Applicator for hazardous substances

Abstract

A pen-type applicator for hazardous substances is provided, which is convenient for applying metal pretreatment agents to complex shapes such as blind holes, through holes, rivets, gaps, chamfers, countersinks, countersunk holes, and other hard-to-access surfaces. [Solution] The present invention provides a pen-type hazardous substance applicator 300 that is convenient for applying metal pretreatment agents to complex shapes such as blind holes, through holes, rivets, gaps, chamfers, counterbores, countersunk holes and other hard-to-access surfaces, comprising a housing 302 having a chamber 308, a discharge port 310, a valve 314 movable between a closed position where the discharge port does not fluidly communicate with the chamber and an open position where the discharge port fluidly communicates with the chamber, a valve spring 318, a wick, and means 322 for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The invention described in this specification relates to the field of applicators for harmful substances, and more particularly to an applicator that dispenses individual, finely tuned amounts of harmful substances.

Background Art

[0002] Many applicators and application methods for chemical substances are known. These devices and techniques include, for example, spray systems, pump systems, immersion tanks, etc. Various types of applicators include fibrous markers, felt tip pens, capillary pens, etc.

[0003] Efforts have been continuously made to improve the usability and safety of systems and methods for applying chemical substances that are harmful substances, toxic substances, or other unpleasant substances in the form of fluid materials. Particularly in the field of metal coating and treatment, systems have been developed in which users are physically separated from the articles being treated or coated, using devices such as spray chambers and immersion tanks. A major drawback of such systems is that it is difficult to repair small defects in the coating or treatment, and it is necessary to completely re-immerse or re-coat the entire article. This process can be particularly time-consuming and costly because even small defects in the coating require the consumption of a sufficient amount of chemical substances or fluid materials to re-treat the entire article.

[0004] Generally, aluminum and other metal parts used in commercial and military systems are chemically treated on the surface after manufacture using conventional batch processing techniques to prevent corrosion. This chemical treatment is very important, for example, in applications that require electrical insulation, thermal insulation, or conductivity. However, after chemical treatment, many parts are damaged during subsequent handling and processing, and part of the chemically treated corrosion prevention layer may peel off from the surface of the part. Therefore, it may be necessary to treat the damaged part in order to completely restore the surface to a corrosion-prevented state with chemical treatment.

[0005] Traditional scratch repair methods involve obtaining a bottle of coating solution and using cotton balls, cotton swabs, rags, or sponges to rub or apply the solution to the scratched area until it is completely coated. In many cases, depending on the shape of the part, many problems arise when applying the coating solution to the surface.

[0006] Coating solutions often contain corrosive and hazardous substances, such as large amounts of chromic acid, heavy metals, fluorides, ferricyanides, and ferrocyanides. Conventional methods generally involve applying excessive amounts of coating solution, resulting in frequent spills and creating dangerous conditions in the treatment area. Conventional methods are prone to soiling and waste a large amount of coating solution. Furthermore, cotton balls, cotton swabs, rags, sponges, etc., used for applying and wiping off the coating solution become hazardous waste after use, causing disposal problems.

[0007] Generally, coating solutions and fluid materials fall into two categories: those that require rinsing to remove excess coating material, and those that do not. Excess coating material tends to form crystals that cause undesirable surface roughness, and these crystals and residual coatings are generally very active, i.e., pH 1.5-4.5, which can be harmful, so the former may require rinsing. Rinsing is necessary, but because it produces acidic and corrosive wash water, it can have adverse effects on the environment and may be toxic, leading to disposal problems. Rinsing-free (NR) coatings do not require rinsing for these reasons because they do not form crystals and can be formulated to be self-leveling.

[0008] The inefficiencies of early coating systems in addressing minor defects in coatings have been addressed to some extent by handheld pen-type dispensers previously developed by the applicant for use in applying corrosive, hazardous, or other chemical coating solutions to damaged surfaces. Specifically, U.S. Patent Nos. 5,702,759 and 6,217,935, incorporated herein by reference, disclose dispensers and methods for dispensing various chemicals. Apparatus using such technology has proven most useful for correcting scratches on planar chemically converted aluminum surfaces. The emergence of such marker-type and pen-type dispensers improves efficiency and speed in addressing minor defects on coated metal surfaces and enhances user and environmental safety by facilitating isolation of the user from active chemicals.

[0009] While the aforementioned pen-type dispensers have improved the industry, the inventors have found that coating surfaces with more complex shapes than flat surfaces still presents challenges. Therefore, the inventors have determined that there is still a need in this field for improved pen-type hazardous substance applicators that are useful for improving the coating of non-flat or complex shapes, particularly for applications involving blind holes, through holes, rivets, gaps, chamfers, counterbores, countersunk holes, and other hard-to-access surfaces.

[0010] This background information is provided to aid in understanding the following description of exemplary embodiments and does not necessarily constitute prior art in whole or in part. [Overview of the Initiative] [Means for solving the problem]

[0011] The various embodiments described below are intended to address or improve upon one or more defects of existing pen-type applicator systems and have, as a basic configuration, or otherwise comprise, means for supporting the applicator wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the applicator wick, means for regulating the flow rate from the applicator chamber containing the fluid material to the wick, and / or means for positioning the wick at a non-zero angle with respect to at least a portion of the applicator housing. The various embodiments of the applicant's applicators are useful for applying material to complex shapes, particularly in applications with blind holes, through holes, rivets, gaps, chamfers, countersinks, countersunk holes and other hard-to-reach surfaces, in non-limiting examples.

[0012] According to one aspect of the present invention (Aspect 1), a housing (302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802, 90) has a chamber (308, 408, 508, 608, 708, 808, 1008, 1108), a discharge port (310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 1010, 1110), a valve (314, 414, 514, 614, 714, 814, 1014, 1114) movable between a closed position where the discharge port does not communicate fluidly with the chamber and an open position where the discharge port communicates fluidly with the chamber, and a valve spring (318, 418, 518, 618, 718, 818, 1018, 1118) configured to bias the valve toward the closed position. A dispensing device for hazardous substances is provided, comprising a wick (312,412,512,612,712,812,912,912,1012,1112,1912) movably coupled to a housing and configured to transmit an axial load to the valve to move the valve from a closed position to an open position, and made of a material suitable for receiving fluid from the discharge port and discharging the fluid outside the housing, characterized in that the dispensing device also comprises means (322,422,522,622,722,824,922,1021,1124,1922,1930) for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick.

[0013] Further exemplary embodiments of the present invention are shown below.

[0014] Embodiment 2. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick is a tube (322, 522, 622, 824, 922, 1922) surrounding at least a portion of the wick.

[0015] Embodiment 3. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the tube surrounding the wick has one or more lateral openings (324, 530, 626, 924) extending through the wall of the tube.

[0016] Embodiment 4. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein one or more lateral openings are located on the outside of the housing.

[0017] Embodiment 5. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein one or more lateral openings are located inside the housing.

[0018] Embodiment 6. An applicator according to any embodiment of the above, wherein the wick is attached to a tube so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a wick spring (526) is operably positioned between the wick and the tube and configured to bias the wick to the extended position.

[0019] Embodiment 7. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the wick spring has a lower spring constant than the valve spring.

[0020] Embodiment 8. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the tube is located outside the housing and has a trigger (624) configured to move the valve from a closed position to an open position.

[0021] Embodiment 9. An applicator according to any embodiment, wherein the housing further comprises a grip surface (628) positioned at a distance from the trigger and configured to be grasped in order to hold the housing against a force applied to the trigger.

[0022] Aspect 10. The wick includes one selected from various wicks (812’, 812’’, 812’’’, 812’’’’, 812’’’’’), and the various wicks are detachably coupled to the tube. The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0023] Aspect 11. The means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick has an internal support (422, 1124) at least partially surrounded by the wick. The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0024] Aspect 12. The wick, and preferably the internal support, is bent at a non-zero angle with respect to the discharge port. The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0025] Aspect 13. The housing has a tip portion (1004) and a handle portion (1006), and the tip portion is movable with respect to the handle portion. The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0026] Aspect 14. The tip portion is attached to the handle portion by a rotary joint (1022). The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0027] Aspect 15. The means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick has an inner bundle of fibers that forms a first portion of the wick having a greater rigidity than a second portion of the wick having an outer layer. Preferably, the outer layer is composed of a cover or coating made of raw material or fibers chemically and / or mechanically treated to reduce the rigidity of the outer layer. The applicator of any of the above aspects.

[0028] According to another aspect (Aspect 16) of the present invention, a housing (1302, 1402, 1502, 1602, 1702, 1802, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402) having a chamber (1308, 1408, 1508, 1608, 1708, 1808, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2308, 2408), a discharge port (1310, 1410, 1510, 1610, 1710, 1810, 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310, 2410), a wick (1312, 1412, 1512, 1612, 1712, 1812, 2012, 2112, 2212, 2312, 2412) coupled to the discharge port, and a valve (1314, 1414, 1514, 1630, 1730, 1830, 2014, 2114, 2214, 2330, 2428, 2430) fluidly coupled to the chamber, the valve being movable between a closed position in which the valve fluidly disconnects the discharge port from the chamber and an open position in which the valve fluidly couples the discharge port to the chamber. In the applicator having a valve, there is provided an applicator for harmful substances, characterized by having means for adjusting the flow rate from the chamber to the wick.

[0029] Aspect 17. The means for adjusting the flow rate includes a flexible wall (1322, 1422) of the chamber, and the flexible wall is configured to be compressed to increase the flow rate. The applicator according to any of the above aspects.

[0030] Aspect 18. The housing has a flexible bottle forming the flexible wall, or a part of the housing having a flexible membrane forming the flexible wall. The applicator according to any of the above aspects.

[0031] Aspect 19. The means for adjusting the flow rate includes a piston (1622, 1722, 1822, 2326) slidably disposed within a cylinder (1624, 1708, 1808, 2328) and sealed to the cylinder to form a variable-size chamber (1634) in fluid communication with the wick. The piston is movable to reduce the volume of the variable-size chamber, thereby transferring fluid from the variable-size chamber to the wick. The applicator according to any of the above aspects.

[0032] Embodiment 20. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the piston and cylinder are located within a housing.

[0033] Embodiment 21. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the piston and cylinder are coupled to the housing by a flexible tube (2322).

[0034] Embodiment 22. An applicator of any embodiment described above, further comprising a spring (1618) configured to bias a piston to decrease the volume of a variable-size chamber, wherein the piston is coupled to a wick such that a force applied to the wick acts on the spring to move the piston to increase the volume of a variable-size chamber.

[0035] Embodiment 23. An applicator of any embodiment described above, further comprising a spring (1718, 1818, 2318) configured to bias a piston to increase the volume of a variable-size chamber, the applicator having a button (1738, 1838, 2336) configured to be operated by a user to move the piston to decrease the volume of a variable-size chamber.

[0036] Appearance 24. The valve is, A first one-way valve (1630, 1730, 1834, 2330) is positioned in a first passage extending through the piston and is configured to open when the piston moves to increase the volume of a variable-size chamber and to close when the piston moves to decrease the volume of a variable-size chamber. A second one-way valve (1630, 1730, 1834, 2330) is positioned in a second passage extending through the piston and is configured to open when the piston moves to decrease the volume of the variable-size chamber and to close when the piston moves to increase the volume of the variable-size chamber. A dispensing apparatus, including any of the above embodiments.

[0037] Embodiment 25. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, further comprising means for adjusting the travel distance of a piston.

[0038] Embodiment 26. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the means for adjusting the flow rate from the chamber to the wick includes a trigger (624, 1738, 1838, 2004, 2124, 2224, 2324, 2424) configured to operate a valve, and the trigger is separated from the wick.

[0039] Embodiment 27. An applicator according to any embodiment above, comprising a proximal portion (2004) of the housing, the trigger being movable relative to the distal portion (2006) of the housing, thereby moving the valve to the open position.

