EP2399757B1 - Writing instrument with modifiable configuration - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a writing instrument, comprising an elongated main body and, at one end of this body, a writing tip such as a ball point. More particularly, this invention is concerned with such a writing instrument whose configuration is modifiable, thanks to a possibility of "modeling" of its main body, to adapt the writing instrument to the hand of the user for the sake of ergonomics and comfort of use.

Traditional writing instruments, such as ink pens or ballpoint pens, have a main body of rectilinear shape, invariable, and a writing tip located on the axis of the main body. These writing instruments are of fixed form, that is to say that they retain the initial configuration that is given to them in the manufacture, even if they can locally have on the surface of their body deformable zones, particularly gripping areas made of a soft and elastic material.

Also known are some proposals for writing instruments, in particular ball-point pens whose main body has a bent end which shifts the position and / or the orientation of the writing tip, with respect to the axis of the writing device. main body. Such achievements are disclosed by the documents of US Patents 5,527,124 , US 7001090B2 and WO 00/72724A1 .

Such an angled configuration aims to improve the ergonomics, from the dual point of view of the grip of the writing instrument and the visibility to the writing area. However, it retains various disadvantages.

Thus, the shape bent for example in "Z" of the end of the main body is difficult and expensive to obtain, so incompatible with economical industrial manufacturing processes. In particular, such a bent shape remains very difficult to obtain by an injection molding process, the demolding and ejection phases being the most problematic.

Moreover, except to provide a delicate articulation mechanism as shown by the document US 7001090B2 above, the bent configuration remains fixed and imposed by the manufacture of the pen. However, there are various recommendations concerning the choice of angles and the positioning of the pen body in the hand of the user.

In addition, it should be taken into account that the user of the pen may be right-handed or left-handed, and even in a given category such as right-handed ones, the human hand is particular to each individual, particularly by its dimensions. The hand must therefore adapt to the writing instrument, even if it has a bent end supposedly "ergonomic".

To remedy the current situation, mentioned above, it would be wise to provide a writing instrument whose configuration, especially in the gripping zone, can adapt to the hand of the user. There are already some proposals going in this direction.

Thus, the documents of DE 3805997 and NL 9100707 describe writing instruments whose body has an ability to deform, when first used, to adapt to the hand of the user, before hardening so as to retain the shape thus conferred on him . For this purpose, the body of the writing instrument is in particular made of a hardenable material for example in contact with the air, or in a thermosetting material. This kind of solution allows some initial "modeling" of the body of a pen, but the configuration thus obtained then remains permanently fixed during the life of the pen, without the possibility of modifying it, for example in case change of user or if the initially given conformation is not entirely satisfactory.

By the document WO 00/32715 , there is known a writing instrument whose body has deformable parts, located in the gripping areas and constituted by a gel placed inside a heat-conducting material envelope. The gel is cold-flowing but becomes hotter in contact with the user's hand. Thus, the writing instrument is consistent with each use, and it returns to its initial state after each use, so that this instrument can not be "frozen" in a conformation adapted to a given user. Even if the gel is placed in an envelope of thermally conductive material, a certain time is necessary for each use so that the heat of the hand of the user is transmitted to this gel and for said gel to harden, so that the The user does not immediately have a writing instrument suitably shaped and of sufficient rigidity. Moreover, the deformable parts are limited to the "skin" of the instrument, for the comfort of the user, and the configuration of the body of the instrument is not modifiable for example to give it a bent shape. The use of a cold softened gel is also incompatible with the realization with this gel of a large part of the body of the instrument, because the instrument would have no holding.

The document FR 2,703,627 also describes a pen whose body is adaptable to the hand of the user. However, this document provides for the prior embodiment of a "model" in modeling clay, then the reproduction of this model in a rigid material, by machining or molding, which is a long, complex and expensive process, so little advantageous on the industrial plan. In addition, the model comprises along its length a rigid internal axis, around which is present the moldable material, which limits the possibilities of conformation. Finally, as for some of the previous proposals, this process leads to a definitively frozen realization.

The present invention aims to eliminate all the disadvantages mentioned above, by providing a writing instrument whose conformation is modifiable not only at the first use but also at later times, for a perfect adaptation and a real "customization" of the writing instrument, for ergonomics and comfort of use further improved, while maintaining a simple modeling process and an economical manufacturing method and easy to industrialize.

To this end, the subject of the invention is an editable configuration writing instrument comprising an elongated main body and, at one end of the main body, a writing tip such as a ball point, the main body being made, at least partially, of a heat deformable material, so as to allow modifications of shape of the main body, allowing the "modeling" of said body by the user, characterized in that the cooled writing instrument retains the form which has been given to him hot, and in that the hot deformable material of the main body is polycaprolactone (PCL), the main body can thus be deformed as soon as it reaches a temperature of about 70 ° C.

