The present invention relates to a tool for facilitating the replacement and/or refilling of ink in a writing instrument, such as the insertion and extraction of ink cartridges in a fountain pen.
A fountain pen is a writing instrument that uses liquid ink stored in a refillable or replaceable reservoir. The ink is generally fed from the reservoir to the pen's nib through a combination of capillary action and gravity.
As is well known, a large number of fountains pens use disposable ink cartridges as their ink source. An ink cartridge is typically sealed by a small ball that blocks the cartridge's ink flow hole until the cartridge is firmly inserted into a reservoir chamber within the pen, whereby a small pin pushes in the plastic ball and enables the ink to flow into the pen's ink feed system. When the ink from a cartridge has been exhausted, it is simply removed and replaced by a new one. Ink cartridges are popular because of their convenience, and many fountain pen manufacturers have ensured that standardized cylindrical-shaped ink cartridges in one (or both) of two sizes—a short cartridge approximately 38 mm in length and 0.75 ml in capacity and a long cartridge approximately 72 mm in length and 1.45 ml in capacity—are compatible with their pens.
In many cases, a converter may also be used in place of an ink cartridge. Converters generally are of the same size as an ink cartridge but also have a filling mechanism (typically screw or piston-based) attached to their reservoirs, thereby allowing them to be refilled from a bottle of ink. The use of converters is therefore normally more economical and environmentally friendly, and it may also enable a greater selection of inks to be used.
In many fountain pens, the ink reservoir chamber within the barrel is accessed by unscrewing, or otherwise separating, the nib from the barrel. In such cases, the insertion and extraction of cartridges and converters from the pen's barrel is often awkward for a user and may additionally leave ink marks on the user's hands. Furthermore, there is a heightened risk that the nib and/or feeding system of the pen may be damaged due to repeated handling by the user.
Thus, despite the convenience associated with using ink cartridges and converters (hereinafter referred to as ink reservoir units), there remains a need for a safer, more effective, and more user-friendly means of inserting and removing them in such fountain pens.
The present invention provides such a tool for facilitating the insertion and removal of ink reservoir units such as cartridges and converters from associated writing instruments.
In one aspect, the tool facilitates the insertion and removal of an ink reservoir unit from a chamber of a writing instrument, the chamber being located within a drum that is coupled to a nib of the writing instrument. The tool comprises a main section defining, at least in part, an internal cavity for receiving the nib. The tool is selectively configurable in a closed state and an open state. In the closed state, the nib is positioned inside the cavity and the tool clutches a grip portion of the writing instrument that is rigidly coupled to the nib and the drum. In the open state, the cavity is partially open, in comparison to when the tool is in the closed state, which thereby facilitates safe placement of the nib inside the cavity.
Preferably, the tool further comprises a closure element that, in the closed state of the tool, defines the internal cavity together with the main section of the tool, the closure element being positionable in a first position corresponding to the closed state of the tool and in a second position corresponding to the open state of the tool. The closure element may pivot on the main section such that the closure element lies against the main section when in the first position and the closure element lies away from the main section when in the second position. The closure element also preferably pivots about an axis that is perpendicular to a longitudinal direction of the main section. In one embodiment, the main section has a closed base at a first end of the tool, and the main section has a first rim and the closure element has a second rim such that, when the tool is in the closed state, the first and second rims are positioned together to form an opening to the cavity at a second end of the tool. In this manner, when the tool is in the closed state, the first and second rims are operable to be biased together in order to clutch the outer surface of the grip portion of the writing instrument. The tool may also further comprise a locking ring that is slidable along an external surface of the tool when the tool is in the closed state, the locking ring being selectively positionable so as to maintain the closure element in the first position.
In another aspect, the present invention provides a writing instrument compatible with such a tool. The writing instrument comprises a barrel, a nib, a drum defining a chamber therewithin, and a grip portion. The drum is coupled to the nib and is located inside the barrel when the writing instrument is assembled and operational. The grip portion is rigidly coupled to the nib and the drum, the grip portion being located outside the barrel and having an outer surface of a size and shape that are compatible with a part of the tool that is operable to clutch the grip portion. Preferably, the grip portion, the nib and the drum are separable from and reattachable to the barrel by way of a screw-on connection, the tool facilitating said separation and reattachment.
In yet another aspect, the present invention provides a method of using such a tool to facilitate the removal or insertion of an ink reservoir unit from a chamber within a drum of such a writing instrument. The method comprises: configuring the tool into an open state in which the cavity is partially open in comparison to when the tool is in a closed state; placing the nib inside the cavity; configuring the tool into the closed state in which the tool clutches a grip portion of the writing instrument that is rigidly coupled to the nib and the drum; and maneuvering the tool in order to separate the grip portion, the nib and the drum from the barrel of the writing instrument. The method may further comprise, once the drum has been separated from the barrel, removing an ink reservoir unit from the chamber and/or placing an ink reservoir unit in the chamber; and then maneuvering the tool in order to reattach the grip portion, the nib and the drum to the barrel. Placing the nib inside the cavity may also include aligning the tool with markings on an outer surface of the grip portion of the writing instrument.
