1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to a writing instrument that employs a removable ink cartridge and, more specifically, relate to the means for loading and unloading the cartridge into and out of the writing instrument.
2. Description of the Related Art
Writing instruments comprising a main body running in a longitudinal direction between a first end and a second end, a writing tip being positioned substantially at the first end, a cartridge containing ink, and a rear loading body having an elongate housing running in a loading direction between a first end and a second end, the housing accepting the cartridge and having, at the first end, an access opening to allow the cartridge to be inserted into the housing or extracted, in the customary manner, are known.
The present invention is aimed at making it easier to unload the spent cartridge and load a new cartridge.
To do this, according to embodiments of the present invention, the writing instrument further comprises an articulation means connecting the main body and the rear body, where the articulation means allows the rear body to pivot with respect to the main body about an axis of articulation perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, between a loading position in which the access opening lies away from the main body and an unlocked position in which the longitudinal direction and the loading direction substantially coincide.
Thus, changing the cartridge does not entail separating and then reassembling the rear body and the main body, particularly by unscrewing and re-screwing in order to change the cartridge. It is therefore more practical and quicker. Furthermore, as the rear body remains connected to the main body, there is no risk of mislaying it while loading a new cartridge.
According to another feature of embodiments of the present invention, in the unlocked position, the first end of the rear body is positioned between the axis of articulation and the first end of the main body.
Thus, when the writing instrument is brought into the unlocked position by pivoting the articulation means, the access opening is automatically retracted.
According to another feature of embodiments of the present invention, the articulation means allows the rear body to slide in the longitudinal direction between the unlocked position and the position of use.
Thus, in the case of a fountain pen cartridge, by sliding the rear body, the cartridge can be engaged in the main element in order to supply the writing tip with ink and, in the case of a cartridge that incorporates the writing tip (a ballpoint, in particular), the tip is passed through the main body and emerges via the first end.
According to an additional feature of embodiments of the present invention, the articulation means prevents the rear body from pivoting with respect to the main body about the axis of articulation during the sliding in the longitudinal direction between the position of use and the unlocked position.
Thus, the risk of inadvertently pivoting the rear body and the forces exerted on the cartridge that are liable to lead to breakage of the cartridge, or at least to leaks of ink, are reduced.
According to an embodiment of the present invention, the articulation means comprises a rod with two flats sliding between two guide surfaces positioned facing one another to define a slot, the guide surfaces having an indentation designed to accept the rod and allow the rod to pivot with respect to the slot about the axis of articulation when the writing instrument is in the unlocked position, so as to allow the rear body to pivot toward the position for loading the writing instrument.
This solution is simple, inexpensive, robust and reliable.
According to an additional feature of embodiments of the present invention, the indentations allow the rod to pivot with respect to the slot about the axis of articulation only through an angle limited to the position for loading the writing instrument.
As the pivoting movement of the rear body with respect to the main body about the axis of pivoting is limited to the loading position, it is easier to load the cartridge into the housing in the rear body while holding the writing element.
In order to make loading the cartridge into the housing even easier still, according to another feature of embodiments of of the present invention, the rod and the indentation have complementary shapes that cooperate with one another in order to hold the rear body in the loading position.
Preferably, the pivot angle about the axis of rotation with respect to the slot between the unlocked position and the loading position ranges between 20° and 50°.
This angle is large enough to load or extract a cartridge and allows the main body and the rear body to be held easily.
According to another feature of embodiments of the present invention, the writing instrument further comprises a cap intended to cover the writing tip, an indexing means for positioning the cap with respect to the main body about the longitudinal direction, and a holding means for retaining the cap by clipping the cap onto the main body thereby preventing the cap from sliding in the longitudinal direction with respect to the main body.
Thus, the cap held on the main body is indexed in terms of rotation with respect to the main body.
According to one embodiment of the present invention, the writing instrument comprises the following features:
According to another embodiment of the present invention, the writing instrument comprises:
The present invention will be better understood from reading the description of embodiments of the present invention that follow with reference to the attached drawings in which:
The rear body 4 comprises a housing 14 running in a loading direction 12 between a front end 14a and a rear end 14b of the housing 14. The housing 14 contains an ink cartridge 8 held in position by a tab 40.
