EP3313669B1 - Writing instrument having a multi-use tip - Google Patents

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present application relates to the field of writing instruments, and more particularly to writing instruments providing several possibilities of writing with a single point, or writing tip for multiple uses.

STATE OF THE PRIOR ART

We know many instruments of writing. However, no known writing instrument has a single tip simple to manufacture, robust, and having several different writing possibilities. There is therefore a need in this sense.

The document US 7,320,553 discloses an electric wire marker.

PRESENTATION OF THE INVENTION

One embodiment relates to a writing instrument comprising a body and a writing tip mounted on the body, the body and the writing tip extending in an axial direction, the writing tip having a portion of distal end having a cross section perpendicular to the U-shaped axial direction.

It is understood that a "distal end portion" is a portion of the tip that extends from the distal end of the writing tip (ie the distal end of writing) on all or part of the part visible from the tip when the tip is mounted on the body.

It is thus clear that the distal end portion has the general shape of a U-shaped cross section (ie perpendicular to the axial direction), this section being of course able to evolve along the axial direction, while retaining a general form of "U". In other words, the distal end portion of the writing tip is of substantially parallelepipedal shape having a groove on one of its lateral faces, said groove being open on the distal end of the writing tip.

This form of "U" makes it possible to form several portions for writing, these portions being able to be of different sizes, whereby several line widths are possible, while being simple to manufacture and robust. In addition, the upper part of the "U" (ie the distal ends of the vertical bars of the "U") makes it possible to write by forming two parallel lines (ie a "double" line). In other words, the shape of the section of the distal end portion is strictly U-shaped and has no concavity providing some geometric line property that the user can form from the tip other than the concavity of the "U".

In some embodiments, the distal end portion includes a write distal end, the outer periphery of the "U" shape of the distal writing end forming a plurality of writing edges.

It is therefore understood that with the exception of the inner contour of the "U" shape (ie the edges of the concavity of the "U"), all the edges forming the periphery of the "U" shape each form an edge. writing, ie an edge by which the user can write. The tip thus forms three simple writing edges (the outer lower face of the "U" and the two outer lateral faces of the "U"), and one edge for a "double" writing (two upper outer faces of the vertical bars of the "U" ").

Such a tip thus offers the user many writing possibilities, while being simple to achieve and robust. Furthermore, the fact that the writing parts are formed by edges, enhances the accuracy of the writing.

In some embodiments, the distal end portion includes a distal end face extending substantially transversely to the axial direction while each writing edge is formed by a rounded bevel formed on a portion of the periphery of the distal end face. Such chamfers are simple to manufacture and robust, and provide many possibilities of use.

By "substantially transversely" is meant that the distal end face forms an angle between 60 and 90 ° with the axial direction. It is understood that the writing tip is configured for the user to write with chamfered edges, and not with the distal end face. Such chamfered edges are simple to manufacture while providing high writing accuracy. For example, the shapes of the chamfers result from the molding of the writing tip, i.e. no machining after molding is required to obtain these chamfers.

In some embodiments, the shape of the cross section of the distal end portion (ie the "U") has an axial plane of symmetry.

In particular, it ensures that the two vertical bars of the "U" are similar. This provides greater ease of use, greater versatility, further facilitates manufacturing and improves robustness. In particular, such symmetry allows the same comfort of use for both right-handed and left-handed.

In some embodiments, the outer face of the portion of the distal end portion forming the bottom horizontal bar of the "U" is inclined with respect to the axial direction.

For example, this face is flat. Such inclination forms a clearance providing a certain comfort of use, while being simple to manufacture ensuring the robustness of the tip.

In some embodiments, the writing tip has a distal end of writing, while the inner face of the portion of the distal end portion forming the lower horizontal bar of the "U", in the vicinity of the end distal writing, is curved in the axial direction and follows a profile of the taper type variable radius in the axial direction.

By "vicinity of the distal writing end" is meant that portion of the distal end portion adjacent to the distal writing end.

où :

• x : représente l'abscisse selon la direction axiale,
• y : représente l'ordonnée selon la direction de l'épaisseur de la barre horizontale du « U »,
• a : est un nombre réel positif
• b : est un nombre réel positif compris entre 0.2 x a et 0.8 x a (i.e. 0.2 multiplié par a et 0.8 multiplié par a)

For example, the profile responds to the equation: $${\left(\mathrm{x}/\mathrm{at}\right)}^2+{\left(\mathrm{there}/\mathrm{b}\right)}^2=1$$

or :

• x: represents the abscissa in the axial direction,
• y: represents the ordinate in the direction of the thickness of the horizontal bar of the "U",
• a: is a positive real number
• b: is a positive real number between 0.2 xa and 0.8 xa (ie 0.2 multiplied by a and 0.8 multiplied by a)

It is therefore understood that the distal end portion has such a profile from the distal end of the tip, and may optionally have a profile of another shape in the axial direction beyond this curved profile going towards the proximal end of the tip, but not necessarily. For example, this other profile is constant in the axial direction.

