Paint-edging hand steadying device

Abstract

A device capable of acting as a guide for a paint brush during a paint edging process. It comprises a hand-stabilizing support body and means for attaching it to the heel pad of the hand that will be holding the paint brush. The hand-stabilizing support body has a top part and an arcuate bottom, said top part having a proximate edge, a distal edge, two opposing shoulders, one shoulder being taller than the other, and an arched surface between said two shoulders, said arched surface and said opposing shoulders forming an upwardly facing concave cradle for the support of the heel pad, having a length that extends the length of said hand-stabilizing support body along its z-axis. During use the arcuate bottom of the hand-stabilizing supporting body beneath the brush, rests on, leans slightly into and moves along the wall, using the wall as support during the paint edging process.

Claims

1. A device capable of nestling a painting hand's heel pad and acting as a paint guide during a paint edging process, said device comprising a hand-stabilizing support body having a top heel pad receiving part and an arcuate bottom, said top part having a proximate edge, a distal edge, two opposing shoulders between said proximate edge and said distal edge, one shoulder being taller than the other, and an arched surface between said two shoulders, said arched surface and said opposing shoulders forming an upwardly facing concave cradle having a length that extends the length of said hand-stabilizing support body along its z-axis between said proximate and distal edges.

2. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein during use of the device for paint edging, the taller of said two opposing shoulders forming said upwardly facing concave cradle abuts the distal edge of the heel pad of the painting hand to support the ulnar section of the hand, during use.

3. The device as recited in claim 2, wherein the length of said upwardly facing concave cradle correlates to the length of the heel pad of the painting hand.

4. The device as recited in claim 3, further comprising means to secure said hand-stabilizing support body to the heel pad of the painting hand.

5. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said hand-stabilizing support body is shaped as a half oblate spheroid.

6. The device as recited in claim 3, wherein said hand-stabilizing support body is shaped as a half spherical ellipsoid.

7. The device as recited in claim 1, wherein the length of said upwardly facing concave cradle correlates to the length of the heel pad of the painting hand.

8. The device as recited in claim 7, further comprising means to secure said hand-stabilizing support body to the heel pad of the painting hand.

9. A paint-edging, hand-stabilizing device capable of being secured on the heel pad of the hand of its user, to act as a fulcrum and support the dynamic tripod of the painting hand holding a paint brush against the wall beneath, adjacent, and above any wall, ceiling and floor line being edged comprising: a. a hand-stabilizing support body having a top heel pad receiving part and an arcuate bottom, said top part having a proximate edge, a distal edge, two opposing shoulders between said proximate and said distal edge, said one shoulder of said two opposing shoulders being taller than the other said shoulder, and an arched surface between said two shoulders, said arched surface and said opposing shoulders forming an upwardly facing concave cradle having a length that extends the length of said hand-stabilizing support body along its z-axis from proximate edge to distal edge; and b. means for securing said hand-stabilizing support body to the heel pad of the painting hand.

10. A process of cutting in with paint in preparation of rolling, before painting a room using a roller, comprising the following steps: a. pouring about an inch or two of paint into a work bucket, from the paint container; b. using securing means to fasten on the heel pad of the hand that will be holding the paint brush for the cutting in with paint, a paint-edging, hand-steadying device having a hand-stabilizing support body with a top part and an arcuate bottom, two opposing shoulders, one shoulder being taller than the other, and an arched surface there between, said two opposing shoulders and said arched surface defining an upwardly facing cradle such that upon fastening, the heel pad of the hand is nestled within said cradle, the tallest of the two shoulders abuts the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand to support the ulnar section of the hand during the cutting in with paint, and to allow the hand's thumb together with the index and middle fingers to extend beyond the proximate edge of the hand stabilizing support body and grasp the paint brush; c. holding the brush by pinching it between the distal pads of the thumb and index finger and then resting the brush on the lateral distal interphalangeal joint of the middle finger; d. loading the brush by dipping it into the paint in the work bucket; e. placing the paint-dipped brush at the intersection corner formed by the two walls and the ceiling of a room; f. resting the arcuate bottom of the hand-stabilizing supporting body beneath the brush, on and leaning slightly into the wall adjacent to the line formed by the wall and ceiling above it, to use the wall as support during the paint edging process; and g. brushing along the line using said hand-stabilizing supporting body as a fulcrum for the steadying by, and moving of the painting and horizontally along the wall being painted, to insure accuracy of lines while diminishing stress and fatigue on the painting arm and back.

