Multipurpose paint saving apparatus

Abstract

An apparatus for reducing liquid waste in a container is provided. The liquid may be paint. The apparatus comprises an elongate rigid metallic body having first and second ends and first and second long edges, with the first end furnished with projections and concavities shaped to mate with the upper rim of a lidded paint can, and the second end being flat and formed with a generally right angle abutment with said first edge, and also abutting with said second edge in a similar manner, and said first and second ends, and said first and second edges further comprising a nonmetallic resilient ridge extending therefrom for sweeping paint from the inside of a ridged paint container.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of Invention

The invention relates to the field or industrial waste reduction, more specifically to the reduction in paint waste.

Discarded paint, considered to be the number one household hazardous waste, poses a threat to our increasingly compromised environment and water. Municipal and state agencies consistently report that leftover paint represents between 40% and 60% (by weight) of all material collected at household hazardous waste collection facilities or events. Of all hazardous household products, paint represents the largest cost for local governments to collect and manage, costing over US$300 million per year (an average collection and management cost of US$8/gallon).

There are numerous manufacturers of paint cans, yet the large majority of cans are very similar in design, geometry and structure and have not changed in decades. Several manufactures of paint cans that have added two circumferential ribs to the wall of their cans. This is presumably to increase the can wall's strength, making the can more resistant to crushing or other damage. The width of these reinforcing ribs is typically about ⅜″. The ribs protrude into the interior of the can about 1/32″, in effect, dividing the inner can wall into three horizontal segments.

The traditional wooden painting tool is thus unable to clean and wipe the inside wall of a ribbed can because the circumferential ribs make it impossible for any solid edge to make complete contact with the entire can wall.

Posing another challenge, containers of paint, of stain, or of other chemicals or viscous compounds generally have a groove around the rim, which is used for tight sealing of a lid while maintaining paint inside the can. This groove catches residual liquid from pouring or brush action. Unless this residue is removed, it dries and may impair the sealing of the can. The entire can of paint may dry out and be rendered unusable. Even if this does not occur, the liquid paint can react with the lid to oxidize it and to contaminate the remaining paint with undesirable and discoloring oxides.

The purpose of the invention is to prevent these effects, and to minimize paint waste, and provide for a less hazardous waste entering landfills, but in a way that is inexpensive and easy to effect.

2. Description of Related Art

Design patent D468977 granted to the applicants on Jan. 21, 2003 discloses a simple paint can scraping tool, and is incorporated herein by reference.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,555,592 issued to Charles Crego discloses a paint-can channel cleaner and recycler, which can be run around the rim of a can of paint and will, by virtue of its shape, divert the paint in the rim back into the can. This is a rigid tool with a defined curled shape and specific to the upper rim of a paint can.

U.S. Pat. No. 5,491,868 discloses a container cleaning spatula with a rectangular head attached to an elongated handle. No provision is made for cleaning rims, or underneath the rim, or the opening of paint can lids.

In summary, the prior single and multi-use tools for painters typically include edges for crudely scraping paint off of surfaces, for scraping paint off of paint roller tubes, or for prying cans open with the scraping edge. A tool which more effectively reduces paint waste and mess, and can also act to open paint can lids, is still required.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to one aspect of the invention, there is provided an apparatus for reducing liquid waste in a container, the apparatus including:

an elongate, rigid metallic body having first and second ends and first and second long edges, with the first end having projections and concavities shaped to mate with the upper rim of a lidded paint can; the second end being substantially flat and formed with a generally right angle abutment with the first and second long edges; and the first and second ends, and the first and second long edges, further including a nonmetallic resilient ridge extending therefrom.

The liquid may be paint, and the container may be a paint can. The paint can may be a one gallon or 3.78 litre size, or a quart size.

The nonmetallic resilient ridge may be confined to the region of the apparatus nearest the second end, or it may extend from at least one of the first and second long edges. It may extend from at least one of the first and second ends.

