Brunning, Robert (9207 Powderhorn Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ, US)

Plaque It! Sponsored by: Flash of Genius

10/932464

08/12/2008

09/02/2004

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220/633

220/697, 220/570, 15/257.06, 220/696

B05C21/00; B65D25/00

220/771, 220/480, 220/571, 220/697, 220/482, 220/660-693, 220/572, 220/699, 220/754, 220/571.1, 220/481, 220/751, 220/695, 15/257.05, 220/639-654, D32/53.1, 220/752, 224/148.5, 220/570, 220/477

D202134		August, 1965	Bryan
3292815	Pail	December, 1966	Smith et al.
3493988	ROLLER PAINT BUCKET	February, 1970	Tidwell
3829926	PAINT BUCKET	August, 1974	Salladay
4205411	Universal paint tray	June, 1980	Cupp et al.	15/257.06
4266686	Paint can attachment for holding brushes	May, 1981	Carter	220/697
4297762	Paint tray and reservoir	November, 1981	Crysdale
4561556	Holder for paint brushes, rollers or the like	December, 1985	Bendix	220/697
D303304	Paint tray	September, 1989	Sabatino
5046749	Paint pail for roller with liner, caddy, and paint shield	September, 1991	Owens
5314061	Paint bucket with inner paint implement attaching means	May, 1994	Bedrossian	206/229
5341969	Container accommodating paint, roller and brush and lid therefor	August, 1994	Accardo et al.	222/465.1
D355287	Bucket	February, 1995	Camp, Jr.
5400916	Paint roller bucket	March, 1995	Weber	220/495.02
5810196	Paint bucket	September, 1998	Lundy
5829628	Waste container adapted for cutting toe nails	November, 1998	Lount	220/695
5941410	Mop bucket having a mop stabilizing structure	August, 1999	Mangano	220/735
5966772	Paint supply and finishing system	October, 1999	Woodnorth et al.	15/230.11
6062389	Dual bucket assembly	May, 2000	Kent	206/518
6105816	Painter's aid	August, 2000	Shea	220/697
6176389	Container, system, and method for dispensing fluid	January, 2001	de Laforcade	220/695
6199718	Paint bucket with integral grate	March, 2001	Ellis
6260730	Painting system with interchangeable liner for paint container	July, 2001	Fellman	220/495.02
D458723	Combined paint cup and brush holder	June, 2002	Malvasio	D32/53.1
D477702	Paint bucket	July, 2003	Kohn
6622340	Multi-positional paint tray	September, 2003	Rosa	15/257.06
7191913	Hand-held paint container	March, 2007	Byrne	220/570
20020096525	Selectively divisible liquid container with removable divider	July, 2002	Bertoldo et al.	220/544
20040195248	Liquid applicator and container system	October, 2004	Garcia	220/570

Stashick, Anthony D.

Walker, Ned A.

Parsons & Goltry
Goltry, Michael W.
Parsons, Robert A.

Having fully described the invention in such clear and concise terms as to enable those skilled in the art to understand and practice the same, the invention claimed is:

1. A paint bucket, comprising: a) fluid impervious receptacle formed from a single one-piece unitary structure comprising an upstanding continuous sidewall including opposing sidewalls having upper and lower edges, opposing front and rear walls having upper and lower edges, the upper edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls defining a continuous upper edge, defining an upper plane, of the continuous sidewall, and a substantially horizontal bottom wall, adjoined to the lower edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls and defining a bottom plane, cooperating with continuous sidewall to form the fluid impervious receptacle; b) the upper plane substantially parallel to the bottom plane; c) the rear wall comprising: 1) two first support panels each adjoining one of the opposing sidewalls; 2) a central panel having sufficient width to accommodate a roller of a paint roller, the roller having a curvature, the central panel having an upper end including an upper edge inset from the upper edge of the rear wall, and a lower concave end leading to an opposing lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end for accommodating the curvature of the roller; 3) a horizontal support panel, having a width equal to the width of the central panel and residing in the upper plane, that extends between and adjoins the upper edge of the rear wall and the upper edge of the central panel; 4) the lower edge of the central panel sufficiently inset from the upper edge of the central panel to form an incline between the lower edge of the central panel and the upper edge of the central panel; 5) two second support panels each adjoining one of the first support panels, the central panel, and the horizontal support panel; and 6) the horizontal support panel, the central panel, and the two second support panels together extend into the fluid impervious receptacle from the two first support panels to provide the rear wall with structural rigidity to prevent the rear wall from buckling and bending.

