Paint roller

Abstract

 This consists of a tubular body (1) made of thermoforming plastic material, onto whose outer surface is tightly fitted a textile coating (2); said body (1) having at one of its ends an inner fold (3) forming an opening (4) whose diameter matches that of the axle (5), such that this end of the tubular body (1) acts directly as the rotation bearing for the axle, while at its other end the tubular body (1) has an inner rim (6) onto which is fitted a cup (7) with an outer groove (8) which accommodates the aforesaid rim, as well as an axle neck (9) acting as the second bearing for rotation around the axle (5). The actual roller (1-7) is secured onto the axle (5) by means of a steel clip (10) which fits snugly around a recess (11).

Description

OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

[0001] The present invention involves a paint roller, of the type consisting of a cylindrical body with a textile outer coating, mounted with free rotation capability on an axle, which extends into an arm fitted with a hand-grip at its end for handling it.

[0002] The object of the invention is to achieve a structurally simple, and hence economic roller which provides, however, the highest standards of functional performance.

GENERAL BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Paint rollers of the aforesaid type, with a synthetic fibre or wool outer coating which also covers the cylinder ends, are made up of a tubular cylindrical body, onto which is applied the textile coating, also cylindrically shaped, but having a greater radius than that of the tubular body; two inner caps are fitted into either end of the tubular body, such that the textile coating folds in at the cylinder ends, between the body itself and the end caps. Such coating is firmly secured in position once the roller rotation bearings are fitted inside the caps.

[0004] This solution, in addition to its structural complexity, particularly as regards the operations required to fit the end caps and fitting the textile coating to their inner surface, generally involves deficiencies in the attachment of said textile coating to the roller ends, since in such areas the coating is not tightly fitted to the polypropylene tube, but simply kept in place by the caps, leading to openings in the coating which shorten the life of the roller.

[0005] The textile envelope may be attached to the plastic tubular core by any conventional means or using the solution provided in Spanish invention patent 8602222, in which the tubular body is made up of a number of plastic tube-shaped sections, in between which are fitted a number of intermediate rings of a heat-resistant material, with a textile strip wound helically around the resultant core so that, by applying heat, it becomes fixed onto the plastic sections of same. In any case, the above-mentioned problems concerning the complex structure of the roller and shortening of the roller's operational life still prevail.

[0006] With a view to solving this problem, the applicant is the holder of the Spanish invention patent under application number 9701794, which describes a suitable procedure to obtain a paint roller, as well as the roller obtained by means of such a procedure and the means required for the embodiment of same.

[0007] More specifically, such a procedure consists in taking a cylindrical body of thermoforming plastic material, onto whose outer surface the textile coating is tightly fitted, and subjecting the ends of such a roller to a prior heating stage which will allow a subsequent shaping stage in which the roller ends are folded inside the roller itself, thus forming an outer rounded rim, still having its textile coating, and an inner tapering neck, onto which the necessary bearing will be directly fitted, such that the final result is a cylindrical roller with rounded ends covered by a textile coating, each of these ends having an opening of considerable diameter into which are pressure fitted the two bearings which connect the roller itself to the axle/handle part.

[0008] This method, while providing a fully satisfactory solution to the aforesaid problems, involves a three-part structure, since the roller itself is made up of three constituent parts, which negatively affects the final cost of the product.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The paint roller of the present invention, based on a construction method similar to that of the above-mentioned invention patent 9701794, as regards the use of a cylindrical body of thermoforming plastic onto whose outer surface a textile coating is tightly fitted, and as regards subjecting the ends of such a cylinder to heating prior to a subsequent shaping stage, has the distinguishing feature that one of its ends is thermally deformed in such a way as to form an opening with the same diameter as that of the roller axle, such that the tubular body itself acts, at this end, as the axle rotation bearing.

[0010] The cylindrical body is closed at the other end with the aid of a round cup, designed with a recess which fits into a matching rim in the cylindrical body, a substantial part of which has been folded in, such that the cup has the double function of closing the cylindrical body and acting as the second bearing for rotation around the roller axle.

