GB2367036A

GB2367036A - Marking instrument with manually-operable spray pump

Info

Publication number: GB2367036A
Application number: GB0023063A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Ashraf Mahfouz Abbas
Original assignee: INVENTIVE INTERNAT INVEST Ltd
Current assignee: INVENTIVE INTERNAT INVEST Ltd
Priority date: 2000-09-20
Filing date: 2000-09-20
Publication date: 2002-03-27
Anticipated expiration: 2020-09-20
Also published as: GB0023063D0; GB2367036B; GC0000370A

Abstract

The marking instrument eg a marker pen or artist's brush, includes a fluid cartridge 14 and a manually-operable spray pump 10 for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined amount of the fluid under pressure from the cartridge to the tip 6 of the instrument. The pump may be actuated by depression of a button 38 at the rear of the instrument. The cartridge is disposable or re-fillable.

Description

A MARKING INSTRUMENT

This invention relates to a marking instrument, and particularly, though not exclusively, to a writing pen, including a marker pen, or a brush, especially an artist's brush.

Many different types of pens, drawing brushes, and markers for school or office use for various applications are known. Such instruments may include an absorbent felt in a casing that is loaded with the fluid, for example ink, and this finds its way to the tip of the instrument by gravity. Consequently, when the instrument is stored with the tip uppermost, the fluid drains away therefrom, and often such instruments are thrown away in the mistaken belief that all of the ink therein has been used, whereas a vigorous shaking of the instrument would result in the fluid again finding its way to the tip.

Other instruments have a replaceable cartridge, which again relies on gravity for its contents to find its way to the tip of the instrument. Drawing brushes for use by children, in particular, can be difficult to use.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a marking instrument that overcomes, or at least alleviates, some problems associated with the known marking instruments.

In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a marking instrument comprising a marking tip, a housing, a disposable cartridge containing marking fluid, preferably a liquid, for example ink or paint, mounted within the housing, and a manually-operable spray pump arrangement for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined amount of the marking fluid under pressure from the cartridge to the tip of the marking instrument.

The marking instrument of the present invention, therefore, has the advantage of being provided with a cartridge that is replaceable, thereby avoiding the waste of disposing of the casing and the tip, together with any other components of the instrument, when the fluid therein has been used up.

The marking instrument of the present invention has the further advantage of being provided with a manually-operable spray pump arrangement, which can withdraw the fluid in the cartridge so as positively to direct it under pressure to the tip of the instrument. Furthermore, the pump is arranged to provide a predetermined amount of the fluid upon each operation, in dependence on the volume of the pump, thereby avoiding the possibility of continuous operation of the pump arrangement leading to exhaustion of the entire contents of the cartridge, and/or flooding of the fluid from the tip of the instrument.

The spray pump arrangement of the invention may be of any suitable design for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined, metered, quantity of fluid. Such pumps are well-known, for example, in dispensing perfume. Details of suitable pump arrangements are disclosed, by way of example only, in the following patent publications, the entire contents of which are included herein by reference: US-A-3774849, US-A-4029261, GB-B 2252941, EP-A-0930102, and FR-A-2402388.

Thus, in general, operation of the pump requires an initial stroke to expel air from the body thereof, so that subsequent release will draw fluid thereinto from a reservoir, which is un-pressurised. Subsequent operation will then dispense that fluid from the primed pump, as a spray, and release will charge the pump with a fresh quantity of the fluid from the reservoir.

Advantageously the marking instrument will be of elongate configuration, and will typically comprise a pen, including a marker, especially a whiteboard marker, or a brush, for writing or drawing. The fluid will usually be a liquid, and may be ink or paint, of any required colour.

In a preferred embodiment, the pump arrangement is disposed longitudinally adjacent the tip of the instrument towards one end of the casing, and the cartridge extends away therefrom and is accessible at the other end of the casing such that manual pressure exerted longitudinally on the cartridge at that said other end is effective to operate the pump arrangement.

The pump arrangement, or at least a component thereof, may be fixed longitudinally within the instrument casing and the cartridge longitudinally moveable therewithin. In a preferred configuration, an exit nozzle of the pump arrangement is fixedly secured within the casing, and the remaining components of the pump arrangement, including, for example, a pump body, inlet and outlet, move together with the cartridge as a single unit.

In another embodiment, the instrument, and in particular for example the casing, is arranged such that transverse inward manual pressure thereon moves the cartridge and the pump arrangement, or a component thereof, longitudinally relative to one another, thereby to effect said dispensing of the marking fluid. The inward pressure may be provided by a slideable member having a surface inclined to a longitudinal axis of the instrument for co-operation with a mating surface of the pump arrangement, therefore to effect said relative longitudinal movement.

In a still further preferred embodiment, relative rotation of two portions of the instrument is effective to operate the pump arrangement. It will be appreciated, that such rotation may be translated into relative longitudinal movement between the pump arrangement and the cartridge.

It is also envisaged, however, that the pump arrangement may be operated from the marking tip of the instrument.

The writing instrument may be provided with an intermediate chamber, which may have an external viewing window, between the cartridge and the tip so that a user may determine whether the next operation of the pump will result in fluid being dispensed to the tip, or otherwise effective to fill the intermediate chamber, with a subsequent operation of the pump arrangement being required to dispense the fluid from the chamber to the tip for use of the instrument.

The pump arrangement may comprise a spray nozzle.

Manual pressure on the pump arrangement, directly or indirectly, will initially expel the air therefrom, and release is then effective to draw fluid into the pump. A subsequent operation of the pump arrangement then dispenses that predetermined, primed, amount of fluid from the pump, and continued pressure will not result in any more fluid being dispensed.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, there is provided a marking instrument assembly comprising a disposable or re-fillable cartridge containing marking fluid and operatively associated therewith, preferably fixedly mounted thereon, a manually-operable spray pump arrangement for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined amount of the marking fluid under pressure from the cartridge.

In accordance with a further aspect of the invention, there is provided a disposable, or re-fillable, cartridge for a pen or brush, containing ink or paint.

Several embodiments of the marking instrument, each in accordance with the present invention, will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a section through a first embodiment of a marker pen; Figure 2 is a section though a cap of the pen of Figure 1 ; Figure 3 is a further section throughout the pen of Figure 1 showing the tip and pump housing; Figures 4a and 4b are an elevation and plan respectively of a fixing member for the pump; Figure 4c is an elevation of an example of a manual spray pump for use in the instrument of Figure 1 ;

Figure 5 is a section of the casing of the instrument of Figure 1 ; Figure 6 is a section of the fluid cartridge of the instrument of Figure 1 ; Figures 7a and 7b are a section and plan respectively of an inner cap for the casing of Figure 5; Figures 8a and 8b are a section and plan respectively of a retaining ring for the cap of Figures 7a and 7b; Figure 9 is a section through a second embodiment of a marking pen, with the pump in the closed position; Figure 10 is partial section of the marking instrument of Figure 9 rotated through 90 about its longitudinal axis, and showing the pump in the open position; Figure 11 is a sectional elevation of a third embodiment of a marking pen, showing the pump in the closed position; Figure 12 is a partial section of the instrument of Figure 11, rotated though 900 about its longitudinal axis; Figures 13 and 13a are a section and elevation, rotated respectively through 900, of the

tip and pump arrangement of the instrument of Figures 11 and 12 ; Figures 14 and 14a are external elevations of the casing of the instrument of Figures 11 and 12; Figure 15 is a view of a fourth embodiment of a marking pen; Figure 15a shows a cap for the instrument of Figure 15;

Figure 16 shows the tip and pump housing of the instrument of Figure 15 ; Figures 17a and 17b are a section and plan respectively of a securing member for the pump of the instrument of Figures 15 and 16; Figure 18 is an elevation of an integral assembly of cartridge and pump arrangement; Figure 19 is a partial sectional elevation of a fifth embodiment of the writing instrument, as a brush; Figure 19a shows a cap for the brush of Figure 19; Figures 20a and 20b show a section and elevation respectively of a pump retaining member of the brush of Figure 19; Figure 21 shows a partial sectional elevation of a cartridge of a marking instrument ; and Figure 22 shows a sixth embodiment of a marking instrument.

Referring to Figures I to 8b, a pen 2 comprises an elongate cylindrical casing 4, a writing tip 6, and a housing 8 that contains a spray pump 10. The tip 6 and housing 8 are contained within a closure cap 12 that is mounted thereon to abut the casing 4. A replaceable ink cartridge 14 is mounted within the casing 4, and secured in place by a mounting member 16 at the end remote from the tip 6, as a safety feature. The mounting member 16, (see detail in Figures 7a, 7b) is retained within the end of the cartridge 14 by means of an annular screw-threaded retaining ring 17 (see detail in Figures 8a and 8b). A capillary tube 18 has an open end adjacent the cartridge mounting member 16 and extends towards a diaphragm 20 that closes the other, inner end of the tube 18 adjacent the pump 10.

Fluid communication between the contents of the cartridge 14 and the pump 10 is achieved by introducing the cartridge 14 into the casing 4 and making a screw threaded connection onto the body 24 of the pump 10, which causes a sharpened tip 26 of the

pump 10 to pierce the diaphragm 20. The pump body 24 has a pair of notches 28 in its rim, by which it is introduced into the casing 14, and retained therein against rotational movement by casing projections 30, whilst being allowed to move longitudinally within the casing 4.

