Paint Roller Receptacle With Rim Coupler for Safer Tool Switching

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Painters face inconveniences and safety hazards when switching between paint brushes and rollers, as they often need to bend down to retrieve the roller from a floor-based tray, creating a tripping hazard.

Innovation Solution

A receptacle designed to couple with a paint container, featuring a tray with a cavity for the roller and a coupler for the container rim, stabilizers, and an abutment, allowing the roller to be retained during use and storage, eliminating the need for floor-based trays.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of operation

If the roller is placed in a floor-based paint tray, then the painter can access the roller, but it creates a tripping hazard and requires bending down to retrieve the roller

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveaccess to rollerVSAvoidtripping hazard

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The patent attaches the roller receptacle to the vertical side of the paint container, transforming the horizontal floor-based tray into a vertical hanging receptacle. This dimensional change allows the roller to be accessed at waist level while painting, eliminating the need to bend down or risk tripping over a floor-based tray.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Adaptability or versatility

If the painter switches between brush and roller, then different painting areas can be covered, but the painter must crouch down and pick up the roller from the floor

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetool switching capabilityVSAvoidtime to switch tools

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The roller is pre-positioned in the receptacle attached to the paint container, ready for immediate use. When switching from brush to roller, the painter simply reaches into the receptacle and grasps the roller handle, which is already in the optimal position. This eliminates the preliminary action of crouching down to the floor to retrieve the roller.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

3Ease of operation

If the roller is kept in a floor-based tray, then the roller is within reach, but it creates a safety hazard and inconvenience when moving around

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveroller accessibilityVSAvoidsafety

Core Design Contradiction:

Ease of operationVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The receptacle acts as an intermediary between the paint container and the roller, providing a secure attachment mechanism that holds the roller in a safe, elevated position. The receptacle with its coupler, stabilizers, and abutment creates a reliable connection system that prevents the roller from being a tripping hazard while maintaining accessibility.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Data Source

PatentUS20250375979A1Receptacle for paint roller

Publication Date: 2025.12.11 HEISLER III JOSEPH F

AI summary

A receptacle for a paint roller includes: a tray having a base, an open top, two opposed side walls, a front wall, and a rear wall defining a cavity configured to receive the paint roller, wherein at least one groove is formed in at least one of the two opposed side walls, the groove configured to receive a portion of a handle of the paint roller; and a coupler extending from the front wall, the coupler having a channel configured to removably couple to a rim of a paint container, the channel having a length that is less than half of a length of the front wall.