CA2053975C - Cap for a pen or the like, with sound producer - Google Patents
Cap for a pen or the like, with sound producerInfo
- Publication number
- CA2053975C CA2053975C CA002053975A CA2053975A CA2053975C CA 2053975 C CA2053975 C CA 2053975C CA 002053975 A CA002053975 A CA 002053975A CA 2053975 A CA2053975 A CA 2053975A CA 2053975 C CA2053975 C CA 2053975C
- Authority
- CA
- Canada
- Prior art keywords
- cap
- light sensor
- pen
- producing device
- sound producing
- 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 - Fee Related
Links
Classifications
-
- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
- B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
- B43K29/00—Combinations of writing implements with other articles
- B43K29/005—Combinations of writing implements with other articles with sound or noise making devices, e.g. radio, alarm
Landscapes
- Toys (AREA)
- Pens And Brushes (AREA)
- Audible-Bandwidth Dynamoelectric Transducers Other Than Pickups (AREA)
- Mechanical Pencils And Projecting And Retracting Systems Therefor, And Multi-System Writing Instruments (AREA)
Abstract
Title: CAP FOR A PEN OR THE LIKE, WITH SOUND PRODUCER A pen cap includes a sound producer, which plays sounds ranging from programmed beep-tunes to recorded voice, when the cap is removed from a pen. The cap has an end plug into which is built a battery, a loudspeaker, a circuit board, and a light sensor. When the cap is removed from the pen, light falls on the sensor and causes the sounds to be produced. The electrical circuit is activated solely by light; there are no mechanical or moving parts for the user to operate, to initiate the sound. The circuit components are structurally integrated into the end plug.
Description
2C~3~, 5 Title; CAP F~ A P~N O~ TU~ LIK~I WITH SOU~ P~UCEg This invention relates to a device for producing sound, which fits into a tubular cylindrical cap, such as the cap of a pen, or the cap of a lipstick holder.
A main purpos~ of the device is to produce a sound auto~atically when the user removes the cap. For example, when a pen is given as a birthday gift, the effect of the greetings and good wishes is greatly enhanced if the pen automatically plays the tune "Happy Birthday" when the recipient opcns the cap. The greeting is enhanced still more if ~-he messa~e is spoken in words.
In the invention, the sound producer may be of the conventional kind in which a micro-chip is coupled to a battery and a speaker. The sound producer may be of the kind which i8 set to play a bHep-tune, i~ to play a tune comprising one-at-a-ti~e pitches, uhsrein the frequencies are generated by program~ing; or alternatively the sound producer ~ay be set to reproduce more ~eneral sounds such as music with chords, or voics. ~ith a multi-frequency sound producer, generally the sounds e~itted ar~ not generated by programming but are reproductions of pre-recorded sounds.
As mentioned, one application of the invention is in the enhancement of a birthday greeting. Other applications may be exemplified as:
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A main purpos~ of the device is to produce a sound auto~atically when the user removes the cap. For example, when a pen is given as a birthday gift, the effect of the greetings and good wishes is greatly enhanced if the pen automatically plays the tune "Happy Birthday" when the recipient opcns the cap. The greeting is enhanced still more if ~-he messa~e is spoken in words.
In the invention, the sound producer may be of the conventional kind in which a micro-chip is coupled to a battery and a speaker. The sound producer may be of the kind which i8 set to play a bHep-tune, i~ to play a tune comprising one-at-a-ti~e pitches, uhsrein the frequencies are generated by program~ing; or alternatively the sound producer ~ay be set to reproduce more ~eneral sounds such as music with chords, or voics. ~ith a multi-frequency sound producer, generally the sounds e~itted ar~ not generated by programming but are reproductions of pre-recorded sounds.
As mentioned, one application of the invention is in the enhancement of a birthday greeting. Other applications may be exemplified as:
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q~
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- 2 - 2C5~" 5 - announce~cnt of a safety message;
- statement of slogans or rallying calls for sports tea~s, clubs, political groups, etc;
- advertising, especially where the pen or other article has written upon it a message to go with the sound ~essage;
- brief extract fro~ ths latest record by a r~cording star;
- recitation of a person s name, especially where the name is repeated in writing on the pen;
The invention is applicable in cases where a person desires any tune or short nessage to be often repeated, especially when that tune or ~essage can bG advantageously linked with ~ords, e~blems, or other visual ~sssa~es appearing on the pen. It is an easy ~atter also to program the sound producing device to step through a nu~ber (say four or five) of tunes or messages.
One major feature of the invention lies in the ~anner in which the operation of the production of sound is activated or initiated. In the invention, an optical sensor is provided. The sensor is placed inside the cap, where, when the cap i8 on the pen, the sensor iæ in darkness.
Preferably, the sensor is so placed that when the cap is removed ~rom the pen, light entering the cap falls upon the sensor, and thereby activates the sensor to initiate the sound. The device ~ay be progra~ed to stop sounding after say a couple of seconds, or when the cap is replaced on the pen, as desired.
