GB2406546A

GB2406546A - A writing instrument with tip force controlled illumination

Info

Publication number: GB2406546A
Application number: GB0322885A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Jeremy Metter
Original assignee: BULK SUPPLIES Ltd
Current assignee: BULK SUPPLIES Ltd
Priority date: 2003-09-30
Filing date: 2003-09-30
Publication date: 2005-04-06
Anticipated expiration: 2023-09-30
Also published as: GB0322885D0; GB2406546B

Abstract

A writing instrument has elongate body 2 with a writing tip or nib 8 at one end. A light source 18 (such as one or more LEDs) in a transparent or translucent ornament 12 is connected to the body at its other end by a flexible member or spring 11. The light source 19 is illuminated when a predetermined force is applied to the writing tip in the direction of the body to close contacts 15,16 connecting the light source to battery 13. Biasing spring 9 causes the contacts 15,16 to open when nib 8 is lifted from the writing surface. By replacing the contacts 15,16 with a potentiometer, the manner of illumination (colour, pulse rate) may be caused to vary according to the force applied to the nib. The writing instrument may be used to help a child to learn how to use a pen.

Description

PATENTS ACT 1977 P 1 8094GB-LDH/ATB/cg "A Writing Instrument" THIS

INVENTION relates to a writing instrument, and in particular concerns a novelty writing instrument that will capture the attention of children.

There is a perennial demand for children's stationery which has some novelty value, or is otherwise appealing to children. Such items may brighten up a school day, or earn the envy of classmates.

It is known to provide pens which are provided, at the opposite end of the body from the nib of the pen, with an ornament having an internal light source, which illuminates during use of the pen, i.e. when a predetermined force is applied to the nib to push the nib into the body.

Different, and more engaging, stationery is always sought. It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide such stationery.

Accordingly, one aspect of the present invention provides a writing instrument, comprising: an elongate body; a writing tip, located at a first end of the body; a flexible member, a proximal end of the flexible member being attached to a second end of the body; and a light source, provided on a distal end of the flexible member, the arrangement being such that, when a predetermined force is applied to the writing tip in a direction to push the writing tip towards the body, the light source is illuminated.

Advantageously, the flexible member is a spring.

Preferably, in a resting state thereof, the writing tip is in a first position and, when the predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the writing tip moves into a second position.

Conveniently, the writing tip is biased towards the first position so that, when the writing tip is in the second position and the predetermined force is not applied to the writing tip, the writing tip will move from the second position into the first position and the light source will extinguish.

Advantageously, the light source is provided within a transparent or translucent ornament.

Preferably, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.

Conveniently, the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise illumination in different colours.

Advantageously, the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise pulsed illumination having different pulse rates or patterns.

Another aspect of the present invention provides a writing instrument, comprising: an elongate body; a writing tip, located at a first end of the body; and a light source, provided on a second end of the body, the arrangement being such that, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.

In order that the present invention may be more readily understood, embodiments thereof will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying Figure, which shows a writing instrument embodying the present invention.

With reference to the Figure, a writing instrument 1 embodying the present invention is shown. The writing instrument 1 comprises an elongate body 2, which is of an appropriate size to be gripped comfortably in the hand of a user.

The body 2 terminates at a first end 3 in a frusto-conical shape having a hole 4 at the tip thereof. Disposed within the body 2 is an elongate writing member 5, comprising a rigid tube 6 partially filled with ink 7, and terminating in a nib 8, or other type of writing tip, which protrudes through the hole 4 in the first end 3 of the body 2. A biasing spring 9 is attached both to an inner surface of the body 2 and to a portion of the rigid tube 6. The effect of the biasing spring 9 is to bias the writing member 5 towards a resting position, in which the nib 8 thereof protrudes a short distance out of the hole 4 in the body 2.

On a second end 10 of the body 2, a mounting spring 11 is provided.

