Patent Application
20100003063
The present invention relates to a liquid applicator for applying a liquid and more particularly to a liquid applicator allowing a liquid to be freely replenished and replaced with another liquid.
A conventional liquid applicator contains a liquid to be applied in a tank provided inside thereof so that the liquid can be applied from a tip end applicator body on an object to be applied.
In such conventional liquid applicator, a liquid in the tank cannot be replenished or replaced with another liquid. Therefore, it is not possible to change a type of the liquid in the tank and once the liquid runs out, there is no option but to throw away, that is, the container is of throwaway type.
To address the above defects, Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 11-221994 discloses a portable applicator including: an outer sheath; a liquid holding cotton holding sheath, which is provided inside the outer sheath, for holding a liquid holding cotton inside thereof; and a rubber tail cap detachably attached to the rear end of the outer sheath, wherein the rear end of the rubber tail cap is closed to form an air chamber inside thereof, and the rear end of the liquid holding cotton holding sheath is inserted into a central opening of the rubber tail cap communicating with the air chamber and fixed therein. To replenish the liquid, the rubber tail cap is detached from the outer sheath together with the liquid holding cotton holding sheath and the air chamber of the rubber tail cap functions as a dropper to soak the liquid holding cotton with a liquid through the tip end portion of the liquid holding cotton holding sheath, whereby the liquid can be repeatedly replenished.
However, unfortunately, with the applicator described in the above patent application, the liquid can be replenished but cannot be replaced easily, and further, the portable applicator has to be longer in order to hold a larger amount of liquid.
The present invention is accomplished in view of the above defects and the object thereof is to provide a liquid applicator allowing a liquid to be easily replenished and replaced, as well as capable of containing a large amount of liquid.
To accomplish the above object, a liquid applicator according to an aspect of the present invention includes a main body provided with a tank inside thereof; and a tip end applicator body that is arranged in front of the main body and that is capable of applying a liquid on an object to be applied. A sliding cylinder that can be pushed or pulled from outside is attached at the rear of the main body so as to be slidable with respect to the main body, whereby the volume capacity of the tank is variable by sliding the sliding cylinder with respect to the main body.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the volume capacity of the tank can be varied by pushing or pulling the sliding cylinder to slide the sliding cylinder with respect to the main body. Accordingly, it is possible to expand the volume capacity of the tank so as to make negative pressure in the tank, which causes a liquid to be sucked into the tank and thus the liquid is introduced into the tank. In this manner, a liquid can be replenished into the tank. On the other hand, it is possible to reduce the volume capacity of the tank so as to make positive pressure in the tank, which causes a liquid in the tank to be discharged. Therefore, liquid replacement is also easily performed with combination of discharging and introducing.
In addition, the whole length of the liquid applicator can be decreased to improve its portability by sliding the sliding cylinder to reduce the volume capacity of the tank while not in use. While in use, the volume capacity of the tank can be increased by sliding the sliding cylinder so as to contain a large amount of liquid. Further, since the whole length of the liquid applicator can be increased, the liquid applicator is easy to grip by hand so as to improve its handleability.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the tip end applicator body is fixed in a tip shaft coupled to the tip end side of the main body and the main body and the tip shaft are coupled with each other in a releasable manner such that the tip end opening formed at the tip end of the main body can be exposed.
When the coupling between the main body and the tip shaft is released from each other, the tip end opening of the main body is exposed whereby a liquid can be directly introduced or discharged through the tip end opening.
According to an aspect of the present invention, the main body is provided with a flexible portion, at least a part of which adjoins the tank, for allowing the volume capacity of the tank to be varied by pushing the flexible portion.
In order to apply a liquid from the tip end applicator body while in use of the liquid applicator, the flexible portion is pushed to reduce the volume capacity of the tank and thus a liquid can be supplied into the tip end applicator body.
The present invention will be described hereinafter with reference to the drawings.
As shown in
A side opening 10c is formed in the part of the main body shaft portion 10a where the flexible portion 10b is provided. The flexible portion 10b enters the side opening 10c and the entered part of the flexible portion 10b adjoins the tank 12 inside the main body 10.
A tip shaft 14 is releasably coupled to the main body 10 on the side of a tip end opening 10d by threading. A tip tool 16 is arranged inside the tip shaft 14.
The tip tool 16 has a rear end abutting a tip end surface of the main body shaft portion 10a and a tip end projecting out from a tip end opening 14a of the tip shaft 14. A brush 18, which is a tip end applicator body, is inserted into the tip tool 16 through the rear end thereof and a tip end of the brush 18 projects out from a tip end opening 16c of the tip tool 16.
