CA1088463A - Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guides - Google Patents
Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guidesInfo
- Publication number
- CA1088463A CA1088463A CA287,217A CA287217A CA1088463A CA 1088463 A CA1088463 A CA 1088463A CA 287217 A CA287217 A CA 287217A CA 1088463 A CA1088463 A CA 1088463A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- ink guide
- ball
- ink
- pen
- guide stem
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired
Links
Landscapes
- Pens And Brushes (AREA)
Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE
A ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink is uneffected by foreign substances involved around the ball during pen writing. The ball-point pen includes a hollow pen shaft, a pen tip section inserted in the pen shaft and composed of a ball retaining portion, an ink guide portion, and an ink guide stem retaining portion.
The ink guide portion has a relatively large diameter central bore connecting the ball retaining portion and the ink guide stem retaining portion and a plurality of radially extending narrow width ink guide grooves for capillary action. The ink guide stem retaining portion is charged with a porous ink guide stem having its tip end extending into the rear end of the ink guide grooves and its rear end extending into an inkholder contained in the pen shaft.
A ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink is uneffected by foreign substances involved around the ball during pen writing. The ball-point pen includes a hollow pen shaft, a pen tip section inserted in the pen shaft and composed of a ball retaining portion, an ink guide portion, and an ink guide stem retaining portion.
The ink guide portion has a relatively large diameter central bore connecting the ball retaining portion and the ink guide stem retaining portion and a plurality of radially extending narrow width ink guide grooves for capillary action. The ink guide stem retaining portion is charged with a porous ink guide stem having its tip end extending into the rear end of the ink guide grooves and its rear end extending into an inkholder contained in the pen shaft.
Description
~L~88~3 BAC~GROUND OF THE INVENTION
.
The present invention relates to ball-point type of writing and marking instruments and specifically to an improve-ment therein.
At present, ball-point pens using an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink are becoming more popular for the reason that they provide a clear handwriting with smooth touch in com-parison with conventiona~ bal,l-point pens using an oil based high viscosity ink.
', The low viscosit~ ink used in the ball-point pens has the great advantage described above, but it has been found ' that ball-point pens using this type of ink fail to write or skip when subject to shocks or when held in upright position "' ~or a long period. In order to overcome such a problem, attempts ' '' h~ve been made to interpose an ink guide stem between the ink ,' holder and the ball with its one end surface in,contact with the ' rear surface of the ball or to the~interpose a fluoroc~rbon film between the ball and the end surface of the ink guide stem ', with the film in contact with the rear surface of the ball so ', as to elimi,nate the space between the ball and the ,ink guide ~, stem thereby preventing the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping. Such attempts are disclosed in Japanese Utility ~odel Registration No. 510,~92 issued March 30, 1960 to Nakata , and U.S. Patent No. 2,966,336 issued June 29, 1976 to Lotfallah.
Although these attempts are effective to prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to the above- ; ' mentioned reasons, they are not effective to prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to foreign substances such as paper flocks involved around the hall with the rotation of the ball during pen writing. That is, the --1-- . . .
~'` ' '~
, : : ~ : . :: :. . , : , 1 foreign substances involved around the ball with the rota-tion of the ball tend to make the ball-poin-t pen having no space between the ball and the ink guide ste~, which intercepts flow of ink, resulting in failure to write or skip.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink which will be free from the above-mentioned disadvan-tages found in the conventional ball-point pens. :
The present invention is based on the idea that it is required for preventing the ball-point from failincJ to write or skipping due to both of the above-mentioned xeasons to provide in a pen tip a plural.ity of ink guide grooves having a narrow width sufficient to create capillar~ action ~or retaining the ink therein against shocks or the weight of the ink itself and a central bore which functions as an ink reservoir to maintain -~the ink smoothly flowing even when foreign substances such as flocks are involved with the rotation of the ball during pen ~0 writing and to hold the ink guide stem in close contact with the ink guide grooves in order to continuously supply ink from the inkholder to the ball without air being captured in the ink guide grooves and the central bore. . .
