GB2236509A

GB2236509A - A removable safety cap for a writing instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2236509A
Application number: GB8922366A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Takashi Tsoda
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Priority date: 1989-10-04
Filing date: 1989-10-04
Publication date: 1991-04-10
Anticipated expiration: 2009-10-04
Also published as: GB2236509B; GB8922366D0; FR2653382A1; DE3934006A1

Abstract

A removable cap for a writing instrument comprises: a cylindrical cap main body (5) having its opposite axial ends open; an inner cap (6) only one of the axial ends of which is open and the other of the axial ends of which is closed, the inner cap (6) being coaxially mounted in the cap main body (5) while provided with an axial bore (12) which sealingly engages with the writing instrument and axial ventilating means, such as ribs (9) and grooves (8), interposed between the cap main body (5) and the inner cap (6) for permitting axial air flow between the ends of the cap main body. The ventilating means (8,9) of the cap enable an infant to inhale and exhale air even when the infant's bronchi are clogged with the cap. <IMAGE>

Description

A REMOVABLE CAP FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT The present invention relates to

a removable cap attachable to a front- end portion of a writing instrument such as a marking pen, marker or the like so as to prevent ink from evaporating from the writing instrument.

Removable caps for writing instruments such as marking pens, markers and the like are employed to prevent ink from evaporating from the writing instruments, to protect pen-point portions of the writing instruments from damage and to prevent the writing instruments from smudging other items with ink. The caps are resin-molded and are excellent at preventing ink from evaporating from the writing instruments. For example, as shown in Figs. 7 to 10, a conventional removable cap 13 attached to a writihg instrument is provided with an axial bore 16 in which an inner cylindrical portion 14 is integrally formed with a rear-end wall portion or closed end portion of the cap 13, a front end of which is open. Since the conventional cap 13 having the above construction is completely closed at its rear end, there is a danger that the cap will suffocate an infant when swallowed.

According to the present invention, there is provided a removable cap for a writing instrument for preventing ink from evaporating from the writing instrument, comprising:

a cylindrical cap main body having its opposite axial ends open; an inner cap only one of the axial ends of which is open and the other of the axial ends of which is closed, the inner cap being mounted in the cylindrical cap main body and provided with an axial bore for sealingly engaging with an outer peripheral surface of a pen-point portion of the writing instrument during non-use of the writing instrument; and axial ventilating means interposed between the cylindrical cap main body and the inner cap for permitting axial air flow between the axial ends of the cylindrical cap main body.

The present invention provides an improved removable cap for a writing instrument, which cap can prevent ink from evaporating from the writing instrument as is the case for the conventional cap and is provided with an axial ventilating means for ventilating an axial bore of the cap, the means being able to prevent an infant from being choked by the cap when the infant swallows the cap whole.

The axial ventilating means may comprise: an axial groove formed in an outer peripheral wall of the inner cap; or an axial groove formed in an inner peripheral wall of the cylindrical cap main body.

The axial groove formed in the outer peripheral wall of the inner cap may be defined by axial ribs formed on the outer peripheral wall of the inner cap.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting examples with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a first embodiment of a removable cap of the present invention when attached to a writing instrument; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the cap of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a partially broken perspective view of the cap of Fig. 1, illustrating another longitudinal section of the cap; Fig. 4 is a bottom view of the cap of Fig. 1; Fig. 5 is a partially broken perspective view of the cap of Fig. 1, illustrating the axial flow of air passing through the cap; Fig. 6 is a partially broken perspective view of a disassembled second embodiment of the removable cap of the present invention; Fig. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional removable cap when attached to a writing instrument; and Figs. 8 to 10 are views similar to Figs. 2 to 4 respectively, but illustrating the conventional cap of Fig. 7.

Figs. 1 to 5 show a f irst embodiment of a removable cap of the present invention attached to a marking pen 1, in which: the reference numeral 5 denotes a cylindrical cap main body of the removable cap of the present invention, the cap main body 5 having its opposite axial ends opened to form a front-end opening and a rear-end opening 7. In the front-end opening of the cap main body 5, a pen-point portion 2 of the marking pen is received during non-use of the marking pen.

