EP1396352B9 - Self cleaning pencil - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a pen with a mine and a mine surrounding Mine envelope. Under mine cover all parts of the pen are understood, permanently or temporarily adjacent to the mine, eg. Legs the mine coaxially enveloping sleeve and an optional to protect the pen tip on this attachable cap.

In its original use, such a pen for applying Color used on paper or similar sheet materials. To find another but also frequently use pens whose mines for direct contact with human skin are thought. Such a pen may in turn, e.g. at a Kajal or lipstick, to apply color to the skin. On the other hand may be the use of the pen, such as a lipstick, too to order a cosmetic or pharmaceutical preparation.

They are, e.g. from DE 198 55 325 A1, EP 0 927 790 A3 and the DE 42 30 792 A1 pens known in which the pen cover firmly connected to the mine is. With such pens, it is customary to provide the lead envelope with additives, that to facilitate the manufacturing process or to improve the Spikeability act as a lubricant, or act as a preservative.

It continues to be, e.g. from US 5,819,993 pens known in which the mine by a drive, in particular rotary drive, relative to the mine cover slidably is.

In case of a pen intended for direct contact with human skin to consider special aspects of skin compatibility. To unwanted Avoiding skin irritation or damage is not just the chemical composition the mine of such a pen suitable to choose. It is about it Be especially careful to ensure that the skin in contact Pen tip is always in a clean, hygienic condition.

As pollution to be cleaned is therefore in this context on the one hand a macroscopic contamination by granular, lubricating or liquid material, such as Dust, earth, skin particles or hair called. Especially for a pen intended for use near open wounds is, however, beyond a cleaning of the pen tip of "invisible", especially microbial, pollution of particular importance. A such contamination is extremely noticeable e.g. in the infestation of the pen tip by bacteria, Viruses, mites or fungi. Because in the medical or pharmaceutical field generally very high standards are laid down for hygiene requirements, are commonly used when administering or related medications with therapeutic measures "disposable materials", such as in gloves, syringes, applicators, etc., used or it be fast and thoroughly cleanable materials, such as suitable Metals or plastics, used. In contrast, in these areas the use of pens, especially softwood pencils, not readily possible, although their use for reasons of ease of use may be desirable.

The invention is therefore an object of the invention to provide a pen for Use in the medical or pharmaceutical field is suitable.

This object is achieved by the mine cover a detergent for automatic cleaning of the pen tip is added. As a cleaning This is the elimination of macroscopic and / or microbial contamination of the type mentioned above on the pen tip. 'Automatic' this cleaning is then when the accumulation of pollution by the Effect of the cleaning substance is prevented in itself, the pollution so only does not arise at all, or if under the action of the cleaning agent, the pollution when the pen is used as intended, e.g. at the top, is eliminated without a separate cleaning process of the pen tip needed would.

Such automatic cleaning of the pen tip is made possible by that the detergent is integrated into the pen, so no further, separate from the pen to be kept in storage must be kept in stock. To this Way a particularly good everyday use of the pen is achieved. A self-cleaning Therefore, the pen can be safely used even by untrained personnel be used. Furthermore, the application of the pen is not only in anyway clean clinical area possible, but also under adverse hygienic Circumstances, such as traveling.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cleaning agent is a passive cleaning Material. A passively cleansing substance is a substance that generally Meaning a pollution-repellent effect. Well known are substances, which are primarily repellent to macroscopic pollution. This is especially intended to a so-called anti-stick surface, such as they e.g. used with kitchen utensils with great success. Such Anti-adhesive surface prevents by means of a smooth, dense surface structure, chemical inertness and thus a very low coefficient of friction, that macroscopic contamination can adhere to the surface. An in Particularly advantageous material in this regard is polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). PTFE is a chemically and biologically inert and hydrophobic plastic that is commercially available under the trade name Teflon®. In particular for producing a Non-stick surface, it is advantageous to the mine cover with a PTFE coating to provide. The same non-stick effect is also achieved by the Mine cover made of PTFE solid material or a PTFE-containing composite material is made.

To reject macroscopic contamination, it is also advantageous at least part of the mine envelope with a non-wetting surface too Mistake. The non-wetting effect of a surface is mainly below the Term "lotus effect" known. This property manifests itself in the fact that liquids, especially water, can not adhere to the surface, but roll off. The lotus effect is achieved by a surface that is microscopic Fine structure, e.g. in the form of small nubs. Water and others Soiling touches the surface only in the area of the stud ends, So only in a very small area, and therefore can not cling to the surface.

