Patent ID: 6851155

Claim:
A roller cage assembly for use with a paint roller handle having a rod, the assembly comprising: a roller sleeve having a first end and a second end; a primary and a secondary hub, each hub having an outer portion and an inner portion, the outer portion having a larger diameter than the inner portion and adapted to engage the inner surface of the roller sleeve; a tube connected between the primary hub inner portion and the secondary hub inner portion; each of the hubs further including: an annular tube stop adjacent to but spaced from the free end of the inner portion of the respective hub to define a region within the respective inner portion adapted to frictionally engage the tube interconnecting the hubs, the ends of the tube frictionally engaging an inner surface of the respective hub inner portion, the tube stop and a wall of the respective outer hub portion further defining a cavity, each cavity housing a keeper having a keeper gap allowing expansion of the keeper during intercourse with the rod while facilitating a tight grip between the keeper and the rod, each of the keepers having a size such that they allow free rotational movement of the associated hub thereabout, and wherein the roller sleeve, the primary hub, the secondary hub and the tube are arranged to define a sealed inner cavity, whereby liquid into the cavity is reduced.