Applicator device

An improved applicator device for applying an applicator material to a surface, comprising in combination:

• container means for containing the applicator material;
• a valve comprising a valve closure having a first and a second end and defining an internal closure cavity therein;
• said valve including a valve body having a generally cylindrical side wall and a bottom face with valve body aperture means extending through said bottom face;
• said valve including a valve guide having an internal bore;
• said valve including a valve element having a proximal end and a distal end with said distal end defining a surface applicator for applying the applicator material to the surface;
• said valve element having a plurality of guide ribs extending from an outer surface of said valve element for slidably engaging with said internal bore of said valve guide;
• said plurality of guide ribs of said valve element defining a plurality of voids therebetween for enabling the flow of the applicator material through said plurality of voids;
• said second end of said valve closure defining a valve seal and an applicator opening;
• means connecting said valve closure to said valve body with said valve guide interposed therebetween and with said valve element being disposed in said internal closure cavity of said valve closure and slidably extending through said internal bore of said valve guide and with said surface applicator of said valve element extending through said applicator opening of said valve closure;
• means connecting said first end of said valve closure to said container means for enabling the flow of the applicator material from said container means through said valve body aperture means;
• bias means coacting between said bottom face of said valve body and said proximal end of said valve element for biasing said distal end of said valve element into sealing engagement with said valve seal of said valve closure for inhibiting the flow of applicator material through said applicator opening;
• and
• said surface applicator being movable relative to said applicator opening against said bias means upon said surface applicator of said valve element being pressed against the surface thereby moving said valve element out of sealing engagement with said valve seat of said valve closure to enable the flow of the applicator material through an annular opening between said applicator opening of said valve closure and said distal end of said valve element to apply the applicator material to the surface.