The pen tip 6 is mounted in a tip housing 32 that is fitted onto the pump housing 8, and that contains a cylindrical block of felt 34.

A spray nozzle 38 of the pump 10 is secured against longitudinal movement by being sealed into the base wall of a chamber 40, into which it projects.

In operation, the external surface 36 of the cartridge closure member 16, acting as a plunger or button, can be depressed by a thumb or finger of the user of the pen 2, this being effective to move the ink cartridge 14 longitudinally within the casing 4 together with the pump body 24, relative to the nozzle 38. This movement expels air from within the pump 10 so that upon release of the plunger 36, ink from within the cartridge 14 is sucked up into the pump body 24 through the capillary tube 18. Subsequent depression of the plunger 36 is then effective to dispense the ink from the pump body 24 and to cause it to be ejected as a spray from the fixed pump nozzle 38, into the chamber 40. The predetermined amount of ink thus displaced from the cartridge 14 enters the chamber 40 within the pump housing 8, and is also absorbed by the block of felt 34, in which the pen tip 6 is embedded. It will be appreciated that maintaining the plunger 36 depressed does not dispense any more ink from the cartridge 14, a release and further depression of the plunger 36 being required to do this. It will also be appreciated, that an initial usage of the pen 2 may require several operations of the plunger 36 so as completely to fill the chamber 40 and to load the felt 34 so that the tip 6 is supplied with sufficient ink for writing. The chamber 40 has a window 42 in a side wall thereof, so that the user can see whether there is ink contained therewithin.

During use of the pen, the closure cap 12 can be mounted on the casing 4 so as to fit into the annular groove between the mounting member 16 and the retaining ring 17, so as to cover the pump plunger 36 and thereby to prevent accidental dispensing on ink

from the cartridge 14. The cap 12 is notched at 13 for engagement with the cartridge 14 to screw the cartridge at its inner end onto the pump 10.

Referring to Figures 9 and 10, the writing pen 50 has a cartridge 14 mounted within a cylindrical casing 54. As in the embodiment of Figure 1, the inner end of the cartridge 14 is secured to a pump body 56 by means of a screw threaded engagement, forming a fluid communicating path therethrough. The pump body 56 is of generally frustoconical shape, with the larger transverse surface directed towards the tip 6 of the pen 50. A pair of radially inwardly directed spring loaded plungers 60 are mounted in the side wall of the pen casing 54 and have inner surfaces shaped to mate with the frustoconical surface of the pump body 56. A nozzle 62 of the pump arrangement is, as before, securely retained within a transverse wall of the pump housing 64.

In operation of the pen 50, inward pressure in the direction of the arrows X on the plungers 60 is effective for the frustoconical mating surfaces to slide over one another, so as to urge the pump body 56, carrying the cartridge 14, up towards the fixed nozzle 62. This results, after the air has initially been expelled, in drawing in the ink contained within the cartridge 14, and causing it to be dispensed and to spray out through the nozzle 62 within the pump housing 64. As before, the ink is also directed onto the cylindrical block of felt 34 located within the tip housing 32, and therefrom to the pen tip 6.

The pen 70 of Figures 11 and 12 operates on the same principle as the pen 50 of Figures 9 and 10, but in this embodiment, the frusto-conical body 72 of the pump arrangement is inverted such that its diameter decreases in the direction towards the pen tip 6. Consequently, the corresponding mating sliding surfaces of a pair of plungers 74 mounted on the pen casing 76 extend progressively outwardly in the direction away from the pen tip 6. Also as shown in this embodiment, the dispensing channel 78 that extends through the pump body 74 is in direct communication with the block of felt 80. Thus, in the pen 70 there is not provided any intermediate chamber between the ink being dispensed from the cartridge 14 and being absorbed by the block of felt 80, and there is no provision for a spray head as the outlet of the pump arrangement.

Figures 13 and 13a show detail of the mounting 82 for the tip 6, the felt housing 84 formed together with the moveable part 72 of the pump, and the cartridge-engaging portion 86 of the pump arrangement.

In the embodiments heretofore described, it is envisaged that the pump arrangement of the pen will be permanently secured to the pen casing, and that the only replaceable component will be the cartridge, which can be replaced with a full one when empty, or refilled.

The embodiment of Figures 15,15a, 16,17a, 17b, and 18 disclose a pen 90 comprising a casing 4 and tip 6 as before, but in which a cartridge 92 is formed integrally with components of the pump arrangement 94 from which a spring loaded nozzle 96 projects. As can be seen in Figures 15 and 16, the tip of the nozzle 96 engages with a spray head 98 and is fixedly mounted on a transverse wall of an intermediate spray chamber 100 that leads to the felt block 34.

