WO2013110737A1

WO2013110737A1 - Cleaning device and cleaning set for cleaning a writing implement

Info

Publication number: WO2013110737A1
Application number: PCT/EP2013/051391
Authority: WO
Inventors: Frank DERLIEN
Original assignee: Montblanc-Simplo Gmbh
Priority date: 2012-01-26
Filing date: 2013-01-25
Publication date: 2013-08-01
Also published as: DE102012201155B4; DE102012201155A1

Abstract

Cleaning device for cleaning a writing implement (14) which comprises an outer contour (8) and a recess (4) with an inner contour (6). The inner contour (6) is divergent at least in certain regions and dimensioned in such a way that the writing tip (12) of a writing implement (14) can be introduced. The cleaning device consists of a soft, absorbent material. As a result, it is possible, in particular after filling an ink tank, for an effective cleaning of the writing implement to be carried out and the fingers of a user are not soiled.

Description

Cleaning device and cleaning set for cleaning a writing instrument

RELATED APPLICATIONS The present application claims the priority of the German

Patent Application No. 10 2012 201 155.2 filed on Jan. 26, 2012, the contents of which are incorporated herein by reference.

TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a cleaning device and a cleaning set for cleaning a writing instrument.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

High-quality writing instruments and in particular fountain pens often have an ink tank with a movable piston, which can be moved by a control cone, thereby enabling filling of the ink tank. During filling, the tip of the writing instrument is immersed in an inkwell. When the ink tank is completely filled, the tip of the pen is removed from the inkwell and should be thoroughly cleaned with a soft, lint-free cloth to remove excess ink, and the cloth should not scratch the pen. However, the excess ink not only remains in the cloth, but often reaches the user's fingers. In addition, this cloth looks visually not particularly handsome on a desk. Writing utensils having a cap or a closure lid resting on the

Tip of the writing instrument can be applied, regularly require the cleaning of the cap from the inside. Condensation of ink in the cap, changes in air pressure, and jarring during storage and transportation of the writing instrument cause ink to accumulate in the cap, which in turn can contaminate the tip and gripping surface of the writing instrument. The cleaning is usually done through a rolled-up cloth, which is stuffed into the cap and takes up the accumulated ink by turning.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is cumbersome to achieve satisfactory cleaning of the writing utensil, as conventional cleaning means such as paper towels, pulp or similar means may contaminate the user's fingers and leave ink residue on the writing utensil. The cleaning of a cap is still quite expensive.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a device which facilitates cleaning of a writing instrument clearly and preferably is so easy to use that it is gladly and regularly used by the user. The object is achieved by a cleaning device having the features of claim 1. Advantageous further developments and embodiments can be taken from the subclaims and the following description.

The cleaning device consists of a soft, absorbent material, with an outer contour and a recess formed in the interior of the cleaning device, wherein the recess has a divergent inner contour at least in regions.

The soft absorbent material may be formed by nonwoven or woven bulky cotton, plastic, paper or other fibrous material, such as pulp, nonwoven or wadding in one or more layers. The material should be so absorbent that by touching the inner contour of the

Cleaning device with an ink-wetted surface absorbed the ink is and preferably binds in itself.

A user of the cleaning device can grip the outer contour, particularly preferably with two or three fingers, and then insert the writing instrument into the recess. By total insertion of the writing instruments front part and slight compression of the cleaning device, the inner contour is at least partially pressed onto the writing tip, so that the absorbent material receives the ink on the writing instrument. Preferably, the recess in the cleaning device is dimensioned such that the writing instrument is immersed approximately to the cap thread in the cleaning device to a

To achieve cleaning of the front part of a writing instrument housing, as the

Writing instrument is held in writing in this area. The locally divergent inner contour allows the stripping and sucking ink already directly when inserting or removing the writing instrument from the

Cleaning device. The cleaning device can be disposed of after completion of the cleaning.

The cleaning device is extremely easy to use and allows the user to reliably clean the writing utensil without dirtying his or her fingers.

Equally, a particularly reliable cleaning is made possible by the partially divergent inner contour, so that no ink residues remain at the tip of the writing instrument and thus a very good state of preservation of the writing instrument is permanently ensured. To remove dried ink would also be possible to soak the cleaning device, for example, with suitable detergents or water to soak the writing instrument about overnight.

