Patent Abstract:
A paint roller sleeve assembly and a method for washing it for reuse. The sleeve assembly includes a core of a size to fit a conventional paint roller handle. The core is compressible by hand radially, to allow a tubular flexible outer cover including a backing layer and a layer of paint-carrying fiber pile to be removed for washing and thereafter be replaced on the core for reuse.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    The present invention relates to paint rollers and particularly to a paint roller sleeve assembly that is easily cleaned and therefore can be reused economically. 
         [0002]    Paint rollers have been known for decades and are particularly useful for applying water based paints, saving time in application of paint and allowing large surfaces to be painted quickly and easily with a uniform coat. 
         [0003]    Typically, paint rollers comprise two major components, a handle assembly and a roller sleeve removably mounted on the handle assembly and that carries and applies paint during use of the paint roller. 
         [0004]    The handle assembly typically consists of a grip and an L-shaped metal frame extending from the grip and supporting a rotatable support for a paint roller sleeve. 
         [0005]    A paint roller sleeve includes a thin-walled hollow cylindrical core that fits on the rotatable support portion of the handle assembly, and a fabric cover carried on the core and used to carry and apply paint to a surface. The core is typically of either cardboard or plastic material, depending upon the quality of the paint roller. The fabric cover is typically applied as a strip of fabric wound helically onto the outer surface of the core and bonded to it, for example by an adhesive material. 
         [0006]    Typically the fabric of the cover is a dense knitted pile fabric that may be knitted from natural fibers such as wool or mohair, synthetic fibers such as polyester, acrylic, nylon, or rayon, or from a blend of natural and synthetic fibers. A knitted fabric backing with a knitted-in pile is ordinarily used. The backing is typically made of synthetic yarns, with the pile being made of a desired natural or synthetic fiber, or a blend of different fibers. The knitted pile fabric is typically coated on the non-pile side with a stabilizing coating composition and the backing is then typically processed by heat treatment to produce a dimensionally stabilized knitted pile fabric. 
         [0007]    A paint roller cover manufacturer typically manufactures a paint roller sleeve by wrapping a narrow strip of pile fabric in a helical fashion around a hollow cylindrical core made of cardboard or plastic material, fastening the backing of the pile fabric by an adhesive or by thermally bonding it to the surface of a core. 
         [0008]    Such paint roller sleeves are made with a standard interior size of the core, so that the sleeves can be used on a standard handle assembly, from which they can be removed easily for cleaning or replacement. While such a paint roller sleeve including a core can be cleaned, the process is time-consuming and inefficient, even when the roller has been used for water-based paint. Cleaning a sleeve with a cardboard core may result in the deterioration of the core. For people doing their own painting projects the cost of replacing a high quality roller sleeve may be enough of an incentive to clean a paint roller sleeve for reuse, or to refrigerate a used roller sleeve overnight in an airtight package for reuse in the near future. For professional painting, however, it is common to discard a used paint roller sleeve rather than to clean it or otherwise preserve it for reuse at a later time, since the labor cost for cleaning a used roller sleeve, together with the cost of needed water or paint brush cleaner and other solvents, and buckets or other equipment needed to clean a paint roller cover, far outweigh the cost of replacing a used roller sleeve. 
         [0009]    As a result, many otherwise perfectly good paint rollers are discarded rather than being cleaned and reused, and the discarded paint roller sleeves become a part of the accumulating waste materials in landfills. 
         [0010]    Even when paint roller sleeves are washed carefully, some paint residue is likely to remain and drain to leave a paint ring where a paint roller cover has been left standing on end to dry, or to accumulate at the ends of the fibers of the pile and result in visible differences in the coat of paint applied the next time the roller is used. 
         [0011]    What is needed, then, is a paint roller sleeve that can be cleaned for reuse economically enough to justify the cost of producing such a paint roller sleeve with a high-quality pile that can result in an efficient and high-quality application of a coat of paint using such a roller sleeve and thus justify reuse of the sleeve rather than having it prematurely discarded. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    The present invention provides a paint roller sleeve assembly and a method of washing it for reuse that is an answer to some of the shortcomings of previously known paint roller sleeves, as defined by the claims forming a part of the present disclosure. 