The hot-deformable material of the main body is advantageously polycaprolactone (PCL), or a material based on polycaprolactone. A main body made in this kind of material can be deformed as soon as it reaches a temperature of about 70 ° C, which allows the user to deform the writing instrument without burning the fingers, for example in simply soaking the writing instrument in hot water.

Thus, any user can easily customize his writing instrument, especially in the gripping area, by imposing elbows, twists, reliefs or hollows, the deformation can be done not only in a plane but also in space, in other words in "three dimensions ", so as to optimize the grip of the fingers on the body of the instrument. It can thus improve ergonomics and writing comfort, for example to adapt the writing instrument left-handed or to facilitate the learning of writing by children.

According to a particularly remarkable advantage of the invention, the hot deformation operation can be repeated as often as desired, for example to correct a previous conformation deemed imperfect or to adapt the writing instrument to another user. This results from the physical and mechanical properties of the recommended materials, and in particular from the fact that these materials become plastics according to a perfectly reversible and reproducible phenomenon.

According to a first embodiment of the invention, the main body of the writing instrument is made in its entirety in a hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a PCL-based material.

Thus, it is possible to adapt the geometry of the totality of this body. In this case, the main body may comprise local arrangements such as at least one bellows zone, constituting one or more preferred zones of deformation, judiciously located on said body. Thus, one can provide two bellows zones located relatively short distance from the end of the main body which has the writing tip, these two areas for giving the main body a doubly bent shape, in the vicinity of this end.

The "natural" flexibility of the cartridge or the ink refill, housed inside the main body, allows the deformation and in particular the bending of this body.

According to a second embodiment of the invention, the main body of the writing instrument is made partially in a non-heat deformable material, and partially in a hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a material based on from PCL.

• la partie du corps principal proche de l'extrémité avant, portant la pointe d'écriture, et/ou
• la partie proche de l'extrémité arrière, sur laquelle peuvent s'adapter un bouchon de fermeture arrière de ce corps et/ou un capuchon protecteur amovible.

In particular, the hot deformable material is provided in gripping areas of the writing instrument, that is to say where the fingers of the user will apply. More particularly, the non-heat-deformable material is present in parts of the main body that must maintain a permanent rigidity and a very precise and constant geometry, such as:

• the main body part near the front end, carrying the writing tip, and / or
• the part near the rear end, on which can be fitted a rear closure cap of the body and / or a removable protective cap.

According to an additional feature, it is intended to add, to the hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a PCL-based material of the main body of the writing instrument, a thermochromic dye having the property of changing of color at a given temperature, corresponding to the softening temperature of said material, at a temperature of about 70 ° C. The addition of such a dye gives the user a simple visual indication, for example by changing from a blue color to a white color, indicating that the writing instrument is sufficiently heated and can therefore be modeled ". Conversely, when the main body cools, its color passes for example from white to blue, and the user is thus informed that his writing instrument has regained its initial rigidity, in the new configuration that comes to be given to him. The manual "modeling" of the writing instrument can thus be perfectly controlled.

Another important advantage of the writing instrument, object of the invention, is its simplicity of manufacture, allowing economical industrial production, by molding techniques currently well controlled. In particular, the main body of this writing instrument can be injection molded in a rectilinear configuration, which avoids any difficulty in demolding and ejection out of the mold. Once ejected and still sufficiently hot, the main body of the writing instrument can undergo a first deformation in the factory that can be designated as "pre-deformation", performed by means of a conformation tool, the end-user can later modify and customize the factory-set configuration by heating the body of the writing instrument again.

In the case of a main body writing instrument combining a non-hot deformable material and a hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a PCL based material according to the second previously defined embodiment, the method of manufacturing is adaptable by providing an injection molding type "bi-material", for example with initial molding parts of non-deformable hot material, and overmoulding parts of hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a material-based from PCL.

Here too, a first deformation of the main body can be performed in the factory, as soon as it leaves the mold.

It is also possible to give up such "pre-deformation" of the main body and to deliver and sell the writing instrument in a rectilinear conformation, as obtained at the exit of the mold, in which case it is left to the end user the initiative of the deformation.

