Combination paint tray and storage box

Claim 1

A combination tray and box for storing and using a plurality of paint colors, comprising: an elongated housing being generally defined by a planar bottom and four sides where said four sides define an interior perimeter and interior volume, said planar bottom having a first side disposed to the interior of said housing, and a second side disposed to the exterior of said housing; insert means for storing paint, said insert means comprising a molded, unitarily formed body defined by a plurality of sidewalls which terminate in a peripheral flange, said body having an exterior perimeter less than said interior perimeter of said housing where said body is adapted to fit within said interior volume of said housing and rest against said first side of said planar bottom thereof, thereby defining a channel between said insert and said interior perimeter of said housing, said body defining a plurality of adjacent paint wells disposed in a linear relationship along the longitudinal extent thereof, each having an elliptical planform extending downwardly from an open top end to a closed bottom end, and a plurality of transverse raised ribs, each juxtaposed between adjacent paint wells and extending transversely between two of said sidewalls to segregate an area adjacent each well; and cover means associated with said housing for concealing said interior volume and said insert means, said cover means pivotally attached to said housing along one of said four sides thereof.