As shown in Fig. 3, the cylindrical cap main body 5 of the cap of the present invention is provided with an axial bore 11 in which is coaxially mounted a cylindrical inner cap 6 having its rear end closed to form a closed rear-end wall which abuts on an inner shoulder portion of the cap main body 5 after completion of insertion of the inner cap 6 into the bare 11 of the cap main body 5. The inner cap 6 is provided with: a central axial bore 12 which sealingly engages with an outer peripheral surface of the pen-point portion 2 of the marking pen 1 to prevent ink from evaporating from the marking pen 1; and eight axial ribs 9 which are integrally formed with an outer peripheral portion of the inner cap 6 so as to radially outwardly extend and as to axially extend along the outer peripheral portion of the inner cap 6. Between these ribs 9 are formed a plurality of axial groov&s 8 the number of which is not limited. The inner cap 6 is so mounted in the cap main body 5 that the radially outer ends of these ribs 9 of the inner cap 6 are press-fitted to an inner wall of the cap main body 5.

In an axial front-end opening of the inner cap 6 is formed an inner ridge portion 10 which engages with an outer peripheral groove 4 of the penpoint portion 2 of the marking pen 1 during non-use of the marking pen 1.

In the first embodiment of the cap of the present invention shown in Figs. 1 to 5, the ribs 9 are formed in an outer peripheral surface of the inner cap 6 so as to form the axial grooves 8 therebetween. Through the axial grooves 8 of the inner cap 6, the axial bore 11 of the cap main body 5 communicates with a rear-end bore 7 of the cap main body 5 so that the axial grooves 8 of the inner cap 6 serve as an axial ventilating means of the cap of the present invention. The axial ventilating means of the cap may be constructed of axial grooves 17 formed in an inner peripheral wall of the cap main body 5 as shown in Fig. 6 illustrating a second embodiment of the cap of the present invention.

In use, the cap of the present invention having the above construction is attached to the pen-;point portion 2 of the marking pen 1 during non-use thereof, so that a point 3 of the pen point portion 2 of the marking pen 1 is sealingly covered with the inner cap 6 of the cap of the present invention, whereby the ink is prevented from evaporating from the point 3 of the marking pen 1.

As shown in Fig. 5, the cap of the present invention having been detached from the marking pen 1, since the axial bore 11 of the cap main body 5 axially communicates with the rear-end bore 7 of the cap main body 5 through the axial grooves 8 of the inner cap 6 coaxially mounted in the cap main body 5, the flow of air can axially pass through the interior of the cap main body 5 through the axial bare 11 thereof, axial grooves 8 of the inner cap 6 and the rear-end bare 7 of the cap main body 5.

Since the removable cap of the present invention attached to the writing instrument or marking pen 1 is provided with the axial ventilating means (8 or 17), there is no fear that the infant is choked by the cap when the infant swallows the cap whole. In addition, the cap of the present invention is excellent in appearance and properties of preventing the ink from evaporating from the writing instrument or marking pen 1 to which the removable cap of the present invention is attached.

Q 1 J C: 1,

Claims

1. A removable cap for a writing -Instrument for preventing ink from evapoarting from the writing instrument, comprising: a cylindrical cap main body having its opposite axial ends open; an inner cap only one of the axial ends of which is open, the other of said axial ends being closed, said inner cap being mounted in said cylindrical cap main body and provided with an axial bore for sealingly engaging with an outer peripheral surface of a pen-point portion of the writing instrument during non-use thereof; and axial ventilating means interposed between said cylindrical cap main body and said inner cap for permitting axial air flow between said axial ends of said cylindrical cap main body.

2. The removable cap according to claim 1, wherein: said axial ventilating means comprises at least one axial groove formed in an outer peripheral wall of said inner cap.

3. The removable cap according to claim 2, wherein: said at least one axial groove formed in said outer peripheral wall of said inner cap is defined by axial ribs formed in said outer peripheral wall of said inner cap.

4. The removable cap according to claim 1, wherein: said axial ventilating means comprises at least one axial groove formed in an inner peripheral wall of said cap main body.

5. A removable cap for a writing instrument for preventin ink from evaporating from the writing instrument, substantially as described with reference to Figs. 1 to 6 of the accompanying drawings.

6. All novel features and combinations thereof.

Published 1991 at Ile Patent Office. State House, 66171 High Holborn, London WC] R 4TP. Further copies may be obtained from Sales Branch. Unit 6. Nine Mile Point Cwmfelinfach, Cross Keys. Newport, NPI 7HZ. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray. Kent.