         [0013]    In one embodiment of the present invention a paint roller sleeve as disclosed herein includes a tubular core that can be fitted onto a conventional paint roller handle and a flexible outer cover including a paint-carrying pile of fiber, that is fitted on the core and kept tight on the core by a tendency of the core to expand radially within the outer cover. 
         [0014]    In accordance with the method disclosed herein the outer cover is removed from the tubular core to be washed separately. 
         [0015]    In one embodiment the core is a tubular member including a full-length longitudinal slit allowing the core to be compressed radially to a reduced diameter that allows the outer cover to slide onto the core easily, after which the core, when released, expands radially to fit tightly within the outer cover and keep the outer cover securely in place on the core. 
         [0016]    In one embodiment the outer cover of the paint roller sleeve includes an outer primary backing layer including a paint-carrying pile, and an inner secondary backing layer of porous sheet material. 
         [0017]    In one embodiment the core of the paint roller sleeve disclosed herein includes a surface configuration that engages an inner surface of the outer cover and keeps the outer cover securely in place on the core. 
         [0018]    The foregoing and other objectives and features of the invention will be more readily understood upon consideration of the following detailed description of the invention, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0019]      FIG. 1  is an exploded perspective view of a paint roller including a sleeve assembly that is one embodiment of the present invention. 
           [0020]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the core portion of the paint roller sleeve assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , at an enlarged scale. 
           [0021]      FIG. 3  is a perspective view of a portion of the outer cover part of the paint roller sleeve assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , at an enlarged scale. 
           [0022]      FIG. 4  is another view of a portion of the outer cover part of the paint roller sleeve assembly shown in  FIG. 3 , from an end perspective. 
           [0023]      FIG. 5  is a cutaway sectional side elevational view of a portion of the outer cover portion of the paint roller sleeve assembly shown in  FIG. 1 , at an enlarged scale. 
           [0024]      FIG. 6  is a perspective view of a portion of a core member that is a variation from the core member shown in  FIG. 2 . 
           [0025]      FIG. 7  is a perspective view of a portion of a core member of a paint roller sleeve assembly that is an embodiment of another aspect of the paint roller assembly disclosed herein. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
       [0026]    Referring now to the drawings which form a part of the disclosure herein,  FIG. 1  shows a paint roller  10  including a handle assembly  12  and a sleeve assembly  14 . The handle assembly  12  includes a hand grip  16 , a frame  18 , and a rotatable sleeve support  20 . The sleeve support  20  may have a pair of circular end caps  22  arranged to rotate on an axle portion of the frame  18  and interconnected with each other by a structure such as several rods  24  that may be curved outwardly to firmly engage the interior of the core of a sleeve assembly  14 . The sleeve assembly  14 , unlike previously known paint roller sleeve assembly, includes two distinct and separable elements, a core  30 , shown foreshortened in  FIG. 1 , and a flexible outer cover  32 , also shown foreshortened, that fits tightly over the core  30  when the paint roller  10  is in use. 
         [0027]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the sleeve assembly core  30 , in the embodiment disclosed herein, is a cylinder having a length  36  that may be of any standard paint roller length, for example, 9 inches, and a diameter  38  corresponding to the standard size for end caps  22  and frame rods  24 , so that the core  30  will fit securely on the sleeve support  20  when the sleeve assembly  14  is assembled. The core  30  may be of an elastic material such as PVC or another suitable plastic resin, with a wall thickness  40  giving the core  30  appropriate strength as will be understood presently. The core  30  could also be made of a suitable metal, such as sheet steel, if the metal has an appropriate coating or is inert in the presence of the type of paint for which the paint roller  10  is intended. The core  30  is generally cylindrical, as may be seen in  FIG. 2 , but it includes a slit  42  extending over the entire length of the core  30  and having a slit width  44  of, for example about 3/16 th  of an inch. While the slit  42  is shown as being completely straight in  FIG. 2  it will be understood that the slit  42  need not be straight, so long as it does offer the possibility of compressing the core  30  to a smaller diameter than the diameter  38  of the core when it is relaxed and separate from the outer cover  32 . The wall thickness  40  should be, depending upon the material of which the core  30  is made, appropriate to permit the core  30  to be squeezed by a person using one hand to reduce or completely eliminate the slit width  44  when the core is compressed. 
         [0028]    It is critical, however, that the interior diameter  48  of the core  30  be chosen to fit the sleeve support  20  portion of the handle assembly  12  when the sleeve assembly  14  is assembled with an outer cover  32  on the core  30 . 
         [0029]    As shown in  FIGS. 3 ,  4 , and  5 , the outer cover  32  is generally cylindrical and has an inside diameter  52  that is slightly smaller than the diameter  38  of the core  30  when the core  30  is separated from the outer cover  32  and able to expand elastically to its normal relaxed state as shown in  FIG. 2 . The inside diameter  52  of the outer cover  32  is, however, great enough so that when the core  30  is squeezed, closing or reducing the width  44  of the slit  42 , the outer cover  32  can be slid readily into place surrounding the core  30  and aligned longitudinally along the core  30 . 
         [0030]    The outer cover  32  has a nap or pile  56  of wool, polyester fibers, or other material commonly used for the pile of a conventional paint roller sleeve, and may be manufactured in any of several different pile depths, ranging, for example, from 5 millimeters through 30 millimeters in radial thickness, and can be manufactured with different densities or textures and trimmed to desired surface shapes as with conventional paint roller sleeves. The pile  56  may be manufactured of conventionally used materials including a primary backing fabric such as a conventional knitted backing material that may be treated with a stabilizing coating composition so that it is dimensionally stable, to retain its shape and size in use and when subjected to the elastic force of the core  32  attempting to resume its expanded, relaxed, size. 
         [0031]    Arranged within the primary backing layer  58  is an inner or secondary backing layer  60  of a strong, dimensionally stable fabric, also formed into a cylindrical configuration and bonded to the outer, primary backing layer  58 , either by adhesives or by thermal bonding, depending upon the materials of the two backing layers  58  and  60 . Both the primary backing layer  58  carrying the outer pile layer  56  and the inner, secondary backing material must be amply porous to permit passage of water or other paint solvents through the outer cover  32  from within the interior of the outer cover  32 , so as to flush paint effectively from the fibers of the pile  56 . 
         [0032]    It is also desirable that the material of the inner, secondary backing layer  60  have a rubber-like slip-resistant surface texture as the interior surface  62  of the outer cover  32 . The secondary or inner backing layer  60  may be of a thin, strong rubber or synthetic rubber or silicone material or of a durable, pliable textile fabric treated with a rubber-like material to provide the desired texture for the interior surface  62 . For a material which is not inherently porous a pattern of small holes may be provided in the inner backing material of the layer  60 . Such holes may be of different sizes, for example ⅛ th  inch to ¼ inch in diameter as circular holes, and may be of various shapes, depending upon the material and its ability to withstand the stresses of washing the outer cover  32 . 
         [0033]    As may be seen in  FIG. 5 , the backing layers  58  and  60  may be wound in offset helices to form the cylindrical shape of the outer cover  32 . In  FIG. 5 , a helical joint  64  is visible in the inner backing layer  60 , and a helical joint  66  between adjacent turns of the outer backing layer  58  that carries the pile fibers  56  is hidden behind the material of the inner backing layer  60 . As with a cardboard core of a conventional paint roller sleeve, the inner or secondary backing layer  60  may be wrapped as a 3-inch-wide strip in a helix around a suitable mandrel, and the outer backing layer  58  carrying the pile layer  56  may also be wrapped as a 3-inch-wide strip, in a helical wrapping offset by about 1 and ½ inches longitudinally of the outer cover  32 , so that the inner backing layer  60  supports and holds together the primary backing layer  58  and its associated layer of pile.  56 . End portions  68  of the outer cover  32  may be tapered to a conical surface at each end. A hole  70  is desirably made through the backing layers  58  and  60  and the nap or pile  56  in at least one end portion  68  to receive a hook from which the outer cover  32  may be hung to dry after its has been washed. 
         [0034]    As may be seen in  FIG. 6 , in one version the core  30  may have small studs or protrusions  72  located randomly or in a pattern on the exterior surface of the core  30 , to aid in gripping against the interior surface  62  of the outer cover  32 . Alternatively, the exterior surface of the core  30  may have an “orange peel” texture or configuration for aiding in gripping the interior surface  62  of the outer cover  32 , as shown at  74  in  FIG. 6 . As a further alternative, as shown at  76  in  FIG. 6 , the exterior surface of the core  30  may be scuffed or abraded to leave a roughened surface to grip the interior surface  62  of the outer cover  32 . 