The inner contour is preferably in the form of a writing utensil tip designed correspondingly. If the tip of the writing instrument is not completely rotationally symmetrical, it may be useful to provide the cleaning device with a mark, which allows the user to align the correct

Indicates cleaning device relative to the writing instrument to be cleaned. Is it to be cleaned to the writing instrument to a fountain pen

Damage to the mostly made of gold pen or a displacement of the spring point halves avoided when the inner contour of the

Adjusts cleaning device to the spring and feeder geometry. However, if the tip of the writing instrument is rotationally symmetric, this marking is not necessary and the writing instrument can also be rotated by turning the

Cleaning device to be cleaned.

In an advantageous embodiment, the outer contour of the

Cleaning device grooved to allow a particularly good grip and to simplify operation even further.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the cleaning device has a plastic covering. This is preferably completely waterproof, so that a passage of ink from the inner contour to the fingers of a user is not possible, even if the writing instrument to be cleaned has a strong contamination or wetting with ink. Suitable materials include polyolefms such as low and high density polyethylene or PE

Polypropylene (PP), on the other hand also polyurethane (PU), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), various polyesters and polycarbonate (PC) come into question. The plastic sheath can also be made particularly handy by a suitable, outwardly directed structure to ensure safe use. The plastic wrap may be provided with an adhesive layer which provides a particularly durable bond to the absorbent material. Even with mechanical stress on the cleaning device can be ensured that the plastic sheath remains at its intended location.

In another embodiment, the plastic wrapper may be replaced or supplemented with a wrapper of other materials of natural origin. Conceivable are fibrous materials, which include plant fibers, animal fibers and / or fibers of natural polymers, such as cellulosic fibers.

It is particularly advantageous, at least in some areas, to arrange a barrier layer between the outer contour and the recess, which prevents the passage of ink. The design of the outer surface of the cleaning device can thus completely independent of any necessary, waterproof

Plastic envelope be configured. The barrier layer can be integrated as glued, welded or inserted film in the absorbent material. Alternatively, in multi-layered embodiment of the absorbent material of the cleaning device, the barrier layer as waterproof

Be carried out coating at least one of the layers. To ensure the best possible volume on the writing instrument exposed absorbent material, the barrier layer could be arranged as close as possible to the outer contour.

In an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the outer contour of the cleaning device has a constriction for holding or gripping. Due to the constriction, in addition to the gripping function, a point can also be defined at which the user can press in the cleaning device in order to press the inner contour onto the writing tip with a certain force and thus clean it improve. To ensure that the plastic wrap rests all over in the constriction, it may consist of such a plastic composition which causes a shrinkage by the action of heat. In an advantageous embodiment, the constriction of the outer contour is positioned correspondingly with a divergent region of the inner contour, so that a defined pressure can be applied to the writing tip in the constriction region.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cleaning device further comprises an opposite side of the opening to the recess

Cleaning device formed elongated cleaning extension, whose length and diameter corresponds to an opening of a cap for the writing instrument to be cleaned. Thus, the cleaning device can be operated on both sides. While the nib is insertable into the recess to clean it, the extension on the other side may then be inserted into the cap to clean it. Since ink is not adhered to the outside of the cleaning device after completion of the cleaning of the writing instrument, the cleaning of the cap of the writing device without soiling the fingers of the user takes place. If a plastic cover is arranged on the cleaning device, it must be opened on both sides, otherwise the cleaning extension can not absorb any ink. It is recommended in this variant to stick the plastic wrap. One in the absorbent material of the

Cleaning device arranged barrier layer could be located only in the area around the recess around, so that a recording of ink with the cleaning process proceeds unprolematically.

From a production point of view, however, it could also be advantageous to

Barrier layer in a radially centered between the recess and the outer contour to arrange lying area and over the entire length of the

To extend cleaning device. The absorbent material which adjoins radially on both sides of the barrier film has substantially the same thickness at least in the region of the recess, which then corresponds approximately to the thickness of the absorbent material extending outwardly at the cleaning extension.