- statement of slogans or rallying calls for sports tea~s, clubs, political groups, etc;
- advertising, especially where the pen or other article has written upon it a message to go with the sound ~essage;
- brief extract fro~ ths latest record by a r~cording star;
- recitation of a person s name, especially where the name is repeated in writing on the pen;
The invention is applicable in cases where a person desires any tune or short nessage to be often repeated, especially when that tune or ~essage can bG advantageously linked with ~ords, e~blems, or other visual ~sssa~es appearing on the pen. It is an easy ~atter also to program the sound producing device to step through a nu~ber (say four or five) of tunes or messages.
One major feature of the invention lies in the ~anner in which the operation of the production of sound is activated or initiated. In the invention, an optical sensor is provided. The sensor is placed inside the cap, where, when the cap i8 on the pen, the sensor iæ in darkness.
Preferably, the sensor is so placed that when the cap is removed ~rom the pen, light entering the cap falls upon the sensor, and thereby activates the sensor to initiate the sound. The device ~ay be progra~ed to stop sounding after say a couple of seconds, or when the cap is replaced on the pen, as desired.
- 3 - 2~ ~,~5 It is preferred in the invention that the sound should cease automatically after a fe~ seconds. It is possible to arrange that a person has to operate a switch to suitch o~f the sound, but it is preferred that an automatic time delay or similar process be used to switch off the sound. It is also possible to arrange that a switch be included which disables the sound producing device, whereby the pen cap can be opened without the sound being activated at all.
It is pre~erred, however, that nothing at all is included which would reguire ~echanical actuating ~ovements, and that only the optical sensor is effective to actuate the sound producing device, and that only the no-moving-parts optical sensor, or, as mentioned, a no-moving-parts time delay, is effective to switch off the sound producing device.
It is preferred that the mannsr of arranging the co~ponents is such that the components, and the board upon which they are mounted, fit inside the pen cap, yet do not require any interaction from the cap nor from the user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
By way of further explanation oP the invention, an exe~plary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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It is pre~erred, however, that nothing at all is included which would reguire ~echanical actuating ~ovements, and that only the optical sensor is effective to actuate the sound producing device, and that only the no-moving-parts optical sensor, or, as mentioned, a no-moving-parts time delay, is effective to switch off the sound producing device.
It is preferred that the mannsr of arranging the co~ponents is such that the components, and the board upon which they are mounted, fit inside the pen cap, yet do not require any interaction from the cap nor from the user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
By way of further explanation oP the invention, an exe~plary embodiment of the invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
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- 4 -Fig 1 is a cross-section of a pen cap having a sound producer constructed in accordance with the invention;
Fle 2A is a pictorial view of a sub-assembly unit o~ the sound producer, which fits inside the cap;
Fig 2B is a view of the underside of th~ sub-assembly unit;
Fig 3 is an end elevation of the sub-assembly unit, shown installed in the cap;
Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view of a component of the sub-assembly unit.
The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and described below are examples which e~body the invsntion. It should be noted that the scope of the invention is defined by the accoopanying clai~s, and not necessarily by specific features of exemplary e~bodiments.
The drawings show a pen 40 having a body 41 and a cap 42.
The cap 42 of the pen comprises a hollow cylindrical tube, made o~ the usual plastic material. The upper end of the cap 42 is provided with a recess 43.
The apparatus includes a loudspeaker 4B~ The speaker 46 comprises the usual coil 48 of ~ine wire, which is wound x~ s around a central post 49. The post 49 is attached to a plate 50. Surrounding the coil 48 is an annulus 51. The post 49, the plate 50, and the annulus 51, are ~ade o~
~agnetic material.
The plate 50 is glued to a piece 52 of circuit board ~aterial, having integral ~etallic pads 53. Pins 54 are soldered to the pads 53, and Protrude at right angles to the piece 52 of circuit board ~aterial. Ths wires 56 ~rom the coil 48 are soldered also to the pads 53.
The speaker includes a diaphrag~ 57, which is secured between a dooe 58, and a sleeve 59 spigoted thereto, which are both ~ade of plastic ~aterial. The plate 50 and the piece 52 are pressed into, and glued into, the sleeve 59.
The dooe 58 is provided with a hole 60 through which sound fron the speaker 46 ~ay broadcast.
The co~ponents as described ~oro a plug-sub-asse~bly 61, which is as shown in Fig 4. The plug-sub-assembly 61, put together as described, beco~es a unitary co~ponent having its own structural integrity and robustness. The plug-sub-asseubly 61 is di~ensioned to fit within the recess 43 in the cap 42.
The apparatus includes a circuit board 64, which is ~ade of the usual plastic insulative naterial coated with conductive ~etal at pre-deter~ined locations. The plug-sub-asse~bly 61 :. . ;
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is attached to the circuit board B4 by soldering the pins 54 to suitably placed metal pads 65 on the circuit board. The electrical connections to the coil 48 are thereby also made.