Both by an anti-stick surface and by a non-wetting Surface is first the attachment of macroscopic contamination avoided. However, a macroscopically clean surface will over it In addition, the addition of a microbial contamination inhibited, especially Microbes on the clean surface neither support nor offered a breeding ground is.

A general advantage of a passive cleaning form is that in the intended Use of the pen no toxic or irritant substance is released. The pen thus has a particularly high compatibility, especially for allergy sufferers, on.

In a further advantageous embodiment, the cleaning agent in addition or alternatively to a passive cleaning action, an active cleaning action. These include, in particular with regard to microbial contamination chemical killing or decomposition of germs or fungi understood. In particular, with regard to the active purification of the mine here is the Use of a plastic for the mine cover advantageous in itself antimicrobial acts. Such plastics may e.g. out with a disinfectant be made offset polymer.

Depending on the specific purpose of the pen, so in particular Depending on the active ingredient contained in the mine, as well as depending on the used Cleaning agent are preferred to different variants, the cleaning agent to integrate in the mine envelope. So it is for example when using a cleaning agent with an undesirable side effect appropriate, the cleaning agent as a permanent component, in the form of a coating the mine cover or distributed throughout the volume of the mine cover. In this way, although an accumulation of pollution in the vicinity the mine prevents. On the other hand, the cleaning agent does not get into the lead material itself, and therefore not on the skin.

When using a clean and hygienic cleanser however, it is advantageous to use the detergent as a migrating Provide component of the shell material. In other words, as a component the shell material, which in gaseous or liquid form over long Time slowly exits the mine cover. Thus, the mine material through the leaking detergent, e.g. with antimicrobial action, applied and always kept clean during storage.

In a particularly advantageous embodiment, the cleaning agent is during the storage of the pen permanently held in the mine cover, and only occurs Mechanical stress of the mine cover from the shell material. This is particularly advantageous when the triggering of the cleaning agent mechanical stress on the mine cover when used as intended of the pen, e.g. at-tips of the pen or during a relative movement the mine opposite the mine cover, occurs. The cleaning agent is in this Drop only when the pen is used. Through the targeted Output of the cleaning agent this is used particularly economically, especially as the cleaning agent is not consumed during the storage times. On the other hand, there is always a thorough cleaning of the pen tip, when the pen is used. This principle is realized in particular by a a mine envelope containing a microporous carrier, wherein the detergent is absorbed in the pores of the carrier. Especially if the pores the carrier is closed, is a loss or aging in the Pores trapped detergent effectively inhibited. Only when the pen is tipped before use, the pores are cut, causing the detergent exit and wet the pen tip cleansing. This cleaning can be done both actively done by killing germs, as well as passively, by the cleaner a dirt-repellent film over the Pen point forms.

There are several advantageous variants for the basic structure of such Pin. Which variant is to be preferred depends on the specific one Purpose and in particular the hardness of the mine used from. In an expedient embodiment, the pencil is in the manner of a pencil fixedly connected to a mine-like surrounding part of the mine cover. The sleeve is preferably made of a wood composite or a Made of plastic. Such a pen can be particularly good point, as the Sleeve that supports and protects mine. When tips is advantageously the peeled off due to storage and use soiled old surface of the pen tip. The cleaning agent serves primarily to prevent new pollution the exposed surface by the pointed tool or the Skin contact.

Alternatively, it is provided to arrange the mine slidably with respect to the sleeve. This embodiment is preferably used in a very soft and wide mine use. Conveniently, in this case, one of a lipstick itself provided known rotary drive of the mine. Furthermore, in a further embodiment provided the pin in analogy to a mechanical pencil with a To equip pressure drive for mine feed. This version has in particular the advantage that the pen is providable with a replaceable mine.

Especially when the cleaning material migrates, it makes sense to mine cover with an impermeable protective layer which delimits them to the outside. Such a protective layer not only prevents the ingress of soiling in the mine cover, but also that the cleaning material the mine cover leaves the outside and thereby consumes ineffective. Farther it makes sense to provide the cleaning agent only near the pen tip. On In this way, the mine and the active ingredient contained therein only the effect of the detergent when it is about to be used. Undesirable long-term reactions of the active ingredient contained in the mine and of the cleaning agent can be effectively avoided in this way.

