GB2233606A - Writing instrument with information display - Google Patents

Abstract

A writing instrument has a hollow barrel (12) having a window (25) through which can be seen successive portions of a length of paper or plastics sheet (24) which can be scrolled past the window by means of a pair of exposed control knobs (34, 36) at the end of the instrument remote from the writing end. Data or publicity material can be printed or written on the sheet material. <IMAGE>

Description

DISPLAYING INFORMATION This invention relates to a method and apparatus for displaying information. Particularly, but not exclusively the invention relates to writing implements or instruments such as pens, pencils etc incorporating means for displaying information. The invention may be applicable to other writing implements and instruments, and indeed to other hand-held instruments such as screw drivers and the like.

Previous proposals for displaying information on writing instruments include simply printing the relevant material onto the body or casing of the instrument, and a modification thereof in which similarly printed matter is provided on an internal cylindrical member which can be turned to bring the matter into view.

Such prior proposals fall short of present requirements in view of the limited amount of information which can be made available. Also, the information itself is fixed and the system thus not adaptable to the user's requirements. Equally, the cost of the printed structure is in some cases prohibitive.

An object of the present invention is to provide improvements in relation to one or more of the matters discussed above, or elsewhere herein, or generally.

According to the invention, there is provided a writing or other implement or instrument as defined in the accompanying claims.

In a preferred embodiment a writing instrument comprises a body portion to be hand-held for writing purposes. A writing element, such as a ballpoint pen element or a pencil element, mounted at one end of the body portion is provided for writing purposes. The body portion has display means for displaying information to a user thereof. The display means comprises a length of sheet material, such as paper or plastics sheet, having the information to be displayed printed or otherwise inscribed thereon. The display means further comprises means for displaying successively, successive portions of the sheet material to the user. The means for displaying comprises means for scrolling the length of sheet material. The means for scrolling comprises spool means. The spool means comprises spools or spindles adapted to have the sheet material rolled thereon.The spools or spindles extend lengthwise of the body portion of the writing instrument, and at least one exposed control knob is provided for controlling same at the end of the instrument remote from the writing element.

In the preferred embodiment, the body portion is hollow and formed with a transparent window through which said successive portions of the sheet material are visible.

The body portion is generally oval in cross-sectional shape. The writing element extends into the body portion only a part of the length thereof at one end, and the display means likewise extends intovthe body portion only a part of the length thereof at the other end.

Further in the preferred embodiment, the length of sheet material is secured at each end to its own one of said spindles. The spindles can be rotated independently.

Each spindle has a control knob. The sheet material is wound around one spindle by rotation of the relevant knob and transferred to the other by rotation of the other knob.

Such transfer causes the sheet material to pass the viewing window in the side of the casing, which enables information carried thereon to be seen. The sheet material strip can be either pre-printed, or blank to be written on by the user. Advertising information could be provided thereon.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: Fig 1 shows a writing instrument in side elevation; Fig 2 shows a plan view of the instrument of Fig 1, the directional viewing being indicated by arrow II in Fig 1; Fig 3 shows an end portion of the writing instrument of Figs 1 and 2 removed from the body portion thereof to expose the internal mechanism for scrolling a length of sheet material; and Fig 4 shows an end view of the writing instrument, the direction of viewing being indicated by arrow IV in Fig 2.

As shown in the drawings, a writing instrument 10 comprises a body portion 12 to be hand-held for writing purposes. The body portion is in the form of a moulding of plastics material. As shown in Fig 1, the profile in side elevation is the usual tapering one for a ball point pen or the like. As shown in Fig 2, the plan view of the body portion is considerably wider to accommodate the apparatus shown in Fig 3 and to be described below. As shown in Fig 4, body portion 12 has a generally oval cross-sectional shape with generally flat sides 14, 16.

A writing element 18, in this embodiment a ball point pen element, is mounted at one end of the body portion or barrel 12, for writing purposes. The writing element 18 is, in this embodiment, an otherwise standard ball point pen unit, but having a relatively short reservoir 20 for the ink thereof. The writing element is a push or screw fit in an opening at the end of barrel 12.

