GB2187942A

GB2187942A - Liquid applicator

Info

Publication number: GB2187942A
Application number: GB08704125A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yoshiomi Konose
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Priority date: 1986-02-21
Filing date: 1987-02-23
Publication date: 1987-09-23
Also published as: IT8719440A0; IT1203497B; GB2187942B; FR2594719B1; CA1294242C; GB8704125D0; FR2594719A1; DE3705490A1

Abstract

A liquid applicator comprising a mouthpiece 2 including a pen-core holding bore 7 having a diameter larger than that of the pen-core 6 to be held, said mouthpiece being mounted on an application-liquid conduit 3 having an application-liquid ejecting hole 10 with a diameter larger than that of said pen-core, said pen-core holding bore and said application-liquid ejecting hole together defining a fluid communication path, a plurality of first elongate ribs 8 spaced circumferentially on an inner peripheral surface of said pen-core holding bore and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said ribs is of smaller diameter than that of said pen core, and a plurality of second elongate ribs 11 spaced circumferentially on said inner peripheral surface of said ejecting hole behind said first ribs to abut the rear end of a pen-core when inserted in said pen-core holding bore and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said second ribs is of smaller diameter than that of the circle inscribing the first ribs. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Liquid applicator The present invention relates to a liquid applicator provided with a pen-core element of acrylic or the like.

In the construction of the front end assembly of this pen-type liquid applicator, there is a requirement that replacement of liquid contained in the applicator with air is ensured and that the pen-core of the applicator may be easily fixed to the main body of the applicator. However, existing liquid applicators do not satisfy this requirement.

According to the present invention, there is provided a liquid applicator comprising a mouthpiece including a pen-core holding bore having a diameter larger than that of the pencore to be held, said mouthpiece being mounted on an application-liquid conduit having an application-liquid ejecting hole with a diameter larger than that of said pen-core, said pen-core holding hole and said application-liquid ejecting hole together defining a fluid communication path, a plurality of first elongate ribs spaced circumferentially on an inner peripheral surface of said communication path and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said ribs is of smaller diameter than that of said pen core, and a plurality of second elongate ribs spaced circumferentially on said inner peripheral surface of said communication path behind said first ribs to abut the rear end of a pen-core when inserted in said pen-core holding bore and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said ribs is of smaller diameter than that of the circle inscribing the first ribs.

In one preferred embodiment the first ribs are separately provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of both said pen-core holding hole and said application-liquid ejecting hole and said second ribs are provided on said inner peripheral surface of said application-liquid ejecting hole behind said first ribs.

In another preferred embodiment, a sleeve member covers a portion of the pen-core intermediate its front and rear end portions, and the inscribed circle of said first ribs is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of said sleeve member.

In a further embodiment, a sleeve member covers a portion of the pen-core intermediate its front and rear end portions, the inscribed circle of said first ribs provided in said pencore holding bore is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of said sleeve member, the diameter of the inscribed circle of said first ribs provided in said applicationliquid ejecting bore is smaller than the outer diameter of said pen-core, and said pen-core is inserted into said applicator to abut the front ends of said second ribs, while the rear end of said sleeve member abuts the front ends of the first ribs provided in said application-liquid ejecting hole.

Certain specific embodiments of the liquid applicator of the present invention will now be described by way of example, reference being.

made to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a part-sectional view of a front end portion of a first embodiment; Figures 2 and 3 are cross-sectional views of the first embodiment, taken along the lines A A and A'-A' of Figure 1, respectively; Figure 4 is a part-sectional view of a front end portion of a second embodiment; Figures 5, 6 and 7 are cross-sectional views of the second embodiment, taken along the lines A-A, A'-A' and A"-A" of Figure 4, respectively; Figure 8 is a part sectional view of a front end portion of a third embodiment; and Figures 9, 10 and 11 are cross-sectional views of the third embodiment, taken along the lines A-A, A'-A' and A"-A" of Figure 8, respectively.

Figures 1 to 3 show a first embodiment of the present invention.

A main body 1 or an outer shaft of a liquid applicator contains application-liquid and a mouthpiece 2 is threadedly connected to the front end of the outer shaft of the liquid applicator. A conduit 3 for application-liquid is provided with a flange 4 at its front end and the flange 4 is integrally clamped between the front end of the outer shaft 1 and the mouthpiece 2. A sealing packing ring 5 is clamped between the flange 4 and the mouthpiece 2.

