US 5,683,009 AGranted

Accessories to enhance the recyclability of metal cans

OwnerRandy A. Kinginventor

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Abstract

Small, lightweight metal cans such as coffee or peanut cans are easily recycled but are frequently not recycled or reused. One secondary use of these metal cans is for painting applications such as trim painting. The accessory disclosed herein enables metal cans of the aforementioned type, typically having a continuous bead around the apex end of the can, to be easily utilized for such painting applications. The reusable accessory comprises a handle having an upper and lower end and a grippable portion disposed between them. A lid is hingedly attached to the upper end of the handle, the lid having an upper and lower surface, the lower surface having at least one continuous lip suitable to engage the bead of the can. Additionally, the lid has a cutout through which a paint brush may pass which is particularly configured so as to enable a paint brush to hang suspended in the can from the lid. The can is secured to the handle by a variety of mechanisms.

Claims18

Dependent claims

An accessory to enhance the recyclability of a metal can of the type having an open end of at least four inches in diameter, a contiguous side wall with inner and outer surfaces, and a contiguous side wall with inner and outer surfaces, and a continuous bead protruding outwardly from the outer surface around the open end of the can, the accessory comprising:

a handle having an upper end, a lower end, and a grippable portion disposed therebetween;
means for securing the lower end of the handle to the can;
and
a lid attached to the upper end of the handle, the lid including an upper surface, a lower surface, and a central aperture sufficiently large to permit a paint brush to pass therethrough and interiorly into the can, the aperture being defined by a peripheral edge spaced apart from the inner wall of the can to permit the brush carrying paint to be scraped thereagainst, the lower surface including a continuous lip physically configured to engage with the bead on the outer surface of the can, the lip including an annular member having an inner wall which extends downwardly form the bottom surface and past the outer edge of the bead and a rim extending radially inwardly from the bottom extent of the annular member, thereby creating a circular groove which interlockingly receives the bead of the can.

1 more element

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.