GB2237506A

GB2237506A - Painting/writing instrument

Info

Publication number: GB2237506A
Application number: GB9022607A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Masaki Uchida
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Priority date: 1989-10-19
Filing date: 1990-10-17
Publication date: 1991-05-08
Also published as: DE4033329A1; JPH0361967U; CA2028000A1; KR910007470A; FR2653381A1; KR920010045B1; GB9022607D0; IT9021800A0; JPH0725259Y2; IT1243855B; IT9021800A1

Abstract

A front shaft (7) having a brush tuft (5) is axially movable towards a cartridge (4) in order to displace a plug (3) from a discharge port (2) so that ink or a similar liquid may flow from an ink reservoir (1) to the brush tuft (5). In order to prevent unwanted ink flow, a stopper (6) may be inserted between the front shaft (7) and the cartridge (4). The stopper (6) has a ring body (9) made of flexible material and split into two arms in order to permit the stopper (6) to be inserted and removed simply by means of sideways movement without having to separate the front shaft (7) from the cartridge (4). The stopper (6) also has an outwardly extending knob (10) which facilitates its removal. <IMAGE>

Description

1 RAINTING/WRITI,^',JG INSTRUMENT The present invention relates to a paint

ing/wr it ing instrument for applying liquids such as manicure and other cosmetic liquids, writing inks and the like, and more particularly to a painting/writing instrument which is arranged so that the liquid therein is not discharged whilst the instrument is being stored, displayed or held unused.

Known writing instruments cornprise a cartridge filled with writing ink and have an ink discharge port sealed by a plug. A front shaft holds a brush tuft and is temporarily screwed through a ring stopper on the cartridge before use. In use, the front shaft is screwed further onto the cartridge with the ring stopper removed. An ink conduit is arranged in the front shaft so that the plug in the cartridge is forced out of the discharge port, thereby allovving the writing ink to be supplied to the brush tuft.

However, with such a structure of the painting/writing instrument, there is the disadvantage that, when using the instrument for the first time, the front shaft temporarily screwed on the cartridge must be unscrewed from the cartridge so that the stopper can be removed and then screwed back onto the cartridge again.

According to the present invention there is provided a painting/writing instrument comprising a cartridge having a liquid reservoir with a discharge port and a plug for sealing the discharge port; a front shaft supporting liquid applicator means at a front end thereof and having a liquid conduit arranged therein for supplying liquid to the applicator means when the plug is displaced from the discharge port; and a stopper insertable between the front shaft and the cartridge to prevent the front shaft from being moved towards the cartridge to displace the plug from the discharge port, the stopper comprising an elastically deformable ring body split into two arm portions and a knob extending radially outwards from the ring body. Thus, the stopper may be removed and inserted simply by means of sideways movement. There is no need to remove the front shaft from the cartridge.

Preferably, the extent of axial movement of the front shaft relative to the cartridge is limited by a first detent on one of the front shaft and the cartridge, the first detent being axially located between second and third detents axially spaced apart along the other one of the front shaft and the cartridge. This structure is particularly simple and trouble free. The axial movement can be achieved merely by pushing and pulling, with no need for a screwing action. Preferably, the first detent comprises an annular ridge and the second and third detents comprise the axial end faces of an annular groove. Preferably, the annular ridge comprises an inwardly projecting ridge of the front shaft and the annular groove comprises an outwardly facing groove of the cartridge.

The invention will now be described by way of non-limiting example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a sectional view of part of a painting/writing instrument in accordance with the present invention and shows the temporarily joined condition of the cartridge and front shaft before use; Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a stopper of the paint ing/writ ing instrument of Fig. 1; and Fig. 3 is a sectional view similar to Fig. 1 but showing the fully joined condition of the cartridge and front shaft during use.

Referring now to Fig. 1, an ink reservoir 1 is provided in a cartridge 4. The cartridge 4 has at its front end a tubular joint portion 14 with a small diameter for joining to a front shaft 7. On the outer surface of the joint portion 14 are provided undercut first and second convex detents 12, 13 axially spaced frorn each other.

In the front end opening of the joint portion 14 of the cartridge 4 is sealingly inserted a U-shaped tubular lid 15 having a through hole serving as an ink discharge port 2 in which a spherical plug 3 is sealingly located.

The front shaft 7 is made of a resinous material and holds a tapering brush tuft 5 with a front end portion projecting outwards from a front end opening of the front shaft 7.

The rear end of the front shaft 7 is located around the outside of the tubular joint portion 14. An annular convex detent 11 is peripherally provided on the inner wall of the rear end of the front shaft 7. In Fig. 1 It where the annular detent 11 engages with the first convex detent 1 writing ink is not discharged because the plug 3 is located in the discharge port 2 (this condition will be referred to hereinafter as a temporary joint).