The mouthpiece includes a bore 7 which holds a pen-core 6 therein and the diameter of the bore is smaller than the outer diameter of the pen-core 6. The inner peripheral surface of the bore 7 is provided with four inwardly directed first ribs 8 which are equi-spaced around the inner peripheral surface and contact at their radially innermost ends an inscribed circle 9 which is slightly smaller in diameter than the pen-core 6. The first ribs 8 extend axially along substantially the full length of the pen-core holding bore 7 of the mouthpiece 2. Preferably, the first ribs 8 are as long as possible.

The front end portion of the applicationliquid conduit 3 includes an outlet 10 which communicates with the pen-core holding bore 7 of the mouth-piece 2. The ink outlet 10 includes on its inner peripheral surface four axially extending second ribs 11 in positions corresponding to those of the first ribs 8 so as to be equi-spaced circumferentially. An inscribed circle 12 contacting the radially innermost ends of the second ridges 11 is smaller in diameter than the inscribed circle 9 of the first ridges 8, and, therefore, is considerably smaller in diameter than the pencore 6.

In assembly of the applicator, the pen-core 6 is inserted into the pen-core holding bore 7 of the mouthpiece 2 until the rear end of the pen-core 6 abuts the front ends of the second ribs 11, so that the pen-core 6 is fixed and held by the first ribs 8 of the mouthpiece 2.

As a result, it is not possible for the pen-core 6 to move rearwardly into the applicator even when the pen-core 6 is subjected to pressure applied during the writing operation of the applicator. In addition, since the top edge portions of the first ribs 8 hold the pen-core 6 firmly, the pen-core 6 is always supported in a very stable condition.

Further, as is clearly shown in Figure 3, the pen-core 6 is separated from the inner peripheral surface of the pen-core holding bore 7 of the mouthpiece 2 by means of the first ribs 8 to form groove-like first passages between the ribs 8. The first passages communicate with second passages defined in the application-liquid ejecting outlet 10 of the applicationliquid conduit 3 at positions between the second ribs 11. This feature allows the application-liquid consumed during the writing operation to be smoothly replaced with external air to facilitate the feeding of the application fluid.

The passages defined by the second ribs may be seen in Figure 3.

The liquid applicator as described above has a very simple construction which supports the pen-core 6 in a stable condition and enabies the ink contained in the applicator to be smoothly replaced with external air. Further, the construction allows easy assembly, and still further, if necessary, enables the pen-core 6 to be easily replaced.

Figures 4 to 7 show a second embodiment of the present invention in which similar parts are given similar reference numerals. In this second embodiment the ink ejecting outlet 10 includes in its inner peripheral surface further rib 8', which are similar in spacing and size to the first ribs 8 which support the pen-core 6 in a more stable condition. In this case, an inscribed circle of the further ribs 8' may have the same diameter as that of the inscribed circle 9 of the first ribs 8 provided in the pencore holding opening 7 of the mouthpiece 2, or may be of diff erent diameter.

In this second embodiment, the further ribs 8' provided in the application-liquid ejecting hole 10 of the application-iiquid conduit 3 are integrally formed with the second ribs 11 in a continuous manner. However, it is also possible to form them separately so as to provide an axial gap therebetween.

Figures 8 to 11 show a third embodiment of the present invention. Again, similar parts are given similar reference numerals. In this third embodiment, the pen-core 6 is covered with a sleeve member 13 made of a material which is not permeable to the application liquid. The sleeve member 13 is shorter in axial length than the pen-core 6 so that its front and rear end portions are exposed.

The diameter of the inscribed circle 9 of the first ribs 8 provided in the pen-core holding opening 7 of the mouthpiece 2 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the sleeve member 13, while the diameter of the inscribed circle of the further ribs 8' provided in the application-liquid ejecting outlet 10 of the application-liquid conduit 3 is slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the pen-core 6. As a result, the inscribed circle 9 of the first ribs 8 is slightly larger in diameter than that of the further ribs 8'.

