Device for Cleaning a Paint Roller Cover

Abstract

A device for cleaning a paint roller cover by scraping or immersion, generally comprising an attachment member comprising a distal end and a proximal end and a cylindrical member comprising a cylinder base and a cylinder end. The cylindrical member is insertable into a paint roller cover, the proximal end of the attachment member is rigidly connected to the cylindrical member at the cylinder base, and the attachment member is configured to attach the device to a tool providing rotation about the central longitudinal axis of the device.

Claims

1. A device for cleaning a paint roller cover by scraping or by submersion, said device comprising an attachment member and a rigid cylindrical member, said attachment member comprising a proximal end and a distal end, and said cylindrical member comprising a cylinder base and a cylinder end, wherein said cylindrical member further comprises an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameter of a paint roller cover, and wherein said proximal end of the attachment member is rigidly connected to said cylindrical member at said cylinder base.

2. The device of claim 1, wherein said attachment member and said cylindrical member support the inner surface of a paint roller cover along substantially the entire circumference and length of said cylindrical member.

3. The device of claim 2, wherein said distal end of the attachment member comprises an outer diameter approximately equal to 0.312 inches.

4. The device of claim 3, wherein said attachment member is tapered such that the outer diameter of said distal end of the attachment member is larger than the outer diameter of said proximal end of the attachment member.

5. The device of claim 2, wherein the outer diameter of a portion of said cylindrical member immediately adjacent to said cylinder base is equal to approximately 0.256 inches.

6. The device of claim 5, wherein said cylindrical member is tapered such that the outer diameter of the portion of said cylindrical member adjacent to said cylinder base is larger than the outer diameter of a portion of said cylindrical member adjacent to said cylinder end.

7. The device of claim 6, wherein said taper is substantially continuous along the length of said cylindrical member.

8. The device of claim 7, wherein the difference between the outer diameter of the portion of said cylindrical member immediately adjacent to said cylinder end and the outer diameter of the portion of said cylindrical member immediately adjacent to said cylinder base is equal to approximately 0.046 inches.

9. The device of claim 2, wherein said cylindrical member has a length approximately equal to 0.700 inches.

10. The device of claim 2, wherein said cylindrical member has a length approximately equal to a length of a paint roller cover.

11. The device of claim 10, wherein said cylindrical member has a length equal selected from the group consisting of: approximately two inches, approximately four inches, and approximately six inches.

12. The device of claim 11, wherein said cylindrical member has a length of approximately 2.07 inches.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein said distal end of the attachment member comprises a shank with a profile suitable for connection to a drill chuck.

14. The device of claim 13, wherein said shank comprises three flat portions equidistantly spaced about the outer diameter of said distal end of the attachment member and extending longitudinally inward from said distal end of the attachment member.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein said three flat portions are each approximately 0.290 inches wide and approximately 1.000 inches long.

16. The device of claim 13, wherein said attachment member comprises a hexagonal shank.

17. The device of claim 1, wherein the total length of the device is equal to approximately 4.000 inches.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0011] These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with regard to the following description and accompanying drawings, where:

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a side view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0013] FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0014] FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0015] FIG. 4 shows a front view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] FIG. 5 shows a rear view of a preferred embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] FIG. 6 shows a side view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0018] FIG. 7 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0019] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of a second embodiment of the present invention;

[0020] FIG. 9 shows a front view of a preferred second of the present invention; and

[0021] FIG. 10 shows a rear view of a preferred second of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an improved device for cleaning a paint roller cover by scraping or immersion. The present invention provides a number of advantages compared to devices known to the prior art. Specifically, embodiments of the present invention provide a device for securing and attaching a paint roller cover to a drill, permitting high-speed rotation of the roller cover without significant slippage, abrasion, or damage to the interior of the roller cover, allowing water or other fluid to reach both the interior and exterior of the roller cover during submersion, and affording substantial support to the interior of a roller cover, including, optionally, support along substantially all of the roller cover's length, such that the roller cover can be cleaned by either submersion or scraping with reduced risks of damage, abrasion, or degradation from lack of interior support.

