Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
  • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
  • B43K7/00—Ball-point pens
  • B43K7/12—Ball-point pens with retractable ball points
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
  • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
  • B43K21/00—Propelling pencils
  • B43K21/02—Writing-core feeding mechanisms
  • B43K21/027—Writing-core feeding mechanisms with sliding tubelike writing-core guide
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
  • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
  • B43K21/00—Propelling pencils
  • B43K21/02—Writing-core feeding mechanisms
  • B43K21/16—Writing-core feeding mechanisms with stepwise feed of writing-cores
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
  • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
  • B43K21/00—Propelling pencils
  • B43K21/02—Writing-core feeding mechanisms
  • B43K21/22—Writing-cores gripping means, e.g. chucks

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a writing instrument, and in particular but not exclusively to a mechanical pencil, comprising a tubular body extending along a longitudinal axis between a rear end and a front end provided with an opening through which a point writing is likely to go out, a side switch having at "least one side of radially oriented actuator 1 to the exterior and at least a first cam arranged within the body, and a tip feed mechanism 'writing comprising a movable member longitudinally in the body, which has at least a first ramp inclined relative to the longitudinal axis, said side button being capable of remaining in a rest position in which the first cam is opposite the first ramp, and capable of carrying out a first tilting movement towards the interior of the body during which the first cam cooperates with the p first ramp and the movable member makes a first movement.
• Writing instruments provided with a side button for controlling the advance of the writing tip have the advantage for the user to keep the instrument in writing position in his hand when it is necessary to control the advance or the output of the writing tip.
• this type of writing instrument it is at most necessary for the user to move his index finger along the body to actuate the side button. This is particularly advantageous with mechanical pencils which require regular actuation of the advance mechanism of the mine as and when the latter is consumed.
• the side buttons of the prior art have the disadvantage of being able to control only one relatively small longitudinal displacement of the advance mechanism.
• the active stroke of the button cam against the ramp of the advance mechanism is limited by the internal diameter of the tubular body and, therefore, it is not possible to obtain a large stroke without increasing excessively the diameter of the body and while maintaining a suitable inclination of the ramp, so that the pressure to be exerted on the button remains acceptable.
• the side button is prominent outside the body which can hinder the grip of the instrument. 'writing and make it more difficult to press the side button without changing the grip of the writing instrument.
• the object of the present invention is to overcome the drawbacks mentioned above by proposing a writing instrument provided with a side button and a feed mechanism capable of causing a relatively large longitudinal displacement of the writing tip, and in particular in the case of a mechanical pencil in which the forward stroke of the movable member includes a first part which serves to advance the mine, and a second part which serves to take out a guide point. lead mounted mobile in the front end of the body.
• the present invention relates to a writing instrument of the aforementioned type characterized in that the side button has at least one second cam longitudinally spaced from said first cam, and in that the movable member has a bearing substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis, which is adjacent to at least a second inclined ramp, said second cam being supported on the bearing during the first tilting movement of the side button, and said side button being capable of performing a second movement of tilting towards the inside of the body during which the second cam cooperates with the second ramp and the movable member performs a second movement. Thanks to this arrangement, the movement of the movable member of the advance mechanism can be controlled using a single side button which performs two tilting movements towards the inside of the body.
• each of these tilting movements on the movable member may be substantially equal to the effect obtained with an anterior lateral button, and therefore, by controlling a first and a second displacement of the movable member in the same direction, one can either substantially double the longitudinal movement of the writing tip, or reduce by half the radial movement towards the inside of the assembly of the lateral button and thus reduce the part of this button projecting outside the body .
• this double tilting movement can be obtained by a single pressure exerted by the user approximately in the middle of the actuating face of the side button and thus be almost imperceptible to the user.
• the side button naturally performs the first tilting movement due to the arrangement of the first cam opposite the first ramp and the presence of the bearing of the movable member on which the second cam is supported, then the button performs the second tilting movement almost automatically because the second cam is opposite the second ramp at the end of the first movement of tilting.
• the actuating face is intended to be pressed at one, then at the other, of its longitudinal ends, for example to control first and second displacements of the movable member which would have different effects, or to control first and second displacements of the movable member in opposite directions.
• the body has a stop
• the first cam has at least one point d 'support which is in contact against said stop of the body during the second tilting movement of the side button, in order to limit friction between the side button and the movable member
• at least one of the ramps of the movable member has a height, measured in a radial direction, substantially equal to the interior space of the tubular body
• the side button has, respectively at the first and second cams, a first and a second U-shaped cross-section, the ends of the branches of the U of said first and second sections respectively forming said first and second cams
