Paint can liner

Abstract

for cylindrical cans containing paints, varnishes and the like, which snap-fit engages to the top of the open cans and having uniformly thin, structurally rigid, and singularly molded construction that is disposable. The paint can liner protects the can's sealing channel into which the lid of a metal can mates, and provides an array of benefits suitable for either metal or plastic paint cans. In its preferred embodiment, primarily for gallon or similarly sized containers, the liner includes a pouring spout, an optional filter for use while pouring, a ribbed sloping surface for rolling excess paint from mini rollers, a horizontal shelf for resting either mini roller or paintbrush, and a linear edge for wiping excess paint from brushes.

Description

[0001]PROVISIONAL PATENT APPLICATION 60/901,097 filed Feb. 12, 2007.

TABLE-US-00001 U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS 1,952,288 March 1934 Saxon 221/23 2,106,381 January 1938 Rough 221/23 2,145,748 January 1939 Bailey 221/23 2,471,189 May 1949 Bartels 210/163.5 2,627,367 February 1953 Bork 222/570 2,646,193 July 1953 Best 222/570 2,767,891 May 1955 Beadles 222/570 2,720,346 October 1955 Compton 222/570 2,765,966 October 1956 Davis 222/570 3,074,604 January 1963 Baroud 222/569 3,102,667 September 1963 Ullevig 222/569 3,221,955 December 1965 Banaszak 222/569 3,239,113 March 1966 Knize 222/569 3,309,000 March 1967 Haverstick 222/570 3,400,867 September 1968 Giannone 222/570 3,469,735 September 1969 Burt 220/698 3,693,829 September 1972 Price 222/698 3,695,488 October 1972 Olsson 222/570 3,853,249 February 1974 Weir, Jr. et al. 222/570 4,009,802 March 1977 Haydechok 222/108 4,203,537 May 1980 McAlister 222/570 4,225,064 September 1980 Westcott 222/570 X 4,240,568 December 1980 Pool 222/570 X 4,316,560 February 1982 Carter 222/567 4,583,666 April 1986 Buck 222/109 4,907,714 February 1989 Gatz 222/570 4,949,884 August 1990 Dahl 222/570 5,012,960 May 1991 Arnold 222/570 5,161,689 November 1992 Balson 206/509 5,195,662 March 1993 Neff 222/108 5,213,239 May 1993 Macaluso 222/570 5,234,133 August 1993 Kensey 222/189.07 5,392,969 February 1995 Usery 222/570 5,626,258 May 1197 Maiorino 220/695 5,779,093 July 1998 Poole et al. 220/698 5,921,448 July 1999 Stewart 222/490 6,135,310 October 2000 Svehaug 220/700 6,264,072 July 2001 Johannes 222/460 6,253,951 July 2001 Pruckler 220/733 6,539,991 April 2003 Ackerman 141/331 6,702,144 March 2004 Lyon 220/700 7,134,574 November 2006 Braunstein et al. 222/108 Pub 0236443 April 2004 Gringer et al. 222/570

TABLE-US-00002 FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS 56286 June 1939 Denmark 222/571 16400 June 1907 Fed. Rep. of Germany 222/571 195828 November 1936 Switzerland 222/571 245336 July 1947 Switzerland 222/571 7794 February 1986 United Kingdom 222/571

BACKGROUND

Technical Field, Description of the Related Art

[0002]Liquid paint products applied by brushing, rolling or spraying commonly found in paint stores, shopping marts and home-improvement centers, are hereinafter referred to simply as "paint." It is well known that paint contained in cylindrical metal cans, both gallon and quart sized, are sealed air-tight with a press-on metal lid having a downwardly projected annular flange at its perimeter that mates with a corresponding annular sealing channel at its rim. In order for the can to seal effectively, the flange must fit tightly within the channel. As long as the sealing channel remains clean, the container can be effectively resealed by lightly tapping the lid back onto the can, thereby causing the flange to fully re-engage within the sealing channel. However, experience shows that while the can is open, paint usually finds its way into the sealing channel regardless of how careful the painter tries to be. Attempting to wipe paint from this channel proves both difficult and time-consuming. Even after an attempted cleaning, sufficient residue usually remains to cause deficiencies in the resealing process. And when the frustrated painter forcefully hammers the lid back on, paint residue within the sealing channel usually prevents an airtight seal from forming. Besides ending up with an ineffectively sealed container, if the residue is fresh, paint will likely spray in all directions making more of an unwanted mess. To make matters even worse, without an airtight seal the paint's shelf life will become shortened. And because of its adhesive properties, any residue remaining within the sealing channel will cause the lid to become more difficult to remove upon the next project.

