Painting apparatuses and methods

• US 8,424,483 B2
• Filed: 10/02/2012
• Issued: 04/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 03/14/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Depingo, LLC
• Original Assignee: Depingo, LLC
• Inventors: Ling, Jeremy J., Norton, Britt K., Gerold, Jason
• Primary Examiner(s): Yuan, Dah-Wei
• Assistant Examiner(s): Thomas, Binu
• Application Number:
  US13/633,408
• Publication Number:
  US 20130028652A1
• Time in Patent Office: 203 Days
• Field of Search: 118/264, 118/256, 118/259, 118/265, 118/266, 401203-205, 401/119, 401/176, 401/179, 401/180, 401/138, 401/139, 401/193, 401/207, 401/266, 401/270, 15/221, 15/971
• US Class Current: 118/264
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 1/14 with multiple outlet openings B05B1/02, B05B1/26 take precedence; with strainers in or outside the outlet opening
• CPC Class Codes: B05B 17/06 using ultrasonic or other kinds of vibrations
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 1/06 by rubbing contact, e.g. by brushes, by pads brushes in general A46B
• CPC Class Codes: B05C 11/1039 Recovery of excess liquid or other fluent material; Controlling means therefor

Abstract

A paint edging apparatus includes a body having front and rear ends defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, the body receiving a paint reservoir for supplying paint to an applicator portion of the apparatus, the body including a handle extending rearwardly at an acute angle relative to the longitudinal axis. An urging mechanism selectively engages the paint reservoir to discharge paint therefrom. A vibrator mounted to the body and operatively connected to the paint applicator portion of the apparatus imparts an oscillatory motion to the paint applicator. A trigger is pivotally mounted to the handle for activating the vibrator, wherein a user can move the apparatus over a work surface to apply paint to the work surface and also pivot the trigger at the same time by grasping the handle with a single hand.

Claims

1. A paint applicator configured for rapid detachable attachment to a hand held paint edging apparatus that includes a paint supply, the paint applicator comprising:

a) a receiver including a pair of opposed cantilever arms, each having at least a portion that is elastically flexible, configured for rapid detachable attachment to the paint edging apparatus in a snap-fit interlocking manner, the receiver including a paint supply inlet that fluidly communicates with a first paint feed tube inlet, the paint supply inlet configured to receive paint from the paint supply when the receiver is attached to the paint edging apparatus;

b) a manifold movably coupled to the receiver, wherein the manifold is configured for slidable movement with respect to the receiver and wherein the manifold includes a cam follower surface configured to engage a drive cam of an electric vibrating motor, the manifold including a second paint feed tube inlet, the manifold including at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold configured to receive paint through the second paint feed tube inlet and to discharge the received paint through the at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold defining a cavity, the manifold including first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls extending from an upper end of the manifold to lower edges thereof, wherein at least a portion of the manifold sidewalls downwardly diverge from one another in the direction of the sidewall lower edges;

c) a paint feed tube having a first end sealably engaged with the first paint feed tube inlet of the receiver and a second end sealably engaged with the second paint feed tube inlet of the manifold for carrying paint from the paint supply to the at least one paint dispensing opening; and

d) a porous applicator portion housed at least partially within the cavity defined by the manifold, the porous applicator portion configured to accept the paint discharged from the at least one paint dispensing opening and to apply the paint to a work surface, wherein the porous applicator portion is contained between the sidewalls of the manifold and extends slightly beyond the lower sidewall edges, and is compressible within the manifold as pressure is applied to the manifold in a direction from the upper end of the manifold toward the sidewall edges, wherein maximum compression of the porous applicator portion is limited by the distance that the porous applicator portion extends beyond the lower sidewall edges when in the uncompressed state, whereby maximum compression of the porous applicator portion remains constant regardless of how much excess pressure is applied to the manifold after the sidewall lower edges engage the work surface.

2. A paint applicator according to claim 1, wherein the first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls are spaced apart by an internal width extending therebetween, the porous applicator portion being arranged and laterally sized to lie completely within the width defined by the first and second sidewalls.