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink without -the ball-point pen failing to write or skipping both due to shocks or the like and due to :
foreign substances involved around the ball wi-th the rotation of the ball during pen writing.
' .
.
The present invention relates to ball-point type of writing and marking instruments and specifically to an improve-ment therein.
At present, ball-point pens using an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink are becoming more popular for the reason that they provide a clear handwriting with smooth touch in com-parison with conventiona~ bal,l-point pens using an oil based high viscosity ink.
', The low viscosit~ ink used in the ball-point pens has the great advantage described above, but it has been found ' that ball-point pens using this type of ink fail to write or skip when subject to shocks or when held in upright position "' ~or a long period. In order to overcome such a problem, attempts ' '' h~ve been made to interpose an ink guide stem between the ink ,' holder and the ball with its one end surface in,contact with the ' rear surface of the ball or to the~interpose a fluoroc~rbon film between the ball and the end surface of the ink guide stem ', with the film in contact with the rear surface of the ball so ', as to elimi,nate the space between the ball and the ,ink guide ~, stem thereby preventing the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping. Such attempts are disclosed in Japanese Utility ~odel Registration No. 510,~92 issued March 30, 1960 to Nakata , and U.S. Patent No. 2,966,336 issued June 29, 1976 to Lotfallah.
Although these attempts are effective to prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to the above- ; ' mentioned reasons, they are not effective to prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to foreign substances such as paper flocks involved around the hall with the rotation of the ball during pen writing. That is, the --1-- . . .
~'` ' '~
, : : ~ : . :: :. . , : , 1 foreign substances involved around the ball with the rota-tion of the ball tend to make the ball-poin-t pen having no space between the ball and the ink guide ste~, which intercepts flow of ink, resulting in failure to write or skip.
The present invention has for its object to provide an improved ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink which will be free from the above-mentioned disadvan-tages found in the conventional ball-point pens. :
The present invention is based on the idea that it is required for preventing the ball-point from failincJ to write or skipping due to both of the above-mentioned xeasons to provide in a pen tip a plural.ity of ink guide grooves having a narrow width sufficient to create capillar~ action ~or retaining the ink therein against shocks or the weight of the ink itself and a central bore which functions as an ink reservoir to maintain -~the ink smoothly flowing even when foreign substances such as flocks are involved with the rotation of the ball during pen ~0 writing and to hold the ink guide stem in close contact with the ink guide grooves in order to continuously supply ink from the inkholder to the ball without air being captured in the ink guide grooves and the central bore. . .
It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved ball-point pen adapted to use an aqueous solution based low viscosity ink without -the ball-point pen failing to write or skipping both due to shocks or the like and due to :
foreign substances involved around the ball wi-th the rotation of the ball during pen writing.
' .
-2- .
" . . . : , . .: ,: ' .. , ' : : ' ii3 In the drawings:
Fig~ l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of a ball-point pen according to the present invention.
Figs. 2 through 4 are enlarged sectional views showing the tip portion of the ball-point pens;
Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line A-A of Figs~2 through 4;
Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views showing ~
the ink guide section of the pen tip; -Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line B-B of Fig. 2; ;
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the tip portion with neither the ball nor the ink guide stem inserted in ,the tip portion; and Fig. l0 is a sectional view taken along the section line C-C of Fig. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TEIE PREFERRED EMBODIME~TS .
Referring now to Fig. l, there is illustrated a ball-point pen comprising a hollow pen shaft l having therein an inkholder 5 such as a plastic reservoir charged with ink or fascicular ibers pregnant with ink. The pen shaft l }ias its rear end closed with a plug (not shown) and its tip portion tapered and formed with a cylindrical recess having an inner diameter suitable for receiving and holding a pen tip 2 formed of synthetic resin and preferably of polyacetal resin. The pen shaft l is also formad in its tapered tip portion with a vent 4 communicating the interior of the pen shaft 1 to the air.
' ' :' , ~ :
:' ' . ' ; $
~8~;i3 1 There is integrally formed in the interior oE the pen shaf-t i a stopper 6 to prevent the inkholder 5 from being inserted into the -tapered portion. An ink guide stem 3 is inserted in the rear portion of the pen tip 2 and has its rear end extending into the inkholder 5.
