Hand-held painting tool with paint reservoir

Abstract

A painting tool for painting trimwork includes a housing forming a paint reservoir, a paint applicator for applying paint to a surface to be painted and a pumping mechanism fluidically connected to the paint reservoir. The pumping mechanism has a first or disabled condition and a second or activated condition, wherein the pumping mechanism seals the paint in the reservoir when in the disabled condition, and wherein the pumping mechanism dispenses paint to the paint applicator when in the activated condition such that that the release of paint to the paint applicator is selectively controlled by pushing the paint applicator against the surface to be painted to shift the pumping mechanism from the disabled condition to the activated condition.

1 . A painting tool comprising: 
 a paint applicator for applying paint to a surface to be painted;    an upper housing forming a paint reservoir;    a lower housing slideably received by the upper housing so that the lower housing moves between a first position and a second position relative the upper housing, the paint applicator being connected to the lower housing such that by pushing the paint applicator against the surface to be painted, the lower housing moves from the first position to the second position; and    a pumping mechanism fluidically connecting the paint reservoir to the paint applicator, said pumping mechanism comprising a valve that is operated by movement of the lower housing between the first position and the second position such that the valve substantially prevents the flow of paint from the paint reservoir to the paint applicator when the lower housing is in the first position and the valve permits the flow of paint from the paint reservoir to the paint applicator when the lower housing is in the second position such that paint is selectively caused to be released from the paint reservoir to the paint applicator by pushing the paint applicator against the surface to be painted.    
   
   
       2 . The painting tool of  claim 1  wherein the pumping mechanism further comprising a spring biased to shut the valve when the lower housing is in the first position and movement of the lower housing to the second position opens the valve against the bias of the spring.  
   
   
       3 . The painting tool of  claim 2  wherein the valve comprises a poppet valve having a head that seats against a valve seat under the force of the biasing spring, wherein the head rides on a post that is connected to the lower housing and when the paint applicator is pressed against the surface, the post causes the head to move away from the valve seat, against the force of the spring, so that paint can flow through the poppet valve and into a paint outlet conduit and through orifices in the bottom surface of the lower housing.  
   
   
       4 . The painting tool of  claim 1  wherein the pumping mechanism further comprises: 
 a paint passageway;    a check valve in the paint passageway; and    a paint outlet conduit downstream of the valve that directs the paint to the paint applicator;    wherein the valve selectively stops or permits flow through the paint passageway to the paint outlet conduit.    
   
   
       5 . The painting tool of  claim 4  further comprising a stop plug at an entrance end of the paint passageway, wherein when the paint applicator is pressed against a surface, the stop plug is dislodged by a second spring that is connected to and moves with the lower housing permitting paint to flow into the paint passageway.  
   
   
       6 . The painting tool of  claim 1  wherein the paint applicator comprises a paint absorbing pad.  
   
   
       7 . The painting tool of  claim 6  wherein the applicator comprises a platform with said paint absorbing pad attached thereto, wherein the platform has at least one boss configured to fit into a corresponding receiving hole in a bottom surface of the painting tool to attach the paint applicator to the painting tool.  
   
   
       8 . The painting tool of  claim 7  further comprising a trigger that detaches the bosses on the platform to allow the paint applicator to be disconnected from the painting tool without having to apply a manual force directly to the paint applicator.  
   
   
       9 . The painting tool of  claim 8  wherein the platform contains a plurality of holes spaced about the platform through which paint from the reservoir is allowed to flow to saturate the paint absorbing pad.  
   
   
       10 . The painting tool of  claim 1  wherein the paint applicator comprises at least one paint roller.  
   
   
       11 . The painting tool of  claim 10  further comprising a trigger that detaches the at least one paint roller to allow the at least one paint roller to be disconnected from the painting tool without having to apply a manual force directly to the paint roller.  
   
   
       12 . The painting tool of  claim 11  wherein painting tool has a roller carriage that forms a platform for the roller with tabs that capture an axle about which the roller is rotated, said roller carriage having a front tab and a rear tab with a notch therebetween configured to hold the axle, and when the trigger is actuated, the rear tab of the carriage slides in a gap away from the front tab expand the width of the notch and thereby release the roller.  
   
   
       13 . The painting tool of  claim 1  wherein the lower housing has a skirt that is movably connected with the upper housing and a spring biases the lower housing to an extended position relative the upper housing such that the skirt is stopped by a rail on the upper housing, and when the paint applicator is pressed against a surface, the lower housing moves relative the upper housing against the force of a spring such that the skirt moves away from the rail.  
   
   
       14 . A painting tool comprising: 
 a housing forming a paint reservoir;    a paint applicator for applying paint to a surface to be painted; and    a pumping mechanism fluidically connected to the paint reservoir having a first or disabled condition and a second or activated condition, wherein the pumping mechanism seals the paint in the reservoir when in the disabled condition, and wherein the pumping mechanism dispenses paint to the paint applicator when in the activated condition such that that the release of paint to the paint applicator is selectively controlled by pushing the paint applicator against the surface to be painted to shift the pumping mechanism from the disabled condition to the activated condition.    
   
   
       15 . The painting tool of  claim 14  wherein the pumping mechanism comprises: 
 a paint passageway;    a valve means for selectively stopping or permitting flow through the paint passageway; and    a paint outlet conduit downstream of the valve means that directs the paint to the paint applicator when the applicator is pressed against the surface.    
   
   
       16 . The painting tool of  claim 15  wherein the housing includes an upper housing that forms the reservoir and a lower housing having the paint applicator connected thereto, wherein the upper housing is slideably received by the lower housing such that when the paint applicator is pushed against the surface to be painted, paint is dispensed from the reservoir.  
   
   
       17 . The painting tool of  claim 16  wherein the paint applicator is a paint absorbing pad, wherein the applicator comprises a platform with said paint absorbing pad attached thereto, wherein the platform has at least one boss configured to fit into a corresponding receiving hole in a bottom surface of the painting tool to attach the paint applicator to the painting tool and the platform contains a plurality of holes spaced about the platform through which paint from the reservoir is allowed to flow to saturate the paint absorbing pad.  
   
   
       18 . The painting tool of  claim 16  wherein the paint applicator has at least one paint roller and wherein painting tool has a roller carriage that forms a platform for the roller with tabs that capture an axle about which the roller is rotated, said roller carriage having a front tab and a rear tab and when the trigger is actuated, the rear tab of the carriage slides in gap away from the front tab to release the roller and wherein the lower housing has a skirt that is movably connected with the upper housing and a spring that biases the lower housing to an extended position relative the upper housing such that the skirt is stopped by a rail on the upper housing, and when the paint applicator is pressed against a surface, the lower housing moves relative the upper housing against the force of a spring such that the skirt moves away from the rail.  
   
   
       19 . The painting tool of  claim 14  wherein the valve means comprises a poppet valve having a head that seats against valve seat under the force of a biasing spring, wherein the head rides on a post that is connected to the lower housing and when the paint applicator is pressed against the surface, the post causes the head to move away from the valve seat against the force of the spring so that paint can flow through the poppet valve and into the paint outlet conduit and through orifices in the bottom surface of the lower housing.