The circuit board 64 is provided with the conductive metal on both sides. The two sides of the board are shown in Figs 2A and 2B rsspectively. Also mounted on the circuit board 64 are an optical light sensor 67, an encapsulated ~icro-chip 68, a current regulator 69, a first battery 70, which residas in a battery clip 71, and a Recond battery clip 72 which can recsive an optional second battery.
The said components, secured upon the circuit board 64, and together with the plug-sub-assembly B1, co~prise an assembly unit 73. The unit 73, like the plug-sub-asse~bly, beco~es an integrated structural, unitary, whole. The assembly-unit 73 is physically robust enough to be asse~bled into the pen cap 42, and robust enough for a long service life in such a location.
The assembly-unit 73 is self-contained as regards its performance as a sound producer. The co~ponents asse~bled and located on the cirouit board are e~fective, when the ~icro-chip 68 is program~ed appropriately, to issue pre-arranged sounds via ths loudspeaker 4B when ths optical sensor 67 is exposed to light. It is recognised that no other components are needed to be added ~or the sound producer to function, neither as regards the quality o~ the .. ..
.
3~"5 sound produced, nor as regards the proper operational actuation o~ the device.
In particular, there is no wiring to be carried out after the unit has been asse~bled into the pen cap.
The assembly-unit 73 is not o~ course indestruotible, and indeed the unit might be regarded, as it stands, as not adequately robust ~or many applications in which electronic devices and components are typically used. However, it is reco~nised that the inside of a pen cap is a protected environ~ent, and that the components and th~ circuit board can come to little harm in such a place. Of course, the unit might be damaged i~ it were possible, ~or example, for the nib of the pen to encroach right into the end of the cap where the unit is located, but it i5 a simple matter for the designer to see to it that this cannot happen.
On the other hand, the plug-sub-asssmbly 61 does need to have 80~e robustness; not so much for in-service use as for a~8embly. The ~orce requirod to insert thc dovice ( i8 the uhole Fig 2A,2B assembly-unit 73) into the recess 43 is applied to the plug-sub-assembly 61, and more espacially to the dome 58. It will be noted that the dome 58 i5 perha~s the ~ost robust component of the whole devics, yet the robustness of the dome was provided mainly to acco~modate its function of holding and locatin~ the loudspeaker compon~nts: it i8 recognised that the robustness provided . .
..,.~.- ,.
for this ~irst $unction i5 enough also to accom~odate the second ~unction of the dome, ie its function as a trans~itter of asse~bly press $orces.
The co~paratively fragile circuit board i5 not called upon to su$fer asse~bly press $orces: the do~e 58 and the sleeve 59 can easily deal with such assembly press forces as are applied.
It mieht be considered that a circuit board and components such as have been described would not be adequately robust without encapsulation in a suitable potting co~pound. Yet such has not proved necessary. If encapsulation is needed or preferred, it should o~ course be transparent, at least in the region o$ the optical sensor.
The device as described, ie the assembly-unit 73, may there~ore be regarded as be~ng per~ectly adequately robust in those areas where robustness is especially needed, whereas in those areas whsre the device is perhaps not so robust, little is required.
One ~ajor advantage of the device as described is that the device is self-contained as it stands. The device is self-contained ~oth physically and electrically. No connections need be made after the device is assembled into the pen cap.
This is a great advantage because the asse~bly of pens typically takes place at a separate facility from the .
, ZC~3'`J75 g assembly of electronic co~ponents and circuit boards (and is carried out by different people). Assembly of the device into the pen is si~ply a matter o~ pressing the device in:
there is no subsequent wiring or adjust~snt required, of any kind, upon asse~bly of the devics into the cap. Thus the manufacture, and even the final inspectionJ of the assembly-unit 73 can easily be done quite separately from the manufacture and assembly o~ the pen -- even in a dif~erent country, should that be desired.
ThusJ the devi¢e as described is eminently suitableJ because of its shape and physical characteristicsJ for ~ittin~ into a pen cap, and for operation therein. Being optically actuated, the device has no moving parts, which also renders the device eminently suitable for such use.
Of course, optical actuation of electrical devices is not nsw. However, a feature o~ the invention is that the deYice ~akes use of the fact that the interior of a pen cap remains in darkness until the pen cap is removed. Thus the ~echanical operation of removing thc pen cap, which thc user performs upon the pen, whether the pen produces sound or not, automatically actuates the sound producing device.
The optical light sensor 67 should be so placed on the circuit board that lt does inde~d receive light when the pen cap is removed. Also, the sensitivity of the light sensing portion of the electrical circuit should be carefully set.
- 10 - 2t~ ~.7~5 In this connection, it should be noted that the plastic from which pen caps are ~ade usually in faot have so~e light-transmitting capacityJ so that the light sensor ~ay need to be desensitised to avoid spurious actuation when the capped pen is exposed to bright lights. These things ars deter~ined by settings built into the circuit by the designer: no adjust~ents are required during ~anufacture or asse~bly.
