WO2001026914A1

WO2001026914A1 - Device for applying liquids used in writing, drawing, printing or painting or the like to a background

Info

Publication number: WO2001026914A1
Application number: PCT/EP2000/009807
Authority: WO
Inventors: Rainer Kaufmann
Original assignee: Dataprint R. Kaufmann Gmbh
Priority date: 1999-10-08
Filing date: 2000-10-06
Publication date: 2001-04-19
Also published as: DE19948477A1; EP1218204B1; EP1218204A1; DE50003139D1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for applying a liquid used in writing, drawing, printing, painting or the like to a background, containing a liquid chamber (16) located in a housing (2), an application element (10), an air feed line, which connects the outer atmosphere to the inside of the liquid chamber, a capillary body (40) which is arranged in such a way that liquid which emanates from the liquid chamber through the orifice of the air inlet line does not come into contact with the capillary of the liquid conductor (22, 24), nor with the application element (10), nor with the outer area of the housing and a fluidic connection (22, 24, 26) to a capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) which protrudes into the liquid chamber (16) from the application element (10). A fluidic connection between the liquid positioned in the liquid chamber and the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) is interrupted when the device is placed in a downwards position with the application element. is interrupted by the application element when the device points downwards. The air feed line leads via a capillary air channel (36; 62), into the liquid chamber (16) and is at least connected to the liquid of the liquid chamber(16) if said liquid is connected to the capillary liquid conductor (24). The capillaries of the capillary air channel are directly connected to the capillary body (40) and the capillarity of the capillary air channel (36) is smaller than that of the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24). The capillarity of the capillary body (40) is smaller than that of the capillary channel.

Description

Device for applying writing, drawing, printing, painting fluid or the like on a surface

The invention relates to a device for applying writing, drawing, printing, painting fluid and the like on a substrate according to the preamble of the main claim

Devices of this generic type are distinguished by the fact that their capillary liquid conductor, when held with the application element upwards, fills with liquid and, when the device is held down, ie in the application position, the liquid absorbed by the capillary liquid conductor is applied can, whereby in this state the connection between the capillary liquid conductor and the liquid in the liquid container is interrupted. The devices are therefore very reliable with a simple construction

In a known generic device (EP 0 459 146 Bl), practically the entire interior of the housing forms the liquid storage container. The air supply line is designed as a tube that protrudes from the application element into the interior of the housing. The length of the air supply pipe and the maximum fill level of the liquid - Holders must be matched to one another in such a way that when the device is held up with the application element, the air supply tube does not dip into the liquid, since otherwise there is a risk that when the container is heated, liquid will enter the air supply tube and escape to the outside with the application element device held down, the end of the air supply pipe must protrude above the liquid level, otherwise there is a risk that if the device heats up or if accidental forceful rubbing occurs, liquid can escape to the outside Half filled with liquid

A writing device is known from EP 0 624 483 AI, the capillary liquid conductor of which is permanently connected to the liquid in the liquid container and in which the air is supplied to the liquid container through a compensation chamber which is connected to the liquid container via a capillary annular gap. The capillary annular gap should be such that it is due to the surface tension or Capillary forces hold liquid in itself One problem with this writing instrument is that if the air warms up above the liquid supply in the liquid chamber, especially when the device is in the vertical position, there is a risk of liquid escaping from the writing tip. The reason for this is that no stable meniscus of the writing fluid that can withstand the pressure of the liquid column above it can form at the writing tip.Only the higher flow resistance of the liquid conductor compared to that of the capillary connection between the liquid chamber and the compensation chamber can prevent leakage to a certain extent

The invention has for its object to develop a generic device in such a way that it has a large liquid capacity and at the same time a high degree of leakage safety based on its size

This task is solved with the features of the main claim

In the writing device according to the invention, for example, in its lying position, the capillary liquid conductor is sucked full of liquid, the volume of the liquid taken up from the liquid chamber being compensated for by air, which subsequently flows in the form of bubbles through the air passage with a smaller capillarity a negative pressure which ensures that the capillary liquid conductor does not overfill with liquid in such a way that, for example, liquid runs out of the application element when the writing instrument lies slightly obliquely downwards. The capillary body, which is directly connected to the capillary air passage, cannot communicate with liquid suck fully, as its capillarity is smaller than that of the capillary air outlet

