Patent ID: 8060975

Claim:
A paint roller, comprising: (a) a shaft having a first end and a second end; (b) a handle having a first end and a second end with the second end attached to the first end of the shaft; (c) a frame rotatably secured to the second end of the shaft for rotating about an axis of rotation and operably engaging a paint roller head, the frame having a proximal end from which the shaft extends in a first axial direction, and a distal end spaced in a second axial direction from the proximal end; and (d) a protrusion extends in the second axial direction from the distal end of the frame, the protrusion removably engaged to the frame and configured and arranged to extend an axial distance beyond a distal end of a paint roller head operably engaged upon the frame and thereby prevent a distal end of a paint roller head operably engaged upon the frame from contacting a surface perpendicular to the axis of rotation, and further comprising: (a) a flexure joint interposed between and connecting the second end of the handle and the first end of the shaft, the flexure joint including: (i) a spherical member, (ii) a receiving member configured and arranged to maintain and selectively engage the spherical member, and (iii) a connector in communication with the receiving member for releasably locking the spherical member in position as between at least a first locked position and a second locked position relative to the receiving member, and (b) whereby repositioning of the spherical member as between the first and second locked positions is effective for repositioning the shaft relative to the handle as between a first locked position and a second locked position.