Floating Liquid Material Distribution Device

Abstract

A floating liquid material distribution device having a plurality of apertures arranged in a grid pattern is disclosed. The device floats on top of liquid material within a container. When a person applies force to the device with an applicator, the device allows liquid material to be evenly distributed through the apertures to the application surface of the device and onto the applicator. As the liquid material is used up, the device follows the top of the surface of the liquid, and thus follows the liquid material to the bottom of the container, always a distance off the paint. Also disclosed is an actuation device that works in combination with a container lid. When the actuation device is actuated, a liquid material distribution device drops down onto liquid contained within the container.

Claims

1. An apparatus for the application of liquid material, comprising: a application surface having a plurality of apertures arranged in a grid pattern, the surface having two sides, the surface having a first perimeter to match the shape of a container; a ring of closed cell foam affixed to one side of the surface at the surface's edge so as to create a cylindrical volume of space within the ring, whereby the ring causes the apparatus to float on top of liquid material contained within a container; and an amount of space between the ring and the surface to define the extent of the cylindrical volume.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of bumps along the other side of the surface, whereby the respective bumps may aerate an applicator that is receiving a supply of liquid material through the nearby apertures as the applicator moves over the surface of the apparatus.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apertures are of a size that controls the volume of liquid material being distributed when forcing the apparatus into the liquid material.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apertures are sized to accommodate the viscosity of the liquid material being used.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apertures are sized depending on the number of apertures.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the grid is a radio grid.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the apparatus is sized to cover nearly all of the top liquid material surface inside the container from the top of the container to the bottom of the container.

8. An apparatus for the application of liquid material, comprising, in a single-piece construction: a floating application surface having a plurality of apertures arranged in a grid pattern on the surface, the surface having a first perimeter to match the shape of a container; a ring having hollow volume disposed at the edge of the surface and extending axially therefrom, the shape of the ring depending on the shape of the container; wherein the surface and the ring together comprise a single unitary piece of injection molded material.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of bumps along the side of the surface opposite the ring, whereby the respective bumps may aerate an applicator that is receiving a supply of liquid material through the nearby apertures as the applicator moves over the surface of the apparatus.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apertures are of a size that controls the volume of liquid material being distributed when forcing the apparatus into the liquid material.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apertures are sized to accommodate the viscosity of the liquid material being used.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apertures are sized depending on the number of apertures.

13. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the apparatus is sized to cover nearly all of the top liquid material surface inside the container from the top of the container to the bottom of the container.

14. A liquid material container comprising: a liquid material distribution apparatus part comprising a floating application surface having a plurality of apertures arranged in a grid pattern, a foam float ring that attaches to the bottom surface which causes the apparatus to float on top of liquid material contained within the container and defines an amount of space between the apparatus and the liquid material; a pop lid holding the liquid material distribution apparatus, the pop lid coupled to an actuation device such that when the device is actuated, the liquid material distribution apparatus drops down into liquid material that is contained within the container.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, further comprising a plurality of bumps along the side of the surface opposite the ring, whereby the respective bumps may aerate an applicator that is receiving a supply of liquid material through the nearby apertures as the applicator moves over the surface of the liquid material distribution apparatus.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0021] FIG. 1 is a top view of a 10″ diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device.

[0022] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a 10″ diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device.

[0023] FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of the 10″ diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION

[0024] Persons of skill in the art of applying liquid material (e.g., painters) will recognize the teachings of this invention to be applicable for the application of any type of liquid material (e.g., paint, sealers, lubricants, solvents, etc.).

[0025] In brief summary, most prior liquid material grids or pans operated on a principle of overloading an applicator with liquid. Then the person/worker uses the grid, pan, or other surface to remove overloaded liquid material until the desired application amount is reached. The present invention works in the opposite way, by using a grid of apertures to allow more precise control over the initial application of liquid material to an application device (e.g., a paint roller).