Additional features of the present invention are described further below.
The objects and advantages of the present invention will be better understood and more readily apparent when considered in conjunction with the following detailed description and accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, preferred embodiments of the invention and in which:
In accordance with an illustrated embodiment of the present invention,
As will be described below,
As shown, pen 20 includes an elongated barrel 22, a nib 24, and a nib section block 26. Nib section block 26 comprises a coupling band 28 that is rigidly connected to the base of nib 24 and a drum 29 having a reservoir chamber 30 for holding an ink reservoir unit, such as a cartridge. Block 26 also comprises part (not shown) of an ink-feeding system that feeds ink into the nib. The ink-feeding system may, for example, be capillary-based, and nib 24 may include comb serrations 25 to facilitate the flow of ink to its tip. In known manner, when pen 20 is fully assembled and operable to write, drum 29 is housed within barrel 22 and holds the ink reservoir unit in fluid connection with the feeding system. In the illustrated embodiment, barrel 22 has a tapered and slightly curved shape, but various different barrel shapes are possible.
In order for a user to gain access to chamber 30 to replace or refill an ink reservoir unit 40, the nib 24 and nib block section 26 (which, as indicated, are held firmly together) must first be unscrewed, or otherwise separated, from barrel 22. In accordance with the present invention, tool 10 greatly facilitates this task and also serves to protect nib 24 during this process.
As shown in
In a preferred embodiment, tool 10 further includes a locking ring 18 that is slidable along the external surfaces of section 12 and element 14 when the tool is in the closed state. Base 11 and rims 16, 17 preferably have outward flanges 11′ and 16′, 17′ respectively that help to ensure that ring 18 remains engaged on tool 10 and does not slide off.
The operation of tool 10 to carry out the removal and replacement of an ink reservoir unit in pen 20 will now be described. Initially, tool 10 is placed in an open state by ensuring that locking ring 18 is positioned near the base end of tool 10 and closure element 14 has pivoted away from main section 12. Closure element 14 is preferably freely pivotable such that it may swing into an open position when there is no force biasing it against main section 12. As shown in
In addition, to ensure proper positioning between tool 10 and pen 20 and notably that nib 24 is not inserted too far within tool 10 (such that a sufficiently safe space remains between the tip of the nib and internal cavity wall 13), band 28 preferably has markings 27 on its surface that are aligned with rim 16 of main section 12 during the insertion of the nib.
Next, as shown in
Once nib 24 and section block 26 have been separated from barrel 22, the reservoir chamber 30 within block 26 becomes readily accessible, as does the empty ink reservoir unit 40 within the chamber. As a result, the empty ink reservoir unit can be easily pulled out and removed by a user, as illustrated by arrow D in
Tool 10 is then used again to reconnect nib 24 and section block 26 to the barrel 22 of the pen. In particular, as indicated in
Since the nib is held firmly and securely inside tool 10 throughout, there is no risk of damage to the nib while an ink reservoir unit is being replaced or refilled. In addition, as the nib does not need to be directly handled by the user, the user conveniently avoids staining his or her hands with ink during this process. In addition, the tool is significantly easier to grip and manipulate in comparison to the pen's nib, thereby rendering the entire refill process much less awkward and much more convenient. In that connection, portions (e.g., opposing sides) of the external surface of main 12 and/or closure element 14 may be slightly flattened and/or ridged to enable a user's fingers to obtain a better grip on the tool.
It will be appreciated that various alternatives are possible in terms of the shape and structure of the tool so long as: in a closed state, the tool securely encases the nib and is operable to clutch or grip the nib and section block with sufficient force to maneuver the latter as required; and, in an open state, the tool facilitates the safe placement of the nib inside its cavity. For example, the closure element 14 could pivot about an axis that is parallel to the longitudinal direction of main section 12. Alternatively, instead of pivoting between open and closed positions, the closure element could slide between open and closed positions along the outer (or inner) surface of main section 12. Such a sliding motion could occur in either a longitudinal direction or a circumferential direction with respect to the tool's body. As a further example, the closure element 14 could be dispensed with, and the tool may clutch the section block similar to a spring clamp, with a user being able to manipulate the tool's main body so that the opening to cavity 15 selectively expands (in effect, partially opens) and contracts to place the tool in the open and closed states respectively.
In general, while the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, it is evident that numerous alternatives, modifications, and variations will be apparent to those skilled in the art in light of the foregoing description. For example, tool 10 may form part of a cap for the writing instrument. Depending on the specific design of the pen, the tool may also clutch or grip a portion of the pen other than band 28. The locking ring 18 could be dispensed with, or it may be replaced by another type of locking mechanism that helps to keep the tool in a closed state (e.g., a spring bias device). Additionally, the tool may be used with pens where, instead of a screw-on connection, another type of releasable fastening connection is used between the nib/block and the barrel of the pen. What remains important is that the tool securely encases the nib and facilitates the release and reconnection of the nib/block from and to the barrel.
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