WO2007007156A1

WO2007007156A1 - Ballpoint pen with different movements for extending and retracting the point

Info

Publication number: WO2007007156A1
Application number: PCT/IB2006/001883
Authority: WO
Inventors: Christoph Schnug; Andrea Zambarda; Pierenrico Bottinelli
Original assignee: Prodir S.A.
Priority date: 2005-07-08
Filing date: 2006-07-03
Publication date: 2007-01-18
Also published as: CH698309B1

Abstract

A description is given of a ballpoint pen (1) comprising a cap (2) with a button (2p), a shaft (3) and an ink reservoir (4) ending in a writing point (5), the pen (1) being provided with means operated by the button (2p) to move the said reservoir (4) coaxially in both directions in such a way as to extend the said writing point (5) from the said shaft (3) or to retract it into the said shaft. In the pen (1) of the invention the means (7, 9, 11) for extending the writing point (5) are constructed in such a way as to move the reservoir (4) purely translationally outwards along the axis (T-T) of the ballpoint pen (1), whereas the means (6, 8, 10, 12) for retracting the same point (5) are constructed in such a way as to be able to move the reservoir (4) translationally in the opposite direction only after having first rotated a predetermined amount about the said axis (T-T).

Description

Ballpoint pen with different movements for extending and retracting the point

The present invention relates to the technological field of ballpoint pens and relates more particularly to ballpoint pens consisting essentially of a cap with an operating button and a return spring, connected to an ink reservoir ending in a writing point and housed coaxially inside the said cap and to a shaft aligned coaxially and fixed to the cap by a threaded part.

In this sort of ballpoint pen the writing point is extended from the shaft and retracted back into it by actuating the said operating button. In some pens these two operations are both performed by pushing axially on the button, but pens have recently been produced in which, to prevent the point being retracted by accidental pressure on the button, the above operations are effected by rotating the cap about the pen's longitudinal axis.

These operations are, however, less convenient and relatively complex, requiring the use of both hands, which can cause delays and/or difficulties in extending the point when the person needs to write in a hurry.

The inventor of the subject of the present application has devised a ballpoint pen that avoids both of the above drawbacks (unintentional retraction of the point and complication of the operation required to extend the point). Thus, in the pen of the invention the point is extended by simply pressing a button, but if it is accidentally pressed a second time the point does not retract into the shaft because the latter instead requires the said button to be rotated, an operation which it is practically impossible to do inadvertently .'

In the pen of the invention, the operating button is extended by two flexible arms lying symmetrically about its longitudinal axis and both contained coaxially inside the shaft and ending in a relief. Two projections are formed on the inside surface of the cap, at different heights along the longitudinal axis of the pen, each of which alternately engages the relief of one arm only.

When the button is pushed, the first arm moves translationally along a first or vertical groove until the writing point is extended from the shaft, and its relief engages with one of the projections, which occupies a circumferential arc such that, to disengage it, the button needs to be rotated by a defined angular amplitude. Once it has been rotated, an elastic element fitted between the reservoir and the shaft is able to retract the writing point by causing the second arm to move translationally in the opposite direction until its relief does not engage with the other of the two projections in the ^"rest" position of the pen with the point retracted.

Advantageously, the said return translation of the second arm is guided by a second helical groove, along which travels the corresponding relief, this being shaped in such a way that by the end of the abovementioned translational and rotational movements of the whole the relief on the abovementioned first arm is back again in the first or vertical groove described earlier, from where a new translational movement can be brought about to extend the writing point.

The subject of the present invention is therefore a ballpoint pen as described in the accompanying Claim 1.,

A more detailed description will now be given of a preferred illustrative embodiment of the ballpoint pen of the invention, referring to the attached drawings in which:

Figure 1 is a longitudinal section through the said illustrative embodiment of the pen of the invention in a situation in which the writing point is ^"at rest", that is, housed inside the shaft;

Figure 2 is the same longitudinal section as Figure 1 in the situation in which the writing point is extended out of the shaft for writing;

Figure 3 is an enlarged view of one part of the section of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an enlarged view of one part of the section of Figure 2;

Figure 5 is a greatly enlarged cross section of the pen in the situation shown in Figures 1 and 3;

Figure 6 is a greatly enlarged cross section of the pen in the situation shown in Figures 2 and 4; and

Figures 7 and 8 are two cutaway views of the cap.