[0040] Embodiment 28. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the trigger has a cam driver (2128, 2228) that is operable to move a cam (2126, 2226) coupled to a valve.

[0041] Embodiment 29. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the valve, cam driver, and cam are arranged in a housing.

[0042] Embodiment 30. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the valve, cam driver and cam are arranged in a flexible tube (2222) that connects the housing to the wick.

[0043] Embodiment 31. An applicator according to any embodiment of the above, wherein the trigger includes a flexible chamber (2426), and the valve includes a first one-way valve (2428) positioned between the flexible chamber and the chamber, and a second one-way valve (2430) positioned between the flexible chamber and the wick, wherein the first one-way valve is configured to close when the flexible chamber is compressed and to open when the flexible chamber is expanded, and the second one-way valve is configured to open when the flexible chamber is compressed and to close when the flexible chamber is expanded.

[0044] According to yet another aspect of the present invention (Aspect 32), a housing (1002, 1202, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402, 2502) extending in the longitudinal direction "L" and having chambers (1008, 1208, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2308, 2408, 2508), a discharge port (1010, 1210, 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310, 2410, 2510), a wick (1012, 1212, 2012, 2112, 2212, 2312, 2412, 2512) coupled to the discharge port, and a fluid coupling to the chamber A dispensing apparatus for hazardous substances is provided, comprising a valve (1014, 1214, 2014, 2114, 2214, 2330, 2428, 2430, 2514) which is movable between a closed position in which the valve fluidly disconnects the discharge port from the chamber and an open position in which the valve fluidly connects the discharge port to the chamber, wherein the dispensing apparatus is characterized by having means for positioning the wick at an angle other than zero with respect to at least a part of the housing, preferably the angle other than zero being 1 degree or more with respect to the longitudinal direction "L" of the housing.

[0045] Embodiment 33. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the means for positioning the wick relative to at least a portion of the housing consists of a proximal portion (1004, 2504) of the housing that is movable relative to a distal portion (1006, 2506) of the housing.

[0046] Embodiment 34. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the proximal portion of the housing is connected to the distal portion of the housing by a rotatable coupling (1022) or a flexible portion (2522).

[0047] Embodiment 35. A dispenser according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the means for positioning the wick at a non-zero angle with respect to at least a portion of the housing consists of a proximal portion (1204) of the housing fixed at a non-zero angle with respect to a distal portion (1206) of the housing, the discharge port (1210) and the wick (1212) are oriented along an axis A having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction L, and preferably the valve (1214) and spring (1218) are also oriented along axis A.

[0048] Embodiment 36. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the means for positioning the wick at a non-zero angle with respect to at least a portion of the housing is comprised of a flexible tube (2022, 2122, 2222, 2322, 2422).

[0049] Embodiment 37. A dispenser according to any embodiment of the above, further comprising means for adjusting the flow rate, which is composed of flexible walls of chambers (1008, 1208, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2308, 2408, 2508), wherein the flexible walls are configured to be compressed to increase the flow rate.

[0050] Embodiment 38. A dispenser according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the housing (1002, 1202, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402, 2502) is a flexible bottle that forms a flexible wall, or a part of the housing having a flexible film that forms a flexible wall.

[0051] Embodiment 39. A dispenser of any embodiment described above, further comprising means for adjusting the flow rate, comprising a piston (1622, 1722, 1822, 2326) slidably disposed within a cylinder (1624, 1708, 1808, 2328) to form a variable-size chamber (1634) in fluid communication with a wick, the piston being movable to reduce the volume of the variable-size chamber and thereby transfer fluid from the variable-size chamber to the wick.

[0052] Embodiment 40. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the piston and cylinder are located within a housing.

[0053] Embodiment 41. An applicator according to any of the above embodiments, wherein the piston and cylinder are coupled to the housing by a flexible tube.

[0054] The applicant's pen-type dispenser can be used to dispense hazardous substances (often reactive and / or, in non-limiting examples, hazardous acids or alkalis with a pH of 1-5 or pH 9-14) such as chemical coating materials containing but not limited to hexavalent chromium or trivalent chromium, non-chromium chemical coating materials, cleaning agents, adhesion promoters, and other compositions for metal pretreatment. Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described entirely illustratively with reference to the accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0055] [Figure 1] This is a schematic cross-section of a conventional pen-type applicator. [Figure 2] This is a schematic cross-section of another conventional pen-type applicator. [Figure 3] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 4] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 5] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 6] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 7] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 8] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 9] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 10A]This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 10B] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 11] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 12] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 13] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 14] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 15] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 16] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 17] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 18A] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 18B] This is a schematic cross-section diagram showing another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 20] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 21A] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 21B] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 22A] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 22B] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 23] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 24] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Figure 25] This is a perspective view of another embodiment of the pen-type applicator of the present invention. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0056] Pen-type dispensers for applying hazardous chemicals are often used in work environments specific to certain industries that perform chemical processing. For example, when repairing aircraft parts, pen-type dispensers are often used by technicians who must avoid physical contact with the chemicals and perform the dispensing safely, completely, and accurately without accidentally dispensing material onto surfaces or locations other than the area to be treated. Technicians also frequently use dispensers in hazardous environments, such as from scaffolding or ladders high enough to handle aircraft parts. Since the surface requiring treatment can be in virtually any position or direction relative to the technician, the technician must be able to reach in any direction (including directly above) to apply the chemicals.

[0057] A conventional pen-type applicator 100 is shown in Figure 1. The applicator 100 has a housing 102 that extends longitudinally L from a proximal end 104 to a distal end 106. The housing forms a chamber 108 that holds the fluid material. The proximal end 104 has a discharge port 110 that forms a fluid passage from the chamber 108 to the external environment. A wick 112 is positioned inside the discharge port 110 and protrudes from the discharge port 110. The wick 112 is preferably made of a perforated material such as polyester or polyethylene and guides the fluid material from the chamber 108 to the surface to be processed. The housing 102 includes a collar 114 that extends radially from the housing 102 and forms a disc-shaped projection. The collar 114 is sized so that the applicator 100 does not fit into a typical pocket of a technician's clothing.

[0058] The wick 112 is supported so as to be movable within the discharge port 110, such as by forming parts with cooperating sliding shapes or sliding surfaces. A valve 116 is attached to the distal end of the wick 112, and a spring 118 is provided in the housing 102 to bias the valve 116 and the wick 112 in the proximal direction. The spring 118 allows the wick 112 and the valve 116 to move between a closed position, as shown on the left side of Figure 1, and an open position, as shown on the right side of Figure 1. In the closed position, the valve 116 contacts the corresponding wall of the chamber 108, forming a seal that prevents the fluid material from moving from the chamber 108 to the wick 112. In the open position, the valve 116 is not sealed against the wall, and the fluid material moves freely by gravity to the wick 112 and from there to the surface to be processed.

[0059] Figures 1 and 2 show two different configurations of the chamber 108 and spring 118. In Figure 1, the spring 118 is positioned between the distal support wall 120 and the valve 116, and the support wall 120 is positioned between the proximal and distal ends of the chamber 108. The support wall 120 in Figure 1 includes one or more openings 122 to allow the fluid material to move throughout the chamber 108. With the configuration in Figure 1, the distal end of the chamber 108 can be opened and closed by a screw cap 124 or the like to change the fluid material without interfering with or removing the spring 118. In Figure 2, the distal support wall 120 is formed as the distal end of the chamber 108, which is more suitable for a non-openable and closed sealed housing 102.

[0060] Conventional pen-type dispensers, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, have been found to have certain drawbacks. For example, the dispenser tip may be too large to fit into certain holes or to reach completely into certain openings. Also, the elongated pen-type design may not fit into relatively narrow spaces or reach corners. Furthermore, the safety collar extending radially from the pen body to prevent it from being placed in clothing pockets may obstruct access to certain surfaces. In addition, the wick may not fit into corners or narrow spaces, resulting in insufficient coverage of the chemical on the surface being treated. Due to these drawbacks, it was necessary to use auxiliary tools such as cotton swabs to completely treat areas of the surface that the wick of the pen-type dispenser could not reach.

[0061] One possible improvement to existing instruments is to reduce the diameter or cross-section of the wick to reach corners and narrow spaces. However, it has been found that reducing the wick size interferes with the operation of the spring that opens the valve. In the typical use of conventional instruments, the operator simply presses the wick against the surface to dispense the material. This is simple, convenient, and can be operated with one hand, making it safer and easier to operate in places where the user can support it with the other hand. Reducing the diameter of the wick reduces its rigidity, making it unsuitable to press against the closing force of the valve without bending or breaking. Similar problems arise when the wick is lengthened.

[0062] In one embodiment, the resistance or stiffness of the valve and spring is reduced to account for the decreased strength of the smaller wick. This can solve some dispensing problems, but a weaker spring may lead to leakage of harmful substances, and the pen body may also obstruct access to the narrower dispensing area. In other embodiments, a harder wick material can be used, but this has the disadvantage of hindering the movement of the fluid material and making the wick more prone to clogging.

[0063] Referring to Figures 3 to 5, the inventors have revealed various other embodiments that allow for reducing the diameter of the wick and / or increasing the length of the wick without impairing the user's ability to press down the spring using the wick.

[0064] Figure 3 shows an example of a dispenser 300 having a housing 302 extending from a proximal end 304 to a distal end 306, with a chamber 308 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 302. A discharge port 310 connects the chamber 308 to the external environment. A wick 312 is located within the discharge port 310 and protrudes from the discharge port 310. A valve 314 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the wick 312 so as to move together with the wick 312. The wick 312 is slidable within the discharge port 310 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position (left side in Figure 3) and a retracted position (right side in Figure 3). When the wick 312 is in the extended position, the valve 314 abuts against the corresponding first wall 316 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 308 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 300) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 308 to the wick 312. When the wick 312 is in the retracted position, the valve 314 releases the seal from the first wall 316, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 308 to the wick 312. A spring 318 is positioned between the valve 314 and the second wall 320 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 308 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 300). The spring 318 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 314 to bias the wick 312 to the extended position. Applying an opposing force along the wick 312 overcomes the biasing force of the spring, moving the wick 312 to the retracted position.

[0065] The embodiment in Figure 3 preferably features a wick 312 that is small in size relative to the amount of force required to repeatedly move the wick 312 from the extended position to the retracted position. This means that the material and / or dimensions of the wick 312 are selected such that, during use, unless additional conditions described herein exist, the wick 312 tends to buckle under a pulling force applied to the distal side of the wick 312 along the longitudinal direction L, rather than moving to the retracted position with the valve open. A small wick may not break during initial operation, but after some use and before the contents of the dispenser are used up, it may waste material and cause leakage of the remaining contents of the dispenser 300. The selection of the size and material of the wick 312, which is small in size relative to the biasing force of the spring 318, is a matter of conventional mechanics and can be determined mathematically or empirically without unnecessary experimentation and does not need to be described in detail herein. The lack of durability of the wick 312 for transmitting the pulling force is mitigated by adding an outer support tube 322 that encloses the wick 312, supports the wick to increase its rigidity, and defines a lumen 326 that extends at least partially longitudinally along the length of the wick 312.

[0066] The outer support tube 322 may extend distally to contact the valve 314, or may be integrally formed with the valve 314, and may extend from the outlet 310 when the wick 312 is in the retracted position, or may extend proximal to be coplanar with the outlet 310, although other configurations are possible. The support tube 322 and the wick 312 together have sufficient strength to transmit a retraction force from the wick 312 to the spring 318. Thus, when a distal retraction force is applied to the wick 312 along the longitudinal direction L, the wick 312, tube 322 and valve 314 are retracted, thereby allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 308 to the wick 312. The tube 322 may be made of any suitable rigid material such as a thermoplastic resin, polymer, or rubber that is resistant to corrosion by the fluid material, and is preferably crimped onto the wick 312. However, the tube 322 is not strictly required to be more rigid than the wick 312, as long as the combined rigidity of the components is sufficient to transmit the pulling force to the spring 318. Furthermore, the wick 312 and tube 322 may have some flexibility in the assembled state so that the wick 312 can deform to accommodate narrow spaces and corners. The tube 322 can be attached to the wick 312 by, for example, molding it into a predetermined position on the wick 312, wrapping it around the wick 312 to seal it (e.g., by ultrasonic bonding, heat bonding or adhesive bonding), or shrink fitting it onto the wick 312 (e.g., using a heat-sensitive thermoplastic resin that shrinks when heated, pulling or press-fitting the wick 312 into the tube 322, or stretching the tube 322 on a tubular mandrel and removing the mandrel when the tube 322 surrounds the wick 312).