[0003]In a typical painting project, a full can of paint usually requires stirring prior to application. Furthermore, with paint rollers often used even for small jobs, paint must often be poured into a roller pan for applying and rolling out excess paint. And for those jobs requiring a paintbrush, the brush is usually dipped into the can with the excess paint being wiped off on the can's inner edge. All of these common painting tasks likely results in a portion of paint ending up in the metal can's sealing channel. For decades attempts have been made to solve this well documented problem by proposing a variety of paint can attachments. These designs can be divided into two general categories: those that cover only a portion of the can's rim and therefore are more capable of adapting to minor dimensional variations found in paint cans from differing manufacturers; and those that completely cover the can's sealing channel which, by their nature provide better protection yet have limitations regarding adaptability.

[0004]Attachments that cover only a portion of the paint can's sealing channel include those described in: U.S. Pat. No. 1,952,288 to Saxon, U.S. Pat. No. 2,106,381 to Rough, U.S. Pat. No. 2,145,748 to Bailey; U.S. Pat. No. 2,471,189 to Bartels; U.S. Pat. No. 2,720,346 to Compton; U.S. Pat. No. 2,765,966 to Davis; U.S. Pat. No. 3,074,604 to Baroud; U.S. Pat. No. 3,102,667 to Ullevig; U.S. Pat. No. 3,400,867 to Giannone; U.S. Pat. No. 3,695,488 to Olsson; U.S. Pat. No. 4,009,802 to Haydechok; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,662 to Neff. The designers of these attachments perhaps assumed that a viable product would be one that is capable of adapting to paint cans having minor dimensional variations. While these devices assist in pouring liquid from the container, they suffer the disadvantage of leaving the exposed sealing channel unprotected and susceptible to paint intrusion.

[0005]In recent years, paint shelves in the larger retail outlets have undergone a trend in standardization where paint departments display row upon row of a wide variety of paint products from only a few manufacturers. Unlike the past, most if not all gallon-sized and quart sized paint cans within a particular store are from the same manufacturer and are dimensionally identical. This trend towards standardization within high volume outlets has paved the way for a viable paint can attachment specific to a particular paint manufacturer. U.S. Pat. No. 2,627,367 to Bork, U.S. Pat. No. 2,646,193 to Best, U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,000 to Haverstick, U.S. Pat. No. 3,221,955 to Banaszak, U.S. Pat. No. 3,63,829 to Price, U.S. Pat. No. 3,853,249 to Weir, U.S. Pat. No. 4,225,064 to Wescott, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,568 to Pool, U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,560 to Carter, U.S. Pat. No. 4,583,666 to Buck, U.S. Pat. No. 4,949,884 to Dahl, U.S. Pat. No. 5,012,960 to Arnold, U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,239 to Macaluso, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,969 to Usery, U.S. Pat. No. 5,568,879 to Kovathana, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,258 to Maiorino, U.S. Pat. No. 5,779,093 to Poole et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,921,448 to Stewart, U.S. Pat. No. 6,135,310 to Svehaug, U.S. Pat. No. 6,253,951 to Pruckler, U.S. Pat. No. 6,264,072 to Johannes, U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,991 to Ackerman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,702,144 to Lyon, U.S. Pat. No. 7,134,574 to Braunstein, U.S. Pat. No. 7,172,090 to Jackson, and U.S. Pub 0236443 to Gringer all describe attachments that enclose the can's entire perimeter, having the advantage of leaving no portion of the can's sealing channel unprotected. Some of these attachments such as Kovathana, by nature of their design and flexibility of material, teach a device capable of adapting to cans having minor dimensional variations.

[0006]All of the aforementioned patents relate to attachment device that protects, to some degree, the sealing channel of a typical metal paint can and provides a type of pouring spout. However, none other than Pool, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,568, provide means to filter paint while being poured. And most of these designs fail to address the need for resting a paintbrush during a paint project. If a wet paintbrush is simply laid across the can's rim, paint will likely drip from the bristles down the outside of the can. As taught by Pool, U.S. Pat. No. 4,240,568, Neff, U.S. Pat. No. 5,195,662, and Maiorino, U.S. Pat. No. 5,626,258, an exposed straight edge is provided for wiping excess paint from the brush and an internal shelf for resting the wet bristles of a brush laid across the top. Thus paint from the wet brush will drip back into the can rather than down the can's side.

[0007]Metal cans, having an inwardly facing annular ridge with its smooth rounded beaded edge, not only offers an ideal surface for providing a liquid-tight seal, but provides an effective means to lock the attachment device to the can. U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,560 to Carter, and U.S. Pat. No. 5,213,239 to Macaluso teach attachments having a conically-shaped side-wall that presses against the inwardly facing annular ridge within a typical metal paint can's rim. However, both designs fail to introduce means for locking the conical attachment to metal paint cans making them unsuitable for pouring.

[0008]No paint can attachment previously set forth offers a method to apply and roll out a smaller roller directly from the paint can. As evident by their growing demand, many paint projects can be completed using a "touch-up" roller. In recent years, painters are choosing the newer 1'' diameter mini rollers, also dubbed "weenie" rollers because of their resemblance to hotdogs. Besides being as effective as the older style 2'' diameter rollers, mini rollers are increasing in popularity because they are less expensive, able to access smaller areas and easier to clean for reuse. Because of their small diameter and availability in shorter lengths, mini rollers are capable of being dipped directly into a gallon-sized paint can similar to dipping a paintbrush.

BRIEF SUMMARY

[0009]The present disclosure provides an effective and easy method for rolling out these smaller rollers directly over the paint can, thus eliminating the need for pouring paint into a separate pan. For a number of reasons this novel method will save the painter time and cost. Furthermore, an additional roller pan will no longer be required, paint lost drying in such a pan will be saved, and time spent in extra cleanup will be eliminated.

[0010]Most importantly, the present disclosure addresses the need for an inexpensive disposable paint can attachment that provides a variety of benefits for smaller projects. The Paint Can Liner, which can be tailored to a specific major paint manufacturer, has the potential of becoming a useful disposable paint accessory much like vacuum-formed plastic liners for roller trays. In its complete form the present disclosure provides a combination of useful benefits that go well beyond those presented in prior designs. For this reason, the Paint Can Liner would prove useful for plastic paint cans in addition to those made of metal. And even though the liner's attachment configuration would be modified, the procedure to attach the Paint Can Liner would be identical for both metal and plastic cans: the user simply places the attachment over the can and presses down around the mounting ring, snapping it into place.

[0011]The present disclosure is directed to a "Paint Can Liner" or simply "liner", in the form of a thin-walled, single-piece molded paint can attachment for the top of primarily cylindrically shaped gallon-sized containers commonly used for containing paint, varnish and the like, having features and advantages that go well beyond those presented in prior art. The liner forms an annular mounting ring that attaches to and covers the entire circumference of the open can's exposed rim. The sealing channel at the top of a metal paint can would be protected, and even though a sealing channel is absent in plastic paint cans, other embodiments set forth in the present disclosure would be beneficial for either plastic or metal paint can.

[0012]The present disclosure with all its preferred embodiments set forth, includes a pouring spout extending up from half the liner's annular mounting ring. A channel, separating the spout from the mounting ring, directs paint dripping down the spout's backside to flow back into the can. An optional filter is incorporated within the spout for filtering paint while pouring. Additionally, the spout includes an inclined planar ribbed surface for rolling out small touch-up rollers. A horizontal shelf extends outwardly at the base of the spout, for resting either a small roller or a paintbrush. And the outer portion of the resting shelf provides a straight edge suitable for wiping excess paint from a paintbrush.

[0013]Because the Paint Can Liner is capable of being molded as a single unit and, by its design, is suitable to thin-wall molding, the attachment can be inexpensively manufactured by acting upon an initially flat sheet of plastically deformable material, such as the process of vacuum-formed thermoplastics. Thus the liner can be marketed as a disposable product, with the intended disposal after a single use, similar to disposable plastic liners used with paint-roller pans. Furthermore, the thin-wall design permits nested stacking to facilitate compact packaging for shipment and provides minimization of shelf space at point-of-sale.