3. A paint applicator according to claim 1, wherein the paint applicator includes at least one keying feature configured to mate with a keying feature of the hand held paint edging apparatus.

4. A paint applicator according to claim 1, wherein the manifold is pivotably coupled to the receiver.

5. A paint applicator according to claim 1, further comprising a second porous applicator portion attached to the manifold adjacent the porous applicator portion, wherein the second porous applicator portion does not fluidly communicate with the at least one paint dispensing opening of the manifold and is configured to absorb excess paint dispensed from the porous applicator portion.

6. A pain applicator according to claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the paint feed tube is flexible.

7. A paint applicator according to claim 6, wherein the paint feed tube is arranged and configured for compressive engagement with a valve of the hand held paint edging apparatus for enabling selective restriction of paint flow through the paint feed tube when the paint applicator is attached to the hand held paint edging apparatus.

8. A paint applicator configured for rapid detachable attachment to a hand held paint edging apparatus that includes a paint supply, the paint applicator comprising:

a) a manifold configured to be coupled to the hand held paint edging apparatus, the manifold including at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold configured to discharge paint through the at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold defining a cavity, the manifold including first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls extending from an upper end of the manifold to lower edges thereof;

b) a sealed fluid conduit arranged and configured to form a sealed fluid connection between the paint supply of the hand held paint edging apparatus and the at least one paint dispensing opening of the manifold for carrying paint from the paint supply to the paint dispensing opening; and

c) a porous applicator housed at least partially within the cavity defined by the manifold, the porous applicator configured to accept the paint discharged from the paint dispensing opening and to apply the paint to a work surface, wherein the porous applicator is contained between the sidewalls of the manifold and extends slightly beyond the lower sidewall edges, and is compressible within the manifold as pressure is applied to the manifold in a direction from the upper end of the manifold toward the sidewall edges, wherein maximum compression of the porous applicator is limited by the distance that the porous applicator extends beyond the lower sidewall edges when in the uncompressed state, whereby maximum compression of the porous applicator remains constant regardless of how much excess pressure is applied to the manifold after the sidewall lower edges engage the work surface, wherein the paint applicator includes a second porous applicator attached to the manifold adjacent the porous applicator, wherein the second porous applicator does not fluidly communicate with the at least one paint dispensing opening of the manifold and is configured to absorb excess paint dispensed from the porous applicator.

9. A paint applicator according to claim 8, wherein at least a portion of the manifold sidewalls downwardly diverge from one another in the direction of the sidewall lower edges.

10. A paint applicator according to claim 8, wherein the first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls are spaced apart by an internal width extending therebetween, the porous applicator being arranged and laterally sized to lie completely within the width defined by the first and second sidewalls.

11. A paint applicator according to claim 8, wherein the manifold includes a cam follower surface configured to engage a drive cam of an electric vibrating motor.

12. A paint applicator according to claim 8, wherein the paint applicator includes at least one keying feature configured to mate with a keying feature of the hand held paint edging apparatus.

13. A paint applicator configured for rapid detachable attachment to a hand held paint edging apparatus that includes a paint supply and an electric vibrating source, the paint applicator comprising:

a receiver including a pair of opposed cantilever arms, each having at least a portion that is elastically flexible, configured for rapid detachable attachment to the paint edging apparatus in a snap-fit interlocking manner, the receiver including a paint supply inlet that fluidly communicates with a first paint feed tube inlet, the paint supply inlet configured to receive paint from the paint supply when the receiver is attached to the paint edging apparatus;

a manifold movably coupled to the receiver, the manifold defining a cavity, the manifold including a receptor for receiving at least a portion of the electric vibrating source of the hand held paint edging apparatus for moving the manifold with respect to the receiver, wherein the receptor of the manifold includes a cam follower surface configured to engage a drive cam of an electric vibrating motor that defines the electric vibrating source of the hand held paint edging apparatus, the manifold including a second paint feed tube inlet, the manifold including at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold configured to receive paint through the second paint feed tube inlet and to discharge the received paint through the at least one paint dispensing opening;

a paint feed tube having a first end sealably engaged with the first paint feed tube inlet of the receiver and a second end sealably engaged with the second paint feed tube inlet of the manifold for carrying paint from the paint supply to the at least one paint dispensing opening; and

a porous applicator portion housed at least partially within the cavity defined by the manifold, the porous applicator portion configured to accept the paint discharged from the at least one paint dispensing opening and to apply the paint to a work surface.