11. The process as recited in claim 10, further comprising placing the paint-dipped brush at the intersection corner formed by the two walls and the ceiling of a room, resting the arcuate bottom of the hand-stabilizing supporting body beneath the brush, on and leaning slightly into the wall adjacent to the line formed by two walls, to use the wall as support during the paint edging process, and brushing along the line using said hand-stabilizing supporting body as a fulcrum for the steadying by, and moving of the painting hand vertically along the wall being painted, to insure accuracy of lines while diminishing stress and fatigue on the painting arm and back.

12. The process as recited in claim 10, further comprising placing the paint-dipped brush at the intersection corner formed by the two walls and the floor of a room, resting the arcuate bottom of the hand-stabilizing supporting body beneath the brush, on and leaning slightly into the wall adjacent to the line formed by two walls, to use the wall as support during the paint edging process, and brushing along the line using said hand-stabilizing supporting body as a fulcrum for the steadying by, and moving of the painting hand vertically along the wall being painted, to insure accuracy of lines while diminishing stress and fatigue on the painting arm and back.

13. The process as recited in claim 10, further comprising placing the paint-dipped brush at the intersection corner formed by the two walls and the floor of a room, resting the arcuate bottom of the hand-stabilizing supporting body beneath the brush, on and leaning slightly into the wall adjacent to the line formed by one wall and the floor, to use the wall as support during the paint edging process, and brushing along the line using said hand-stabilizing supporting body as a fulcrum for the steadying by, and moving of the painting hand horizontally along the wall being painted above the floor, to insure accuracy of lines while diminishing stress and fatigue on the painting arm and back.

14. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein said hand-stabilizing support body is shaped as a half oblate spheroid.

15. The device as recited in claim 13, wherein said hand-stabilizing support body is shaped as a half spherical ellipsoid.

16. A device capable of nestling a painting hand's heel pad and acting as a paint guide during a paint edging process, said device comprising a. a hand-stabilizing support body having a top painting hand heel pad receiving part and an arcuate bottom, said top painting hand heel pad receiving part having a proximate edge, a distal edge, two opposing shoulders between said proximate edge and said distal edge, one of the two opposing shoulders being taller than the other to abut the distal edge of the painting hand's heel pad and support the ulnar section of the painting hand during use, and an arched surface therebetween, said arched surface and said opposing shoulders forming an upwardly facing concave cradle having a length that extends the length of said hand-stabilizing support body along its z-axis between said proximate and distal edges, and correlates to the length of the heel pad of the painting hand; and b. means to secure said hand-stabilizing support body to the heel pad of the painting hand.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) It is believed that the present invention will be better understood from the following detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which the numerals represent identical elements and wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 is a three dimensional perspective of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device secured on the on the heel pad of a hand;

(3) FIG. 2 is a three dimensional perspective of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 1, as it is being used to edge a wall with paint;

(4) FIG. 3 is a three dimensional perspective of another embodiment of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device;

(5) FIG. 4 is a first dimensional perspective of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(6) FIG. 5 is another three dimensional perspective of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(7) FIG. 6 is yet another three dimensional perspective of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(8) FIG. 7 is front view of the support body of FIGS. 4-6;

(9) FIG. 8 is a side plan view of the support body of FIGS. 4-6;

(10) FIG. 9 is a bottom plan view of the support body of FIGS. 4-6;

(11) FIG. 10 is a three dimensional perspective of a second embodiment of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(12) FIG. 11 is another three dimensional perspective of the second embodiment of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(13) FIG. 12 is yet another three dimensional perspective of the second embodiment of the support body of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device depicted in FIGS. 1-3;

(14) FIG. 13 is front view of the support body of FIGS. 10-12;

(15) FIG. 14 is a side plan view of the support body of FIGS. 10-12;

(16) FIG. 15 is a bottom plan view of the support body of FIGS. 10-12;

(17) FIG. 16 is a three dimensional perspective of yet another embodiment of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device;

(18) FIG. 17 is a one side view of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 16;

(19) FIG. 18 is another side view of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 16;

(20) FIG. 19 is a three dimensional perspective of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 16 in use with a hand holding a brush;

(21) FIG. 20 is a side three dimensional perspective view of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 16 secured on the hand without holding a brush;

(22) FIG. 21 is a bottom three dimensional perspective view of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device on the hand of FIG. 20 showing the Device's support of the ulnar side of the hand; and

(23) FIG. 22 is a three dimensional perspective view of the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device of FIG. 16 as it is used to cut-in with paint in preparations for rolling.