[0014]Thus, in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure, a Paint Can Liner is provided that: 1) is adaptable and useful for either metal or plastic cylindrical paint cans; 2) applies a snap-on press fit to the annular ridge of an opened cylindrical paint can thereby securing the liner to the can; 3) provides a liquid-tight seal with the can's annular ridge, thereby preventing paint from seeping under the liner while being poured; 4) provides a protective covering for preventing paint from flowing or splashing into a metal can's sealing channel; 5) provides a pouring spout; 6) directs paint dripping down the backside of the spout to flow back into the can rather than down the can's side; 7) directs paint splattered on the liner's perimeter to flow back into the can rather than down the can's side; 8) provides an integrated filter for filtering paint while being poured; 9) includes a tear-out section within its pouring spout for rapidly pouring paint when filtration is not required; 10) provides an integrated ribbed or knobbed surface suitable for rolling out excess paint from a small touch-up roller, thereby permitting the roller to be used directly from the can and eliminating the need for a separate roller pan; 11) provides an integrated straight edge for wiping excess paint from a paintbrush; 12) includes an integrated shelf for resting either a wet paintbrush or a 1'' diameter touch-up roller; 13) provides an easy and mess-free method for removal of the liner from the can after use; 14) is suitable for thin-wall manufacturing by molding vacuum-formed thermoplastic sheets, commonly used for making disposable products, thereby providing a relatively inexpensive paint accessory capable of being disposed after use; 15) is configured so that a plurality of liners may be nested when stacked for compact shipment, storage and shelf space; and 16) optimizes it's structural strength by the shape and interconnectedness of its molded features.

[0015]All principal embodiments, their preferred configurations as well as means for providing the features and advantages of the present disclosure, will become apparent from the following descriptions and the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING VIEWS

[0016]The features and advantages of the disclosed embodiments of the present disclosure will be more readily appreciated as the same become better understood from the following detailed descriptions when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

[0017]FIG. 1 is an isometric view illustrating the Paint Can Liner in accordance with one embodiment of the present disclosure adapted for use with a typical cylindrical metal paint can;

[0018]FIG. 2 is an isometric underside view illustrating the thin-wall construction of the Paint Can Liner of FIG. 1;

[0019]FIG. 3 is an isometric view of FIG. 1 with the spout tear-out section removed and exposing the spout pour-through opening;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a front view of the Paint Can Liner of FIG. 1 illustrating Section A-A orientation of the sectional view in FIG. 5;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a sectional view illustrating the planar ribbed surface and the compound concave curvature within the pouring spout's interior side-wall;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional side view illustrating the Paint Can Liner with all of the preferred embodiments of the present disclosure adapted to a typical cylindrical metal paint can;

[0023]FIG. 7 is a cross-section detail view illustrating the mounting ring adapted to the rim of a typical cylindrical metal paint can;

[0024]FIG. 8 is a cross-section detail view illustrating the mounting ring adapted to the rim of a typical cylindrical plastic paint can; and

[0025]FIGS. 9, 10 and 11 are isometric views illustrating alternate embodiments of the Paint Can Liner of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026]Depicted in FIG. 1 which is a fundamental embodiment common to all variations of the present disclosure, is the annular mounting ring 1 that affixes to the top of an open cylindrical paint can (not shown) either of plastic or metal. Since the sealing configuration for metal cans differs from those made of plastic, the mounting configuration likewise differs. For a Paint Can Liner specific to metal paint cans, the mounting ring 1 includes an annular top-wall 4 extending down into interior 2 and exterior 3 side-walls. An inwardly facing annular mounting groove 6 formed within the interior side-wall 2 permits the mounting ring 1 to become locked as well as sealed to the paint can.

[0027]The mounting mechanism is more clearly visualized by referring to the cross-sectional view, FIG. 7, which details the mounting portion applied to a metal paint can 30. In its preferred configuration, the mounting groove 6 is bounded by an annular mounting ridge 5 directly below and by the top-wall 4 directly above. All of these described features within the mounting ring 1 combine to provide means for securing the liner to a typical metal paint can 30 and for protecting the can's sealing channel 33 from paint intrusion.

[0028]As depicted in FIG. 7, a beaded interior ridge 31 common to all metal paint cans 30 is formed by bending the inner edge of the can's sealing channel 33 into a tight and uniform radius, thereby forming an ideal surface for the liner's attachment. As depicted in FIG. 1 and the other isometric views, the liner's top-wall 4 spans the entire circumference of the can's sealing channel 33. And as illustrated in FIG. 7, the top-wall 4 spans the entire width of the can's sealing channel 33, with the channel's innermost perimeter being the beaded interior ridge 31 and its outermost perimeter being the can's outer seam 32.