• the first ramp of the movable member is located on the side of the front end of the body and the second ramp is located on the side of the rear end
• the advance mechanism comprises an elastic element which biases the movable member towards the rear end of the body, the inclination of the first and second ramps being adapted so that the first and second movements
• FIG. 1 is a view in longitudinal section of a door -mine comprising a side button and a feed mechanism according to the invention and in which the side button is in the rest position;
• Figure 2 is an enlarged view of a front portion of the mechanical pencil shown in Figure 1;
• Figure 3 is a view similar to Figure 2, in which the side button has made a first tilting movement;
• FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 2, wherein the side button has made a second movement of movement;
• Figure 5 is a perspective view of the side button and part of the advance mechanism shown in Figure 1.
• a mechanical pencil 1 comprising a tubular body 2 which extends along a longitudinal axis X between a front end 2a and a rear end 2b.
• the body 2 is formed of a tube 3 and a tip 4 arranged at one front end of the body 2.
• the tip 4 has at its front end an opening through which a guide tip passes.
• -mine 5 which is freely slidably mounted in a bore 4a of the tip 4.
• the lead guide tip 5 accompanies the exit of the mine 6 to avoid breakage of the mine.
• the wear of the lead reaches the end of the guide tip, it touches the paper and makes a backward movement, which releases the end of the lead. mine and allows to continue writing.
• a side button 7 is mounted through a rectangular window 8 formed in the radial wall of the tubular body 2, and which extends along the longitudinal axis X.
• the side button 7 has an actuation surface 9 oriented radially towards outside.
• the side button 7 has a first pair of cams 11 arranged at the front end of the side button and opposite to the actuation face 9.
• the front end 7a of the button has a U-shaped cross section, the base of the U forming the actuating face 9 and the branches of the U forming two wings 13 which extend towards the inside of the tubular body and the front part of the end of which is of rounded shape so as to form each of the first cams 11.
• the rear end 7b of the side button also has a section transverse in U. Similarly to the front end 7a, the branches of the rear U-shaped section form two wings 14 and the inner end of these wings each has a rounded portion on the side of the front end 7a, which form a second pair of cams 12. It will be noted that the first pair of cams 11 is spaced from the second pair of cams 12 by a significant distance measured along the axis X, which is close to the longitudinal length of the actuating face 9 of the side button 7. The end of the outer face of the wings 13 has a first lug 15 (see FIG. 5) which is radially projecting outwards.
• the inner end of the rear wings 14 has a second lug 16 which protrudes towards the rear end 2b of the body 2.
• the first 15 and second 16 lugs cooperate with the "inner periphery of the window 8 and thus prevent the complete exit of the lateral button 7 of the tubular body 2.
• a feed mechanism which comprises a movable member 20, a clamp 30, a bush 40, a clamping ring 18 and a spring 19 disposed between the movable member 20 and the sleeve 40.
• the movable member 20 is slidably mounted along the longitudinal axis X in the tubular body 2.
• the movable member 20 comprises a front part 21 which forms the front end 20a of the movable member and a main part 22 fixed to the front part 21.
• the main part 22 comprises a front portion located on the side of the front end 20a of the movable member, which will be detailed below, and a hollow rear portion 22b which forms a mine reservoir.
• the clamp 30 comprises a tubular portion 31 which, in the example of embodiment shown, is slidably mounted over a determined length in the front part 21 of the movable member, and a head 32 which cooperates in a known manner with the clamping ring 18 to immobilize the lead 6.
• the sleeve 40 is slidably mounted in the body 2 and movable relative to the clamp 30. In the rest position, the sleeve is held against the tip 4 and the clamping ring 18 by the spring 19.
• the front portion of the main part 22 of the movable member 20 has a first pair of identical ramps 23 arranged on the side from the front end 20a of the movable member.
• the first ramps 23 are located on either side of a central conduit 24 allowing the passage of the mines from the reservoir to the clamp 30.
• Each first ramp 23 has a rectilinear surface inclined relative to the longitudinal axis X. In the embodiment shown, the first ramps 23 are oriented towards the rear of the body
• the first pair of cams 11 cooperates with the first pair of ramps 23 and causes displacement towards the front end 2a of the movable member 20.
• a bearing 25 parallel to the longitudinal axis X is formed on the face of the movable member 20 opposite the side button 7. As can be seen better in FIG. 5, the bearing 25 extends on either side of the conduit 24 and is positioned longitudinally so that the second pair of cams 12 of the side button 7 can bear on the latter when the side button is in the rest position.
• a second pair of ramps 26 immediately follows the rear end of the bearing 25.
• the second ramps are located on either side of the mine tank and are inclined relative to the longitudinal axis in a manner similar to the first ramps 23.
• the second ramps 26 are spaced longitudinally of the first ramps 23 so that the second pair of cams 12 is opposite the second ramps 26 when the side button has made a first tilting movement and is in the position shown in FIG. 3
• the body 2 of the mechanical pencil comprises a stop 27 which has a surface parallel to the longitudinal axis X and facing the window 8 of the body.
• Each first cam 11 is extended towards the rear by a projecting boss 28 which forms a point of support against the stop 27 when the lateral button 7 has made the first tilting movement.
• the front end of the stop 27 forms a radially internal rim against which a radially external shoulder 29 of the movable member abuts in the rest position under the action of the spring 19.
• the stop 27 thus makes it possible to limit the recoil of the movable member 20.