• Figure 1 est une vue en perspective d'un instrument d'écriture conforme à la présente invention, avant « modelage »,
• Figure 2 est une vue en perspective illustrant une configuration possible de l'instrument d'écriture de la figure 1, après « modelage »,
• Figure 3 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de cet instrument d'écriture, en correspondance avec la figure 2,
• Figure 4 est une vue en perspective d'un autre instrument d'écriture conforme à la présente invention, avant « modelage »,
• Figure 5 est une vue en perspective, illustrant une configuration possible de l'instrument d'écriture de la figure 4, après « modelage »,
• Figure 6 est une vue en coupe longitudinale de cet instrument d'écriture, en correspondance avec la figure 5.

The invention will be better understood with the aid of the description which follows, with reference to the appended schematic drawing showing, by way of examples, a few embodiments of this writing instrument with an editable configuration:

• Figure 1 is a perspective view of a writing instrument according to the present invention, before "modeling",
• Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a possible configuration of the writing instrument of the figure 1 after "modeling",
• Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of this writing instrument, in correspondence with the figure 2 ,
• Figure 4 is a perspective view of another writing instrument according to the present invention, before "modeling",
• Figure 5 is a perspective view, illustrating a possible configuration of the writing instrument of the figure 4 after "modeling",
• Figure 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of this writing instrument, in correspondence with the figure 5 .

The Figures 1 to 3 represent a writing instrument, such as a ballpoint pen, which comprises a main body 2 of elongate shape, having a front end 3 and a rear end 4. A writing tip 5, such as a ball point is provided at the front end 3. The main body 2 contains a cartridge or ink refill 6, in communication with the writing tip 5. This writing tip 5 is retractable type or not. In the case of a non-retractable writing tip, the writing instrument is advantageously completed by a removable protective cap (not shown), which can be adapted to be on the front end 3 to cover and protect the tip 5, or on the rear end4 to allow the use of the writing tip 5.

The main body 2 is made of PCL or a material based on polycaprolactone (PCL), not plastically deformable at usual temperatures of use, but becoming plastic at a temperature of about 70 ° C, this phenomenon being reversible and can be repeat.

The main body 2 is rectilinear at the origin, as shown by figure 1 , which allows its manufacture by a conventional method such as injection molding, without complications for demolding and ejection out of the mold. This main body 2 may locally comprise arrangements, such as two bellows 7 and 8 relatively close to its front end 3, to facilitate its deformation in predefined areas, as specified below. The figure 2 illustrates a possible result of the "modeling" of the main body 2, consisting of a double bend made in the two bellows zones 7 and 8, so as to shift the writing tip 5 relative to the general axis of the body 2. The "modeling" operation of the main body 2 can be performed at various times.

Thus, during the manufacture of the main body 2 by injection molding, in the moments following demolding, the body 2 is still at a temperature above 70 ° C. It is then possible to directly give it a desired shape, such as a doubly bent shape according to the figure 2 , using a shaping tool. The main body 2 can always be "remodeled" by the end user, because of the reversibility and repetitiveness of the process.

It is also possible to deliver and sell the writing instrument in its rectilinear configuration (according to the figure 1 ) and leave the entire "modeling" operation on the initiative of the end user to obtain a personalized writing instrument. The user can in particular immerse the writing instrument in sufficiently hot water, then remove it and shape the body 2 before cooling. When the writing instrument is cooled, it will keep the shape that has been given to it "hot".

In the case of a "modeling" of the writing instrument made in its assembled state, by the end user, the "natural" flexibility of the cartridge or ink refill 6 allows deformation in flexion and torsion of the main body 2, and simultaneously of this cartridge or refill 6.

The shape of the main body 2 of the writing instrument can thus be adapted to the hand of the user, for the purpose of ergonomics and comfort, with the possibility of modifying several times, at successive moments the configuration of the writing instrument, by adding heat.

In the embodiment described so far, with reference to Figures 1 to 3 , the entire main body 2 of the writing instrument is heat deformable. The Figures 4 to 6 illustrate an embodiment alternatively, in which only certain predefined areas of the main body 2 of the writing instrument are "conformable".

As before, the writing instrument such as ballpoint pen, represented in Figures 4 to 6 , has a main body 2 of elongated shape, with a front end 3 and a rear end 4, the front end 3 receiving a writing tip 5 such as ball point, supplied with ink by a cartridge or refill 6 housed in the body 2.

The body 2 is here made of two distinct materials, namely a first non-hot deformable material and a second hot deformable material, namely the PCL or a PCL-based material.

• la partie 9 la plus proche de l'extrémité avant 3, qui sert de support à la pointe d'écriture 5 et qui peut recevoir un capuchon amovible de protection,
• la partie 10 la plus proche de l'extrémité arrière 4, sur laquelle est encliqueté un bouchon 11 de fermeture arrière du corps 2, et sur laquelle peut aussi être placé le capuchon de protection.