[0067] The proximal end of the wick 312 protrudes from the support tube 322 by a distance sufficient to provide the desired adhesion characteristics of the fluid material. For example, if the applicator 300 is to be used primarily to guide material onto the bottom surface of a recessed opening, the tube 322 may extend to terminate near the proximal end of the wick 312. In contrast, if the applicator 300 is intended to be used to coat the bottom and sides of a recess with material, the length of the wick extending between the proximal end of the wick 312 and the proximal end of the tube 322 may be longer. The tube 322 may also have a lateral opening 324 communicating with the lumen 326 to form an additional outlet for the fluid material to move perpendicular to the longitudinal direction L (i.e., laterally), which is expected to give the wick 312 higher rigidity while allowing lateral flow to assist in coating the material onto the sides of the recess. Lateral dispensing may also be enhanced by forming a wick 312 that extends outward from the lumen 326 of the tube 322 through a lateral opening 324. For example, the wick 312 may consist of a flexible material or a flexible outer layer material (e.g., a layer of woven or nonwoven felt-like material) that is sufficiently compliant to protrude through the lateral opening 324 when the wick 312 is placed in the lumen 326 of the tube 322.

[0068] Figure 4 shows another example of a dispenser 400 having a housing 402 extending from a proximal end 404 to a distal end 406, with a chamber 408 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 402. A discharge port 410 connects the chamber 408 to the external environment. A wick 412 is located within the discharge port 410 and protrudes from the discharge port 410. A valve 414 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the wick 412 so as to move together with the wick 412. The wick 412 is slidable within the discharge port 410 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position (left side in Figure 4) and a retracted position (right side in Figure 4). When the wick 412 is in the extended position, the valve 414 abuts against the corresponding first wall 416 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 408 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 400) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 408 to the wick 412. When the wick 412 is in the retracted position, the valve 414 releases the seal from the first wall 416, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 408 to the wick 412. A spring 418 is positioned between the valve 414 and the second wall 420 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 408 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 400). The spring 418 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 414 to bias the wick 412 to the extended position. Applying an opposing force along the wick 412 overcomes the biasing force of the spring, moving the wick 412 to the retracted position.

[0069] The embodiment in Figure 4 also preferably includes a wick 412 that is smaller in size compared to the amount of force required to move the wick 412 from the extended position to the retracted position. The degradation of the wick 412's ability to transmit the retraction force over the service life of the applicator 400 is mitigated by reinforcing the wick by adding an internal support 422 that surrounds or partially surrounds the wick 412 and extends at least partially longitudinally along the length of the wick 412. The internal support 422 may extend distally to contact the valve 414, may be integrally formed with the valve 414, or may extend proximal to extend from or be coplanar with the discharge port 410 when the wick 412 is in the retracted position, but other configurations are also possible. The internal support 422 and the wick 412 together have sufficient strength to transmit the retraction force from the wick 412 to the spring 418. Therefore, when a distal retraction force is applied to the wick 412 along the longitudinal direction L, the wick 412, the internal support 422, and the valve 414 are retracted, thereby allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 408 to the wick 412.

[0070] The internal support 422 may be made of any suitable rigid material such as metal, thermoplastic resin, polymer, or rubber. It is not strictly required that the internal support 422 be more rigid than the wick 412, as long as the combined rigidity of the parts is sufficient to transmit the tension force to the spring 418. Furthermore, the wick 412 and the internal support 422 may have some flexibility in the assembled state, allowing the wick 412 to deform to accommodate narrow spaces and corners. For this purpose, the internal support 422 may extend to terminate at or near the proximal end of the wick 412 to facilitate the pressing of the wick material into corners. The internal support 422 can be attached to the wick 412 by, for example, molding it into a predetermined position within the cavity of the wick 412, or by pressing it into the wick material.

[0071] The internal support 422 may have any shape that helps to withstand buckling or inelastic deformation loads applied to the wick 412. For example, the internal support 422 may consist of one or more cylindrical projections from the valve 414. Alternatively, the internal support 422 may be an open space or hollow with wick material positioned inside. A hollow internal support 422 without wick material inside may be particularly useful for transmitting a higher flow rate of fluid material to the proximal end of the wick 412. Similarly, the internal support 422, in particular a hollow internal support 422, may have a lateral opening, such as the lateral opening 324 described in relation to the embodiment of Figure 3, to form an additional lateral flow path for the fluid material. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0072] Figure 5 shows another example of a dispenser 500 having a housing 502 extending from a proximal end 504 to a distal end 506, with a chamber 508 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 502. A discharge port 510 connects the chamber 508 to the external environment. A wick 512 is located within the discharge port 510 and protrudes from the discharge port 510. A valve 514 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 512 so as to move together with the wick 512 in a two-stage motion as described below. The wick 512 is slidable within the discharge port 510 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position (left side in Figure 5) and a retracted position (right side in Figure 5). When the wick 512 is in the extended position, the valve 514 abuts against the corresponding first wall 516 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 508 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 500) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 508 to the wick 512. When the wick 512 is in the retracted position, the valve 514 releases the seal from the first wall 516, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 508 to the wick 512. A first spring 518 is positioned between the valve 514 and the second wall 520 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 508 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 500). The first spring 518 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 514 to bias the wick 512 to the extended position. Applying an opposing force along the wick 512 overcomes the biasing force of the spring, moving the wick 512 to the retracted position.

[0073] In this example, the wick 512 is slidably held within the support 522, and the support 522 is slidably held within the discharge port 510. The support 522 may be cylindrical or have other shapes (e.g., rectangular, square, elliptical, etc.) adapted to the cross-sectional shapes of the wick 512 and the discharge port 510. The support 522 includes a support chamber 524 from which the wick 512 can slide along its longitudinal direction L. A second spring 526 is positioned between the distal end of the wick 512 in the support chamber 524 and the opposing inner wall 528 of the support 522.

[0074] The embodiment in Figure 5 preferably includes a wick 512 that is smaller in size compared to the amount of force required to move the first spring 518 to release the seal of the valve 514. However, the wick 512 is not smaller in size compared to the amount of force required to compress the second spring 526. Therefore, the second spring 526 has a lower spring constant than the first spring 518.

[0075] This embodiment provides a two-stage retraction operation. A distal force applied to the proximal end of the wick 512 along the longitudinal direction L first compresses the second spring 526 until the wick 512 is retracted into the support chamber 524, and then compresses the support 522 and the wick 512 to a retracted position, thereby releasing the seal of the valve 514. This embodiment overcomes the problem that the wick 512 is too small to transmit the valve opening force by retracting the wick 512 into a rigid (or relatively rigid) support 522, thereby effectively increasing the rigidity of the wick. The support 522 provides sufficient lateral support to transmit the retraction force and open the valve 514. The wick 512 may protrude from the support 522 when the wick 512 is fully retracted into the support 522 (as shown in Figure 5), or it may be pressed coplanar with the proximal end of the support 522. Furthermore, the support 522 includes an opening sufficient to move the fluid material to the wick 512. For example, the support 522 may include a lateral opening 530 that is exposed to the chamber 508 when the seal of the valve 514 is released. If necessary, a seal such as an O-ring 532 may be provided between the support 522 and the discharge port 510 to prevent leakage of the fluid material through there.

[0076] Referring here to Figure 6, other embodiments may include features that allow the use of smaller wicks but do not require support or reinforcement of the wick to transmit the force necessary to release the valve seal. In Figure 6, the dispenser 600 has a housing 602 extending from a proximal end 604 to a distal end 606, with a chamber 608 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 602. The discharge port 610 connects the chamber 608 to the external environment. The wick 612 is located within the discharge port 610 and protrudes from the discharge port 610. The valve 614 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 612 so as to move together with the wick 612. The wick 612 is slidable within the discharge port 610 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position (left side in Figure 6) and a retracted position (right side in Figure 6). When the wick 612 is in the extended position, the valve 614 abuts against the corresponding first wall 616 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 608 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the applicator 600) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 608 to the wick 612. When the wick 612 is in the retracted position, the valve 614 releases the seal from the first wall 616, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 608 to the wick 612. A spring 618 is positioned between the valve 614 and the second wall 620 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 608 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the applicator 600). The spring 618 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 614 to bias the wick 612 to the extended position.

[0077] The embodiment in Figure 6 preferably includes a wick 612 that is small in size compared to the amount of force required to move the first spring 618 to release the seal of the valve 614. However, the wick 612 is fixed within a support 622, which is slidably held within the outlet 610. The support 622 may be cylindrical or have other shapes (e.g., rectangular, square, elliptical, etc.) adapted to the cross-sectional shape of the wick 612 and the outlet 610. The support 622 is operably coupled to the valve 614 so that a retraction force can be applied to the support 622 (in addition to or instead of the wick 612) to release the seal of the valve 614. For this purpose, the support 622 may include a trigger 624 located outside the housing 602 to assist the operator in applying the retraction force. The support 622 may also include one or more openings 626 that allow the fluid material to move from the chamber 608 to the wick 612 when the valve 614 is released from its seal.

[0078] The shape and size of the trigger 624 can be selected based on the anticipated needs of the operator. For example, the trigger 624 may be an annular plate (as shown) surrounding the wick 612, or it may have another shape that allows the operator to press the trigger with their fingers or by pressing the entire assembly against a fixed surface (for example, by placing the trigger 624 against a rigid part of the surface to be treated and pushing the dispenser 600 forward). The trigger 624 may also have an opposing grip surface 628 (for example, a ring suitable for receiving the operator's thumb or a plate for receiving the palm) so that the operator can grip the trigger 624 toward the grip surface 628 and open the valve 614 with one hand. Alternatively, multiple seals, such as an O-ring 630 or a gland seal, may be provided between the support 622 and the discharge port 610 to reduce the possibility of leakage from there.

[0079] The embodiment in Figure 6 allows for the use of a smaller wick while providing convenient and safe operation of the valve at the user's discretion. One modification of the embodiment in Figure 6 is to slidably mount the wick 612 in a chamber within a support having a second spring having a low spring constant and biasing the wick 612 to the extended position. This modification can provide additional functionality to the embodiment in Figure 5. In other embodiments, the trigger feature of Figure 6 may be combined with the wick support feature of Figures 3 and 4. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0080] Another problem with conventional pen-type applicators is that the applicator's felt cannot be positioned in narrow spaces or corners. This is particularly problematic when dealing with recessed holes, irregularly shaped holes, and when the original coating is damaged by deep scratches. This problem is also observed when applying coatings around rivets and other fasteners where there are small openings or narrow gaps at the joint between the fastener and the support structure surface. Figures 7 and 8 show embodiments adapted to address such situations.

[0081] Figure 7 shows a dispenser 700 having a housing 702 that extends from a proximal end 704 to a distal end 706 and includes a chamber 708 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 702. A discharge port 710 connects the chamber 708 to the external environment. A wick 712 is positioned within the discharge port 710 and protrudes from the discharge port 710. A valve 714 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the wick 712 so as to move together with the wick 712. The wick 712 is slidable within the discharge port 710 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position (left side in Figure 7) and a retracted position (right side in Figure 7). When the wick 712 is in the extended position, the valve 714 abuts against the corresponding first wall 716 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 708 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 700) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 708 to the wick 712. When the wick 712 is in the retracted position, the valve 714 releases the seal from the first wall 716, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 708 to the wick 712. A spring 718 is positioned between the valve 714 and the second wall 720 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 708 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 700). The spring 718 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 714 to bias the wick 712 to the extended position.

