CA1159397A - Instrument marker pen - Google Patents
Instrument marker penInfo
- Publication number
- CA1159397A CA1159397A CA000379189A CA379189A CA1159397A CA 1159397 A CA1159397 A CA 1159397A CA 000379189 A CA000379189 A CA 000379189A CA 379189 A CA379189 A CA 379189A CA 1159397 A CA1159397 A CA 1159397A
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- nib
- writing
- shock absorbing
- marker pen
- tip
- 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
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
- B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
- B43K24/00—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units
- B43K24/02—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions
- B43K24/023—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions with a deformable barrel
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
- B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
- B43K7/00—Ball-point pens
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
- B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
- B43K8/00—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls
- B43K8/02—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls with writing-points comprising fibres, felt, or similar porous or capillary material
Abstract
Abstract of the Disclosure A self-damping, resilient shock absorbing member is provided for use in conjunction with recorder in-strument marker pens of the type adapted for high speed printing. The shock absorbing member typically elasto-meric, is positioned adjacent the writing tip portion of the marker to provide for a substantially constant pressure on the writing tip, to reduce pen skipping, increase writing tip lifer and provide for a consistent mark upon the desired substrate. The shock absorbing member is substantially self-damping in that vibration or the like associated with high speed writing, is quickly dissipated without undue oscillatory motion.
The self-damping, resilient, shock absorbing member is preferably utilized in conjunction with ballpoint or ex-truded plastic nib type writing elements.
The self-damping, resilient, shock absorbing member is preferably utilized in conjunction with ballpoint or ex-truded plastic nib type writing elements.
Description
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IMPROVEI) INSTRUMENT MARKER PEN
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a marker or pen of the type adapted ~or use in recorder i.nstruments. In particular, this invention relates to a marker or pen adapted to make a line trace of consistent density and width, even at high trace speeds and on writing surfaces with minor surface irregularities. The terms "marker", . .
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1 1 593~7 "pen", "marker pen", and possibly other terms of similar import are all used interchangeably herein, unless otherwise indicated in the context of a speci~ic usage.
Background of the Invention Writing devices with resiliently mounted writing tips are known. U.S. Patents 1,043,518 (Gerspacher),
IMPROVEI) INSTRUMENT MARKER PEN
Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a marker or pen of the type adapted ~or use in recorder i.nstruments. In particular, this invention relates to a marker or pen adapted to make a line trace of consistent density and width, even at high trace speeds and on writing surfaces with minor surface irregularities. The terms "marker", . .
: ' ' '. "' ' ' , ' ~ ':
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1 1 593~7 "pen", "marker pen", and possibly other terms of similar import are all used interchangeably herein, unless otherwise indicated in the context of a speci~ic usage.
Background of the Invention Writing devices with resiliently mounted writing tips are known. U.S. Patents 1,043,518 (Gerspacher),
2,231,410 (Kern et al), and Reissue 23,256 (Engel, Jr.) disclose devices wherein the writing tip portions of pencils are supported by yieldable members. In U.S.
Patent 2,231,410 (Kern et al), a resilient sleeve is provided about a graphite rod stylus securely within the pencil supporting struction. (The Engel device, which i uses a coil spring, is said to be useful also in a fountain pen.) U.S. Patent 225,914 (Baur) discloses a Stylo-graphic Fountain-Pen wherein a spring member is provided to support a stylus in a frame structure.
Constant writing pressure is effected also in a coil spring biased writing element, as shown in U.S.
Paten~ 2,641,226 (Patterson).
In U.S. Patents 2,097,266 (Vosbikian et al) and
Patent 2,231,410 (Kern et al), a resilient sleeve is provided about a graphite rod stylus securely within the pencil supporting struction. (The Engel device, which i uses a coil spring, is said to be useful also in a fountain pen.) U.S. Patent 225,914 (Baur) discloses a Stylo-graphic Fountain-Pen wherein a spring member is provided to support a stylus in a frame structure.
Constant writing pressure is effected also in a coil spring biased writing element, as shown in U.S.
Paten~ 2,641,226 (Patterson).
In U.S. Patents 2,097,266 (Vosbikian et al) and
3,377,124 (Matsumoto), coil springs or the like are - , ,,,, : . .
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3 ;~ 7 provided to bear against the writing tip portion of the pen or pencil. In these devices, the sprin~ is utilized to actuate a valve to open or block ink communication between the ink reservoir and writing element. A simi-lar spring loaded valve in another type of liquid dis-penser is seen in U.S. Patent 2,613,382 (Patterson).
U.S. Patents 2,996,750 ~Cholet) and 3,153,804 (Silver) disclose utilization of other types of re-silient members in proximity to the writing tips of markers to actuate valve openings to supply ink to the writing tips thereof.
The foregoing teachings are not considered suitable or readily adaptable for use in conjunction with high speed recorder instruments, wherein the marker must absorb shock (such as may be caused by surface irregu-larities) or vibration imparted by marker traverse along the desired writing substrate, while following the '~
contour of the substrate surface and applying a rela-tively constant writing pressure. Rather the yieldable mountings in these teachings would be expected generally to be overly yieldable and oscillatory, thus, in a high speed instrument marker, resulting in uneven writing and excessive tip wear. '~
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Particularly in those prior art devices charac-terized by utilization of a coil spring or the like to bear upon the writing element, the coil spring would typically be expected to oscillate after being subjected to shock or vibration and this would not be expected to provide a consistent mark upon the substrate due to the oscillation phenomena.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a marker of the type adapted for utilization in high speed recorder instrument devices which marker minimizes the effeck on the writing tip of shock or vibration caused by the writing surface or impact of the marker tip when engaging the writing surface.
