Patent ID: 8899862

Claim:
A wide area applicator ( 10 ) for applying a coating fluid, comprising: a base applicator ( 25 ) comprising a reservoir ( 12 ) adapted to contain a supply of coating fluid, the reservoir connecting to a supply passage ( 14 ) for supplying a flow of the coating fluid to an end portion ( 24 ); a valve assembly ( 30 ) in the supply passage ( 14 ), the valve assembly having a valve seat ( 16 ) for passing coating fluid and a valve member ( 18 ) movable between a closed position engaging the valve seat ( 16 ) so as to block the flow of fluid, and an open position allowing coating fluid to pass through the valve seat, the valve assembly ( 30 ) comprising a resilient means for biasing the valve member ( 18 ) toward the closed position; an elongated porous nib ( 40 ) mounted for movement in the supply passage ( 14 ) with an end ( 42 ) of the nib ( 40 ) extending out of the end portion ( 24 ) of the base applicator ( 25 ), the nib being engaged with the valve assembly ( 30 ) so that when a pressure is exerted on the end ( 42 ) of the nib, in a direction toward the reservoir ( 12 ), the valve assembly is moved to its open position to allow fluid to pass through the valve seat ( 16 ) and the supply passage ( 14 ); and a wide area adapter ( 50 ) having a holder portion ( 54 ) for holding a porous pad ( 60 ) that has at least one dimension that is elongated transverse to the elongated porous nib ( 40 ), with a porous pad ( 60 ) held in the holding portion ( 54 ), the wide area adapter ( 50 ) including an engagement portion ( 52 ) with a cavity ( 56 ) for detachably receiving the end portion of the base applicator, the cavity ( 56 ) having a depth selected so that an inner surface of the cavity engages the end ( 42 ) of the nib to apply a pressure on the end of the nib to move the valve assembly ( 30 ) to its open position when the end portion ( 24 ) of the base applicator ( 25 ) is detachably received in the cavity ( 56 ); the wide area adapter ( 50 ) having a porous pad chamber ( 64 ) for receiving and holding the porous pad ( 60 ), a fluid distribution chamber ( 62 ) extending along and communicating with the porous pad chamber ( 64 ), and a housing passage ( 68 ) communicating between the cavity ( 56 ) and the fluid distribution chamber ( 62 ), so that fluid from the reservoir ( 12 ) passes through the supply passage ( 14 ), the cavity ( 56 ), and the a fluid distribution chamber ( 62 ), to enter the porous pad chamber ( 64 ) to soak the porous pad ( 60 ) for applying the fluid along a wide area, using the porous pad.