With the front shaft 7 pushed further on with a stopper 6 removed, the annular detent 11 moves from enga:ging the first detent 12 to engaging the second detent 13 (this condition will be referred to hereinafter as a full joint).

The movement required to move between the first and second detents portions 12, 13 is chosen to be the same as the thickness of a ring portion 9 of the stopper 6. A conduit 8 is fixedly arranged in the front shaft 7. When the annular detent 11 engages the first detent 12, the rear end of the conduit 9 does not reach the plug 3. When the annular detent 11 engages the second detent 13 with the stopper 6 removed, the rear end of the conduit 8 extends into the discharge port 2 and pushes out the plug 3 and a tapered portion 20 provided midway along the conduit 8 sealingly abuts against the front edge of the tubular lid 15 (see Fig. 3).

Referring now to Fig. 2, the stopper 6 comprises an elastically deformable ring 9 having a segment cut out to enable the resulting horseshoe -shaped grip to be slipped around the base portion of the tubular joint portion 14. The stopper 6 also has a knob 10 provided integrally with and radially extending outwards frorn the ring body 9.

The stopper 6 serves to ensure that, while it is inserted on the joint portion 14, the cartridge 4 and the front shaft 7 are held apart a fixed distance and the front shaft 7 cannot be pushed onto the cartridge 4. The stopper 6 can be elastically deformed and slipped off the cartridge 4 simply by radially pulling the knob 10 in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. With the stopper 6 removed from the cartridge 4, the front shaft 7 can now be pushed further onto the portion 14 of the cartridge.

The conduit 8 is fixed at a rear end portion of the brush tuft 5 in the front shaft 7. A through hole 17 is axially provided in the conduit 8. In a front portion of the through hole 17 is inserted a rear end portion of a guide pipe 18 which projects into the brush tuft 5. The conduit 8 is configured such that a rear end portion 19 thereof has such a diameter and length as to enable its rear end opening to be in the ink reservoir 1 when it fully enters the discharge port 2 of the tubular lid 15, while midway along the conduit 8 is provided the tapered sealing face 20 as mentioned before.

As described above, the rear end portion 19 of the front shaft 7 never reaches the plug 3 in the state of temporary joint of the cartridge 4 with the front shaft 7, while in the state of full joint the rear end portion 19 is inserted into the discharge port 2 to push out the plug 3 and the sealing face 20 abuts and seals against the front edge of the tubular lid 15 as shown in Fig. 3.

The ball-like plug 3, when displaced out of the discharge port 2, is located in the inside of the cartridge 4 and functions as a stirring ball for dispersing precipitates in the writing ink.

An inner cap 22 fits on a front portion of the front shaft 7 and an outer cap 21 fits on a rear end portion of the front shaft 7. The inner cap 22 covers the brush tuft 5 so as to protect the former and prevent undesired vaporization of the writing ink. The outer cap 21 covers the front shaft 7 as a whole. A coil spring 23 is provided in the outer cap 21. Biased by the coil spring 23, the inner cap 22 is forced onto the front shaft 7, which itself is biased towards the cartridge 4 by the inner cap 22. By the very existence of the coil spring 23, mere removal of the stopper 6 enables the writing ink to be supplied to the brush tuft 5, with the front shaft 7 fully joined with the cartridge 4 even without removal of the outer cap 21.

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Claims

1. A painting/writing instrument comprising a cartridge having a liquid reservoir with a discharge port and a plug for sealing the discharge port; a front shaft supporting liquid applicator means at a front end thereof and having a liquid conduit arranged therein for supplying liquid to the applicator means when the plug is displaced from the discharge port; and a stopper insertable between the front shaft and the cartridge to prevent the front shaft from being moved towards the cartridge to displace the plug from the discharge port, the stopper comprising an elastically deformable ring body split into two arm portions and a knob extending radially outwards from the ring body.

2. A painting/writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the extent of axial movement of the front shaft relative to the cartridge is limited by a first detent on one of the front shaft and the cartridge, the first detent being axially located between second and third detents axially spaced apart along the other one of the front shaft and the cartridge.

3. A painting/writing instrument according to claim 2, wherein the first detent co.mprises an annular ridge and the second and third detents comprise the axial end faces of an annular groove.

4. A painting/writing instrument according to claim 3, wherein the annular ridge comprises an inwardly projecting ridge of the front shaft and the annular groove comprises an outwardly facing groove of the cartridge.

5. A painting/writing instrument substantially as herein described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

6. All novel features and combinations thereof.

Published 1991 at The Patent Office. State! House. 66/71 High Holborn. LOndonWC I R47P. Further copies may be obtained from i ow t Th Patent Ofnee. Stliti 7147I.Printed hv multiDlex techniques lid, St Mary Cray. Kent 11111 U-.-, RA-1-1PY rrchioues lid. St Marv CraY, Ken'