Patent US4380478A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4380478A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Apparatus and method for cleaning paint roller covers
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1981-10-05
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Granted: 1983-04-19
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Expires: 2001-10-05
Abstract
Abstract A paint roller cover having an outer annular absorbent layer is plugged at one end and inserted through one end of an open-ended cylindrical casing into a snug position within the casing. In one embodiment, said one end of the casing has a closure cap adapted for connection to a supply source of pressurized liquid for forced flow through the absorbent layer and discharge out of the other end of the casing. In another embodiment, said one end of the casing is insertable into piston-cylinder relationship with the open upper end of a container substantially filled with a cleaning liquid. Relative axial movement of the casing and container operates to force the liquid through the absorbent layer. An important feature of the invention is that during endwise movement of the cover into the cleaning position, the material of the absorbent layer will be angularly deflected into a position which is conducive to the uniform distribution of the axial flow of cleaning liquid within the annular layer. Removal of the clean roller cover from the casing is facilitated by moving it in an endwise direction out of the other end of the casing, rather than by a reverse movement out of said one end of the casing, which would tend to induce a wedging action by the absorbent material.
Inventors
- 👤 James J. Cooney
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 12:25
CPC Classifications
B; B44; B44D; B44D3/00; B44D3/006; Y; Y10; Y10S; Y10S134/00; Y10S134/90
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 23
Claim 1
Independent Claim
242 words
In combination, cleaning apparatus and a cylindrical paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding outer annular layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, comprising: an elongated cylindrical insert disposable endwise into one end of the axial passage of the roller cover and being axially movable to a seated position in which an outer end portion of the insert closes said one end of the passage, said insert being of a diameter to slidingly engage the wall of the passage; a generally cylindrical casing having an internal diameter, less than the outer diameter of said paint roller cover, said casing having top and bottom open ends with each of said open ends being open to a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the casing whereby to enable the roller cover with said insert therein to be received endwise through the open top end, axially moved to a predetermined position in which said closed end of said passage is positioned at the top open end of said casing, and removed endwise through the open bottom end; stop means removably mounted to the bottom end of the casing to maintain the roller cover in said predetermined position; and means removably mounted to the casing for applying a pressurized cleaning fluid to the top end of said casing for guided flow through the outer annular layer of the roller cover and discharge thereof from the bottom end of the casing.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
242 words
In combination, cleaning apparatus and a cylindrical paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding outer annular layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, comprising: an elongated cylindrical insert disposable endwise into one end of the axial passage of the roller cover and being axially movable to a seated position in which an outer end portion of the insert closes said one end of the passage, said insert being of a diameter to slidingly engage the wall of the passage; a generally cylindrical casing having an internal diameter, less than the outer diameter of said paint roller cover, said casing having top and bottom open ends with each of said open ends being open to a diameter substantially equal to the internal diameter of the casing whereby to enable the roller cover with said insert therein to be received endwise through the open top end, axially moved to a predetermined position in which said closed end of said passage is positioned at the top open end of said casing, and removed endwise through the open bottom end; stop means removably mounted to the bottom end of the casing to maintain the roller cover in said predetermined position; and means removably mounted to the casing for applying a pressurized cleaning fluid to the top end of said casing for guided flow through the outer annular layer of the roller cover and discharge thereof from the bottom end of the casing.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
72 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: the absorbent material of the surrounding outer annular layer of the roller contains fibers; and upon insertion of the roller cover into said casing, the casing wall coacts with the fibers in a manner to deflect them towards the top open end of the casing into an inclined position which will tend to equalize the axial flow of cleaning fluid within the surrounding absorbent layer.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: the means for applying a pressurized cleaning fluid comprises a cap member connected with said top end of said casing; and means for connecting said cap member with a source of pressurized fluid.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: the outer end portion of the insert is formed to provide a stopper having a peripherally bevelled wall.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
Apparatus according to claim 4, in which: said stopper is separately formed and is attached to a tubular insert portion.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
25 words
Apparatus according to claim 3, in which: the means for connecting said cap member with a source of pressurized fluid comprises a hose connection fitting.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: the casing wall at the bottom open end is provided with circumferentially spaced flow outlet openings.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
23 words
Apparatus according to claim 7 in which: said flow outlet wall openings are positioned below the lower end of the received roller cover.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: said stop means comprises an elongate bar member extending transversely of the bottom end of said casing; and wall slots are positioned to respectively releasably receive the opposite ends of said bar member.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
70 words
Apparatus according to claim 9, in which: said bar is of generally flat configuration; and said slots are respectively provided with a relatively wide inner portion to seatingly support the bar in a plane at right angles to the longitudinal axis of said casing, and a narrow neck portion opening into the bottom end edge of the casing enabling removal of the bar when transversely rotated into a tilted position.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
61 words