LIST OF ELEMENTS AND THEIR RESPECTIVE IDENTIFYING NUMERALS

(24) No Element 10 Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device 20 Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 22 Top of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 24 Proximate Edge of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 26 Distal Edge of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 27, 28 Opposing Shoulders of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 29 Cradle 30 Pad 32 Arcuate Bottom of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 34, 36 Side Faces of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 40 Means for securing of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body to Painting Hand 42, 44 Ends of Means for Securing of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 47, 48 Opposite Faces of Means for Securing of Hand-Stabilizing Support Body 49 Attachment Hardware 50 Glove 52 Hook and Loop Attachment Pads

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

(25) Referring more specifically to FIGS. 1-22, they generally depict at 10, at least four different embodiments of the inventive paint-edging, hand-steadying device, i.e. the inventive paint guide. In use, it is secured on the heel pad of the hand of its user so that when the cutting-in process is begun, it supports the dynamic tripod of the painting hand, against the wall beneath the ceiling line being edged, or adjacent to the wall line or trim being edged. It also supports the forearm and the arm. This support allows for the quick development of an expert hand for cutting-in-with-paint quickly and efficiently. It reduces muscle fatigue, while at the same time it acts as a fulcrum for the steadying and movement of the painting hand to insure accuracy of lines being painted during a rapid cutting-in-with paint process; even for painters who are amateurs. It comprises at least one hand-stabilizing support body 20 and securing means 40 for securing said hand stabilizing support body 20 to the heel pad of the painting hand.

(26) Said hand-stabilizing support body 20 of said inventive hand-steadying paint guide has a top 22, a proximate edge 24, a distal edge 26, an arcuate bottom 32 and two side faces 34 and 36. Said top 22 is provided with two opposing shoulders 27 and 28, one shoulder being higher than the other, and an arched surface between the two shoulders 27 and 28, so that the two shoulders and the arch to form an upwardly facing, concave cradle 29 having a width extending between said two shoulders 27 and 28, and a length extending between said proximal edge 24 and said distal edge 26 along a lengthwise profile of said hand-stabilizing support body 20. In one embodiment, the length of said upwardly facing cradle 29 is sized to approximately the length of the ulnar aspect or heel pad of a human hand. Relative to said hand-stabilizing support body 20, said proximate edge 24 is at the same height as said distal edge 26, such that placement of the heel pad of a hand in said cradle 29 is on a relatively horizontal plane that may be perpendicular to the radius of said arcuate bottom 32, and the tallest of the two shoulders abuts the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand. Optionally the upward face of the cradle 29 may be provided with a pad 30 for added comfort during use.

(27) As shown in FIGS. 4-9 each of the side faces 34 and 36 are provided with at least one opening respectively. These openings are communicatingly connected with a through bore, such that an item such as a strap, or a strip of cloth, or a rope, or yarn can be threaded right through the support body 20. Alternatively, as shown in FIGS. 10-16 each of the side faces can be provided with attachment hardware.

(28) In one embodiment of the inventive hand steadying device 10, said securing means for securing said support body to the heel pad of the painting hand comprises at least one strap 40 having a first end 42 and a second end 44 and two opposite faces 47 and 48. At least one of the two opposite faces 47 and 48 is covered with tiny loops. The first end 42 of said strap 40 is provided with tiny flexible hooks. The second end 44 of said strap 40 is provided with at least one attachment hardware, such as a slide, loop, or ring 49. Said strap 40 may be threaded through said support body 20. During use, the heel pad of the painting hand is placed in said cradle 29 such that the inner wall of said taller of its two opposing shoulders 27 and 28 is abutting the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand. Thereafter, said first end 42 of said strap 40 is a) threaded through and bent over one edge of said attachment hardware 49 bearing second end; b) pulled against the edge of said attachment hardware 49 to securely tighten the strap around the painting hand with its heel pad snug within the cradle 29; and c) thereafter pressed down onto the tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, to secure the support body in place on the painting hand. The tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, when pressed together with the hooks on said first end of said strap 40 interlock and bind to hold the strap in place and can be separated when pulled apart deliberately to remove the hand steadying device.

(29) In another embodiment of the inventive hand steadying device 10, said securing means 40 for securing said support body to the heel pad of the painting hand comprises at least two straps 40, each strap having a first end 42 and a second end 44 and two opposing faces 47 and 48. At least one of the two opposing faces 47 and 48 is covered with tiny loops. The first end 42 of one of said straps 40 is provided with tiny flexible hooks. The first end 42 of the other of said straps 40 is provided with at least one attachment hardware, such as a slide, loop, or ring 49. Each of the second ends 44 of each of said straps 40 are respectively fixedly attached to each of attachment hardware provided on each of said side faces 34 and 36 of said support body 20, see FIGS. 11-16. During use, the heel pad of the painting hand is placed in said cradle 29 such that the inner wall of said taller of its two opposing shoulders 27 and 28 is abutting the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand. Thereafter, said first end 42 provided with tiny flexible hooks may be threaded through said at hardware attachment means of said first end 42 of the other of said straps 40, bent over one edge of said hardware attachment; b) pulled against the edge of said attachment hardware to securely tighten the straps around the painting hand with its heel pad snug within the cradle 29, and c) thereafter pressed down onto the tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, to secure the support body in place on the painting hand. The tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, when pressed together with the hooks on said first end of said strap 40 bind to hold the strap in place and can be separated when pulled apart deliberately to remove the hand steadying device.

(30) The inventive hand steadying device 10 for use in edging with a brush or cutting-in with paint, in preparation of painting the walls and ceiling of a room with a paint roller may optionally, further comprise a glove 50, as shown in FIGS. 1-3. Said glove 50 in turn, may be provided with full finger-covering sections (see FIG. 3) or partial finger sections (see FIGS. 1-2) for better tactile feel of the brush during cutting with paint. In addition, said glove 50 is provided with loop or hook bearing attaching pads 52 corresponding to the hook or loop bearing faces 47 and/or 48 of said Means for Securing Support Body 40 on the one hand; and with a hook or loop bearing surface provided on the surface of said pad 30 within said cradle 29.

(31) During use, the heel pad of the glove-bearing, painting hand provided with the loop or hook attachment surface is placed in, pressed, and secured against said hook or loop bearing surface of said pad 30 within said cradle 29 such that the inner wall of said taller of said two opposing shoulders 27 and 28 of support body 20 is securedly abutting the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand. Thereafter, said first end 42 of said strap 40 is a) threaded through and bent over one edge of said attachment hardware 49 bearing second end; b) pulled against the edge of said attachment hardware 49 to securely tighten the strap around the painting hand with its heel pad snug within the cradle 29; and c) thereafter pressed down onto the tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, to secure the support body in place on the painting hand. The other opposing loop bearing face is pressed against a corresponding hook bearing surface on the glove to better secure the inventive hand steadying device 10. The tiny loops on said at least one of said two opposing faces 47 and 48, when pressed together with the hooks on said first end of said strap 40 interlock and bind to hold the strap in place and can be separated when pulled apart deliberately to remove the hand steadying device.

(32) The process of cutting in with paint in preparation of rolling, with the present inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device 10, before painting an entire room using a roller, comprises a number of steps, including but not limited to: a) pouring about an inch or two of paint into a work bucket, from the paint container; b) optionally adding a little extender into the paint in the work bucket, if the paint is too thick; c) stirring the paint together with the extender to evenly distribute the extender throughout the paint, thereby creating a homogeneous paint mixture; d) securing the inventive Paint-Edging, Hand-Steadying Device 10 on the hand that will be holding the brush, with or without the glove 50, such that the heel pad of the hand is placed in said cradle 29, on a relatively horizontal plane that is perpendicular to at least one radius of said curved bottom face 32, and the tallest of the two shoulders 27 and 28 abuts the outer edge of the heel pad of the painting hand; e) loading the brush by dipping it into the paint/extender mixture in the work bucket, and thereafter taking some of the excess paint off, by tapping the brush or wiping it on the side of the work bucket back and forth; f) placing the brush at the ceiling line formed at the juncture of the wall and the ceiling (usually by using a ladder) and brushing along the ceiling line while simultaneously steadying the painting hand and arm and moving the body, through the action of the supporting body 20 as a fulcrum for the steadying and movement of the painting hand to insure accuracy of lines being painted during a rapid cutting-in-with-paint process.

(33) There is no question that the hand steadying device 10 of the present invention, as described herein above, accomplishes all of its objectives. It allows for the development of an expert hand for cutting-in with paint or edging with a brush in preparation for painting a room with a roller. It supports and steadies the ulnar side of the hand by leaning it against a wall or other surface of the room being painted, during the cutting-in-with-paint process. It keeps the ulnar side of the hand in a flexed but quiet position during the cutting-in process, so as to provide a stable base of support for the radial side of the hand, holding the brush and allow it to move across ceiling lines and down wall lines quickly and efficiently. It steadies a painter's wrist, hand and arm during the cutting-in-with-paint process. It reduces muscle fatigue while insuring accuracy of lines being painted during a rapid cutting-in with paint process, even for painters who are amateurs.

(34) While particular embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described in detail herein, they are provided by way of illustration only and should not be construed to limit the invention. Since certain changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description, or shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a literal sense. Practitioners of the art will realize that the sequence of steps and the embodiments depicted in the figures can be altered without departing from the scope of the present invention and that the illustrations contained herein are singular examples of a multitude of possible depictions of the present invention.