EP0568556B1 - Applicator for corrector fluid - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention concerns a device for correcting errors in written matter, the device comprising a container (1), designed to hold corrector fluid (2) and fitted with a closure cap (3), and an applicator rod (4), made preferably of plastic, fixed inside the cap (3). When not in use, the applicator rod is kept inside the container (1), at least partly covered by the corrector fluid (2). The free end of the applicator rod (4) has a fluid application zone(5) over which a layer (11) of, in particular bristle-shaped, fluff is fixed. The applicator rod (4) is made of material which does not swell on contact with the corrector fluid. The agent used to fix the layer (11) to the fluid-application zone (5) has substantially constant adhesive power, even when the applicator is used or stored for a long period.

Description

The invention relates to a device for correcting errors in documents according to the preamble of claim 1.

Correction fluid for correcting spelling or typing errors is applied in a known manner, in particular using brushes or sponges. Such brushes or sponges are stored in the container for the correction liquid, they are generally fastened in the lid of this container, which also serves as a handle for the brush. When correcting, the brush or sponge is moved over the text to be corrected or over individual letters or parts of letters.

Such a device is described for example in EP-A1-119506. An applicator pen with a free, bevelled end is wetted with correction fluid and should be able to cover areas to be corrected over a large area and without streaks - without repeated immersion in the correction fluid. For this purpose, the free end of this order pen is provided with a brush or sponge-like plastic coating; so the brush-like fibers or the foam or sponge material can absorb a lot of liquid and also release it again.

The disadvantage here is that sponge or foam material - as well as brushes or brushes - absorb or absorb a relatively large amount of liquid. This means that liquid can only flow away in an uncontrollable manner - initially more, later less - with which the application quantity and also the correction area are undetermined. If only larger areas are to be covered, this problem does not arise; However, the situation is different with targeted, precise or line-specific covering. With the flexible brush, liquid runs off, especially on the back. For long-fiber brushes the dispensing of fluids may be better distributed, but, like brushes, the quantity cannot be controlled. Also, in order to avoid correction "hills" and to accelerate the drying and thus the possibility of overwriting, brushes, brushes or sponges must be wiped off before use, which causes a residue of hardened correction fluid around the edge of the container, with renewed Stripping correction fluid lumps could be included. Correcting points with precision is therefore only possible to a limited extent.

Another problem manifests itself - in particular with prolonged use and thus also after a longer storage time in the correction liquid - in the known devices especially when the generally rod-shaped application devices are covered with a layer on their application area for receiving and dispensing the correction liquid. Since the application devices are kept in the correction liquid when not in use, and these correction liquids partly contain aggressive solvents, the application device may swell and / or the layer applied to its application area may become detached. The latter can occur on the one hand as a result of the swelling of the rod material, so that layer platelets break off, particularly during the application process, when the swollen rod causes the layer enveloping it to burst open. On the other hand, for sticks which do not swell, it turns out that adhesives resistant to the solvents present in the correction liquid do not adhere sufficiently to the surface of the sticks, so that after a certain period of use, layer components can come off.

The object of the invention is to provide a device which dispenses correction fluid and only this so that no constituents of the layer which is provided for taking up and dispensing the correction fluid drop off in an undesirable manner or can flake off. This is done by realizing the characterizing features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments are described in the characterizing features of the dependent claims. Another important aspect is that the application device only dispenses correction liquid in a metered manner and allows precise coverage of the correction area and only the desired one.

Polyester rubber in particular has proven to be a suitable material for the rod-shaped application device, although, for example, rods made of metal would also be conceivable. Such a polyester rubber is, for example, Hy-Trel ^(R) (registered trademark of Dupont).

A gasoline-, water- and / or alcohol-resistant adhesive corresponding to the composition of the correction liquid proves to be advantageous as a means of fixing the layer. However, other means, such as melting, are also conceivable to prevent the flakes from coming off, even after prolonged use.