         [0035]    It is known for paint rollers to be specially equipped to deliver a quantity of paint through the handle assembly  12  to the interior of a paint roller sleeve specially manufactured to include perforations in the cardboard or plastic core, to deliver paint from the interior of the special sleeve and thus obviate having to dip the roller periodically when painting. As shown in  FIG. 7 , therefore, the core  30  may include perforations  80  at fairly regular spacing and in patterns about the surfaces of the core  32  to permit the sleeve assembly  14  to be used on such a specially equipped handle assembly. 
         [0036]    The outer cover  32  may be manufactured in at least two different manners. As discussed briefly above, a long strip of the inner, secondary backing material  60  can be wrapped into a tubular form on a suitable mandrel as a spiral, i.e., helical, wrap using known techniques for manufacture of conventional paint roller covers. The desired primary or outer backing layer  58  carrying the required pile layer  56  is then glued to the inner, secondary backing layer  60  in an offset location, similarly applying a long strip in a helical winding. 
         [0037]    Alternatively, the outer cover  32  may be manufactured from sheet goods, with the secondary backing layer  60  applied to the primary backing layer  58  carrying the pile, using a gluing station to apply an adhesive in conventional ways such as a glue wheel or a spray applicator. Thereafter the combined layers may be moved through a joining and cutting station to compress the two backing layers together and cut the materials to a length corresponding to the circumference of the outer cover  32 , so that when it is assembled its interior diameter will be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the core  30 , as described above. Sheets of the inner, secondary backing layer  60  material and primary backing material  58  and the associated pile  56  are combined in an offset pattern to keep the seams of the two products separate from each other. The glued combined layers may be moved onto an assembly rod or mandrel by a series of wheels that form the material into the required tubular shape and adhere the seams, compressing them for a secure bond. 
         [0038]    Thereafter the assembly rod is rotated at a high rate to centrifugally “fluff” the fibers of the pile layer  56  while the pile is trimmed to the desired depth and the excess materials are removed to leave the outer cover  32  clean. Thereafter V notches are cut into the long tubes to establish the length of each separate outer cover  32  being manufactured, and finally the outer covers  32  are separated by cutting through the layers  58  and  60  of backing materials at the center of each V notch. The independent individual outer covers are then removed from the assembly rods and vacuumed clean for packaging. 
         [0039]    Each outer cover  32  can be mounted on an associated core  30  when it is squeezed by hand to the extent possible as limited by the slit width  44 . Once the outer cover  32  is in place surrounding the core  30 , with the ends of the core  30  aligned with the ends of the outer cover  32 , the grip on the core  30  can be released, allowing the core  30  to expand within the confines of the outer cover  32 . The elastic force of the core  30  attempting to expand the holds the cover  32  securely in place on its core  30  to complete the sleeve assembly  14 . 
         [0040]    Placement of the sleeve assembly  14  onto the sleeve support  20  tends to expand the core  30  even more, as the rods  24  of a typical sleeve support  20  press outwardly against the interior of the core  30 . 
         [0041]    After the paint roller  10  has been used, the sleeve assembly  14  can be slid off the sleeve support portion  20  of the handle assembly  12 , and by then manually squeezing the sleeve assembly  14 , the core  30  can be compressed to release the outer cover  32  so that it can be removed from the core  30 . With the outer cover  32  removed, the core  30  can easily be washed clean, and the outer cover  32  can also be washed clean, by spraying water or other paint solvent from within the outer cover  32  to remove paint from the fabric of the inner backing layer  60  and outer backing layer  58 , as well as from the pile  56 . The entire outer cover  32  can be squeezed while it is being rinsed and can also be squeezed to remove water from it after it has been rinsed clean. The ability to move water through the backing layers  58  and  60  as well as the nap or pile  56  reduces the amount of water necessary to clean the roller properly, potentially saving millions of gallons of water. The ease of cleaning the components of the sleeve assembly  14  described above makes it practical and economical to use the same outer cover  32  many times, in contrast to throwing an entire conventional roller sleeve away after a single day&#39;s use. 
         [0042]    The terms and expressions which have been employed in the foregoing specification are used therein as terms of description and not of limitation, and there is no intention, in the use of such terms and expressions, of excluding equivalents of the features shown and described or portions thereof, it being recognized that the scope of the invention is defined and limited only by the claims which follow.

Technology Classification (CPC): 8