JP2003246184A - Applicator - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an applicator with such advantages that a content liquid can be replenished without touching a fouled valve set, a satisfactory sealing condition can be ensured under an appropriate applied force and a forward barrel can be prevented from becoming loose under control. <P>SOLUTION: This applicator comprises a main body barrel 1 which houses an ink cartridge in a freely attachable/detachable manner, a valve set 4 which can be inserted into an open end part of the main body barrel 1 in a freely attachable/detachable manner, a valvular body 11 which is inserted into the valve set 4 and controls the outflow of an ink when the valve set 4 comes into contact with a valve seat 8 and flows the ink out when the valve set 4 is separated from the valve seat 8, and the forward barrel 15 which is screwed into the open end part of the main body barrel 1 in a freely attachable/ detachable manner and covers the valve set 4. In addition, a flange 6 is formed, projecting in the radial outer direction from the open end part of the valve set 4 and a protuberance 17 to be engaged with the flange 6 is formed on the inner peripheral face of the forward barrel 15. Thus the forward barrel 15 can be removed together with the valve set 4 when the former is removed by rotating it. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an applicator such as a writing tool, and more particularly to a valve mechanism for opening and closing a flow path of a content liquid.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional writing instrument such as a felt-tip pen is
Although not shown, a bottomed cylindrical main body shaft for accommodating the ink cartridge, a valve set removably fitted in the open end of the main body shaft, and a valve body reciprocally inserted into the valve set. And a front shaft that is detachably screwed into the opening end of the main body shaft to fit and cover the valve set. The valve body has a pen tip at the tip, and when the pen tip is pressed against the paper surface, it separates from the valve seat of the valve set, causing ink to flow out from the ink cartridge to the pen tip, and the pen tip separates from the paper surface. As a result, the valve seat of the original valve set is elastically contacted to control the outflow of ink.

When refilling the ink of such a writing instrument, first, the leading shaft and the dirty valve set with the valve body are sequentially removed, and an empty ink cartridge is taken out from the opening end of the main body shaft. Then, insert a new ink cartridge filled with ink from the opening end of the main shaft,
If the valve set including the valve body and the tip shaft are attached again, the ink of the writing instrument can be replenished.

[0004]

Since the conventional applicator must always touch the valve set that is soiled with ink as described above when replenishing ink, hands and fingers are unavoidably soiled and workability is extremely high. There is a problem of being bad. In addition, the tip shaft is screwed into the open end of the main body shaft to obtain a sealing property, but this sealing property is unstable, so a good sealing is expected unless it is rotated with an excessive tightening force. Can not do it. Further, even if the front shaft is screwed, the front shaft may loosen and come off due to subsequent vibrations, etc. Therefore, it is necessary to tighten it more than necessary. Furthermore, since the opening end surface of the main body shaft and the seal of the valve set are in surface contact,
A high contact pressure is required to obtain a predetermined sealing property. Therefore, similar to the above, the tightening is unavoidable.

The present invention has been made in view of the above, and an object thereof is to provide an applicator which can replenish an internal solution without touching a dirty valve set. Further, it is possible to expect a good seal with an appropriate force, and another purpose is to prevent the loosening of the front shaft.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the main body shaft for refilling the content liquid and the valve detachably fitted in the opening end of the main body shaft. The set is inserted into this valve set so that it can move back and forth, and when the valve set comes into contact with the valve seat, it regulates the outflow of the content liquid, and when it separates from the valve seat (meaning that it leaves).
Includes a valve body for allowing the content liquid to flow out, and a tip shaft that is detachably fitted to the opening end of the main body shaft to cover the valve set, and a flange is provided from the opening end of the valve set. Protruding outward in the width direction, on the inner peripheral surface of the tip shaft,
It is characterized in that a protrusion is formed on the flange so that the valve set can be removed together with the front shaft when the front shaft is removed.

A concave portion is formed on one of the opposing surfaces of the main body shaft and the valve set, and a convex portion is formed on the other opposing surface.
These irregularities can be fitted together. Further, it is possible to form convex portions that are caught by each other on the opposing surfaces of the main body shaft and the valve set. Furthermore, the main body shaft and the flange of the valve set may be opposed to each other, and a convex portion for sealing that is in contact with the other opposing surface may be formed on one of the opposing surfaces.