If heating occurs again, for example when the writing instrument is lying down, the negative pressure in the liquid chamber decreases, as a result of which the capillary body, which is designed with a smaller capillary than the air passage, is able to absorb liquid escaping through the air passage and thereby absorb a corresponding amount its capillarity to maintain reduced vacuum in the liquid without causing it to an overfilling of the capillary liquid conductor occurs. If the temperature drops again, the capillary body empties through the air passage

When writing, in which the connection between the capillary liquid conductor and the liquid supply is interrupted, pressure drops in the liquid or the volume of air above the liquid can likewise not have any detrimental effect with regard to spilling or leakage of the device, since the capillary body works in a similar way temporary absorption of excess liquid is available and a vacuum in the writing instrument is safely maintained

The compensation chamber provided in the device according to the invention and connected to the liquid chamber via the capillary air passage can have a relatively small volume, based on the content of the liquid container, so that the interior of the housing can be used to a substantial extent to hold a liquid supply

The subclaims are directed to advantageous embodiments and developments of the device according to the invention

The invention is explained below with reference to schematic drawings, for example and with further details

The figures show longitudinal sections through six embodiments of devices, the embodiments of FIGS. 2 and 6 having a capillary body which is in direct connection with a capillary air passage leading into the liquid chamber

1, a device has a housing 2 with a cylindrical outer wall 4, which is open on the right-hand side according to the figure and merges on the left via a conical region 6 into a cylindrical end region 8 with a reduced diameter, which forms an order opening 9, which an application element 10 protruding from the housing 2 is received The interior of the housing 2 is divided into two by a partition wall 12 and 14 into a liquid chamber 16, a compensation chamber 18 and a storage chamber 20

In the storage chamber 20, a capillary store 22 is arranged, which connects the application element 10 with a capillary liquid conductor 24, which is received in a tube 26 and extends together with the tube through the two partitions 14 and 12 to a bottom part 28, with which the liquid chamber 16 is closed to the right according to the figure. The tube 26 is open on the right side, so that the capillary liquid conductor 24 is exposed at its end facing the base part 28 for access of the liquid 30 received in the liquid chamber 16 in order to ensure that a connection between the capillary liquid conductor 24 and the liquid 30 even if the liquid level is below the tube 26 in the horizontal state of the device shown, the base part 28 is formed with riser capillaries 32 which, when the liquid level drops, the capillary liquid conductor 24 liquid supply

An air supply line, which leads from the external atmosphere between the application element 10 and the end region 8 of the housing 2 into the storage chamber 20, serves to vent the liquid chamber 16. The air supply line leads from the storage chamber 20 through the partition wall 14 between a pipe 26 Surrounding ring approach 34 of the partition 14 and the tube 26 into the equalization chamber 18 and from there through one or preferably several, along the circumference distributed in the partition 12 formed capillary air passages 36 into the liquid chamber 16 The capillary air passages 36 can form an annular gap overall

The function of the device is as follows

In the illustrated position or a position of the device which is tilted downward on the right-hand side, the capillary liquid conductor 24 fills and through the capillary liquid conductor 24 through the capillary reservoir 22 and from this in turn the application element 10 fills with liquid. The liquid chamber 16 passes through the described air supply line ventilated If the device is now tilted into the order position, ie held down with the order element 10, the connection between the capillary Liquid conductor 24 and liquid 30 interrupted The liquid volume contained in the capillary liquid conductor 24, the capillary reservoir 20 and the application element 10 can then be applied or prescribed or painted when the device tilts back into a position in which the liquid connection between the liquid 30 and the capillary liquid conductor 24, if necessary through the riser capillaries 32, is restored, the capillary liquid conductor 24, the capillary reservoir 22 and the application element 10 are again filled with liquid, which can then be prescribed again

When the temperature increases or the ambient pressure decreases in the “refill state” of the device, the air volume within the liquid chamber 16 expands, as a result of which liquid emerges through the capillary air passages 36 into the compensation chamber 18 because of the greater flow resistance of the capillary liquid conductor 24 compared to that No liquid comes out of the application element 10 of the capillary or air passages 36 If the pressure increases again or the temperature decreases, the liquid which has escaped in the compensation chamber 18 is again fed through the capillary air openings 36 to the liquid chamber 16. The same applies in the event of an increase in temperature or a decrease in pressure during application, liquid entering the compensating chamber 18 through the capillary air passages 36 is filled with the liquid when the capillary liquid conductor 24 is refilled through the capillary air passages 36 Liquid chamber 16 in turn supplied. By designing the partition 14 with the annular extension 34, it is ensured that no liquid entering the compensation chamber 18 comes into contact with the application element 10 or somehow emerges from the housing 2