As shown in more detail in Fig. 2, the pen tip 2 inserted in the tip end portion of the pen shaft 1 is comprised of a ball retaining portion for retaining a ball 7 having a diameter in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm and fo~med of ruby or steel such as chromium steel, stainless steel, tungsten steel or the like. The tip 2 is further comprised of an ink guide portion and an ink guide stem retaining portion.
The ball retaining portion is comprised o~ a ball seat 8 ~or supporting the ball 7 thereon, a bore portion 9 providing a slight space between the ball 7 and the inner wall of the pen tip 2, and a band-like sur~ace 10 ~or holding the ball 7 together on the ball seat 8. The ink guide portion communicates the ball retaining portion to an ink guide stem retaining bore 11.
The ink guide portion is ~ormed centrally with a central ~ore 12 extending axially and a plurality of ink guide grooves 13 each radially extending Erom the central bore 12 and having its one end opened to the bore portion 9 and the ball seat 8 of the ball retaining portion and having its rear end opened to the ink guide stem retaining bore 11. The ball seat 8 is shaped in a truncated cone having an inclined surface to which the plurality of the ink guide grooves 13 are opened in spaced relation so that the ball 7 ca~ be supported on a plurality of divided surfaces. This permits a smoooth rotation of the ball 7 in comparison with a ball seat surface formed with no opening and permits the ball to be subject to less wear in comparison with a ...
":
_4_ .
:. ;.; . . . , . , . : ,. .
~8~3~6~
1 ball seat composed of a plurality of inclined surfaces such that the ball is supported at a plurality of points. The ~;
space between the bore portion side wall and the ball 7 is in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.04 times the diameter of the ball 7. A space of 0.015 to 0.025 times the diameter of the ball 7 is generally preferred. -;
Figs. 5 through 7 illustrate differnt cross sectional shapes of the bore formed by the central bore 12 of the ink guide portion and the ink guide grooves 13 radially extending from the central bore 12. The central bore 12 functions as an ink reservoir and as a chamber for receiving foreign substances involved around the ball 7 with the rotation of the ball 7 during pen writing. The central bore 12 has its diameter :iIl the range of about 0.15 to about 0.9 times the diameter of the ball 7.
A diameter o~ about 0.3 to 0.~ times the dia~eter oE the ball is generally preferred. The central bore 12 has a length in the range of 0.8 to 3.0 mm, preferably, 1.0 to 2.0 mm. The ink guide grooves 13 radially extending from the central bore 12 function to continuously supply ink from the ink guide stem 3 to the ball 7. Then each of the ink guide grooves 13 has a traverse width W sufficiently narrow to create capillary action, that is in the range of about 0.02 to 0.20 m~l. A traverse width of about 0.05 to 0.15 mm is generally preferred. Two to eight, preferaby three to six, ink guide grooves are provided to supply a sufficien-t amount of ink from the ink guide stem 3 to -the ball 7. The outermost side wall of the ink guide groove 13 i5 spaced away from the axis of the central bore 12 a distance equal to or slightly longer than the radius o~ the ball 7. The arrangement where the distance between the outermost side wall of the ink guide groove 13 and the axis of the central bore 12 is equal to the radius .
~88~63 1 of the ball 7 is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the arrangement where the distance therebetween is slightly longer than the radius of the ball 7 is illustrated in Fig. 4. Although the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 is more difficult to produce in comparison with those shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is advantageous in that an increased amount of ink can be ,supplied from the ink guide stem 3 to the ball 7 and that air capture in -the ink guide grooves or the central bore during initial ink supply can be prevented. The second described advantage is described herein-after with reference to Figs. 9 and lO.
As may be appreciated from the illustrations in Figs.
9 and 10, the ink first supplied from the ink guide stem
" . . . : , . .: ,: ' .. , ' : : ' ii3 In the drawings:
Fig~ l is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing one embodiment of a ball-point pen according to the present invention.
