Liquid applicator

• US 7,980,778 B2
• Filed: 11/07/2005
• Issued: 07/19/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/08/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Company Limited
• Inventors: Endoh, Mitsuru, Nakajima, Nobuyuki, Akaishi, Tetsuaki, Umeno, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak; David J
• Application Number:
  US11/665,677
• Publication Number:
  US 20090038545A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,080 Days
• Field of Search: 401263-267, 401/186, 401171-175
• US Class Current: 401/266
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 2200/055 Piston or plunger for supplying the liquid to the applicator
• CPC Class Codes: A45D 34/04 Appliances specially adapted for applying liquid, e.g. using roller or ball
• CPC Class Codes: A61M 35/003 Portable hand-held applicators having means for dispensing or spreading integral media hand-held massage devices with liquid delivery A61H7/003

Abstract

A liquid applicator includes a liquid pressing mechanism 6 for pressurizing an application liquid 4 inside a main body 2 so as to supply the application liquid to an applying member 10 at the front end by the pressing of liquid pressing mechanism 6, wherein the applying member 10 is made of an elastic material, has a valve structure 8 which is formed with a communication path 24 for communication between the inside and outside of main body 2 and can close the communication path 24 by elasticity in the normal condition and open the communication path 24 by elastic deformation of the communication path when the application liquid is pressurized by liquid pressing mechanism 6, and, an ejection opening 24a of communication path 24 of valve structure 8 is arranged to front onto the applying portion 10a of the applying member 10.

Claims

1. A liquid applicator comprising:

a main body having an application liquid storage space, an applying member having an applying portion, and a liquid pressing means for pressurizing an application liquid inside the main body so as to supply the application liquid to the applying member by the pressing of the liquid pressing means,

characterized in that the applying member is made of an elastic material and includes;

a valve structure which is formed with a communication path for communication between the inside and outside of the main body and can close the communication path by elasticity in a normal condition and open the communication path by elastic deformation of the communication path when the application liquid is pressurized by the liquid pressing means, the communication path of the valve structure includes an ejection opening for ejecting the application liquid onto the applying portion, the ejection opening being disposed in a shoulder formed as a step in the applying member, and the applying portion is disposed on the shoulder and extends forward from the ejection opening.

2. The liquid applicator according to claim 1, wherein the applying portion of the applying member is formed projected further forward from the ejection opening of the communication path of the valve structure.

3. The liquid applicator according to claim 2, further comprising:

a liquid depressurizing means for depressurizing the application liquid inside the main body, wherein the valve structure is configured so that, after the liquid pressing means stops pressurizing the application liquid, the valve structure can forcibly return the elastic deformation of the communication path to the normal condition by reducing the pressure on the application liquid by the liquid depressurizing means and thereby close the communication path.

4. The liquid applicator according to claim 3, wherein the liquid pressing means and liquid depressurizing means comprise:

a pressure applicator which moves forwards and backwards in the application liquid storage space inside the main body to pressurize and depressurize the application liquid; and

an action converter for converting the user'"'"'s rotational control over a rotary actuator which is rotatably arranged in the main body, into the forward and backward movement of the pressure applicator.

5. The liquid applicator according to claim 2, wherein the applying portion projected from the ejection opening of the valve structure constitutes a liquid retainer for temporarily retaining the application liquid or includes the liquid retainer.

6. The liquid applicator according to claim 5, further comprising:

a liquid depressurizing means for depressurizing the application liquid inside the main body, wherein the valve structure is configured so that, after the liquid pressing means stops pressurizing the application liquid, the valve structure can forcibly return the elastic deformation of the communication path to the normal condition by reducing the pressure on the application liquid by the liquid depressurizing means and thereby close the communication path.

7. The liquid applicator according to claim 6, wherein the liquid pressing means and liquid depressurizing means comprise:

a pressure applicator which moves forwards and backwards in the application liquid storage space inside the main body to pressurize and depressurize the application liquid; and

an action converter for converting the user'"'"'s rotational control over a rotary actuator which is rotatably arranged in the main body, into the forward and backward movement of the pressure applicator.

8. The liquid applicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a liquid depressurizing means for depressurizing the application liquid inside the main body, wherein the valve structure is configured so that, after the liquid pressing means stops pressurizing the application liquid, the valve structure can forcibly return the elastic deformation of the communication path to the normal condition by reducing the pressure on the application liquid by the liquid depressurizing means and thereby close the communication path.

9. The liquid applicator according to claim 8, wherein the liquid pressing means and liquid depressurizing means comprise:

a pressure applicator which moves forwards and backwards in the application liquid storage space inside the main body to pressurize and depressurize the application liquid; and

an action converter for converting the user'"'"'s rotational control over a rotary actuator which is rotatably arranged in the main body, into the forward and backward movement of the pressure applicator.

10. The liquid applicator according to claim 1, wherein the material of the elastic body used for the applying member is rubber.

11. The liquid applicator according to claim 1, wherein the material of the elastic body used for the applying member is elastomer.

12. The liquid applicator according to claim 1, wherein the material of the elastic body used for the applying member is a closed cellular material having resilience.