The arrange~ent of the circuit board> and of the said co~ponents asse~bled upon the circuit board, is such that the resulting asse~bly-unit 73 (of board and co~ponents) ~ay be regarded as tunnel-shaped: that is to say, the asse~bly-unit 73 is so shaped as to be particularly suited for fitting endways inside a cylindrical tunnel, ie inside the cap of a pen.
In the asse~bly-unit 73 as described the circuit board occupies a dianeter of the cap, as ~ay be seen in Fig 4.
The co~ponents attached to the board are disposed either side of the board. It i8 recognised as a significant advantage that the co~ponents are arranged upon the circuit board such that the assenbly-unit ~ay be inserted into a cylindrical tunnel, bearing in ~ind the fact that the asse~bly-unit is to be fitted into the hollow cylindrical cap 42.
The c~rcuit board *4 is ~ade of the u8ual non-oondu*tive - ' , .
- 11 - 2~ 5 rigid plastic ~aterial faced with ~etal, which is etched away to for~ the circuit layout. In the device as described, the board is provided with ~etal on both sides, and co~ponents are arranged on both sides. If all the co~ponents were to one side o~ the circuit board, it would be ~uch ~ore dif~icult to arrange that the device could fit into a cylindrical tunnel.
The co~ponents could of course be ~ade to fit if they were s~aller, and ~iniaturisation of electronic co~ponents is of course always a possibility, but the nornal, standard, proprietorily available, conponents, such as loudspeakers, batteries and their clips, light sensors, etc as described, can only be ~ade to fit inside a pen cap if careful thought is given to their physical arrange~ent. Also, to be readily acceptable to the public, the device ~ust be very inexpensive, and the design of specially shaped components ~or use in the device o~ the invention would not be econo~ical.
The di~ensions of pens are not for~ally standardized. Even so, ~odern writing i~ple~ents do generally confor~ to certain di~ensional standards. Thus, the length of a pen is around 15 c~, including the cap. Pens of ~ore than about 17 c~, or less than 13 c~, in length are not, in general, available on the ~arket (except as absurd novelty itens).
SiDilarly, pens of s~aller dia~eter than about 7 nn are very rare. The conventional ball-point pen (and a conventional .:
~ '`' ' .
~s`~ s pencil) hardly ever exceed 8 or 9 mm; however, felt-tip pens and fountain pens o~ten are thicker, up to about 12 or 13 ~o, which are quite readily available, indicating that such thicker dimsnsions can be acceptable to ths public.
Thus the dimensions of a pen ~ust be fairly closely controlled in order for ths pen to be widely accsptable to the public: if ths designer wishes to install sound producing apparatus on the pen, he cannot design the pen around the apparatus -- he must design the sound producing apparatus to fit within the "standard" di~ensions of a pen.
It is recognised that whether it is convenient and economic to fit a sound producing device into a pen, as in the invention, depends primarily on whether the sound device can be acco~odated, di~ensionally, upon the pen.
Also, it is recognised that it is not si~ply a question, for the designer, of making the sound producsr fit into the pen;
first, the designer must co~e to the recognition that, by arranging the components in a certain fashion, the sound producer can be accommodated within a dimensional envelope that is co~patible with the "standard" di~ensions of pen, ie the di~ensions which the public has co~e to expect of pens.
The asse~bly-unit 73 as described fits within a circu~-scribing cylinder of diamster 12 mm. The diameter of the plug-sub-assenbly ôl is 12 ~ and the length thereof, 2l~ r39, S
excluding the pins, is 9 ~. The length of the device overall is 3 c~. The invention should not be construed as being limited to these exact di~ensions, but it is recognised that these di~ensions are not ~erely ~atters of design choice: rather, a feature of the invention is the reco~nition that it is the fact that the co~ponents can be fitted within this di~ensional envelope which renders the device suitable for use as a pen cap sound producer.
It is not necessary that the circuit board B4 should be s~aller in width than the dia~eter of the pen cap into which it is inserted: the pen cap can acco~odate the board even though the board ~ight interfere slightly with the sides of the cap, and the board can easily resist being (lightly) squeezed between the sides of the cap.
The sound producing device as described reguires the use of just one battery when set to operate in the si~ple beeP-tune mode, in which just a single pitch is sounded at one ti~e.
In order for ths device to e~it ~ultiple frequencies simultaneously, as is required for speech or ~usic, it is generally better that two batteries be provided. It is recognised that two standard batteries of dia~eter 8 ~ and height 3.4 ~, and their associated clips, can be acco~odated on a circuit board as co~ponents of a tunnel-shaped asse~bly unit, which fits into a cylinder of 11 or 12 mm dia~eter.
_ . .
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2~3~'J75 For good sound performance, it is recognised that the diaphragm of the loudspeaker should not be less than about 10 or 11 m~ in diameter, and it is recognised that the loudspeaker preferably should be accommodated, not on the same piece of circuit board as the batteries, but at right angles thereto, as described, where the loudspeaker acts as the end plug o~ the cap.
