Patent Grant
12220939
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material that is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure as it appears in the Patent and Trademark Office patent file or records, but otherwise reserves all copyright rights whatsoever.
The present disclosure relates, in general, to markers and pens, and more particularly to the technology of increasing their longevity and limiting of their use toddlers . . . .
Most common pen style fluid markers consist of a marking fluid, a sealed fluid reservoir body (barrel and nose cone), an absorbent wick that extends through the fluid reservoir and terminates in a chisel, blunted or pointed marking fluid dispensing tip, and a sealing cap that envelops the tip and secures to the reservoir body. The sealing cap is generally frictionally secured only to the reservoir body. The entire assembly comprises a fluid marker. These are commonly used for bold marking on all smooth or rough surfaces, including but not limited to paper, wood, steel, plastic, painted surfaces, glass, ceramics, stone, tile, metals and the like. These style of markers are expensive.
Since these markers use a capillary wicking for the movement of the marking fluid from the reservoir to the tip, as marking fluid evaporates from the tip more is transported there enabling it to also evaporate. Hence, the largest drawback of a pen fluid markers is the evaporation of all their marking fluid when the dealing cap is left off, only partially secured to the reservoir body or accidentally knocked loose or off. Even if this problem is caught reasonably quickly, it still renders the marker pen useless for a short period until it can be resealed with the cap and the fluid is allowed to slowly wick from the reservoir body to the tip.
Additionally, because the fluid marker dispenses a fluid rather than say a soft graphite, the marking extends well below the surface in porous materials, making these marks impossible to remove. A dislodged cap has ruined many a shirt. Unfortunately, since we teach our children to color with larger writing utensils, their young minds don't distinguish fluid markers and many a child has done irreparable damage to surfaces.
Both the aforementioned problems occur because of the industry standard weak, friction fit sealing caps.
Thus, a simple solution to the weak, friction fit sealing cap to reservoir body interface is provided by the embodiments set forth below.
Henceforth, a secure way to seal a fluid marker would fulfill a long felt need in the industry. This new invention utilizes and combines known and new technologies in a unique and novel configuration to overcome the aforementioned problems and accomplish this.
In accordance with various embodiments, a locking fluid marker cap assembly is provided that may be retrofit onto a plethora of different manufacturer's marker pens.
In one aspect, a locking marker cap assembly that is a replacement for a conventional, friction fit marker cap is provided.
In another aspect, a two part locking marker cap that can be retrofitted onto a plethora of conventional markers.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the invention. For example, while the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combination of features and embodiments that do not include all of the above described features.
A further understanding of the nature and advantages of particular embodiments may be realized by reference to the remaining portions of the specification and the drawings, in which like reference numerals are used to refer to similar components.
While various aspects and features of certain embodiments have been summarized above, the following detailed description illustrates a few exemplary embodiments in further detail to enable one skilled in the art to practice such embodiments. The described examples are provided for illustrative purposes and are not intended to limit the scope of the invention.
Reference will now be made in detail to embodiments of the inventive concept, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The accompanying drawings are not necessarily drawn to scale. In the following detailed description, numerous specific details are set forth to enable a thorough understanding of the inventive concept. It should be understood, however, that persons having ordinary skill in the art may practice the inventive concept without these specific details.
It will be understood that, although the terms first, second, etc. may be used herein to describe various elements, these elements should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used to distinguish one element from another.
It will be understood that when an element is referred to as being “on,” “coupled to,” or “connected to” another element, it can be directly on, directly coupled to or directly connected to the other element, or intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when an element is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly coupled to,” or “directly connected to” another element, there are no intervening elements present.
The terminology used in the description of the inventive concept herein is for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and is not intended to be limiting of the inventive concept. As used in the description of the inventive concept and the appended claims, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the” are intended to include the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will also be understood that the term “and/or” as used herein refers to and encompasses any and all possible combinations of one or more of the associated listed items. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises” and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and/or groups thereof.
Unless otherwise indicated, all numbers herein used to express quantities, dimensions, and so forth, should be understood as being modified in all instances by the term “about.” In this application, the use of the singular includes the plural unless specifically stated otherwise. Moreover, the use of the term “including,” as well as other forms, such as “includes” and “included,” should be considered non-exclusive. Also, terms such as “element” or “component” encompass both elements and components comprising one unit and elements and components that comprise more than one unit, unless specifically stated otherwise.
As used herein, the term “marker” refers to any of a pen-like style of marker whether it be of a fluid dispensing style, a gel or hard frictionally transferable media such as graphite, wax, soapstone or similar material. The term a “marker” is the same as a “marker pen.”
As used herein the term “cap” refers to the sealing cap for the marker that attaches to the marker body.
As used herein the term “marker body” is the same as “marker barrel”, “barrel” or “body.”
The present invention relates to a novel design for a locking marker cap that can be incorporated by fabrication onto new markers, or can be retrofit onto existing markers.
The present locking cap is presented in two embodiments, each utilizing a locking cap and a lock ring that can be integrated by fabrication onto new markers, or can be retrofit onto existing markers so as to mechanically engage and create a lockable marker. This will prevent unintended markings as well as preventing the fluid dispensing tip from prematurely drying out. The overarching concept of both embodiments is the same however, they differ in their mechanical locks.