Figs. 2 through 4 are enlarged sectional views showing the tip portion of the ball-point pens;
Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line A-A of Figs~2 through 4;
Figs. 6 and 7 are transverse sectional views showing ~
the ink guide section of the pen tip; -Fig. 8 is a transverse sectional view taken along the section line B-B of Fig. 2; ;
Fig. 9 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the tip portion with neither the ball nor the ink guide stem inserted in ,the tip portion; and Fig. l0 is a sectional view taken along the section line C-C of Fig. 9.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TEIE PREFERRED EMBODIME~TS .
Referring now to Fig. l, there is illustrated a ball-point pen comprising a hollow pen shaft l having therein an inkholder 5 such as a plastic reservoir charged with ink or fascicular ibers pregnant with ink. The pen shaft l }ias its rear end closed with a plug (not shown) and its tip portion tapered and formed with a cylindrical recess having an inner diameter suitable for receiving and holding a pen tip 2 formed of synthetic resin and preferably of polyacetal resin. The pen shaft l is also formad in its tapered tip portion with a vent 4 communicating the interior of the pen shaft 1 to the air.
' ' :' , ~ :
:' ' . ' ; $
~8~;i3 1 There is integrally formed in the interior oE the pen shaf-t i a stopper 6 to prevent the inkholder 5 from being inserted into the -tapered portion. An ink guide stem 3 is inserted in the rear portion of the pen tip 2 and has its rear end extending into the inkholder 5.
As shown in more detail in Fig. 2, the pen tip 2 inserted in the tip end portion of the pen shaft 1 is comprised of a ball retaining portion for retaining a ball 7 having a diameter in the range of about 0.5 mm to about 1.2 mm and fo~med of ruby or steel such as chromium steel, stainless steel, tungsten steel or the like. The tip 2 is further comprised of an ink guide portion and an ink guide stem retaining portion.
The ball retaining portion is comprised o~ a ball seat 8 ~or supporting the ball 7 thereon, a bore portion 9 providing a slight space between the ball 7 and the inner wall of the pen tip 2, and a band-like sur~ace 10 ~or holding the ball 7 together on the ball seat 8. The ink guide portion communicates the ball retaining portion to an ink guide stem retaining bore 11.
The ink guide portion is ~ormed centrally with a central ~ore 12 extending axially and a plurality of ink guide grooves 13 each radially extending Erom the central bore 12 and having its one end opened to the bore portion 9 and the ball seat 8 of the ball retaining portion and having its rear end opened to the ink guide stem retaining bore 11. The ball seat 8 is shaped in a truncated cone having an inclined surface to which the plurality of the ink guide grooves 13 are opened in spaced relation so that the ball 7 ca~ be supported on a plurality of divided surfaces. This permits a smoooth rotation of the ball 7 in comparison with a ball seat surface formed with no opening and permits the ball to be subject to less wear in comparison with a ...
":
_4_ .
:. ;.; . . . , . , . : ,. .
~8~3~6~
1 ball seat composed of a plurality of inclined surfaces such that the ball is supported at a plurality of points. The ~;
space between the bore portion side wall and the ball 7 is in the range of about 0.01 to about 0.04 times the diameter of the ball 7. A space of 0.015 to 0.025 times the diameter of the ball 7 is generally preferred. -;
Figs. 5 through 7 illustrate differnt cross sectional shapes of the bore formed by the central bore 12 of the ink guide portion and the ink guide grooves 13 radially extending from the central bore 12. The central bore 12 functions as an ink reservoir and as a chamber for receiving foreign substances involved around the ball 7 with the rotation of the ball 7 during pen writing. The central bore 12 has its diameter :iIl the range of about 0.15 to about 0.9 times the diameter of the ball 7.
A diameter o~ about 0.3 to 0.~ times the dia~eter oE the ball is generally preferred. The central bore 12 has a length in the range of 0.8 to 3.0 mm, preferably, 1.0 to 2.0 mm. The ink guide grooves 13 radially extending from the central bore 12 function to continuously supply ink from the ink guide stem 3 to the ball 7. Then each of the ink guide grooves 13 has a traverse width W sufficiently narrow to create capillary action, that is in the range of about 0.02 to 0.20 m~l. A traverse width of about 0.05 to 0.15 mm is generally preferred. Two to eight, preferaby three to six, ink guide grooves are provided to supply a sufficien-t amount of ink from the ink guide stem 3 to -the ball 7. The outermost side wall of the ink guide groove 13 i5 spaced away from the axis of the central bore 12 a distance equal to or slightly longer than the radius o~ the ball 7. The arrangement where the distance between the outermost side wall of the ink guide groove 13 and the axis of the central bore 12 is equal to the radius .
