EP0209342A1

EP0209342A1 - Writing implement

Info

Publication number: EP0209342A1
Application number: EP86305394A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Masaaki Fukami
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1985-07-17
Filing date: 1986-07-14
Publication date: 1987-01-21
Also published as: JPH0357511Y2; DE3670805D1; JPS6219286U; EP0209342B1

Abstract

A writing instrument comprises a barrel (3) housing an ink absorbing/storing body (3a), a beaklike pen nib (5), and an ink feeding core (9) for supplying ink from the ink absorbing/ storing body (3a) to the pen nib (5). The ink feeding core (9) is inserted at its forward end into a longitudinal groove (8) formed in an ink feeding core holder (7). The ink feeding core (9) has a front end (9a) formed into a beaklike shape and protruding forward from and beyond the front end of the ink feeding core holder (7). The pen nib (5) has a writing point (5a) made up of a pair of bulging parts (5a') formed on both sides of the forwards end of the pen nib (5) integrally therewith. The bulging parts (5a') extend substantially perpendicularly to the general surface of the pen nib (5) and is in contact with and in opposed relation to each other. The front end (9a) of the ink feeding core (9) is in contact with the rear of the bulging parts (5a') or is inserted into a small space formed between the rear portions of the bulging parts (5a').

Description

This invention relates to writing implements and more specifically to a writing implement which has an increased flow of ink from its ink feeding core to its beaklike pen nib point, and in which ink oozes out to the nib point suitably to make possible instantaneous starting of writing even after the implement has been held upright with the nib pointed upward for a long time.
I have previously proposed a writing implement in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open Publication (Kokai) No. 64482/1986. The present invention relates to an improvement of the writing implement of the above publication. This prior writing implement has a beaklike pen nib covering an ink feeding core holder which has a longitudinal groove into which the forward end of an ink feeding core connected at the rear end to an ink absorbing/storing body is received, whereby the ink in the ink absorbing/storing body is fed through the ink feeding core to the beaklike pen nib.
This prior writing implement, which has the ink absorbing body in its cylindrical barrel similarly as a felt pen, is immediately usable as it is bought, and is inexpensive and disposable, but it has an appearance resembling a fountain pen and feels massive when held for writing therewith.
In this prior writing implement, the groove of the ink feeding core holder for receiving the ink feeding core has tiny concavities formed in the forward end surface of the groove so that the tiny concavities will cause capillary action. The capillary action in the tiny concavities induces the ink to seep from the ink feeding core to the pen nib.
While this prior writing implenent has been used, it has been found to have a drawback in that the capillary action is inadequate for feeding sufficient ink to the pen nib, whereby letters written thereby sometimes become faint. Furthermore, this prior implement has been found to be accompanied by another problem. That is, while it is held upright for a long time in a breast pocket, for example, the ink to be fed to the writing point of the pen nib is caused to drop back into the ink feeding core under the force of gravity (hereinafter this phenomenon is called "ink drop"), and, immediately upon being taken out of the pocket for writing, it cannot write.
An object of this invention is to provide a writing implement which overcomes the drawbacks of the prior implement described above, and which has an increased ink flow from the ink feeding core to the pen nib and keeps the writing point of the pen nib fed with ink without "ink drop", so that it is always ready to use and writes smoothly without interruption.
In order to attain the above and other objects of this invention, this invention provides a writing implement comprising: an elongated barrel housing an ink absorbing/storing means; hollow pen holder means provided on the front end of the barrel; an ink feeding core holder inserted into the pen holder means and having a groove formed longitudinally in the outer surface of the ink feeding core holder; an ink feeding core fitted in the concave groove and inserted at the rear end thereof into the ink absorbing/storing means; a beaklike pen nib so disposed as to cover the ink feeding core holder and having a writing point, whereby capillary action of the ink feeding core conducts ink from the ink absorbing/storing means to the pen nib, the writing implement being characterized in that the ink feeding core has a front end thereof formed into a beaklike shape, that the front end of the ink feeding core protrudes forward from and beyond the front end of the ink feeding core holder, that the writing point is made up of a pair of bulging parts formed on both sides of the forward end of the pen nib integrally therewith, the bulging parts extending substantially perpendicularly to the general surface of the pen nib and being in contact with and in opposed relation to each other, and that the front end of the ink feeding core is in contact with the rear of the bulging parts.
The above stated arrangement produces an advantageous effect in that the ink in the ink absorbing/storing means is fed continuously without any interruption of the ink feed.
Further, according to this invention, the ink to be fed to the writing point of the pen nib is fed along a slit formed in the pen nib and along the inner surfaces of the bulging parts of the writing point. This arrangement produces an advantageous effect in that the ink is fed to the pen nib in a greater quantity than in the prior writing implement, consequently without the inconvenience of faintly written letters. Furthermore, according to this invention, the writing point is in constant contact with the ink feeding core. This arrangement affords the advantageous effect of elimination of "ink drop", and thus the writing implement writes smoothly and instantaneously even after it has been held upright.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is an enlarged side sectional view of the forward end portion of one example of the writing implement according to this invention;
