Patent Application
20170106692
The invention broadly relates to a cover for a writing instrument, and in particular, to a removable cover having a decorative element secured to an end of the writing instrument.
Writing instruments are well known in the art and have been around for thousands of years. The earliest writing instruments that resembled a pen and paper were developed by the Greeks. They developed a writing instrument, made of metal, bone or ivory, to mark upon wax-coated tablets. The Romans created a reed-pen from the hollow tubular-stems of marsh grasses, such as the bamboo plant. They converted bamboo stems into a primitive form of a fountain pen.
They cut one end into the form of a pen nib or point, filled the stem with an ink, and squeezed the reed to force fluid to the nib.
The writing instrument that proliferated for the longest period in history, over one-thousand years, was the quill pen. The quill pen was introduced around 700 A.D. and was made from a bird feather. Quill pens lasted for only a week before it was necessary to replace them.
There were other disadvantages associated with their use, including a lengthy preparation time. To sharpen the quill, the writer needed a special knife and beneath the writer's desk was a coal stove used to dry the ink as fast as possible. The oldest known fountain pen was designed by Frenchman, M. Bion, in 1702. Peregrin Williamson, a Baltimore shoemaker, received the first U.S. patent for a pen in 1809. John Scheffer received a British patent in 1819 for his half quill, half metal pen that he attempted to mass manufacture. John Jacob Parker patented the first self-filling fountain pen in 1831. However, early fountain pen models were plagued by ink spills and other failures that left them impractical and hard to sell. Therefore, Lewis Waterman invented the first practical fountain pen in 1884. Then in 1938, a Hungarian journalist, Laszlo Biro, invented the first ballpoint pen. The thicker ink would not flow from a regular pen nib so Biro devised a new type of point. He did so by fitting his pen with a tiny ball bearing in its tip. As the pen moved along the paper, the ball rotated picking up ink from the ink cartridge and leaving it on the paper.
Another type of writing instrument, the pencil, was made shortly after the discovery of graphite in about 1564. In 1795, the breakthrough in pencil technology came when French chemist Nicolas Conte developed and patented the process used to make pencils, mixing clay and graphite together and encasing them in wood. In 1770, Edward Naime invented the first eraser, and thus, Europeans began rubbing out pencil marks with small cubes of rubber. The first patent for attaching an eraser to a pencil was issued in 1858 to Hyman Lipman.
Presently, there are a wide variety of writing instruments available, such as ball point pens, retractable pens, gel pens, washable markers, permanent markers, dry erase markers, wood pencils, mechanical pencils, styluses for tablets, etc. As various writing instruments have evolved over time and become an everyday staple, customization has become increasingly important. Out of a need for customization, decorative covers for writing instruments evolved. Currently, there are vast assortment of decorative covers available. One problem with present decorative covers is that the decorative element is bound directly to the writing instrument via an adhesive, such as tape. Another problem with present decorative covers is that the decorative cover and/or decorative element is integral with or fixedly secured to the end of the writing instrument. These instances lead to a subsequent problem, which is that when the writing instrument can no longer be used, i.e., it runs out of ink or lead, the entire writing instrument must be disposed of, including the decorative element.
Thus, there is a long-felt need for a cover for a writing instrument having an interchangeable element that allows for more personalization. Additionally, there is another long-felt need for a cover for a writing instrument where the writing instrument is removably disposed within a space, such that the writing instrument can be interchanged when it is no longer of use.
Furthermore, another problem with present covers for writing instruments are that they are limited to covering the writing instrument without other functions. Thus, there is a long felt need for a cover for a writing instrument that not only provides a decorative element but that also appeals to other senses, such as olfactory senses. Similarly, there is another long felt need for a cover, having a decorative element that can also house a fragrance, such as a perfume or essential oil, as essential oils are thought to provide a variety of health benefits. Moreover, there is a long felt need for a decorative element having fragrances that can be removed and replaced as the fragrance is used.