In an advantageous embodiment, the cleaning device has an elongated cap cleaning body, which is detachably arranged in the recess and whose length and diameter corresponds to an opening of a cap for the writing instrument to be cleaned. The cleaning device is thus made in two parts, with the two components can be plugged together to produce a single, packable body and store. For inserting the cap cleaning body, this may have a projection which has a diameter which allows the insertion into the recess of the cleaning device described above. The advantage is that the cap cleaning body can be produced entirely without plastic wrap, but the part usable for cleaning the writing tip is completely envelopable, with the exception of the opening to the recess 4. Before recording the cleaning of the writing tip so that the recess can be opened by removing the cleaning insert. After cleaning the writing tip can then be cleaned with the cap cleaning body, the cap. By storing the cleaning insert in the recess, this can not be lost.

The object is further achieved by a cleaning set, which consists of a plurality of cleaning devices, which are preferably carried out with cleaning inserts or separate, elongated extensions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Figures la and lb show a schematic sectional views of a first

Exemplary embodiment of a cleaning device.

Figure 2 shows a schematic side sectional view of a

Cleaning device in a second exemplary embodiment.

Figure 3a and 3b show in schematic side sectional views of a

Cleaning device in a third or fourth embodiment with an additional function for cleaning a cap.

Figures 4a, 4b and 4c show a cleaning device during cleaning of a writing utensil and a cap.

FIGS. 5 a and 5 b show, in schematic sectional views, a further exemplary embodiment of a cleaning device with a barrier layer.

Figure 6 shows a schematic side sectional view of a

Cleaning device in a further exemplary embodiment with barrier layer.

Figures 7a and 7b show in schematic side sectional views a

Cleaning device in further embodiments with an additional function for cleaning a cap and a barrier layer.

FIG. 8 shows a cleaning set in a first exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 9 shows a cleaning set in a second exemplary embodiment. DETAILED PRESENTATION EXEMPLARY

EMBODIMENTS

Figures la and lb show in schematic sectional views a

Cleaning device 2 with a recess 4 which has an inner contour 6. The cleaning device 2 further has an outer contour 8, which is provided in the example shown with a sheath 10. The inner contour 6 is adapted to the writing tip 12 of a writing instrument 14 (see FIG. 4), so that the recess 4 also has pronounced divergent regions 16 in addition to a frusto-conical inlet surface for receiving a threaded portion 11 of the writing instrument 14.

The space between the outer contour 8 or the envelope 10 and the inner contour 6 is formed of a soft, absorbent material. The material could, for example, nonwoven, flared pulp or a cotton-like

Be material that has a particularly high absorbency with largely lint free. The sheath 10 could be formed of a resilient material that is particularly useful for preventing the soiling of a user's fingers. Polyethylene or thermoplastic polyurethane are suitable for this purpose.

In the illustration shown, the outer contour 10 is cylindrical in a predominant region of the cleaning device 2 and opens in one

uniformly shaped round, curved and, for example, hemispherical end 20. This end is opposite to an opening 18 of the recess 4. By inserting the writing implement 14 to be cleaned, the inner contour 6 of the cleaning device 2 comes into contact with ink-wetted areas of the writing tip 12, so that the absorbent material absorbs the ink. The contact between Inner contour 6 and writing tip can be improved by pressing on the sheath 10.

Another embodiment is shown in FIG. There is one

Cleaning device 22 is shown, which also has a partially divergent outer contour 24 in addition to the divergent inner contour 6. This could be about

Handles in the form of constrictions 26 to facilitate a user holding the cleaning device 18. In Fig. 3a, a cleaning device 28 is shown, the

Embodiment of Fig. La is very similar, but has an additional elongated extension 30 at one of the opening 18 opposite end, which serves to also clean a cap 31 of the writing instrument to be cleaned 14 from the inside. It goes without saying that the envelope 10 of the cleaning device 28 does not extend to the extension 30, because otherwise it would not be able to ink

absorb. It may be appropriate to end the sheath 10 in a region of the cleaning device 28 in which the tip of the writing instrument 14 comes to lie completely in the recess 4. Instead of a cleaning extension 30, it is also possible to use a separate cap cleaning body 33, which can be inserted with a projection 35 into the recess 4 of the cleaning device 2 from FIG. 1 a, 1 b or 20 from FIG. 2. As a result, a two-part cleaning device 37 is formed. Of the

Cap cleaning body 33 is designed such that it can fully penetrate into the cap of a writing instrument 14, by a rotational movement thereof

Clean interior surfaces. The advantage of this embodiment is that a complete enclosure 10 used for the original cleaning device 2 and 20 and the cap cleaning body 33 completely without wrapping can be executed. The envelope 10 therefore only needs to have an opening on one side.