The application element 10 can be designed in a wide variety of ways, for example as a fiber tip, brush tip, feather, ball tip, printer element or otherwise

The device described as an example in its training as a marker can be modified in a variety of ways

The volume of the outlet chamber 18 and the storage chamber 20 can be considerably smaller than shown in relation to the volume of the liquid chamber 16. The outer wall 4 does not have to be cylindrical, but can have any other shape The housing with the dividing walls can be constructed in several parts or in one piece and is advantageously made of plastic Venting opening) are provided or the entire liquid supply is accommodated in an exchangeable cartridge. The liquid 30 can be received in a collapsible element, for example a sack, which is accommodated in the housing 2 and which is pushed onto the tube 26. The capillary reservoir 22 can be formed in one piece with the capillary liquid conductor 24 and / or the application element 10 or, if appropriate Formation of the capillary liquid guide, not required. The partition 14 can be omitted, the housing then advantageously having inwardly projecting baffles around the application element 10, which prevent liquid escaping from the liquid chamber 16 from coming into direct contact with the application element or reaching the outside of the housing. The tube 26 can pass through any type of sheathing of the capillary liquid guide 24 is replaced, which prevents direct contact between the capillary liquid guide 24 and the liquid 30 outside the bottom area. The capillary liquid guide together with the sheath can be arranged in any geometrical arrangement from the application element 10 to the bottom area of the liquid chamber 16 guide the partition 12 may be porous overall or with a capillary slot

The capillarities are advantageously matched to one another in such a way that the capillarity of the application tip 10 is greatest and the capillarity of the capillary reservoir 22 and of the capillary liquid conductor 24 is greater than that of the capillary air passage 36. This ensures that the components 10, 22 are in full phase and 24 each completely fill with liquid. The capillary dimensions of the air inlet are, for example, 0.15 mm

In the device described with reference to FIG. 1, the leakage security, as explained, depends primarily on the smaller flow resistance of the capillary air passage than that of the liquid conductor. The flow resistance plays a certain role in dynamic processes, in slow processes or permanently on- holding processes loses its importance, so that a certain risk of leakage remains

FIG. 2, in which, like in the other figures, the same reference numerals are used for components which have the same function as the embodiment according to FIG. 1, shows an embodiment of the device according to FIG. 1 which is improved according to the invention. Only the changes compared to FIG. 1 are described below

In the embodiment according to FIG. 2 there is a capillary body 40 made of capillary material with a capillarity smaller than that of the capillary air passage 36 in the equalizing chamber 18. The capillary body 40 is arranged in the equalizing chamber in such a way that its capillaries are directly connected to the capillary air passage 36 Capillary body 40 absorbs liquid emerging from the liquid chamber 16 when the temperature rises or decreases, and releases it again in the event of a subsequent temperature decrease, pressure increase or a subsequent filling process. The presence of the capillary body 40 through which the liquid conductor 24 with the pipe 26 passes is, the ring approach 34 (Fig 1) can be omitted

As explained above, an essential function of the capillary body 40 is that it continuously draws liquid through the capillary air passage 36 according to its capillarity, so that it absorbs liquid in the liquid chamber 16 in the event of a decrease in pressure and thus a negative pressure is maintained in the liquid chamber , which reliably prevents liquid from dripping out of the liquid conductor 24 If the negative pressure in the liquid chamber increases, liquid is sucked back into the liquid chamber from the capillary body

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the compensation chamber 18 is located on the side of the liquid chamber 10 facing away from the application element 10. The partition wall 14, through which the pipe 26 is tightly sealed, separates the storage chamber 20 from the liquid chamber 16. The right-hand partition wall 12 separates the liquid chamber 14 from the compensation chamber 18 and is provided with the capillary air passage 36 and the riser capillaries 32 The bottom part 28 of the housing 2, which closes the compensation chamber 18 on the right-hand side, has a cylindrical projection 42, which is formed with an axial passage 44, is connected via a radial channel 46 into a helical groove 48 formed between the housing 2 and the bottom part 28, which leads to the outside atmosphere via a passage 50

In the embodiment according to FIG. 3, the air inlet leads to the ventilation of the liquid chamber 16 from the passage 50 through the helical groove 48, the radial channel 46 and the axial passage 44 into the compensation chamber 18 and from there through the capillary air passage 36 into the liquid chamber 16 The function of the device according to FIG. 3 otherwise corresponds to that of the device of FIG. 1