~88~63 1 of the ball 7 is illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3, and the arrangement where the distance therebetween is slightly longer than the radius of the ball 7 is illustrated in Fig. 4. Although the arrangement shown in Fig. 4 is more difficult to produce in comparison with those shown in Figs. 2 and 3, it is advantageous in that an increased amount of ink can be ,supplied from the ink guide stem 3 to the ball 7 and that air capture in -the ink guide grooves or the central bore during initial ink supply can be prevented. The second described advantage is described herein-after with reference to Figs. 9 and lO.
As may be appreciated from the illustrations in Figs.
9 and 10, the ink first supplied from the ink guide stem
3 into the ink guide grooves 13 and the central bore 12 flows at the highest speed at the outermost rectanglllar corner 16 and reaches the tip end surface 17, while at the same time the ink 10ws at a slower speed near through the central portion of the guide grooves. This results in air being discharged through the ball seat so as to prevent air capture in the ink guide grooves and the center bore and also to prevent the ball-point pen from becoming out of ink.
The ink guide grooves 13 may be extended up to the ink guide stem retaining bore ll, in which case, ribs 15 are provided in the ink guide stem retaining bore 11 to form grooves 14 connected to the ink guide grooves 13 of the ink guide portion.
The ribs 15 are formed to have their height gradually reduced going rearward ( as shown in Figs, 3 and 4 ) for easy production of the mould for moulding the ribs 15.
In the ink guide stem re-taining portion there is formed an ink guide stem retaining bore in a cylindrical shape ~ -30 having its diameter in the range of about 0.8 to 3.0 mm and ; ;
, ~88~
1 preferably in the range of about 1.0 to 2.0 mm. The ink guide stem retaining bore may be formed in a stepped f~rm such as to have a large diameter rear por-tion as shown in Fig. 4. The .
length of the ink guide stem retaining bore is in the range of about 5 to 20 mm. A length of about 7 to 15 mm is preferred in order to retain the ink guide stem. :~
It is preferable for uniform quality and economy to make the tip portion of the ball pen using an aqueous solution based ink out of polyacetal resin having a high wear-resistance, excellent dimensional stability, and easy to mould ~y injection - moulding. The ink guide stem 3 for supplying ink from the inkholder S into the ink guide grooves 13 is formed of a porous stem of resin finished fascicular synthetic fibers t a porous stem oE fascicular synthetic fibers or fascicular bristles covered with a resin, or a s~nthetic resin stem havin~ elongated ink channels parallel to the longitudinal axis. The ink gu1de stem 3 is preferably formed of a stem of fascicular polyester, nylon, or acrylic synthetic fibers bound partially with a thermosetting resin. The ink guide stem 3 is finished by fasciating ld to 29d sllver- or filament-form fibers, immersing it in a 1 to 10~ by weight of a resin solution to impregnate it ~:
with the solution, passing it through a die to sq~eze the solution and determine its diameter, and passing it through a heating chamber to vaporize the residual solution therefrom and harden it. :.
The total denier number of the fibers are determined such that ~
the porosi-ty of the finished stem lS in the range of about 40 ~::
to 90% and preferably in the range of 50 to 80%. The usable synthetic resins are phenol-formaldehyde condensation resin, .
melamine-formaldehyde condensation resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, and the like. The ink guide stem 3 is finished to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter , .
' 8~i3 1 of the rear end of the retaining bore of the pen tip, that is, by 10~ in order to fit with certainly theink guide stem in the retaining bore.