A more particular object of this invention is to -provide a marker, through which steady writing pressure is applied and which tends to follow writing surface contours with ~ulck and non-oscillatory recovery from sur~ace irregularities, even at hi~h writing or ~race speeds.
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Brief Description of the Invention The present invention consists of in a recorder instrument marker pen of the type comprising a body, an ink reservoir, a writing tip and an ink transport means for conducting ink from said ink reservoir to said writing tip, the improvement comprising self-damping, shock absorbing resilient holding means in which said tip is secured and which is in turn secured to said body, the resiliency of said means permitting said means to be deformed at the relatively low writing pressure of a recording instrument and to return from slight deformation without oscillation, said means thus being adapted to permit said writing tip to produce a relatively constant and uniform writing trace at relatively high speed at relatively low writing pressure and notwithstanding irregularities in the writing surface.
In the prefe~red embodiment, the shock absorbing marker of this invention includes a shock absorbing elastomeric member interposed between the writing tip and a holder therefor, typically an ink reservoir holder, such that writing pressure is applied through the shock absorbing `
member. Preferably this member comprises a resilient disk generally parallel to the plane o~ the writing surface and secured at its perimeter to the holder and at its center to the writing tip and/or tip holder. At its perimeter, the ~5 disk may include a dependent sleeve or skirt mounted on the end of the holder coaxially with respect to an ink trans-porting wick, which wick is adapted to conduct ink from the ink reservoir of the pen to the writin~ tip.
The elastomeric material provides a substantially "self-damping" shock absorbing system, similar to the provision of automobile shock absorbers which constantly maintain contact between the tires and road sureaces despite bumps and r~ace irre~ulari~ies over which the car travels.
This shock absorbin~ characteristic is rnost slgni~ican~
in pens or markers intended eor high speed writin~ or tracing, Such perl~ or markers normally : ;, .
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require a low surface tension ink, which is readily releasable from the pen nib, so as to deposit a uniform impression notwithstanding the high trace speed. ~low-ever, this ink property tends to accentuate non uniformities, which would otherwise be produced by sur-face bumps and irregularities in the writing surface.
The shock absorbing characteristic of the markers or pens of the present invention tends to counteract this problem.
The markers or pens of the present invention are also adapted, in the preferred form of the present invention, to utilize such low surface tension inXs with a minimum of other related problems, particularly in-cluding bleeding and leaking of the low surface tension inX from marker or pen components. Specifically, in the preferred form of the present invention, the shock absorbing marker includes a nib holder, which moves with the resiliently mounted nib and which occupies otherwise void space within the marker around the nib to prevent any large accumulation of li~uid ink within the marker.
During shipment and use, ink pooled in this ~anner will leak from the marker through vents or other openings.
The greater the accumulation, the greater is this problemt so reducing the possible accumulation is found to reduce the tendency of the marker to leak.
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Similarly~ the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an outer cap with a slight vent hole. This prevents forming a negative pressure, which would tend to draw ink from the marker, as the cap is removed.
Brief Description of the Drawings For a better unders~anding of the marker pen of the present invention, reference may be made to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specifi-cation, wherein reference numerals designate the sameor similar parts. In these drawings, : Figure 1 is an exploded view of a ballpoint recorder instrument marker pen embodiment in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the marker pen shown in Figure 1, with a cap member affixed thereto and shown in dot-dash lines; ~:
Fi~ure 3 is an exploded view of another embodi-ment of the present invention wherein the marker pen is provided with an extruded plastic nib;
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Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the in-strument marker pen shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an exploded view of another marker pen with extruded plastic nib; and Figure 6 is an assembly view, partially in cross section, of the instrument marker pen shown in Figure 5, also including cap members affixed thereon.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a ballpoint instrument pen adapted to produce a high speed uniform trace. More specifically, this pen comprises a body member 2 housing a fibrous reservoir 4 with a rear closure 6 and a front neck portion 8 having a reduced diameter throat 10 through which projects :
an ink feeding wick 12, one end of which projects into fibrous reservoir 4 and the other end of which fits into a ball writing tip assembly 14.
Ball writin~ tip assembly 14 is resiliently mounted on front neck portion 8 through a mating elas-tomeric nib holder 16 having a front disk 18, secured atits periphery to the front of neck portion 8 by a de-pendent skirt fit over the outer circumference of body .
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_g_ portion 8. Ball writing tip assembly 14 is held in engagement, in a central opening of disk 18, by a short plastic sleeve member 20 fit over the outer perimeter of the shaft of ball writing tip assembly 14 just aft of S front disk 18 of elastomeric nib holder 16, with clearance around the outer diameter thereof, however, to permit relatively free axial movement of ball writing tip assembly 14, upon deflection of front disk 18, within front neck portion 8 of body member 2.
In this embodiment of the present inventlon, ink feeding wick 12 is securely retained in ball writing tip assembly 14 by means of a stake or inward dimple, such as may be produced by thermal hot tip or ultrasonic deformation on the shaft portion of ball writing tip assembly 14. A vent means, shown as a hole 33 through front disk 18, is also provided to permit entry of air into the reservoir-containing body member 2. Ridges 22 are provided on the outer perimeter of front neck por-tion 8 to better retain elastomeric nib holder 16 and a protective cover 24 is secured over the writing tip of the assembly and mates in fluid tight sealing enagement with seal ring 34 on elastomer nib holder 16.
