Paint roller

Abstract

This invention provides a paint roller that allows even inexperienced workers to easily create subtle, random patterns on painted surfaces. [Solution] The roller comprises a core member 5 rotatably supported on a support shaft connected to a handle, and a roller body 4 provided on the outer circumference of the core member 5 and having a cylindrical coating section 6 for holding paint. The coating section 6 is a painting roller composed of a sponge block in which numerous irregularly shaped sponge pieces belonging to multiple sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 with different hardnesses are irregularly mixed and bonded together. During painting, the irregularly shaped sponge pieces come into contact with the surface to be painted with various pressing forces corresponding to their hardness, so that a subtle random pattern is formed on the painted surface depending on the state of paint adhesion corresponding to the pressing force.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a painting roller.

Background Art

[0002] There may be a need to apply a fine random uneven pattern to a painted surface. In that case, a special roller with a coiled loop of a large number of filaments on its surface may be used. Also, an operator may apply paint while finely vibrating a flat pad containing paint or a general painting roller and delicately controlling the contact state with the painted surface.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] A roller having a coiled loop on its surface as described above has a complicated manufacturing process and high costs. On the other hand, the operation of applying a delicate pattern to a painted surface with a general painting roller is difficult for an unskilled operator. This invention provides a painting roller that can easily form a delicate random pattern on a painted surface even for an unskilled operator.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0005] This invention includes a support shaft connected to a handle, a core member rotatably supported by the support shaft, and a roller body including a cylindrical coating portion provided on the outer periphery of the core member for holding paint. The coating portion is a painting roller composed of a sponge block in which a large number of amorphous sponge pieces belonging to a plurality of sponge groups with different hardnesses are irregularly mixed and adhered.

[0006] The second invention provides a coating portion comprising: a first sponge group consisting of sponge pieces that occupy the largest volume proportion in the coating portion; a second sponge group consisting of sponge pieces with higher hardness than the sponge pieces in the first sponge group; and a third sponge group consisting of sponge pieces with lower hardness than the sponge pieces in the first sponge group.

[0007] The third invention is characterized in that the second sponge group consists of sponge pieces with a Shore A hardness of 10 or higher.

[0008] In the fourth invention, both ends of the coating portion in the longitudinal direction are formed into a hemispherical shape that is continuous with the side surface of the cylinder.

[0009] The fifth invention is a cylinder in which the coating portion is smoothed on its outer surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0010] According to the first invention, since the coating portion is composed of sponge groups with different hardnesses, simply pressing the surface of the coating portion against the surface to be painted exerts a pressing force on the surface corresponding to the hardness of the sponge pieces. During painting, the irregularly shaped sponge pieces come into contact with the surface to be painted with various pressing forces, and a subtle random pattern is formed on the painted surface depending on the state of paint adhesion corresponding to the pressing force. Therefore, according to this invention, even skilled workers who cannot finely adjust the amount of force applied can easily paint a random pattern. Furthermore, since the coating section is composed of a sponge block made by joining together numerous sponge pieces, its manufacturing is overwhelmingly easier compared to a special roller with a coiled loop of multiple filaments on its surface. Furthermore, because the coating area is formed from a sponge block, linear irregularities along the contour of the sheet, which would be formed if a sponge sheet were wrapped around a core material, are not created. If there are linear recesses or protrusions on the surface of the coating area, corresponding linear patterns will be formed on the painted surface, but this does not happen in this invention, and a subtle random pattern is maintained.

[0011] According to the second invention, the pressure applied to the coated surface can be partially varied in at least three ways, thereby achieving a fine random pattern.

[0012] According to the third invention, since the hardness of the second sponge group is Shore A hardness 10 or higher, when the applicator is lightly pressed against the surface to be painted, the pressing force is stronger in the second sponge group than in the other parts, and it functions like a protrusion formed on the surface of the applicator. Therefore, a random pattern can be formed on the painted surface, similar to a roller with irregularities on the surface of the applicator.

[0013] According to the fourth invention, a linear step is not formed at the boundary between the side and bottom surfaces of the cylindrical coating portion. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the formation of a pattern on the painted surface due to the step.