Fle 2A is a pictorial view of a sub-assembly unit o~ the sound producer, which fits inside the cap;
Fig 2B is a view of the underside of th~ sub-assembly unit;
Fig 3 is an end elevation of the sub-assembly unit, shown installed in the cap;
Fig 4 is a cross-sectional view of a component of the sub-assembly unit.
The apparatus shown in the accompanying drawings and described below are examples which e~body the invsntion. It should be noted that the scope of the invention is defined by the accoopanying clai~s, and not necessarily by specific features of exemplary e~bodiments.
The drawings show a pen 40 having a body 41 and a cap 42.
The cap 42 of the pen comprises a hollow cylindrical tube, made o~ the usual plastic material. The upper end of the cap 42 is provided with a recess 43.
The apparatus includes a loudspeaker 4B~ The speaker 46 comprises the usual coil 48 of ~ine wire, which is wound x~ s around a central post 49. The post 49 is attached to a plate 50. Surrounding the coil 48 is an annulus 51. The post 49, the plate 50, and the annulus 51, are ~ade o~
~agnetic material.
The plate 50 is glued to a piece 52 of circuit board ~aterial, having integral ~etallic pads 53. Pins 54 are soldered to the pads 53, and Protrude at right angles to the piece 52 of circuit board ~aterial. Ths wires 56 ~rom the coil 48 are soldered also to the pads 53.
The speaker includes a diaphrag~ 57, which is secured between a dooe 58, and a sleeve 59 spigoted thereto, which are both ~ade of plastic ~aterial. The plate 50 and the piece 52 are pressed into, and glued into, the sleeve 59.
The dooe 58 is provided with a hole 60 through which sound fron the speaker 46 ~ay broadcast.
The co~ponents as described ~oro a plug-sub-asse~bly 61, which is as shown in Fig 4. The plug-sub-assembly 61, put together as described, beco~es a unitary co~ponent having its own structural integrity and robustness. The plug-sub-asseubly 61 is di~ensioned to fit within the recess 43 in the cap 42.
The apparatus includes a circuit board 64, which is ~ade of the usual plastic insulative naterial coated with conductive ~etal at pre-deter~ined locations. The plug-sub-asse~bly 61 :. . ;
, , : ... ..
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is attached to the circuit board B4 by soldering the pins 54 to suitably placed metal pads 65 on the circuit board. The electrical connections to the coil 48 are thereby also made.
The circuit board 64 is provided with the conductive metal on both sides. The two sides of the board are shown in Figs 2A and 2B rsspectively. Also mounted on the circuit board 64 are an optical light sensor 67, an encapsulated ~icro-chip 68, a current regulator 69, a first battery 70, which residas in a battery clip 71, and a Recond battery clip 72 which can recsive an optional second battery.
The said components, secured upon the circuit board 64, and together with the plug-sub-assembly B1, co~prise an assembly unit 73. The unit 73, like the plug-sub-asse~bly, beco~es an integrated structural, unitary, whole. The assembly-unit 73 is physically robust enough to be asse~bled into the pen cap 42, and robust enough for a long service life in such a location.
The assembly-unit 73 is self-contained as regards its performance as a sound producer. The co~ponents asse~bled and located on the cirouit board are e~fective, when the ~icro-chip 68 is program~ed appropriately, to issue pre-arranged sounds via ths loudspeaker 4B when ths optical sensor 67 is exposed to light. It is recognised that no other components are needed to be added ~or the sound producer to function, neither as regards the quality o~ the .. ..
.
3~"5 sound produced, nor as regards the proper operational actuation o~ the device.
In particular, there is no wiring to be carried out after the unit has been asse~bled into the pen cap.
The assembly-unit 73 is not o~ course indestruotible, and indeed the unit might be regarded, as it stands, as not adequately robust ~or many applications in which electronic devices and components are typically used. However, it is reco~nised that the inside of a pen cap is a protected environ~ent, and that the components and th~ circuit board can come to little harm in such a place. Of course, the unit might be damaged i~ it were possible, ~or example, for the nib of the pen to encroach right into the end of the cap where the unit is located, but it i5 a simple matter for the designer to see to it that this cannot happen.
On the other hand, the plug-sub-asssmbly 61 does need to have 80~e robustness; not so much for in-service use as for a~8embly. The ~orce requirod to insert thc dovice ( i8 the uhole Fig 2A,2B assembly-unit 73) into the recess 43 is applied to the plug-sub-assembly 61, and more espacially to the dome 58. It will be noted that the dome 58 i5 perha~s the ~ost robust component of the whole devics, yet the robustness of the dome was provided mainly to acco~modate its function of holding and locatin~ the loudspeaker compon~nts: it i8 recognised that the robustness provided . .
..,.~.- ,.
for this ~irst $unction i5 enough also to accom~odate the second ~unction of the dome, ie its function as a trans~itter of asse~bly press $orces.
