Fluid dispensing valve

Abstract

A fluid dispensing valve used for printing and marking, having a valve body with an end wall which defines an aperture and a spring biased valve element disposed within the valve body to open and close the aperture. A spring element is coupled to the tubular body adjacent the circular wall, the spring element and the wall defining a chamber for receiving a fluid metered through the aperture of the valve body when the aperture is opened, the spring element having at least one aperture communicating with the chamber. A porous member is affixed to the spring element such that the porous member covers the aperture in the spring element. The porous member transfers the fluid received in the chamber to a surface in the form of a printed geometric image. In operation, a printing force applied to the porous member causes the spring element to compress and engage the portion of the valve element thereby pushing a portion of the valve element partially back through the aperture in the open position to allow the passage of a marking fluid therethrough to the chamber to wet the porous member. The porous member has a predetermined rigidity which substantially prevents the porous member from distorting from its predetermined geometric shape under the printing force. The fluid dispensing valve is typically affixed to the open end of a container which contains the fluid to be dispensed. A removable cap is provided for covering the valve when it is not being used.