Looking at
The first embodiment removeable lock ring 12 of
The first embodiment lock ring 12 is a circular ring with an exterior thread 16 formed thereon. Preferably, it is made of a polymer with a durometer flexible enough to expand slightly to firmly frictionally fit the nose cone 8 and having a “grippy” (non-glossy or slippery) surface finish. As can be seen in
The first embodiment locking cap 14 consists of an inner cap 20 and an outer cap 22. Each of these caps 20 and 22 are configured as round cylindrical domes however, the inner cap 20 is shorter in length and smaller in diameter than the outer cap 22. This disparity in their dimensional configurations allows the inner cap 20 to reside and float longitudinally within the volume 24 of the outer cap 22. There is a retention means 26 formed at the distal end of the outer cap 22 that faces inward (toward the center line of the cap 14) and extends beyond the inner cap 20. This is a physical barrier such as a ring or inward facing protrusion that constrains the inner cap 20 within the outer cap 22. The inner cap 20 has an internal thread 18 formed about its distal interior end that is threadingly engageable with the external thread 16 on the lock ring 12.
At the outer proximal end 26 of the inner cap 20 there is a first portion cap lock engagement means 28 that matingly meshes with a second portion cap lock engagement means 30 formed on the inner proximal end 32 of the outer cap 22. These two portions of cap lock engagement means 28 and 30, are separated by a gap 29 when the inner cap 20 is in contact with the retention means 26 of the outer cap 22. When the locking cap 14 is threaded to the lock ring 12 and the outer cap 22 is depressed toward the distal end of the marker 2, the inner cap 20 moves longitudinally in the outer cap 22 such that the gap is closed and the two portions of the cap engagement means 28 and 30 engage. Once the cap lock engagement means portions are engaged, the outer cap 22 will rotate with the inner cap 20 when twisted, and the locking cap 14 will thread on/off of the lock ring 12, opening the marker for use. The two portions of the cap lock engagement means 28 and 30 preferably are physically mating teeth or bevel/miter/internal gears, although there are numerous equivalent mechanical engagement equivalents.
As can be seen in
In operation, the lock ring 12 is affixed onto the distal end of the nose cone 8 of the marker 2 and the locking cap 14 is placed onto the marker 2 until the distal end of the inner cap 20 contacts the lock ring 12. The outer cap 20 is depressed toward the distal end of the marker 2 such that the first and second portion of the cap lock engagement means 28 and 30 engage and the cap 14 can be twisted clockwise onto the lock ring 12 such that internal thread 16 and external thread 18 mate and the locking cap 14 can be twistingly secured to the nose cone/barrel of the marker 2. The cap is now safely secured to the marker from inadvertent removal or a toddler's unwarranted removal. Removal of the first embodiment locking cap 14 can only be accomplished by again depressing the outer cap 22 to the point of engagement with the first and second portions engagement means 28 and 30 and twisting the first embodiment cap 14 in a counter-clockwise direction. The engagement of these threads 16 and 18 seals the tip 6 from excess marking fluid evaporation.
The second embodiment removeable lock ring 40 of
It is to be noted that while the preferred embodiment uses a removeable flexible lock ring, this lock ring can also be fabricated directly onto the nose cone of the marker. This version would look identical to that of
Looking at
The second embodiment locking cap 42 has at least one slot 46 (second portion lock engagement means) formed through its side wall adjacent the distal end 48. These slots 46 are sized to accept the passage of the flexible tabs 43 therethrough. This lockingly engages the second embodiment locking cap 42 to the second embodiment lock ring 44. The inner diameter A of the second embodiment locking cap 42 is the same as the outer diameter B of the second embodiment lock ring 44. This enables an airtight seal when the cap 42 is in place to prevent the tip 6 from drying out. When the second embodiment locking cap 42 is slid over the marker 2, its inner surface contacts the tab 43 and flexes it inward slightly until the slot 46 reaches the tab 43 and the tab expands (flexes outward) under its spring pressure to occupy the slot 46. The second embodiment locking cap 42 is now locked onto the second embodiment lock ring 44 and the marker 2. To remove the second embodiment locking cap 42, the tab 43 is depressed such that it clears the slot 46 and the second embodiment locking cap 42 is lifted off. The lock engagement means on the second embodiment locking cap is comprised of the tab 43 and slot 46. In the preferred embodiment there are at least two tabs 43 on the locking ring.
While certain features and aspects have been described with respect to exemplary embodiments, one skilled in the art will recognize that numerous modifications are possible. Moreover, while the procedures of the methods and processes for building, assembling and using the locking cap assemblies described herein are described in a particular order for ease of description, unless the context dictates otherwise, various procedures may be reordered, added, and/or omitted in accordance with various embodiments. Consequently, although two exemplary embodiments are described above, it will be appreciated that the invention is intended to cover all modifications and equivalents within the scope of the following claims.
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| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| WO-2011054028 | May 2011 | WO |