Similar to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, a capillary body 40 could be arranged in the compensation chamber 18 of FIG. 3 in order to ensure maximum leak-proofness

The embodiment of the device according to FIG. 4 differs from that of FIG. 1 in that the storage chamber 20 is missing and the compensation chamber 18 extends to the front area 6 of the housing 2. The front end area of the housing 2 is provided with an annular shoulder 52 surrounding the tube 26 The inner diameter of the ring shoulder 52 widens conically to the left as shown in FIG. 4. The tube 26 is adapted to this conical widening, so that the capillary liquid conductor 24 also has a conically widening region 54, via which it is connected to the application element 10 or in the application element 10 merges in this way, the liquid absorption capacity of the capillary liquid conductor 24 is increased, so that it also takes over the function of the capillary memory and a sufficient write or order volume is available in each case

In the embodiment according to FIG. 5, in contrast to that of FIG. 1, the tube 26 receiving the capillary liquid conductor 24 does not protrude to the bottom part 28 through the entire liquid chamber 16, but ends in the region of the partition wall 12 on the side facing the liquid chamber 16 On the side of the partition 12, a valve 56 is provided that the connection from the liquid chamber 16 to the capillary flow liquid conductor 24 closes when the device is held down with the application element 10 and opens as soon as the device is tilted significantly. As a valve member, the valve has a ball 60 which is accommodated in a cage 62 formed with passages and bears against the edge of the tube 26 in the closed position It goes without saying that other valve constructions can be used, which preferably work with gravity

Similar to the embodiment according to FIG. 2, in order to ensure maximum leak-proofness, in the embodiments according to FIGS. 4 and 5 a capillary body could be arranged in the compensation chamber 18, the capillarity of which is smaller than that of the air passage 36 and which is directly connected to the air passage 36 is

A further embodiment of the device is shown in FIG. 6. This embodiment corresponds to a certain extent to that of FIG. 3, a capillary body 40 being arranged in the compensation chamber 18. The partition wall 12 is tightly connected to the outer wall 4, which has a central passage opening 60 The passage opening 60 is closed by a capillary conductor 62, which leads into the capillary body 40 and is in direct contact with it. Advantageously, the capillary conductor 60 ends in the liquid chamber 16 in such a way that it is in fluid communication with the riser capillaries 32 formed in the partition 12 The capillary conductor 62 or its capillaries with the least capillarity, which is passed through the passage opening 60, forms the capillary air inlet into the liquid chamber 16 and takes over the function of the capillary air passages 36 of FIG. 2

The liquid conductor 24 is guided with the jacket tube 26 to an auxiliary wall 64, between which and the outer wall 4 openings 66 are formed, so that the liquid chamber 16 effectively extends to the partition wall 12 and the liquid level on both sides of the auxiliary wall 64 is the same the partition 12, the auxiliary wall 64 is formed with riser capillaries 32, so that a refilling of the liquid conductor 26 is ensured even with a small amount of liquid that is still present

The capillarities of the capillary liquid conductor 24, of the capillary conductor 50 forming the air passage and of the capillary body 40 are in turn coordinated with one another in this way. it is true that the capillarity of the capillary conductor 60 is smaller than that of the liquid conductor 24 and the capillarity of the capillary body 40 is smaller than that of the capillary conductor 60

The function of the device of FIG. 6 corresponds to that of FIG. 2. The liquid conductor 24 fills up by sucking in liquid due to its large capillarity and thereby sucking air through the capillary conductor 62, which is designed with a smaller capillarity and is at least partially filled with liquid. Inside the liquid chamber 16 a negative pressure defined by the capillarity of the capillary conductor 62, which, by a suitable choice of the capillarity, is such that dripping of liquid from the application element 10 is reliably prevented. When the negative pressure in the liquid chamber 16 decreases, for example as a result of heating, this is Capillary body 40 is able to absorb liquid according to its capillarity, so that a negative pressure is maintained in the liquid chamber 16, which guarantees the leak-proofness of the device

The capillaries of the liquid conductors 24 and 62 and of the capillary body 40 do not necessarily have to be uniform or homogeneous. If these capillaries have large distributions, it must be ensured that the liquid conductor 24 has capillaries with a greater capillarity than the capillarity of the capillary conductor 62 and the capillary body 40 has at least a large part of capillaries, the capillarity of which is smaller than that of the capillaries of the capillary conductor 62, which form the air inlet, that is, the capillaries of the capillary conductor 62 which are of smaller capillarity