[0023] In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention comprises an attachment member (1) and a cylindrical member (3). The cylindrical member (3) comprises a substantially solid surface, and the cylindrical member (3) further comprises a cylinder base (5) and a cylinder end (7). The attachment member (1) comprises a distal end (9) and a proximal end (11), and the proximal end (11) of the attachment member (1) is rigidly connected to the cylindrical member (3) at the cylinder base (5). In a preferred embodiment, the device of the present invention is made of a material that is relatively light, rigid, and corrosion resistant. Suitable preferred materials include metals and metal alloys, woods, laminate surfaces, and rigid plastics and polymers. Most preferably, the device is made of aluminum.

[0024] An attachment member (1) of the present invention comprises a shank (13) configured to attach the device to a tool providing rotation about the central longitudinal axis of the device, such as a power drill. In the preferred embodiment, the attachment member (1) protrudes substantially orthogonally from the cylinder base (5), with a shape, size, and profile suitable for insertion into the chuck of a handheld drill. As would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a variety of shapes, sizes, and profiles of shank (13) may be used. For example, suitable profiles include round, square, rectangular, hexagonal, and octagonal. In a preferred embodiment, the shank (13) is located at the distal end (9) of the attachment member (1) and comprises three flat portions (15) that may be cut or milled into the distal end (9) of the attachment member (1) to form the shank (13). The three flat portions (15) of the shank (13) are equidistantly spaced apart about the outer diameter of the attachment member (1) distal end (9), and each flat portion (15) is preferably equal to approximately 0.290 inches wide and approximately 1.000 inches long, extending longitudinally inward along the outer diameter of the distal end (9) toward the proximal end (11) of the attachment member (1). In other embodiments, the attachment member (1) may alternatively comprise a hexagonal shank (13).

[0025] The attachment member (1) is also preferably tapered such that the outer diameter of the attachment member (1) distal end (9) is larger than the outer diameter of the attachment member (1) proximal end (11). This allows for easier insertion of the cylindrical member (3) and optionally the proximal end (11) of the attachment member (1) into a paint roller cover with a small inner diameter, such as a roller cover with a diameter of 0.25 inches. In a preferred embodiment, the distal end (9) of the attachment member (1) has an outer diameter approximately equal to 0.312 inches. The total length of the preferred embodiment is equal to approximately 4.000 inches, comprising an attachment member (1) equal to approximately 3.300 inches in length and a cylindrical member (3) equal to approximately 0.700 in length. Preferably, the length of the portion of the attachment member (1) that is tapered is equal to approximately 0.945 inches, such that the tapered portion of the attachment member (1) does not intersect with the shank (13) at the distal end (9) of the attachment member (1).

[0026] The cylinder base (5) of the present invention is substantially coaxial to the attachment member (1), supporting the cylindrical member (3) and rigidly attached to both the proximal end (11) of the attachment member (1) and to the cylindrical member (3). In a preferred embodiment, the attachment member (1), cylinder base (5), and cylindrical member (3) are integral to each other. As would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, however, the cylinder base (5) may be integral to only the cylindrical member (3), or may comprise a component separate from, but connected to, the cylindrical member (3) and the attachment member (1). The cylinder base (5) is sufficiently rigid to support the cylindrical member (3) and maintain rigid connection with the attachment member (1) proximal end (11). The cylinder base (5) may be any size or shape suitable to support a cylindrical member (3) with an outer diameter substantially equal to the inner diameter of a paint roller. In a preferred embodiment, the cylinder base (5) comprises a generally disc-shaped platform integral to both the cylindrical member (3) and the attachment member (1).