• the rear end 20b of the movable member namely in the embodiment shown, the rear end of the portion 22b which forms the mine tank, is equipped with a projecting element 46 through the rear end 2b of the body.
• the element 46 comprises a tubular part sliding through the rear end 2b of the body, a clip and a cylindrical recess in which is mounted an eraser 47.
• the element 46 and the eraser 47 form a rear button which makes it possible to move the movable member 20 forwards.
• FIGS. 2 to 4 The functioning of the mechanical pencil described above will be explained below using FIGS. 2 to 4.
• the movable member 20 In the rest position, shown in Figure 2, the movable member 20 is held back against the stop 27 under the action of the spring 19 which exerts pressure on the front end 20a of the movable member.
• the first pair of cams 11 of the side button 7 In this rest position, the first pair of cams 11 of the side button 7 is in contact with the first pair of ramps 23 and the second pair of cams 12 is in contact with the bearing 25 of the movable member.
• the first 11 and second 12 pairs of cams could be simply opposite the first pair of ramps 23 and the bearing 29, in particular if the lateral button 7 is biased outwards by an elastic element. From the rest position shown in FIG.
• the user exerts with the index finger a pressure approximately centered on the actuating face 9.
• the lateral button 7 performs a first tilting movement towards the interior of the body 2 and the front end 7a of the button penetrates through the window 8.
• the first pair of cams 11 cooperates with the first pair of ramps 23 and thus the first tilting movement of the side button is transformed into a first longitudinal movement towards the front of the movable member 20.
• This first movement makes it possible to make up for the sliding clearance, called "recoil stroke", of the tubular part 31 of the clamp in the front part 21 of the movable member, so that the front end 20a abuts against a rim of the clamp, then the movable member 20 causes a first displacement of the clamp 30 forwards.
• the ring 18 keeps the head 32 of the clamp tight on the mine and accompanies the movement thereof.
• the lead 6 slides through the lead guide tip 5, but the lead remains stationary in the bore 4a due to a greater friction force between the lead guide tip 5 and the bore 4a, than the force friction between the mine guide tip 5 and the mine 6. As can be seen in FIG. 3, the mine 6 then emerges from the mine guide tip.
• the ring 18 At the end of the first tilting movement of the side button 7, and as shown in FIG. 3, the ring 18 abuts against the rear end of the tip 4 and the protruding boss 28 of the first pair of cams 11 comes resting on the stop 27 of the body.
• the second pair of cams 12 is located opposite the second pair of ramps 26 due to the forward movement of the bearing 25 during the first tilting movement. If the user maintains the pressure exerted on the actuating face 9, a second tilting movement of the lateral button 7 is then naturally obtained around the fulcrum formed by the protruding boss 28 in contact with the stop 27.
• the second pair of cams 12 cooperates with the second pair of ramps 26 so that the movable member 20 makes a second forward movement.
• the ring 18 releases the head 32 from the clamp which opens and bears against the guide tip 5.
• the guide tip slides forward and due to the frictional force exerted by the guide tip 5 on the mine 6, it continues its forward movement, even if it is no longer clamped by the clamp during the second movement of the movable member, it will be noted that during the second tilting movement, only the second pair of cams 12 is in contact with the movable member, because the boss 28 is in abutment on the stop 27 of the body 2.
• the clamp 30 also performs a recoil movement, but the head 32 of the clamp remains open over almost the entire length of this movement and therefore "the mine does not perform almost no backward movement , therefore, when the user releases the side button 7, it returns to the rest position and the pliers again clamp the mine 6, but the mine 6 and the guide tip 5 remain in the position of use as shown in Figure 4. Note that from this position of use it suffices to control only the first tilting movement of the side button 7 to obtain the output of an additional quantity of lead This additional mine exit command therefore does not require the complete depressing of the side button and can be ordered quickly and precisely by exerting a pressure only on the front end of the actuating face 9 of the button.
• the embodiment described above is applied to a mechanical pencil, but it will be clear to those skilled in the art that a mechanism with side button and similar movable member can be applied to other types of writing instruments, such as ball point pens.
• a mechanism with side button and similar movable member can be applied to other types of writing instruments, such as ball point pens.
• the ramps of, the movable member are inclined in opposite directions, so that for example, the first tilting movement of the side button controls the output of the point, and that the second tilting movement controls the retraction of the ball point.

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• Mechanical Pencils And Projecting And Retracting Systems Therefor, And Multi-System Writing Instruments (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

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ID=34400693

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• 2003
  • 2003-10-22 FR FR0312332A patent/FR2861330B1/fr not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2004
  • 2004-10-20 CN CNB2004800311132A patent/CN100448695C/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2004-10-20 MX MXPA06004496A patent/MXPA06004496A/es active IP Right Grant
  • 2004-10-20 CA CA002540651A patent/CA2540651A1/fr not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-10-20 WO PCT/FR2004/002685 patent/WO2005039888A2/fr active Application Filing
  • 2004-10-20 EP EP04805249A patent/EP1677991A2/de not_active Withdrawn
  • 2004-10-20 AU AU2004283923A patent/AU2004283923A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2004-10-20 US US10/576,174 patent/US7452147B2/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
  • 2004-10-20 BR BRPI0415162-3A patent/BRPI0415162A/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2004-10-20 JP JP2006536120A patent/JP4516573B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related

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