Patent ID: 7028867

Claim:
An applicator for dispensing a coating material onto a substrate, the applicator comprising: a body comprising a distal end, a liquid flow passage having a liquid inlet adapted to receive the coating material, and a fluid passage having a fluid inlet adapted to receive a pressurized fluid; a needle extending through the liquid flow passage; a needle guide disposed near the distal end of the body and having inner surfaces that receive, align and laterally support the needle; a nozzle disposed at the distal end of the body, the nozzle comprising a bore receiving the needle, and a distal end; a seat disposed at the distal end of the nozzle; a dispensing orifice extending through the seat, one end of the needle being movable into contact with the seat and through the dispensing orifice to terminate a flow of the coating material through the dispensing orifice and eliminate any coating material flow path downstream of the seat; a cap disposed around the nozzle comprising a proximal end removably mounted to the body, and the distal end of the nozzle extending beyond a distal end of the cap; and a fluid path formed between the nozzle and the cap and contiguous with the fluid passage, the fluid path having a fluid outlet at the distal end of the cap.