Near its rear end 2b, the main body 2 comprises two flanges 32 running substantially in the longitudinal direction 10, one on each side of the rear body 4. The flanges 32 are joined together by a rod 22 running across the rear body 4 in the direction of an axis of articulation 20 perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 10 and the loading direction 12. The rod 22 has two flats 24a, 24b running substantially parallel to one another so that the rod 22 has a substantially rectangular shape in cross section.
The rear body 4 articulates with respect to the main body 2 through a slot 26 in which the rod 22 can move. The slot 26 has two guide surfaces 26a, 26b running parallel to and on each side of a mid-plane P containing the axis of articulation 20, and parallel to the loading direction 12.
In the position of use illustrated in
The longitudinal direction 10 and the loading direction 12 are therefore substantially coaxial. What is more, the flanges 32 running one on each side of the rear body 4 cooperate with the flat lateral flanks of the rear body 4 to allow the rear body 4 only a translational movement in the longitudinal direction 10 with respect to the main body 2, between the unlocked position and the position of use.
The rear body 4 is held in the position of use by beading defining a boss 30 protruding from the guide surface 26b. However, this retention can be overcome by elastic deformation if a force is exerted in the longitudinal direction 10 between the rear body 4 and the main body 2.
The rear body 4 can thus be retreated in the longitudinal distance 10 by a distance d with respect to the main body 2. During this translational movement, the flats 24a, 24b on the rod 22 move, bearing against the guide surface 26a and 26b of the slot 26 of the rear body 4. The translational movement in the longitudinal direction 10 is limited by a striction 42 formed in the slot 26 and against which the rod 22 abuts.
The pen is then in the unlocked position illustrated in
After the new cartridge is in place, the movements are performed in reverse order, pivoting the rear body 4 about the axis of articulation 20 to make the loading direction 12 correspond to the longitudinal axis 10 of the main body 2. The cartridge 8 is then engaged in the main body 2 through a translational movement of the main body 2 in the longitudinal direction 10 toward the front end 2a until the pen locks in the position of usevia the boss 30.
Furthermore, near its front end 2a, the main body 2 comprises two studs 34 protruding substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction 10. The cap 18 has two complementary slots 36 running in an engagement direction 42 substantially corresponding to the longitudinal direction of the cap 18.
The slots 36 run between an insertion end 36a and a stop end 36b. Near the stop end 36b, the slot 36 narrows forming a neck 38 so that, near its stop end 36b, the slot 36 has a substantially Ω shape intended to hold the cap 18 in place in the closed position. In this position, the cap 18 is held on the main body 2 near the front end 2a by means of the neck 38 which releasably holds the studs 34 at the stop end 36b of the slot 36. An O-ring 44 held on the main body 2 is compressed against the cap 18 to improve the seal between the cap 18 and the main body 2.
Another embodiment of the present invention illustrated in
In
The indexing element 134 runs in the continuation of the substantially cylindrical exterior surface 146 of the main body 102, with which it is flush radially to the direction of elongation and protrudes in the longitudinal direction 10.
The cap 118 internally has a blind housing 136 of a shape that complements that of the indexing element 134 running in the direction of engagement 42 of the cap 118. The cap 118 further comprises a retaining ring feature 138 consisting of three portions internally protruding into the cap 118 and engaging, by elastic deformation, with the beading 137, which itself consists of three corresponding portions.
The cap 118 is clipped on to the main body 102 by a translational movement along axis 42 in the longitudinal direction 10, engaging the indexing element 134 in the housing 136 and overlapping the portions of the retaining ring feature 138 with the portions of beading 137.
Of course, the embodiments of the present invention just described are merely one nonlimiting examples of the present invention. Thus, it is possible to conceive of using a pen with a refillable cartridge, a ballpoint or a felt-tip instead of a fountain pen. The conversion is effected by substituting a writing tip of the ball-point type or felt-tip type and a suitable duct for the nib 6 and the duct 7.
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
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0500182 | Jan 2005 | FR | national |
This application is a national stage application of PCT/FR2005/003235, filed on Dec. 21, 2005, which claims the benefit of priority from French Patent Application No. 0500182 filed on Jan. 7, 2005, the entire contents of both of which are incorporated herein by reference.
Filing Document | Filing Date | Country | Kind | 371c Date |
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PCT/FR05/03235 | 12/21/2005 | WO | 00 | 7/6/2007 |