GB2233607A - Safety cap for writing instrument - Google Patents

Abstract

A cap for a writing instrument has an inner cap (6) within the main cap (16) and air holes (7) provided in the bottom plate (9) of the main cap, between the main cap and the inner cap. The holes provide an air passage to allow respiration to continue should the cap be swallowed. <IMAGE>

Description

can of Writing instrument The present invention relates to an improvement

of the cap of a writing'ins4t.-r.iment such as a fiber-tipped pen, marker, and aqueous ball pen, which is fitted on the tip of the writing instrument in order to prevent ink from evaporating and to protect the painting materials such as a pen point.

Conventional caps of writing instruments includ4na fibertipped pens and markers are made of resin molding products having a sufficient c144aracteristic to suppress the evaporation of ink. -As shown in Fig. 5 to Fig. 8, the inner cap section 13 extends in the internal hole 15 of the cap 12 from and integrally with the rear plate of the cap 12 and the internal hole 15 has no opening to the outside except the lnsertion side to make the inside o:E the cap sealed if the opening is closed.

Such a conventional cap can perform suf,&".-Lcient features for the writing instrument itself to yield no functional problems. However, since, the cap is removable from the main body and ha's an'internal-hole sealed except the insertion sides, it would cause such an accident that if a little child swallows the can by mistake he may suffocate with the cap lodged in his windpipe. Thus it has long been desired that the cap have such a mechanism in which the inside of the cap is communicated with the outside even through other than the opening, while reserving the functions of the prevention of the evaporation of ink and the protection of the painting material.

The present Invention is intended to provide a cap :Improved so that the inside of the cap Is ce=unicated with the Qutside- even through other than the opening of the cap tO(Prevent suffocation of a ch'il.d if the cap becomes lodged in his wind Dipe by mistake.

The present.invention provides an improved cap for fitment on -he tip of a writing instrument such as a fiber-tipped pen or marker in order to prevent ink from evaporating and protect the painting materials and characterized in that a cylindrical inner cap thinner than the main cap is providgd protruding on the bottom plate and one or more air holes are provided in the bottom plate between the main cap and the inner cap.

Fig. 1 Is a sectional view of the cap for a marking pen produced according to the invention, Fig. 2 is a perspective diagram of the cap shown in Pia.

Fig. 3 is a sectional perspective diagram of the cap shwon in Fig. 1, Fig. 4 is the bottom view of the cap shown in Fig. 1, Fig. 5 is a view similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the cap of the conventional marking pen, Fig. 6 is a perspective diagram of the cap shown In Fig. 5, Fig. 7 is a secjl-.ional perspective diagram of the cap shown in Fig. 5, and Fig. 8 is the bottom view of the cap shown in Fig. 5.

The invention will be described with the preferred embodiment shown in rig. 1 and Fig. 4 applied to the cap of a marking pen. 1 Referring to Fig. 1 to Fig. 4, the reference numeral 1 is a body of the marking pen and 5 is the can of the pen.

As shown In Fig. 1, the cap 5 ic f-ittEdon the tip of the marking pen 1 to cover the pen point 3 of the marking pen.

As illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3 more clearly, the cap 5 mainly consists of a main can 16 and an inner cap 6.

The main can 16, which is shaped cylindrically, has an opening at the front end and is closed with a bottom plate 9 at the rear end.

In the internal hole of the main cap 16, a cylindrical inner cap 6 thinner and shorter than the main cap 16 is provided 6n the bottom plate 9 In the coaxAal manner to the main cap.' The inner cap 6 also has an opening only at the front.

end.. The internal wall near the front end of the inner cap 6 is provided with a Projecting line 10 in the circular direction snap engaged with a groove 4 in the circular direction provided on the neck of the main marking pen to be inserted into the Inner cap to hold the cap.

Four round air holes are bored through the bottom plate 9 of the main cap 1-6-between the inner wall of the main cap and the outer wall of the inner cap. The number and shape of the air holes may vary.

When the cap is fLttP3on the main marking pen as shown in Fig. 1, the inside of the inner cap is sealed tightly to prevent ink from evaporating and protect the pin point. With the cap removed from the body of the marking pen, the air flows within the cam in the axial direction th=ough the air holes. Thus if a little child swallowed the cap, he would not be suffocated. by the cap lodged in his windpipe.

The inner cap can be configured to be separated from the rhain cap.

1 1

Claims (2)

CLAIMS:

1. A cap for a writing instzument such as a fiber-tippsd pen and a ma=ker, which adapted to fit on the tip of a writing instrument in Order to prevent ink from evaporating and to protect the painting- materials, characterized in that a cylindrical inner cap thinner the main than the main cap is provided on the bottom plate cE cap and one or more air holes are -provided in the bottom plate between the main cap and the Inner cap.

2. A cap for a writing instrument substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to, and as illustrated in, Figures 1 to 4 of the accompanying drawings.

1 Published 1991 at The Patent Office. State House. 66171 Hich Hulborn. LondonWC1 R 4TP. Funherropje maybe obtained troniTlit. Patent Offiec. Sales Branch. St Man. Cray. OrpijiLion- K,m BR5 3RD- Printed by'ltiltiplex techniques ltd- St Mary Cray. Kent Cur, 1187