Writing instrument with adjustable shaft

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6341911
  • Patent Number
    6,341,911
  • Date Filed
    Thursday, June 7, 2001
    23 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, January 29, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Inventors
  • Examiners
    • Walczak; David J.
    Agents
    • Jacobson Holman, PLLC
Abstract
A writing instrument with an adjustable shaft comprising a barrel, a grip and a head connected by threaded head to form a pen shaft, along with a switch for retrieving or retracting the pen point of the cartridge by clicking or turning a button, and a soft rubber gripping section covering the grip. A driver is installed under the switch inside the barrel, and a few support rods are put inside of the grip. When holders click the button to press the switch, the driver, in turn, pushes the top of the support rods, making the support rods prop the soft rubber gripping section into the shape of an ergonomic arch. When the button is clicked again, the shaft returns to the original shape of a cylinder.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




I. Field of the Invention




This invention relates generally to a writing instrument with an adjustable shaft and, more specifically, to a writing instrument with a shaft that is originally in the shape of a cylinder and can be molded into an ergonomic shape when the pen point is retrieved for writing, providing a comfortable writing experience.




II. Description of the Prior Art




Heretofore, it is known to construct a writing instrument in the shape of a straight tube and made of hard plastic or metals. A writing instrument of such construction is not ergonomically designed and tends to generate uncomfortable feelings, especially when holders write for a relatively long period of time.




It is also known to construct a writing instrument of which the shape of the shaft is designed ergonomically. Nonetheless, the look of an ergonomically designed writing instrument may not be desirable to consumers.




The present invention improves on the heretofore known writing instrument by providing a pen shaft with variable shapes that offers extended writing comfort as well as stylish pen design.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




It is therefore a primary object of the invention to provide a writing instrument having an ergonomically designed shaft with a graceful look. The shaft of the present invention is composed of a barrel, a grip and a head, fitted together by the threaded head. A switch that retrieves and retracts the pen point of the cartridge is installed in the barrel and is connected to a driver. The grip is covered with a soft rubber gripping section.




A few long and narrow holes are located at equal intervals inside the grip close to the threaded head. Near the lower end of the holes are ditches. Vertically positioned support rods are accommodated in the ditches outside the grip. The bottom of the support rods goes into the ditches, and the top of the support rods goes upwards through the holes and sticks out slightly into the threaded head reaching the driver.




As holders click or turn the button for the first time, the switch pushes the cartridge and the driver downwards, and in turn the driver pushes the support rods downwards, making the support rods bend and prop the soft rubber gripping section into the shape of an arch. To undo the action, holders click or turn the button again so that all the components go back to their original positions, and the shaft returns to the shape of a cylinder.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS




An embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:





FIG. 1

is a sectional view of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a partial elevational view of a pen according to the present invention;





FIG. 3

shows one application of the present invention;





FIG. 4

is a lateral view of the present invention;





FIG. 5

is an enlarged view of the present invention.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT




Referring to FIG.


1


and

FIG. 5

, the present invention comprises a barrel


10


, a grip


20


, a head


30


, a cartridge


60


, a button


40


, a switch


41


, a driver


50


, and a soft rubber gripping section


80


.




The barrel


10


, the grip


20


and the head


30


are connected together by threaded heads


11


,


21


to form a pen shaft. The cartridge


60


is put inside the shaft, and the pen point of the cartridge


60


is capped with a spring. The grip


20


is covered with a soft rubber gripping section


80


, and the driver


50


is put below the switch


41


in the barrel


10


.




The switch


41


is installed within the barrel


10


near the end of the cartridge


60


, and the button


40


is set on the top of the switch


41


. When the button


40


is clicked or turned, the switch


41


pushes to retrieve or retract the pen point of the cartridge


60


from the shaft.




Refer to FIG.


2


and

FIG. 5

, a few long and narrow holes


22


are disposed at equal intervals inside the grip


20


close to the threaded head


11


,


21


. Near the lower end of the holes


22


and outside the grip


20


, there are corresponding ditches


23


. A few support rods


70


are positioned vertically in ditches


23


outside the grip


20


, wherein, their lower ends protrude the ditches


23


, and reach the head


30


. The top of the support rods


70


goes through the holes


22


and sticks out slightly into the threaded head


21


under the driver


50


.




As can be seen in FIG.


1


and

FIG. 3

, as holders click or turn the button


40


, the switch


41


pushes the cartridge


60


and the driver


50


. In turn, the pen point of the cartridge


60


sticks out of the shaft, and the driver


50


pushes the support rods


70


, making the support rods


70


bend and prop the soft rubber gripping section


80


to form three ergonomic arches. When the button


40


is clicked or turned again, all the components go back to their original positions, and the shape of the shaft is molded back into a cylinder.




The present invention has the advantages of providing an adjustable profile of the pen shaft. When in use, the shaft is molded into an ergonomic shape when in use and returns to the shape of a cylinder when the pen point of the cartridge is retracted.




While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described in detail, it will be readily understood and appreciated that numerous omissions, changes and additions may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.



Claims
  • 1. A writing instrument with an adjustable shaft comprisinga barrel, a grip and a head connected by threaded heads to form a pen shaft, along with a switch having a button thereof for retrieving or retracting a cartridge, and a soft rubber gripping section covering said grip, wherein a driver is installed under said switch inside said barrel; a plurality of long and narrow holes are disposed at equal intervals inside said grip, close to said threaded head while a plurality of corresponding ditches are on the lower end of said long and narrow holes; a plurality of support rods are positioned vertically in said ditches outside said grip, wherein, their lower ends protrude said ditches, then reach said head while the top of said support rods goes through said long and narrow holes and sticks out slightly into the threaded head under said driver; by clicking or rotating said button of said switch, said driver, in turn, pushes the top of said support rods, making said support rods prop said soft rubber gripping section into the shape of an ergonomic arch; by contrast, when clicking said button again, said shaft returns to the original shape of a cylinder.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number Name Date Kind
6146038 Mittersinker et al. Nov 2000 A
6158910 Jolly et al. Dec 2000 A