The present invention broadly includes a cover for a writing instrument having a body, a protrusion, and a decorative element. The body has a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a space bounded by the inner surface. The space is operatively arranged to hold a writing instrument. The protrusion has a first end and a second end, where the first end is secured to and extends upwardly from the second end of the body. The decorative element has an extension member extending downwardly therefrom and the extension member is secured to the second end of the protrusion.
In one embodiment, the body further includes at least one opening means, preferably a hinge, extending longitudinally along the body. The hinge divides the body into a first portion and a second portion and the first and second portions pivot about the hinge. The body further includes at least one fastening means, preferably a latch, to secure the body in a closed position. The protrusion further includes an inner surface, an outer surface, and a cavity bounded by the inner surface, and at least a portion of the extension member is disposed within the cavity.
In another embodiment, the decorative element is substantially flower-shaped. In yet another embodiment, the decorative element is substantially spherically shaped. Preferably, the body is made of plastic and substantially tubular-shaped. However, it should be appreciated that any of the elements can be made of any suitable material known in the art and can be of any suitable shape known in the art.
In yet another embodiment, the body further includes a slot and a lever. The lever is disposed within the slot and is operatively arrange to move longitudinally along the slot to accommodate writing instruments of varying heights.
In one embodiment, the present invention broadly includes a cover for a writing instrument, having a body, a decorative element, and at least one opening means. The body has a first end, a second end, an inner surface, an outer surface, and a space bounded by the inner surface. The space is operatively arranged to hold a writing instrument. The decorative element has an extension member extending downwardly therefrom, where at least a portion of the extension member is secured to and extends upwardly from the second end of the body. The least one opening means extends longitudinally along the body and divides the body into a first portion and a second portion. The first and second portions pivot outwardly about the at least one opening means to form an open position. Preferably, the at least one opening means is a hinge.
In another embodiment, the body further includes at least one fastening means to secure the body in a closed position. The body further includes a slot and a lever. The lever is disposed within the slot and is operatively arrange to move longitudinally along the slot to accommodate writing instruments of varying heights.
In yet another embodiment, the decorative element is substantially flower-shaped or substantially spherically shaped. Preferably, the body is made of plastic and substantially tubular-shaped. However, it should be appreciated that any of the elements can be made of any suitable material known in the art and can be of any suitable shape known in the art.
In one embodiment, the decorative element broadly includes a housing, a fragrance disc, and a means for securing the decorative element to an accessory. The housing has a top, a base, and an attachment means. The attachment means secures the top to the base and the top is pivotable about the attachment means. The base has an outer surface, an inner surface, a side and a cavity bounded by the side and the top includes a rim and at least one aperture bounded by the rim. The fragrance disc has an outer surface and an inner surface and is disposed within the cavity bounded by the side. The fragrance disc rests upon the inner surface of the base and the fragrance disc is filled with a scented medium. Preferably, the attachment means that secures the top to the base is a hinge. Preferably, the means for securing the decorative element to an accessory is an extension member extending downwardly therefrom.
In another embodiment, the housing is substantially circular in shape and the top is convex. Preferably, the decorative element is substantially flower-shaped. However, it should be appreciated that any of the elements can be made of any suitable material known in the art and can be of any suitable shape known in the art.
In yet another embodiment, the top further includes at least one barb extending upwardly therefrom, and the decorative element further includes a flower ovary and a plurality of petals. The flower ovary is secured to the at least one barb and the plurality of petals are disposed circumferentially about the base. Preferably, the scented medium is a perfume or an essential oil. However, is should be appreciated that the scented medium can be made of any suitable medium known in the art. Essential oils, such as lavender, have been thought to promote health benefits, such as soothing nervous tension, headaches, anxiety and depression, inducing sleep, relieving pain from soreness in the joints, disinfecting the scalp and skin, enhancing blood circulation, treating respiratory problems, and increasing the mobility of the intestine, as well as a variety of other health benefits.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciable from the following description of preferred embodiments of the invention and from the accompanying drawings and claims.