Here, the content liquid in the claims includes various inks as well as cosmetic liquids and the like. This content liquid may be directly stored in the main body shaft, or may be indirectly stored via a cartridge or the like. Also,
The body shaft, valve set, valve body, and / or tip shaft may or may not be transparent or semi-transparent. These are mainly made of resin, but may be made of other materials. The body shaft may have a cylindrical shape with a bottom, a polygonal shape with a bottom, or the like. The outer side in the width direction of the valve set includes at least the outer radial direction and the like. The leading shaft is mainly screwed into the open end of the main body shaft, but is not limited to this and may be simply fitted. Further, the applicator includes writing implements such as felt-tip pens, as well as cosmetics such as eye color sticks and color sticks.

According to the present invention, the applicator can be assembled by directly or indirectly filling the main body shaft with the content liquid and attaching the valve set having the valve body or the front shaft to the main body shaft. At this time, if the front shaft is attached to the main body shaft, the projections in the front shaft will catch on the flange protruding from the valve set,
The valve set and the tip shaft are integrated. Since the valve set comes off together with the tip shaft due to the engagement between the flange and the protrusion, it is not necessary to dare to touch the dirty valve set when replacing or refilling the content liquid.

[0010]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION A preferred embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIG. 1, an applicator according to the present embodiment is a main body for accommodating an ink cartridge of ink indicated by an arrow. A shaft 1, a valve set 4 fitted into an opening end which is a tip end of the body shaft 1, a valve body 11 slidably inserted and supported in the valve set 4, and an opening end of the body shaft 1. Axle 15 to be screwed into
And with the flange 6 protruding from the valve set 4,
A protrusion 17 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front shaft 15.

The ink, which is the content liquid, is colored, for example, in red, blue, black, etc., and is filled in an unillustrated bottomed cylindrical ink cartridge. This ink cartridge can be replaced on the inner end side of the main shaft 1. -Removably stored. This ink cartridge is made of a predetermined resin, specifically, ABS resin, PP excellent in impact resistance and mechanical properties.
Resin, PS resin, PE resin, recycled plastic, EVO
It is injection-molded transparently, semi-transparently and opaquely using materials such as H, PET, nylon, PBT, PA, POM, etc., which also take gas barrier properties into consideration.

The main body shaft 1 is formed by using a predetermined resin or aluminum tube. For example, ABS resin, PP resin, PS resin, PE resin, recycled plastic, EVOH, PET, nylon, PBT, P, which have excellent impact resistance and mechanical properties.
It is formed into a transparent, semi-transparent, and opaque elongated bottomed cylindrical shape by using a material in consideration of gas barrier properties such as AN and POM. The main body shaft 1 is formed such that the opening end, which is the tip thereof, has a diameter smaller than that of the other portions, and a male screw 2 for the front shaft 15 is formed to project on the outer peripheral surface near the opening end. At the same time, the ring-shaped brim 3 protruding outward in the radial direction is attached to the male screw 2.
Is formed adjacent to.

The valve set 4 is basically injection molded into a transparent, semi-transparent or opaque cylindrical shape using the above materials, and is detachably fitted into the opening end of the main body shaft 1. The valve set 4 is formed so as to have a diameter smaller than that of the tip end side from the vicinity of the center of the inside to the end, and a step shoulder receiver 5 is formed on the inside end side. In the valve set 4, a ring-shaped flange 6 is formed so as to project radially outward from the outer periphery of the opening end thereof, and a terminal portion 7 is formed so as to have a reduced diameter toward the ink cartridge. A substantially ring-shaped valve seat 8 is screwed into the open end of the valve set 4, and a collar 9 that guides the sliding valve body 11 is superposed on the valve seat 8. On the peripheral surface, a ring-shaped protrusion 10 is formed so as to project inward in the radial direction, which is positioned and contacted with the outer peripheral surface of the valve body 11.