Such a conical type profile makes it possible to ensure that, in the axial direction, the cavity of the "U" will be minimized over the majority of the axial and maximum end portion at the distal end itself, and this following a non-linear evolution in the axial direction. This allows for a clearance formed by the internal cavity of the "U" sufficient to provide sufficient comfort of use, especially when the user uses the top of the "U", while providing the distal end portion a sufficient rigidity, by the thickness of material, so that it does not deform or acceptable manner. This profile is easy to manufacture and provides some strength at the tip.

In some embodiments, the distal end portion includes a distal end face, the thickness of each of the bars forming the "U" of the distal end face is between 0.5 mm (five tenths of a millimeter) and 1.0 mm (one millimeter).

It is therefore understood that each of the bars of the "U" of the distal end face has such a thickness. Such a thickness makes it possible to ensure the rigidity and the mechanical strength of the tip when the user presses on it to write while being easy to manufacture.

In some embodiments, the writing tip is sintered powder.

For example, the powder is a plastic powder such as polyethylene (also known by the acronym "PE"). Such a material, and the method of implementation by sintering is particularly well suited to the large scale production of such a writing tip, which is therefore easy to manufacture and robust.

In some embodiments, the writing instrument forms a highlighter.

Such a writing instrument is particularly well suited for forming a highlighter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

• la figure 1 représente un surligneur vu en perspective,
• la figure 2 représente la pointe du surligneur de la figure 1, vue en perspective,
• la figure 3, représente une coupe transversale de la portion d'extrémité distale de la pointe d'écriture de la figure 2, selon le plan III,
• la figure 4 représente la pointe d'écriture de la figure 2, vue selon la flèche IV de la figure 2, et
• la figure 5 représente une coupe axiale de la pointe d'écriture de la figure 2, selon le plan V.

The invention and its advantages will be better understood on reading the detailed description given below of various embodiments of the invention given as non-limiting examples. This description refers to the pages of annexed figures, in which:

• the figure 1 represents a highlighter seen in perspective,
• the figure 2 represents the tip of the highlighter of the figure 1 , perspective view,
• the figure 3 , represents a cross-section of the distal end portion of the writing tip of the figure 2 , according to plan III,
• the figure 4 represents the writing tip of the figure 2 , seen according to arrow IV of the figure 2 , and
• the figure 5 represents an axial section of the writing tip of the figure 2 according to plan V.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

One embodiment of the invention is described with reference to Figures 1 to 5 . The figure 1 represents a writing instrument 10, in this example a highlighter 10, comprising a body 12, a writing tip 14 and a cap 16. The writing instrument 10, and more particularly the body 12 and the tip of writing 14 extend in an axial direction X.

The writing tip 14 includes a write distal end 14A and a proximal end 14B. The proximal end 14B is in fluidic contact with an ink reservoir (not shown) disposed within the body 12 to provide ink supply for the writing tip 14. More particularly the writing tip 14 comprises a portion 15A which is visible when the tip 14 is mounted on the body 12 and a portion 15B which serves to mount it on the body 12.

The portion 15A comprises a proximal face 15AA which forms a shoulder configured to cooperate in abutment with the body 12. This shoulder serves in particular to block the tip 14 so that the portion 15A remains outside the body 12 when uses the writing tip 14.

The writing tip 14 includes a distal end portion 18, which extends about 75% of the length in the axial direction of the portion 15A. As shown on the figures 2 and 3 the transverse section of the distal end portion 18 is U-shaped. The distal end portion 18, and more generally in this example the entire writing tip 14, has an axial plane of symmetry P.

The distal end portion 18 includes the distal write end 14A, which in this example forms a distal end face 18A. The distal end face 18A includes an inner periphery 190 and an outer periphery 180 of the "U" shape. In general, and unless otherwise indicated, it will be noted that the adjectives "inside" and "outside" are to be understood relative to the cavity of the "U", that is to say inside the cavity of the "U" Or outside the "U" cavity. The outer periphery 180 of the "U" shape of the distal end 14A forms a plurality of writing edges 180A. In this example, the writing edges 180A are formed by rounded chamfers made on the periphery of the distal end face 18A.

