Abstract: A system for preparing a surface for painting, staining, or other treatment is provided. This system includes a surface preparation material and an optional dispenser for dispensing the surface preparation material. The surface preparation material includes a single-layer or multi-layer substrate material or fabric; a sanding portion formed on the substrate, wherein the sanding portion further includes at least one abrasive substance deposited thereon or embedded therein; and a wiping portion formed on the substrate separate from the sanding portion, wherein the wiping portion further includes cleaning means for removing debris created by the sanding portion from the surface to be painted, stained, or otherwise treated. The cleaning means may be one or more dry textured regions or areas formed on the substrate or it may be one or more sticky or tacky regions or areas formed on the substrate.

Abstract: A hand-held container for paint and painting implements is provided. The body of the paint container includes an internal reservoir for holding paint and a magnet housed within the body for securing a paint brush or the like within the reservoir. An automatically adjusting, flexible handle that includes a living hinges provides a means for holding a person's hand against the exterior of the body. The paint container also includes a body that is dividable into multiple compartments. A textured surface covers a portion of exterior of the handle and the body and creates a non-slip surface useful for gripping the container. A portion of the container is shaped in a manner that allows the container to function as a pitcher for dispensing fluids such as paint. Stabilizing legs formed on or attached to the front portion of the container allow the container to be also be used as a paint tray.

Abstract: A hand-held container for paint and painting implements. The body of the paint container includes an internal reservoir for holding paint and a magnet housed within the body for securing a paint brush or the like within the reservoir. An automatically adjusting, flexible handle that includes a living hinges provides a means for holding a person's hand against the exterior of the body. The paint container also includes a body that is dividable into multiple compartments. A textured surface covers a portion of exterior of the handle and the body and creates a non-slip surface useful for gripping the container. A portion of the container is shaped in a manner that allows the container to function as a pitcher for dispensing fluids such as paint. Stabilizing legs formed on or attached to the front portion of the container allow the container to be also be used as a paint tray.

Abstract: Paint roller grid includes a pair of hooks each including a rearwardly extending upper portion and a downwardly extending inturned lip having a forwardly facing inwardly angled surface for engaging an outer cylindrical surface of a container below the container rim when the hooks are hooked over the container rim and the grid is inserted into the top opening of the container. The hooks may be spaced from a bottom edge of the grid a distance slightly greater than the height of the container, whereby when the grid is inserted into the container opening and the hooks are hooked over the container rim, the bottom edge of the grid will engage the inside bottom surface of the container. A pair of feet may extend rearwardly from the grid for engagement with the inner cylindrical surface of the container to prevent the grid from moving within the container during rolling of a roller cover on the grid wiping surface.

Abstract: A re-usable, shed-resistant roller cover for use with paint and other heavy liquids is provided. One embodiment provides a non-woven roller cover material. This roller cover material includes a single outer layer or ply of non-woven material that replaces the knitted or woven fabrics typically utilized for paint roller covers. Another embodiment provides a single-ply, non-woven roller cover attached to a stable substrate, i.e., a backing material. The stable substrate provides a degree of dimensional stability to the roller cover and prevents or reduces “necking” that can result in the formation of gaps on the roller core. A third embodiment provides a single-ply, non-woven roller cover (with or without a backing material) attached to a rigid core that provides structural support to the roller cover.

Abstract: A paint roller grid includes a wiping surface surrounded by a frame member having a pair of spaced apart hooks connected to the upper edge of the frame member for releasably attaching the grid to a container rim. The hooks may be spaced laterally outwardly from opposite ends of the upper edge of the frame member to provide spaces therebetween for receipt of portions of the upper rim and upper side wall of the container in the spaces. A plurality of spaced apart tabs may be provided along the side edges of the grids for connecting two or more such grids together along their respective side edges to form a paint roller grid assembly comprising two or more such grids.

Abstract: A hand-held container for paint and painting implements. The body of the paint container includes an internal reservoir for holding paint and a magnet housed within the body for securing a paint brush or the like within the reservoir. An automatically adjusting, flexible handle that includes a living hinges provides a means for holding a person's hand against the exterior of the body. The paint container also includes a body that is dividable into multiple compartments. A textured surface covers a portion of exterior of the handle and the body and creates a non-slip surface useful for gripping the container. A portion of the container is shaped in a manner that allows the container to function as a pitcher for dispensing fluids such as paint. Stabilizing legs formed on or attached to the front portion of the container allow the container to be also be used as a paint tray.