FIG. 2 is a plan sectional view of the forward end portion shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the leading end portion shown in FIGS. 1 and 2;
FIG. 4 is a side view of the entire writing implement in the example shown in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3;
FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the pen nib of the example in the form of a blank as punched; and
FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the pen nib shown in FIG. 5 and as formed by pressing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The example of the writing implement in the form shown in FIG. 4 comprises a body 1 and a cap 2. The body 1 comprises an elongated barrel 3 and a pen nib holder 4, both of which are made of plastics, and a metal beaklike pen nib 5 of arcuate cross section. The barrel 3 houses an ink absorbing/storing body 3a which contains ink and feeds the ink to the pen nib 5.
As shown in FIG. 1, the pen nib holder 4 is inserted at 4a into the forward end of the barrel 3. A bore 6 of semicircular cross section is formed in the pen nib holder 4. An ink feeding core holder 7 is inserted into the bore 6. As shown in FIG. 3, the ink feeding core holder 7 has a beaklike forward end, and semicircular cross section which can fit in the bore 6. A groove 8 is formed longitudinally in the outer surface of the ink feeding core holder 7. The depth of the groove 8 is reduced toward the forward end. An ink feeding core 9 is inserted into the groove 8. The ink feeding core 9 has the forward end formed into a thin beakline shape. The forward end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 protrudes slightly forward from the front end of the groove 8. The ink feeding core 9 is made of a bundle of numerous filaments of fiber, and the capillary action of the narrow passages between these filaments is utilized to feed the ink of the ink absorbing/storing body 3a to the pen nib 5. An air passage 10 is formed longitudinally in the bottom surface of the ink feeding core holder 7.
A convex recessed surface 11 is formed in the outer upper peripheral surface of the ink feeding core holder 7. As shown in FIG. 3, the pen nib 5 is fitted in this recessed surface 11 in such a manner as to cover the ink feeding core 9 and is flush with the outer peripheral surface of the ink feeding core holder 7. The pen nib 5 is made of metal and is beak-shaped. A writing point 5a is formed at the front end of the pen nib 5. A slit 5b is formed to extend from the writing point 5a of the pen nib 5, to a small hole 5c formed in the hib 5 for stopping the slit 5b from extending any farther rearward.
The pen nib 5 is fabricated by pressing a punched stainless-steel sheet blank 5' shown in FIG. 4. The sheet blank 5' has a pair of bulging parts 5a', 5a' in the form of a small plate formed integrally at the forward end thereof. These parts 5a', 5a' are to be bent in a direction perpendicular to the general surface of the blank 5' to form the writing point 5a. The slit 5b and the small hole 5c at the rear end of the slit 5b are provided in the forward end of the sheet blank 5'. Then the sheet blank 5' is pressed to conform closely to the recessed convex surface 11 of the ink feeding core holder 7. At the same time the parts 5a', 5a' are bent toward each other. In this way the beaklike pen nib 5 with the writing point 5a formed integrally with the former is fabricated as shown in FIG. 6. When the parts 5a', 5a' are bent, a small space is left between them at the rear end of the writing point 5a.
The writing point 5a of the pen nib 5 thus fabricated has a V-shape in horizontal section as shown in FIG. 2, in which the bulging parts 5a', 5a' are. in face-to-face contact with each other at the front portion of the writing point 5a and are slightly separated from each other at the rear end thereof. In the opening between the separated parts 5a', 5a' is inserted a part of the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 projecting from the ink feeding core holder 7, in contact with the inner surface of the writing point 5a. Thus a small space is defined between the front end of the ink feeding core 9 and the inner surface of the writing point 5a.
The writing implement of the above described construction according to this invention functions in the following manner.
While the writing implement is being used for writing, the ink absorbed in the ink absorbing/storing body 3a is conducted to the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 by the capillary action of the ink feeding core 9. As shown in FIG. 2, the front end 9a is inserted in the opening between the projecting parts 5a' of the writing point 5a in contact with the inner surface of the writing point, and thus the ink conducted to the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 is led to the front end of the writing point 5a through the slit 5b formed in the pen nib 5.
_"Part of the ink thus conducted to front end 9a is led to the front tip of the writing point 5a along the inner surface of the writing point. The space defined between the inner surface of the writing point 5a and the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 serves as an ink reservoir, where the ink to be fed from the ink feeding core to the pen nib 5 is stored. When the ink is consumed for writing, the same quantity of the ink is fed from the ink feeding core 9 to the writing point 5a.
In the embodiment of the invention described above, the projecting parts 5a', 5a' of the writing point 5a are bent with a small space defined between these parts at the rear end of the writing point 5a, and in this space is inserted the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9. However, the writing implement according to this invention is not limited to this embodiment. The projecting parts 5a' of the writing point 5a may be bent substantially without a space between these parts at the rear end of the writing point 5a, and the front end 9a of the ink feeding core 9 may be in contact with this substantially closed rear end of the writing point 5a. In the latter case, the same effect as in the embodiment of the invention described above is produced.