The co~paratively fragile circuit board i5 not called upon to su$fer asse~bly press $orces: the do~e 58 and the sleeve 59 can easily deal with such assembly press forces as are applied.
It mieht be considered that a circuit board and components such as have been described would not be adequately robust without encapsulation in a suitable potting co~pound. Yet such has not proved necessary. If encapsulation is needed or preferred, it should o~ course be transparent, at least in the region o$ the optical sensor.
The device as described, ie the assembly-unit 73, may there~ore be regarded as be~ng per~ectly adequately robust in those areas where robustness is especially needed, whereas in those areas whsre the device is perhaps not so robust, little is required.
One ~ajor advantage of the device as described is that the device is self-contained as it stands. The device is self-contained ~oth physically and electrically. No connections need be made after the device is assembled into the pen cap.
This is a great advantage because the asse~bly of pens typically takes place at a separate facility from the .
, ZC~3'`J75 g assembly of electronic co~ponents and circuit boards (and is carried out by different people). Assembly of the device into the pen is si~ply a matter o~ pressing the device in:
there is no subsequent wiring or adjust~snt required, of any kind, upon asse~bly of the devics into the cap. Thus the manufacture, and even the final inspectionJ of the assembly-unit 73 can easily be done quite separately from the manufacture and assembly o~ the pen -- even in a dif~erent country, should that be desired.
ThusJ the devi¢e as described is eminently suitableJ because of its shape and physical characteristicsJ for ~ittin~ into a pen cap, and for operation therein. Being optically actuated, the device has no moving parts, which also renders the device eminently suitable for such use.
Of course, optical actuation of electrical devices is not nsw. However, a feature o~ the invention is that the deYice ~akes use of the fact that the interior of a pen cap remains in darkness until the pen cap is removed. Thus the ~echanical operation of removing thc pen cap, which thc user performs upon the pen, whether the pen produces sound or not, automatically actuates the sound producing device.
The optical light sensor 67 should be so placed on the circuit board that lt does inde~d receive light when the pen cap is removed. Also, the sensitivity of the light sensing portion of the electrical circuit should be carefully set.
- 10 - 2t~ ~.7~5 In this connection, it should be noted that the plastic from which pen caps are ~ade usually in faot have so~e light-transmitting capacityJ so that the light sensor ~ay need to be desensitised to avoid spurious actuation when the capped pen is exposed to bright lights. These things ars deter~ined by settings built into the circuit by the designer: no adjust~ents are required during ~anufacture or asse~bly.
The arrange~ent of the circuit board> and of the said co~ponents asse~bled upon the circuit board, is such that the resulting asse~bly-unit 73 (of board and co~ponents) ~ay be regarded as tunnel-shaped: that is to say, the asse~bly-unit 73 is so shaped as to be particularly suited for fitting endways inside a cylindrical tunnel, ie inside the cap of a pen.
In the asse~bly-unit 73 as described the circuit board occupies a dianeter of the cap, as ~ay be seen in Fig 4.
The co~ponents attached to the board are disposed either side of the board. It i8 recognised as a significant advantage that the co~ponents are arranged upon the circuit board such that the assenbly-unit ~ay be inserted into a cylindrical tunnel, bearing in ~ind the fact that the asse~bly-unit is to be fitted into the hollow cylindrical cap 42.
The c~rcuit board *4 is ~ade of the u8ual non-oondu*tive - ' , .
- 11 - 2~ 5 rigid plastic ~aterial faced with ~etal, which is etched away to for~ the circuit layout. In the device as described, the board is provided with ~etal on both sides, and co~ponents are arranged on both sides. If all the co~ponents were to one side o~ the circuit board, it would be ~uch ~ore dif~icult to arrange that the device could fit into a cylindrical tunnel.
The co~ponents could of course be ~ade to fit if they were s~aller, and ~iniaturisation of electronic co~ponents is of course always a possibility, but the nornal, standard, proprietorily available, conponents, such as loudspeakers, batteries and their clips, light sensors, etc as described, can only be ~ade to fit inside a pen cap if careful thought is given to their physical arrange~ent. Also, to be readily acceptable to the public, the device ~ust be very inexpensive, and the design of specially shaped components ~or use in the device o~ the invention would not be econo~ical.
The di~ensions of pens are not for~ally standardized. Even so, ~odern writing i~ple~ents do generally confor~ to certain di~ensional standards. Thus, the length of a pen is around 15 c~, including the cap. Pens of ~ore than about 17 c~, or less than 13 c~, in length are not, in general, available on the ~arket (except as absurd novelty itens).
SiDilarly, pens of s~aller dia~eter than about 7 nn are very rare. The conventional ball-point pen (and a conventional .:
~ '`' ' .
~s`~ s pencil) hardly ever exceed 8 or 9 mm; however, felt-tip pens and fountain pens o~ten are thicker, up to about 12 or 13 ~o, which are quite readily available, indicating that such thicker dimsnsions can be acceptable to ths public.