In Figures 3 and 4, an extruded nib version of the resiliently mounted instrument marker pen of the present invention is shown. More specifically, the , .
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'. . ~ ' ~ ~ ~93~7 extruded nib version also includes body member 2 with front neck portion 8 and elastomeric nib holder 16. The writing element in this form of the invention comprises an extruded plastic material nib 26, projecting from fibrous reservoir 4 to the writing tip end thereof. Nib element 26 projects through reduced diameter throat 10 of front portion 8 of body 2 and is retained in a central opening of front disk portion 18 of elasto-meric nib holder 16 by a nib adaptor member 28. Nib adaptor member 28 includes, in this embodiment of the invention, a polygonal central hole 30 for venting of the interior of case 2 around the periphery of nib 26.
Nib adaptor member 28 also includes an indentation 32 with opposed facing surfaces on either side thereof, within which is fit the peripheral edge of the central opening of the front disk portion 18.
In Figures 5 and 6 there is shown the preferred form of the present invention, which is a marker similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4, differing however in several significant respects. In particular, the marker of Figures S and 6 is better adapted for use with low surface tension inks of the type normally required in high speed tracing instruments. Referring only to those features of the Figure 5-6 embodiment which differ from the design shown in Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted ~ ~593~
that fibrous reservoir 44 pro~ects lower within the marker body 48 so as to leave less void space between reservoir 44 and nib adaptor member 40. Nib adaptor member 40 also includes a rear cylindrical segment 42 dimensioned to permit free vertical travel within the forward projection 46 of marker body 48. The upper end of rear segment 42 is also configured to occupy most of -the void space within the forward projection 46 of marker body 48 so as to avoid unnecessary void space therein. A sliyht remaining void 43 is permitted, however, between the rear end 42 and the front end of fibrous reservoir 44 so as to prevent physical contact thereof.
As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, nib 50, an extruded nib commercially available from Uchida Yoko of Tokyo, Japan is cut to a rear taper in which the central capillary portion of the extruded nib is exposed along a short length thereof and the entire rear end of the nib rides relatively freely within a cylindrical recess 45 at the front end of fibrous reservoir 44.
The rear cylindrical portion 42 of nib adaptor member 40, by occupying most o~ the void space within the forward projection 46 of marker body holder 4~, prevents any large accumulation of liquid ink bled from fibrous reservoir 44. In addition, it serves as a stand pipe to prevent any significant amount of liquid ink .. ., ~, .. .
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1102~CIP-78 lying adjacent a vertical length of nib 50, thereby limiting the tendency of any ink to bleed down through the vent spaces along the length of nib 50.
Nib adaptor member 40 also includes a polygonal nib receiving hole 52 to provide vent spaces around nib 50 and along the length thereof. In some applications, however, nib receiving hole 52 may be polygcnal only through part of the length of nib adaptor member 40. In particular, the nib-receiving hole 52, is annular, in at least one form of the present invention, from recess 32 of nib adaptor member 40, forwar~, so as to prevent any tendency of the nib 5~ to cause deformation of the forward portion 54 of nib adaptor member 40. Such deformation may result in undesirable loss of clearance of the marker with the instrument in which it is mounted, in some applications.
It will also be noted that in the marker of Figures 5 and 6, vent hole 33 (seen in the marker of Figures 3 and 4) is eliminated in view of the provision of vent holes along the length of nib 50 by the poly-gonal nib-receiving hole 52.
To prevent ink bleeding and leaking during shipment, the mar~er of Figures 5 and 6 also includes a - ~ .., . .: .
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tightly fitting inner nib cap 56 and a threadedly received outer nib cap 58. However, nib cap 58 includes a forward vent hole 6n to preclude any tendency to develop a negative pressure within nib cap 58, as it is removed. Such a negative pressure tends to draw liquid ink, within the marker, out through the vent spaces of the mar~er.
With regard to the essential element of a re-silient mounting means for the writing tip or nib in an improved instrument marker pen of the present invention, the resilient mounting means may take any of various shapes or forms, so long as the shape and material selection is made in a manner adapted to permit the writing element to produce a relatively constant and uniform width writing trace at relatively high speed and at relatively low writing pressure, notwithstanding irregularities in the writing surface. According to the present invention, it is preferred, though not neces-sarily critical, that the resilient mounting means comprise a cylindrical or sleeve-like member fitting over and mating with the forward projecting portion of the pen body, with a forward disk which deflects in-wardly. Obviously a variety of other designs may also be devised to accomplish a similar result. With regard to material selection, it is absolutely critical that ": , 3~
the material, together with the geometric design of the mounting means, comprise a yielding or resilient ma-terial which however tends to return from a deformed state without oscillation. In this respect not all elastic or spring members are suitable. Elastomeric materials are generally suitable and in the preferred forms of the present invention, the resilient nib holder is composed of EPDM rubber. Other rubbery or elasto-meric materials may also be used however, such as natural rubber, and synthetic rubber, including SBR
rubber, b~tyl rubber, polybutadiene, ethylene propylene rubber, neoprene, NBR rubber, polysulfide rubber, poly-urethane, silicone rubber, hypalon, and acrylics and fluoroelastomers in general. Elastomeric sponge ma-terials may also be used.
Preferably, the writing tip or nib is retained,generally through a nib adaptor member, in a central opening of a resilient disk member, secured at its periphery to the marker body. Bending deflection of the disk member, over a free moving disk radius (to its secured peripheral edge) on the order of +l millimeter, with nib vertical movement limited to about -~1 milli-meter, is sufficient with a disk member durometer value on the order of 50 shore A ~i.e., durometer measured on Shore gauge, scale A), to produce the highly desirable shock absorbing characteristic described herein.
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' Examples The significant improvement in marker pens for high speed uniform tracing produced by the present invention was demonstrated in a series of instrument marker pens in which marker pens with elastomeric nib holders to provide a resiliently mounted tip, as - described above, were compared to comparable pens with identical elements but in which the tip was otherwise non-yieldingly mounted within the marker case. Four plots, on sheets labeled A through H, were made with each of eight pen combinations as indicated in the Table which follows (the designation "ips" referring to trace speed in inches per second):
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a) ~ Q ::~ Q :~ Q :~ Q
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~ æ ~ æ ~ z ~ z ~ z ~1 ~L7 alCL7 ~ ~7 ~7 EL7 ll G~
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, ~'~ ~ ' ' ' ', ' ' . "' ~ ~ 5~ 3l~ ~1 The sheets and plots thus produced were visually compared for skipping tendency and line consistency or uniformity. Pens utilizing the elastomeric holder mounting means were found consistently to produce plots which were generally more uniform and continuous than those produced by pens not having the elastomeric nib holders. This significant difference was even more noticeable on the high writing speed plots, namely the twenty-two inch per second plots and a more significant improvement was noted for the ballpoint pen markers versus the non-resiliently mounted ballpoint pen markers, than in the extruded nib markers.
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Indeed, in plot 1, the ball tip marker with nonA
resilient tip mounting produced a plot at eight inches per second (Sheet C) not significantly different than the ball tip marker with resilient nib holder writing at twenty-two inches per second (Sheet A). This may be interpreted as a three fold increase in writing speed in the ball tip marker.
~ ~0 Similarly, the extruded nib marker with ,l resilient nib holder at twenty-two inches per second (Sheet G) produced a marker with uniformity and con-sistency similar to that of the extruded nib marker with non-resilient nib mounting at sixteen inches per second (Shee~ F~.
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Still further, Sheet H, plot 1 demonstrates that an extruded nîb marker with non-resilient nib mounting at a pressure of 20 gms. produced a trace of uniformity and consistency not significantly different than the extruded marker with the resilient nib holder at a pressure of 10 gms. (Sheet G, plot 4). Thus in the extruded nib marker version with resilient nib holder, comparable trace quality is produced with effectively half the writing pressure (significantly improving expected nib life) as compared to the non-resilient mounted extruded nib marker.
~: ' Accordingly, it is apparent that the present invention provides a significant improvement in high speed writing instrument marker pens. This is done by the provision of a self-damping shock absorbing structure for utilization in a recorder instrument writing element of the type adapted for high speed prin~ing applications.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the par-ticular construction and arrangements shown and describ-ed, and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the .
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invention. One such modification is the possible sub-stitution of a relatively hard fibrous nib element for the extruded plastic nib element shown and described above. The appended claims should be construed so as to cover all such changes and modifications.
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3 ;~ 7 provided to bear against the writing tip portion of the pen or pencil. In these devices, the sprin~ is utilized to actuate a valve to open or block ink communication between the ink reservoir and writing element. A simi-lar spring loaded valve in another type of liquid dis-penser is seen in U.S. Patent 2,613,382 (Patterson).
U.S. Patents 2,996,750 ~Cholet) and 3,153,804 (Silver) disclose utilization of other types of re-silient members in proximity to the writing tips of markers to actuate valve openings to supply ink to the writing tips thereof.
The foregoing teachings are not considered suitable or readily adaptable for use in conjunction with high speed recorder instruments, wherein the marker must absorb shock (such as may be caused by surface irregu-larities) or vibration imparted by marker traverse along the desired writing substrate, while following the '~
contour of the substrate surface and applying a rela-tively constant writing pressure. Rather the yieldable mountings in these teachings would be expected generally to be overly yieldable and oscillatory, thus, in a high speed instrument marker, resulting in uneven writing and excessive tip wear. '~
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Particularly in those prior art devices charac-terized by utilization of a coil spring or the like to bear upon the writing element, the coil spring would typically be expected to oscillate after being subjected to shock or vibration and this would not be expected to provide a consistent mark upon the substrate due to the oscillation phenomena.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a marker of the type adapted for utilization in high speed recorder instrument devices which marker minimizes the effeck on the writing tip of shock or vibration caused by the writing surface or impact of the marker tip when engaging the writing surface.
A more particular object of this invention is to -provide a marker, through which steady writing pressure is applied and which tends to follow writing surface contours with ~ulck and non-oscillatory recovery from sur~ace irregularities, even at hi~h writing or ~race speeds.
