Patent ID: 8136476

Claim:
An applicator assembly for applying a liquid layer onto a surface, the assembly and the surface movable relative to each other, the applicator assembly comprising: a liquid supply; an elongated tube connected to said liquid supply, the elongated tube having a plurality of apertures for distributing the liquid received from the liquid supply; an elongated blade positioned adjacent said elongated tube to receive the liquid passed through the plurality of apertures in the elongated tube, the elongated blade having an application edge, a long axis, a length along said axis, and an area for receiving the liquid distributed from said elongated tube; said elongated tube and said elongated blade being configured to enable liquid distributed on said area of said elongated blade to form a meniscus at said application edge, and said application edge is positioned closely adjacent but not in contact with the surface at a distance sufficiently close to the surface so that the surface contacts the meniscus to withdraw liquid from said elongated blade onto the surface.