PAINT CAN HOLDER
A paint can holder has a paint can support and a rod-like projection projecting from the support away from any paint can supported by the paint can support. The rod-like projection has a free end remote from the support. The rod-like projection is configured such that the rod-like projection may be inserted into a rung of a ladder to support the paint can from the ladder.
Painting whilst on a ladder presents difficulties. Specifically, the painter needs one hand for the paint brush and, if the other needs to hold the paint can, the painter's balance is precarious.
Canadian patent no. 2,455,919 discloses a paint can holder to which a paint can may be attached. The holder has two parallel hooks which allow the holder to be hung from a rung of a ladder. This allows the painter to use the ladder to hold the paint can. However, accessing the paint can may be difficult.
Therefore a need remains for an improved paint can holder.
SUMMARY OF INVENTIONA paint can holder has a paint can support and a rod-like projection projecting from the support away from any paint can supported by the paint can support. The rod-like projection has a free end remote from the support. The rod-like projection is configured such that the rod-like projection may be inserted into a rung of a ladder to support the paint can from the ladder.
Other features and advantages will become apparent from the following description in conjunction with the drawings.
In the figures which illustrate example embodiments of the invention,
Turning to
As seen in
The projection 14 may be inserted either from the left side or the right side of the ladder so that the paint can may be positioned either to the left or to the right of a painter on the ladder. In this way, the paint can may be conveniently disposed for either left or right handed painters.
Because the holder holds the can so that it extends away from one side of the web 16 in one direction while the projection 14 projects in the opposite direction, when the holder is in place on a ladder, the holder will not interfere with the ladder nor with a painter's access to the paint can.
Further, the vertical level of the paint can may be adjusted by inserting the male end of the holder in a different rung of the ladder. In this regard, the holder may be easily removed from a rung by first bearing the weight of the paint can by lifting on the handle 32 of the paint can and then drawing the holder outwardly away from the ladder so that the male protuberance is withdrawn from the ladder rung.
As will be apparent, the holder is suitable for use with paint cans of different sizes, for example, gallon cans and pint cans, as the strap 20 may be adjusted to hold these different sized cans to the holder. Preferably, as shown in the figures, to enhance the stability of the holder, the distance between the platform and rod-like projection is greater than the height of any paint can held by the holder so that the paint can is positioned below the rod-like projection 14.
As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the strap 20 to fasten the paint can to the holder may be replaced with any other suitable mechanism to hold the paint can to the holder. For example, turning to
Other modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art and, therefore, the invention is defined in the claims.
Claims
1. A paint can holder, comprising:
- a paint can support;
- a rod-like projection projecting from said support away from any paint can supported by said paint can support, said rod-like projection having a free end remote from said support, and said rod-like projection configured such that said rod-like projection may be inserted into a rung of a ladder to support said paint can from said ladder.
2. The holder of claim 1 wherein said paint can support comprises a paint can supporting platform projecting in a first direction and wherein said rod-like projection projects in a second direction opposite said first direction.
3. The holder claim 2 wherein said paint can support further comprises a web interconnecting said platform to said rod-like projection.
4. The holder of claim 3 wherein said platform, said web, and said rod-like projection, together, present a substantially Z-shaped profile.
5. The holder of any one of claim 4 wherein said platform is spaced from said rod-like projection by an amount greater than a height of any paint can supported by said paint can support.
6. The holder of any one of claim 1 further comprising means to hold a paint can to said paint can support.
7. The holder of claim 3 further comprising a strap tethered to said web for holding a paint can to said support.
8. The holder of claim 8 wherein said strap has a hook and loop fastening system.
9. The holder of claim 1 wherein said rod-like projection is cylindrical.
10. The holder of claim 2 wherein said rod-like projection is cylindrical.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 21, 2006
Publication Date: Jan 24, 2008
Inventor: Mark Anderson (Grand Bay-Westfield)
Application Number: 11/459,258
International Classification: A47G 29/02 (20060101);