US 4,822,194 AGranted

Applicator head

AssigneePower Flo Products Corp.

InventorDallas W. Simonette

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Abstract

A head for the application of a fluid such as paint to a surface is shown in the most preferred form as a tee fitting which is pivotally mounted to a pad assembly. First and second hoses extend from nipples formed on the manifold base of the pad assembly to tee stems of a tee fitting for providing the dual functions of providing fluid communication therebetween and for placing a torsional spring action between the pad assembly and the applicator pole for placing uniform pressure on the pad to flatly contact the surface. The nipples are in fluid communication with a trough formed in the manifold base corresponding to a removed portion in the fluid impervious backing of the pad. The foam layer of the pad is free of direct fluid communication paths to the flocking such that fluid must flow into and through the foam for even distribution to the flocking in a wicking distribution by capillary action. The foam layer expands in the removed portion and includes a channel located within the removed portion and tributaries extending therefrom for quicker and easier fluid flow into the foam.

Claims20

Dependent claims

An applicator head for applying fluid to a surface comprising, in combination:

a pad having a top surface and a bottom surface for evenly distributing fluid onto the surface;
a manifold base having a bottom surface and a top surface, with the top surface of the pad being secured adjacent to the bottom surface of the manifold base;
a fluid inlet comprising a tee fitting having a conduit and first and second tee stems extending generally perpendicular from the conduit;
means for pivotally mounting the fluid inlet to the manifold base about a pivot axis generally perpendicular to the fluid inlet;
and means for providing fluid communication between the fluid inlet and the pad and for placing a torsional spring action between the manifold base and the fluid inlet to bias the bottom surface of the manifold base generally perpendicular to the fluid inlet comprising, in combination:
a first hose having a first end and a second end;
a second hose having a first end and a second end;
and first and second nipples extending from the top surface of the manifold base generally perpendicular to the bottom surface of the manifold base and intersecting the pivot axis;
means for preventing rotation of the first end of the first hose with respect to the first tee stem of the fluid inlet;
means for preventing rotation of the second end of the first hose with respect to the first nipple of the manifold base;
means for preventing rotation of the first end of the second hose with respect to the second tee stem of the fluid inlet;
and means for preventing rotation of the second end of the second hose with respect to the second nipple of the manifold base, with the first hose being in fluid communication between the first tee stem and the first nipple and with the second hose being in fluid communication between the second tee stem and the second nipple, with the hoses being formed of flexible material and extending in a tight manner between the tee stem and the nipples requiring the hoses to be stretched and kinked from their free state when the manifold base and the fluid inlet are pivoted about the pivot axis.

9 more elements

An applicator head for applying fluid to a surface comprising, in combination:

a pad comprising, in combination:
a layer of foam having a top surface and a bottom surface, with the foam being generally free of direct fluid communication paths between the top and bottom surfaces of the foam;
means secured to the bottom surface of the foam for accepting fluid from the foam for spreading over the surface;
a backing secured to the top surface of the foam, with the backing being generally impervious to fluid;
a manifold base having a bottom surface, with the backing being secured to the bottom surface of the manifold base;
means for providing fluid communication to the bottom surface of the manifold base;
means for introducing fluid onto the foam for wicking therethrough for distribution through the foam to the fluid accepting means, with the fluid introducing means including a removed portion formed in the backing having an area generally equal to or larger than the area of the fluid communication providing means;
and a trough formed in the bottom surface of the manifold base having a shape corresponding to the shape of the removed portion of the backing, with the fluid communication providing means terminating in the trough, with the trough allowing for the expansion of the foam through the removed portion and allowing fluid distribution along the removed portion.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.