The tip end portion of the ink guide stem is thrusted and forced to extendinto the ink guide grooves in order to hold the ink~guide grooves in close contact with the ink guide stem for ensuring the continuous supply of ink from the inkholder to the ball. This is also ef~ective to reinforce the fixture of the ink guide stem to the pen tip. Where the pen tip is formed as tO illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the ink guide stem is formed at its tip end with a projecting portion 18 to facilitate thrusting the stem into the ink guide grooves, in which case, the projec~ing portion is pressed into the ink guide groove.s unti.l the shoulder 19 of the stem abwts against the stepped portion 20 oE the pen tip.
'rhe length of the projecting portion in the stem tip end should be such that the central bore is not fully charged with the projecting protion in the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2, and the length of the projecting portion is preferably equal to the small diameter portion of the ink guide stem retaining bore in the -arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 4.
In the arrangement as shown in Fig. 3, the ink guide stem is pressed into the bore until its end surface abuts against the stepped portion 20 so that the tip end of the stem is fixed in the ink guide grooves 13 extending into the ink guide stem ;`
retaining bore 11. Figs. 2,3 and 4 respectively illustrate the conditions of the tip end of the ink guide stem extending ~nto the rear end of the ink guide grooves.
The viscosity of the aqueous solution based ink used in the ball-point pen of the present invention is extremely low, that is, in the range of 1 to 50 cps as compared with that of .. . .
~ .
~? ~.
,3 1 conventional oil based ink which is in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 cps at room temperature.
The ball-point pen so arranged according. to the present invention as to comprise a relatively large center bore, a plurality of narrow width ink guide grooves creating a strong capillary action, as an ink guide stem having its tip end thrusted in-to the ink guide grooves can prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to foreign substances involved around the ball with the rota.tion of the ball during pen writing and is free from the disadvantages resulting from the use of a low viscosity ink..
:.:
:
_g_
The ink guide grooves 13 may be extended up to the ink guide stem retaining bore ll, in which case, ribs 15 are provided in the ink guide stem retaining bore 11 to form grooves 14 connected to the ink guide grooves 13 of the ink guide portion.
The ribs 15 are formed to have their height gradually reduced going rearward ( as shown in Figs, 3 and 4 ) for easy production of the mould for moulding the ribs 15.
In the ink guide stem re-taining portion there is formed an ink guide stem retaining bore in a cylindrical shape ~ -30 having its diameter in the range of about 0.8 to 3.0 mm and ; ;
, ~88~
1 preferably in the range of about 1.0 to 2.0 mm. The ink guide stem retaining bore may be formed in a stepped f~rm such as to have a large diameter rear por-tion as shown in Fig. 4. The .
length of the ink guide stem retaining bore is in the range of about 5 to 20 mm. A length of about 7 to 15 mm is preferred in order to retain the ink guide stem. :~
It is preferable for uniform quality and economy to make the tip portion of the ball pen using an aqueous solution based ink out of polyacetal resin having a high wear-resistance, excellent dimensional stability, and easy to mould ~y injection - moulding. The ink guide stem 3 for supplying ink from the inkholder S into the ink guide grooves 13 is formed of a porous stem of resin finished fascicular synthetic fibers t a porous stem oE fascicular synthetic fibers or fascicular bristles covered with a resin, or a s~nthetic resin stem havin~ elongated ink channels parallel to the longitudinal axis. The ink gu1de stem 3 is preferably formed of a stem of fascicular polyester, nylon, or acrylic synthetic fibers bound partially with a thermosetting resin. The ink guide stem 3 is finished by fasciating ld to 29d sllver- or filament-form fibers, immersing it in a 1 to 10~ by weight of a resin solution to impregnate it ~:
with the solution, passing it through a die to sq~eze the solution and determine its diameter, and passing it through a heating chamber to vaporize the residual solution therefrom and harden it. :.
The total denier number of the fibers are determined such that ~
the porosi-ty of the finished stem lS in the range of about 40 ~::
to 90% and preferably in the range of 50 to 80%. The usable synthetic resins are phenol-formaldehyde condensation resin, .
melamine-formaldehyde condensation resin, epoxy resin, polyurethane resin, and the like. The ink guide stem 3 is finished to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter , .
' 8~i3 1 of the rear end of the retaining bore of the pen tip, that is, by 10~ in order to fit with certainly theink guide stem in the retaining bore.
The tip end portion of the ink guide stem is thrusted and forced to extendinto the ink guide grooves in order to hold the ink~guide grooves in close contact with the ink guide stem for ensuring the continuous supply of ink from the inkholder to the ball. This is also ef~ective to reinforce the fixture of the ink guide stem to the pen tip. Where the pen tip is formed as tO illustrated in Figs. 2 and 4, the ink guide stem is formed at its tip end with a projecting portion 18 to facilitate thrusting the stem into the ink guide grooves, in which case, the projec~ing portion is pressed into the ink guide groove.s unti.l the shoulder 19 of the stem abwts against the stepped portion 20 oE the pen tip.
'rhe length of the projecting portion in the stem tip end should be such that the central bore is not fully charged with the projecting protion in the arrangement as shown in Fig. 2, and the length of the projecting portion is preferably equal to the small diameter portion of the ink guide stem retaining bore in the -arrangement as illustrated in Fig. 4.
In the arrangement as shown in Fig. 3, the ink guide stem is pressed into the bore until its end surface abuts against the stepped portion 20 so that the tip end of the stem is fixed in the ink guide grooves 13 extending into the ink guide stem ;`
retaining bore 11. Figs. 2,3 and 4 respectively illustrate the conditions of the tip end of the ink guide stem extending ~nto the rear end of the ink guide grooves.
The viscosity of the aqueous solution based ink used in the ball-point pen of the present invention is extremely low, that is, in the range of 1 to 50 cps as compared with that of .. . .
~ .
~? ~.
,3 1 conventional oil based ink which is in the range of 10,000 to 20,000 cps at room temperature.
The ball-point pen so arranged according. to the present invention as to comprise a relatively large center bore, a plurality of narrow width ink guide grooves creating a strong capillary action, as an ink guide stem having its tip end thrusted in-to the ink guide grooves can prevent the ball-point pen from failing to write or skipping due to foreign substances involved around the ball with the rota.tion of the ball during pen writing and is free from the disadvantages resulting from the use of a low viscosity ink..
:.:
:
_g_
Claims (7)
1. A ball-point pen comprising:
a hollow pen shaft containing an inkholder charged with an aqueous solution based ink;
a pen tip carried in the front end portion of the pen shaft, the pen tip including a ball retaining portion, an ink guide portion, and an ink guide stem retaining portion;
the ball retaining portion including a ball, a ball seat shaped in a truncated cone for receiving the ball, a bore portion providing a space between the ball and the inner wall of the pen tip, and a band-like surface holding the ball on the ball seat;
the ink guide portion including a central bore connect-ing the ball retaining portion to the ink guide stem retaining portion and a plurality of ink guide grooves radially extending from the central bore, each of said ink guide grooves having a transverse width sufficiently narrow to create capillary action for retaining the ink therein, the tip end of the central bore and the ink guide grooves being opened to the ball retaining por-tion and the rear end of the central bore and the ink guide grooves being opened to the ink guide stem retaining portion; and the ink guide stem retaining portion being formed with a cylindrical ink guide stem retaining bore connected to the central bore and the ink guide grooves, the ink guide stem retaining bore being filled with a porous ink guide stem having its tip end extending into the rear ends of the ink guide grooves, and the ink guide stem having its rear extending into the ink-holder.
a hollow pen shaft containing an inkholder charged with an aqueous solution based ink;
a pen tip carried in the front end portion of the pen shaft, the pen tip including a ball retaining portion, an ink guide portion, and an ink guide stem retaining portion;
the ball retaining portion including a ball, a ball seat shaped in a truncated cone for receiving the ball, a bore portion providing a space between the ball and the inner wall of the pen tip, and a band-like surface holding the ball on the ball seat;
the ink guide portion including a central bore connect-ing the ball retaining portion to the ink guide stem retaining portion and a plurality of ink guide grooves radially extending from the central bore, each of said ink guide grooves having a transverse width sufficiently narrow to create capillary action for retaining the ink therein, the tip end of the central bore and the ink guide grooves being opened to the ball retaining por-tion and the rear end of the central bore and the ink guide grooves being opened to the ink guide stem retaining portion; and the ink guide stem retaining portion being formed with a cylindrical ink guide stem retaining bore connected to the central bore and the ink guide grooves, the ink guide stem retaining bore being filled with a porous ink guide stem having its tip end extending into the rear ends of the ink guide grooves, and the ink guide stem having its rear extending into the ink-holder.
