Pivotable Paint Bar for Drip-Free Tray Cleaning
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional paint trays lack an efficient mechanism for removing excess and dried paint from brushes without contaminating the paint well, leading to drips and inefficient cleaning processes.
Innovation Solution
A paint tray with a pivotable paint bar that can be moved between closed and open configurations, allowing for easy scraping of excess paint from brushes and cleaning without contaminating the paint well, while also serving to close over the paint well when not in use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If a conventional paint tray is used without a paint bar, then the structure is simple, but excess paint cannot be effectively removed from brushes leading to drips
Solution Approach 1:
The paint bar is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to be positioned as needed for scraping excess paint and then moved out of the way. This dynamic element adds functionality for paint removal while maintaining relative simplicity when the bar is not in use.
Solution Approach 2:
The paint bar serves multiple functions: it acts as a scraper for removing excess paint, provides a surface for drying brushes, and can be positioned to close over the paint well. This multi-functionality addresses the paint removal need without requiring multiple separate components.
2Ease of operation
If painters scrape brushes on the side of the paint tray, then no additional components are needed, but the paint well becomes contaminated
Solution Approach 1:
The paint bar is extracted as a separate component from the tray body, providing a dedicated surface for scraping and cleaning brushes. This separates the cleaning function from the paint well, preventing contamination while maintaining ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The paint bar acts as an intermediary element between the brush and the paint well. Instead of scraping directly on the tray sides near the paint well, the paint bar provides an intermediate surface that captures excess paint and dried paint away from the paint well.
3Ease of repair
If the paint bar is fixed in position, then the structure is simpler, but it cannot be moved to allow cleaning without contaminating paint
Solution Approach 1:
The paint bar is designed with movable attachment to the tray, allowing it to be repositioned or removed for cleaning. This dynamic attachment mechanism enables easy maintenance of the paint bar without contaminating the paint well, while the attachment itself remains relatively simple.
Data Source
AI summary
A paint tray includes a body having a base portion and sidewalls forming a paint well. Each sidewall has an upper top portion. The upper top portions collectively define an upper rim of a mouth of the well. A barred shaped member is hingedly connected to the upper top portion of a first sidewall such that the barred shaped member pivots relative to the body between first and second positions. In the first position, the barred shaped member is disposed within and surrounded by an inner perimeter of the upper rim of the mouth of the paint well. In the second position, the barred shaped member extends away from the upper rim and neither extends over nor within the mouth of the paint well. The paint tray is fabricated out of a molded material, and preferably comprises molded plastic.