2. The paint bucket of claim 1, further comprising a pair of opposing storage hooks affixed to the upper edge of the rear wall between the two second support panels and extending rearwardly of the upper edge.

3. The paint bucket according to claim 1, wherein the paint bucket is sized so that the paint bucket is nestable with a duplicate paint bucket.

4. The paint bucket according to claim 1, further comprising a central spout formed at the upper edge of the front wall.

5. The paint bucket according to claim 1, wherein the central panel is corrugated.

6. The paint bucket according to claim 1, further comprising the front wall having a lower concave end leading to a lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end of the front wall for accommodating the curvature of the paint roller.

7. The paint bucket according to claim 1, further comprising a handle pivotally attached to the paint bucket for use in carrying the paint bucket.

8. A paint bucket, comprising: a) fluid impervious receptacle formed from a single one-piece unitary structure comprising an upstanding continuous sidewall including opposing sidewalls having upper and lower edges, opposing front and rear walls having upper and lower edges, the upper edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls defining a continuous upper edge, defining an upper plane, of the continuous sidewall, and a substantially horizontal bottom wall, adjoined to the lower edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls and defining a bottom plane, cooperating with continuous sidewall to form the fluid impervious receptacle; b) the upper plane substantially parallel to the bottom plane; c) the rear wall comprising: 1) two first support panels each adjoining one of the opposing sidewalls; 2) a central quadrilateral panel having sufficient width to accommodate a roller of a paint roller, the roller having a curvature, the central quadrilateral panel having an upper end including an upper edge inset from the upper edge of the rear wall, and a lower concave end leading to an opposing lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end for accommodating the curvature of the roller; 3) a horizontal support panel, having a width equal to the width of the central quadrilateral panel and residing in the upper plane, opposing first and second end edges, a first side edge adjoining the upper edge of the rear wall, and a second side edge adjoining the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel, the horizontal support panel extends between and adjoins the upper edge of the rear wall and the upper edge of the central panel; 4) the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel sufficiently inset from the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel to form an incline between the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel and the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel; 5) two second support panels each adjoining the central quadrilateral panel, one of the first support panels, and one of the first and second end edges of the horizontal support panel; 6) the horizontal support panel, the central quadrilateral panel, and the two second support panels together cooperate to form a box structure that extends into the fluid impervious receptacle from the two first support panels to provide the rear wall with structural rigidity to prevent the rear wall from buckling and bending; 7) a first opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the first end edge between the first and second side edges; and 8) a second opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the second end edge between the first and second side edges.

9. The paint bucket of claim 8, further comprising a pair of opposing storage hooks affixed to the upper edge of the rear wall between the two second support panels and extending rearwardly of the upper edge.

10. The paint bucket according to claim 8, wherein the paint bucket is sized so that the paint bucket is nestable with a duplicate paint bucket.

11. The paint bucket according to claim 8, further comprising a central spout formed at the upper edge of the front wall.

12. The paint bucket according to claim 8, wherein the central quadrilateral panel is corrugated.

13. The paint bucket according to claim 8, further comprising the front wall having a lower concave end leading to a lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end of the front wall for accommodating the curvature of the paint roller.

14. The paint bucket according to claim 8, further comprising a handle pivotally attached to the paint bucket for use in carrying the paint bucket.

15. A paint bucket, comprising: a) fluid impervious receptacle formed from a single one-piece unitary structure comprising an upstanding continuous sidewall including opposing sidewalls having upper and lower edges, opposing front and rear walls having upper and lower edges, the upper edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls defining a continuous upper edge, defining an upper plane, of the continuous sidewall, and a substantially horizontal bottom wall, adjoined to the lower edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls and defining a bottom plane, cooperating with continuous sidewall to form the fluid impervious receptacle; b) the upper plane substantially parallel to the bottom plane; c) the rear wall comprising: 1) two first support panels each adjoining one of the opposing sidewalls; 2) a central quadrilateral panel having sufficient width to accommodate a roller of a paint roller, the roller having a curvature, the central quadrilateral panel having an upper end including an upper edge inset from the upper edge of the rear wall, and a lower concave end leading to an opposing lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end for accommodating the curvature of the roller; 3) a horizontal support panel, having a width equal to the width of the central quadrilateral panel and residing in the upper plane, opposing first and second end edges, a first side edge adjoining the upper edge of the rear wall, and a second side edge adjoining the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel, the horizontal support panel extends between and adjoins the upper edge of the rear wall and the upper edge of the central panel; 4) the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel sufficiently inset from the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel to form an incline between the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel and the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel; 5) two second support panels each adjoining the central quadrilateral panel, one of the first support panels, and one of the first and second end edges of the horizontal support panel; and 6) the horizontal support panel, the central quadrilateral panel, and the two second support panels together cooperate to form a box structure that extends into the fluid impervious receptacle from the two first support panels to provide the rear wall with structural rigidity to prevent the rear wall from buckling and bending.