A pin provided with one or more of the features described is especially suitable for a mine, a medical or pharmaceutical Contains active ingredient, especially since the integrally provided detergent the required hygienic boundary conditions without special external intervention. To optimize the cleansing effect of the pen, the described Cleaning agent preferably used in combination with each other and, if necessary, also used in spatially different place. That's the way it is appropriate to build the mine cover from several layers, whose outer, for example, has a passive cleaning effect, and their inner serves for active cleaning of the mine. Alternatively, the cap would be conceivable and equip the sleeve with various cleaning agents. It continues possible to design a pressure drive for the mine in such a way that it does with the mine advance simultaneously mechanically stressed the sleeve material, whereby At the same time, a targeted discharge of the cleaning agent takes place during the lead feed.

Fig. 1

einen Querschnitt durch einen Stift mit einer Mine und einer ortsfest mit der Mine verbundenen Hülse sowie einer die Stiftspitze verschließenden Kappe,

Fig. 2

einen Ausschnitt II aus Fig. 1 mit einer in größerem Maßstab dargestellten Detailansicht der Innenwand der Kappe,

Fig. 3

einen Ausschnitt III aus Fig. 1 mit einer in größerem Maßstab dargestellten Detailansicht der Stiftspitze,

Fig. 4

eine alternative Ausführungsform des Stiftes mit einer gegen die Hülse verschiebbaren Mine, und

Fig. 5

einen Ausschnitt V aus Fig. 4 mit einer in größerem Maßstab dargestellten Detailansicht der Hülse.

Embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to a drawing. Show:

Fig. 1

a cross section through a pin with a mine and a fixedly connected to the mine sleeve and a cap closing the pen tip,

Fig. 2

2 shows a section II from FIG. 1 with a detail view of the inner wall of the cap shown on a larger scale,

Fig. 3

1 with a detailed view of the pen tip shown on a larger scale,

Fig. 4

an alternative embodiment of the pin with a displaceable against the sleeve mine, and

Fig. 5

a detail V of Fig. 4 with a detailed view of the sleeve shown on a larger scale.

Corresponding parts are in the figures with the same reference numerals Mistake.

Fig. 1 shows a schematic cross-section of a pharmaceutical or pen 1 provided for medical use. The pen 1 comprises a refill 2, which is surrounded substantially coaxially by a sleeve 3. In the manner of a pencil are the mine 2 and the sleeve 3 stationary connected to each other. Also in the manner of a pencil is a longitudinal end of the pin 1 to a pen tip 4 conically tapered. The near-axis region of the penpoint tip 4, in which the Mine 2, the sleeve 3 projects beyond and in which the mine 2 thus at the pin surface is merely, is designated as a writing surface 5. Except in the area of the pen tip 4, the pin 1 is coated on the outside by a protective lacquer layer 6. To the Protection of the mine 2 is during the storage of the pin 1 a cap 7 on the Pen tip 4 attached. The inner wall 8 of the cap 7 is substantially formed complementary to the pen tip 4. In the area of the opening 9 of the cap 7 this is provided with a seated on the sleeve 3 seated rim 10, to ensure the captivity of the cap 7 during storage and to enclose the pen tip 4 substantially airtight.

The illustrated pen 1 is preferred to medical and pharmaceutical Intended purpose. The pressed powdery form or paste-like form Mine 2 present is therefore with a medical or pharmaceutical Provided drug, which is analogous to the use of a normal pencil by pressing the writing surface 5 on the skin of a subject, not shown is orderable. In terms of high hygiene requirements related with medical or pharmaceutical application is the sleeve 3 provided with a cleaning agent 11, which in a sketchy detail view is shown in Fig. 2. The material of the sleeve 3 then comprises a microporous Carrier 12, in the pores 13 of the cleaning agent 11 was added is.

The pin 1 should be freshly sharpened before use. The are in the Cutting surface lying pores 13 of a cutting tool, not shown cut. The contained in these pores 13 liquid or paste-like Cleaning agent 11 occurs during the sharpening process from the trimmed Pore 13 and forms on the surface 14 of the pen tip 4 is a thin Movie 15 off. The detergent 11 contains an antibacterial, antiviral or fungicidal active ingredient and cleanses by killing germs or

Fungus spores actively surface 14. Depending on the intended use can be determined by the volatility of the cleaning agent 11 used how long the film 15 remains on the surface 14. Using of a volatile cleaning agent 11, the film 15 evaporates immediately during the sharpening process, so that at the time of using the Pen 1 the surface 14 disinfected, but mainly of residues of the cleaning agent 11 is free. On the other hand, if you use one hard volatile detergent 11, so this forms a semi-permanent, the surface 14 quasi-sealing film 15 off.

The resist layer 6 shown in Fig. 1 is preferably impermeable as well towards the cleaning agent 11 as well as against penetrating water and against other contaminants. Thus, the protective lacquer layer 6 protects the sleeve 3 on the one hand from contamination. On the other hand, the protective lacquer layer inhibits 6 the evaporation of the cleaning agent 11 to the outside.