Apparatus according to claim 7, in which: an elongate bar member is positioned above said wall flow outlet openings, said bar member extending substantially diametrically across said casing, and means for removably supporting the ends of said bar member in said casing wall, whereby to provide an abutment for engaging the inserted end of the roller cover at said predetermined position.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
111 words
Apparatus according to claim 1, in which: an external circumferential surface sealing member is mounted adjacent the top end of said casing; and the means for applying a pressurized cleaning fluid comprises an elongate cylindrical container having an open end, said container, when disposed in a generally upright position, enabling it to be substantially filled through said open end with a cleaning liquid, receives the top end of the casing in piston relation into said open end, and upon manually forced axial movement of the received top end into the container being operative to force the liquid in the container through the outer annular layer of the cover in said casing.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
29 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, in which: said cylindrical container has a wall opening inwardly spaced from its open end, for determining the maximum liquid level in said container.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus according to claim 12, in which: the sealing member is mounted on the outer surface of a cylindrical collar connected to the top end of said casing.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
120 words
The method of cleaning a cylindrical paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding outer annular layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, which comprises the steps of: longitudinally confining the roller cover between outer and inner walls of an annular open ended longitudinally extending passage formed in a piston-like member; substantially filling a cylindrical container member having an open end with a cleaning liquid; inserting an end of the piston-like member into sealing piston-cylinder relation with the open end of the container; and thereafter manually axially moving one of said piston-like member and said container relative to the other in a direction to force cleaning liquid in the container through the annular layer of the cover.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
120 words
The method of cleaning a cylindrical paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding outer annular layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, which comprises the steps of: longitudinally confining the roller cover between outer and inner walls of an annular open ended longitudinally extending passage formed in a piston-like member; substantially filling a cylindrical container member having an open end with a cleaning liquid; inserting an end of the piston-like member into sealing piston-cylinder relation with the open end of the container; and thereafter manually axially moving one of said piston-like member and said container relative to the other in a direction to force cleaning liquid in the container through the annular layer of the cover.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
78 words
The method according to claim 15, in which: the paint roller cover is confined by being inserted endwise into said piston passage at the end which is to be inserted into the open end of the container so as to deflect fibers of the absorbent cover material generally into an inclined position which will tend to transversely equalize the axial flow of cleaning liquid within the absorbent layer between said outer and inner walls of the annular passage.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
182 words
In combination, cleaning apparatus and a paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, comprising: an elongate cylindrical insert means positioned within said passage and being operative to close one end of the passage; a cylindrical casing having open opposite ends and being dimensioned to receive the roller cover and assembled insert as a unit endwise through one of said open ends into a predetermined position with the casing wall being inwardly in surface engagement with the outer surface of the roller cover, and with said one end of the passage adjacent said one end of the casing; stop means removably mounted to the other open end of the casing to maintain the roller cover in said predetermined position; and means having a releasable connection with the casing wall at said one end of said casing for applying a pressurized cleaning liquid to said one end of the casing for guided flow through the surrounding layer of absorbent material of the cover and discharge from the other open end of the casing.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
182 words
In combination, cleaning apparatus and a paint roller cover of the type having a surrounding layer of absorbent material and an axial tubular passage, comprising: an elongate cylindrical insert means positioned within said passage and being operative to close one end of the passage; a cylindrical casing having open opposite ends and being dimensioned to receive the roller cover and assembled insert as a unit endwise through one of said open ends into a predetermined position with the casing wall being inwardly in surface engagement with the outer surface of the roller cover, and with said one end of the passage adjacent said one end of the casing; stop means removably mounted to the other open end of the casing to maintain the roller cover in said predetermined position; and means having a releasable connection with the casing wall at said one end of said casing for applying a pressurized cleaning liquid to said one end of the casing for guided flow through the surrounding layer of absorbent material of the cover and discharge from the other open end of the casing.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
42 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, in which: the pressure applying means comprises a cap member threadedly connected with the casing wall at said one end and having a flow conducting fitting for connecting the cap member with a source of pressurized liquid.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
64 words
Apparatus according to claim 17, in which: the pressure applying means comprises a cylindrical container for a cleaning liquid said container having an upper open end for receiving said one end of the casing into piston-cylinder relation, and upon axially moving the casing into the container being operative to force pressurized liquid from the container through the layer of absorbent material of the cover.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
22 words
Apparatus according to claim 19, in which: a sealing member is positioned between the coacting piston-cylinder surfaces of the casing and container.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
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US2819483A
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US3431574A
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US3421527A
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US4126484A
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US4155230A
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1986-04-18 | 1986-10-18 | 1987-04-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1990-04-18 | 1990-10-18 | 1991-04-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1994-04-18 | 1994-10-18 | 1995-04-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |