CA1310355C

CA1310355C - Writing utensil with mechanism to eliminate static electricity

Info

Publication number: CA1310355C
Application number: CA000550149A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Hidemi Yoshida
Original assignee: BEISEI GIKEN INDUSTRIAL CO., LTD.
Current assignee: BEISEI GIKEN INDUSTRIAL Co Ltd
Priority date: 1987-05-22
Filing date: 1987-10-23
Publication date: 1992-11-17
Anticipated expiration: 2009-11-17
Also published as: GB8721857D0; GB2205073B; JPS63191086U; GB2205073A

Abstract

Abstract of the Disclosure The present invention relates to a writing utensil, equipped with the means to eliminate static electricity, comprising a neon bulb, a resistor, the electrically con-ductive segments, etc. By the use of such writing utensil, it is possible to eliminate the static electricity and protect human body from electric shock in easy and safe manner and to visually confirm the process of such elimi-nation through the luminance of the neon bulb.

Description

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Backqround of the Invention Under the environmental conditions where the air i5 dried, high static electricity is usually generated on human body by the friction of cloths, footwear, etc. In such caseJ if the earthed object such as door, automobile, metal furniture, etc. is touched with hand, inger or other parts of the human body, the static electricity is discharged, issuing the discharged current and giving the electric shoc.k with pain to human body.
The conventional means to eliminate the electric shock is to find out an adequate material from personal belong-ings and to touch the earthed object with this material in order to eliminate and discharge the static electricity, and to avoid the electric shock to human body.

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However, most of our personal belongings as mentioned above are made of synthetic resin, wood or cloth, and it is very rare that we carry metal and other electrically conductive material on ourselves.
On the other hand, many people carry the writing utensils such as fountain pen, ball-point pen, pencil, etc. In most cases, however, these writing utensils are made of synthetic resin, and metal is used only as a small part of it if used at all, playing no useful role for the discharge of static electricity.
Summary of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide the means to solve the above-mentioned problems - specifically, to provide a writing utensil, which is usually carried by many people and is furnished with a mechanism to eliminate static electricity. By the use of such writing utensil, it is possible to discharge the static electricity in easy and safe manner and to visually confirm the process of the elimination of static electricity~ -The above-mentioned problems can be solved by the use of a writing utensil, such as fountain pen, mechanical pen, ball-point pen, felt pen (or marker pen), pensil, brush, etc., comprising a main body or a main body and a cap. A neon bulb and a resistor are accommodated in said writing utensil, and the electrically conductive materials 3 5 ~

are e~posed at least at two points on the outer surface of the writing utensil. Said electrically conductive segments at two points, said neon bulb and said resistor are elec-trically connected.
Brief Description of the Drawings Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate static electricity according to the present invention. Figs. 2 and 3 are the front views to the other embodiments based on the invention.
Detailed Description of the Embodiments Further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the embodiments, in which:
Fig. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of a writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate static electricity according to the present invention. Fig. 2 and Fig. 3 are the front views of the other embodiments based on the invention.
The writing utensils, as envisaged in the present in-vention, include: fountain pen, mechanical pen, ball-point pen, various types of felt pen (or marker pen), pensil, brush, etc.
In Fig. 1, fountain pen, or ball-point pen are envisaged as the writing utensil (1), where a neon bulb (4) to be lit 131~35~

up at discharge and a resistor (5) to limit excessive discharge current are accommodated. Further, at least at two points on outer surface of the writing utensil (1), the electrically conductive segments (6) and (7), made of metal, conductive resin, conductive cloth or conductive coating, are exposed. On the other hand, the conductive segments (6) and (7), the neon bulb (4) and the resistor (5) are electrically connected with each other through wiring materials (9).
In Fig. 1, the mechanism to eliminate static electri-city is furnished on the mainbody (lb) of the writing utensil, whereas such mechanism may be furnished on the cap ~la). One of the conductive segments (6) and (7) is usually placed at the tip, at the tail or at the clip (lc) of the writing utensil to facilitate the contact with the earthed object, while the other is placed on the trunk of the writing utensil to facilitate the holding of it by hand.
In Fig. 2, a mechanical pen, ball-point pen, etc. are envisaged as the writing utensil (2), where one of the conductive segments (6) is concurrently used as a knock button (2a) of the writing utensil (2).
Fig. 3 shows the case where the w.riting utensil is a pensil and where the mechanism to ellminate static elec-tricity is furnished on the transparent cap (3a) of the writing utensil (3). The cap is made of transparent resin 3 a ~

or transparent glass (colored or not colored).
(8) is a window formed on the housing of the neon bulb (4). If transparent material is used for the window (8) or on the neon bulb housing as shown in Fig. 3, the discharge luminance of the neon bulb (4) can be visually confirmed from outside.
By the writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate static electricity according to the present invention, the static electricity on human body can be discharged when one of the conductive segments of the writing utensil is held by fingers and the other conductive segment is kept in contact with the earthed object such as door, automobile, metal furniture, etc. The static elec-tricity is discharged to the earthed object, with the current limited by the resistor and with the luminance issued by neon bulb. In other words, the static electrici-ty on human body is discharged and eliminated in easy and safe manner indirectly through the writing utensil and with the current limited by the resistor. Thus, the electric shock with pain to human body can be completely elimina-ted at the time of discharge.
Even when human body is charged with the electricity of more than 10,000 V, it ~an be discharged by tapping the earthe~ object with the conductive segment of the writing utensil for 2 or 3 times, selecting thereby a resistor of about 1 MQ. The discharge is conducted with-in extremely short time without feeling electric shock, and it is confirmed by the luminance of the neon bulb.
The static electricity is found to be discharged to such degree that no shock is felt when the earthed object is directly touched by human body.
When the writing utensil is manufactured in such manner that the neon bulb can be seen from outside, it is possible to visually confirm the process of the elimination of static electricity on human body with much elegance and pleasure for visual observation.

Claims

What is claimed is:
(1) A writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate static electricity, characterized in that said writing utensil is fountain pen, mechanical pen, ball-point pen, felt pen (or marker pen), pencil, brush, etc., comprising a main body or a main body and a cap, that a neon bulb and a resistor are accommodated in said writing utensil and the electrically conductive segments are exposed on outer surface of said writing utensil at least at two points, and that said two conductive segments, said neon bulb and said resistor are electrically connected with each other.
(2) A writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate the static electricity as set forth in Claim (1), wherein a window is formed on the housing of the neon bulb of the writing utensil and said neon bulb can be visually observed from outside.
(3) A writing utensil equipped with the mechanism to eliminate the static electricity as set forth in Claim (1), wherein the housing for the neon bulb of the writing utensil is made of transparent material and said neon bulb can be visually observed from outside.