16. The paint bucket according to claim 15, further comprising: a first opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the first end edge between the first and second side edges; and a second opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the second end edge between the first and second side edges.

17. The paint bucket of claim 15, further comprising a pair of opposing storage hooks affixed to the upper edge of the rear wall between the two second support panels and extending rearwardly of the upper edge.

18. The paint bucket according to claim 15, wherein the paint bucket is sized so that the paint bucket is nestable with a duplicate paint bucket.

19. The paint bucket according to claim 15, further comprising a central spout formed at the upper edge of the front wall.

20. The paint bucket according to claim 15, wherein the central quadrilateral panel is corrugated.

21. The paint bucket according to claim 15, further comprising the front wall having a lower concave end leading to a lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end of the front wall for accommodating the curvature of the paint roller.

22. The paint bucket according to claim 15, further comprising a handle pivotally attached to the paint bucket for use in carrying the paint bucket.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to paint buckets.

2. The Prior Art

The prior art is replete with buckets of various types and styles. Of immediate interest are paint buckets for receiving paint, stain, and the like, in a quantity and at a level that is suitable for loading a paint roller with a desired and controllable amount of liquid for transferring and spreading the liquid onto a selected surface.

Common to many prior art paint buckets is an upstanding continuous sidewall having a closed bottom, and an open top, in which the closed bottom cooperates with the sidewall forming a fluid impervious receptacle. In the receptacle there is usually a textured panel, or a grate, that is used to control the amount of liquid on the brush or roller being used. Some paint buckets even incorporate features for use in holding paint brushes. Although the art enjoys many types of the above-described paint buckets and variances thereof, it would be highly desirable to provide a paint bucket that is easy to construct, highly stable, that incorporates specialized features specifically adapted for use with a paint roller, that incorporates unique storage features for storing paint brushes and towels and other items, and that has a uniquely-configured rear wall for introducing structural rigidity to the paint bucket, and in which the storage features are uniquely positioned so that instability is not imparted to the paint bucket with items are attached thereto for storage purposes.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to the invention, there is provided a paint bucket consisting of an upstanding continuous sidewall including opposing sidewalls having upper and lower edges, and opposing front and rear walls having upper and lower edges, the upper edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls defining a continuous upper edge, defining an upper plane, of the continuous sidewall. A substantially horizontal bottom wall, adjoined to the lower edges of the sidewalls and the front and rear walls and defining a bottom plane, cooperates with continuous sidewall to form a fluid impervious receptacle. The upper plane is substantially parallel to the lower plane. According to the invention, the rear wall includes 1) two first support panels each adjoining one of the opposing sidewalls; 2) a central quadrilateral panel, of sufficient width to accommodate a roller, having a curvature, of a paint roller, the central quadrilateral panel having an upper end including an upper edge, and a lower concave end leading to an opposing lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end for accommodating the curvature of the roller; 3) a horizontal support panel, having a width equal to the width of the central quadrilateral panel and residing in the upper plane, opposing first and second end edges, a first side edge adjoining the upper edge of the rear wall, and a second side edge adjoining the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel; 4) the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel sufficiently inset from the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel to form an incline between the lower edge of the central quadrilateral panel and the upper edge of the central quadrilateral panel; 5) two second support panels each adjoining the central quadrilateral panel, one of the first support panels, and one of the first and second end edges of the horizontal support panel; 6) a first opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the first end edge between the first and second side edges; and 7) a second opening through the horizontal support panel adjacent the second end edge between the first and second side edges. A pair of opposing storage hooks is affixed to the upper edge of the rear wall between the two second support panels. The paint bucket is sized so that the paint bucket is nestable with a duplicate paint bucket. A central spout is formed at the upper edge of the front wall, and the central quadrilateral panel and is corrugated. The front wall has a lower concave end leading to a lower edge adjoining the bottom wall, the lower concave end of the front wall for accommodating the curvature of the paint roller. A handle, pivotally attached to the paint bucket, is used to carry the paint bucket.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Referring to the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a front isometric view of paint bucket, constructed and arranged in accordance with the principle of the invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric view of the paint bucket of FIG. 1 with portions thereof broken away for illustrative purposes;