The capillary conductor 62 and the capillary body 40 of FIG. 6 do not necessarily have to be separate components, but can be formed by a capillary body which is designed with suitable capillarity and has an approach for closing the opening 62. Alternatively, the partition wall 12 could be formed with such a capillary body be integrated

In the embodiment, the capillary storage 22 is shown in FIG. 6 as a disk storage surrounding the liquid conductor 24, which at least partially has a smaller capillarity than the liquid conductor 24. This creates a further buffer volume for the temporary absorption of liquid, which can additionally increase the functional reliability of the device any other capillary storage can be used Air is supplied to the compensation chamber 18 in the embodiment according to. Fig. 6 similar to the embodiment of FIG. 3, wherein he approach 42 is missing.

In the above description, capillarity is understood to mean the capillary force (corresponding to the height of rise), which results from the surface tension of the ink and the size of the capillary and the wetting angle between the liquid and the surface of the capillary material. The functional description assumed good wetting of the relevant materials by the liquid.

The structural features of the guided embodiments can be combined with one another in different ways.

Reference numerals

2 housings

4 outer wall

6 conical area

8 end region

9 order opening

10 order element

12 partition

14 partition

16 liquid chamber

18 compensation chamber

20 storage chamber

22 capillary storage

24 capillary liquid conductors

26 tube

28 bottom part

30 liquid

32 riser capillaries

34 ring approach

36 capillary air outlet

40 capillary bodies

42 approach

44 passage

46 channel

48 groove

50 passage

52 ring approach

54 area

56 valve

58 bullet

60 through opening

62 capillary conductors

64 auxiliary wall

66 opening

Claims

claims

1 device for applying writing, drawing, printing, painting fluid or the like to a surface, comprising a liquid chamber (16) arranged in a housing (2), an application element (10), an air supply line which connects the outside atmosphere with the Connects inside the liquid chamber, a capillary body (40) which is arranged in such a way that liquid emerging from the liquid chamber through the mouth of the air supply line does not enter the liquid with the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) or with the application element (10 ), still comes into contact with the exterior of the housing, and a liquid spring connection (22, 24, 26) from the application element (10) into the liquid chamber (16) with a capillary liquid conductor (22, 24), a liquid connection between the liquid in the liquid chamber and the capillary liquid conductor with the application element facing downwards ter position of the device is interrupted, characterized in that the air supply line through a capillary air passage (36,62) mouths into the liquid chamber (16) and is connected to the liquid of the liquid chamber (16) at least when this liquid with the capillary liquid conductor (24) is connected, wherein the capillaries of the capillary air passage are directly connected to the capillary body (40) and the capillarity of the capillary air passage (36) is smaller than that of the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) and the capillary body (40) is smaller than that of the capillary air outlet

2 Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) is surrounded by a liquid-tight sheath (26) and only in the area of its end facing away from the application element (10) for contact with the in the liquid chamber (16 ) liquid is exposed, whereby the capillary liquid conductor together with the sheath extends through the liquid chamber to the bottom area of the bottom area of the device with the application element (10) directed downwards

3 Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a valve (56) is provided which, when the device is directed downward with the application element (10), the end of the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24), which is normally exposed for liquid access, from an entry of the liquid separates

4 Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that from the exposed for contact with the liquid end of the capillary liquid guide (24) to the outer walls (2) of the liquid chamber (16) lead capillaries (32)

5 Device according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the capillary body (40) is accommodated in a compensation chamber (18) separated by a partition (12) from the liquid chamber (16)

6 Device according to claims 2 and 5, characterized in that the compensating chamber (18) is arranged on the side of the liquid chamber (16) facing the application element (10) and the liquid conductor (24) with the casing (26) is guided through the compensating chamber is

7 Device according to claim 5, characterized in that the compensation chamber (18) on the side facing away from the application element (10) of the liquid chamber (16) is arranged and the air supply line leads through a wall (28) of the compensation chamber into the external atmosphere

8 Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the capillary

Air passage (36) through a capillary opening in a wall (12) of the liquid chamber (16) is formed

9 Device according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the capillary air passage is formed by a capillary conductor (62) which is guided through a hole (60) in a wall (12) of the liquid chamber (16) and in indirect mechanical Connection to the capillary body (40)

10 .. Device according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that in the housing (2) a storage chamber (20) is provided in which a part of the capillary liquid conductor (22, 24) forming capillary storage (22) is arranged ,