Claims

1. A writing implement comprising: an elongated barrel (3) housing an ink absorbing/storing means (3a); hollow pen holder means (4) provided on the front end of the barrel (3); an ink feeding core holder (7) inserted into the pen holder means (4) and having a groove (8) formed longitudinally in the outer surface of the ink feeding core holder (7); an ink feeding core (9) fitted in the groove (8) and inserted at the rear end thereof into the ink absorbing/storing means (3a); and a beaklike pen nib (5) so disposed as to cover the ink feeding core holder (7) and having a writing point (5a), whereby capillary action of the ink feeding core (9) conducts ink from the ink absorbing/storing means (3a) to the pen nib (5): characterized in that the ink feeding core (9) has a front end (9a) thereof formed into a beaklike shape, that the front end (9a) of the ink feeding core (9) protrudes forward from and beyond the front end of the ink feeding core holder (7), that said writing point (5a) is made up of a pair of bulging parts (5a') formed on both sides of the forward end of the pen nib (5) integrally therewith, said bulging parts (5a') extending substantially perpendicularly to the general surface of the pen nib and being in contact with and in opposed relation to each other, and that the front end (9a) of the ink feeding core (9) is in contact with the rear of the bulging parts (₅a).

2. A writing implement according to claim 1 wherein said bulging parts (5a') are bent from the pen nib (5).

3. A writing implement according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said bulging parts (5a') are slightly separated from each other at the rear of the writing point (5a) in such a manner that a small V-shaped space is formed between the bulging parts (5a') and the front end (9a) of the ink feeding core (9) is inserted into the V-shaped space.

4. A writing implement according to claim 2 wherein said bulging parts (5a) are each in the form of a small plate.