14. A paint applicator according to claim 13, wherein the manifold includes first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls extending from an upper end of the manifold to lower edges thereof, wherein the porous applicator portion is contained between the sidewalls and extends slightly beyond the lower sidewall edges, and is compressible within the manifold as pressure is applied to the manifold in a direction from the upper end of the manifold toward the sidewall edges, wherein maximum compression of the porous applicator portion is limited by the distance that the porous applicator portion extends beyond the lower sidewall edges when in the uncompressed state, whereby maximum compression of the porous applicator portion remains constant regardless of how much excess pressure is applied to the manifold after the sidewall lower edges engage the work surface.

15. A paint applicator according to claim 14, wherein at least a portion of the manifold sidewalls downwardly diverge from one another in the direction of the sidewall lower edges.

16. A paint applicator according to claim 14, wherein the first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls are spaced apart by an internal width extending therebetween, the porous applicator portion being arranged and laterally sized to lie completely within the width defined by the first and second sidewalls.

17. A paint applicator according to claim 13, wherein the paint applicator includes at least one keying feature configured to mate with a keying feature of the hand held paint edging apparatus.

18. A paint applicator according to claim 13, wherein the manifold is pivotably coupled to the receiver.

19. A paint applicator according to claim 13, further comprising a second porous applicator portion attached to the manifold adjacent the porous applicator portion, wherein the second porous applicator portion does not fluidly communicate with the at least one paint dispensing opening of the manifold and is configured to absorb excess paint dispensed from the porous applicator portion.

20. A paint applicator configured for rapid detachable attachment to a held hand held paint edging apparatus that includes a paint supply, the paint applicator comprising;

(a) a receiver including a pair of exposed cantilever arms, each having at least a portion that is elastically flexible, configured for rapid detachable attachment to the paint edging apparatus in a snap-fit interlocking manner, the receiver including a paint supply inlet that fluidly communicates with a first paint feed tube inlet, the paint supply inlet configured to receive paint from the paint supply when the receiver is attached to the paint edging apparatus;

(b) a manifold movably coupled to the receiver, the manifold including a second paint feed tube inlet, the manifold including at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold configured to receive paint through the second paint feed tube inlet and to discharge the received paint through he at least one paint dispensing opening, the manifold defining a cavity, the manifold including first and second oppositely disposed sidewalls extending from the upper end of the manifold to lower edges thereof, wherein at least a portion of the manifold sidewalls downwardly diverge from one another in the direction of the sidewall lower edges;

(c) a paint feed tube having a first end sealably engaged with the first paint feed tube inlet of the receiver and a second end sealably engaged with the second paint feed tube inlet of the manifold for carrying paint from the paint supply to the at least one paint dispensing opening;

(d) a porous applicator portion housed at least partially within the cavity defined by the manifold, the porous applicator portion configured to accept the paint discharged from the at least one point dispensing opening and to supply the paint to a work surface, wherein the porous applicator portion is contained between the sidewalls of the manifold and extends slightly beyond the lower sidewall edges, and is compressible within the manifold as pressure is applied to the manifold in a direction from the upper end of the manifold toward the sidewall edges, wherein maximum compression of the porous applicator portion is limited by the distance that the porous applicator portion extends beyond the lower sidewall edges when in the uncompressed state, whereby maximum compression of the porous applicator portion remains constant regardless of how much excess pressure is applied to the manifold after the sidewall lower edges engaged the work surface; and

(e) a second porous applicator portion attached to the manifold adjacent the porous applicator portion, wherein the second porous applicator portion does not fluidly communicate with the at least one paint dispensed opening of the manifold and is configured to absorb excess paint dispensed from the porous applicator portion.