GB2067397A - Liquid applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

An applicator for liquid has a resilient inlet portion (11) for connection to the outlet of a container (9), a control membrane (19) extending across the inlet portion and containing a slit (20), a rib (26) in the inlet portion for bearing on the control membrane when the inlet portion flexes to thereby open the slit and for preventing the inlet portion from obstructing the slit. A frame (22) on the opposite side of the control membrane has fabric (30) mounted thereon and a plurality of lugs (27) on the control membrane for maintaining a constant volume chamber between the fabric and the membrane. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Liquid applicator The present invention relates to a liquid applicator, in particular of the type used on shoe polish dispensing bottles for dispensing liquid onto a surface.

Known applicators of this type comprise a resilient inlet portion, and a membrane extending thereacross and containing a slit which opens upon deformation of the applicator. In such applicators there is a tendency for the inlet portion to obstruct the slit in the membrane during liquid application.

The present invention seeks to overcome this difficu Ity.

According to the present invention there is provided an applicator, for liquid from a container, comprising a resilient tubular inlet portion including an annular wall, for connection at one end to the outlet of a container to receive liquid from said container, a control membrane spaced from said end and extending across said tubular inlet portion to define a chamber therewith, a normally closed slit in said control membrane capable of opening upon flexing of said control membrane, means on the opposite side of said control membrane from said inlet portion for depositing liquid on a surface, and a rib integral with said annular wall projecting from the internal surface thereof and extending along said annular wall, the rib being capable of bearing against said control membrane upon distortion of said inlet portion to thereby deform said control membrane to open said slit, without effectively blocking said slit.

In accordance with another aspect of the present invention, the means for depositing liquid on the surface comprises a frame on said body portion, porous fabric attached to the frame in spaced relationship to the control membrane to define a chamber with said control membrane, and means on the control membrane for maintaining the porous fabric in spaced relationship to the control membrane to thereby maintain the chamber of substantially constant size to effect substantially constant liquid flow, and to also maintain the fabric in full-face engagement with the surface onto which liquid is being applied.

The present invention will now be particularly described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings wherein: Figure 1 is a fragmentary side elevational view of a liquid container mounting a liquid applicator in accordance with the present invention; Figure2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along line 2-2 of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a fragmentary view taken in the direction of arrows 3-3 of Figure 1; Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially along line 4-4 of Figure 3 and showing the applicator in its normal unstressed condition; Figure 5 is a fragmentary cross sectional view similar to Figure 4 but showing the position the applicator takes when a downward force is applied to the liquid bottle which results in flexing of the inlet portion of the applicator; and Figure 6 is a cross sectional view taken substantially along line 6-6 of Figure 5.

The applicator 10 is shown mounted on a bottle or flexible plastic container 9 which may contain shoe polish or any other liquid which is to be applied in a thin layer onto surface 12. Applicator 10 is fabricated from flexible resilient rubber which has been moulded in the configuration shown in Figures 1,2, 3 and 4. A neck 13 is of an annular configuration with grooves 14 moulded therein to receive bead 15 at the end of neck 16 of bottle 9. A tubular liquid inlet portion 11 is formed on applicator 10 and is in communication with bottle 9 to receive the contents thereof. A control membrane 19 is formed integrally with inlet portion 11 to provide a chamber 17, and a slit 20 is formed in control membrane 19.

When applicator 10 is in its unstressed condition shown in Figures 1,2,3 and 4, slit 20 is biased to a closed position by the normal resiliency of the applicator, to thereby prevent liquid from passing beyond inlet chamber 17 to the outside of the applicator. However, when inlet portion 11 is distorted (Figure 5), as would be the case when a downward force is applied to bottle 9 during the applying of liquid to a surface, slit 20 is caused to open sufficiently to permit the liquid to pass through control membrane 19 onto chamber 21 on the opposite side of membrane 19 from inlet portion 11.

Chamber 21 is defined by membrane 19 and the frame 22 consisting of the side wall portions 23,24, 25 and 26 moulded integrally with membrane 19, and the fabric 30 secured to frame 22.