FIG. 3 is a view much like that of FIG. 2 and further showing a paint roller associated with the paint bucket and a brush and towel held in storage features of the paint bucket;

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along line 4 - 4 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a rear isometric view of the paint bucket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 6 is a top plan view of the paint bucket of FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is an isometric view of a plurality of identical paint buckets, each constructed and arranged in accordance with the paint bucket of FIG. 1, shown as they would appear nested; and

FIG. 8 is a sectional view taken along line 9 - 9 of FIG. 7.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

A paint bucket 20 will now be described with reference to FIGS. 1-8.

Turning now to the drawings, in which like reference characters indicate corresponding elements throughout the several views, attention is first directed to FIGS. 1 and 5 in which there is seen a paint bucket, generally indicated by the reference character 10 , consisting of an upstanding continuous sidewall 11 having an outer surface 12 , an inner surface 13 , a continuous upper edge 14 defining a horizontal upper plane, and a lower edge 15 . As further seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, bucket 10 further includes a horizontal bottom wall 16 affixed to inner surface 13 . Bottom wall 16 resides in a horizontal lower plane that is substantially parallel to the upper plane defined by continuous upper edge 14 , and cooperates with continuous sidewall 11 to form a fluid impervious receptacle 17 . Preferably, bucket 10 is integrally formed or molded of a substantially rigid material such as a selected thermoplastic material, metal, fiberglass, etc.

Continuous sidewall 11 is generally square in shape and is made up of four walls, namely, opposing sidewalls 20 and 21 , and opposing front and rear walls 22 and 23 . Looking to FIG. 6, which is a top plan view of bucket 10 , sidewall 20 has opposing upper and lower edges 20 A and 20 B, sidewall 21 has opposing upper and lower edges 21 A and 21 B, front wall 22 has opposing upper and lower edges 22 A and 22 B, and rear wall 23 has opposing upper and lower edges 23 A and 23 B. Upper edges 20 A, 21 A, 22 A, 23 A cooperate and define continuous upper edge 14 . Bottom wall 16 adjoins lower edges 20 B, 21 B, 22 B, 23 B. A central spout 24 for pouring is formed at upper edge 22 A of front wall 22 . A handle 25 , made of metal wire, has ends pivotally attached to sidewalls 20 and 21 at upper edges 20 A and 21 A, respectively, in a conventional manner, and is used to carry paint bucket 10 .

According to the invention, and with reference to FIG. 5, rear wall includes two first support panels 30 and 31 , two second support panels 32 and 33 , a central panel 34 , and a horizontal support panel 35 . First support panel 30 , which is a quadrilateral panel, adjoins sidewall 20 , and first support panel 31 , which is also a quadrilateral panel, adjoins sidewall 21 . Looking momentarily to FIG. 3, central panel 34 is a quadrilateral panel and has a width that is sufficient to accommodate a roller 36 , having a curvature, of a paint roller 37 .

Referring to FIG. 2, central panel 34 has an upper 40 end including an upper edge 41 , a lower concave end 42 leading to an opposing lower edge 43 adjoining bottom wall 15 , and opposing side edges 44 and 45 . Lower concave end 42 is sufficiently inwardly curved for accommodating the curvature of roller 36 of paint roller 37 . The width of central panel 34 is substantially constant from its upper edge 41 to its lower edge 43 . Looking to FIG. 4, lower edge 43 of central panel 34 is sufficiently inset from upper edge 41 of central panel 34 to form an incline between lower edge 43 of central panel 34 and upper edge 41 of central panel 34 . The entirety of central panel 34 is inset into receptacle 17 from upper edge 23 A of rear wall 23 .

Like central panel 34 , front wall 22 , as seen in FIG. 4, has an upper end 22 C including upper edge 22 A, and lower concave end 22 D leading to lower edge 22 B adjoining bottom wall 16 . Lower concave end 22 D extends along substantially the entire width of paint bucket 10 from sidewall 20 to sidewall 21 as seen in FIG. 6, and like lower concave end 42 is sufficiently inwardly curved for accommodating the curvature of roller 36 of paint roller 37 .