[0027] A cylindrical member (3) of the present invention comprises a substantially solid cylinder body connected to the cylinder base (5) and comprises sufficient rigidity to support a paint roller cover. A cylindrical member (3) may comprise a smooth outer surface, or it may comprise a roughened outer surface. A cylindrical member (3) of embodiments of the present invention preferably has an outer diameter approximately equal to the inner diameters of commercially available roller covers. A preferred cylindrical member (3) outer diameter size is approximately 0.256 inches, slightly larger than the common 0.25 inch inner diameter of commercially available roller covers to allow for sufficient friction fit between the cylindrical member (3) and a roller cover. A cylindrical member (3) according to embodiments of the present invention may be of any length suitable to accommodate the length of a commercially available roller cover. Although the cylindrical member (3) may be of any length within the spirit and teaching of the present invention, the preferred cylindrical member (3) length is equal to approximately 0.700 inches. Alternative cylindrical member (3) lengths include one or more of: approximately two inches, approximately four inches, and approximately six inches, as these are the most common lengths of roller covers that comprise an inner diameter of 0.25 inches. In one embodiment, the cylindrical member (3) has a length of approximately 2.07 inches to allow the cylindrical member (3) to sufficiently support the full length of a common commercially available two-inch roller cover. As would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a cylindrical member (3) can be sized to accommodate a specific length of paint roller cover or, alternatively, a cylindrical member (3) of any length, particularly one of the preferred lengths noted above, can be used in conjunction with a paint roller cover of any common length. For example, an embodiment of the present invention with a cylindrical member (3) of approximately two inches may be used in conjunction with a four-inch paint roller cover, in which case the device would support the interior of the paint roller cover along the substantial entirety of both its circumference and length. Alternatively, that same embodiment of the device could be used to support a paint roller cover longer than four inches, in which case the device would support the interior of the paint roller cover along the substantial entirety of its circumference for a portion of its length.

[0028] A cylindrical member (3) according to the present invention may have the same outer diameter at all points along its length. However, the cylindrical member (3) is preferably tapered such that its outer diameter is narrower at the portion of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder end (7) than it is at the portion of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder base (5). Such a taper permits a roller cover to slide onto the cylindrical member (3) without harmfully bending, crushing, or deflecting the substrate of the roller cover, while also allowing a sufficiently tight fit between the cylindrical member (3) and the roller cover to secure the roller cover and prevent undue slippage during high speed rotation. In a preferred embodiment, the taper is slight, such that while the roller cover is secured to the device more tightly near the cylinder base (5) than it is near the cylinder end (7), the entire length of the cylindrical member (3) substantially supports the interior of the roller cover. In a most preferred embodiment, the outer diameter of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder base (5) is equal to approximately 0.256 inches. The taper is continuous and the difference between the outer diameter of the portion of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder end (7) and the portion of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder base (5) is equal to approximately 0.046 inches, such that the outer diameter of the cylindrical member (3) immediately adjacent to the cylinder end (7) is equal to approximately 0.210 inches.

[0029] A device according to the present invention may be used, in conjunction with a power drill and a roller cover, to clean and dry a roller cover through a submersion method. Submersion cleaning through use of this device is accomplished by attaching the attaching member of the device to a power drill, aligning an interior central bore of a roller cover with a correspondingly-sized cylindrical member (3) of the present invention, sliding the roller cover over the cylindrical member (3) a desired distance, submerging the roller cover and device into water or other cleaning fluid, and actuating the power drill to rotate the roller cover at relatively high speed. Water or other cleaning fluid will contact and clean the roller cover's nap directly. One or more submersions in one or more containers of water or other selected cleaning fluid may be employed to clean a roller cover. When the roller cover has reached the desired degree of cleanliness, the device may be removed from submersion and the drill again activated. In open air, the relatively high speed rotation of the device will squeeze water out of the roller cover through centrifugal force, thus drying the roller cover.

[0030] Because of the substantial support provided to the interior of a roller cover along the entire length and circumference of the cylindrical member (3), a device according to embodiments of the present invention may also be used to assist with cleaning and drying a roller cover through a scraping method. Scrape cleaning through use of this device is accomplished by attaching the attaching member of the device to a power drill, aligning the interior central bore of a roller cover with a correspondingly-sized cylindrical member (3) of the present invention, sliding the roller cover over the cylindrical member (3) a desired distance, and, using a common handheld paint scraper, sliding the scraper along the roller cover while slowly rotating the roller cover by activating the power drill. Alternately, as would be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a roller cover may be pre-cleaned or cleaned by mounting a roller cover to the device, attaching the device to a power drill, and actuating the drill to cause paint to be squeezed from the roller cover through centrifugal force alone. After scraping, a roller cover may optionally be further cleaned by submersion.

[0031] Although the present invention has been described in considerable detail with reference to certain preferred versions thereof, other versions are possible. For example, materials, shapes, sized, or configurations other than those described in detail herein may be used for the versions of this invention. Therefore, the spirit and scope of the claims should not be limited to the description of the preferred versions described herein.