[0029]As the mounting ring 1 is pushed downward onto the open container 30, the liner's interior side-wall 2 begins exerting a radially outward pressure on the can's interior ridge 31 due to the interior side-wall's 2 diameter becoming greater than that of the interior ridge 31. With the Paint Can Liner being made of a semi-resilient material, the interior side-wall 2 is able to compress sufficiently to permit its widest portion, that being annular ridge 5, to slide past the can's interior ridge 31 and to give way to the liner's mounting groove 6 which then mates with the can's interior ridge 31 in a snap-fit engagement. Thus, as the mounting groove 6 engages with the ridge 31, a tactile snap will be felt by the user, providing useful feedback that the liner has been properly lodged into place.

[0030]In its preferred form as illustrated in FIGS. 4 and 6, the interior side-wall 2 extends below the exterior side-wall 3 and tapers conically inward so that the diameter at its base is less than that of the can's opening, and the diameter at its top is greater than that of the can's opening. This configuration enables the liner to center itself on the open paint can simply by setting the device down over the can's opening. With the liner positioned as such over the can, the user then gently presses down on the top of the resting mounting ring 1 until a tactile snap is felt around its perimeter indicating that the device has been locked into place. Alignment, attachment and sealing of the mounting ring 1 is simplified in the present disclosure in that only the mounting groove 6 requires engaging with the metal can 30 as depicted in FIG. 7. Neither the top wall 4 or the exterior side-wall 3 of the mounting ring 1 require mating with the metal can 30 in order for the mounting groove 6 to adequately lock onto and seal against the can's annular lip 31. With this improved attachment configuration, the mounting ring 1 is fully capable of protecting the can's sealing channel 33 while stirring or pouring paint. Having neither gripping nor sealing functions, the exterior side-wall 3 and top wall 4 provide protection against splatters or drips along with structural reinforcement to the mounting ring 1.

[0031]And as depicted in sectional views FIGS. 6 and 7, the annular top-wall 4, in a preferred configuration, slopes inwardly around its entire perimeter thereby directing paint, which may inadvertently be splashed on top of the mounting ring 1, to flow back into the paint can rather than down its side. In order to facilitate removal of the liner from the paint can, a pull-tab 23, in one possible form, projects upward from the annular top-wall 4. Thus, the user is able to pull the mounting ring 1 off the paint can by gripping the pull-tab 23 and pulling upward.

[0032]In another embodiment depicted in FIG. 8, plastic paint cans 30a typically lack a sealing channel but rely on an exterior sealing ridge 31a that engages with a corresponding plastic lid (not shown). For Paint Can Liners specific to plastic paint cans 30a, the annular mounting ring 1a includes an annular ridge 4a extending down to form interior 2a and exterior 3a side-walls. An outwardly facing annular mounting groove 6a formed at the lower portion of exterior side-wall 2a engages with the exterior sealing ridge 31a in a snap-fit configuration, thereby enabling the mounting ring 1a to become locked as well as sealed to the plastic paint can 30a. In its preferred configuration, the mounting groove 6a is bounded between the exterior side-wall 3a directly above and an annular mounting skirt 5a directly below. The maximum diameter of mounting skirt 5a at its base is greater than the can's sealing ridge 31a, while the minimum diameter of the mounting skirt 5a directly below mounting groove 6a is less than the diameter of the can's exterior sealing ridge 31a. Being made from a resilient material, when the mounting ring 1a is pushed downwardly onto a plastic can 30a, the mounting skirt 5a expands sufficiently to slide over the can's sealing ridge 31a, thereby allowing the mounting groove 31a to engage with and seal against the exterior sealing ridge 31a. All these features combine to provide means for securing the liner to a typical plastic paint can 30a and provide a foundation for forming all of the other embodiments of the present disclosure as depicted in FIG. 1, e.g. the pouring spout 8, the resting shelf 30, the paint filter 11, and the ribbed surface 18 for rolling out excess paint from a mini roller (not shown).

[0033]Referring next to the Paint Can Liner as depicted in FIG. 1, the present disclosure introduces a paint can attachment incorporating a collection of benefits within a singularly molded accessory. A multipurpose pouring spout portion 8 occupies up to half the interior of the mounting ring 1. The pouring spout 8 is formed by an arcuate exterior spout-wall 9 projecting upward from the annular interior side-wall 2 that is enclosed by a downwardly sloping interior spout-wall 10. A particularly novel embodiment of the spout 8 is the capability of paint filtration, made possible by the hollow cavity 19 within spout 8 formed using thin-wall construction as depicted in FIG. 2. When poured, paint collects within the hollow cavity 19 and flows through an array of small openings 11 in the interior spout-wall 10 thereby providing filtration for older paint containing clumps.