[0082] The wick 712 may be small or large in size compared to the force required to push the spring 718 to move the valve 714 to the retracted position. If the wick 712 is small in size, other features as described above may be incorporated to adapt to or assist the operation of the valve 714.

[0083] The wick 712 includes a central support portion 722 extending into the discharge port 710 and a flexible outer layer 724 surrounding or attached to the central portion 722. The outer layer 724 is more flexible than the central support portion 722 and may consist of optionally bonded natural or synthetic fibers, preferably polyester, polyurethane, acrylic, nylon, or combinations thereof. For example, the central portion 722 may consist of a bundle of relatively stiff polyester fibers bonded together to form a cylindrical shape, and the outer layer 724 may consist of a separate cover or coating formed from a soft, porous and / or fibrous raw material, which is a synthetic and / or natural material, such as felt, sponge, wool, or cotton. Such a cover may be removable or fixedly attached to the rest of the wick 712. As another example, the wick 712 may consist of a bundle of stiff fibers comprising inner fibers gathered within a stiff central support 722 and outer fibers that have been chemically or mechanically treated (e.g., roughened or chopped) to form a softer outer layer 724. Alternatively, a tube or hollow internal support, as disclosed herein, may replace the central support 722 to support and reinforce the wick 712, in which case an opening at the proximal end of the tube and / or a lateral opening along the length of the tube or support may supply fluid material to the soft outer layer 724 of the wick 712.

[0084] A relatively soft outer layer 724 can conform to surface irregularities to improve the applicator's ability to treat gaps and corners by allowing it to reach a wider area of ​​such places. A softer outer layer 724 can also facilitate the lateral distribution of the fluid material, which can help coat the inner walls of narrow holes. Such lateral application can be enhanced by making the diameter D1 of the softer outer layer 724 larger than the diameter D2 of the adjacent portion of the central support 722 and larger than the diameter D3 of the adjacent portion of the housing 702. This allows the proximal end of the wick 712 to extend into the narrow hole, and further, the flexible outer layer 724 to apply the fluid material to the sides of the hole.

[0085] Figure 8 shows another embodiment of the applicator 800 adapted for applying a fluid material to a narrow or oddly shaped area. In this example, the applicator 800 has a housing 802 extending from a proximal end 804 to a distal end 806, which includes a chamber 808 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 802. A discharge port 810 connects the chamber 808 to the external environment. One of several wicks 812 may be mounted to protrude from the discharge port 810. A valve 814 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the mounted wick 812 so as to move with the wick 812. The mounted wick 812 is slidable within the discharge port 810 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position and a retracted position. When the mounted wick 812 is in the extended position, the valve 814 abuts against the corresponding first wall 816 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 808 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 800) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 808 to the mounted wick 812. When the mounted wick 812 is in the retracted position, the valve 814 releases the seal from the first wall 816, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 808 to the wick 812. A spring 818 is positioned between the valve 814 and the second wall 820 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 808 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 800). The spring 818 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 814 to bias the mounted wick 812 to the extended position.

[0086] The wick 812 may be small or large in size compared to the force required to push the spring 818 to move the valve 814 to the retracted position. If the wick 812 is small in size, other features as described above may be incorporated to adapt to the operation of the valve 814.

[0087] In the embodiment shown in Figure 8, a collection of various wicks 812 is selectively attached to the discharge port 810. Each wick 812 may have a unique shape configured to treat a particular surface. For example, the wicks 812 may include a chisel-point wick 812' with a tapered proximal end, a wick 812'' with a spherical proximal end, a wick 812'''' with an inversely tapered proximal end, a wick 812'''' with an enlarged cylindrical end, and a wick 812'''''' with a chamfered or “chisel” tip. Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure, and it will be understood that embodiments of these alternative wick shapes may be used in other embodiments.

[0088] Each wick 812 has a shaft 822 configured to be detachably fixed within a support carrier 824 slidably mounted within the discharge port 810. A seal (not shown), such as an O-ring, may be provided between the carrier 824 and the discharge port 810. The carrier 824 is slidable relative to the housing 802 along the longitudinal direction L and operably coupled to the valve 814. The wicks 812 and the carrier 824 may be held together by friction fitting or by a mechanism such as a detent or bayonet fitting. The carrier 824 includes one or more openings, such as the opening described in relation to the embodiment of Figure 5, which allow the fluid material to move from the chamber 802 to the wick 812 when the seal of the valve 814 is released.

[0089] When in use, the user selects the desired wick 812 and inserts it into the carrier 824 located within the discharge port 810, and uses the applicator 800 as usual, but the applicator 800 has the capability to be customized for treating surfaces that are otherwise difficult to reach, using a wick 812 reinforced by supporting the carrier 824 which distributes the force applied to the tip that acts on the valve 814.

[0090] It will be understood that the embodiments described above can be used in combination with other embodiments described herein. As a non-limiting example, embodiments having a flexible outer layer 724 or a replaceable wick 812 can be used with features such as the metering valve system shown in Figures 16 and 17.

[0091] Another persistent problem with conventional pen-type applicators is that while they are sized to be easily handled by users wearing protective gear and to hold a sufficient amount of fluid material, they are consequently not suited to fitting into confined spaces. In particular, pen-type applicators can be too long to fit into narrow gaps, and the Collar 114 can be too large to tilt the applicator at a low angle to reach under protrusions and other obstacles. Figures 9–12 show various alternative applicators intended to provide greater operability for treating surfaces in confined spaces.

[0092] Figure 9 shows a dispenser 900 having a housing 902 extending from a proximal end 904 to a distal end 906 and a wick 912 extending from the proximal end 904. The dispenser 900 also includes other features such as a chamber for holding the fluid material and a valve. In one embodiment, the wick 912 is located in the lumen of a support tube 922 perforated by a laterally extending hole 924, as described above in relation to the embodiment of Figure 3. However, other wicks, including those described herein as non-limiting examples, may be used in other embodiments.

[0093] The housing 902 has an elongated, generally cylindrical shape and includes features such as ribs and knurling to allow a user wearing gloves to operate the applicator 900. The housing features described may be included in other embodiments disclosed herein. Specifically, the housing 902 includes a plurality of longitudinal ribs 926 and a plurality of circumferential ribs 928. The longitudinal ribs 926 protrude from adjacent outer surfaces of the housing 902 and extend along the longitudinal direction L (i.e., along the direction from the proximal end 904 of the housing to the distal end 906 of the housing). The longitudinal ribs 926 improve grip and maneuverability for rotating the housing 902 around the longitudinal direction L. The circumferential ribs 928 extend radially from the longitudinal axis and surround the circumferential circumference of the housing 902. The circumferential ribs 928 improve grip and maneuverability for moving the housing 902 along the longitudinal direction L. Furthermore, some or all of the circumferential ribs 928 may have a proximal surface inclined distally outward, forming a "sawtooth" configuration that helps improve grip when pushing proximal. Particularly when the applicator 900 is smaller than existing conventional devices and / or is operated to ensure sufficient contact between a surface in an awkward position and the wick 912, the longitudinal ribs 926 and circumferential ribs 928 are expected to work together to improve the grip and operability of the applicator 900. The embodiment in Figure 9 has both longitudinal ribs 926 and circumferential ribs 928, but other embodiments may have only one type of rib, or neither rib.

[0094] Figure 9 also shows an alternative arrangement of the collar 930. Specifically, the collar 930 is positioned on a cap 932 that is selectively fixed to the housing 902 to cover and protect the wick 912. The cap 932 may also have ribs (e.g., longitudinal ribs 934) to assist a gloved user in attaching or removing the cap 932. The cap and collar features described above shown in Figure 9 may be included in other embodiments disclosed herein.

[0095] Figures 10A and 10B show another embodiment of the applicator 1000 configured for use in a confined space. In this example, the applicator 1000 has a housing 1002 having a tip portion 1004 defining a proximal end and a handle portion 1006 defining a distal end. One or both portions 1004, 1006 have a chamber 1008 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 1002. The discharge port 1010 connects the chamber 1008 to the external environment. Similar to the embodiment in Figure 6, the wick 1012 is located within a support 1021, which is slidably held within and protruding from the discharge port 1010. A valve 1014 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the support 1021 so as to move together with the wick 1012. A support 1021 that holds the wick 1012 is slidable within the discharge port 1010 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position and a retracted position. When the wick 1012 is in the extended position, the valve 1014 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1016 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1008 or the surface of a valve subassembly installed in the applicator 1000) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1008 to the wick 1012. When the wick 1012 is in the retracted position, the valve 1014 releases the seal from the first wall 1016, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1008 to the wick 1012. A spring 1018 is positioned between the valve 1014 and a second wall 1020 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1008 or the surface of a valve assembly installed in the applicator 1000). The spring 1018 is compressed to generate an elastic biasing force that pushes the valve 1014 in order to bias the wick 1012 to the extended position.

[0096] The housing 1002 is movable between a first configuration as shown in Figure 10A and a second configuration as shown in Figure 10B. In particular, the tip portion 1004 is connected to the handle portion 1006 by an articulated joint such as a rotary connector 1022. The rotary connector 1022 may consist of any movable joint such as a pivot joint or a swivel joint. In the illustrated example, the rotary connector 1022 consists of a swivel joint formed by a cylindrical boss 1024 extending from the tip portion 1004 and a cylindrical receptacle 1026 provided on the handle portion 1006. The boss 1024 fits into the receptacle 1026, allowing relative rotation between the tip portion 1004 and the handle portion 1006. The boss 1024 includes a lip 1028 or a fastener (e.g., a spring clip, a D-ring, etc.) that holds both parts together. In this example, the chamber 1008 is formed in both the tip portion 1004 and the handle portion 1006, and the rotary coupling portion 1022 has an opening 1030 that also forms fluid communication between the tip portion 1004 and the handle portion 1006. One or more rotary seals (not shown) may be provided to prevent leakage through the rotary coupling portion 1022.

[0097] During use, the operator can rotate the tip portion 1004 relative to the handle portion 1006 to adjust the orientation of the wick 1012 to various angles. This helps in reaching into confined spaces and allows for various hand positions when using the applicator 1000 under normal operating conditions. To simplify the configuration, the spring 1018 and valve 1014 are preferably located within the tip portion 1004, although this is not strictly required.

[0098] Figure 11 shows another embodiment of the applicator 1100 configured for use in a confined space. The applicator 1100 has a housing 1102 extending from a proximal end 1104 to a distal end 1106, and a chamber 1108 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 1102. The discharge port 1110 connects the chamber 1108 to the external environment. The wick 1112 is located within the discharge port 1110 and protrudes from the discharge port 1110. The valve 1114 is operably mounted directly to the distal end of the wick 1112 or via an intervening object so as to move together with the wick 1112. The wick 1112 is slidable within the discharge port 1110 along the longitudinal direction L between an extended position and a retracted position. When the wick 1112 is in the extended position, the valve 1114 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1116 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1108 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1100) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1108 to the wick 1112. When the wick 1112 is in the retracted position, the valve 1114 releases the seal from the first wall 1116, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1108 to the wick 1112. A spring 1118 is positioned between the valve 1114 and the second wall 1120 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1108 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1100). The spring 1118 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1114 to bias the wick 1112 to the extended position.

[0099] In this embodiment, the wick 1112 is configured to be curved so that it can reach laterally into narrow spaces, under overhangs, and into corners. For example, the wick 1112 may consist of a bundle of porous fibers that has been heated and bent to have a persistently L-shaped foot 1122 that extends laterally. The foot 1122 may be supported by an internal (or external) support 1124, such as a plastic rod, that extends along the wick 1112. The support may help the portion of the foot 1122 of the wick 1112 to maintain its shape and may be useful for pushing the foot 1122 laterally deep into narrow spaces or for pressing the bottom of the foot 1122 to treat the bottom of holes. In this embodiment, an L-shaped foot is preferred, but in other embodiments, wicks of other shapes may be used. For example, the proximal end of the wick 1112 may be configured as a J-shaped hook (which can be particularly useful for reaching under a flange or rolled edge of metal, such as an edge free of obstructions), or it may have other shapes. Furthermore, the support 1124 may be omitted in other embodiments.

