GB2486689A - Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools - Google Patents

Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools Download PDF

Info

Publication number
GB2486689A
GB2486689A GB1021761.0A GB201021761A GB2486689A GB 2486689 A GB2486689 A GB 2486689A GB 201021761 A GB201021761 A GB 201021761A GB 2486689 A GB2486689 A GB 2486689A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
instrument
egoo1
drive unit
automatic
ref002
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB1021761.0A
Other versions
GB201021761D0 (en
Inventor
Michael Phillip Hawthorne
Amarjeet Panesar
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to GB1021761.0A priority Critical patent/GB2486689A/en
Publication of GB201021761D0 publication Critical patent/GB201021761D0/en
Publication of GB2486689A publication Critical patent/GB2486689A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K5/00—Pens with ink reservoirs in holders, e.g. fountain-pens
    • B43K5/16—Pens with ink reservoirs in holders, e.g. fountain-pens with retractable nibs
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B26B1/00—Hand knives with adjustable blade; Pocket knives
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B26—HAND CUTTING TOOLS; CUTTING; SEVERING
    • B26B—HAND-HELD CUTTING TOOLS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B26B1/00—Hand knives with adjustable blade; Pocket knives
    • B26B1/08—Hand knives with adjustable blade; Pocket knives with sliding blade
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K24/00—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units
    • B43K24/02—Mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K29/00—Combinations of writing implements with other articles
    • B43K29/08—Combinations of writing implements with other articles with measuring, computing or indicating devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K29/00—Combinations of writing implements with other articles
    • B43K29/08—Combinations of writing implements with other articles with measuring, computing or indicating devices
    • B43K29/093—Combinations of writing implements with other articles with measuring, computing or indicating devices with calculators
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K29/00—Combinations of writing implements with other articles
    • B43K29/10—Combinations of writing implements with other articles with illuminating devices
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K7/00—Ball-point pens
    • B43K7/12—Ball-point pens with retractable ball points
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K8/00—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls
    • B43K8/22—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls with electrically or magnetically activated writing-points
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K8/00—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls
    • B43K8/24—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls characterised by the means for retracting writing-points

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Forests & Forestry (AREA)
  • Theoretical Computer Science (AREA)
  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Mechanical Pencils And Projecting And Retracting Systems Therefor, And Multi-System Writing Instruments (AREA)

Abstract

The automatic drive unit is an electro-mechanical drive module for the automatic projection and retraction of a cartridge/blade holder of a writing instrument/hand-held bladed instrument. The automatic drive is an integrated module that comprises of a battery power supply, electronic circuitry and drive unit (Drawing EGOO1_REF001). The electronic circuitry (Drawing EGOO1_REF002; 2) controls the drive unit for the automatic projection and retraction of the writing instrument cartridge/hand-held instrument blade holder (Drawing EGOO1_REF002; 6) and connects to external switching devices via the inbuilt connectors on the modules external casing (Drawing EGOO1_REF001; 4&5). Low battery indication is incorporated together with an optional safety tilt switch, when used with bladed products, to retract the retaining mechanism (Drawing EGOO1_REF002; 2) when the instrument is placed in the horizontal unused position.

