height of each rib may be varying in order to compliment the slope of the first portion  21   a  and second portion  21   b  of the inclined ramp  21  such that the top surface of each of the plurality of ribs  906  forms a flat surface for uniformly removing excess paint from the sleeve portion  16  of the roller. Accordingly, the height of the ribs  906  varies depending on the slope of the first portion  21   a  and second portion  21   b  of the ramp  21 . An exemplary rib  906 - 1  therefore has its maximum height h 1  at the outer edge of the inclined ramp  21  closest to the drain lines  902 ,  904  and its minimum height at the apex  21   c  of the ramp  21 . Advantageously, additional excess paint is allowed to disperse from the sleeve portion  16  of the roller  14  while maintaining a flat surface for uniform displacement of excess paint across the sleeve portion  16  of the roller  14 . 
     Thus there has been disclosed a paint kit consisting of a lid, tray and accompanying paint applicator, such as a paint roller assembly which has utility in the presence of paint as a wet paint storage unit and a paint kit consisting of a lid, tray and applicator which, when assembled, presents a neat compact eye pleasing appearance in all positions of display and a paint tray assembly consisting of a lid and tray if it is decided to sell the two items as a single item or as separate items. 
     Although a specific embodiment of the invention has been illustrated and described it will be appreciated from the foregoing description that modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. Accordingly it is intended that the scope of the invention be limited solely by the scope of the hereafter appended claims when interpreted in light of the relevant prior art, and not by limitations set out in the foregoing specification.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1