The nature and mode of operation of the present invention will now be more fully described in the following detailed description of the invention taken with the accompanying drawing figures, in which:
At the outset, it should be appreciated that like drawing numbers on different drawing views identify identical, or functionally similar, structural elements of the invention. It also should be appreciated that figure proportions and angles are not always to scale in order to clearly portray the attributes of the present invention.
While the present invention is described with respect to what is presently considered to be the preferred aspects, it is to be understood that the invention as claimed is not limited to the disclosed aspects. The present invention is intended to cover various modifications and equivalent arrangements included within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Furthermore, it is understood that this invention is not limited to the particular methodology, materials and modifications described and, as such, may, of course, vary. It is also understood that the terminology used herein is for the purpose of describing particular aspects only, and is not intended to limit the scope of the present invention, which is limited only by the appended claims.
Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood to one of ordinary skill in the art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods, devices or materials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used in the practice or testing of the invention, the preferred methods, devices, and materials are now described.
Adverting now to the figures,
As shown in
In the first embodiment, body 11 further includes at least one opening means, preferably hinge 25, extending longitudinally along body 11. Hinge 25 divides body 11 into first portion 31 and second portion 32 and first portion 31 and second portion 32 pivot outwardly and inwardly about hinge 25 to form open and closed positions, respectively. Body 11 further includes at least one fastening means, preferably latches 24a, 24b, and 24c, to secure body 11 in a closed position. Additionally, first portion 31 includes first portion edge 33 and second portion 32 includes second portion edge 34, such that when body 11 is secured in a closed position, first portion edge 33 and second portion edge 34 contact one another. Protrusion 12 further includes inner surface 23, outer surface 22, and cavity 21 bounded by inner surface 23, and at least a portion of stem 42 is disposed within cavity 21, such that when at least a portion of stem 42 is disposed within cavity 21, the portion of stem 42 contacts inner surface 23.
As shown in
As shown in
As shown in
Preferably, housing 56 is substantially circular in shape, in particular, top 58 is convex, and housing 56 is made of plastic. Preferably, decorative element 13 is substantially flower-shaped. However, it should be appreciated that any of the elements can be made of any suitable material known in the art and can be of any suitable shape known in the art.
Top 58 further includes at least one barb 64 extending upwardly therefrom, and flower 41 further includes flower ovary 52 and plurality of petals 51. Flower ovary 52 is secured to at least one barb 64 and plurality of petals 51 are disposed circumferentially about base 59. Preferably, scented medium 69 is a perfume or an essential oil. However, is should be appreciated that the scented medium can be made of any suitable medium known in the art. Essential oils, such as lavender, have been thought to promote health benefits, such as soothing nervous tension, headaches, anxiety and depression, inducing sleep, relieving pain from soreness in the joints, disinfecting the scalp and skin, enhancing blood circulation, treating respiratory problems, and increasing the mobility of the intestine, as well as a variety of other health benefits.
In the various embodiments, the decorative element is substantially flower-shaped, spherically shaped, and in particular, a sports ball, or in the shape of an alligator. However, it should be appreciated that the decorative element can be any suitable shape known in the art. Furthermore, preferably, the body is made of plastic and substantially tubular-shaped.
However, it should be appreciated that the body can be made of any suitable material known in the art and can be of any suitable shape known in the art. It should also be appreciated that, any of the fastening means of the cover can be any suitable fastening means known in the art, such as but not limited to, latches, snaps, hooks, etc.
Thus, it is seen that the objects of the present invention are efficiently obtained, although modifications and changes to the invention should be readily apparent to those having ordinary skill in the art, which modifications are intended to be within the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed. It also is understood that the foregoing description is illustrative of the present invention and should not be considered as limiting. Therefore, other embodiments of the present invention are possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