[0034]Paint, when poured, is channeled towards the spout's pouring lip 14. Best visualized in FIG. 5, section view A-A of FIG. 4, the compound curvature 16 of interior spout-wall 10, being mostly planar at its base, becomes increasingly concave towards pouring lip 14. Poured paint is further channeled towards the spout's pouring lip 14 by a pair of ridges 15 formed along each side of the spout 8. When paint filtration is unnecessary, a tear-out section 12 near the pouring lip 14, can be torn-off enabling the contents to be poured more quickly through the resulting pour-through opening 24 as depicted in FIG. 3. In its preferred form, a pull-tab 13 is provided within the tear-out section 12 in order to facilitate its removal. As seen in FIGS. 1 and 6, any paint having dripped down the backside of the spout 8 is redirected back into the can by a channel 25 formed between the exterior spout-wall 9 and the interior side-wall 2.

[0035]Best visualized in FIGS. 5 and 6, an array of ridges or bumps 17, as suggested in FIG. 1, outwardly protrude from the interior spout-wall 10, thereby creating a generally inclined planar ribbed surface 18 at their collective apexes within the concave compound surface 16 of the interior spout-wall 10. The ribbed surface 18 provides the capability for a small paint roller (not shown) to be applied directly from the paint can. In those instances when a large paint roller is unnecessary, rather than having to pour paint from the can into a separate roller pan for applying and rolling out paint, a small paint roller would be dipped directly into the can and rolled out over the ribbed surface 18 included within the spout 8. The same array of small openings 11, which provide filtration during pouring, also serve to drain excess paint back into the can when a paint roller is used.

[0036]A laterally horizontal resting shelf 20 extends outward from the base of the interior spout-wall 10 and connects with the interior side-wall 2 at its extremities. Either the roller of a small paint roller or the bristles of a paintbrush (neither shown) can be rested on the resting shelf 20 with their respective handles laid across the liner's annular top-wall 4. A downwardly projected flange 21 extends from the outer edge of shelf 20, thereby providing an ideal edge for wiping a paintbrush in addition to reinforcing the liner. An array of small openings 22 within the shelf 20 permit excess paint from either brush or roller (not shown) to drain back into the can.

[0037]FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 depict three possible adaptations of the present disclosure containing various combinations of the embodiments of the present disclosure, perhaps more suitable for smaller quart-sized paint cans. Users not intending on pouring paint and planning on using a paintbrush may want a paint can attachment, as depicted in FIG. 7, that protects the paint can's sealing channel 30 and provides a place to wipe and rest a wet paintbrush (not shown). In this adaptation of the present disclosure, the mounting ring 1 includes the resting shelf 20a with an array of small openings 22a permitting excess paint from either brush or roller (not shown) to drain back into the can. In this adaptation, openings 22a also enable paint to pass upward through shelf 20a while being poured from the can. Those painters who intend to pour paint from the can may want an attachment as depicted in FIG. 8. A simplified pouring spout 8a extends up from interior side-wall 2 similar to pouring spout 8 shown in FIG. 1. However, the smaller spout 8a provides no filtration feature or paint-roller applicator feature like that shown in FIG. 1 but does permit greater access into the open paint can. FIG. 9 depicts an adaptation of the present disclosure containing a combination of simplified spout 8a and a resting shelf 30a. Thus, FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 demonstrate how different embodiments of the present disclosure can be combined with the fundamental embodiment, the mounting ring 1, to provide a useful consumer paint can accessory. The Paint Can Liner, even though described in depth for adaptation to a typical metal paint can, can be adapted to a typical cylindrical plastic container. And even though there is no sealing channel to protect, all of the other useful embodiments could be similarly applied to projects having paint products in plastic rather than metal paint cans.

[0038]The various embodiments described above can be combined to provide further embodiments. All of the U.S. patents, U.S. patent application publications, U.S. patent applications, foreign patents, foreign patent applications and non-patent publications referred to in this specification and/or listed in the Application Data Sheet, are incorporated herein by reference, in their entirety. Aspects of the embodiments can be modified, if necessary to employ concepts of the various patents, applications and publications to provide yet further embodiments.

[0039]Thus, there has been provided in accordance with the disclosure, a paint can attachment that fully satisfies the aims and advantages set forth above. While the disclosure has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments thereof, it is evident that many alternatives, modifications and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description.