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Brief Description of the Invention The present invention consists of in a recorder instrument marker pen of the type comprising a body, an ink reservoir, a writing tip and an ink transport means for conducting ink from said ink reservoir to said writing tip, the improvement comprising self-damping, shock absorbing resilient holding means in which said tip is secured and which is in turn secured to said body, the resiliency of said means permitting said means to be deformed at the relatively low writing pressure of a recording instrument and to return from slight deformation without oscillation, said means thus being adapted to permit said writing tip to produce a relatively constant and uniform writing trace at relatively high speed at relatively low writing pressure and notwithstanding irregularities in the writing surface.
In the prefe~red embodiment, the shock absorbing marker of this invention includes a shock absorbing elastomeric member interposed between the writing tip and a holder therefor, typically an ink reservoir holder, such that writing pressure is applied through the shock absorbing `
member. Preferably this member comprises a resilient disk generally parallel to the plane o~ the writing surface and secured at its perimeter to the holder and at its center to the writing tip and/or tip holder. At its perimeter, the ~5 disk may include a dependent sleeve or skirt mounted on the end of the holder coaxially with respect to an ink trans-porting wick, which wick is adapted to conduct ink from the ink reservoir of the pen to the writin~ tip.
The elastomeric material provides a substantially "self-damping" shock absorbing system, similar to the provision of automobile shock absorbers which constantly maintain contact between the tires and road sureaces despite bumps and r~ace irre~ulari~ies over which the car travels.
This shock absorbin~ characteristic is rnost slgni~ican~
in pens or markers intended eor high speed writin~ or tracing, Such perl~ or markers normally : ;, .
- ~
I .;
;
,, ;. , 5~3~
require a low surface tension ink, which is readily releasable from the pen nib, so as to deposit a uniform impression notwithstanding the high trace speed. ~low-ever, this ink property tends to accentuate non uniformities, which would otherwise be produced by sur-face bumps and irregularities in the writing surface.
The shock absorbing characteristic of the markers or pens of the present invention tends to counteract this problem.
The markers or pens of the present invention are also adapted, in the preferred form of the present invention, to utilize such low surface tension inXs with a minimum of other related problems, particularly in-cluding bleeding and leaking of the low surface tension inX from marker or pen components. Specifically, in the preferred form of the present invention, the shock absorbing marker includes a nib holder, which moves with the resiliently mounted nib and which occupies otherwise void space within the marker around the nib to prevent any large accumulation of li~uid ink within the marker.
During shipment and use, ink pooled in this ~anner will leak from the marker through vents or other openings.
The greater the accumulation, the greater is this problemt so reducing the possible accumulation is found to reduce the tendency of the marker to leak.
.
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Similarly~ the preferred embodiment of the present invention includes an outer cap with a slight vent hole. This prevents forming a negative pressure, which would tend to draw ink from the marker, as the cap is removed.
Brief Description of the Drawings For a better unders~anding of the marker pen of the present invention, reference may be made to the drawings accompanying and forming a part of this specifi-cation, wherein reference numerals designate the sameor similar parts. In these drawings, : Figure 1 is an exploded view of a ballpoint recorder instrument marker pen embodiment in accordance with the invention;
Figure 2 is a cross-sectional view of the marker pen shown in Figure 1, with a cap member affixed thereto and shown in dot-dash lines; ~:
Fi~ure 3 is an exploded view of another embodi-ment of the present invention wherein the marker pen is provided with an extruded plastic nib;
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Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view of the in-strument marker pen shown in Figure 3;
Figure 5 is an exploded view of another marker pen with extruded plastic nib; and Figure 6 is an assembly view, partially in cross section, of the instrument marker pen shown in Figure 5, also including cap members affixed thereon.
Detailed Description of the Invention Referring specifically to Figures 1 and 2, there is shown a ballpoint instrument pen adapted to produce a high speed uniform trace. More specifically, this pen comprises a body member 2 housing a fibrous reservoir 4 with a rear closure 6 and a front neck portion 8 having a reduced diameter throat 10 through which projects :
an ink feeding wick 12, one end of which projects into fibrous reservoir 4 and the other end of which fits into a ball writing tip assembly 14.
Ball writin~ tip assembly 14 is resiliently mounted on front neck portion 8 through a mating elas-tomeric nib holder 16 having a front disk 18, secured atits periphery to the front of neck portion 8 by a de-pendent skirt fit over the outer circumference of body .
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_g_ portion 8. Ball writing tip assembly 14 is held in engagement, in a central opening of disk 18, by a short plastic sleeve member 20 fit over the outer perimeter of the shaft of ball writing tip assembly 14 just aft of S front disk 18 of elastomeric nib holder 16, with clearance around the outer diameter thereof, however, to permit relatively free axial movement of ball writing tip assembly 14, upon deflection of front disk 18, within front neck portion 8 of body member 2.
In this embodiment of the present inventlon, ink feeding wick 12 is securely retained in ball writing tip assembly 14 by means of a stake or inward dimple, such as may be produced by thermal hot tip or ultrasonic deformation on the shaft portion of ball writing tip assembly 14. A vent means, shown as a hole 33 through front disk 18, is also provided to permit entry of air into the reservoir-containing body member 2. Ridges 22 are provided on the outer perimeter of front neck por-tion 8 to better retain elastomeric nib holder 16 and a protective cover 24 is secured over the writing tip of the assembly and mates in fluid tight sealing enagement with seal ring 34 on elastomer nib holder 16.
In Figures 3 and 4, an extruded nib version of the resiliently mounted instrument marker pen of the present invention is shown. More specifically, the , .
: ~.
!
