Paint roller support

A paint roller support for supporting a roller cover, comprising:

• an elongated shaft;
• a first bearing disposed on the shaft;
• a second bearing disposed on the shaft and spaced axially from the first bearing;
• a first hub rotatably coupled to the first bearing, the first bearing being loosely received in a bearing-receiving space in the first hub to permit limited axial and radial movement of the first hub relative to the first bearing;
• a second hub rotatably coupled to the second bearing and spaced axially from the first hub, the second bearing being loosely received in a bearing-receiving space in the second hub to permit limited axial and radial movement of the second hub relative to the second bearing, the first and second hubs being mounted for independent rotational movement relative to each other and the shaft;
• the first hub comprises first and second hub portions, the first hub portion having a first longitudinally extending sleeve and the second hub portion having a second longitudinally extending sleeve at least partially overlapping the first sleeve, the first and second hub portions defining an annular space;
• a biasing mechanism disposed in the annular space, the biasing mechanism configured to exert a radially outwardly directed biasing force against an inside surface of the roller cover sufficient to retain the roller cover on the hubs while in use yet allowing removal of the cover when desired.

A paint roller comprising:

• an elongated shaft, the shaft having a raised surface portion;
• at least one bearing frictionally engaging the raised surface portion, the bearing being fixed against rotational movement relative to the shaft;
• a roller cover support supported on the bearing for rotational movement relative thereto, the roller cover support defining a bearing receiving space substantially enclosing the bearing and configured to prevent removal of the roller cover support from the bearing in the inboard and outboard directions, wherein the roller cover support comprises first and second interconnected hub portions defining the bearing receiving space, the first hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a first radial bearing surface of the bearing and the second hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a second radial bearing surface of the bearing;
• and
• a paint roller cover for placing on the roller cover support;
• wherein:
• the shaft has inboard and outboard raised surface portions;
• the at least one bearing comprises an inboard bearing and an outboard bearing, the inboard and outboard bearings frictionally engaging the inboard and outboard raised surface portions, respectively;
• and
• the cover support comprises first and second cover supports rotatably supported on and substantially enclosing the inboard and outboard bearings, respectively.

A paint roller comprising:

• an elongated shaft, the shaft having a raised surface portion:
• at least one bearing frictionally engaging the raised surface portion, the bearing being fixed against rotational movement relative to the shaft;
• a roller cover support supported on the bearing for rotational movement relative thereto, the roller cover support defining a bearing receiving space substantially enclosing the bearing and configured to prevent removal of the roller cover support from the bearing in the inboard and outboard directions, wherein the roller cover support comprises first and second interconnected hub portions defining the bearing receiving space, the first hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a first radial bearing surface of the bearing and the second hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a second radial bearing surface of the bearing;
• a paint roller cover for placing on the roller cover support;
• and
• wherein:
• the shaft has an outboard end;
• and
• the bearing is formed with an axial opening for receiving the shaft and a closed end wall positioned adjacent the outboard end of the shaft.

A paint roller comprising:

• an elongated shaft, the shaft having a raised surface portion;
• at least one bearing frictionally engaging the raised surface portion, the bearing being fixed against rotational movement relative to the shaft;
• a roller cover support supported on the bearing for rotational movement relative thereto, the roller cover support defining a bearing receiving space substantially enclosing the bearing and configured to prevent removal of the roller cover support from the bearing in the inboard and outboard directions, wherein the roller cover support comprises first and second interconnected hub portions defining the bearing receiving space, the first hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a first radial bearing surface of the bearing and the second hub portion having an inner surface juxtaposed to a second radial bearing surface of the bearing;
• a paint roller cover for placing on the roller cover support;
• and
• a cover-gripping element disposed in an annular space defined between the first and second hub portions, the cover-gripping element configured to frictionally retain the roller cover on the cover support.

A paint roller support for supporting a roller cover, comprising:

• an elongated shaft;
• and
• a roller-cover grabbing mechanism rotatably coupled to the shaft and configured to exert a retaining force against an inside surface of the roller cover, the retaining force deforming the inside surface of the roller cover, thereby retaining the roller cover on the shaft;
• wherein the grabbing mechanism comprises a locking spring;
• wherein the locking spring has a plurality of generally straight sides and vertices between adjacent sides contacting the inner surface of the roller cover.

A paint roller support, comprising:

• an elongated shaft;
• a bearing mounted on the shaft, the bearing comprising a central portion and opposite end portions that are smaller in diameter than the central portion;
• a roller-cover retaining element exerting a retaining force against an inside surface of a roller cover for frictionally retaining the roller cover on the paint roller support during use;
• and
• at least one cover support rotatably coupled to the bearing for supporting a roller cover, the cover support defining a retaining-element receiving space in which the retaining element is disposed, the receiving space being dimensioned to permit limited radial and axial movement of the retaining element and limited axial movement of the roller cover relative to the shaft when the roller cover is retained by the retaining element, the cover support also comprising an axially extending bearing-receiving space in which the bearing is disposed, the cover support having circumferentially extending, axially spaced-apart, first and second inner surfaces that rotate on the opposite end portions of the bearing.

A paint roller support assembly comprising:

• a frame having an elongated roller portion and a lower end portion;
• a handle coupled to the lower end portion of the frame;
• at least one cover support for supporting a roller cover, the cover support being rotatably coupled to the roller portion of the frame;
• and
• a locking spring rotatably coupled to the roller portion, the locking spring comprising a generally ring-shaped, open band exerting a retaining force against an inner surface of the roller cover for frictionally retaining the roller cover on the support during use, wherein the band has a plurality of generally straight sides and vertices between adjacent sides such that the band exerts the retaining force against the inner surface of the roller cover at the vertices.

A paint roller support for supporting a paint roller cover, composing:

• a frame having an elongated shaft, the shaft having inboard and outboard embossed surface portions, the outboard embossed surface portion having a first diameter, the inboard embossed surface portion having a second diameter, the first diameter being smaller than the second diameter;
• an inboard bearing frictionally engaging the inboard embossed surface portion such that the inboard bearing is retained from rotating relative to the shaft;
• an outboard bearing frictionally engaging the outboard embossed surface portion such that the outboard bearing is retained from rotating relative to the shaft, the outboard bearing having a closed end wall adjacent an outboard end of the shaft;
• a locking spring configured to exert a radially outwardly directed biasing force against an inside surface of the roller cover for frictionally retaining the roller cover in place while the paint roller support is used to deliver paint to a surface, the locking spring being polygonal in shape with vertices that contact and deform the inside surface of the roller cover;
• an inboard cover support rotatably supported on the inboard bearing, the inboard cover support comprising a first portion having a longitudinally extending sleeve and a second portion having a longitudinally extending sleeve, the sleeves at least partially overlapping each other and forming a snap fit with each other, the inboard cover support defining a locking-spring receiving space between the first and second portions, the locking spring being disposed in the receiving space, the receiving space being dimensioned to permit axial and radial movement of the locking spring relative to the inboard cover support;
• an outboard cover support rotatably supported on the outboard bearing, the outboard cover support having a closed end wall adjacent the end wall of the outboard bearing, the outboard cover support comprising a first portion having a longitudinally extending sleeve and a second portion having a longitudinally extending sleeve, the sleeves at least partially overlapping each other and forming a snap fit with each other, the inboard and outboard cover supports dimensioned to support the paint roller cover during use;
• a swedge formed on the shaft inboard of the inboard cover support;
• and
• a washer disposed on the shaft and positioned between the swedge and the inboard cover support.