Body portion 12 has display means 22 for displaying information to a user thereof. The display means comprises a length of sheet material 24, indicated in dotted lines on Fig 3. The sheet material may be of paper, plastics sheet, or any other suitable flexible sheet material on which information to be displayed can be printed or otherwise inscribed.

In order to display successive portions of the sheet material to the user, there is provided a window 25 of transparent material in barrel 12, the window being moulded integrally therein so as to expose substantially the full width of the sheet material 24. In order to display successive portions of the sheet material, scrolling means is provided comprising a pair of spools or spindles 26, 28 mounted for rotation at one end on a plug or hub member 30 having a tapering portion 32 which is a push or friction fit in an end opening in barrel 12. Each spindle or spool 26, 28 has its own control knob 34, 36 respectively whereby it can be manually rotated. The opposite ends of the spools are rotatably received in an end support journal 38 in the form of a simple plastics moulding.

The sheet material is simply fixed at one end to spool 26 and the other end to spool 28, and is then rolled up into two cylinders of the material, indicated at 40 and 42 in Fig 3, whereby the assembly can be readily inserted into barrel 12.

In use, material printed or otherwise inscribed on the sheet material 24 can be readily successively exposed simply by manually rotating the knobs 34, 36. The information displayed can be information which the user him or herself has inscribed on the sheet material, or data printed thereon, or indeed may be advertising material.

Amongst other modifications which could be made in the above embodiment are changes to the profile of the pen, the method of scrolling the material, the particular kind of writing element used, and the material to be wound onto the spools. Many different kinds of sheet material may well be suitable.

Interestingly, the above embodiment provides a simple and relatively inexpensive means for displaying information in a writing instrument. The system is readily adapted to the user's requirements. The simple structure keeps cost to a minimum. The control system is extremely simple, reliable and robust. The system is readily adapted to many different writing elements, and may be applicable to other hand-held implements or instruments such as screw drivers.

It might well be possible to provide an implement in which the control knobs for scrolling the sheet material are not necessarily at one end but simply inset into the handle so as to be accessible by finger touch.

Claims (12)

1 A writing instrument comprising: a) a body portion to be hand-held for writing purposes; b) a writing element, such as a ballpoint pen element or a pencil element, mounted at one end of said body portion for writing purposes; and c) said body portion having display means for displaying information to a user; characterised in that d) said display means comprises a length of sheet material such as paper or plastic sheet suitable to have said information to be displayed, printed or otherwise inscribed thereon; and e) said display means further comprises means for displaying successively successive portions of said sheet material to the user.

2 A writing instrument comprising means for displaying successive portions of a length of sheet material mounted thereon.

3 An instrument according to claim 1 or claim 2 characterised in that said means for displaying comprises means for scrolling said length of sheet material.

4 An instrument according to claim 3 characterised in that said means for scrolling comprises spool means.

5 An instrument according to claim 4 characterised in that said spool means comprises two spools or spindles adapted to have said sheet material rolled thereon.

6 An instrument according to claim 5 characterised in that said spools or said spindles extend lengthwise of the body portion of the writing instrument, and at least one exposed control knob is provided for controlling same at the end of the instrument remote from the writing element.

7 An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said body portion is hollow and is formed with a transparent window through which said successive portions of sheet material are visible in use.

8 An instrument according to claim 7 characterised in that said body portion is generally oval in cross-sectional shape.

9 An instrument according to any one of the preceding claims characterised in that said writing element extends into said body portion only a portion of the length thereof at one end thereof, and said display means extends into said body portion only a portion of the length thereof at the other end thereof.

10 A writing instrument substantially as described herein and as shown in the accompanying drawings.

11 A method of displaying information comprising providing a writing instrument according to claim 2 and employing same to display information printed or otherwise inscribed on successive portions of said length of sheet material.

12 A hand held instrument or implement comprising means for displaying successive portions of a length of sheet material mounted thereon.