The valve body 11 is basically injection molded into a transparent, semi-transparent or opaque substantially cylindrical shape using the above-mentioned materials, and a coil spring 14 as a spring member is provided in the valve set 4.
It is loosely inserted in the front-back direction (left-right direction of FIG. 1) of the writing instrument so as to be movable back and forth. A support hole 12 for a pen tip is formed on the tip end side of the valve body 11, and a substantially ring-shaped overhang 13 slidably contacting the valve seat 8 and its protrusion 10 via an inclined surface is formed on the outer peripheral surface in the radially outward direction. A return coil spring 14 is interposed between the flat surface of the overhang 13 and the step shoulder 5 of the valve set 4. The coil spring 14 is fitted from the central portion to the end portion of the valve body 11 and elastically biases the valve body 11 forward.

Since the valve body 11 is constructed as described above, when the pen tip is pressed against the paper surface (not shown), the valve body 11 that has been elastically biased from the valve seat 8 of the valve set 4 moves toward the distal end portion. The flow path is retreated to open the flow path, and the ink passes from the ink cartridge between the valve set 4 and the valve body 11 and flows out to the pen tip. On the contrary, when the pen tip is separated from the paper surface, the compressed coil spring 14
Due to the returning action, the valve body 11 advances and elastically contacts the valve seat 8 of the original valve set 4, and the outflow of ink is effectively controlled by closing the flow path.

The front shaft 15 is basically injection-molded to be transparent, semi-transparent or opaque by using the above-mentioned material, and is detachably screwed to the opening end of the main body shaft 1 so as to be attached to the valve set 4 and the valve seat. 8, the collar 9 and the valve body 11 function to fit and cover. A female screw 16 that is screwed into the male screw 2 of the main body shaft 1 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the front shaft 15, and a ring-shaped projection 17 having a substantially semicircular cross section is formed adjacent to the female screw 16. When the projection 17 is screwed, the projection 17 is locked across the flange 6 of the valve set 4 to integrate the valve set 4 and the front shaft 15.

In the above construction, to assemble the writing instrument, a new ink cartridge filled with ink is inserted from the opening end of the main body shaft 1, the valve set 4 provided with the valve body 11 with the coil spring 14 and the collar 9. The writing instrument can be assembled by sequentially attaching the pen tip and the tip shaft 15. At this time, when the front shaft 15 is screwed into the main body shaft 1, the protrusion 17 of the front shaft 15 rides over the outer peripheral edge of the flange 6 and is locked, and the valve set 4 and the front shaft 15 are integrated.

When replenishing the ink of such a writing instrument, by rotating the front shaft 15 and removing it, the dirty valve set 4 together with the front shaft 15 can be removed from the main body shaft 1 at the same time. Thus, the valve set 4 and the front shaft 1 that covers the valve set 4
When both 5 and 5 are removed, an empty ink cartridge is taken out from the opening end of the main body shaft 1 and then a new ink cartridge filled with ink is inserted from the opening end of the main body shaft 1 to replenish the ink. be able to.

According to the above structure, the flange 6 and the protrusion 17 are provided.
Since the valve set 4 and the front shaft 15 are united by the engaging action of, there is no need to touch the valve set 4 contaminated with ink when replenishing the ink. Therefore, the ink can be easily replenished without contaminating the hands and fingers with the ink, and the workability can be significantly improved.

Next, FIG. 2 shows a second embodiment of the present invention. In this case, a recess 20 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the main body shaft 1.
The protrusions 21 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the valve set 4 in the circumferential direction so as to have a substantially semicircular cross section, and these concavo-convex portions 20 and 21 are fitted to each other so as to exert a retaining function. ing. The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

In this embodiment, the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and moreover, since the concave and convex portions 20 and 21 are closely fitted to generate a fitting sound, it is sensuous that a stable seal is obtained. (Fitting feeling, touch, hearing, etc.)
It is clear that a very good sealing property can be expected even with a light tightening force. Further, even if vibration or the like occurs after the tip shaft 15 is screwed, the tip shaft 15 does not have to come loose and come off due to the reliable fitting of the concave and convex portions 20 and 21, so that it is not necessary to tighten it tightly.

Next, FIG. 3 shows a third embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the inner peripheral surface of the main body shaft 1 and the outer peripheral surface of the valve set 4 are convex with a substantially semicircular cross section. Each of the portions 21 is formed in the circumferential direction, the convex portion 21 of the valve set 4 is made to straddle the convex portion 21 of the main body shaft 1, and the curved surfaces of the pair of convex portions 21 are alternately and adjacently locked to each other so as not to come off. I am trying to bring out. The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. It is apparent that the present embodiment can be expected to have the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment, and is extremely useful when the uneven portions 20 and 21 cannot be formed.