The first non-deformable material is present in the parts of the main body 2 of the writing instrument which must not be deformed, but which on the contrary must respect a strict "geometry", in particular:

• the part 9 closest to the front end 3, which serves as a support for the writing tip 5 and which can receive a removable protective cap,
• the part 10 closest to the rear end 4, on which is snapped a rear closure cap 11 of the body 2, and on which can also be placed the protective cap.

This first material is in particular a synthetic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polystyrene (PS).

The second material, heat deformable, is provided at the places where the user is brought to place his hand, in particular in a gripping zone 12 located towards the front of the main body 2. This second material is PCL or a mixture of a synthetic material such as acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) or polycarbonate (PC) or polystyrene (PS), and polycaprolactone (PCL) in a PCL of between 10% and 50% of the mixture.

The main body 2 can be produced by a "bi-material" type injection molding process, known per se. An advantageous method of manufacture consists, here again, in molding the body 2 of the writing instrument in a rectilinear configuration, as shown in FIG. figure 4 , facilitating demolding and ejection out of the mold.

Then, as described above in the case of the first embodiment, it is possible to perform a "pre-deformation" of the main body 2 immediately after its ejection out of the mold, taking advantage of the residual heat from the casting and using a suitable shaping tool. The user can later modify and finalize the ergonomic adaptation of the writing instrument by heating again the main body 2 thereof at a temperature of about 70 ° C.

As can be understood, in the case of this second embodiment, only the zones made in the second material will be deformed, the parts such as those 9 and 10 remaining fixed, as illustrated by FIGS. Figures 5 and 6 .

• en réalisant le corps principal de l'instrument d'écriture en toutes matières ou combinaisons de matières appropriées, telles que definies dans la description, permettant de le déformer à chaud, dans sa totalité ou dans certaines zones localisées,
• en fabriquant ce corps principal par tout procédé de moulage ou autre,
• en appliquant l'invention à des instruments d'écriture de tout type : stylos à bille, stylos « feutre », stylos à plume, marqueurs, surligneurs, etc.

It is not departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims:

• realizing the main body of the writing instrument in any suitable materials or combinations of materials, as defined in the description, for deformation hot, in its entirety or in certain localized areas,
• by manufacturing this main body by any molding process or other,
• by applying the invention to writing instruments of any type: ballpoint pens, felt pens, fountain pens, markers, highlighters, etc.

Claims (9)

1. A writing instrument with modifiable configuration, comprising an elongated main body (2) and, at one end (3) of the main body (2), a writing tip (5) such as a ballpoint, the main body (2) being at least partially made of a deformable material at hot temperature, so as to allow shape-modifications of this main body (2) enabling the modeling of said body by the user, characterized in that the cooled writing instrument maintains the shape that has been given thereto at hot temperature, and in that the deformable material at hot temperature of the main body (2) is the polycaprolactone (PCL), the main body (2) can thus be deformed as soon as it reaches a temperature of about 70 °C.
2. The writing instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (2) is made in its entirety in the deformable material at hot temperature.
3. The writing instrument according to claim 2, characterized in that the main body (2) includes local arrangements, such as at least one area forming a bellows (7, 8) constituting one or more preferred deformation area(s).
4. The writing instrument according to claim 3, characterized in that there are provided two areas of bellows (7, 8) situated at a relatively short distance from the end (3) of the main body (2) which includes the writing tip (5), these two areas allowing to give the main body (2) a double bent shape in the vicinity of this end (3).
5. The writing instrument according to claim 1, characterized in that the main body (2) is made partially in a non-deformable material at hot temperature, and partially in the deformable material at hot temperature, the deformable material at hot temperature being particularly provided in areas (12) for gripping the writing instrument.
6. The writing instrument according to claim 5, characterized in that the non-deformable material at hot temperature is present in portions of the main body (2) which must maintain a permanent rigidity and a very accurate and constant geometry, such as:

   - the portion (9) of the main body (2) near the front end (3) carrying the writing tip (5), and/or

   - the portion (10) of the main body (2) near the rear end (4), on which a rear closure cap (11) of this body (2) and/or a removable protective cover can be adapted.
7. The writing instrument according to any of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that there is added to the deformable material at hot temperature of the main body (2), a thermo-chromic dye having the property of changing color at a given temperature, corresponding to the softening temperature of said material.
8. The writing instrument according to any of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that its main body (2) is molded by injection in a straight configuration, this main body can, once ejected out of the mold and still hot enough, undergo a predeformation.
9. The writing instrument according to claims 5 and 8, characterized in that its main body (2) is made through molding by « bi-material » injection.

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