초록 ▼

Holder devices for bulk paint cans comprising planar ergonomic handles having a C-shaped “jaw” that engages only the conventional upper, lip rim of a paint can so that the can may be held at a conveniently inclined angle in one hand during brush painting to permit unobstructed access to the paint. T

Holder devices for bulk paint cans comprising planar ergonomic handles having a C-shaped “jaw” that engages only the conventional upper, lip rim of a paint can so that the can may be held at a conveniently inclined angle in one hand during brush painting to permit unobstructed access to the paint. The jaw is common for all sizes of paint cans, as the ring-type can lip is common in its radial dimension and thickness. A slot with optional keeper is provided to retain bails. Three embodiments are shown: a Universal type and two dedicated types, for Quart and Gallon cans, respectively. A magnet provided on the holder retains a paint brush oriented over the paint contents to catch drips. The transition section of the holder is flat to provide a surface on which the holder can be stood upright, and as a hammer to reseal the paint can lid.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A paint can holder for manually holding and lifting paint cans ranging in size from quart to gallon size, or their corresponding metric equivalents, said cans having a ring-type rim forming a lip for receiving in sealing engagement, pry-off type lids, said holder comprising in operative combinati

1. A paint can holder for manually holding and lifting paint cans ranging in size from quart to gallon size, or their corresponding metric equivalents, said cans having a ring-type rim forming a lip for receiving in sealing engagement, pry-off type lids, said holder comprising in operative combination: a) a generally planar body consisting of durable plastic and having a generally rectangular cross section, said body being configured as a one-piece ergonomic handle having a C-shaped jaw structure that hooks-over, engages and locks-onto only said ring-type rim of a paint can, said body having a width in the range of from ⅜ inch to 1 inch so that said jaw has area contact, rather than point contact, with said can rim to prevent the can from pivoting from side to side while being held by said holder;b) said planar body including a head portion in which said C-shaped jaw structure is disposed, said jaw structure consisting of an upper and a lower lip configured to retainingly engage an upper, ring-type rim structure of a paint can, said ring-type rim having a vertical height less than a horizontal width; i. said jaw structure having an entrance opening only wide enough to permit insertion over said vertical height of said ring-type rim but not over the horizontal width of said ring-type rim;ii. said jaw structure having a throat depth greater than the vertical height of said ring-type rim, and the back of the throat having a width selected to provide a snug, locking engagement with the width of the ring-type rim when said jaw structure is rotated to engage said lower lip with the outer edge of said can rim to permit the paint can to be set down without the handle becoming dis-engaged from said pain can rim;iii. said jaw structure upper lip having a generally arcuate inner surface shape from opening to throat depth so that when the ring-type lip is engaged in the jaw throat, the upper jaw lip projects toward an interior surface of said paint can;iv. said jaw structure being oriented in said holder so that in use, said paint can is held tipped down from the horizontal at an angle which permits full and unobstructed access to the paint in the can;c) said planar body including a stem portion forming an ergonomic hand-grip, said stem portion being disposed spaced from said head portion and opposite said jaw structure entrance;d) said stem hand-grip portion extending to a foot portion, said stem hand-grip portion being medial between said head and said foot portions and said stem portion hand-grip is ergonomically configured to a user's hand, said width providing a full hand grip when the user's hand is closed over said stem portion; ande) said planar body includes a flattened outside surface serving as a hammer to reseal a lid to said ring-type rim of said paint can, and a magnet to retain a ferromagnetic ferrule of a paint brush, said magnet being planar and oriented with the plane of the magnet pointing toward the interior of the paint can when the holder is in use and when set down at rest on a surface to retain and orient said paint brush over the open can of paint to catch any drips from the bristles of said brush. 2. A manual paint can holder as in claim 1 wherein said planar body is configured in a shape, as seen in plan view, selected from an oval, a C-shape and a J-shape. 3. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said foot portion includes a bail slot into which a paint can bail may be engaged. 4. A manual paint can holder as in claim 3 wherein said bail slot includes a snap-in recess. 5. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said flattened outside surface serving as a hammer to reseal a lid to said ring-type rim of said paint can is disposed on a transition portion between said head portion and said stem portion. 6. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said magnet is disposed on said foot portion. 7. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said body is generally an oval shape, said oval shape having opposed, spaced long sides including a first long side forming a neck portion and a second long side forming a stem portion, said oval shape having opposed, spaced end portions joining said long side neck and stem portions, a first said end portion forming a bridge between said head and said foot portions, and a second end portion forming a transition between said stem and said neck portions, said stem long side forming a hand-grip, said jaw is disposed on the first long side opposed to said second, hand-grip stem long side and adjacent one end of said oval, and said foot portion is disposed on said long side forming said hand-grip and adjacent the same end as the jaw structure but spaced from said jaw structure. 8. A manual paint can holder as in claim 7 wherein said foot portion includes a bail slot. 9. A manual paint can holder as in claim 8 wherein said magnet is disposed on said foot portion to retain and orient said paint brush over the open can of paint to catch any drips from the bristles of said brush. 10. A manual paint can holder as in claim 9 wherein said flattened outside surface serving as a hammer to reseal a lid to said ring-type rim of said paint can is disposed on said second end portion. 11. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said body is generally a J-shape, having an elongated neck portion terminating in an upper head portion having said jaw structure, a spaced elongated stem portion forming a hand-grip and terminating in an upper, foot portion that is flared away from said head portion, said stem portion and said neck portion being joined by a transition portion at the bottom of said stem and neck portions, together said head, neck, transition, stem and foot portions forming said J-shape. 12. A manual paint can holder as in claim 11 wherein said foot portion includes a bail slot. 13. A manual paint can holder as in claim 12 wherein said magnet is disposed on said foot portion. 14. A manual paint can holder as in claim 12 wherein said flattened outside surface serving as a hammer to reseal a lid to said ring-type rim of said paint can is disposed on said transition portion joining said neck portion to said stem portion. 15. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein said body is generally a C-shape, having at its upper end a bent-forward neck portion terminating in a head portion having said jaw structure, a spaced elongated stem portion forming a handgrip and terminating at its bottom end in a foot portion that is flared forward to form a hook, together said head, neck, stem, foot and hook portions forming said C-shape, said stem being configured long enough to comfortably engage the fingers of a user between said neck and said hook. 16. A manual paint can holder as in claim 15 wherein said head portion includes a magnet to retain a ferromagnetic ferrule of a paint brush, said magnet being disposed on said head portion to retain and orient said paint brush over the open can of paint to catch any drips from the bristles of said brush. 17. A manual paint can holder as in claim 16 wherein said foot portion includes a flattened outside surface serving as a hammer to reseal a lid to said ring lip of said paint can. 18. A manual paint can holder as in claim 1 which includes a flange projecting from at least one of a foot, stem or transition portion in a length permitting use as a paint can lid opener. 19. A manual paint can holder as in claim 2 wherein the angle included between the axis of said stem portion and the opening of said jaw ranges from about 30° to about 80°.