Liquid applicator and method of use

Abstract

An applicator for dispensing uniform thickness layers of liquid to surfaces and especially surgical sealants to surgical sites to create, in situ, a surgical incise drape is disclosed. The applicator employs a supported thin layer of foam which achieves layer thickness which are substantially independent of the pressure applied to the applicator during use. Methods of using the applicator are also disclosed.

1 . An applicator for forming a uniform thickness layer of a liquid coating on a solid substrate comprising:
 a first housing having a first end and a second end and defining an inner cavity, the first end of the housing terminating in a generally flat widened region with one or more liquid delivery passages in liquid communication between the inside of the cavity and the exterior of the generally flat widened region,   a thin layer of liquid-permeable foam conformed over the exterior of the generally flat widened region said thin layer of foam covering and in liquid communication with the liquid delivery passages and retained in that position,   one or more sealed frangible containers filled with the coating liquid and located within the inner cavity and movable from a first position to a second position therein, the first position preserving the integrity of the frangible containers and the second position being such that when the one or more containers are moved from the first position to the second position, a frangible-container-breaking force is applied to the containers and the coating liquid is released from the frangible containers and passes through the liquid delivery passages into the thin layer of liquid-permeable foam,   a closure for sealing the second end of the first housing, and   a movable fixture capable of moving the one or more containers from the first position to the second position within the inner cavity.   
     
     
         2 . The applicator of  claim 1  containing a single sealed frangible container. 
     
     
         3 . The applicator of  claim 1  containing two or three sealed frangible containers. 
     
     
         4 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein the fixture for moving the one or more containers is a second housing which engages the first housing and moves the one or more containers toward the first end of the first housing where they come into contact with means for applying a frangible-container-breaking pressure to them. 
     
     
         5 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein the closure is a second housing in sealable engagement with the first housing. 
     
     
         6 . The applicator of  claim 4  wherein the closure is the second housing in sealable engagement with the first housing. 
     
     
         7 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein the frangible-container-breaking force is a focused force applied to the one or more containers in a position adjacent to the liquid delivery passages. 
     
     
         8 . The applicator of  claim 7  wherein the focused force is applied to the one or more containers through force focusing means. 
     
     
         9 . The applicator if  claim 6  wherein the sealable engagement of the first and second housings contains the liquid released from the frangible containers such that its only passage out of the first and second housings is through the liquid delivery passages. 
     
     
         10 . The applicator of  claim 1  additionally comprising a retaining ring retaining the thin foam layer onto the exterior of the generally flat widened region of the first housing. 
     
     
         11 . The applicator of  claim 10  additionally comprising retainer teeth to grip the foam layer and hold it in position relative to the retaining ring and to the exterior of the generally flat widened region of the first housing. 
     
     
         12 . The applicator of  claim 1  wherein the generally flat widened region of the first housing has an aspect ratio (width:height) of from about 2:5:1 to about 8:1. 
     
     
         13 . The applicator of  claim 1  additionally comprising shard retainers located in the path of liquid communication between the inside of the cavity and the liquid delivery passages in the exterior of the generally flat widened region, which shard retainers are capable of retaining shards of the frangible containers within the cavity and preventing their passage through the liquid delivery passages. 
     
     
         14 . A method for forming a substantially uniform thickness coating of a liquid coating on a substrate comprising:
 obtaining the applicator of  claim 1  with the liquid contained within the one or more frangible containers,   moving the containers from said first position to said second position, thereby releasing the liquid from the containers, and flowing f the liquid through the liquid delivery passages to the layer of liquid permeable foam,   contacting the layer of liquid permeable foam with the substrate and moving the applicator across the substrate in a direction generally perpendicular to the wide dimension of the generally flat widened region of the first housing thereby causing liquid to pass through the liquid delivery passages, through the liquid permeable foam and then to form a substantially uniform thickness layer on the substrate.   
     
     
         15 . The method for forming a substantially uniform thickness nonliquid polymer coating on a substrate comprising:
 selecting a prepolymer solution capable of forming the desired nonliquid coating,   performing the method of  claim 14  with the selected prepolymer solution as the liquid contained within the one or more frangible containers, and   thereafter allowing the substantially uniform thickness layer of liquid so formed to solidifying into a nonliquid polymer coating.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein the prepolymer solution comprises cyanoacrylate. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the prepolymer solution comprises antimicrobial agent. 
     
     
         18 . The substantially uniform thickness nonliquid polymer coating formed by the method of  claim 16 . 
     
     
         19 . The substantially uniform thickness nonliquid polymer coating of  claim 18  wherein the substrate is a surgical site and wherein the coating is a surgical incise drape.