Next, FIG. 4 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the open end surface of the main body shaft 1 and the flange 6 of the valve set 4 are closely opposed to each other, and A convex portion 21A having a substantially semicircular cross section is formed in the opposing surface in the circumferential direction, and the rounded convex portion 21A is the opposing surface of the main body shaft 1
The flat opening end face of is pressed to exert its sealing function. The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. Also in the present embodiment, the same effect as the above embodiment can be expected, and moreover,
Since the seal by the convex portion 21A is not a surface contact but a point contact, a predetermined sealing property can be obtained by turning with a light tightening force.

Next, FIG. 5 shows a fifth embodiment of the present invention. In this case, the open end surface of the main body shaft 1 and the flange 6 of the valve set 4 are closely opposed to each other, and the main body shaft 1 A projecting portion 21A having a substantially semicircular cross section is formed in the circumferential direction on the opening end surface, and the rounded projecting portion 21A is brought into pressure contact with the flat opposing surface of the flange 6 to exert a sealing function.
The other parts are the same as those in the above-described embodiment, and thus the description thereof is omitted. It is obvious that the same effects as those of the above-described embodiment can be expected in this embodiment, and further, the configuration can be diversified.

In the above embodiment, the brim 3 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the main body shaft 1 near the opening end, but the brim 3 is not limited to this, and may be omitted if no particular trouble occurs. May be. Further, although the projection 17, the concave portion 20, the convex portion 21, and the convex portion 21A are formed to have a substantially semicircular cross section, they may have a substantially elliptical cross section, a triangle, a polygon, or the like. As described above, these may be formed in a ring shape, but a plurality of these may be arranged at a predetermined interval in the circumferential direction.

Further, although the concave portion 20 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the main body shaft 1 and the convex portion 21 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the valve set 4, the inner peripheral surface of the main body shaft 1 is not particularly affected. The convex portion 21 may be formed on the surface and the concave portion 20 may be formed on the outer peripheral surface of the valve set 4. Further, when the opening end surface of the main body shaft 1 and the flange 6 of the valve set 4 are opposed to each other and the convex protrusion 21A for sealing is formed on one of the opposed faces, the convex portion 21A is fitted to the other. It is also possible to form a recess. Furthermore, the first, second, third, fourth, and fifth embodiments can be combined as needed. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the first and third embodiments may be combined.

[0027]

As described above, according to the present invention, the internal solution can be replenished without touching the dirty valve set. Further, it is possible to expect a good seal with an appropriate force, and moreover, it is possible to suppress or prevent loosening of the front shaft.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an explanatory sectional view showing an embodiment of an applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional explanatory view showing a second embodiment of the applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a third embodiment of the applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view showing a fourth embodiment of the applicator according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a sectional explanatory view showing a fifth embodiment of the applicator according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 body axis 2 male screw 4 valve set 6 flange 8 seat 10 Projection 11 valve body 13 Overhang 14 coil spring 15 Tip axis 16 female screw 17 Protrusion 20 recess 21 convex 21A convex part

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A main body shaft for refillably storing a content liquid, a valve set removably fitted in an open end portion of the main body shaft, and an insertable / retractable insert in the valve set,
A valve body that restricts the outflow of the content liquid when it comes into contact with the valve seat of the valve set, and flows out the content liquid when it is separated from the valve seat, and is detachably fitted to the open end of the main body shaft to cover the valve set. An applicator including a tip shaft, wherein the flange is projected outward in the width direction from the opening end of the valve set, and a protrusion for engaging the flange is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the tip shaft to remove the tip shaft. An applicator characterized in that the valve set can be removed together with the tip shaft. 2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein a concave portion is formed on one of the opposing surfaces of the main body shaft and the valve set, and a convex portion is formed on the other opposing surface, and these concave and convex portions are fitted together. . 3. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein protrusions that are engaged with each other are formed on the opposing surfaces of the main body shaft and the valve set. 4. The main shaft and the flange of the valve set are opposed to each other, and a convex portion for sealing which is in contact with the other opposed surface is formed on one of these opposed surfaces.
Or the applicator according to 3.