The mounting spring 11 is attached to the second end 10 of the body 2 at a proximal end thereof, and mounted on a distal end of the mounting spring 11 is 1,, a translucent ornament 12. In the depicted embodiment, the translucent ornament 12 is in the shape of a bird.

The mounting spring 11 is selected to have a length and rigidity such that, upon shaking the writing instrument 1, the ornament 12 will sway from side to side, and in preferred embodiments the stiffness of the spring may be sufficiently low that the ornament 12 will move significantly during use of the writing instrument l for writing.

An electrical circuit is also provided as part of the writing instrument 1.

A battery 13 is located inside the body 2, near the second end 10 thereof. A wire 14 connects one terminal of the battery 13 to a first contact 15, which is mounted on the rigid tube 6 of the writing member 5. A second contact 16 is provided a short distance from the first contact 15, at a location which is slightly nearer the second end lO of the body 2 than the location of the first contact 15 when the writing member 5 is in the resting position thereof. The second contact 16 is held in place by a support 17 which mounts the second contact 16 with respect to the inner surface of the body 2. A second wire 18 is connected to the second contact 16, and travels along the inside of the body 2, out of the body 2 through the second end 10 thereof, through the space defined by the coils of the mounting spring 11 and is ultimately connected to a light source 19 which is located inside the ornament 12. Finally, a third wire 20 connects the light source to a second terminal ofthe battery 13.

Thus, it will be appreciated that the writing instrument 1 comprises an electrical circuit in which opposing terminals of the battery 13 are connected to the light source 19, with the circuit being broken by the space between the first and second contacts 15, 16.

The components of the writing instrument 1 are arranged such that, when the writing instrument 1 is used for writing, the force applied to the nib 8 in a direction to push the nib 8 into the body 2 causes the first contact 15 to move towards the second contact 16 and to make contact therewith, thereby completing the circuit and causing the light source 19 to illuminate.

When the nib is lifted off the paper or other surface on which the writing instrument 1 is used to write, the biasing spring 9 will return the nib 8 to the lO resting position thereof, thereby breaking the electrical circuit and extinguishing the light source l 9.

It will be appreciated that the provision of a writing instrument which has an ornament flexibly mounted on one end thereof which illuminates during use of the writing instrument will be appealing to children, who will wish to use the writing instrument, both because it is more entertaining than a standard writing instrument, and also to attract interest from peers.

In embodiments of the invention, the light source may illuminate in different manners, depending on the amount of force that is applied to the nib 8.

For instance, when a first force is applied to the nib 8, the light source may light up in one colour, and when a second, greater force is applied to the nib 8 then the light source may illuminate in a different colour.

Alternatively, or in combination with the above, the light source may illuminate in a pulsed fashion, and the rate of pulsing may vary depending upon the force applied to the nib 8.

In these embodiments, the ornament need not be mounted on the body of the writing instrument by a flexible member.

In order to implement these embodiments, the pair of contacts 15, 16 may be replaced by a linear potentiometer, which will vary the voltage applied to the light source, or to circuitry associated therewith, depending upon the extent to which the nib is pressed into the body. Alternatively, a first contact may be attached to the rigid tube of the writing member, as discussed above, but may move past a plurality of second terminals as the nib is pressed in, and make contact with these second terminals in turn, thereby completing different electrical circuits, giving rise to different effects. In any of the above embodiments, the light source 19 may comprise a plurality of LEDs, lamps and so forth, and the invention is not restricted to the provision of a single LED or lamp as the light source.

Embodiments of the present invention in which the light source illuminates in different manners independent upon the force applied to the force of the nib may, in addition to engaging children's interest, prove useful for educational purposes. For example, the writing instrument may be calibrated so that the light source illuminates in a certain fashion when the nib is pressed into the body with a force corresponding to a correct force that should be applied to the nib when writing. For example, if a child is using the writing instrument to write and is not pressing the nib firmly enough against a sheet of paper, the light source may not illuminate at all. As the child presses harder and presses the nib into the paper with the correct level of force, the light source may illuminate and give off a green light. If the child then presses the nib against the paper too hard to be writing correctly, the light source may then illuminate to give off a red light. In this way, both the child and a teacher or supervisor watching the child will immediately be able to tell if the child is using the correct amount of force to write.