Rod material made of polyester rubber and petrol-resistant adhesive are a particularly advantageous combination, as can be seen in particular from a comparison with the known devices. These use either polyethylene or PVC as the stick material. Adhesive adheres to PVC, but it has a tendency to swell in the correction fluid; petrol-resistant adhesive does not adhere to polyethylene, which does not tend to swell. In the latter case, the applied layer components come off, the stick becomes "bald" in its application area, while in the former case the layer will flake off in fragments, especially when the correction fluid is applied to the areas to be corrected.

The layer glued in the application area preferably consists of hair-shaped polyamide or polyester flakes, the length of which, in view of the fact that a controlled, optionally both punctiform and line-shaped and flat, dispensing of correction fluid should be possible, is preferably between 0.3 and 2 mm but should be about 0.8 to 1 mm. For the perfect alignment of these fine flakes of flakes on the application area, they are expediently flocked electrostatically. This ensures not only alignment, but also good adhesion to the adhesive for all flake hairs. This means that any hairs that may be weak or non-adherent are removed during use.

A limited amount of correction fluid is absorbed into the spaces between the flakes and only flows off in meanders when applied. No more liquid flows in than is desired.

This formation of an application device aimed at a quantity-controlled and controllable delivery of correction fluid can of course also be used independently of the material of the application stick and / or of the type of fixing means.

If, as is known per se, the lower end of the application device is designed to be chamfered, in contrast to known application devices, corrections can be made reproducibly and reliably, as well as very precisely in the form of dots and lines.

The application device can also be piston-shaped. This prevents unwanted droplet formation, even when the container is completely filled with correction fluid. If the tip of such a piston is also additionally bevelled, there is the possibility of applying the correction liquid in different line widths.

However, the liquid can also be applied punctually, depending on the orientation in which the application device is held.

If the application device is designed in two parts, in particular a part corresponding to the application area can be detachably connected to a part fixed in the container lid, then there is the possibility of replacing the part of the application area that has become encrusted after multiple use and may no longer be fully functional with a new one. For this purpose, the part of the application stick fixed in the container lid is preferably tubular.

The application area should have a certain minimum height of at least 3 mm, but preferably 5 mm, in order to ensure the adequate absorption of correction fluid.

The diameter of the application stick has to be chosen in such a way that it is large enough (at least approx. 3 mm) on the one hand to be able to pick up flakes and not lose them during application, and on the other hand small enough (max. Approx. 8 mm) to be able to do so a small area correction is possible.

If the container is equipped with a narrowed neck area, excess correction fluid is wiped off when the applicator is pulled out. Since this constriction lies within the container and the stripped liquid can flow back into it again, no correction liquid lumps will form in this embodiment which could be entrained when the application device is pulled out. An expansion of the narrowed neck area towards the upper edge of the container makes it easier to reinsert the application device into the container.

Fig.1

einen Schnitt durch einen geschlossenen Korrekturflüssigkeitsbehälter mit Korrekturfüssigkeit und eingetauchter Auftragevorrichtung;

Fig.2

einen Schnitt durch eine zweiteilig ausgebildete Auftragevorrichtung; und

Fig.3

einen Korrekturflüssigkeitsbehälter mit verengtem Halsbereich.

The invention is described below by way of example with reference to the drawing. Show it:

Fig. 1

a section through a closed correction fluid container with correction fluid and immersed application device;

Fig. 2

a section through an application device formed in two parts; and

Fig. 3

a correction fluid reservoir with a narrowed neck area.

1 shows a section of a container 1 for correction fluid 2, which is closed with a lid 3. A rod-shaped application device 4a is fastened in the interior of the lid 3 and is immersed in the correction liquid 2 when the container 1 is closed. For example, a layer 11 of hairy flakes, optionally made of polyamide, is applied to the surface of the lower part of the application device 4a, which is referred to as the application area 5a, by means of an adhesive which is insoluble with respect to the constituents of the correction liquid. If the application device 4 is removed from the container 1 in order to be able to apply correction fluid 2, a quantity of correction fluid 2 defined by the porosity of the surface in the application region 5 remains adhering without "fluffing up" as in the case of brushes or sponges an undesirable excess of correction fluid. The flake layer 11 consists of - preferably electrostatically flocked - hair-shaped particles with a length dependent on the fluidity of the correction fluid, so that correction fluid cannot be absorbed like a sponge or foam, but is held in meandering channels from which it can flow off again. The lower end 6a of the application device 4a is preferably bevelled; Punctiform or flat and also line-shaped corrections are therefore possible without any problems.