The distal end face 18A of course has a "U" shape. The thickness e1 of the vertical bars of the "U" of the distal end face 18A is between 0.5 mm and 1.0 mm. The thickness e2 of the horizontal bar of the "U" of the distal end face 18A is also between 0.5mm and 1.0mm. In this example, e1 is 0.81mm while e2 is 0.75mm. In general, to ensure a good mechanical strength of the tip, at most e2 is small, at most e1 must be large. The inventors have found that the following relationship makes it possible to produce tips that are satisfactory from the point of view of the mechanical strength: $$\mathrm{e}2\le \mathrm{e}1\le 2\times \mathrm{e}2$$

As shown on the figure 5 , the portion 18B of the distal end portion 18 which forms the lower horizontal bar of the "U" has an outer face 18BA which is inclined relative to the axial direction X. Of course, and in general, the inclination of the outer face 18BA is such that the thickness E of the portion 18B decreases towards the distal end 14A (ie in the direction of the proximal end 14B to the distal end 14A).

The portion 18B has an inner face 18BB which is curved in the axial direction X in the vicinity of the distal end 14A and follows a conical profile of variable radius in the axial direction X from the distal end 14A. Of course, and generally, in the vicinity of the distal end 14A, the curve of the inner face 18BB is such that the thickness E of the portion 18B is decreasing going towards the distal end 14A (ie in the direction proximal end 14B to distal end 14A).

où :

• x : représente l'abscisse selon la direction axiale, et
• y : représente l'ordonnée selon la direction de l'épaisseur E de la barre horizontale du « U ».

In this example, the conical profile with variable radius in the axial direction is defined by the equation: $${\left(\mathrm{x}/2\right)}^2+{\left(\mathrm{there}\right)}^2=1$$

or :

• x: represents the abscissa in the axial direction, and
• y: represents the ordinate along the direction of the thickness E of the horizontal bar of the "U".

The ellipse defined by equation (3) is shown in broken lines on the magnifying glass of the figure 5 , as well as the axes of the x and y coordinates, the center of the ellipse corresponding, of course, to the origin of the coordinates (x, y).

Thus, in this example, the inner face 18BB has a distal portion 18BB1 having, in the axial direction X, a profile of the conical type with a variable radius in the axial direction X corresponding to the equation (3) and a proximal portion 18BB2 presenting a constant rectilinear profile in the axial direction X which connects continuously to the profile of the conical type. In this example, a fillet 18C makes it possible to connect the inner face 18BB to the remainder of the wall of the tip while ensuring a geometrical continuity in the axial direction X. The conical-type curve profile of the distal portion 18BB1 is also connected continues to the distal end face 18A.

In this example, the writing tip 14 is in sintered powder. In this example, the powder is polyethylene.

Of course, other materials and / or other methods of manufacture (other than sintering) can also be used to manufacture the writing tip 14.

Although the present invention has been described with reference to specific exemplary embodiments, it is obvious that modifications and changes can be made to these examples without departing from the general scope of the invention as defined by the claims. In particular, individual features of the various embodiments illustrated / mentioned can be combined in additional embodiments. Therefore, the description and drawings should be considered in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.

Claims (9)

1. A writing instrument comprising a body (12) and a writing tip (14) that is mounted on the body (12), the body (12) and the writing tip (14) extending along an axial direction (X), the writing tip (14) presenting a distal end portion (18) having a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction (X) that is U-shaped.
2. A writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the distal end portion (18) includes a distal writing end (14A), the outer periphery (180) of the U-shape of the distal writing end (14A) forming a plurality of writing edges (180A).
3. A writing instrument according to claim 2, wherein the distal end portion (18) includes a distal end face (18A) that extends substantially transversally to the axial direction (X), while each writing edge (180A) is formed by a rounded chamfer that is formed on a portion of the periphery of the distal end face (18A).
4. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the shape of the cross-section of the distal end portion (18) presents an axial plane of symmetry (P).
5. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the outer face (18BA) of the portion (18B) of the distal end portion (18) forming the bottom horizontal bar of the U-shape slopes relative to the axial direction (X).
6. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the writing tip presents a distal writing end, while the inside face (18BB) of the portion (18B) of the distal end portion (18), forming the bottom horizontal bar of the U-shape, curves along the axial direction (X) in the vicinity of the distal writing end (14A), and follows a profile of the conical type having a radius that varies along the axial direction (X).
7. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the distal end portion (18) comprises a distal end face (18A), the thickness (e1, e2) of each of the bars forming the U-shape of the distal end face (18A) lies in the range 0.5 mm to 1.0 mm.
8. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the writing tip (14) is made of sintered powder.
9. A writing instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 8, forming a highlighter (10).

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