[0011] In addition to the foregoing structure, and in accordance with another of the features of the invention, said cup is provided with a steel clip which secures the roller in position relative to the axle/handle part, for which purpose the axle has an outer groove along its circumference onto which the aforesaid clip is fitted.

[0012] However, the roller axlemounting clip, as well as the corresponding groove on the axle, may be located at the other end of the roller-axle assembly.

[0013] By means of this configuration, a considerable structural simplification of the roller is achieved, since a roller of such design consists of only two parts, which evidently has a very favourable impact on its manufacturing cost.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0014] To provide a fuller description, and to enable better understanding of the features of the invention, according to an example of the preferred embodiment of same, a set of drawings is enclosed, forming an integral part of said description; in these drawings, by way of illustration but without any restrictive intent, the following is represented:

[0015] Figure 1.- Shows a schematic side elevation view of a paint roller manufactured according to the object of the present invention, showing a longitudinal section of the actual roller.

[0016] Figure 2- Provides a detailed axial view of the roller in the previous figure, illustrating the clip securing the actual roller to the axle.

[0017] Figure 3.- Provides a detailed view of a part of figure 1, namely the free end of the roller, according to a version of the embodiment in which the axle fitting clip is located at this end of the assembly.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

[0018] Upon inspection of these figures, and more specifically figure 1, it may be seen that the paint roller of the present invention consists of a cylindrical, tubular body (1) onto whose external surface is tightly fitted a textile coating (2); said tubular and cylindrical body having its ends shaped by thermoforming, specifically its free end (3) is folded in to form an opening (4) acting as a bearing of suitable diameter relative to the axle (5) upon which is fitted the tubular body, while at the other end, preferably the inner end, the tubular body (1) has an inner rim (6), also obtained by thermoforming, onto which is fitted a sort of cylindrical cup (7), with an external groove along its circumference (8), such that the cup (6) is axially fitted to the tubular body (1), leaving an inner cylindrical neck section (9) inside which there is a steel clip (10) embedded in the cup (7), which may be pressure-fitted, following elastic deformation, on a groove (11) around the actual axle (5), such that this cup (7) acts as the second rotation bearing between the tubular body (1) and the axle (5) when the roller is in normal use.

[0019] In the example of a practical embodiment shown in figure 1, both the axle fitting clip (10) and the actual cup (7) are located at the end of the axle (5) which further extends to form the usual handle (12) ending in the typical hand grip (13); however, said clip (10) may alternatively be located, as shown in figure 3, at the free end of the axle (5), i.e. mounted at the constriction (3) of the tubular body (1) acting as a bearing, in which case, evidently, the groove (11) to accommodate the clip will also be located at the free end of the axle (5).

[0020] In any case, in accordance with the object of the invention, the actual roller consists exclusively of two component parts, the tubular body (1) and the housing pan (7), which involves a considerable structural simplification which leads to a reduction in the cost of manufacturing the roller.

Claims

1. Paint roller of the type consisting of a tubular body made of thermoforming plastic, onto whose outer surface is tightly fitted a textile coating; the tubular body is mounted, with freedom of rotation, on an axle which extends into an arm ending in a hand grip, characterised by the fact that said tubular body (1) features, at one of its ends, an inner fold (3) forming an opening (4) of small diameter, matching the diameter of the actual roller axle (5), such that said fold (3), in addition to closing off that end of the roller, acts directly as the axle rotation bearing, while at its other end the tubular body (1) features an inner rim (6) inside which is pressure-fitted a cup (7), essentially cylindrical in shape, but having an outer groove (8) around its circumference to accommodate the aforesaid inner rim (6) such that this cup (7) acts as the second bearing ensuring the rotation of the roller itself (1) around the axle (5).

2. Paint roller, according to claim 1 above, characterised by having, as a means of securing the actual roller (1-7) onto the axle (5) a steel clip (10) embedded in the actual roller, which may be pressure-fitted into a groove (11) around the axle (5); said steel clip (10) may be located either in the cup (7) of the tubular body (1) or at the heat-formed end (3) of the tubular body (1).

Drawing