Abstract:
A fluid applicator includes a coating implement, an elastic closure cap, and a stopper for use with a fluid container. The elastic closure cap includes an enlarged irregular sealing rib on a skirt that is force-fit into the stopper, creating a resilient force on a sealing lip that contacts a seat on the stopper. Inverting the container and pressing on the coating implement, presses the elastic closure cap, deforming it to move the sealing lip off of its seat on the stopper to allow fluid flow from the container, through the stopper and elastic closure cap, to the coating implement.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0001]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0002]     A liquid valve body for attachment with the neck of a liquid container has liquid dispensed by inverting the container and pressing on an implement, such as one having tines, that in turn presses on an elastic closure cap having a valve seal that is lifted off of its seat on a stopper to pass liquid therethrough.  
         [0003]     2. Description of Related Art  
         [0004]     The dispensing of fluids by application of pressure against the coating or writing implement is common in the art. This application is a modification of the “Liquid Applicator Valve” of Gilbert Schwartzman, U.S. Pat. No. 6,402,413, issued 11 Jun. 2002, incorporated herein by reference. G. Schwartzman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,129,452, teaches a pressure opened valve held closed using a compressible material under the coating surface with the coating surface held in place over the compressible material by placement of the outer perimeter of the coating surface within a surrounding groove and crimping or swagging it in the groove to clamp it there. Waters et al, U.S. Pat. No. 5,120,148, issued 9 Jun. 1992, teaches a resilient cap that biases a valve against a valve seat. The resilient cap is provided with a rib around its lower end, that is used to hold the cap in position, and dispensing holes in its upper end used as a dauber.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0005]     The invention is to an instrument for the application of a fluid for coating or treating by dispensing fluid from a container. The instrument consists of a stopper and an elastic closure cap. The elastic closure cap is one integral piece that essentially consists of a diaphragm and an elastic dome, that acts as a spring, and a valve neck with a sealing rib that engages with a valve seat on the stopper to form a fluid flow control.  
         [0006]     The elastic closure cap is attached to, or inserted into, an annular recess in the stopper so that a force is created on the dome area of the elastic closure cap pressing the sealing rib against the stopper valve seat precluding fluid flow through the instrument or pressing the sealing rib away from the valve seat. Fluid is dispensed by pressing against the nib or other implement that in turn presses against the valve neck and lifts the sealing rib off of the valve seat to provide a flow path between the fluid container and the nib. The implement can include tines that rub or scrape and coat a surface. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0007]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the applicator valve of the invention.  
         [0008]      FIG. 2  is a sectional view of the application valve taken along the section line  2 - 2  of  FIG. 1 .  
     
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0009]     The invention is to an applicator  40 . The major components shown in  FIG. 1  are a stopper  48  and an elastic closure cap  47 , that attach to a fluid container (not shown). The stopper  48  fits within or over a container neck to act as a seal against unwanted fluid discharge and as a controlled passage for fluid discharge. The stopper  48  supports the elastic closure cap  47  and the closure cap secures an implement, such as on having tines  51 , in place. Pressure on the tines and/or diaphragm  49  portion of the elastic closure cap opens a fluid flow passage so that the fluid can pass from the fluid container to the elastic closure cap  47  and through the slot openings  44  to an object.  
         [0010]     The individual components and interrelationships are best seen in  FIG. 2 . The stopper  48  second or lower end  41 , as shown, is designed to fit within the upper neck of a fluid container by inserting the stopper lower neck  41  into the container neck or opening. The stopper second or lower end could be designed to fit over a container neck or both over and within the container neck if desired.  
         [0011]     The first upper end  65  of the stopper  48  has a raised upwardly extending interior section  53  formed about a central opening  54 . The lower wall of the stopper interior section  53  is sloped inwardly and upwardly forming a tapered valve seat  57  that ends or terminates in the central opening  54  fluid passage. The upper first end of the interior section  53  is provided with a raised circular limit rib  42 . The outer wall of the interior section forms a sealing rim  43  that terminates at its lower end in a recessed base  63 . Extending essentially parallel to and outwardly from the sealing rim  43  is an outer circumferential side wall  62  of the stopper that terminates, slightly above the circular limit rib  42 , with an inwardly extending side wall  50 .  
         [0012]     The elastic closure cap  47  has an integral central diaphragm area  49  extending outwardly into a dome-shaped intermediate area section  52  with a skirt area  64  extending downwardly from the lower radial extremity of the intermediate dome area  52  forming a first end. A flexible or resilient implement, such as coating or scraping tines  51  extend upwardly from the diaphragm upper area  49  extremity. The dome area is provided with slot openings  44  inwardly of and adjacent to the intermediate area  52 . About the center of the diaphragm area, a valve neck  45  extends downwardly from the diaphragm. At the lower end of the valve neck, a circular sealing lip  46  extends outwardly. The valve neck  45  is preferably hollow to reduce rigidity. The inner lower first end of the skirt area  64  is provided with a sealing enlargement or rib  55 . The sealing rib enables a firm securement of the closure cap on the stopper so that the tines can be used to rub a surface with a coating material and/or to remove incidental material on a surface.  