2 shows a variant of an application device 4b that is ready for application. The function of the lid 3 as a handle can be seen. A - here piston-shaped - part, corresponding to the application area 5b, is inserted into a tubular part 7, which is fastened in the cover 3, and clamped or glued. The shape of the piston enables a particularly uniform dispensing of correction fluid 2, since - even when the container is almost full - excess liquid absorbed via the piston shoulders is only released slowly.

The tip 6b of this piston-shaped application area 5b is particularly advantageous in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2 only for point-like corrections. However, a bevel corresponding to FIG. 1 is also possible, or a blunt design of the piston-shaped part 5b. Instead of the piston-shaped part 5b, a cylindrical part can also be provided, which is inserted into a tubular part 7 or surrounds it.

If the application device is made in two parts, it is possible to replace glued and dried application parts.

In the same way, the piston-shaped application area can of course also be formed on a one-piece application stick.

3 shows a particularly advantageous shape for a container 1a. This is provided with a narrowed neck area 8, the narrowest point 10 being spaced apart from the upper edge 9 of the container 1a. Against this edge 9, the clear diameter of the opening of the container 1a increases. The diameter D at the narrowest point 10 corresponds approximately to the largest diameter d of the application device 4 (FIG. 1 or 2) or is slightly larger than this. So that too much is taken up when pulling the applicator out of the container 1a Corrected liquid 2 stripped and can flow back into the interior of the container, if the inner wall of the container is designed according to FIG. The liquid will not dry out at this point 10, and the application device 4 will not be contaminated by lumps of correction liquid. The correction fluid to be applied remains homogeneous even over prolonged use.

The opening provided in the neck region 8 of the container 1a widens towards the upper edge 9. On the one hand, this makes it easier to insert the application device 4; on the other hand, dried-on correction liquid, which in any case forms at this point, is not taken away by the application device 4.

Claims (8)

1. A device for correcting errors in written matter, having a closable container (1) to hold correction fluid (2) and a rod-like applicator (4) which is fixed in the cover (3) of the container (1) and is stored inside the container (1) when not in use and is wet at least partly by the correction fluid (2), the applicator (4) consisting of a non-swelling material and carrying, in an application zone (5) formed at its free end, a layer (11) of - in particular hair-like - flocks, wherein a naphtha-resistant adhesive being provided for fixing the layer (11) to the application zone (5) and the applicator (4) consisting of polyester rubber or metal to which the adhesive remains adhering.
2. A device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the flocks consist of polyamide and/or polyester and preferably have a length of 0.3 to 2 mm, in particular about 0.8 -1 mm.
3. A device as claimed in claim 1 or 2, wherein the application zone (5) has been electrostatically flocked.
4. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the applicator (4b) is bulb-shaped in its application zone (5b), the tip of the bulb preferably being beveled.
5. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the applicator (4) is in two parts, a part which corresponds in particular to the application zone (5) being capable of being connected, in particular detachably, to a part (7) which is in particular tubular and is fixed in the container cover (3).
6. A device as claimed in any off the preceding claims, wherein the application zone (5) extends over at least 3 mm, preferably at least 5 mm, measured in the longitudinal direction of the applicator (4) from the lower end (6).
7. A device as claimed in any of the preceding claims, wherein the largest diameter (d) of the applicator (4) approximately corresponds to the internal diameter (D) of the orifice of the container (1a) at the narowest point (10) in a constricted neck region (8) of said container.
8. A device as claimed in claim 7, wherein the neck region (8) widens conically toward the upper edge (9) of the container (1a).

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