EP0057686A4

EP0057686A4 - Hand-held utensil.

Info

Publication number: EP0057686A4
Application number: EP19810902129
Authority: EP
Inventors: David P Harris
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1980-08-19
Filing date: 1981-07-14
Publication date: 1984-03-01
Also published as: WO1982000614A1; EP0057686A1; JPS57501274A

Abstract

A felt-tip pen (11), or similar utensile, has an elongated body (13) housing as is conventional, an ink-impregnated tow (15) which extends through an end of the body in the form of a writing point (17). A cover (35) for the point (17) is provided which protects the writing point (17) when the pen is not in use, and prevents the point from drying out. A conventional cover can be misplaced or lost while the implement is in use. To prevent lost, the cover is pivotally and slidably connected to the body to be movable between a first position in which it encloses and protects the point (17) and a second position in which the point (17) is uncovered for use and the cover (35) is snugly accommodated in a recess (29) in the body (13).

Description

HAND-HELD UTENSILE

The present invention relates to elongated hand-held untensiles which comprise a point or tip extending from one end, which point has to be exposed when the utensile is used, but should be covered to prevent damage or deterioration, when not in use. Examples of such utensiles are felt-tip pens and glue applicators, in which it is most desirable for the tip to be covered when the pen or applicator is not in use, so as to avoid the ink, or glue drying out.

The conventional construction for a cover of such a device is a cap which is a push-fit over the tip when in use as a cover and can be pushed temporarily onto the other end when the instrument is in use. However, the cap is quite separate from the body and can easily be lost.

It is, of course, well known in the field of plastic containers, for example detergents and shampoos, to provide a plastic cover for an outlet which is tied to the outlet by a flexible web of plastic material. Such a cover would be both impractical and aesthetically unacceptable for use in, e.g., a writing instrument.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an elongated hand-held utensile having a cover which is not discounted from the body of the utensile when removed to expose the point or tip.

It is a further object to provide a novel design and construction for a hand-held utensile, which meets the requirements of practice better than the prior art devices.

According to the present invention, an elongated hand-held utensile comprises a body having a working point or tip of the utensile which projects from one end of the body. A cover is provided for protecting the point or tip when the utensile is not is use. The cover is pivotally and slidably connected to the body so as to be movable from a protecting position in which it encloses the point or tip and an operative position in which the point or tip is exposed and the cover is accommodated in a recess in the body.

As illustrated by the preferred embodiment described below, the invention finds particularly advantageous application in the case of a felt-tip pen. It may, however, be applied to many other types of utensiles, such as glue applicators. Other features, objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description, offered by way of example only, of a preferred embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a writing instrument embodying the invention, showing the cover in its protecting position;

FIGURE 2 is a perspective view of the writing instrument shown in FIGURE 1 illustrating an intermediate position of the cover;

FIGURE 3 is a perspective view of the writing instrument of FIGURE 1 showing the cover in an operative position; FIGURE 4 is a fragmentary view of an alternative embodiment of the invention;

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary view of a further embodiment of the invention; and

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary view of a yet further embodiment of the invention.

Referring firstly to FIGURES 1 through 3 of the drawings, a felt-tip pen II embodying the invention comprises an elongated body 13 which houses in conventional manner, an ink-impregnated tow 15, which extends beyond a front end of the body 13 to provide a writing, tip 17 supported by a funnel-shaped metal boss 19. The body 13 is conveniently molded from plastic material in two pieces which, after the insertion of the tow 15 and boss 19, are joined together along the line 21 (see FIGURE 1) by any suitable of means, such as an adhesive, or by ultrasonic welding.

As seen in FIGURES 1 through 3, the body 13, which is essentially rectangular in cross-section, has a thickened mid-portion 23, off-set from the longitudinal mid-point toward the front- end, and tapers toward both ends. Viewing the body from the side, it can be seen that one longitudinal surface 25 is flat and that the change in dimension to give the thickened mid-portion 23 is provided entirely by the other longitudinal surface 27. Immediately forward of the thickest point, the body 13 has a rebated portion 29, which extends to the front end of the body 13. A first part of the rebated portion 29 has a pair of side cheeks 31 upstanding from the edges to the front end thereof.

