Patent ID: 7914222

Claim:
A tip unit used for a liquid applicator, the tip unit having an axis and comprising a tip body and a ball, the tip body having proximal and distal ends and holding the ball near the distal end, the tip body having a ball housing adapted to hold the ball, a capillary hole, and a proximal bore, the ball housing, the capillary hole, and the proximal bore mutually communicating to form a passage for permitting liquid to flow, the ball housing having a side wall and a ball resting seat holding the ball rotatably and axially movably at a predetermined distance in the ball housing, the tip body further having a channel so as to enable the ball housing to communicate with the capillary hole and the proximal bore, the ball housing further having an axially facing connecting surface that is directly connected to the side wall, connects the seat with the side wall and has a shape projecting angularly away from the side wall toward the distal end of the tip body, the seat being located radially inside the connecting surface, the tip unit further having a side wall portion extending around the capillary hole, the channel having a length extending along the axis of the tip unit, a radial depth, and a circumferential width, the channel extending radially from the side wall portion fully to the passage so that the channel opens radially to be in direct radial communication with the ball over an axial distance extending from an outlet, where the channel communicates with the ball housing, toward the proximal end of the tip unit.