Figure 4a shows a cleaning device 2 with an inserted writing tip 12 of a writing instrument 14. It is particularly the clinging of the writing tip 12 to the inner contour 6, by the ink of a spring or other kind

Device stripped and / or absorbed. Rotosymmetrical

Writing tips continued to spin. The cleaning device 2 is dimensioned such that the threaded portion 11 is completely in the recess 4 and thus also cleaned.

FIG. 4 b illustrates the cleaning of the cap 31 of a writing instrument 14 with a one-piece cleaning device 28 from FIG. 3 a, which has a cleaning extension 30. This can completely penetrate into the cap 31 and thereby absorb adhering ink. By turning can be a particularly intense

Cleaning effect can be achieved. However, FIG. 4c represents a separate one

Cap cleaning body 33 of Figure 3b in the cleaning of a cap 31 is.

In the figures 5a to 7b, the embodiments of the figures la to 3b are shown in a modified version, the essential feature in the

Representation of a barrier layer 29 is located in the absorbent material. While the barrier layer 29 in the cleaning devices 2, 20, 28 and 37 could extend through the material like a cap or dome and thus has only a single opening, in the case of the cleaning device 30 the barrier layer 29 is interrupted by way of example and thus shown in a tubular shape. The barrier layer 29 may be formed in all cleaning devices so that a passage of ink from a recess 4 to an outer surface at which the user grips the cleaning device is prevented. FIG. 8 shows a cleaning set 32 which comprises a plurality of

Cleaning devices 2, in which elongated cap cleaning body 30 may be used, which serve to clean a cap 31 of a writing instrument 14. Before use, these cap cleaning body 30, not shown, of the respective cleaning device 2 must be removed, so that after cleaning the writing instrument itself and its cap 31 is to be cleaned.

Of course, the representation from FIG. 8 can only be seen by way of example, because cleaning devices 2 without cap cleaning body 30 can also be manufactured and distributed.

Figure 9 shows a cleaning set 34 with a plurality of cleaning devices 28, which are, however, equipped with cleaning processes 30. In addition, it should be noted that "having" does not exclude other elements or steps, and "a" or "one" does not exclude a multitude, and it should be noted that features that are described with reference to any of the above

Embodiments have been described, can also be used in combination with other features of other embodiments described above. Reference signs in the claims are not to be considered as limitations.

Claims

PATENT APPLICATIONS

A cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) for cleaning a writing instrument (14), comprising an outer contour (8) and a recess (4) with a

Inner contour (6),

wherein the inner contour (6) is at least partially divergent and dimensioned so as to introduce the writing tip (12) of a writing instrument (14), and

wherein the cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) consists of a soft, absorbent material.

2. Cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to claim 1, wherein the inner contour (6) designed with the shape of a writing tip (12) of a writing instrument (14) correspondingly.

3. cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the outer contour of the cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) is corrugated.

4. Cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) at least partially has a plastic sheath (10).

5. cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to any one of the preceding claims, further comprising a barrier layer (29) between the outer contour (8) and the recess (4), which prevents passage of ink.

6. cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the outer contour (8) of the cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) has a constriction (26) for holding or gripping.

7. Cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to claim 6, wherein the constriction (26) of the outer contour (8) with a divergent portion of

Inner contour (6) is positioned correspondingly.

8. Cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) further comprises a at one of the opening to the recess (4) opposite side of

Cleaning device formed elongated cleaning extension (30) whose length and diameter corresponds to an opening of a cap for the writing instrument to be cleaned.

9. cleaning device (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to any one of the preceding claims 1-7, wherein the cleaning device an elongated

Cap cleaning body (33) which is detachably arranged in the recess (4) and whose length and diameter with an opening of a cap for the writing instrument to be cleaned (14) corresponds.

10. Cleaning set comprising a plurality of cleaning devices (2, 20, 28, 30, 37) according to one of claims 1 to 9.