Description

Autodrive Unit for pens and handheld instruments/toots
Description
Background to invention
Writing instruments and other handheld instruments and tools such as those with protruding blades have the disadvantage of requiring some form of physical operation to place the performing part of the instrument/tool into the operational position. In the case of writing instruments the ink carrying cartridge and nib/ballpoint requires to be enclosed when not in use for the extended usefulness of the ink/gel and to prevent leakage potentially damaging external materials. Handheld instruments/tools containing cutting blades create a potential danger if left in the exposed position especially for finger lacerations etc. The automatic retraction of cartridges, for writing instruments, and cutting blades for instruments/tools, will eliminate the aforementioned problems. An automatic projection of the cartridge, for writing instrument, and the cutting blade, for instruments/tools, will place the item in a ready-to-use state when required by the user. The Autodrive Unit will form an integral part of the writing instrument or instrument/tool, allowing the mechanism to project or retract when an external contact is made with the instrument.
Key Features The Autodrive Unit comprises of a module casing containing the power supply, drive mechanism and electronics.
Power for the unit is derived from 3 No. I.4volt Al 3 type battery cells, which are located in the top of the module, which are secured by a screwed cap end. Providing power for the electronic printed circuit board (PCB) and the motor drive unit External contacts mounted on the outer casing of the module provide the connections to the switching mechanism of the writing/hand-held instrument. The activation switching mechanism provides the signal to the module for both projection and retraction of the operating mechanism.
On initiation of the switching mechanism the PCB will provide power to the motor drive unit for a pre-programmed time period matched to the travel distance necessary to position the mechanism to its operational position. When the PCB detects the de-activation of the switching mechanism the unit will operate in reverse and energise the motor drive unit for a pre-programmed time period to retract the operating mechanism to its retracted position.
For instruments that require additional safety protection the PCB will include a tilt switch which wilt prevent the operating mechanism from being in the projected position when the module is in the horizontal position i.e. laid flat when not in use.
A light emitting diode (LED) viewed through the instruments external casing will illuminate when the battery power levels are at a level unable to drive the operating mechanism effectively.
Page 1 of 3 The drive mechanism is connected directly to the motor by means of a screwed drive coupled to a push fit retaining mechanism, which will securely hold the pen cartridge or blade holder in position. The retaining mechanism is formed so to allow proprietary pen cartridges, in the case of writing instruments, and blade holders in the case of hand-held instruments, to fit the mechanism.
A moulded enclosure encases the battery compartment, PCB, external contacts for switch mechanism, battery LED indicator, motor, drive unit and instrument retaining mechanism, providing a single modular unit for inserting in writing instrument and hand-held instrument casings.
Detailed Description
Power for the unit is derived from 3 No. 1.4volt Al 3 type battery cells, which are located in the top of the module (Drawing EGOOI_REFOOI; 7). The power supply provides power for the electronic printed circuit board (PCB) (Drawing EGOOIfiEFOO1; 8) via the battery connector (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO1; 6) and the motorised drive mechanism (Drawing EGOOI_REFOOI; 10). Electrical connection to the PCB is by push contacts (Drawing E0001_REFOOI; 1) which are secured by the screw cap mechanism forming part of the battery compartment. Replacement of batteries is achieved by unscrewing the battery retaining cap (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO2; 4) at the top of the module.
External contacts (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO1; 4 & 5) mounted on the outer casing of the module provide the connections for the switching mechanism of the writing/hand-held instrument. The contacts provide a firm connection when the module is positioned within the writing/hand-held instrument. Activation switching mechanism for the writing instrument takes the form of contact rings mounted to the extemal casing of the instrument with the activation switching mechanism for the hand-held instruments being in the form off a push or slide switch.
The middle section of the Autodrive unit contains the PCB and the motor drive unit (Drawing E000I_REFOO2; 2). The PCB which derives its power from the battery cells contact (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO2; 1) provides electrical power, via the motor connector, (Drawing EGOO1_REFOO2; 3) to drive the motor in both a forward and reverse operation when the external switching mechanism is proven. In addition the PCB circuitry includes a LED low battery indicator which illuminates when the battery voltage falls below a pre-determined effective operating voltage. Where additional safety is required for bladed hand-held instruments a safety tilt switch will be an integral part of the PCB allowing the blade holder to be retracted whenever the instrument is placed in the horizontal position.
The drive mechanism is connected directly to the motor by means of a screwed drive (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO2; 5). When the motor is energised via the external switching mechanism and the PCB, the screw drive is rotated clockwise and anti-clockwise for retraction of the retaining mechanism. (Drawing E0001_REFOO2; 6). The correct number of revolutions for the screw is detemiined by the electronic circuitry, using a timed output calculated to match the travel required by the length of the writing instrument cartridgelhand-held blade holder. The screwed drive is coupled to the push fit retaining mechanism (Drawing EGOOI_REFOO2; 6), which securely holds the pen cartridge or blade holder in position. The retaining mechanism is formed so to allow proprietary pen cartridges, in the Page 2 of 3 a.
case of writing instruments, and proprietary blade holders, in the case of hand-held instruments, to fit securely into mechanism.
Page 3 of 3
GB1021761.0A 2010-12-21 2010-12-21 Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools Withdrawn GB2486689A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1021761.0A GB2486689A (en) 2010-12-21 2010-12-21 Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB1021761.0A GB2486689A (en) 2010-12-21 2010-12-21 Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201021761D0 GB201021761D0 (en) 2011-02-02
GB2486689A true GB2486689A (en) 2012-06-27

Family

ID=43598826

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB1021761.0A Withdrawn GB2486689A (en) 2010-12-21 2010-12-21 Automatic drive unit for pens and handheld instruments/tools

Country Status (1)

Country Link
GB (1) GB2486689A (en)

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2142284A (en) * 1983-06-27 1985-01-16 Giorgio Piquillo Handwriting instrument
EP0552597A1 (en) * 1992-01-21 1993-07-28 Gebr. Schmidt Fabrik Fur Feinmechanik Handwriting instrument with movable point between a rest position and a writing position
US6092951A (en) * 1998-02-05 2000-07-25 Greene; Michael Electro-mechanical writing implement

Patent Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB2142284A (en) * 1983-06-27 1985-01-16 Giorgio Piquillo Handwriting instrument
EP0552597A1 (en) * 1992-01-21 1993-07-28 Gebr. Schmidt Fabrik Fur Feinmechanik Handwriting instrument with movable point between a rest position and a writing position
US6092951A (en) * 1998-02-05 2000-07-25 Greene; Michael Electro-mechanical writing implement

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB201021761D0 (en) 2011-02-02

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Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)