Thus the dimensions of a pen ~ust be fairly closely controlled in order for ths pen to be widely accsptable to the public: if ths designer wishes to install sound producing apparatus on the pen, he cannot design the pen around the apparatus -- he must design the sound producing apparatus to fit within the "standard" di~ensions of a pen.
It is recognised that whether it is convenient and economic to fit a sound producing device into a pen, as in the invention, depends primarily on whether the sound device can be acco~odated, di~ensionally, upon the pen.
Also, it is recognised that it is not si~ply a question, for the designer, of making the sound producsr fit into the pen;
first, the designer must co~e to the recognition that, by arranging the components in a certain fashion, the sound producer can be accommodated within a dimensional envelope that is co~patible with the "standard" di~ensions of pen, ie the di~ensions which the public has co~e to expect of pens.
The asse~bly-unit 73 as described fits within a circu~-scribing cylinder of diamster 12 mm. The diameter of the plug-sub-assenbly ôl is 12 ~ and the length thereof, 2l~ r39, S
excluding the pins, is 9 ~. The length of the device overall is 3 c~. The invention should not be construed as being limited to these exact di~ensions, but it is recognised that these di~ensions are not ~erely ~atters of design choice: rather, a feature of the invention is the reco~nition that it is the fact that the co~ponents can be fitted within this di~ensional envelope which renders the device suitable for use as a pen cap sound producer.
It is not necessary that the circuit board B4 should be s~aller in width than the dia~eter of the pen cap into which it is inserted: the pen cap can acco~odate the board even though the board ~ight interfere slightly with the sides of the cap, and the board can easily resist being (lightly) squeezed between the sides of the cap.
The sound producing device as described reguires the use of just one battery when set to operate in the si~ple beeP-tune mode, in which just a single pitch is sounded at one ti~e.
In order for ths device to e~it ~ultiple frequencies simultaneously, as is required for speech or ~usic, it is generally better that two batteries be provided. It is recognised that two standard batteries of dia~eter 8 ~ and height 3.4 ~, and their associated clips, can be acco~odated on a circuit board as co~ponents of a tunnel-shaped asse~bly unit, which fits into a cylinder of 11 or 12 mm dia~eter.
_ . .
-, .
2~3~'J75 For good sound performance, it is recognised that the diaphragm of the loudspeaker should not be less than about 10 or 11 m~ in diameter, and it is recognised that the loudspeaker preferably should be accommodated, not on the same piece of circuit board as the batteries, but at right angles thereto, as described, where the loudspeaker acts as the end plug o~ the cap.
Claims (13)
- CLAIM 1. Cap, having a sound producing device, wherein:
the cap includes a length of tubing, and has a hollow interior, and an open mouth at one end, whereby the cap is suitable for fitting over, and for capping, a pen or the like;
the sound producing device is operable, and the cap includes an operator for operating the sound producing device;
the operator includes a light sensor;
the light sensor is positioned inside the hollow interior of the cap, and the arrangement of the cap is such that light falls upon the light sensor when the pen or the like is withdrawn from the cap;
and the disposition of the operator is such that when light falls on the light sensor the operator operates the sound producing device. - CLAIM 2. Cap of claim 1, wherein:
the cap is so constructed and arranged, in relation to the pen or the like, that when the cap is fitted thereto the hollow interior of the cap is in darkness, and when the cap is removed therefrom the hollow interior is exposed to ambient light;
the light sensor comprises an ambient-light sensor;
the light sensor is positioned inside the hollow interior of the cap, and the arrangement of the cap is such that ambient light falls upon the light sensor when the hollow interior of the cap is exposed to light;
and the disposition of the operator is such that when ambient light falls on the light sensor the operator operates the sound producing device. - CLAIM 3. Cap of claim 1, wherein the light sensor and the sound producing device are physically mounted to and in the length of tubing, and are structurally integral therewith.
- CLAIM 4. Cap of claim 1, wherein:
the cap includes an end-plug, inserted into a complementary recess at the other end of the piece of tubing, and is structurally secured therein;
the sound producing device and the light sensor are assembled into the end-plug, thereby together forming an assembly unit, in which the sound producing device and the operator are structurally integral with the end-plug. - CLAIM 5. Cap of claim 1, wherein:
the sound producing device includes a loudspeaker and a battery, connected together in an electrical circuit, and structurally mounted on a circuit board;
the light sensor comprises a light sensing diode, which is included in the electrical circuit, and which is structurally mounted upon the circuit board;
and the circuit board is structurally mounted in and to the end plug. - CLAIM 6. Cap of claim 5, wherein the cap has a longitudinal axis, and the loudspeaker has a diaphragm, and the diaphragm lies in a perpendicular plane to the axis.
- CLAIM 7. Cap of claim 6, wherein an outer rim of the diaphragm is clamped between a dome and a ring;
and an outer surface of the dome is so dimensioned as to be in direct gripping contact with an inner surface of the recess. - CLAIM 8. Cap of claim 5, wherein the loudspeaker, the light sensor, the battery, and the circuit board, form together a structurally integral assembly unit.