[0040]Other changes can be made to the embodiments in light of the above-detailed description. In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled. Accordingly, the claims are not limited by the disclosure.

Claims

1. A paint can attachment for the top of an open typical metal cylindrical paint can, the metal can having an exposed annular rim with an inwardly projected annular ridge defining the innermost circumference of the rim, the attachment comprising:a singular thin-walled body forming an annular mounting ring adapted to mount to and enclose the exposed annular rim;an annular top-wall portion having about its inner and outer peripheries downwardly extending interior and exterior annular side-wall portions;an annular mounting groove within the interior side-wall adapted to engage with and seal against the annular ridge;the interior side-wall tapering conically inward and having a diameter at its base less than a diameter of the annular ridge, and having a diameter directly below the mounting groove greater than the diameter of the annular ridge; andthe thin-walled body formed into a singular body from a material sufficiently resilient to permit momentary compression of the interior side-wall during attachment.

2. The paint can attachment of claim 1 formed by acting upon an initially flat sheet of plastically deformable material to displace out of the plane of the sheet all molded features contained therein, with exterior and interior edges further defined by severing the sheet material from the body.

3. The paint can attachment of claim 2 wherein the molded features are tapered to permit a plurality of the attachments to be stacked in nested relation to each other.

4. The paint can attachment of claim 1 wherein the interior side-wall portion extending below the exterior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and is tapered such that when the mounting ring is in a rested but unattached position on the annular ridge of the can, the interior side-wall is the only portion of the mounting ring to making contact the exposed annular rim.

5. The paint can attachment of claim 1 wherein the mounting ring comprises a pull-tab portion adapted to enable gripping and lifting of the mounting ring thereby facilitating removal of the attachment from the can.

6. The paint can attachment of claim 1 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion that is formed within an arcuate section of the interior side-wall portion below the mounting groove of the mounting ring, thereby providing means for resting and wiping the wet bristles of a typical paintbrush while retaining an unbroken seal to the annular ridge.

7. The paint can attachment of claim 6 comprising an array of openings within the shelf to permit the flow of paint up through the shelf during pouring, and to flow down through the shelf.

8. The paint can attachment of claim 1 comprising a pouring spout portion extending upward from an arcuate section of the interior side-wall portion below the mounting groove of the mounting ring, thereby providing pouring means while adapted to retain an unbroken seal with the annular ridge.

9. The paint can attachment of claim 8 comprising a channel at the juncture of the pouring spout portion and the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and adapted to channel paint dripping down the pouring spout back into the can.

10. The paint can attachment of claim 8 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion extending outwardly from the interior base of the pouring spout and terminating at its extremities to the interior side-wall below the mounting groove, thereby adapted to support and provide a wiping surface for wet bristles of a typical paintbrush while retaining an unbroken seal to the annular ridge.

11. The paint can attachment of claim 10 comprising an array of openings within the shelf adapted to permit the flow of paint up through the shelf during pouring, and to flow down through the shelf.

12. The paint can attachment of claim 8 wherein:the pouring spout is defined by a convex outer-wall portion concentric to and adjacent to the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and a downwardly sloping inner-wall portion connecting at upper and outer peripheries of the outer-wall;the inner-wall having a generally planar configuration at its base with increasing concavity toward an apex of the inner-wall; andan array of openings in the inner-wall adapted to filter out solid paint matter when paint is poured from the can.

13. The paint can attachment of claim 12 comprising a channel formed at the juncture of the pouring spout and the interior side-wall and adapted to channeled paint dripping down the pouring spout back into the can.

14. The paint can attachment of claim 12 wherein the inner-wall portion of the pouring spout forms an array of upwardly extending protrusions having apexes and the combined apexes of the protrusions provide a generally planar surface adapted to enable rolling out excess paint from a small paint roller.

15. The paint can attachment of claim 12 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion extending outwardly from the interior base of the pouring spout and terminating at its extremities to the interior side-wall below the mounting groove, thereby adapted to support either a wet paintbrush or the paint roller and to provide a wiping surface for the bristles of the paintbrush while retaining an unbroken seal to the annular ridge.

16. The paint can attachment of claim 12 comprising a fault line stamped into the inner-wall portion near an apex of the pouring spout that defines a tear-out section for providing a relatively large opening within the inner-wall and adapted to permit paint to be poured more rapidly through the pouring spout when filtration is not required.

