The present invention relates to marker pens, and more particularly to regulating an internal pressure within a marker pen.
A marker pen typically includes a body having a first end and a second end. The first end is coupled to a nib (e.g., tip) and the second end is an impermeable end cap that is fixed to the body. The body also defines a cavity having a fixed volume between the first end and the second end to hold a writing material (e.g., ink, paint, etc.). The nib is used to dispense the writing material from the cavity and onto a work surface.
In one aspect, a writing implement is configured to dispense material onto a work surface. The writing implement includes a body having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface. The writing implement also includes a nib coupled to the first end. The nib is configured to allow the material to be dispensed onto the work piece. The writing implement further includes a pressure regulating assembly coupled to the body. The pressure regulating assembly and the inner surface define a cavity configured to hold the material. The pressure regulating assembly is moveable relative to the body in response to a pressure change within the cavity.
In another aspect, a writing implement is configured to dispense material onto a work surface. The writing implement includes a body having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface. The writing implement also includes a nib coupled to the first end. The nib is configured to allow the material to be dispensed onto the work piece. The writing implement further includes a pressure regulating assembly coupled to the body. The pressure regulating assembly and the inner surface define a cavity configured to hold the material at a desired pressure. The pressure regulating assembly is moveable relative to the body to control an actual pressure within the cavity relative to the desired pressure.
In yet another aspect, a method of manufacturing a writing implement includes providing a body having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface. The method also includes inserting a piston through the second end of the body to define a cavity between the inner surface of the body and the piston. The piston is configured to be moveable relative to the body to control a pressure within the cavity. The method further includes injecting a material through the first end of the body into the cavity and coupling a nib to the first end of the body. The nib is configured to allow the material to be dispensed onto a work surface.
Other aspects of the invention will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.
Before any embodiments of the invention are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology used herein is for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
With reference to
With reference back to
To assemble or manufacture the marker 10, the seal 70 is coupled to the piston within the groove 58 so that the piston 46 and the seal 70 are both inserted into the body 14 through the second end 22. In particular, the piston 46 and the seal 70 are positioned within the cavity 30 at a desired location relative to the second end 22 to define a desired volume of the cavity 30 between the first surface 50 of the piston 46 and the first end 18 (
In the illustrated embodiment, the piston 46 is inserted into the body 14 at the desired location so that a desired internal pressure 78 (e.g., ambient pressure surrounding the marker 10) within the cavity 30 is created once the liquid solution 38 is injected into the cavity 30 and the nib 34 is coupled to the first end 18. The desired internal pressure 78 is substantially maintained by the frictional engagement between the piston 46 and/or the seal 70 against the inner surface 24 of the body 14. In other embodiments, the desired internal pressure 78 may be slightly greater than the ambient pressure surrounding the marker 10.
In operation, the nib 34 is depressed against the work surface to allow the liquid solution 38 to travel from the cavity 30 through the nib 34 to be dispensed onto the work piece (e.g., fluid communication between the cavity 30 and the ambient environment is provided by depressing the nib 34 onto the work surface). Once the nib 34 is moved out of contact with the work surface, the nib 34 blocks the liquid solution 38 from traveling from the cavity 30 through the nib 34 and onto the work surface (e.g., fluid communication between the cavity 30 and the ambient environment is blocked by the nib 34).
However, the pressure within the cavity 30 may increase or decrease upon either expansion or contraction of the liquid solution 38. For example, if the temperature of the liquid solution 38 increases (e.g., the marker 10 is in direct sunlight), an actual pressure 80 (
With reference to
The illustrated marker 210 includes a pressure regulating assembly 240 coupled to a second end 222 of a body 214 and is in communication with a cavity 230 defined by the body 214. The pressure regulating assembly 240 includes a body 242 having an inlet 286 and an outlet 290 with a valve 294 (e.g., a ball valve, etc.) and a biasing member 298 (e.g., a coil spring, etc.) located between the inlet and outlet 286, 290. In particular, the valve 294 is positioned between a first edge 300 of the inlet 286 and a tapered surface or second edge 302 defined on an inner surface of the body 242. The tapered surface 302 is positioned between the edge 300 and the outlet 290. The biasing member 298 provides a biasing force against the valve 294 towards the inlet 286 thereby creating a biasing pressure 306 of the valve 294 acting on the first edge 300. The illustrated biasing pressure 306 is a determined pressure. In the illustrated embodiment, the combination of the valve 294 and the biasing member 298 is commonly referenced as a check valve. In other embodiments, the valve 294 and/or the biasing member 298 may be positioned between the inlet 286 and the cavity 230.
In operation, the biasing member 298 forces the valve 294 into engagement with the first edge 300 when an actual internal pressure 280 within the cavity 230 is less than the biasing pressure 306 (
With reference to
In further embodiments, the pressure regulating assembly 240 can include a filter positioned between the cavity 230 and the inlet 286 to inhibit a liquid solution from traveling past the inlet 286 but allows air to travel past the inlet 286 and toward the outlet 290.
Although the invention has been described in detail with reference to certain preferred embodiments, variations and modifications exist within the scope and spirit of one or more independent aspects of the invention as described.
Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims.
The present application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 17/489,165, filed Sep. 29, 2021, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,524,517, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 16/793,885, now U.S. Pat. No. 11,148,461, filed Feb. 18, 2020, which is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 15/490,171, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,603,947, filed Apr. 18, 2017, which claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 62/325,512, filed Apr. 21, 2016, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
1065872 | Johnson | Jun 1913 | A |
1457875 | Coates | Jun 1923 | A |
2294596 | Dole | Sep 1942 | A |
2954264 | Tisch et al. | Sep 1960 | A |
3397939 | Berry | Aug 1968 | A |
3622168 | Woodling | Nov 1971 | A |
4840510 | Yaita | Jun 1989 | A |
4973180 | Hori | Nov 1990 | A |
5249875 | Hori | Oct 1993 | A |
5344670 | Palmer et al. | Sep 1994 | A |
5607766 | Berger | Mar 1997 | A |
6102601 | Hu | Aug 2000 | A |
6361234 | Rukan | Mar 2002 | B1 |
7234704 | Lehr et al. | Jun 2007 | B2 |
7303349 | Murakoshi | Dec 2007 | B2 |
7938592 | Tamano | May 2011 | B2 |
20030068191 | Hori | Apr 2003 | A1 |
20060013636 | Shalom | Jan 2006 | A1 |
20110158738 | Bainbridge et al. | Jun 2011 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
1086173 | May 1994 | CN |
1290214 | Apr 2001 | CN |
1427681 | Jul 2003 | CN |
201176060 | Jan 2009 | CN |
201509801 | Jun 2010 | CN |
201895480 | Jul 2011 | CN |
205033777 | Feb 2016 | CN |
0240994 | Oct 1987 | EP |
0476492 | Mar 1992 | EP |
1281539 | Feb 2003 | EP |
2933117 | Oct 2015 | EP |
688891 | Mar 1953 | GB |
H04332698 | Nov 1992 | JP |
2001138689 | May 2001 | JP |
WO 0165970 | Sep 2001 | WO |
Entry |
---|
International Search Report and Written Opinion for Application No. PCT/US2017/028074 dated Jul. 27, 2017 (10 pages). |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20230102068 A1 | Mar 2023 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
62325512 | Apr 2016 | US |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
Parent | 17489165 | Sep 2021 | US |
Child | 18062401 | US | |
Parent | 16793885 | Feb 2020 | US |
Child | 17489165 | US | |
Parent | 15490171 | Apr 2017 | US |
Child | 16793885 | US |