- CLAIM 9. Cap of claim 8, wherein the assembly unit is tunnel-shaped, and is so dimensioned as to fit into the hollow interior of cap.
- CLAIM 10. Cap of claim 8, wherein, when the assembly unit is not assembled into the cap:
the assembly unit exists as a structurally-coherent stand-alone unit;
and the sound producing device is functionally complete and capable of being operated and of emitting sounds when the assembly unit is exposed to light. - CLAIM 11. Cap of claim 8, wherein the assembly unit is so arranged that the sound producing device is operated solely by light falling upon the light sensor, and the assembly unit includes no components thereon of the kind which require mechanical movements to be made to activate electrical signals, and the cap includes no electrical components other than those of the assembly unit.
- CLAIM 12. Cap of claim 1, wherein the tubing is in the form of a cylinder, and the circuit board is in the form of a flat board, and the plane of the said board lies on a diameter of the tubing.
- CLAIM 13. Cap of claim 12, wherein the circuit board has electrically-conductive coating on both sides thereof, and has electrical components of the sound producing device and of the operator located on both sides thereof.
Applications Claiming Priority (2)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| GB919118439A GB9118439D0 (en) | 1991-08-28 | 1991-08-28 | Pen cap or the like with sound producer |
| GB9118439.0 | 1991-08-28 |
Publications (2)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA2053975A1 CA2053975A1 (en) | 1993-03-01 |
| CA2053975C true CA2053975C (en) | 1994-03-29 |
Family
ID=10700580
Family Applications (2)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002053975A Expired - Fee Related CA2053975C (en) | 1991-08-28 | 1991-10-22 | Cap for a pen or the like, with sound producer |
| CA002116542A Abandoned CA2116542A1 (en) | 1991-08-28 | 1992-08-27 | Pen cap or the like with sound producer |
Family Applications After (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA002116542A Abandoned CA2116542A1 (en) | 1991-08-28 | 1992-08-27 | Pen cap or the like with sound producer |
Country Status (5)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| AU (1) | AU2433392A (en) |
| CA (2) | CA2053975C (en) |
| GB (2) | GB9118439D0 (en) |
| WO (1) | WO1993004874A1 (en) |
| ZA (1) | ZA926484B (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EP1371505A1 (en) | 2002-06-14 | 2003-12-17 | Excellence Optoelectronics Inc. | Motion ligthing pen with variably accompanying sound action |
| GB2472212A (en) * | 2009-07-28 | 2011-02-02 | Boaz Mina | Integrated circuit comprising a stimulus reactive audible announcer |
| CN106427302B (en) * | 2016-12-02 | 2017-10-03 | 盐城工学院 | Pencil cap and pencil |
Family Cites Families (6)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2298919A1 (en) * | 1975-01-21 | 1976-08-20 | Provis Sa | Miniaturised radio receiver built into writing implement - is switched on and off by twisting top and has miniature loudspeaker |
| GB2186273B (en) * | 1986-02-10 | 1990-02-14 | Instance Ltd David J | A container |
| US4812068A (en) * | 1988-07-15 | 1989-03-14 | Jae Pil Seong | Writing device with alarm |
| GB2231274A (en) * | 1989-05-12 | 1990-11-14 | Peter Dimitrios Poullos | Child's dummy |
| DE8911585U1 (en) * | 1989-09-28 | 1989-11-30 | I, Hwa-Hwu, Taipeh/T`ei-pei | Writing instrument with a device for playing music |
| US5130696A (en) * | 1991-02-25 | 1992-07-14 | Pepsico Inc. | Sound-generating containment structure |
-
1991
- 1991-08-28 GB GB919118439A patent/GB9118439D0/en active Pending
- 1991-10-22 CA CA002053975A patent/CA2053975C/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
-
1992
- 1992-08-27 WO PCT/CA1992/000362 patent/WO1993004874A1/en active Application Filing
- 1992-08-27 AU AU24333/92A patent/AU2433392A/en not_active Abandoned
- 1992-08-27 GB GB9403984A patent/GB2280642A/en not_active Withdrawn
- 1992-08-27 CA CA002116542A patent/CA2116542A1/en not_active Abandoned
- 1992-08-27 ZA ZA926484A patent/ZA926484B/en unknown
Also Published As
| Publication number | Publication date |
|---|---|
| WO1993004874A1 (en) | 1993-03-18 |
| GB9403984D0 (en) | 1994-05-11 |
| CA2053975A1 (en) | 1993-03-01 |
| GB2280642A (en) | 1995-02-08 |
| ZA926484B (en) | 1993-04-26 |
| AU2433392A (en) | 1993-04-05 |
| CA2116542A1 (en) | 1993-03-18 |
| GB9118439D0 (en) | 1991-10-16 |
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Legal Events
| Date | Code | Title | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| EEER | Examination request | ||
| MKLA | Lapsed |