17. The paint can attachment of claim 16 comprising a pull-tab portion extending upwardly from within a boundary of the fault line and adapted to enable a user to grip and remove a tear-out section formed in the attachment.

18. A paint can attachment for the top of an open typical plastic cylindrical paint can, the plastic can having an exposed annular rim with an outwardly projected sealing ridge defining the outermost circumference of the rim, the attachment comprising:a singular thin-walled body forming an annular mounting ring adapted to mount to and enclose the exposed annular rim;an annular top-wall portion having about its inner and outer peripheries downwardly extending interior and exterior annular side-wall portions;an annular mounting groove within the exterior side-wall adapted to engage with and seal against the annular sealing ridge;the exterior side-wall tapering conically outward and having a diameter at its base greater than a diameter of the annular sealing ridge, and having a diameter directly below the mounting groove less than the diameter of the annular sealing ridge; andthe thin-walled body formed into a singular body from a material sufficiently resilient to permit momentary compression of the exterior side-wall during attachment.

19. The paint can attachment of claim 18 formed by acting upon an initially flat sheet of plastically deformable material to displace out of the plane of the sheet all molded features contained therein, with exterior and interior edges being further defined by severing such sheet material from the body.

20. The paint can attachment of claim 19 wherein the molded features are tapered to permit a plurality of the attachments to be stacked in nested relation to each other.

21. The paint can attachment of claim 18 wherein the exterior side-wall portion extends below the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and is tapered such that when the mounting ring is in a rested but unattached position on the sealing ridge of the can, the exterior side-wall is the only portion of the mounting ring making contact the exposed annular rim.

22. The paint can attachment of claim 18 wherein the mounting ring comprises a pull-tab adapted to enable gripping and lifting of the mounting ring thereby facilitating removal of the attachment from the can.

23. The paint can attachment of claim 18 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion that is formed within an arcuate section of the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, thereby providing means for resting and wiping the wet bristles of a typical paintbrush.

24. The paint can attachment of claim 23 comprising an array of openings within the shelf to permit the flow of paint up through the shelf during pouring, and to flow down through the shelf.

25. The paint can attachment of claim 18 comprising a pouring spout portion extending upward from an arcuate section of the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring.

26. The paint can attachment of claim 25 comprising a channel at a juncture of the pouring spout portion and the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and adapted to channel paint dripping down the pouring spout back into the can.

27. The paint can attachment of claim 25 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion extending outwardly from the interior base of the pouring spout and terminating at its extremities to the interior side-wall, thereby adapted to support either a wet paintbrush or a paint roller and to provide a wiping surface for the bristles of the paintbrush.

28. The paint can attachment of claim 27 comprising an array of openings within the shelf adapted to permit the flow of paint up through the shelf during pouring, and to flow down through the shelf.

29. The paint can attachment of claim 25 wherein:the pouring spout is defined by a convex outer-wall portion concentric to and adjacent to the interior side-wall portion of the mounting ring, and a downwardly sloping inner-wall portion connecting at upper and outer peripheries of the outer-wall;the inner-wall having a generally planar configuration at its base with increasing concavity toward an apex of the inner-wall; andan array of openings in the inner-wall adapted to filter out solid paint matter when paint is poured from the can.

30. The paint can attachment of claim 29 comprising a channel formed at a juncture of the pouring spout and the interior side-wall and adapted to channel paint dripping down the pouring spout back into the can.

31. The paint can attachment of claim 29 wherein the inner-wall portion of the pouring spout forms an array of upwardly extending protrusions having apexes and the combined apexes of the protrusions provide a generally planar surface adapted to enable rolling out excess paint from a small paint roller.

32. The paint can attachment of claim 29 comprising a laterally horizontal shelf portion extending outwardly from the interior base of the pouring spout and terminating at its extremities at the interior side-wall below the mounting groove, and adapted to support either a wet paintbrush or the paint roller and to provide a wiping surface for the bristles of the paintbrush.

33. The paint can attachment of claim 29 comprising a fault line stamped into the inner-wall portion near an apex of the pouring spout that defines a tear-out section for providing a relatively large opening within the inner-wall and adapted to permit paint to be poured more rapidly through the pouring spout when filtration is not required.

34. The paint can attachment of claim 33 comprising a pull-tab portion extending upwardly from within a boundary of the fault line and adapted to enable a user to grip and remove the tear-out section.

Images