The first end may have a nonmental resilient projection to reach deep into the paint can lid groove.

The first long edge may have a metallic hook-shaped projection shaped to extend fittedly under the inner rim of a paint container when the first long edge is brought into contact with the inside vertical wall of the paint container.

The second long edge may have a concavity capable of accommodating a paint brush, the outside of a cylindrical container, or a paint roller, to be used to removing liquid paint from the brush or roller when the brush or roller is drawn across the concavity, or the concavity is drawn across the container.

The rigid, metallic body may be composed of steel. It may further include a protective coating, such as PVC or rubber. A hole or aperture may be provided to allow the apparatus to be hung on a hook or attached with a string or cord.

The invention offers the advantage of being both rigid, and therefore strong enough to pry open the lids of paint cans, as well as pliable along the wiping edges, to move liquid paint to common pools where it can be used for painting, and to assist in providing a clean receiving surface for lid, so that the seal between the lid and the can may be made tight, and the contents effectively protected from oxidisation and drying.

The apparatus of the invention lends itself to wiping the insides of cans containing materials with a wide range of materials and viscosities. The metal substrate provides sufficient strength to allow for the manipulation of even very heavy materials, while the resilient pliable edge accommodates various interior shapes and grooved structures, and reaches into angled corners and vertices.

Other aspects and features of the present invention will become apparent to those ordinarily skilled in the art upon review of the following description of specific embodiments of the invention in conjunction with the accompanying figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In drawings which illustrate embodiments of the invention,

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the invention showing the resilient ridge and shaped end;

FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the same embodiment of the invention;

FIG. 3 is a bottom plan view of the same embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 4 is a side plan view of the same embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

“Flat”, as used in this application, means shallow in one dimension, or from ¼ inch to a few inches in that dimension.

“Long” as referring the length of the apparatus means from about 12 to about 15 inches in length, or from 13 to 14 inches in length, or 13.25 inches in length.

“Resilient ridge” means a longitudinal projection following along the edge or end of the apparatus, extending beyond the rigid portion thereof, and acting as a resilient brush or spatula to extend into crevices or ridges in the rigid container or paint can. The resilient ridge may be made of plastic, rubber, or any synthetic or natural semi rigid polymeric compound.

“Resilient projection” in this application means a finger-like projection that extends further, but is made of a similar material and may be entire with, the “resilient ridge” defined above. The resilient projection extends into deeper ridges or concavities of the paint can rim to reach pools of paint or other flowable viscous material therein.

“Paint can” may mean any rigid container with a fitted lid, usually containing architectural or craft paint, stain, or varnish. “Liquid paint” as used in this application may mean architectural or craft paint, stain, or varnish, or flowable bonding resins.

“Flowable viscous material” may be paint, stain, varnish, honey, glue, syrup, puddings, fats such as lard, margarine, butter or shortening, mayonnaise, or baking batters.

It is an object of the invention to provide a multi-function apparatus engineered to efficiently clean and claim most or all residual liquid paint from gallon and quart paint cans, as well as to act as a paint can opener.

Referring to FIG. 1, an apparatus according to a first embodiment of the invention is shown generally at 10.

The invention as shown in FIGS. 1 through 4 is an apparatus with a rigid (preferably steel) core with a defined shape, furnished along all or some of its edges with a resilient projecting ridge (20) to afford a clean wipe of the inside vertical wall of a variety of rigid container shapes. In a preferred embodiment, and as shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the apparatus is shaped to clean, wipe, and act as a lever for prying open standard paint can designs.

The apparatus is further provided with a shaped end (30) suitable for cleaning the paint or other flowable viscous material from along the lipped rim of a container or paint can. This end further includes a resilient projection (55) to accommodate different depths and shapes. The apparatus is elongate in overall shape to provide adequate leverage for the second end of the apparatus to act as paint can lid opener (40). The region of the second end also provides a hook-shaped under-the-rim cleaning contour (50).