The inner wall 8 of the cap 7 is preferably with a non-wetting surface Mistake. Such a non-wetting surface is e.g. from nature known from the leaf of the lotus flower. The inner wall 8 is enlarged schematically shown in Fig. 3. Thereafter, the inner wall 8 for the production of the so-called "Lotus effect" provided with microscopic nubs 16, the prevent accumulation of water and dirt.

In Fig. 4, an alternative embodiment of the pin 1 is shown, in which the Mine 2 in the manner of a lipstick in the longitudinal direction 17 of the pin 1 opposite the sleeve 3 is slidably disposed. The sleeve 3 is in this embodiment integrally formed on a knob 18. The knob 18 is in one Ring groove 19 on a cylindrical outer wall 20 of the pin 1 about the pin axis 21 rotatably mounted. The mine 2 is facing the knob 18 at its End 22 mounted on a carriage 23, which prefers as part of the mine cover at least partially made of PTFE (Teflon). The carriage 23 engages with two relative to the pin axis 21 radial formations 24 by one helically around the sleeve 3 winding slot therethrough in each case a longitudinally extending 17 groove 25 of the outer wall 20 a. By Turning the knob 18 and simultaneously holding the outer wall 20th Thus, according to the technique known from conventional lipsticks her Mine 2 in the longitudinal direction 17 proceed.

The sleeve 3 contains in the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 a migrating Detergent 11, that is, a substance that is gradually removed from the material diffused out of the sleeve 3.

This effect is shown schematically in a sketch according to FIG. The cleaning agent 11 device at the indicated by auxiliary arrows 26 migration from the Sleeve 3 in contact with the mine 2 and applied to it constantly with its disinfecting Effect. The outer wall 20 is one for the cleaning agent 11 impermeable material produced and inhibited in this way the unused Loss of the cleaning agent 11 through the outer wall 20th

The pin 1 shown in Fig. 4 is in turn closed with a cap 7. The The inner wall 8 of this cap is provided with an anti-adhesive layer, e.g. PTFE (Teflon), coated. The risk of contamination of the inner wall 8, and thus Even this inner wall 8 facing pen nib 4 is thus effectively reduced.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

pen

2

mine

3

shell

4

pen tip

5

writing surface

6

Protective lacquer layer

7

cap

8th

inner wall

9

opening

10

brim

11

cleaning cloth

12

vehicle

13

pore

14

surface

15

Movie

16

burl

17

longitudinal direction

18

knob

19

ring groove

20

outer wall

21

pin axis

22

The End

23

carriage

24

formation

25

groove

26

auxiliary arrow

Claims (18)

1. Pencil (1) with a core (2) and a core casing (3, 7, 23) enclosing the core (2), characterized by a cleaning substance (11) which is provided in or on the core casing (3, 7, 23) and is intended for cleaning the tip (4) of the pencil automatically.
2. Pencil according to Claim 1, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is a passively cleaning substance.
3. Pencil according to either of Claims 1 and 2, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) has a non-stick surface at least in the region of the tip (4) of the pencil.
4. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) contains polytetrafluoroethylene.
5. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) has a non-wetting surface at least in the region of the tip (4) of the pencil.
6. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is an actively cleaning substance.
7. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) contains an anti-microbial plastic.
8. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is a migrating component of the casing material.
9. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is a casing-material component which passes out of the core casing (3, 7, 23) when the latter is subjected to mechanical loading.
10. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) contains a microporous carrier substance (12) which accommodates the cleaning substance (11) in its pores.
11. Pencil according to Claim 9, characterized in that the pores (13) of the carrier substance (12) are closed.
12. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is a permanent component of the casing material.
13. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) comprises a sleeve (3) which encloses the core (2) coaxially, the sleeve (3) being connected in a stationary manner to the core (2).
14. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the core casing (3, 7, 23) comprises a sleeve (3) which encloses the core (2) coaxially, it being possible for the core (2) to be displaced in relation to the sleeve (3).
15. Pencil according to Claim 14, characterized by a rotary-action or pushing-action drive for advancing the core (2).
16. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 15, characterized by an impermeable protective layer (6, 20) which delimits the core casing (3, 7, 23) in the outward direction.
17. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 16, characterized in that the cleaning substance (11) is only provided in the vicinity of the tip (4) of the pencil.
18. Pencil according to one of Claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the core (2) contains a medical or pharmaceutical active substance.

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