Plastic paint can

Abstract

A paint can has a molded plastic bucket and cover which are releasably engageable with one another at a seal. The bucket has an integrally-formed handle with a cushioned grip formed therein. The handle has an enlarged central portion that facilitates knitting of the molten material fed into the handle mold. The cover has a central panel and a surrounding closure member joined to the panel by a connector. The connector supports the central panel intermediate the a first sealing surface on the closure member. The connector resiliently urges the closure member into sealing engagement with the bucket rim. The sealing surfaces have a polished finish. Grooves in a reinforcing ring on the bucket provide access for removal of the cover.

1 . A paint can, comprising: 
 a bucket having a floor and at least one upstanding wall joined to the floor, the wall having inside and outside faces, the wall terminating at a rim which defines an open end of the bucket, the rim including a first mating surface on the inside face, and a second mating surface on the outside face; and    a cover comprising a central panel, a closure member releasably engageable with the rim of the bucket, and a connector joining the closure member to the central panel, the closure member including an inside wall, an outside wall and a top wall joining the inside and outside walls, the inside wall having a first sealing surface engageable with the first mating surface of the rim and the outside wall having a second sealing surface engageable with the second mating surface of the rim, all of said sealing and mating surfaces having a polished finish.    
   
   
       2 . A bucket for a paint can, made by the process comprising the steps of: 
 forming floor, wall and handle cavities in a mold, the wall cavity being in fluid communication with both the floor and handle cavities, the handle cavity having an elongate configuration defining central and outer portions on either side of the central portion, the central portion having a cross-sectional area which is greater than that of the outer portions;    connecting a gate to one of the floor or wall cavities;    feeding molten plastic material through the gate into the floor, wall, and handle cavities at a rate such that the handle cavity fills in about one second;    solidifying the molten material in the mold cavities; and    releasing the finished bucket from the mold cavities.    
   
   
       3 . The bucket made by the process of  claim 2  wherein the forming step is further characterized by forming anchor cavities disposed between the wall and handle cavities and in fluid communication with both of said cavities.  
   
   
       4 . An all-plastic bucket comprising a floor, a wall and an elongate handle integrally molded to the wall of the bucket, the handle having a central portion and outer portions on either side of the central portion, the outer portions each joining the bucket wall at one end and the central portion at the other end, the central and outer portions defining upper and lower surfaces with one of the upper and lower surfaces being coplanar, the central portion having a cross-sectional area that is greater than that of the outer portions.  
   
   
       5 . The bucket of  claim 4  wherein the upper surfaces are coplanar.  
   
   
       6 . The bucket of  claim 5  wherein the lower surface of the central portions extends below the lower surfaces of the outer portions.  
   
   
       7 . The bucket of  claim 4  wherein the central portion contains finger-receiving indentations.  
   
   
       8 . An all-plastic bucket comprising a floor, a wall and an elongated handle integrally molded to the wall of the bucket, the handle defining central and outer portions on either side of the central portion, the central portion having a cushioned grip formed therein.  
   
   
       9 . The bucket of  claim 8  wherein the cushioned grip comprises a plurality of finger-receiving indentations.  
   
   
       10 . A paint can, comprising: 
 a bucket having a floor and at least one upstanding wall joined to the floor;    a cover having a closure member releasably engageable in sealing relation with an open end of the wall, the closure member having an outside wall disposed on the exterior of the bucket wall when the cover is installed on the bucket; and    a reinforcing ring protruding radially from the exterior of the bucket wall, the reinforcing ring having an axial location where, when the cover is installed on the bucket, the reinforcing ring is spaced from the underside of the closure member's outside wall by a distance that prevents entry of a user's fingers between the reinforcing ring and said outside wall, the reinforcing ring having a plurality of grooves formed therein, the grooves having a depth and width sufficient to provide a user's fingers access to the closure member's outside wall to pry the closure member off the bucket.