Methods and component parts for manufacturing foam paint rollers

Abstract

Described is a paint roller cover strip for use in manufacturing paint rollers. The paint roller cover strip being formed from a length of foam base shaped in a trapezoidal cross section with two parallel sides, the foam base having a scrim affixed along the length of the narrower one of the two parallel sides. The paint roller cover optionally comprising a microfiber lamination along the length of the wider of the two parallel sides. Also described are methods of making a paint roller having a foam cover. On or two strips of material are helically advanced about a mandrel, a layer of adhesive is placed on the strip(s), and a cover material having the trapezoidal cross section is helically wound about the adhesive. Prior to permitting the layer of adhesive to set, the cover material having the trapezoidal cross section is helically wrapped around the outer strip, and an inward compressive force is applied upon the cover material urging the cover material and the strip(s) toward the mandrel, forming the paint roller having a foam cover. The materials can be assembled in a continuous manufacturing process and the foam base has the shape of a trapezoid with one or more angles sufficient to eliminate gaps between the outer surface of successive helical winds on a finished paint roller.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.