Horizontal support panel 35 is a quadrilateral panel and has a width that is equal to the width of central panel 34 and resides in the upper plane defined by continuous upper edge 14 . Horizontal support panel 35 has opposing first and second end edges 35 A and 35 B, a first side edge 35 C adjoining upper edge 23 A of rear wall 23 , and a second side edge 35 D adjoining upper edge 41 of central panel 34 .

Referring to FIG. 5, second support panel 32 adjoins first support panel 30 , side edge 44 of central panel 34 , and first end edge 35 A of horizontal support panel 35 . Second support panel 33 adjoins first support panel 31 , side edge 45 of central panel 34 , and second end edge 35 B of horizontal support panel 35 . Central panel 34 is a slanted, inset paint distribution board that is built into paint bucket 10 .

The support provided by the structure resulting from the arrangement of first support panels 30 and 31 , second support panels 32 and 33 , and sidewalls 20 and 21 form opposing rearwardly projecting legs of paint bucket 10 that allow a paint roller to be rubbed against central panel 34 without risk of overturning paint bucket 10 . Central panel 34 is preferably formed with corrugations of a selected design or pattern aid in the distribution of paint on a roller of a paint roller. Also, the structure provided by horizontal support panel 35 , central panel 34 , and second support panels 32 and 33 cooperate and form a central paint distribution box structure that extends into receptacle 17 from first and second support panels 30 and 31 , which provides rear wall 23 with surprising and unexpected structural rigidity that prevents rear wall 23 from buckling and bending, which has long been a problem with prior art paint buckets having integrated paint distribution boards.

The opposing concave lower ends 42 and 22 D of central panel 34 and front wall 22 , respectively, and also the portion of bottom wall 16 extending between concave lower ends 42 and 22 D, define a paint collection surface of paint bucket 10 over which a paint roller can be rolled back and forth for collecting paint from a charge of paint disposed in the bottom of paint bucket 10 . As a result of the concave lower ends 42 and 22 D that adjoin bottom wall 16 , a paint roller can be easily and smoothly maneuvered back and forth over central panel 34 , bottom wall 16 and front wall 22 , in which there are no corners in the paint collection surface to form dead zones where paint can collect and where it is impossible to evenly and efficiently collect paint with a paint roller. In prior art paint buckets, there are corners in the paint collection surface between the continuous sidewall and the bottom wall of the paint receptacle, which create these dead zones where paint can collect and where it is impossible to maneuver a paint roller into and evenly and efficiently apply paint to the paint roller. The invention eliminates this by providing a paint collection surface defined by opposing concave lower ends 42 and 22 D and the portion of bottom wall 16 extending therebetween. Because the opposing concave lower ends 42 and 22 D eliminate corners in the bottom of paint bucket 10 along the paint collection surface of paint bucket 10 and the resulting dead zones in which paint can collect and at which it is impossible to load paint onto the paint roller in an even and efficient manner, paint waste that results from the dead zones is eliminated.

There is a first opening 46 through horizontal support panel 35 adjacent first end edge 35 A between side edges 35 C and 35 D, and there is a second opening 47 through horizontal support panel 35 adjacent second end edge 35 B between side edges 35 C and 35 D. Openings 46 and 47 are inset from upper edge 23 A of rear wall 23 . Openings 46 and 47 are each able to accommodate and receive therein a paint accessory for convenient access and storage. As a matter of example, FIG. 3 shows a towel 50 extending through, and being held in, opening 46 , and the handle of a paint brush 51 extending through opening 47 , in which the head of the paint brush is resting atop horizontal support panel 35 providing storage for paint brush 51 . Openings 46 and 47 each may be used to hold other selected items as may be desired. Because openings 46 and 47 are inset from upper edge 23 A of rear wall 23 , items can be stored therein without risk of overturning paint bucket 10 and without imparting instability to paint bucket 10 .

Two opposing storage hooks 48 and 49 are affixed to, and extend rearwardly of, upper edge 23 A of rear wall 23 between second support panels 32 and 33 , and are available to be used for hanging towels, brushes, and other selected accessories. Also, paint bucket 10 is sized so that it is nestable with a duplicate paint bucket. FIGS. 7 and 8 illustrate a plurality of paint buckets each constructed in accordance with paint bucket 10 and shown as they would appear nested together.

The present invention is described above with reference to a preferred embodiment. However, those skilled in the art will recognize that changes and modifications may be made in the described embodiment without departing from the nature and scope of the present invention. Various changes and modifications to the embodiment herein chosen for purposes of illustration will readily occur to those skilled in the art. To the extent that such modifications and variations do not depart from the spirit of the invention, they are intended to be included within the scope thereof.