The apparatus is further provided with a hang hole for easy storage (60), and an arc contour for brush and roller clean-up and drip reduction (70). These aspects are best shown in FIGS. 1 and 4. A rigid metal core (80) is preferred because of its durability and strength as compared to wood or plastic for repeat use both in wiping and levering. The strength required to apply enough force to the edge of the lid cannot be tolerated by wood or plastic when formed in the appropriate size and shape to fit the geometry of a typical paint can lid. The strength of a metallic core also allows the apparatus to be used to clean up a wide range of flowable material weights and viscosities. In addition, metal will withstand harsh cleaning chemicals and scrubbing in between uses.

The rigid metallic portion of the apparatus may be coated to protect it against solvents and chemicals. In a preferred embodiment, a PVC coating is used.

Operation

As previously touched on, every traditional paint can has a lid that tightly fits and seals the can by means of two interlocking surfaces. The interlocking surface on the can is a rounded “valley” or “trench”, which accepts the corresponding surface of the lid and forms a tight seal with it. The paint that accumulates in this trench, or “rim” can be removed using the shaped end 30, and the surface cleaned before replacing the lid.

The apparatus of the invention has contoured edges (50) and resilient protruding ridges (20, 55) therealong to fit rims of varying geometries in order to remove the majority of accumulated paint. Replacing the lid then results in a tight and effective guard of the remaining paint from drying and wastage.

An operator possessing an apparatus according to one aspect of the invention as shown in FIG. 1 may use it to open a lidded container of flowable viscous material, and as the flowable viscous material is used up, insert the apparatus into the container and scrape the material from the sides and towards the bottom of the container. The hook (50) may be drawn along the bottom inside edge of the rim of the container, to draw the flowable material down along the apparatus toward the bottom of the can. The ridge 20 is flexible and accommodates different subtle geometries of the inside of the container, and different angles of approach. The flowable material gathered at the bottom of the container may then be used or stored.

The apparatus of the invention may similarly be used to clean a virtually empty container by wiping the material up an out of the opening thereof. This allows the container to be recycled and the material to be pooled with other remainders to form a useful volume.

Paint is not the only type of viscous, flowable material with which the apparatus of the invention may be used to advantage. Examples of other contained materials with which the apparatus may be used to clean up and help more completely utilize include paint, plaster, grease, adhesives, and auto body repair compounds such as Bondo™, etc. Further applications would apply to the food industry, and include mayonnaise and other salad dressings, puddings, cake fillings, frosting, ice cream, lard, peanut butter, etc.

While specific embodiments of the invention have been described and illustrated, such embodiments should be considered illustrative of the invention only and not as limiting the invention as construed in accordance with the accompanying claims.

Claims

1. An apparatus for reducing liquid waste in a container, the apparatus comprising:

an elongate, rigid metallic body having first and second ends and first and second long edges;

said first end having projections and concavities shaped to mate with the upper rim of a lidded paint can;

said second end being substantially flat and formed with a generally right angle abutment with said first and second long edges;

and said first and second ends, and said first and second long edges, further comprising a nonmetallic resilient ridge extending therefrom.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nonmetallic resilient ridge is confined to the region of the apparatus nearest said second end.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nonmetallic resilient ridge extends from at least one of said first and second long edges.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said nonmetallic resilient ridge extends from at least one of said first and second ends.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising, at said first end, a nonmental resilient projection.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said first long edge further comprises a metallic hook-shaped projection shaped to extend under the inner rim of a container when said first long edge is brought into contact with the inside vertical wall of said container.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said rigid, metallic body is comprised of steel.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a protective coating over said metallic body.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said liquid is paint.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said container is a paint can.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein said second long edge further comprises a concavity shaped to correspond to the exterior arc of the outside of a standard paint can, for use in removing liquid from the outside of said paint can, or a brush or roller, when said apparatus is moved along said brush or roller or outside of said paint can.