[0014] According to the fifth invention, even though the outer surface of the coating area is smoothed and no irregularities are formed on the surface, differences in the hardness of the sponge pieces create differences in the pressing force against the surface to be coated, making it possible to form subtle random patterns. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] Figure 1 is an external view of the painting roller according to the embodiment. [Figure 2] Figure 2 is a conceptual diagram of a sponge block formed by bonding sponge pieces, which constitutes the coating portion of the roller body of the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a perspective view of the roller body of the embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] [Embodiment] The embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 3. FIG. 1 is an external view of the painting roller according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram of a sponge block formed by adhering sponge pieces constituting the coating portion of the roller body according to the embodiment, and FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the roller body according to the embodiment.

[0017] The painting roller according to the present embodiment shown in FIG. 1 includes a handle 1 that an operator grips during painting work, and an arm 2 composed of a metal rod connected to the handle 1. The arm 2 is bent so that the tip side thereof becomes a support shaft 3 that is orthogonal to the axis of the handle 1 and faces the tip of the handle 1. And a roller body 4 is rotatably attached to the support shaft 3.

[0018] The roller body 4 includes a cylindrical core member 5 rotatably supported by the support shaft 3, and a cylindrical coating portion 6 adhered to the outer periphery thereof. The core member 5 is a member that is rotatably connected to the support shaft 3. Further, a shaft hole 6a is formed in the coating portion 6 in the length direction along the axis, and the core member 5 is provided in the shaft hole 6a (see FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, the coating portion 6 is composed of, for example, a sponge block 7 made of polyurethane. This sponge block 7 is not a lump of one urethane sponge, but a sponge block 7 in which a large number of irregularly shaped sponge pieces belonging to a plurality of sponge groups having different hardnesses are irregularly mixed and adhered. Specifically, urethane end materials of various hardnesses are pulverized into irregular sponge pieces 8a, 8b, 8c, an adhesive is mixed therewith, put into a mold, and compression molded while heating with steam to form the sponge block 7.

[0020] In this embodiment, each sponge piece 8a, 8b, and 8c is classified into first, second, and third sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 according to its hardness, and is shown as sponge piece 8a belonging to the first sponge group G1, sponge piece 8b belonging to the second sponge group G2, and sponge piece 8c belonging to the third sponge group G3. However, the sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c belonging to the first, second, and third sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 do not all have the same hardness. Each sponge group G1, G2, and G3 has a different range of hardness.

[0021] In this embodiment, the mixing ratio of sponge pieces 8a from the first sponge group G1 is the largest, the mixing ratio of sponge pieces 8b from the second sponge group G2 is the smallest, and the remainder consists of sponge pieces 8c from the third sponge group G3. The hardness of the first sponge group G1 is set to an intermediate level, for example, Shore A hardness 6 or higher but less than 10; the hardness of the second sponge group G2 is set to Shore A hardness 10 or higher; and the hardness of the third sponge group G3 is set to Shore A hardness less than 6.

[0022] In Figure 2, the areas of sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 in sponge block 7 are distinguished by the type of shading pattern. Each area of ​​sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 consists of one or more sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c. In reality, the entire sponge block 7 is composed of randomly mixed sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c, but in Figure 2, only a portion are shown with labels.

[0023] The sponge block 7, configured as described above, is cut into a cylinder having an axial hole 6a (see Figure 1) in the center for inserting the core member 5 to form the coating portion 6. For example, as shown in Figure 2, a cylindrical jig 9 equipped with a blade 9a at its end is pressed into the sponge block 7 to form a cylinder, and then the axial hole 6a is formed using another cylindrical jig (not shown).