'. . ~ ' ~ ~ ~93~7 extruded nib version also includes body member 2 with front neck portion 8 and elastomeric nib holder 16. The writing element in this form of the invention comprises an extruded plastic material nib 26, projecting from fibrous reservoir 4 to the writing tip end thereof. Nib element 26 projects through reduced diameter throat 10 of front portion 8 of body 2 and is retained in a central opening of front disk portion 18 of elasto-meric nib holder 16 by a nib adaptor member 28. Nib adaptor member 28 includes, in this embodiment of the invention, a polygonal central hole 30 for venting of the interior of case 2 around the periphery of nib 26.
Nib adaptor member 28 also includes an indentation 32 with opposed facing surfaces on either side thereof, within which is fit the peripheral edge of the central opening of the front disk portion 18.
In Figures 5 and 6 there is shown the preferred form of the present invention, which is a marker similar to that shown in Figures 3 and 4, differing however in several significant respects. In particular, the marker of Figures S and 6 is better adapted for use with low surface tension inks of the type normally required in high speed tracing instruments. Referring only to those features of the Figure 5-6 embodiment which differ from the design shown in Figures 3 and 4, it will be noted ~ ~593~
that fibrous reservoir 44 pro~ects lower within the marker body 48 so as to leave less void space between reservoir 44 and nib adaptor member 40. Nib adaptor member 40 also includes a rear cylindrical segment 42 dimensioned to permit free vertical travel within the forward projection 46 of marker body 48. The upper end of rear segment 42 is also configured to occupy most of -the void space within the forward projection 46 of marker body 48 so as to avoid unnecessary void space therein. A sliyht remaining void 43 is permitted, however, between the rear end 42 and the front end of fibrous reservoir 44 so as to prevent physical contact thereof.
As shown, in this embodiment of the invention, nib 50, an extruded nib commercially available from Uchida Yoko of Tokyo, Japan is cut to a rear taper in which the central capillary portion of the extruded nib is exposed along a short length thereof and the entire rear end of the nib rides relatively freely within a cylindrical recess 45 at the front end of fibrous reservoir 44.
The rear cylindrical portion 42 of nib adaptor member 40, by occupying most o~ the void space within the forward projection 46 of marker body holder 4~, prevents any large accumulation of liquid ink bled from fibrous reservoir 44. In addition, it serves as a stand pipe to prevent any significant amount of liquid ink .. ., ~, .. .
.
, :.
'~
.
~ ~39~
1102~CIP-78 lying adjacent a vertical length of nib 50, thereby limiting the tendency of any ink to bleed down through the vent spaces along the length of nib 50.
Nib adaptor member 40 also includes a polygonal nib receiving hole 52 to provide vent spaces around nib 50 and along the length thereof. In some applications, however, nib receiving hole 52 may be polygcnal only through part of the length of nib adaptor member 40. In particular, the nib-receiving hole 52, is annular, in at least one form of the present invention, from recess 32 of nib adaptor member 40, forwar~, so as to prevent any tendency of the nib 5~ to cause deformation of the forward portion 54 of nib adaptor member 40. Such deformation may result in undesirable loss of clearance of the marker with the instrument in which it is mounted, in some applications.
It will also be noted that in the marker of Figures 5 and 6, vent hole 33 (seen in the marker of Figures 3 and 4) is eliminated in view of the provision of vent holes along the length of nib 50 by the poly-gonal nib-receiving hole 52.
To prevent ink bleeding and leaking during shipment, the mar~er of Figures 5 and 6 also includes a - ~ .., . .: .
. .
~- ~
3 ~ ~
tightly fitting inner nib cap 56 and a threadedly received outer nib cap 58. However, nib cap 58 includes a forward vent hole 6n to preclude any tendency to develop a negative pressure within nib cap 58, as it is removed. Such a negative pressure tends to draw liquid ink, within the marker, out through the vent spaces of the mar~er.
With regard to the essential element of a re-silient mounting means for the writing tip or nib in an improved instrument marker pen of the present invention, the resilient mounting means may take any of various shapes or forms, so long as the shape and material selection is made in a manner adapted to permit the writing element to produce a relatively constant and uniform width writing trace at relatively high speed and at relatively low writing pressure, notwithstanding irregularities in the writing surface. According to the present invention, it is preferred, though not neces-sarily critical, that the resilient mounting means comprise a cylindrical or sleeve-like member fitting over and mating with the forward projecting portion of the pen body, with a forward disk which deflects in-wardly. Obviously a variety of other designs may also be devised to accomplish a similar result. With regard to material selection, it is absolutely critical that ": , 3~
the material, together with the geometric design of the mounting means, comprise a yielding or resilient ma-terial which however tends to return from a deformed state without oscillation. In this respect not all elastic or spring members are suitable. Elastomeric materials are generally suitable and in the preferred forms of the present invention, the resilient nib holder is composed of EPDM rubber. Other rubbery or elasto-meric materials may also be used however, such as natural rubber, and synthetic rubber, including SBR
rubber, b~tyl rubber, polybutadiene, ethylene propylene rubber, neoprene, NBR rubber, polysulfide rubber, poly-urethane, silicone rubber, hypalon, and acrylics and fluoroelastomers in general. Elastomeric sponge ma-terials may also be used.