[0100] Figure 12 shows another embodiment of the applicator 1200 configured for use in a confined space. The applicator 1200 has a housing 1202 extending from a proximal end 1204 to a distal end 1206, and a chamber 1208 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 1202. A discharge port 1210 connects the chamber 1208 to the external environment. A wick 1212 is positioned within the discharge port 1210 and protrudes from it. A valve 1214 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 1212 so as to move with the wick 1212. The wick 1212 is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position within the discharge port 1210. When the wick 1212 is in the extended position, the valve 1214 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1216 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1208 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1200) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1208 to the wick 1212. When the wick 1212 is in the retracted position, the valve 1214 releases the seal from the first wall 1216, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1208 to the wick 1212. A spring 1218 is positioned between the valve 1214 and the second wall 1220 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1208 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1200). The spring 1218 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1214 to bias the wick 1212 to the extended position.

[0101] In this example, the outlet 1210 and wick 1212 are oriented along an axis A angled with respect to the longitudinal direction L. For simplicity, the valve 1214 and spring 1218 are also oriented along axis A, although this is not required in all embodiments. Axis A may be oriented at any desired angle with respect to the longitudinal direction L, and 45° is expected to be a generally convenient angle for most applications. In other cases, the angle may be less than 45° or greater than 45°. An angle equal to or greater than 90° may be desirable when processing the back surface of an article, and it is conceivable that the wick 1212 may be oriented at an angle of about 180° with respect to the rest of the applicator 1200. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0102] Another drawback of conventional pen-type applicators is the difficulty in controlling the flow rate of fluid material from the chamber to the wick. In conventional systems, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the operator can open and close the valve, but there is no mechanism to force the fluid medium into the wick other than using gravity by tilting or shaking the applicator. This is particularly problematic when the surface to be coated is located above the wick. Another problem related to flow control is that conventional applicators cannot accurately measure the amount of fluid medium, and when the valve is open, the fluid medium continues to flow even after it has soaked into the wick, which can lead to dripping, pooling, and material waste. Figures 13–17 show embodiments of applicators that address one or more of these drawbacks.

[0103] Figure 13 shows one embodiment of a dispenser 1300 configured to allow an operator to force the application of a fluid medium from the chamber to the wick when the valve is open. The dispenser 1300 has a housing 1302 extending from a proximal end 1304 to a distal end 1306, and a chamber 1308 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 1302. A discharge port 1310 connects the chamber 1308 to the external environment. The wick 1312 is located within the discharge port 1310 and protrudes from the discharge port 1310. A valve 1314 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the wick 1312 so as to move together with the wick 1312. The wick 1312 is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position within the discharge port 1310. When the wick 1312 is in the extended position, the valve 1314 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1316 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1308 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1300) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1308 to the wick 1312. When the wick 1312 is in the retracted position, the valve 1314 releases the seal from the first wall 1316, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1308 to the wick 1312. A spring 1318 is positioned between the valve 1314 and the second wall 1320 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1308 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1300). The spring 1318 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1314 to bias the wick 1312 to the extended position.

[0104] In this example, a portion of the housing 1302 and chamber 1308 is composed of a flexible wall, which is shown in Figure 13 as being formed by a flexible bottle 1322, but can take other forms. Referring to Figure 13, the flexible bottle 1322 can be constricted to generate internal pressure that pushes the fluid material toward the wick 1312 when the valve 1314 is opened, resulting in the effect of faster wick penetration. For example, the flexible bottle 1322 may be made of a flexible plastic material. The flexible bottle 1322 may also be transparent to allow viewing of the contents of the chamber 1308. The flexible bottle 1322 may be attached to the rest of the housing 1302 either permanently or detachably. In this example, the proximal end of the bottle 1322 is screwed into a collar 1324 located in the rigid portion of the housing 1302, and the bottle 1322 can be removed to refill it. In other embodiments, the flexible bottle 1322 may be secured to the rest of the housing 1302 by a non-removable joint.

[0105] Although the flexible bottle 1322 and the rest of the housing 1302 are shown aligned along the longitudinal direction L, this is not strictly necessary. In other examples, the flexible bottle 1322 may be screwed in or otherwise mounted so as to project laterally from the rest of the housing 1302, or so as to project obliquely to the rest of the housing 1302. Alternatively, the flexible bottle 1322 may be partially enclosed by the housing 1302 with a portion of the bottle 1322 exposed so that the user can bend the bottle wall to push the fluid material toward the wick. Alternatively, the flexible bottle 1322 may be completely enclosed by the housing 1302 and constricted by the application of force by a mediating component such as a plunger located at the side end of the housing 1302. Although shown as having a cylindrical shape, the flexible bottle 1322 may have alternative shapes.

[0106] The illustrated flexible bottle 1322 is intended to return to its original shape after a deformable force is applied so that it functions as a handle that can be gripped by the user. However, in other alternatives, the flexible bottle 1322 may consist of a deflated bag-like structure (e.g., a bladder) that deflates during use. Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0107] Figure 14 shows one embodiment of a dispenser 1400 configured to allow an operator to force the application of a fluid medium from the chamber to the wick. The dispenser 1400 has a housing 1402 extending from a proximal end 1404 to a distal end 1406, and a chamber 1408 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 1402. A discharge port 1410 connects the chamber 1408 to the external environment. The wick 1412 is located within the discharge port 1410 and protrudes from the discharge port 1410. A valve 1414 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening part to the distal end of the wick 1412 so as to move together with the wick 1412. The wick 1412 is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position within the discharge port 1410. When the wick 1412 is in the extended position, the valve 1414 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1416 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1408 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1400) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1408 to the wick 1412. When the wick 1412 is in the retracted position, the valve 1414 releases the seal from the first wall 1416, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1408 to the wick 1412. A spring 1418 is positioned between the valve 1414 and the second wall 1420 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1408 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1400). The spring 1418 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1414 to bias the wick 1412 to the extended position.

[0108] In this example, a portion of the chamber 1408 is formed as a user-accessible flexible membrane 1422. The user can press down on the flexible membrane 1422 to generate internal pressure within the chamber 1408, thereby pushing the fluid material into the wick 1412 when the valve 1414 is open. Alternatively, the valve 1414 operated by the wick may be omitted and replaced with a valve that opens automatically when sufficient pressure is applied to the flexible membrane 1422 to move the fluid material from the chamber 1402 to the wick 1412, as described in relation to Figure 24.

[0109] The flexible membrane 1422 may be made of any suitable flexible material and may be transparent to allow viewing inside the chamber 1408. The flexible membrane 1422 may also be positioned under a movable cover to prevent accidental operation. Alternatively, the flexible membrane 1422 may be located inside the housing 1402 and operated by an intermediary device such as a push button or plunger passing through the wall of the housing 1402. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0110] Figure 15 shows one embodiment of a dispenser 1500 configured to prevent excessive adhesion of the fluid material when the wick is fully retracted. The dispenser 1500 has a housing 1502 extending from a proximal end 1504 to a distal end 1506, and a chamber 1508 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 1502. A discharge port 1510 connects the chamber 1508 to the external environment. The wick 1512 is located within the discharge port 1510 and protrudes from the discharge port 1510. A valve 1514 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 1512 so as to move together with the wick 1512. The wick 1512 is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position within the discharge port 1510. When the wick 1512 is in the extended position, the valve 1514 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1516 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1508 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1500) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1508 to the wick 1512. When the wick 1512 is in the retracted position, the valve 1514 releases the seal from the first wall 1516, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1508 to the wick 1512. A spring 1518 is positioned between the valve 1514 and the second wall 1520 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1508 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1500). The spring 1518 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1514 to bias the wick 1512 to the extended position.

[0111] In this example, the valve 1514 is located in a sub-chamber 1522 situated between the main volume of the chamber 1508 and the wick 1512. The sub-chamber 1522 is fluidly coupled to the main volume of the chamber 1508 by a passage 1524, and the spring 1518 may be located within the sub-chamber 1522 as shown, or it may extend through the opening 1524. The valve 1514 has a secondary seal 1526 that abuts against and closes the passage 1524 when the wick 1512 and the valve 1514 are fully retracted. Any type of sealing surface may be used (e.g., a surface seal, a tapered seal (shown), a metering needle, etc.). This configuration prevents the fluid material from continuing to move into the wick when the wick is fully retracted, and provides some protection against overdispensing of the material.

[0112] Figure 16 shows an example of a dispenser 1600 that prevents excessive dispensing of the fluid material when the wick is retracted and allows for precise metering of a constant amount of the fluid material when the wick returns from the retracted position to the extended position. The dispenser 1600 has a housing 1602 extending from a proximal end 1604 to a distal end 1606 and a chamber 1608 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 1602. A discharge port 1610 connects the chamber 1608 to the external environment. The wick 1612 is located within the discharge port 1610 and protrudes from the discharge port 1610. A valve 1614 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 1612 so as to move together with the wick 1612. The wick 1612 is slidable between the extended and retracted positions within the discharge port 1610. When the wick 1612 is in the extended position (shown on the left in Figure 16), the valve 1614 abuts against the corresponding first wall 1616 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1608 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 1600) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 1608 to the wick 1612. When the wick 1612 is in the retracted position (shown on the right in Figure 16), the valve 1614 releases the seal from the first wall 1616, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 1608 to the wick 1612. A spring 1618 is positioned between the valve 1614 and the second wall 1620 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 1608 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 1600). The spring 1618 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 1614 to bias the wick 1612 to the extended position.

[0113] In this example, the valve 1614 comprises an assembly having a piston 1622 coupled to move with the wick 1612 and sliding within a cylinder 1624. The outer circumference of the piston 1622 is provided with one or more seals 1626 (e.g., O-rings or wiper seals) that contact the cylinder 1624 to restrict the flow of fluid material in the sliding interpenetration portion. The valve 1614 or the first wall 1616 may also have a face seal 1628 (e.g., an O-ring or packing) that seals the wick 1612 when the wick 1612 is in the extended position. The piston 1622 includes one or more one-way valves 1630 configured to open to allow fluid material to pass through the piston 1622 when the wick 1612 and piston 1622 are moving from the extended position to the retracted position, and to close to prevent fluid material from passing through the piston 1622 when the wick 1612 and piston 1622 are moving from the retracted position to the extended position.

[0114] The one-way valve 1630 may be configured with any suitable mechanism to allow flow in one direction and block flow in the other direction. The illustrated valve 1630 is a poppet valve, but other examples include ball valves, flapper valves, and reed valves. Such devices typically include a separate or integrated spring for holding the valve in the closed position, and the valve and valve seat are shaped such that excessive hydraulic pressure on one side of the valve pushes the valve into the valve seat to maintain a seal, and excessive hydraulic pressure on the other side of the valve pushes the valve away from the valve seat against the biasing force of the spring, releasing the seal. Such devices are conventional and do not need to be described in detail herein.

[0115] The perimeter seal 1626 and the one-way valve 1630 cooperate to form a variable-size chamber 1634 between the piston 1622 and the wick 1612. The chamber 1634 expands and fills with fluid material when the wick 1612 moves to the retracted position, and the chamber 1634 shrinks when the wick 1612 moves to the extended position. During this extension, the seal 1626 and the one-way valve 1636 generate pressure in the fluid material, pushing it into the wick 1612. The magnitude of the force depends on the spring constant of the spring 1618. The size of the chamber 1634 can be selected to supply a desired volume of fluid material during each stroke toward the extended position. If desired, the chamber 1634 may also include a mechanism (e.g., a movable wall) for changing the volume of the chamber 1634 so that an operator can adjust the amount dispensed. The dispenser 1600 may also include a scale indicating how much volume is dispensed depending on how far the operator has retracted the wick 1612. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0116] In this embodiment, the cylinder 1624 may optionally be separated from the rest of the chamber 1608 by an intermediate wall, such as a second wall 1620, and a one-way valve 1632 may be provided in the passage that fluidly couples the chamber 1608 to the piston. The one-way valve 1632 prevents the fluid material from leaving the cylinder 1624 when the wick 1612 moves to the retracted position. This helps to ensure that the fluid material is pushed through the one-way valve 1630 in the piston 1622 to fill a variable-size chamber 1636.