         [0013]     The elastic closure cap  47  can be made from an elastic resilient stretchable material such as a plastic or natural or synthetic rubber material having the necessary elasticity or resilience to flex or extend for insertion into or over the stopper  48 , and to deform or stretch enough for sealing and valve operation, and to hold the implement. The material must be compatible with the fluid used. The tines can be strong enough to scrape a surface if desired. The diaphragm slot opening  44  performs two functions, it weakens the resistance to deformation of the central area of the diaphragm  49  and it provides a passage for the fluid moving past the sealing lip  46  when the valve neck is pressed inwardly.  
         [0014]     The components are assembled by placing the stopper  48  neck  41  within a fluid container. The elastic closure cap  47  skirt  64  has a slightly larger diameter than that of the circumferential side wall  61  inside diameter, and the valve neck  45  has a smaller outside diameter than that of the diameter of the fluid passage  54  in the valve seat  57 . The outside diameter of the sealing lip  46  is larger than that of the fluid passage  54 . The skirt area  64  and sealing rib  55  can be pressed into the circumferential recess, between the side wall  62  and sealing rim  43  as the sealing lip  46  is pressed through the fluid passage in the tapered valve seat  57  until the elastic cap sealing rib  55  base or first end approaches the recess base  63  leaving a small void area  59 . Pressing the elastic closure cap skirt  64  into the circumferential recess between the circumferential side wall  61  and sealing rim  43  places the dome area  49  under the compression, tending to press or deform the attached diaphragm and dome primarily upwardly. This upward movement of the dome area places an upward tension force on the central area of the diaphragm  49  and valve neck  45 , attached to the diaphragm, and on the sealing lip  46  on the valve neck. This deformation or upward force causes a spring-like force on the valve neck  45  and sealing lip  46 , preventing fluid flow by engaging the sealing lip with the stopper valve seat  57 .  
         [0015]     During non-use, the fluid within a fluid container is sealed therein by the sealing lip  46  of the elastic closure cap  47  pressing against the tapered valve seaat  57 . The fluid within the container can be dispensed to the implement by holding the container in the inverted posision and pressing the implement against a surface or object. Upward and inward pressure on the inverted implement is transferred to the diaphragm area  49  where it acts against the now downward force created by the dome area  52  of the elastic cap  47 . Overcoming the diaphragm resistance results in an inward movement of the valve neck  45  and sealing lip  46 . The inward movement of the sealing lip causes it to separate from the tapered valve seat and to open a passage from the fluid container to the implement base or back through the fluid passage  54  and slot openings  44 . The limit rib  42  of the stopper functions both as a guide for fluid flow, during fluid discharge, and to a degree as a limit stop for inward movement of the valve neck  45  and sealing lip  46 . The limit rib  42  helps prevent the slots  44  of the elastic closure cap from being blocked by the upper end of the interior section  53  during pressure application against the times  51  and diaphragm  49 . The limit rib can have its height and position, with respect to the opening or passage, adjusted depending on the rigidity and elasticity of the elastic closure cap, the flow path desired, the viscosity of the liquid or fluid being used, the valve opening desired, etc.  
         [0016]     The lower end of the skirt  64  is offset forming a shoulder  66  and an annular recess inwardly of the sealing rib  55 . The upper outer end of the sealing rib  55  extends upwardly into an annular projection  68  forming an outer recess  69 .  
         [0017]     The times  51  can be used as both liquid applicator and rubbing member. They can scrape a surface or a coating on a surface to be acted on in concert with a material dispensed onto the surface. It is preferred to firmly secure the elastic closure cap to the stopper. To do this, in addition to the resilient frictional forces that can be used between the stopper and elastic closure cap skirt, the stopper upper circumferential projection  61  is crimped or swagged inwardly and downwardly  50  into the outer recess  69  in the sealing rib  55 . The terminal end  56  of the stopper upper end  50  is positioned within the outer recess  69 . This results in the sealing rib  55  being thicker than the space remaining between the stopper extended interior sections and stopper first upper end  50 . The terminal end  56  of the circumferential projection can be pressed against the closure skirt  64  with some indentation into it, and can press the dome inwardly reducing the outer circumference of the elastic cap at that area of the skirt  64 .  
         [0018]     It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages of this invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to be understood that the present disclosure is illustrative only and that changes, variations, substitutions, modifications and equivalents will be readily apparent to one skilled in the art and that such may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by the following claims.