In assembly, the rear end of the pen-core 6 abuts the front ends of the second ribs 11, while the rear end of the sleeve member 13 abuts the front ends of the further ribs 8' provided in the applicationliquid ejecting outlet 10. Consequently, it is possible to hold the pen-core in an even more stable manner by the use of the sleeve member 13 which serves to reinforce the pen-core 6 and may eliminate a fear that the application liquid impregnated in the pen-core 6 adheres to the user's finger when the pen-core 6 is replaced.

Differences in diameter between the inscribed circles and the corresponding outer diameters of the pen-core 6 and the sleeve member 13 are so determined that the pencore 6 and the sleeve member 13 is firmly held to a required moderate degree. Excessive holding pressure is not desirable.

In these embodiments of the present invention, each of the radially innermost end surfaces of the ribs 8, 8' which contact the pencore 6 is shaped into a convex curved form as shown in Figures 2, 5 and 9. On the other hand, each of the radially innermost end surfaces of the ribs 11 is shaped into a concave curved form as shown in Figure 3, 6 and 10.

However, each of the radially innermost end surfaces of the ribs 8, 8' and 11 may be shaped into any other suitable form, for example, the radially innermost end surface of each of the ribs 8 and 8' may be shaped into the same form as that of the radially innermost end surface of each of the second ribs 11, or vice versa. In addition, it is also possible to exchange the above-mentioned convex curved form and the concave curved form between the ribs 8, 8' and the second ribs 11.

The components of the liquid applicator of the present invention may be made of conventional materials.

In the above described embodiments the pen-core 6 is prevented from dropping out of the applicator because the first and further ribs 8, 8' grip the pen-core 6. In addition, the pen-core 6 is stably held by the ribs 8, 8' while abutting the front ends of the second ridges 11 at its rear end to prevent it from being pushed into the applicator when subjected to a writing pressure applied in the operation of the applicator, so that the pen-core 6 is always held in a stable manner.

Further, there are defined groove-like passages between the first ribs 8, the further ribs 8' and the second ribs 11 respectively which allow the application liquid to be replaced with external air to make the feeding of the application liquid smooth during the writing operation of the applicator.

Each of the embodiments of liquid applicator described above has a very simple construction which allows both stable support for the pen-core 6 and a smooth feeding the application liquid contained in the applicator.

Claims

1. A liquid applicator comprising a mouthpiece including a pencore holding bore having a diameter larger than that of the pen-core to be held, said mouthpiece being mounted on an application-liquid conduit having an application-liquid ejecting hole with a diameter larger than that of said pen-core, said pen-core holding hole and said application-liquid ejecting hole together defining a fluid communication path, a plurality of first elongate ribs spaced circumferentially on an inner peripheral surface of said communication path and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said ribs is of smaller diameter than that of said pen core, and a plurality of second elongate ribs spaced circumferentially on said inner peripheral surface of said communication path behind said first ribs to abut the rear end of a pen-core when inserted in said pen-core holding bore and formed such that a circle inscribing the ends of said ribs is of smaller diameter than that of the circle inscribing the first ribs.

2. A liquid applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first ribs are separately provided on the inner peripheral surfaces of both said pen-core holding hole and said applicationliquid ejecting hole and said second ribs are provided on said inner peripheral surface of said application-liquid ejecting hole behind said first ribs.

3. A liquid applicator as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sleeve member covers a portion of the pen-core intermediate its front and rear end portions, and the inscribed circle of said first ribs is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of said sleeve member.

4. A liquid applicator as claimed in claim 2, wherein a sleeve member covers a portion of the pen-core intermediate its front and rear end portions, the inscribed circle of said first ribs provided in said pencore holding bore is slightly smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of said sleeve member, the diameter of the inscribed circle of said first ribs provided in said application-liquid ejecting bore is smaller than the outer diameter of said pen-core, and said pen-core is inserted into said applicator to abut the front ends of said second ribs, while the rear end of said sleeve member abuts the front ends of the first ribs provided in said application-liquid ejecting hole.

5. A liquid applicator comprising a pen-core element, and support means for supporting said pen-core element, said support means including a passage for delivering application liquid to said pen-core element, said passage including a forward plurality of ribs adapted to grip said pen-core element and a rearward plurality of ribs adapted to abut the rear end portion of said pen-core element.

6. A liquid applicator, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to and as illustrated in any of the accompanying drawings.