In the present specification "comprises" means "includes or consists of" and "comprising" means "including or consisting of".

The features disclosed in the foregoing description, or the following claims, or the accompanying drawings, expressed in their specific forms or in terms of a means for performing the disclosed function, or a method or process for attaining the disclosed result, as appropriate, may, separately, or in any combination of such features, be utilised for realising the invention in diverse forms thereof.

Claims

CLAIMS: 1. A writing instrument comprising: an elongate body; a writing

tip, located at a first end of the body; a flexible member, a proximal end of the flexible member being attached to a second end of the body; and a light source, provided on a distal end of the flexible member, the arrangement being such that, when a predetermined force is applied to to the writing tip in a direction to push the writing tip towards the body, the light source is illuminated.
2. A writing instrument according to Claim 1, wherein the flexible member is a spring.
3. A writing instrument according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein, in a resting state thereof, the writing tip is in a first position and, when the predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the writing tip moves into a second position.
4. A writing instrument according to Claim 3, wherein the writing tip is biased towards the first position so that, when the writing tip is in the second position and the predetermined force is not applied to the writing tip, the writing tip will move from the second position into the first position and the light source will extinguish.
5. A writing instrument according to any preceding claim, wherein the light source is provided within a transparent or translucent ornament. l
6. A writing instrument according to any preceding claim wherein, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.
7. A writing instrument according to Claim 6, wherein the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise illumination in different colours.
8. A writing instrument comprising. an elongate body a writing tip; located at a first end of the body, and a light source, provided on a second end of the body, the arrangement being such that, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.

n A 170;+; ;++ O11-Ct+;q11i He br-;mhfnrP H-rihA xifh I. 1- VY 1 lL111,, lilaL1 UlilVlL MU Van-ll-lA-Y x4_6 _*v_ Vet. . - - reference to the accompanying figure.

8. A writing instrument according to Claim 6 or 7, wherein the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise pulsed illumination having different pulse rates or patterns.

9. A writing instrument comprising: an elongate body; a writing tip, located at a first end of the body; and a light source, provided on a second end of the body, the arrangement being such that, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.

10. A writing instrument substantially as hereinbefore described, with reference to the accompanying figure.

11. Any novel feature or combination of features disclosed herein.

Amendments to the claims have been filed as follows lO CLAIMS: A writing instrument comprising: an elongate body; a writing tip, located at a first end of the body; a spring, a proximal end of the spring being attached to a second end of the body; and a light source, provided on a distal end of the spring, the arrangement being such that, when a predetermined force is applied to the writing tip in a direction to push the writing tip towards the body, the light source is illuminated.

2. A writing instrument according to Claim 1 wherein, in a resting state thereof, the writing tip is in a first position and, when the predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the writing tip moves into a second position.

3. A writing instrument according to Claim 2, wherein the writing tip is biased towards the first position so that, when the writing tip is in the second position and the predetermined force is not applied to the writing tip, the writing tip will move from the second position into the first position and the light source will extinguish.

4. A writing instrument according to any preceding claim, wherein the light source is provided within a transparent or craloslucerlt ornament.

5. writing ins.rvnen. accorulrlg 'to ail-y- prvcvdillg claim.-. w-helvill, when a first predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a first predetermined manner and, when a second predetermined force is applied to the writing tip, the light source illuminates in a second predetermined manner.

6. A writing instrument according to Claim 5, wherein the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise illumination in cliff Brent 1 0 colours.

7. A writing instrument according to Claim 5 or 6, wherein the first and second predetermined manners of illumination comprise pulsed illumination having different pulse rates or patterns.