Thus, manual pressure exerted on the based 102 of the cartridge 92 urges the cartridge and the pump arrangement 94 upwardly, thus dispensing the predetermined amount of liquid into the chamber 100 and onto the felt 34. This longitudinal movement is guided by the slotted pump body 104 moving along inward projections 106 of the housing 4 whilst being restrained against rotational movement.

Figures 19 to 21 show a writing instrument in the form of a brush having a tip 110 that is supplied by paint from the interior of a cartridge 112 mounted within a casing 114. A pump arrangement 116 is located within a pump housing 118 by means of a circular washer 120 that bears against an inwardly-directed projection 122 of the pump housing 118. In this embodiment, the dispensing channel 124 of the pump arrangement 116 terminates directly in contact with the brush 110. When not in use, the tip 110 of the brush is protected within a closure cap 126. The longitudinal movement of the cartridge 112 is effected by pressure on the base thereof in the direction of the arrow X

(Figure 19). It will also be seen that in this embodiment, the cartridge 112 is not provided with the optional inner capillary tube of the previous embodiments.

The pen 130 of Figure 22 is formed with a casing in two parts, 132 and 134 extending longitudinally axially thereof. The casing portions 132 and 134 are rotatable relative to each other about the longitudinal axis of the pen 130, as shown by the arrows Y and Z.

The relative rotation is arranged to operate a pump arrangement (not shown) of the pen 130 so as to dispense a predetermined amount of ink from a replaceable cartridge (not shown) secured therewithin, to the pen tip 6.

It will be appreciated, that the cartridge may be substantially the same for each of the embodiments described.

It is to be understood that various features of the present invention, which are, for clarity or convenience, described in the context of separate embodiments, may also be provided in any combination in a single embodiment. Conversely, various features of the present invention which are, for brevity or otherwise, described in the context of a single embodiment, may also be provided separately or in any suitable combination.

Claims

1. A marking instrument comprising a marking tip, a housing, a disposable cartridge containing marking fluid mounted within the housing, and a manuallyoperable spray pump arrangement for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined amount of the marking fluid under pressure from the cartridge to the tip of the marking instrument.

2. A marking instrument according to claim 1, of elongate configuration, wherein the pump arrangement is disposed longitudinally adjacent the tip of the instrument towards one end of the casing, and wherein the cartridge extends away therefrom and is accessible at the other end of the casing such that manual pressure exerted longitudinally on the cartridge at that said other end is effective to operate the pump arrangement.

3. A marking instrument according to claim 2, wherein a component of the pump arrangement is fixed longitudinally within the instrument casing and the cartridge is movable longitudinally therewithin to dispense the fluid.

4. A marking instrument according to claim 1, of elongate configuration, wherein transverse inward manual pressure on the instrument is arranged to move the cartridge and a component of the pump arrangement longitudinally relative to one another, thereby to effect said dispensing of the marking fluid.

5. A marking instrument according to claim 4, wherein the instrument casing is provided with an inwardly-slidable member having a surface inclined to the longitudinal axis of the instrument that co-operates with a mating surface of the pump arrangement, thereby to effect said longitudinal movement.

6. A marking instrument according to claim 1, of elongate configuration, wherein relative rotation of two longitudinal portions thereof is effective to operate the pump arrangement.

7. A marking instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein operation of the pump arrangement is arranged to transfer the marking fluid from the cartridge into a chamber intermediate the cartridge and the tip of the marking instrument, prior to a subsequent operation of the pump arrangement to dispense the fluid to the tip.

8. A marking instrument according to claim 7, wherein the chamber has a transparent wall portion whereby its contents may be visible from outside the instrument.

9. A marking instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the pump arrangement and the tip of the instrument are assembled into a single unit.

10. A marking instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the pump arrangement and the cartridge are assembled into a single unit.

11. A marking instrument according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a pen.

12. A marking instrument according to claim 11, wherein the tip of the pen comprises a quantity of material, preferably felt, for absorbing marking fluid dispensed from the cartridge.

13. A marking instrument according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the tip thereof comprises a brush.

14. A marking instrument assembly comprising a disposable or re-fillable cartridge containing marking fluid and operatively associated therewith a manually-operable pump arrangement for repeatedly dispensing a predetermined amount of the marking fluid under pressure from the cartridge.

15. A marking instrument assembly according to claim 14, for use with a marker pen, preferably a whiteboard marker pen, or a drawing brush.

16. A disposable or re-fillable cartridge for a marker pen, a whiteboard marker, or a drawing brush.

17. A marking instrument or assembly or cartridge therefor, substantially as hereinbefore described with reference to the accompanying drawings.