[0026] FIG. 1 is a top view of a 10″ in diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device. The device can be made of any material, including plastic or metal (tin or steel). In a first embodiment, the shape of the device is 10 inches in diameter. The measurements are 0.75 inches in height (thickness), and 10 inches in diameter. Here the device 100 contains a surface 102 with a plurality of apertures 108 arranged in a grid pattern and a foam float 104. The apertures 108 are of a size that controls the volume of liquid material being distributed when forcing the device 100 into the liquid material. Also, the apertures 108 are sized to accommodate the viscosity of the liquid material being used. Also, the apertures 108 are sized to accommodate the number of apertures 108. The surface 102 can be constructed of any material that will serve the purpose of the invention (e.g., metal, plastic, glass, etc.). The surface 102 has two sides. The apertures 108 are sized so that liquid material of conventional density may easily seep through the apertures when the floating device is depressed into the liquid material surface. The foam float 104 is a two-piece double material. To improve buoyancy, a closed cell foam is used for the foam float 104. Foam float 104 is fixed (e.g., adhered) to the “down” side of surface 102 in an annular fashion, to create a ring (item 104 in FIG. 2) of buoyant material which causes the whole of the device 100 to float on liquid material. Liquid material seeps up through the inside of the ring. Thus, when the device 100 is placed in a container with the float 104 side down, the device floats on top of liquid material in the container. When an applicator is applied on the device, liquid material is applied evenly and controllably on the applicator. The device floats on the liquid material and moves when the applicator is applied to the device 100. The device along the other side of the surface 102 may also include small bumps (not shown) which may aerate an applicator that is receiving a supply of liquid material through the nearby apertures as the applicator moves over the surface of the liquid material distribution device. As the liquid material is used up/consumed, the device follows the top of the surface of the liquid, and thus follows the liquid material to the bottom of the container, always a distance off the paint.

[0027] In an alternative embodiment, the foam float 104 can be constructed as part of a one-piece injection molded unit to create a hollow space volume. In this aspect, the overall device 100 will appear to be the same shape and volume as the first embodiment. However, rather than closed cell foam affixed in a ring to create the buoyancy, device 100 as a whole (with the hollow annular volume in the same general place where the foam ring would otherwise be) is less dense than the liquid material. In this round embodiment, the surface of the device has a first radius.

[0028] In both round embodiments, the device 100 can be constructed to accommodate any shape of container. Moreover, the floating liquid material distribution device 100 may be sized to fit into the top of the lid of a container. This enables deployment of another feature. Optionally, a conventional liquid container lid may be fitted with a tab or pin (not shown) which is actuated (e.g., pulled), causing the device to fall/drop into the container without generating a mess. In this case there is a pop lid holding the liquid material distribution device, and the pop lid is coupled to the actuation device.

[0029] FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a 10″ diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device, showing the surface 102 and four foam float rings 104. The overall measurements of the device in this embodiment are the same as those in FIG. 1: 0.75 inches in height (thickness), and 10 inches in diameter. In one embodiment, the ring 104 is of closed cell foam and it is affixed to one side of the surface 102 at the surface's edge so as to create a cylindrical volume of space within the ring 104, whereby the ring 104 causes the device to float on top of liquid material contained within a container. In another embodiment, the ring is disposed at the edge of the circular surface and extending axially therefrom, the ring defined by the volume between two imaginary concentric cylinders of the same height but different radii, wherein the difference between the different radii is in the range of ten to twenty-five percent of the first radius, the volume within the ring is hollow, and the surface and the ring together comprise a single unitary piece of injection molded material.

[0030] FIG. 3 is an alternative embodiment of the 10″ diameter round design of a floating liquid material distribution device. In this case, the surface 202 of the device comprises circular apertures 208 rather than rectangular apertures. The surface 202 can be constructed of any material that will serve the purpose of the invention (e.g., metal, plastic, glass, etc.). The apertures 208 are of a size that controls the volume of liquid material being distributed when forcing the device 200 into the liquid material. Also, the apertures 208 are sized to accommodate the viscosity of the liquid material being used. Also, the apertures 208 are sized to accommodate the number of apertures 208. This embodiment of the device 200 also has a foam float 204 and also shares the same properties as the embodiment discussed in FIG. 1. In particular: the foam float 204 is a two-piece double material. To improve buoyancy, a closed cell foam is used for the foam float 204. When the device 200 is placed in a liquid container, the device floats on top of liquid material in the container. When an applicator is forced into and moved across the surface the device (i.e., applied to the device), liquid material is applied evenly on the applicator. The device floats on the liquid material. An application is applied to the device 200. The device follows the top of the surface of the liquid, and thus follows the liquid material to the bottom of the container, always a distance off the paint. Alternatively, as mentioned before, the foam float 204 can be a one-piece injection molding to create a hollow space volume. Here the device 200 is circularly lidded to accommodate any shape of container and not just any paint pan. Moreover, the floating liquid material distribution device surface 200 will fit into the top of the lid of a container. Another potential feature is to include a tab or pin (not shown) which is actuated (e.g., pulled), causing the device to fall/drop into the container without generating a mess. In this case there is a pop lid holding the floating liquid material distribution device, and the pop lid is coupled to the actuation device. The foam float 204 also may include bumps which serve to aerate an applicator that is receiving an distribution of liquid material through a nearby aperture as the applicator moves over the surface of the liquid material distribution device.

[0031] While the above specification and examples provide a description of the invention, many embodiments of the invention can be made (for example, the liquid material distribution device does not have to be circular or round) without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is to be understood that the foregoing embodiments are provided as illustrative only, and does not limit or define the scope of the invention. Various other embodiments are also within the scope of the claims.