Preferably, the writing tip or nib is retained,generally through a nib adaptor member, in a central opening of a resilient disk member, secured at its periphery to the marker body. Bending deflection of the disk member, over a free moving disk radius (to its secured peripheral edge) on the order of +l millimeter, with nib vertical movement limited to about -~1 milli-meter, is sufficient with a disk member durometer value on the order of 50 shore A ~i.e., durometer measured on Shore gauge, scale A), to produce the highly desirable shock absorbing characteristic described herein.
. . . ..
: . .~ .. , :
- ... ..
.
; : - :
.. . . .
' Examples The significant improvement in marker pens for high speed uniform tracing produced by the present invention was demonstrated in a series of instrument marker pens in which marker pens with elastomeric nib holders to provide a resiliently mounted tip, as - described above, were compared to comparable pens with identical elements but in which the tip was otherwise non-yieldingly mounted within the marker case. Four plots, on sheets labeled A through H, were made with each of eight pen combinations as indicated in the Table which follows (the designation "ips" referring to trace speed in inches per second):
', , , , ' ~ , ~ -, , 3 ~ 7 a) ,~
U~
n ~~
a O
_~ ~ ~
PJ <U 07 a ~-~1 ~ ~ O
V
.
a o ~a U.7 U~
a~ o o ~ o o o o 7 ~0 ~ Z Z ~ Z Z æ z W
U.7 1;7 a)^ O O O O O O O O
~7 S.l U7 e 7 P~ E~
_~
I E~ ~ ~
O
P~ r~ _ ~ ~a aJ Q~
U.7---o rc~ U~ 0.7 ~1 a~ o o a~ o o o o U~ O ~ Z Z ~ Z Z Z Z
5:
~-7 Q~
~1 E~ r~ 'a r~S ru ~
a) ~ Q ::~ Q :~ Q :~ Q
Q~ ~ ~ 1 h ~1 h~
~ æ ~ æ ~ z ~ z ~ z ~1 ~L7 alCL7 ~ ~7 ~7 EL7 ll G~
O
S
~ v c~ 4 ~ tL7 ., ~ .
.
.
. . , ~ 3 g ~
a) ,:
U~
U~ o o o o o o o o ~r ~ ~_ #
o ,~
U~
U~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~.
a) s~
~ a~
o 'C U~
,~ a~ o o ~ o o oaJ
U) o ~ Z Z ~ Z Z Z
~ 5 ", ,~
..
C U~
.,, U~
aJ _ o o o o o o o o o ~ ~
~ ~ ~ ,, # aJ
JJ ~ ' r~o ,~ _ ;.
~ U~
a~
~ a O ~ u~
,~ ~ o o aJ o o o U~ o ~ Z Z; ~ Z Z Z
~a !r ,~
~ ~ ~ ~a r~ ~a ~ ro E~ a r~ ~a a) ~ ~ ~ n ~ Q
,~ æ ~ æ
ro r~ ~ ~ rr~ rr~ X X X ~ X
P~
N rll ~::1 rll m C~ n : , . .
, ~'~ ~ ' ' ' ', ' ' . "' ~ ~ 5~ 3l~ ~1 The sheets and plots thus produced were visually compared for skipping tendency and line consistency or uniformity. Pens utilizing the elastomeric holder mounting means were found consistently to produce plots which were generally more uniform and continuous than those produced by pens not having the elastomeric nib holders. This significant difference was even more noticeable on the high writing speed plots, namely the twenty-two inch per second plots and a more significant improvement was noted for the ballpoint pen markers versus the non-resiliently mounted ballpoint pen markers, than in the extruded nib markers.
:
Indeed, in plot 1, the ball tip marker with nonA
resilient tip mounting produced a plot at eight inches per second (Sheet C) not significantly different than the ball tip marker with resilient nib holder writing at twenty-two inches per second (Sheet A). This may be interpreted as a three fold increase in writing speed in the ball tip marker.
~ ~0 Similarly, the extruded nib marker with ,l resilient nib holder at twenty-two inches per second (Sheet G) produced a marker with uniformity and con-sistency similar to that of the extruded nib marker with non-resilient nib mounting at sixteen inches per second (Shee~ F~.
./, .
., ~,,, . , ~ , . :
33~7 -19- :
Still further, Sheet H, plot 1 demonstrates that an extruded nîb marker with non-resilient nib mounting at a pressure of 20 gms. produced a trace of uniformity and consistency not significantly different than the extruded marker with the resilient nib holder at a pressure of 10 gms. (Sheet G, plot 4). Thus in the extruded nib marker version with resilient nib holder, comparable trace quality is produced with effectively half the writing pressure (significantly improving expected nib life) as compared to the non-resilient mounted extruded nib marker.
~: ' Accordingly, it is apparent that the present invention provides a significant improvement in high speed writing instrument marker pens. This is done by the provision of a self-damping shock absorbing structure for utilization in a recorder instrument writing element of the type adapted for high speed prin~ing applications.
It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the present invention is not limited to the par-ticular construction and arrangements shown and describ-ed, and that changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the .
- :, ~' '.,' - , :
~ ~9~J~
invention. One such modification is the possible sub-stitution of a relatively hard fibrous nib element for the extruded plastic nib element shown and described above. The appended claims should be construed so as to cover all such changes and modifications.
.
' ,, . . : : .
.:. ' : ' :: .