Abstract: A paint roller tray includes a paint roller reservoir adjacent one end and a roll off area sloping upwardly away from the paint roller reservoir. The slope of the roll off area is maintained by a support member longitudinally spaced from the paint roller reservoir. The support member is comprised of one or more compartments each having a closed bottom and open top, and an inner wall extending above the upper end of the roll off area to separate each compartment from the roll off area.

Abstract: A paint brush includes a two component brush handle having a head portion made of a relatively rigid plastic material and a grip portion made of a relatively soft, flexible elastomeric material. The head portion has one end adapted to fit within the ferrule of a brush and an other end having an integral web portion protruding axially outwardly therefrom about which the grip portion is over molded to secure the grip portion to the head portion. One or more openings are provided in the web portion through which the material of the grip portion is caused to extend during the over molding step to provide a mechanical connection between the grip portion and head portion.

Abstract: A paint roller frame and plastic cage assembly, the cage assembly comprising a plurality of circumferentially spaced, axially extending support rails joined together at their ends by inboard and outboard end caps and also intermediate their ends by one or more annular support members. The cage assembly is mounted for limited axial movement in opposite directions on the roller frame shaft, during which cam members on the radial inner walls of radially movable portions of the cage assembly move into and out of engagement with an outer surface of one or more hub assemblies mounted on the shaft. Engagement of the cam members with the hub assemblies causes the radially movable portions to move radially outwardly into frictional engagement with a roller cover when inserted over the cage assembly.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for making paint roller covers by spirally wrapping a strip of hot thermoplastic film onto an exterior surface of a thermoplastic tubular form and spirally wrapping fabric strip having a thermoplastic backing onto the spiral wound strip of thermoplastic film while the thermoplastic film is still sufficiently hot to cause the thermoplastic film to flow into interstices in the fabric backing and permanently bond the fabric strip to the exterior surface of the tubular form. The tubular form may either comprise a plurality of preformed tubes or be formed by spirally wrapping a continuous length of core strip material around a mandrel while maintaining the adjacent edges of the core strip material in closely spaced, nonoverlapping relation to form a spiral seam between the core strip edges.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for making paint roller covers by spirally advancing a thermoplastic tubular form past a plurality of electronic corona discharge heads arranged in a helical path around the tubular form to subject substantially the entire exterior surface of the tubular form to high frequency, high voltage sparks as the tubular form spirally advances past the heads to make substantially the entire exterior surface more receptive to adhesion when a uniform layer of epoxy adhesive is subsequently applied to the treated exterior surface of the tubular form. Next a fabric strip is spirally wrapped over the epoxy adhesive to bond the fabric strip to the tubular form. To make the exterior surface of the tubular form still more receptive to adhesion, the exterior surface may be preheated immediately prior to treating the exterior surface with high voltage sparks.

Abstract: A paint brush handle has an outer layer of a comfortable, relatively soft elastomeric material that surrounds a rigid core of foamed polyolefin. The handle is made using a co-injection process in which a mold cavity is first coated by an initial partial shot of the elastomeric material and then filled by injecting more elastomeric material and polyolefin material containing a foaming agent simultaneously. The simultaneous shot of these materials is achieved by injecting the materials through a single inlet passage into the mold cavity in which the flows are concentric, with the elastomeric material surrounding the polyolefin material. The ferrule is attached to the handle using nails or other suitable fasteners which penetrate into the rigid inner core.

Abstract: A paint roller frame includes a handle having a radial bore and a wire shank having an outer end for rotatably supporting a paint roller cover and an inner end rotatably received in the bore. The outer end of the wire shank extends at an angle relative to the inner end whereby turning movement of the inner end within the bore will cause a change in the orientation of the outer end and thus the paint roller cover supported thereby relative to the handle. Between the inner and outer ends of the wire shank is an intermediate portion including a radial leg extending at a right angle relative to the inner end which is spring biased into engagement with any one of a plurality of notches in an end wall of the handle surrounding the bore for retaining the outer end of the wire shank in any one of a plurality of different orientations relative to the handle.

Abstract: A handle for a paint roller frame includes an inner core made of a substantially rigid plastic material and an outer grip made of a softer rubber-like material surrounding the inner core and extending part way around both ends thereof. At the outer end of the inner core is an internally threaded opening surrounded by a planar end wall. The outer grip includes an outer end portion overlying the planar end wall which acts like a locking washer, resisting unscrewing of an extension pole from the threaded opening when the extension pole is screwed down tight and a flange at a base of the extension pole threads comes into contact with the outer end portion of the outer grip overlying the planar end wall.