2. A ball-point pen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the central bore has a diameter in the range of 0.15 to 0.9 times the diameter of the ball.
3. A ball-point pen as set forth in claim 2, wherein the central bore has a length in the range of 0.8 to 3.0 mm.
4. A ball-point pen as set forth in claims 1, 2 and 3, wherein the ink guide grooves each has a transverse width in the range of 0.02 to 0.20 mm.
5. A ball-point pen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ink guide stem has its tip end formed with a projection having its length shorter than the length of the central bore and the ink guide stem is inserted in the ink guide stem retaining bore with its projection extending into the rear ends of the central bore and the ink guide grooves.
6. A ball-point pen as set forth in claim 1, wherein the ink guide grooves of the pen tip extend into the ink guide stem retaining bore between ribs formed to have their height gradually reduced in the rearward direction and the ink guide stem is inserted into the ink guide stem retaining bore with its tip end extending into the extended portion of the ink guide grooves.
7. A ball-point pen as set forth in claim h, wherein the ink guide stem retaining bore of the pen tip is stepped to have a large diameter rear portion, the ink guide stem is formed to have its tip end fit into the ink guide stem retaining bore, and the ink guide stem is inserted into the ink guide stem retaining bore with its tip end extending into the ink guide grooves extending into the ink guide stem retaining bore.
Priority Applications (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA287,217A CA1088463A (en) | 1977-09-21 | 1977-09-21 | Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guides |
Applications Claiming Priority (1)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA287,217A CA1088463A (en) | 1977-09-21 | 1977-09-21 | Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guides |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1088463A true CA1088463A (en) | 1980-10-28 |
Family
ID=4109593
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA287,217A Expired CA1088463A (en) | 1977-09-21 | 1977-09-21 | Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guides |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1088463A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5520473A (en) * | 1992-06-26 | 1996-05-28 | The Gillette Company | Ball point pen |
-
1977
- 1977-09-21 CA CA287,217A patent/CA1088463A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US5520473A (en) * | 1992-06-26 | 1996-05-28 | The Gillette Company | Ball point pen |
Similar Documents
| Publication | Publication Date | Title |
|---|---|---|
| CA1252756A (en) | Writing pen | |
| US4723859A (en) | Nib body to form plural lines | |
| CA1088463A (en) | Aqueous ink ball-point pen with capillary ink guides | |
| US3424539A (en) | Eountain pen | |
| US4355915A (en) | Ball-point pen tip | |
| US6494634B1 (en) | Penpoint tip and an applicator having the tip incorporated therein | |
| CN100572092C (en) | Core suction type writing instrument | |
| JPS5916225Y2 (en) | Ballpoint pen nib for low viscosity ink | |
| US4116569A (en) | Ball holder for a ball-point pen | |
| US4221493A (en) | Pen nibs | |
| JPS6228450Y2 (en) | ||
| JP6464231B2 (en) | Writing instrument | |
| US4386867A (en) | Multangular pen nib construction | |
| JP2017124544A (en) | Writing instrument | |
| JP2606975Y2 (en) | Ballpoint pen | |
| JPS641101Y2 (en) | ||
| JP3724885B2 (en) | Ballpoint pen | |
| JPS622148Y2 (en) | ||
| JP7269153B2 (en) | ballpoint pen | |
| JP2019136933A (en) | Writing instrument | |
| JPS6048355B2 (en) | Ballpoint pen and its manufacturing method | |
| CN114286754B (en) | Writing tool | |
| JP4460748B2 (en) | Direct liquid writing instrument | |
| JPS5911297A (en) | Note | |
| JP3224974B2 (en) | Fountain pen core |
Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| MKEX | Expiry |