The side cheeks 31 each include a longitudinal slot 33 which provides a means of connecting a cover 35 of the pen 11 to the body 13. The cover 35 comprises a tapered cap 37, having a hollow interior dimensioned to enable the cap 37 to fit over the tip 17 and boss 19 and an exterior shaped and dimensioned to conform with that of the body 13 to form an extension thereof. Extending from the one side of the hollow cap 37 is an arm 39 having at its outer end a cross-limb 41. The cross-limb 41 constitutes a pivot shaft by means of which the cover 35 is connected to the body 13. As seen best in FIGURES 2 and 3, the size and shape of the cap 37, the arm 39 and the cross-limb 41 are such that in the assembled condition of the pen the ends of the cross-limb 41 are slidably and rotatably mounted in the respective slots 33 in the side cheeks 31 and the cap 37 can be moved, by a combined rotational and sliding movement, between a first position, illustrated in FIGURE 1, in which the cap 37 covers the tip 17 and the cross-limb 41 is at the rear ends of the slots 33 and a second position, illustrated in FIGURE 3, in which the tip 17 is exposed and the cover 35 is snugly accommodated in the rebated portion 29, with the cap 37 occupying the said first part thereof and the arm 39 filling the space between the side cheeks 31. In the second position, the cross-limb 41 is at the front end of the slots 33. The cover 35 is readily connected and disconnected from the body

13 by rotation of the cap 37 about the axis of the arm 39, thus freeing the limit 41 from the slots 33. As seen in FIGURE 3, the slots 33 include restrictions 43 near their ends to provide stops for locating the cross-limb 41 in either of the two said positions. The cover 35 is advantageously molded as a single piece. Thus, it can be appreciated that the construction described above requires very few parts and is simple and economical to manufacture and assemble.

If required, a clip for securing the pen in a pocket may be provided on the cover 35 or the body 13. It will be appreciated that many different configurations of the slots 33 and cover 35 can be employed within the scope of the invention. Several alternatives are shown in FIGURES 4 through 6. In FIGURE 4, the arm 39 and cross-limb 41, which are essentially similar to those described above and shown in FIGURES 1 through 3, additionally include a ridge 51 upstanding from the cross-limb 41. To accommodate the ridge 51, the bottom surface of the rebated portion 29, between the side cheeks 31 is formed with a groove 53. At front end, the groove 53 is enlarged to enable rotation of the arm 39 during connection and disconnection of the cover 35 to the body 13. It will be appreciated that in normal use, the ridge 51 is engaged in the groove 53 preventing disengagement of the cover 35.

FIGURE 5 shows an alternative in which the bottom surface of the rebated portion is formed with an upstanding rib 61 which engages with a groove

63 in the middle of the cross-limb 41. The arm 39 can be snap-lifted into engagemeπt between the side cheeks 31 and the cover 35 is then held positively by the engagement of the rib 61 in the groove 63.

FIGURE 6 shows an alternative in which the cross-limb 41 is replaced by a ball 71 and the slots 33 and side cheeks 31 by a longitudinal slot 73 in which the ball 71 is slidably and rotatably mounted, the slot 73 being provided by a space between two curved side walls 75.

At one end the slot 73 is enlarged to form a wider opening 75 through which the ball 71 can be pushed, on deformation of the walls 75, to connect and disconnect the cover 35 to the body 13. Although a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described in detail, it should be understood that various changes, substitutions, and alterations can be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMS (received by the International Bureau on 23 December 1981 (23.12.81))

1. A pen comprising: an elongate, body: a felt writing tip extending longitudinally from one end thereof; a removable cover for said tip , which cover forms a longitudinal extension of the body when in a tip-covering position, said cover including a hollow elongate cap , closed at one end and open at the other end for accommodating said writing tip , said cap fitting over said one end of said body in said tip-covering position of said cover; said body having in an exterior surface a recess adjacent its said one end in which said cap is accommodated in a tip-exposed position of said cover, said cap and said recess being of complementary shape so that said cap substantially fills said recess in said tip-exposed position and surface portions of said cover merge with the surface of said body to form a substantially unbroken exterior thereof; said body further including track means extending longitudinally of the body on the exterior thereof; said cover further including an arm by which said cover is connected to said body , said arm extending from said cap and terminating in pivot means being pivotally and slidably connected to said track means to enable said cover to be moved between said tip-covering and said tip-exposed positions , movement of said cover from said tip-covering position including a first component of movement in which said cover moves substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the body with the pivot means moving along said track to position in which the cap is clear of the tip , and a second component of movement in which said cover is both rotated about said pivot to bring said cap with in said recess.

2. A pen according to claim 1 wherein said track is disposed between said one end of said body and said recess and said second component of movement includes a rotation of about 180° so that the direction of alignment of said cover in said cap-covering position is the reverse of that in the cap-exposed position.

3 . A pen according to claim 2 wherein said second component of movement further includes a longitudinal movement of said pivot means in said track means towards said one end of said body.

4. A pen according to any of claims 1 through 3 wherein stop means are provided on said track means to restrain the cover from movement away from said tip-exposed, or said tip-covering position.

5. A pen according to any of claims 1 through 4 claim 9 wherein said track means is provided by a pair of spaced apart side cheeks ύp-standing from the body of the pen and having longitudinal slots therein and wherein said pivot means comprises a cross-member at the end of said arm, slidably and pivotally engaged in said longitudinal slots.

EDITORIAL NOTE

The applicant failed to renumber the amended claims in accordance with Section 205 of the Administrative Instructions.

In the absence of any specific indication from the applicant as to the correspondence between original and amended claims, these claims are published as filed and as amended.