[0024] After cutting out the cylindrical coating section 6 from the sponge block 7, the ends 6c and 6d that are continuous in the longitudinal direction from the side 6b of the coating section 6 are polished to form a hemispherical shape that is continuous from the side 6b. As a result, a coating section 6 is completed that does not have steps at both ends of the side 6b, as shown in Figures 1 and 3. Furthermore, the inner wall of the jig 9 is a smooth surface without any irregularities. As a result, the surface of the coating area 6 is leveled. Furthermore, by inserting the core member 5 into the shaft hole 6a and gluing it in place, the roller body 4 shown in Figure 3 is completed. By inserting the support shaft 3 of the arm 2 into this roller body 4 and attaching it, it becomes the painting roller shown in Figure 1.

[0025] As shown in Figure 3, the surface of the coated area 6 is arranged with first to third sponge groups G1, G2, and G3, each with different hardness levels. The arrangement of each sponge group G1, G2, and G3 corresponds to the arrangement of sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 in the sponge block 7 in Figure 2. While Figures 2 and 3 show a simplified arrangement of sponge groups G1, G2, and G3, in reality, the three sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 are often arranged in a much finer and more complex interplay. Furthermore, the adhesive mixed when forming the sponge block 7 may harden, increasing the hardness of the outer surfaces of the sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c, as well as the parts adjacent to the adhesive area.

[0026] [Effects, etc.] In this embodiment, the coating section 6 of the paint roller is composed of irregularly shaped sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c with different hardnesses. As a result, the amount of paint contained and the pressure applied to the surface to be painted are not uniform across each part of the sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c. During painting, the irregularly shaped sponge pieces 8a, 8b, and 8c come into contact with the surface to be painted with varying pressures. As a result, subtle random patterns are formed on the painted surface depending on the paint adhesion state corresponding to the pressure.

[0027] Therefore, even those who are not skilled workers capable of making subtle adjustments to the amount of force applied can easily create random patterns in their paintwork. In particular, the hardened sponge pieces 8b of the second sponge group G2 and the hardened adhesive parts function like protrusions, allowing for the formation of subtle patterns even on the smoothed coated surface 6.

[0028] Furthermore, since the coating section 6 is composed of a sponge block 7, its manufacture is overwhelmingly easier compared to a special roller with a coiled loop of multiple filaments on its surface. Furthermore, since the coating area 6 does not form linear irregularities along the contour of the sheet that would be formed if the sponge sheet were wrapped around the core material, a stable and subtle random pattern can be formed on the painted surface.

[0029] In the above embodiment, the sponge pieces are classified into three sponge groups G1, G2, and G3 according to their hardness, but the number of sponge groups is not limited, and there is no particular need to group them. In short, the sponge block 7 constituting the coating section 6 can be an aggregate of irregularly shaped sponge pieces having various hardnesses. Furthermore, by making the size and shape of each sponge piece uneven, it becomes easier to create random patterns. [Industrial applicability]

[0030] It is possible to create painted surfaces with random patterns in various work environments. [Explanation of symbols]

[0031] 1 handle 3 Support shaft 4. Roller body 5 Core members 6. Coating area 6b side 6c,6d end 7 sponge blocks 8a, 8b, 8c Sponge pieces G1, G2, G3: The first, second, and third sponge groups.

Claims

1. A support shaft connected to the handle, A core member rotatably supported on the support shaft, and a roller body having a cylindrical coating portion provided on the outer circumference of the core member for holding paint. Equipped with, The above coated portion is, A paint roller composed of a sponge block in which numerous irregularly shaped sponge pieces belonging to multiple sponge groups with different hardness levels are irregularly mixed and glued together.

2. The above coated portion is, In the coating area, a first sponge group consisting of sponge pieces that occupy the largest volume proportion, A second sponge group consisting of sponge pieces with higher hardness than the sponge pieces of the first sponge group described above, A third sponge group consisting of sponge pieces with lower hardness than the sponge pieces of the first sponge group described above, A paint roller according to claim 1, comprising:

3. The second sponge group described above consists of sponge pieces with a Shore A hardness of 10 or higher. A paint roller according to claim 2.

4. Both ends of the coating area in the longitudinal direction are formed into a hemispherical shape that is continuous with the side surface of the cylinder. A paint roller according to claim 1.

5. The above-mentioned coating portion is a cylinder with a smoothed outer surface. A paint roller according to claim 1.

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