Referring initially to Figures 1 and 2 and comparing them with each other, a ballpoint pen 1 according to the invention will be seen to comprise (see Figure 1) a cap 2 with an operating button 2p, a shaft 3 screwed on to the said cap 2, and an ink reservoir 4 connected to the button 2p and ending in a writing point 5. A compression-elastic element - a simple spring 6 - is inserted coaxially between the reservoir 4 and th^!e shaft 3 so as elastically to oppose a translational movement of the latter imposed by the said button 2p, which is connected to it, and which causes the point 5 on the end of the reservoir 4 to extend from the shaft 3.

As will be seen more clearly in Figures 3 and 4, two projections are provided on the inside of the cap 2 at different heights relative to the longitudinal axis T-T of the pen 1 (see also Figure 2 in particular), the

^' said projections being shaped in such a way that they are engageable alternately, one by a first relief 9 and the other by a second relief 10, these reliefs being formed, respectively, on the free ends of a first flexible arm 11 and a second flexible arm 12, these arms being symmetrical about the axis T-T and connected to the said button 2p, in the situations in which the point 5 is retracted into the shaft 3 or it extends from the latter and is ready to write.

Advantageously, as already referred to, the translational movement which leads to the first arm 11 engaging on the first projection 7 is guided by a first or vertical groove 13 formed on the inside of the cap 2, and the return translation of the second arm 12 is guided by a second or helical groove 14 which simultaneously rotates the whole in such a way that by the end of the return stroke of the second arm 12^', which causes it to ' engage on the corresponding projection 8, the first arm 11 is positioned in the abovementioned first or vertical groove 13, from where a vertical translational movement can again be performed leading to the writing point 5 being extended from the shaft 3.

The abovementioned projections 7, 8 extend circumferentially around the inside surface of the cap 2 through two defined angular amplitudes β, α (see Figures 5 and 6), the sum of which is approximately one complete revolution, in such a way that when the button 2p is pressed, the first relief 9 of the first arm 11 is engaged, and, when the button 2p is then rotated through an angle greater than or equal to the said angular amplitude β, the first relief 9 of the first arm 11 is disengaged as stated (see Figures 3, 4, 5 and 6) and the second arm 12 is moved by the action of the abovementioned elastic element 6 until its said second relief 10 engages with the second projection 8.

The use of a ballpoint pen according to the invention has the advantages already explained in the course of this description.

Claims

1. Ballpoint pen (1) comprising a cap (2) with a button (2p), a shaft (3) and an ink reservoir (4) ending in a writing point (5), the pen (1) being provided with means operated by the button (2p) to move the said reservoir (4) coaxially in both directions in such a way as to extend the said writing point (5) from the said shaft (3) or to retract it into the said shaft, which pen is characterized in that the means (7 , 9, 11) for extending the writing point (5) are constructed in such a way as to move the said reservoir (4) purely translationally outwards along the axis (T- T) of the ballpoint pen (1), whereas the means (6, 8., 10, 12) for retracting the same point (5) are constructed in such a way as to be able to move the said reservoir (4) translationally in the opposite direction only after having first rotated a predetermined amount about the said axis (T-T) of the ballpoint pen (1).

2. Ballpoint pen according to Claim 1, characterized in that a compression-elastic element (6) is interposed between the said shaft (3) and the said reservoir (4) so as elastically to oppose a translational movement of the latter imposed by the said button (2p) of the cap (2) which causes the point (5) on the end of the same reservoir (4) ends to extend from the shaft (3), two projections (7, 8) being provided on the inside of the cap (2) at different heights along the axis (T-T) of the pen (1), the said projections being shaped in such a way that they are able to engage alternately with a first relief (9) and a second relief (10), these reliefs being formed, respectively, on the free ends of a first flexible arm (11) and a second flexible arm (12), these arms being symmetrical about the axis (T-T) and connected to the said button (2p) in the situationjs in which the point (5) is retracted into the shaft (3) and the same point (5) extends from the latter.

3. Ballpoint pen according to Claim 2, in which both of the said projections (7, 8) extend circumferentially around the inside surface of the cap only for a defined angular amplitude (β, α) , in such a way that when the button (2p) is pressed, the first relief (9) of the first arm (11) engages on one of the projections (7, 8) and, when the button (2p) is then rotated through an angle greater than or equal to the said angular amplitude (β), the first relief (9) of the first arm (11) is disengaged and the second arm (12) is moved translationally by the elastic element (6) until its said second relief (10) engages on the second projection (8) .

4. Ballpoint pen according to Claim 3, in which the translational movement which leads to the first arm (11) engaging on the first projection (7) is guided by a first or vertical' groove (13) formed on the inside of the cap (2) and in which the translational movement in the opposite direction of the second arm (12), which leads to its engagement on the said second or helical groove (14) causes a simultaneous rotation of both arms (11, 12) which means that by the end of the stroke the first arm (11) is repositioned in the said first or vertical groove (13).