Paint container

Abstract

A container for holding paintable liquid, the container comprising: a base; a continuous wall extending up from the base and forming a top opening; a gripping means formed in the wall and being sized, shaped, and positioned to permit a user to grip the gripping means to hold the container; a dipping section adjacent to the gripping means, the dipping section being sized, shaped, and positioned to permit a brush to be inserted into the dipping section through the top opening to contact the liquid; and an inclined tongue portion extending upwardly and outwardly from the wall adjacent to the dipping section, the tongue portion being sized, shaped and positioned to permit the brush to be dabbed thereon to remove excess liquid from the brush, and to permit the excess liquid to drain into the dipping section.

I claim:  
     
         1 . A container for holding paintable liquid, the container comprising: 
 a base;    a continuous wall extending up from the base and forming a top opening;    a gripping means formed in the wall and being sized, shaped, and positioned to permit a user to grip said gripping means to hold said container;    a dipping section adjacent to said gripping means, said dipping section being sized, shaped, and positioned to permit a brush to be inserted into said dipping section through said top opening to contact said liquid; and    an inclined tongue portion extending upwardly and outwardly from the wall adjacent to said dipping section, the tongue portion being sized, shaped and positioned to permit the brush to be dabbed thereon to remove excess liquid from said brush, and to permit said excess liquid to drain into said dipping section.    
     
     
         2 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said container has a center of gravity positioned between the gripping means and the tongue portion, wherein a torque is created about the gripping means when said container is held by said user at said gripping means, said container being sized and shaped to limit said torque to no more than one foot-pound when said container is full of paintable liquid.  
     
     
         3 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said torque is no more than 0.8 foot-pounds.  
     
     
         4 . The container of  claim 2 , wherein said torque is no more than 0.6 foot-pounds.  
     
     
         5 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said base has a length and said gripping means extends at least 50% of said length.  
     
     
         6 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said base has a length and said gripping means extends at least 45% of said length.  
     
     
         7 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said base has a length and said gripping means extends at least 40% of said length.  
     
     
         8 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said gripping means comprises at least one recess in said wall.  
     
     
         9 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said gripping means comprises first and second recesses in said wall, and wherein said first recess is spaced sufficiently apart from said second recess so as to permit said container to be gripped by the placement of a thumb of said user's hand in said first recess and at least one finger of said hand in said second recess.  
     
     
         10 . The container of  claim 8 , wherein said wall has a wall height and said at least one recess extends upwards from the base of the container for a distance less than said wall height.  
     
     
         11 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said gripping means includes ridges to facilitate gripping of said gripping means by said user.  
     
     
         12 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said dipping section has a dipping section width and said tongue portion has a tongue portion width, and said dipping section width is substantially equal to said tongue portion width.  
     
     
         13 . The container of  claim 12 , wherein said dipping section width is in the range of 85-115% of said tongue portion width.  
     
     
         14 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said dipping section includes a tapered section adjacent to said gripping means.  
     
     
         15 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said tongue portion includes a leading edge at a free end of said tongue portion, said leading edge being sized and shaped to provide a wiping surface for said brush.  
     
     
         16 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said tongue portion is sized and shaped to allow a brush having a width of three inches to be dabbed thereon with the entire width of said brush contacting the tongue portion.  
     
     
         17 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said tongue portion extends upwardly at an angle approximately 45 degrees from the horizontal.  
     
     
         18 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said tongue portion includes side edge barriers for preventing excess liquid on said tongue portion from spilling out of a side edge of said tongue portion.  
     
     
         19 . The container of  claim 18 , wherein said edge barriers comprise an extension of said wall extending from said base.  
     
     
         20 . The container of  claim 1 , wherein said wall tapers outwardly as said wall extends up from said base, said wall and said gripping means being sized, shaped and positioned to permit at least one of said containers to be stacked inside another of said containers.  
     
     
         21 . The container of  claim 20 , wherein said gripping means comprises at least one recess extending upward from said base of said container.