'' " ' ' ", ' '
Claims (10)
1. In a recorder instrument marker pen of the type comprising a body, an ink reservoir, a writing tip and an ink transport means for conducting ink from said ink reservoir to said writing tip, the improvement comprising self-damping, shock absorbing resilient holding means in which said tip is secured and which is in turn secured to said body, the resiliency of said means permitting said means to be deformed at the relatively low writing pressure of a recording instrument and to return from slight deformation without oscillation, said means thus being adapted to permit said writing tip to produce a relatively constant and uniform writing trace at relatively high speed at relatively low writing pressure and notwithstanding irregularities in the writing surface.
2. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 1, wherein said self-damping shock absorbing means comprises an elastomeric member.
3. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 2, wherein said elastomeric member comprises a disk portion, at the center of which said tip is secured and at the periphery of which said body is secured, said disk portion being bendably deflectable therebetween, said self-damping shock absorbing means thus being adapted to permit said writing tip to produce a relatively constant and uniform writing trace at relatively high speed at relatively low writing pressure and notwithstanding irregularities; in the writing surface in contact with said tip.
4. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 3, wherein said writing tip comprises a ball and wherein said ink transporting means comprises a fibrous wick.
5. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 3, wherein said writing tip and said ink transporting means comprise an extruded plastic nib.
6. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 5, further comprising a nib adaptor surrounding said plastic nib, said nib adaptor being provided with an annular recess therein in which is received said disk portion of said elastomeric shock absorbing means.
7. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 4, further comprising a ball support member having a generally conically shaped end portion with an aperture therein for reception of said ball, said ball support member further having an annular ridge provided therein, against which said front disk portion is retained by a resilient sleeve fitting over a rearward shaft portion of said ball support member, with clearance between said resilient sleeve and said body to permit relative axial deflection therebetween.
8. Recorder instrument marker pen, as recited in claim 3, wherein said shock absorbing means includes a dependent circumferential skirt adapted to fit over a mating portion of said marker body.
9. Recorder instrument marker pen as recited in claim 3, wherein said nib is retained in a nib adaptor, said nib adaptor being secured to said disk portion of said shock absorbing member, said nib adaptor having an inner segment configured to conform to the interior of said body in the segment thereof between said reservoir and the end thereof at which said shock absorbing means is mounted and to oscillate freely therewith, in response to bending deflection of said disk portion.
10. Recorder instrument marker pen, as recited in claim 9, wherein the space within said marker body between said disk portion and said reservoir is substantially occupied by said inner segment.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| US15960080A | 1980-06-16 | 1980-06-16 | |
| US159,600 | 1980-06-16 | ||
| US26297681A | 1981-05-12 | 1981-05-12 | |
| US262,976 | 1981-05-12 |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1159397A true CA1159397A (en) | 1983-12-27 |
Family
ID=26856109
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000379189A Expired CA1159397A (en) | 1980-06-16 | 1981-06-08 | Instrument marker pen |
Country Status (3)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| EP (1) | EP0042289A1 (en) |
| AU (1) | AU7184181A (en) |
| CA (1) | CA1159397A (en) |
Families Citing this family (5)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IN160209B (en) * | 1983-04-20 | 1987-06-27 | Scripto Inc | |
| JPH0528067Y2 (en) * | 1984-12-29 | 1993-07-19 | ||
| EP2152527A4 (en) * | 2008-04-02 | 2010-07-14 | Agrawal Lalit | Refill adaptor |
| CN101687430A (en) * | 2008-05-02 | 2010-03-31 | 拉利特·阿格瓦尔 | a refill adaptor |
| EP4037915A4 (en) * | 2019-09-30 | 2023-11-29 | Sanford, L.P. | Writing nib assemblies and writing instruments |
Family Cites Families (11)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GB669464A (en) * | 1947-03-26 | 1952-04-02 | Compania Uruguaya De Fomento Industrial Sa | Improvements in reservoir writing instruments |
| DE885070C (en) * | 1951-08-17 | 1953-08-03 | Hermann Orzellet | Writing implements, in particular ballpoint pens |
| FR1118536A (en) * | 1955-01-04 | 1956-06-07 | Elastic link ball scripting device | |
| FR1137937A (en) * | 1955-12-01 | 1957-06-05 | Elastic link ball scripting device | |
| FR1151093A (en) * | 1956-05-25 | 1958-01-23 | Improvements to ballpoint pens | |
| US3003181A (en) * | 1959-07-29 | 1961-10-10 | Speedry Chemical Products Inc | Marking device with snap-on head assembly |
| FR1252736A (en) * | 1959-12-22 | 1961-02-03 | Flexible retraction and suspension device for ballpoint pen | |
| US3338216A (en) * | 1966-01-11 | 1967-08-29 | Esterbrook Pen Co | Writing instrument |
| US3397938A (en) * | 1966-02-08 | 1968-08-20 | Walter E Heller & Company Inc | Absorbent nib writing device |
| US3614246A (en) * | 1969-11-24 | 1971-10-19 | Gillette Co | Pressurizing construction |
| US3972629A (en) * | 1975-06-03 | 1976-08-03 | Whalen Jr John J | Marking devices |
-
1981
- 1981-06-08 CA CA000379189A patent/CA1159397A/en not_active Expired
- 1981-06-15 AU AU71841/81A patent/AU7184181A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1981-06-16 EP EP81302683A patent/EP0042289A1/en not_active Withdrawn
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| AU7184181A (en) | 1981-12-24 |
| EP0042289A1 (en) | 1981-12-23 |
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| MKEX | Expiry |