An inwardly projecting portion 16b that is of annular shape and projecting inwardly is formed in the tip tool 16 as shown in
Further, an inner stopper 20 is inserted into the tip tool 16 from the rear of the brush 18 and fixed to the tip tool 16. A columnar portion 20a is formed on the rear end of the inner stopper 20. The columnar portion 20a extends into the main body 10 passing through the tip end opening 10d of the main body 10. A through-hole 20b for communicating with the brush 18 is formed around a base part of the columnar portion 20a. One or more of the through-hole 20b may be formed. The brush 18 and the liquid absorber 22 are integrally attached to the tip tool 16 with the inner stopper 20 and further, the tip tool 16 is fixed in the tip shaft 14, whereby these components are integrally attached together to form a tip shaft unit. The tip shaft unit may include other components such as a valve.
A sliding cylinder 32 with the rear end closed is attached to the rear of the main body 10 so as to be slidable with respect to the main body 10. An O-ring 34 is fitted around a circumferential surface of a large diameter portion 32a formed at the tip end of the sliding cylinder 32. With the O-ring 34 slidably contacting with the inner circumferential surface of the main body 10, water tightness of the sliding cylinder 32 with the main body 10 is secured.
A tail cap 30 is attached to the rear end of the main body 10 and the sliding cylinder 32 is slidable with respect to the main body 10 in a range where the large diameter portion 32a of the sliding cylinder 32 moves between a step portion 10f, which is formed on the inner circumferential surface of the main body shaft portion 10a, and the tail cap 30.
The tank 12 for containing a liquid is defined by the main body 10 and the sliding cylinder 32. The volume capacity of the tank 12 is variable by sliding the sliding cylinder 32. Ribs 10e for improving fluidity of a liquid are formed on the inner circumferential surface of the main body 10 that defines the tank 12.
Further, a cap 38 for protecting the tip end of the brush 18 while not in use is detachably attached to the tip shaft 14.
An operation of the liquid applicator configured as described above will be described. While not in use, the tank 12 can be empty. At this time, the sliding cylinder 32 can maximally retract into the main body 10 as shown in
While in use, a liquid 40 to be applied (dissolved paint when painting a water color, for example) is prepared as shown in
With such operation, the liquid is introduced into and filled in the tank 12. While in use, the tip shaft 14 and the main body 10 are coupled by threading and the cap 38 is detached, whereby the liquid can be applied on an object to be applied from the brush 18 while gripping the main body 10 as shown in
In order to discharge the liquid more from the brush 18, the flexible portion 10b of the main body 10 is pushed to constrict the tank 12 so that the liquid from the tank 12 is moved toward the brush 18. The liquid is introduced from the tank 12 to the columnar portion 20a of the inner stopper 20 through a gap, which is formed in the tip end opening 10d of the main body 10 and between the tip end opening 10d and the columnar portion 20a of the inner stopper 20. The liquid thus introduced moves to the brush 18 through the through-hole 20b passing over a rear end flange portion of the brush 18, then passes through the brush 18 and applied from the brush 18.
In order to discharge a large amount of liquid from the brush 18, the sliding cylinder 32 is pushed forward so that the liquid of an amount corresponding to the pushed amount is moved from the tank 12 toward the brush 18. When a large amount of liquid is discharged, the liquid passes through the brush 18 and also may pass a path from the brush 18 through the liquid absorber 22 and the second side hole 16d for flowing back to the brush 18.
When the liquid in the tank 12 runs out, the threaded coupling of the main body 10 and the tip shaft 14 is released and the liquid is sucked into the tank 12 as described above so as to replenish the liquid. Here, the liquid may be sucked by sinking the tip end of the brush 18 without releasing the threaded coupling of the main body 10 and the tip shaft 14. At this time, the liquid moves toward the tank 12 passing the same path as when being applied, in the opposite direction.
In order to evacuate liquid from the tank 12 after use, the threaded coupling between the main body 10 and the tip shaft 14 is released to discharge the liquid from the tip end opening 10d. At this time, the sliding cylinder 32 that remains projecting is pushed forward to reduce the volume capacity of the tank so as to make positive pressure, whereby the liquid in the tank 12 can be discharged in bursts from the tip end opening 10d. Instead, the liquid may be discharged from the tip end of the brush 18 without releasing the threaded coupling of the main body 10 and the tip shaft 14.
The sliding cylinder 32 retracts into the main body 10 as described above and the liquid applicator can be stored in such a state. Further, the liquid can be replaced by discharging the liquid from the tank 12 and by sucking another liquid into the tank 12.
As described above, according to the liquid applicator of the embodiment of the invention, whole length can be decreased to improve its portability by retracting the sliding cylinder 32 while not in use. While in use, on the other hand, the volume capacity of the tank 12 can be increased by pulling out the sliding cylinder 32 so that a large amount of liquid can be contained in the tank 12. Further, since the whole length of the liquid applicator can be increased, the liquid applicator is easy to grip by hand so as to improve its handleability.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2007-004905 | Jan 2007 | JP | national |
| Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PCT/JP2008/050211 | 1/10/2008 | WO | 00 | 7/13/2009 |