[0117] Figure 17 shows another example of a dispenser 1700 that prevents excessive dispensing of fluid material and enables precise metering of a constant amount of fluid material. The dispenser 1700 has a housing 1702 extending from a proximal end 1704 to a distal end 1706 and a chamber 1708 that holds the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 1702. A discharge port 1710 connects the chamber 1708 to the external environment. A wick 1712 is located inside the discharge port 1710 and protrudes from the discharge port 1710. In this example, the wick 1712 may be firmly fixed to the discharge port 1710, and the valve is replaced by a movable piston 1722 that slides within the chamber 1708. The piston 1722 functions as a valve. Similar to the embodiment in Figure 16, the piston 1722 has a perimeter seal 1726 that seals against the chamber wall and one or more one-way valves 1730 that prevent the fluid material from passing through the piston 1722 when the piston is moving toward the wick 1712, but allow the fluid material to pass through the piston 1722 when the piston is being retracted away from the wick 1712. In this example, the one-way valves 1730 are shown as flapper valves or reed valves (i.e., flexible cantilevered flaps that cover the holes). A spring 1718 is positioned between the piston 1722 and the wick 1712 and is configured to bias the piston 1722 away from the wick 1712.

[0118] The piston 1722 is manually operated by the user to move it against the biasing force of the spring 1718. Any suitable mechanism can be used to perform such operation. For example, the piston 1722 may be connected to a rod 1732 extending through an opening 1734 at the distal end 1706 of the housing 1702. A seal 1736 (e.g., a sliding seal or gland seal) prevents the fluid material from leaking out at the sliding intersection. The rod 1723 may be terminated at its distal end with an enlarged button 1738. A flexible membrane 1740 may also be provided to seal the end of the rod 1723 and provide an additional measure against the fluid material leaking out of the housing 1702 at this position. When in use, the operator presses the button 1738 to move the piston from the retracted position (shown on the right in Figure 17) to the extended position (shown on the left in Figure 17). During this operation, the one-way valve 1730 closes, and the fluid medium between the piston 1722 and the wick 1712 is fed into the wick 1712. If desired, an additional passage and check valve may be provided between the button 1738 and the piston 1722 to push the fluid material through the one-way valve 1730 in the piston 1722 as the piston moves to the retracted position, as described in relation to the embodiment of Figure 16. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0119] Another problem with current pen-type dispensers is that, aside from inverting the dispenser and pushing the wick down, it is not possible to move the fluid material in the reverse direction from the wick to the chamber. Even in that case, the wick tends to hold the fluid material due to capillary action, and the atmospheric pressure on the exposed side of the wick is insufficient to overcome this capillary action. This problem is addressed, at least in part, by the embodiments shown in Figures 18A and 18B.

[0120] The applicator 1800 has a housing 1802 extending from a proximal end 1804 to a distal end 1806, and a chamber 1808 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may be provided on the housing 1802. A discharge port 1810 connects the chamber 1808 to the external environment. A wick 1812 is located inside the discharge port 1810 and protrudes from it. In this example, the wick 1812 may be firmly fixed to the discharge port 1810, and the valve is replaced by a movable piston 1822 that slides within the chamber 1808. Similar to the embodiment in Figure 16, the piston 1822 has a perimeter seal 1826 that seals against the chamber wall and one or more first one-way valves 1830 that prevent the fluid material from passing through the piston 1822 when the piston is moving toward the wick 1812, but allow the fluid material to pass through the piston 1822 when the piston is being retracted away from the wick 1812. The piston 1822 is movable by an operating rod 1832, and a spring 1818 is provided to bias the piston 1822 away from the wick 1812. Thus, similar to the embodiment in Figure 17, the piston 1822 is moved by pushing the operating rod 1832 against the biasing force of the spring 1818.

[0121] The piston 1822 also has one or more second one-way valves 1834 configured in the opposite direction to the first one-way valve 1830 (i.e., the second one-way valves 1834 allow the fluid material to pass through the piston 1822 when the piston 1822 is moving toward the wick 1812, but prevent the fluid material from passing through the piston 1822 when the piston 1822 is moving toward the wick 1812). A valve controller 1836 is provided to selectively operate either the first one-way valve 1830 or the second one-way valve 1834. In this example, the valve controller 1836 consists of a cover pivotably attached to the piston operating rod 1832 and is connected to a knob 1838 located outside the housing 1802 by a tube 1840 surrounding the piston operating rod 1832. The position of piston 1822 is operated by pushing down or pulling up knob 1838, and valve controller 1836 is operated by rotating knob 1838. As shown in Figure 18A, when valve controller 1836 is directed to cover the first one-way valve 1830, the first one-way valve 1830 becomes non-functional and the second one-way valve 1834 becomes functional. As shown in Figure 18B, when valve controller 1836 is directed to cover the second one-way valve 1834, the first one-way valve 1830 becomes functional and the second one-way valve 1834 becomes non-functional. (Figure 18B is shown without spring 1818 to show the open position of the first one-way valve 1830). When in use, the operator can push or pull the knob 1838 to move the piston toward or away from the wick 1812, and can also rotate the knob 1838 to operate the valve controller 1836.

[0122] As in other embodiments, various seals and covers may be provided to prevent fluid material from leaking around the knob 1838. A travel stop (not shown) fixed inside the chamber 1802 may be provided to prevent the piston 1822 from retracting further than desired. Alternatively, one or more adjustable travel stops, such as screws 1842 and 1844, may be provided to selectively restrict the range of movement of the piston. In this example, the first screw 1842 can be adjusted to restrict the distance the piston 1822 can retract from the wick 1812 (e.g., by contacting the piston 1822), and the second screw 1844 can be adjusted to restrict the distance the piston 1822 can move toward the wick 1812 (e.g., by contacting the knob 1838). Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0123] The embodiments in Figures 18A and 18B offer a unique advantage in that an operator can operate the valve controller 1836, thereby controlling whether the piston 1822 pumps the fluid material toward or away from the wick 1812. Thus, the operator can withdraw the fluid material from the wick 1812 when the wick 1812 becomes excessively saturated or when the preparation operation is complete. In other embodiments, it will be understood that alternative flow control mechanisms can be used. For example, the rotary plate type flow controller 1836 can be replaced with any suitable alternative mechanism, such as a cam operating pin that extends to lock either one of the one-way valves.

[0124] Another problem with conventional pen-type applicators is that they cannot be used to reach narrow and deep openings, and even if the applicator is relatively small, it may not be able to reach certain corners or around other obstacles in order to apply material to a specific area. Such problems can be addressed, at least in part, by the embodiments shown in Figures 19 to 23.

[0125] Figure 19 shows a dispenser 1900 having a housing 1902 extending from a proximal end 1904 to a distal end 1906, and an extension rod 1922 extending from the proximal end 1904. The wick 1912 extends from the proximal end of the extension rod 1922. The dispenser 1900 also includes other features such as a chamber for holding the fluid material and a valve. The extension rod 1922 constitutes a physical extension of the housing 1902 and may be rigid or have some flexibility so that the user can precisely orient the wick 1912 into a confined space. The housing 1902 may include one or more types of ribs, as described in relation to Figure 9, to improve the user's operability of the dispenser 1900. Any suitable trigger mechanism may be provided to actuate an internal valve to dispense the fluid material. For example, the wick 1912 may extend along the entire length of the extension rod 1922 and be movable to actuate a valve located within the housing 1902. In another example, the wick 1912 may be slidably held only at the end of the extension rod 1922 and may include a push rod for acting on a valve located within the housing 1902. In yet another example, the valve may be located at the proximal end of the extension housing, adjacent to the wick 1912, to allow for localized operation by the wick 1912. Alternatively, the extension rod 1922 may be a hollow tube to which the wick 1912 is fixed in the tube lumen, and the valve may be located within the housing or in the tube near the tip, and the valve may be actuated by a trigger on the housing or on the tube. As in other embodiments, a cap 1924 may be provided to cover the wick 1912 when the device is not in use.

[0126] The embodiment shown in Figure 19 is advantageous when processing surfaces in deep recesses. This operability is improved by making the extension rod 1922 relatively narrow compared to the housing 1902 and not significantly larger than the wick 1912 (preferably, approximately the same diameter as the wick 1912). In this example, the diameter of the extension rod 1922 is not more than about 20% larger than the maximum diameter of the wick 1912, and more preferably more than 10% larger. Alternatively, the wick 1912 may extend to more than 1-50% of the rod diameter, and more preferably less than 10%, as in Figure 7.

[0127] Figure 19 also shows an alternative embodiment of the wick 1912, which has a stepped shape. The proximal tip 1926 of the wick 1912 is relatively small and flexible enough to bend to fit into narrow spaces or corners, while the distal end 1928 of the wick 1912 is relatively large and rigid enough to be pressed against a surface with some force to actuate a valve to adhere the fluid material. The transition portion 1930 of the wick 1912 between the proximal tip 1926 and the distal end 1928 may optionally have a shape to accommodate certain shapes that may be encountered during use of the applicator 1900. For example, the transition portion 1930 may be tapered to facilitate the application of the fluid material to a chamfered opening that receives a corresponding conical fastener head so that the fastener head is mounted coplanar. In other embodiments, multiple proximal tips 1926 may be used. For example, the wick 1912 may have several flexible “finger” extending from the wick 1912 in one or more directions. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure. Such wicks can be used in any of the other embodiments described herein.

[0128] Figure 20 shows another embodiment of the applicator 2000 intended for processing distant or relatively hard-to-reach surfaces. Here, the applicator 2000 has a housing 2002 extending from a proximal end 2004 to a distal end 2006, which has a chamber 2008 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2002. A discharge port 2010 connects the chamber 2008 to the external environment. A flexible hollow tube 2022 extends from the discharge port 2010, and a wick 2012 is positioned in the lumen of the flexible tube and protrudes therefrom. A valve 2014 is operably mounted on the proximal end 2004 of the housing 2002, and the proximal end 2004 of the housing 2002 is movable relative to the distal end 2006 of the housing 2002. For example, the proximal end 2004 may have a piston-like structure that fits into a cylindrical structure formed on the distal end 2006. A seal 2024 may be provided to prevent leakage at this sliding joint. When the distal end 2002 is in the extended position, the valve 2014 abuts against the corresponding first wall 2016 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 2008 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 2000) to seal and prevent the fluid material from moving from the chamber 2008 to the wick 2012. When the proximal end 2004 is in the retracted position, the valve 2014 releases the seal from the first wall 2016, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 2008 to the wick 2012. A spring 2018 is positioned between the valve 2014 and the second wall 2020 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 2008 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 2000). The spring 2018 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 2014 in order to bias the proximal end 2004 to the extended position.

[0129] When in use, the operator can grasp the housing 2002 with one hand and move the proximal end 2004 toward the distal end 2006. This movement releases the seal of the valve 2014 against the biasing force of the spring 2018, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 2008 to the wick 2012, thereby wetting the wick 2012. When the user releases the pressure, the spring 2018 moves the proximal end 2004 and the distal end 2006 apart so as to reseat the valve and seal the applicator 2000. The user can then orient the wick 2012 to contact the surface to be coated by moving the entire applicator 2000 or by grasping and manipulating the tube near the wick 2012.

[0130] This embodiment provides a relatively simple structure for a dispenser 2000 having a wick 2012 that is easily bendable and mounted. The lumen 2022 may be made of any suitable material such as a flexible polymer or rubber. The lumen 2022 may also be filled with wick material or with capillaries to prevent the free flow of fluid material from the wick 2012 when the device is not in use. As in other embodiments, a flexible cover 2026 may be provided on the wick 2012, which is useful for handling in narrow cracks or holes or other confined spaces with uneven surfaces where the wick 2012 may not be able to be manipulated, and may also be flexible enough to conform to surface irregularities.

[0131] Figures 21A and 21B show another embodiment of the applicator 2100 intended for processing distant or relatively hard-to-reach surfaces. Here, the applicator 2100 has a housing 2102 extending from a proximal end 2104 to a distal end 2106, with a chamber 2108 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2102. A discharge port 2110 connects the chamber 2108 to the external environment. A flexible lumen 2122 extends from the discharge port 2110, and a wick 2112 is positioned in the flexible lumen 2122 and protruding therefrom. A valve 2114 is provided within the housing 2102 to selectively block the flow of the fluid material from the chamber 2108 to the wick 2112. In this example, the valve 2114 is operated by a trigger 2124 provided on the side of the housing 2102. Valve 2114 is movable between a first position (Figure 21A) and a second position (Figure 21B). In the first position, valve 2114 abuts against the corresponding first wall 2116 (e.g., the wall of chamber 2108 or the surface of a valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 2100) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from chamber 2108 to wick 2112. In the second position, valve 2114 is released from the first wall 2116, allowing the fluid material to move from chamber 2108 to wick 2112. A spring 2118 is positioned between valve 2114 and a second wall 2120 (e.g., the wall of chamber 2108 or the surface of a valve assembly installed in the dispenser 2100). The spring 2118 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes valve 2114 to bias it to the first position.

[0132] The trigger 2124 may consist of any suitable mechanism. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the trigger 2124 comprises a cam 2126 coupled to the valve 2114 and a cam driver 2128 movably mounted relative to the housing 2102. The cam driver 2128 is a structure that abuts against the cam 2126. The cam driver 2128 is movable between a first position (Figure 21A) in which the cam driver 2128 moves the valve 2114 to a first (i.e., closed) position and a second position (Figure 21B) in which the cam driver 2128 pushes the cam 2126 and holds the valve 2114 to a second (i.e., closed) position. The cam driver 2128 may be pivotably, slidably, rotatably, or otherwise movably mounted relative to the housing 2102. In this example, the cam driver 2128 is pivotably mounted in the housing, and a return spring 2130 may be provided to bias the cam driver 2128 to a first position. Any suitable seal may be used to prevent leakage of the fluid material around the trigger component. In this example, the seal is comprised of a flexible cover 2132 that covers the cam driver 2128. When in use, the operator pushes the cam driver 2128 to open the valve 2114 and dispense the fluid material into the wick 2112.

[0133] Figures 22A and 22B show another embodiment of the applicator 2200 intended for processing distant or relatively hard-to-reach surfaces. Here, the applicator 2200 has a housing 2202 extending from a proximal end 2204 to a distal end 2206, with a chamber 2208 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2202. A discharge port 2210 connects the chamber 2208 to the external environment. A flexible tube 2222 extends from the discharge port 2210 to a valve assembly 2224. A wick 2212 protrudes from the valve assembly 2224. The valve assembly 2224 is configured to selectively block the flow of the fluid material from the tube 2222 to the wick 2212. In this example, the valve assembly 2224 includes a valve 2214 that is movable between a first position (Figure 22A) and a second position (Figure 22B). In the first position, the valve 2214 abuts against the corresponding first wall 2216, sealing and preventing the fluid material from moving to the wick 2212. In the second position, the valve 2214 is released from the first wall 2216, allowing the fluid material to move to the wick 2212. A spring 2218 is positioned between the valve 2214 and the second wall 2220. The spring 2218 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 2214 to bias it to the first position.

[0134] The valve assembly 2224 includes any mechanism suitable for operating the valve 2214. For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the valve assembly 2224 comprises a cam 2226 coupled to the valve 2214 and a cam driver 2228 movably mounted on the trigger assembly 2224. The cam driver 2228 is a structure that abuts against the cam 2226. The cam driver 2228 is movable between a first position (Figure 22A) in which the cam driver 2228 can move the valve 2214 to a first (i.e., closed) position and a second position (Figure 22B) in which the cam driver 2228 pushes the cam 2226 and holds the valve 2214 in a second (i.e., closed) position. The cam driver 2228 may be pivotably, slidably, rotatably, or otherwise movably mounted on the valve assembly 2224. In this example, the cam driver 2228 is pivotally mounted on the valve assembly 2224. A return spring (not shown) may be provided to bias the cam driver 2228 to a first position, or such a return movement may be caused by the biasing force of a spring 2218 acting on the cam 2226. Any suitable seal may be used to prevent leakage of fluid material around the trigger assembly components.

[0135] The dispenser 2200 shown in Figures 22A and 22B is expected to be particularly useful in enabling one-handed operation of the dispenser 2200. For example, the trigger assembly 2224 may be configured as a small, rigid housing that can be activated by an operator to wet the wick 2212 with the fluid material, then operate the tube 2222 to direct the wick 2212 to the desired treatment position, and then operate the valve 2214 to dispense more fluid material as needed. The housing 2202 can then be attached to a nearby structure (e.g., scaffolding or ladder), or a transport device, or to the operator's body (e.g., via a wrist cuff) to preferably facilitate gravity feeding of the fluid material. If desired, a second valve may be provided in the housing 2202 to allow flow interruption in the housing 2202.

[0136] Furthermore, it will be understood that the side-operated trigger shown in Figures 22A and 22B may be replaced with other trigger mechanisms for operating valve 2214. For example, valve assembly 2224 may consist of a pistol-type grip and trigger. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0137] Figure 23 shows another embodiment of the applicator 2300 intended for processing distant or relatively hard-to-reach surfaces. Here, the applicator 2300 has a housing 2302 extending from a proximal end 2304 to a distal end 2306, with a chamber 2308 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2302. A discharge port 2310 connects the chamber 2308 to the external environment. A flexible lumen 2322 extends from the discharge port 2310 to a valve assembly 2324. A wick 2312 protrudes from the valve assembly 2324. The valve assembly 2324 is configured to selectively block the flow of the fluid material from the lumen 2322 to the wick 2312. In this example, the valve assembly 2324 includes a piston 2326 that slides within a cylinder 2328. The piston 2326 is sealed against the cylinder 2328 by a circumferential seal (not shown) and has one or more one-way valves 2330 that allow the fluid material to move from the lumen 2322 toward the wick 2312 but prevent the fluid material from moving in the other direction. A spring 2318 is located inside the cylinder 2328 and is configured to bias the piston 2326 toward the wick 2312. A check valve 2332 connects the lumen 2322 to the cylinder 2328 and is configured to allow the fluid material to move from the lumen 2322 toward the cylinder 2328 but prevent flow in the reverse direction.

[0138] The trigger assembly 2324 also includes a push rod 2334, which extends from the piston 2326 to a plunger 2336 positioned for the operator's access. One or more triggers 2338 may be located on the trigger assembly 2324 adjacent to the plunger 2336. The piston 2326 is operated by grasping the plunger 2336 and trigger 2338 with one hand and squeezing them together to overpower the biasing force of the spring 2318. This moves the piston 2326 toward the wick 2312 while the one-way valve 2330 remains closed, pushing the fluid material toward the wick 2312. When the plunger 2336 and trigger 2338 are released, the spring 2318 moves the piston 2326 away from the wick 2312, opening the one-way valve 2330 and allowing the fluid material to pass through the valve 2330. During the return stroke, the check valve 2332 closes to prevent the fluid material from flowing out of the cylinder 2328 and into the lumen 2322.

[0139] By using such a trigger assembly 2324 at the end of the lumen 2322, it is expected that the flow rate of the fluid material will be regulated while minimizing the amount of fluid material remaining between the valve and the wick 2312. This will reduce the amount of fluid material that may leak from the dispenser 2300 when the dispenser 2300 is not in use.

[0140] If desired, the trigger assembly 2324 may consist of or be formed to include an extension rod 2340 that enables remote control and operation of the wick 2312. For example, in the embodiment shown in Figure 23, the operator can hold and use the plunger 2336 and trigger 2338 to direct the wick 2312 into a confined space or under an overhang.

[0141] Figure 24 shows another embodiment of the applicator 2400 intended for processing distant or relatively hard-to-reach surfaces. Here, the applicator 2400 has a housing 2402 extending from a proximal end 2404 to a distal end 2406, with a chamber 2408 for holding the fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2402. A discharge port 2410 connects the chamber 2408 to the external environment. A flexible lumen 2422 extends from the discharge port 2410 to a valve assembly 2424. A wick 2412 protrudes from the valve assembly 2424. The valve assembly 2424 is configured to selectively block the flow of the fluid material from the lumen 2422 to the wick 2412. In this example, the valve assembly 2424 includes a flexible chamber 2426 located between an upstream check valve 2428 and a downstream check valve 2430. The chamber can be gripped by an operator to push its contents through the downstream check valve 2430 into the wick 2412. While gripped in this manner, the upstream check valve 2428 prevents the fluid material from passing through and returning to the flexible lumen 2422. When the chamber 2426 is released, it returns to its original shape and is refilled by drawing the fluid material through the upstream check valve 2428. The check valves 2428, 2430 may be composed of any suitable one-way valves. The downstream check valve 2430 is preferably a one-way valve that is normally biased to the closed position by a spring 2432 or the like to prevent fluid leakage when no gripping pressure is applied to the chamber 2426. The illustrated chamber 2426 is composed of a bulb-shaped chamber that is flexible all around. An alternative chamber 2426 may be only partially flexible, such as the chamber described in relation to Figure 14 of this specification.

[0142] As shown in Figures 22A to 24, using a valve at the end of a flexible lumen is expected to provide the advantage of regulating the flow rate of the fluid material while minimizing the amount of fluid material remaining between the valve and the wick. This reduces the amount of fluid material that may leak from the applicator when it is not in use. However, in each example, the applicator may be modified to include a valve in the housing, as shown in Figures 20 to 21B, to provide a redundant flow control mechanism. It will also be understood that the valve mechanism shown in Figures 22A to 24 can be used in embodiments without a flexible lumen. For example, the valve-type chamber 2426 and associated valve in Figure 24 may be mounted directly to the proximal end of the housing without an intervening flexible lumen.

[0143] Figure 25 shows another embodiment of the applicator 2500 configured for use in a confined space. The applicator 2500 has a housing 2502 extending from a proximal end 2504 to a distal end 2506, and a chamber 2508 for holding a fluid material. A collar (not shown) or other features may also be provided on the housing 2502. A discharge port 2510 connects the chamber 2508 to the external environment. A wick 2512 is positioned within the discharge port 2510 and protrudes from it. A valve 2514 is operably mounted directly or via an intervening to the distal end of the wick 2512 so as to move with the wick 2512. The wick 2512 is slidable between an extended position and a retracted position within the discharge port 2510. When the wick 2512 is in the extended position, the valve 2514 abuts against the corresponding first wall 2516 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 2508 or the surface of the valve subassembly installed in the dispenser 2500) to seal, preventing the fluid material from moving from the chamber 2508 to the wick 2512. When the wick 2512 is in the retracted position, the valve 2514 releases the seal from the first wall 2516, allowing the fluid material to move from the chamber 2508 to the wick 2512. A spring 2518 is positioned between the valve 2514 and the second wall 2520 (e.g., the wall of the chamber 2508 or the surface of the valve assembly installed in the dispenser 2500). The spring 2518 is compressed to generate a resilient biasing force that pushes the valve 2514 to bias the wick 2512 to the extended position.

[0144] In this example, the discharge housing 2502 includes a flexible section 2522 located between the distal end 2506 and the proximal end 2504 of the housing 2502. The flexible section 2522 has a region in which the housing 2502 is sufficiently flexible so that the proximal end 2504, and consequently the wick 2512, can be reoriented relative to the distal end 2506. The flexible section 2522 may consist, for example, of a bellows-like cylindrical portion of the housing 2502 located between the valve 2514 and the distal end 2506. In this example, the orientation of the wick 2512 and the valve 2514 can be changed by bending the bellows. The bellows may be an integrally formed part of the housing 2502 and may have thin walls to facilitate bending. The bellows or other flexible section 2522 may alternatively consist of a separate part, such as a flexible boot attached to the rest of the housing. Other alternatives and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0145] It will be understood that in all the embodiments described above, a smaller wick may or may not be used together, and this feature is not particularly essential to any of the embodiments.

[0146] Furthermore, the features described herein are illustrated in exemplary schematic configurations, and it will be understood that each embodiment may include more elaborate mechanisms or mechanisms having different shapes and sizes. For example, the valve mechanisms shown herein are generally shown in schematic form, but can be replaced by any suitable corresponding mechanism or subassembly having any number of moving parts. Non-limiting examples of alternative valve mechanisms are described in U.S. Patents No. 5,702,753, 5,702,759, 4,848,947, 4,685,820 and 4,792,252, which are incorporated herein by reference. Other examples include various fasteners and connectors for attaching parts to each other. For example, retainer clips, pins, adhesives, etc., may be provided to secure the valve to the wick when it is necessary for the parts to move together, and the wick and other moving parts may have other features to prevent them from stretching or contracting beyond the desired limit of movement. As another example, the springs described in the various embodiments may consist of any suitable spring, exemplary options including straight and tapered helical springs, Belleville washer springs, cantilevered leaf springs, and elastic blocks. The springs may also be mounted to act in compression or tension. Other alternatives and modifications will be apparent to those skilled in the art in consideration of this disclosure.

[0147] This disclosure describes numerous original features and / or combinations of features that may be used individually, in combination with each other, or in combination with other technologies. All embodiments described herein are illustrative and not intended to limit the scope of the claims. It will also be understood that the inventions described herein can be modified and adapted in various ways, and all such modifications and adaptations are intended to fall within the scope of this disclosure.

Claims

1. A housing (302, 402, 502, 602, 702, 802, 902, 1002, 1102, 1902) having chambers (308, 408, 508, 608, 708, 808, 1008, 1108), discharge ports (310, 410, 510, 610, 710, 810, 1010, 1110), valves (314, 414, 514, 614, 714, 814, 1014, 1114) movable between a closed position where the discharge ports do not communicate fluidly with the chambers and an open position where the discharge ports communicate fluidly with the chambers, and valve springs (318, 418, 518, 618, 718, 818, 1018, 1118) configured to bias the valves toward the closed position, A wick (312, 412, 512, 612, 712, 812, 912, 1012, 1112, 1912) made of a material suitable for receiving fluid from the outlet and discharging the fluid outside the housing, is movably coupled to the housing and configured to transmit an axial load to the valve to move the valve from the closed position to the open position, In a coating device having, A dispensing apparatus characterized by having means (322, 422, 522, 622, 722, 824, 922, 1021, 1124, 1922, 1930) for supporting the wick and / or for increasing the rigidity of the wick.

2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick comprises tubes (322, 522, 622, 824, 922, 1922) surrounding at least a portion of the wick.

3. The applicator according to claim 2, wherein the tube surrounding the wick has one or more lateral openings (324, 530, 626, 924) extending through the wall of the tube.

4. The applicator according to claim 3, wherein the one or more lateral openings are located on the outside of the housing.

5. The applicator according to claim 3, wherein the one or more lateral openings are located inside the housing.

6. The applicator according to claim 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the wick is attached to the tube so as to be movable between an extended position and a retracted position, and a wick spring (526) is operably positioned between the wick and the tube and configured to bias the wick to the extended position.

7. The applicator according to claim 6, wherein the wick spring has a lower spring constant than the valve spring.

8. The applicator according to claim 2, 3, 4, or 5, wherein the tube has a trigger (624) positioned outside the housing and configured to move the valve from the closed position to the open position.

9. The applicator according to claim 8, wherein the housing further comprises a grip surface (628) positioned at a distance from the trigger and configured to be grasped in order to hold the housing against a force applied to the trigger.

10. The applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the wick comprises one selected from a variety of wicks (812', 812'', 812''', 812'''', 812''''''), and the variety of wicks can be interchangeably coupled to the tube.

11. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick comprises an internal support (422, 1124) at least partially surrounded by the wick.

12. The applicator according to claim 11, wherein the wick and preferably the internal support are bent at an angle other than zero with respect to the discharge port.

13. The applicator according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the housing has a tip portion (1004) and a handle portion (1006), and the tip portion is movable relative to the handle portion.

14. The applicator according to claim 13, wherein the tip portion is attached to the handle portion by a rotating coupling portion (1022).

15. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the wick and / or increasing the rigidity of the wick has an inner bundle of fibers forming a first portion of the wick having greater rigidity than a second portion of the wick having an outer layer, and preferably the outer layer is composed of a cover or coating made of raw materials or fibers chemically and / or mechanically treated to reduce the rigidity of the outer layer.

16. A housing (1302, 1402, 1502, 1602, 1708, 1808, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2308, 2408) having chambers (1302, 1402, 1502, 1602, 1702, 1802, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402), Outlet ports (1310, 1410, 1510, 1610, 1710, 1810, 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310, 2410), The wicks (1312, 1412, 1512, 1612, 1712, 1812, 2012, 2112, 2212, 2312, 2412) connected to the discharge port, A valve (1314, 1414, 1514, 1630, 1730, 1830, 2014, 2114, 2214, 2330, 2428, 2430) fluidly coupled to the chamber, wherein the valve is movable between a closed position in which the discharge port is fluidly disconnected from the chamber and an open position in which the discharge port is fluidly coupled to the chamber, In a coating device having, A dispensing apparatus characterized by having means for adjusting the flow rate from the chamber to the wick.

17. The dispensing apparatus according to claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the flow rate includes flexible walls (1322, 1422) of the chamber, the flexible walls being configured to be compressed to increase the flow rate.

18. The applicator according to claim 17, wherein the housing has a flexible bottle that forms the flexible wall, or a part of the housing having a flexible film that forms the flexible wall.

19. The means for adjusting the flow rate comprises a piston (1622, 1722, 1822, 2326) slidably disposed within a cylinder (1624, 1708, 1808, 2328) to form a variable-size chamber (1634) in fluid communication with the wick, the piston being movable to reduce the volume of the variable-size chamber and thereby transfer fluid from the variable-size chamber to the wick, according to claim 16.

20. The applicator according to claim 19, wherein the piston and the cylinder are arranged within the housing.

21. The applicator according to claim 19, wherein the piston and the cylinder are coupled to the housing by a flexible tube (2322).

22. The applicator according to claim 19, 20, or 21, further comprising a spring (1618) configured to bias the piston to decrease the volume of the variable-size chamber, wherein the piston is coupled to the wick such that a force applied to the wick acts on the spring to move the piston to increase the volume of the variable-size chamber.

23. The applicator according to claim 19, 20, or 21, further comprising springs (1718, 1818, 2318) configured to bias the piston to increase the volume of the variable-size chamber, wherein the applicator has buttons (1738, 1838, 2336) configured to be operated by a user to move the piston to decrease the volume of the variable-size chamber.

24. The aforementioned valve is A first one-way valve (1630, 1730, 1834, 2330) is positioned in a first passage extending through the piston and is configured to open when the piston moves to increase the volume of the variable-size chamber and to close when the piston moves to decrease the volume of the variable-size chamber. A second one-way valve (1630, 1730, 1834, 2330) is positioned in a second passage extending through the piston and is configured to open when the piston moves to decrease the volume of the variable-size chamber and to close when the piston moves to increase the volume of the variable-size chamber. The applicator according to claim 22 or 23, including the applicator.

25. The applicator according to any one of claims 19 to 24, further comprising means for adjusting the travel distance of the piston.

26. The applicator according to claim 16, wherein the means for adjusting the flow rate from the chamber to the wick includes a trigger (624, 1738, 1838, 2004, 2124, 2224, 2324, 2424) configured to operate the valve, and the trigger is separated from the wick.

27. The applicator according to claim 26, wherein the trigger is movable relative to the distal portion (2006) of the housing, and the proximal portion (2004) of the housing moves the valve to the open position.

28. The applicator according to claim 26, wherein the trigger has a cam driver (2128, 2228) that is operable to move a cam (2126, 2226) coupled to the valve.

29. The applicator according to claim 28, wherein the valve, the cam driver, and the cam are arranged in the housing.

30. The applicator according to claim 28, wherein the valve, the cam driver, and the cam are arranged in a flexible tube (2222) that connects the housing to the wick.

31. The applicator according to claim 26, wherein the trigger includes a flexible chamber (2426), the valve includes a first one-way valve (2428) positioned between the flexible chamber and the chamber, and a second one-way valve (2430) positioned between the flexible chamber and the wick, the first one-way valve being configured to close when the flexible chamber is compressed and to open when the flexible chamber is expanded, and the second one-way valve being configured to open when the flexible chamber is compressed and to close when the flexible chamber is expanded.

32. A housing (1002, 1202, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402, 2502) extending in the longitudinal direction "L" and having chambers (1008, 1208, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2302, 2402, 2502), Outlet ports (1010, 1210, 2010, 2110, 2210, 2310, 2410, 2510), A wick (1012, 1212, 2012, 2112, 2212, 2312, 2412, 2512) connected to the discharge port, A valve (1014, 1214, 2014, 2114, 2214, 2330, 2428, 2430, 2514) fluidly coupled to the chamber, wherein the valve is movable between a closed position in which the discharge port is fluidly disconnected from the chamber and an open position in which the discharge port is fluidly coupled to the chamber, In a coating device having, A dispensing apparatus characterized by having means for positioning the wick at an angle other than zero with respect to at least a portion of the housing, wherein the angle other than zero is 1 degree or more with respect to the longitudinal direction "L" of the housing.

33. The applicator according to claim 32, wherein the means for positioning the wick relative to at least a portion of the housing comprises a proximal portion (1004, 2504) of the housing that is movable relative to a distal portion (1006, 2506) of the housing.

34. The applicator according to claim 33, wherein the proximal portion of the housing is connected to the distal portion of the housing by a rotatable coupling portion (1022) or a flexible portion (2522).

35. The means for positioning the wick at an angle other than zero with respect to at least a portion of the housing comprises a proximal portion (1204) of the housing fixed at an angle other than zero with respect to a distal portion (1206) of the housing, the discharge port (1210) and the wick (1212) are directed along an axis A having an angle with respect to the longitudinal direction L, and preferably the valve (1214) and spring (1218) are also directed along axis A, as described in claim 32.

36. The applicator according to claim 32, wherein the means for positioning the wick at an angle other than zero with respect to at least a portion of the housing is composed of flexible tubes (2022, 2122, 2222, 2322, 2422).

37. The applicator according to claim 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36, further comprising means for adjusting the flow rate, which is composed of flexible walls of the chambers (1008, 1208, 2008, 2108, 2208, 2308, 2408, 2508), wherein the flexible walls are configured to be compressed to increase the flow rate.

38. The applicator according to claim 37, wherein the housing (1002, 1202, 2002, 2102, 2202, 2302, 2402, 2502) has a flexible bottle that forms the flexible wall, or a part of the housing having a flexible film that forms the flexible wall.

39. The applicator according to claim 32, 33, 34, 35, or 36, comprising means for adjusting the flow rate, comprising pistons (1622, 1722, 1822, 2326) slidably disposed within a cylinder (1624, 1708, 1808, 2328) to form a variable-size chamber (1634) in fluid communication with the wick, the pistons being movable to reduce the volume of the variable-size chamber, thereby transferring fluid from the variable-size chamber to the wick.

40. The applicator according to claim 39, wherein the piston and the cylinder are arranged within the housing.

41. The applicator according to claim 39, wherein the piston and the cylinder are coupled to the housing by a flexible tube.

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