It is to be especially noted from Figures 2, 5 and 6 that an elongated rib 26 is moulded integrally with inlet portion 17 so that when inlet portion 11 is distorted incidental to applying liquid, rib 26 bears against control membrane 19 to cause slit 20 to open. Rib 26 also prevents inlet portion 11 from flexing into obstructing relationship relative to slit 20. It will be appreciated that rib 26 may, be shaped differently than shown. The reason that rib 26 moves into engagement with control membrane 19 is because the inlet portion 11 at 11' is extremely short compared to the remainder of the inlet portion so that when a downward force is applied to bottle 9, cylindrical inlet portion 11 will be distorted as shown in Figure 5.It will also be appreciated that the amount that slit 20 is opened depends directly on the amount of downward force applied to applicator 10, so that such force determines the rate of flow.

A plurality of bosses or lugs 27 are moulded integrally with control membrane 19, and their outer surfaces 29 lie substantially in the same plane as the outer surface of frame 22 (Figures 2,4 and 5). Bosses 27 aid in maintaining the integrity of chamber 21 in that they cause this chamber to essentially maintain a predetermined constant volume regardless of the shape to which it is distorted during operation, thereby assuring a relatively constant flow of liquid onto surface 12 because of the fact that chamber 21 contains substantially the same volume of liquid at all times.

Velour cloth or fabric 30 is cemented by means of a suitable adhesive to the surface of frame 22 and to surfaces 29 of bosses 27. If desired, fabric 30 need not be cemented to surfaces 29, so that there can be relative motion therebetween during flexing of the frame 22. Whether or not fabric 30 is cemented to surface 29, the fabric 30 is supported at a plurality of locations, namely, on the surface of the frame and on the surfaces 29 of lugs 27, so that the fabric is pressed into good engagement with the surface onto which liquid is being applied. In other words, the fabric 30 cannot bow away from the surface 12.

When this feature is considered in combination with the feature of maintaining the volume of liquid in chamber 21 substantially constant, an even application of liquid to surface 12 is assured.

Fabric 30 is sufficiently porous to permit passage of liquid and pigments contained therein. Fabric 30 also has an upstanding nap 31 which distributes the liquid onto surface 12. The advantage of using fabric is that it does not degrade as a result of exposure to moisture. Furthermore, cloth 30 with dried liquid thereon will not rip when it is stressed during the initial part of liquid application. It will be appreciated, however, that materials other than fabric can be used, for example, porous foam material.

While the applicator 10 has been described as being fabricated from rubber, it will be appreciated that it also can be fabricated from other flexible resilient materials such as viriyl.

Claims (6)

1. An applicator, for liquid from a container, comprising a resilient tubular inlet portion including an annular wall, for connection at one end to the outlet of a container to receive liquid from said container, a control membrane spaced from said end and extending across said tubular inlet portion to define a chamber therewith, a normally closed slit in said control membrane capable of opening upon flexing of said control membrane, means on the opposite side of said control membrane from said inlet portion for depositing liquid on a surface, and a rib integral with said annular wall projecting from the internal surface thereof and extending along said annular wall, the rib being capable of bearing against said control membrane upon distortion of said inlet portion to thereby deform said control membrane to open said slit, without effectively blocking said slit.

2. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein said rib includes a portion located substantially at the intersection of said annularwall and said control membrane.

3. An applicator according to claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said annularwall has a short side and a long side, and wherein said rib is elongate and moulded integrally with said long side.

4. An applicator according to any preceding claim wherein said rib is so oriented relative to said slit as to prevent said annular wall from obstructing said slit when said rib bears against said control membrane.

5. An applicator according to any preceding claim wherein said means for depositing liquid on said surface comprises a frame moulded integrally with said inlet portion, porous material attached to said frame to define a second chamber with said control membrane, a plurality of bosses moulded integrally with said control membrane on the side thereof opposite to said inlet portion for maintaining said porous material in substantially uniform spaced relationship to said control membrane under all conditions of use, whereby said second chamber will maintain a substantially constant volume under all conditions of use regardless of the amount of distortion of said membrane or said porous material, said bosses being spaced from each other and from said frame thereby to permit said second chamber to encircle said bosses, said slit being closed to prevent liquid flow from said chamber to said second chamber when said control membrane is in its normal undistorted condition.

6. An applicator substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawing.