WO1980000819A1

WO1980000819A1 - Pen with an improved ink injection system

Info

Publication number: WO1980000819A1
Application number: PCT/NL1979/000004
Authority: WO
Inventors: E Bok
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1978-10-12
Filing date: 1979-10-09
Publication date: 1980-05-01
Anticipated expiration: 1981-04-12
Also published as: NL7810290A; EP0020485A1

Abstract

Pen with an improved ink injection system, consisting of a first ink reservoir (16) an ink injection tube (22) connected therewith, a pen tip (20) of which the capillary ink supply system (24) extends upwardly for at least part there of in this tube, a second ink reservoir (34-36), which via an opening (42) in the tube is connected with the interior of this tube and with its upper end is connected with the ventilation opening (62) of the pen. In this second ink reservoir (34-36) the overflow ink, which is urged therein, is capillary contained to such extent, that above a certain volume of such overflow ink near the tip an ink lock is established, which prevents venting air to flow to the first reservoir and during pen use also ink can be withdrawn from this second reservoir.

Description

Pen with an improved ink injection system

In the Dutch Patent Application No. 7 800354 of the applicant pens are disclosed, whereby the capillary ink passage of the pen tip is connected with the capillary buffer channels of a contained-ink reservoir. Thereby in particular with the stylographic pens the follouing disadvantages arise:

1. The wire weight fills the extremely favourable central lower section of the nib over approximately 7 mm with only on top thereof the actual ink buffer unit with its structure for the establishing of an ink lock. Consequently, the total height of the high capillary ink buffer channels of the contained ink reservoir amounts at least approximately 13 mm.

The capillary ink buffer channels are for the greater part thereof contained in the ink buffer unit, of which also the wire weight is part of. Consequently, the ink, contained in these channels, is simultaneously displaced during the sometimes required up and down shaking of the pen.

In its lowest position the ink buffer unit "sticks" to the bottom of the nib and creates a negative pressure in the established opening underneath, if it is displaced upwardly. With a height of 1-1.5 mm of this opening, such ink has to be withdrwawn from the adjacent ink buffer channels. In that way often a hefty shaking of the pen is required to enable this unit to displace. During the shaking of the pen this unit is repeatedly urged to its top position, whereby the ink, which is contained therein, cannot be held by the ink buffer channels to such extent, that this ink remains in the same position. As a result, too easy a release of such ink from these channels takes place, which ink is expelled into the ventilation section of the pen on top of the nib. 2. The great, required length of the ink buffer unit makes also, that in the upside-down carrying position of the pen all ink sinks to the upper section thereof and whereby as a result the to a lower degree bonded ink by means of the shaking of the pen during such carrying thereof can sink along the inner wall of the nib, with also the expul sion thereof into the ventilation section on top of this ink buffer unit.

It is not allowed, that the under 1 and 2 described leakages of ink take place repeatedly, because with a to a certain extent filling up of the ventilation section the venting of the pen interior is blocked by such leak-ink.

Due to the resultant temporary creation of an over pressure, ink leakage via the tip occurs and ink can also leak away via the ventilation opening of thepan.

Furthermore, the height of the ink column in the ink buffer unit is such , that even under normal conditions during pen use the flow of ink via the tip becomes excessive. In particular such is noticeable with a large diameter of such tip.

Furthermore, with a new stylographic pen and a cleaned pen of that type the start of the ink flow via the tip is only possible after a series of shakings of the pen. Such because at first the ink buffer unit has to be supplied with a quantity of buffer ink. This is a disadvantage, because with the existing stylographic pens such start takes place very fast.

A number of these drawbacks also apply for such type of pens, which are provided with other tips.

With the pen according to the invention it is aimed to abolish these drawbacks and this pen is mainly characterized such, that a part of the ink transport system of the tip is located in the ink injection tuba or even extends into the exchangeable free-ink cartridge.

With stylographic pens such part is the wire weight and possibly the wire mounting. The in this tube moving up and down of the wire weight takes place easily because of:

1. the low viscosity ink in this tube; and

2. the limited contact surface of the weight with its surroundings.

Furthermore, the capillary ink buffer channels, located in the nib, can contain ink without a leaking away therefrom during even a heftiest shaking of the pen because during such shaking these channels are not stopped abruptly.

Also the length of such high capillary ink buffer channels nearest to the tip is very small and consequently an unallowable "sinking" of the ink out of these channels is prevented. In that way an ink leakage via the ventilation system on top of the nib is practically impossible.

Furthermore, the start of the ink flow via the tip takes already place after a few up and down shakings of the pen. Additional improvements and particularities of the new pen type follow from the description of the following Figures:

Figure 1 is a side view of the main components of the stylographic pen type according to the invention, Figure 2 is a longitudinal section of the lower part of the pen according to Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section over the line 3-3 of the pen according to Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a cross section over the line 4-4 of the pen according to Figure 2. Figure 5 is a side view of part of the ink buffer unit, which is located in the pen according to Figure 2.

Figure 5 is a longitudinal section of the lower end of the pen according to the invention and provided with a fibrous tip. Figure 7 is a cross section over the line 7-7 of the pen according to Figure 6.

Figure 8 shows a lower end of the pen accoding to Figure 6, provided with a ball tip.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal view of the lower section of the pen according to the invention, which is provided with a metal tip and a therein located central ink transport slot.

Figure 10 is a cross section over the line 10-10 of the pen according to Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a cross section over the line 11-11 of the pen according to Figure 9.

In Figure 1 the pen 10 is shown in separate components. Thereby this pen mainly consists of pen holder 12, nib 14 secured thereto, ink cartridge 16 secured to this nib and containing free ink and the protective cap 18, The pen nib 14, see also Figure 2, contains also the tip 20 and the ink injection tube 22. In this tube the movable weight 24 with cleaning wire 26 is locked up by means of top 28, Thereby the cleaning wire 26 can move up and downward in the ink passage 30 of the tip.

The outside of the ink injection tube 22 is provided with an ink buffer unit 32, containing a great number of capillary ink buffer channels 34. By means of this ink buffer unit 32 the ink injection tube 22 is press fitted in the nib 14, creating the ring shaped capillary channel 36 and therewith the buffer channels 34 are connected with each other, see also Figure 4.

These channels 34 and 36 are in capillary connection with the centrally positioned opening 42 in the lower section 38 and such via the capillary channels 40, located in thds lower section 38 of the ink injection tube.

The wire weight 24 is shown in its lowest position, whereby its bottom 44 rests on the seat 46 of this tuba 22, therefore creating a complete or almost complete seal for the ink.

In the upside-down position of the pen, the top 48 of this wire weight rests on the seat 50 of the top 28, thus creating a total or almost total seal of the passage 52.

A position of the wire weight other than at either stop is almost impossible, because only an indirect force can be applied to it and thus, during shakings of the pen, this weight is moved from one end position to the other.

The width of the ink buffer channels 34 decreasesin the direction of the tip (see also Figure 5), with the preferred storage of ink 54 in the lower section of the ink buffer unit 32 by means of capillary action.

Furthermore, these channels 34 have a slightly inclined postion so that even during hefty shakings of the pen the ink 54 cannot be expelled via these channels.

The vent compartment 56 is located at the top of the nib 14 above the ink buffer unit 32.

The leak-ink collector which, as part of the ink cartridge, acts as a safeguard against expulsion of ink, consists of a multitude of capillary ink collecting channels 58, whereby droplets of ink are collected, which are expelled from the ink buffer channels 34 and 36 via compartment 56. Furthermore, the ink cartridge is provided with the somewhat wider vent channels 60, see also Figure 3. However, such ink leakage does not normally take place and in that way this leak-ink collector in fact is only a safety.

Consequently, no ink can enter the vent channels 62, which are located in the sidewall 64 of the nib, see also Figure 3.

Thus, the free access for ventilation air to the lower end of the nib remains guaranteed and the sealing-off system of the pen by means of the seals 66, 68 and 70 of the pen holder 12 and cap 18 remains free of ink and a continuous correct functioning of the seal-off system for the pen by means of this protective cap is ensured. The ink cartridge 16 is provided with a tampon section 72, which contains vaporizable ink thinner. Consequently, the compartment 76 of the pen holder is filled with vapour, which as a vapour lock is located between the outer air and the interior of the nib. Because in that way the ink in the ink buffer channels 34 and 36 cannot dry out and this ink is in circulation with the mixing of new ink with the ink, already present, a periodic cleaning of the interior of the nib is practically not required and such has only to take place if due to contaminations the discharge of ink via the tip 20 becomes irregular. The function of the pen is as follows:

With a new, opened pen already after some up and down shakings of the pen the discharge of ink from the ink cartridge 16 via the ink injection tube 22 to the tip passage 30 takes place. The air, located in this tube, has ascended for the greater part thereof to the ink cartridge as substitute for the discharged ink.

Thereafter, due to for instance the holding of the pen by hand, a heating of the ink cartridge 16 takes place with some ink additionally discharged from the ink cartridge, which ink via the "ink lock" channels 40 enters the buffer channels 34 and 36 under the simultaneously establishing of an ink lock in these channels. As a result, no longer venting air can enter the ink injection tube and thus a control of the ink in the pen has been achieved.

In the lay-down position of the pen the buffer unit 32 is filled up with additional ink, which ink in that case is supplied via the ink injection tube and the "ink lock" channels 40. Such is possible, because in this position venting air can ascend via these ink filled channels 40.

However, this flow of air is practically impossible, because in the two most common end positions of the wire weight with the accompanying seal-off function the passage for air via this tube to the ink cartridge is sealed off.

If still a mid position of the wire weight is obtained, only approx. 30% of the buffer unit 32 can be filled with ink, whereby most of this ink is gathered in the lower section thereof. In that case in all channels 40 an ink lock is established, If in this pen position, whereby the pen can be open, an extreme warming up of the pen takes place, as for instance by means of solar heat, ink 54 is urged from the ink cartridge 16 into the channels 34 and 36. As a result, these channels become ink filled for approx. 50%, whereby this ink is mainly contained in the lower section of these channels. Because thereafter, to start the ink flow via the tip, the pen might be shaken up and down, and such without the expulsion of ink from these buffer channels, still a complete control of the ink in the pen is maintained. In opposite carry-position of the pen the interior thereof is sealed off by means of the protective cap 18, whereby the wire weight 22 takes also care of an additional sealing off of the ink injection tube. Consequently, in this position no further filling up with ink of the buffer channels 34 and 36 takes place. Furthermore, due to the high capillarity of the lower buffer section the ink in these channels remain contained in this lower section.

Thus, no ink can be expelled from these channels to the compartment 56 and a complete control of the ink in the pen is guaranteed.

In Figure 6 the central part of the pen 10' is shown in a longitudinal view. This pen consists of nib 14' with the therein located exchangeable fibrous-tip unit 80 as pen tip.

This fibrous tip is provided with a leak-free enclosure 82 with only the upper section 84 of the capillary channels thereof free to absorb ink from the upper section of the ink injection tube 22'. Here also, a perfect ink control is guaranteed, whereby at the entrance 84 of the fibrous tip 80 no or almost no positive pressure on the ink column exists. Such because with a temporary positive pressure in the ink cartridge 16' immediately via the passage 86 of the tube ink 54' is urged into the ink buffer channels 34', see also Figure 7. In Figure 8 the tip 80' is additiiϋally provided with a ball 88 as ink transport means. Thereby the hollow fibrous ink transport element provides a correct discharge of ink in downward direction, which ink eventually enters the top of the ball.

In Figure 9 the pen 10" is shown, which pen is provided with a metal tip 20" and a central ink discharge slot 90, see also Figure 11.

The ink supply element 92 for this tip is with its lower end secured in the pen nib 14" and extends in upward direction into the ink injection tube 22". This element 92 is provided with a capillary ink groove 94, through which the ink 54" is transported from the upper end 96 of the ink injection tube 22" to the ink passage 90 of the tip.

By means of the established negative pressure in the ink cartridge 16" this cartridge is able to suck in ventilation air via the "inklock" channel 40" and the ventilation channel 98, located in this ink supply element.

Naturally, such supply of air can only take place if the "ink lock" channel 40" allows such.

The channel 98 is positioned centrally in the nib, see also Figure 10. Consequently, in any lay-down position of the pen a restricted filling up with ink 54" of the ink buffer channels 34" already creates an ink lock in the ink locl channel 40".

Within the scope of the invention variations in the structure of the pen types are possible.

Claims

C L A l M S

1. Pen, comprising in combination: a pen holder, a nib with chamber and tip secured to said pen holder, said tip in capillary connection with an ink injection tube, secured to said nib, an ink cartridge, located in said pen holder and secured to said ink injection tube, a vent system, extending downwardly in said nib towards near the lower end of said nib chamber, a capillary ink buffer unit located in said vent system and in capillary connection with the lower end of said ink injection tube, and a protective cap for said pen, wherein at least part of the ink supply system of said tip extends upwardly into said ink injection tube.

2. Pen according to Claim 1 , wherein said tip is of the stylographic type and includes a cleaning wire, located in the ink passage thereof and wherein said cleaning wire extends into the passage of said ink injection tube.

3. Pen according to Claim 2, wherein said wire is secured to a wire weight, said wire weight for at least part thereof in both lateral and longitudinal direction is displaceable in said tube passage.

4. Pen according to Claim 3, wherein the dimensions of said wire weight and said tube passage in lateral direction are such, that in between a capillary ink transportchannel and a to a lower degree capillary vent channel section are located,

5. Pen according to Claim 4, wherein furthermore the structure of said weight and ink injection tube is such, that in the lowest position thereof said weight rests upon a bottom section of said tube and in said bottom section a centrally positioned passage is located, through which said cleaning wire is fed.

6. Pen according to Claim 5, wherein the dimensions of said passage in lateral and longitudinal direction of said ink injection tube are limited to such extent, that transport of ink is possible via capillary action.

7, Pen according to Claim 5, wherein said bottom section, containing said passage, is conical in upward direction.

8. Pen according to Claim 7, wherein between the lower end of said injection tube and the bottom of said nib at least one capillary channel is positioned.

9. Pen according to Claim 8, wherein in the lower end of the bottom section of said injection tube at least one capillary recess is located.

10. Pen according to Claim 8, wherein furthermore the structure of said stylographic pen is such, that as in the lowest position of said wire the lower end of said wire extends from said tip over a small distance, said lowest position is obtained by means of the resting of the lower end of said wire weight on the bottom section of said injection tube.

11. Pen according, to Claim 8, wherein in the bottom of said nib underneath the capillary passage of said injection tube such a conical guide wall is located, that during the moving of said wire weight with wire the lower end of said wire is guided along this conical wall towards the ink passage of said tip.

12. Pen according to Claim 5, wherein in the upper section of said injection tube a removable cap is positioned, containing a centrally positioned passage, said cap limiting the displacement of said wire weight in upward direction.

13. Pen according to one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said ink buffer unit of said vent system contains a great number of capillary ink buffer channels, extending in upward direction from the lower end of said unit.

14. Pen according to Claim 13, wherein said channels have a slightly inclined position with regard to the axis of said pen.

15. Pen according to Claim 13, wherein said channels are in capillary connection with each other.

16. Pen according to Claim 15, wherein said ink buffer unit is part of said injection tube.

17. Pen according to Claim 15, wherein said capillary ink buffer channels increase in size in upward direction.

18. Pen according to Claim 17, wherein the total ink buffer capacity of said capillary ink buffer channels amounts at least 80 mm3.

19. Pen according to one of the foregoing Claims, wherβin in said nib on top of said ink buffer unit a free compartment is positioned with a height of minimal 2 mm.

20. Pen according to Claim 19, wherein, as on said injection tube said ink cartridge can be slided, said nib extends that far in upward direction, that also a lower section of said cartridge is securable in said nib.

21. Ink cartridge, to be contained in said pen according to Claim 20, wherein said cartridge contains at its lower end a mounting section, wherein a great number of capillary channels for collecting leak-ink are positioned, which channels extend in upward direction of said ink cartridge and wherein the outside of said lower section is securabla in the upper section of said nib.

22. Pen according to Claim 2, wherein the interior of said nib via at least one vent channel, located in the connection between nib and pen holder, is connected with the space outside this combination.

23. Pen according to onelof the. foregoing Claims, wherein said tip is a fibrous ink conductor, extending over some distance in upward direction into said injection tube.

24. Pen according to Claim 23, wherein said ink conductor is provided with a leak free enclosure, extending upwardly towards near the top of said conductor.

25. Pen as in Claim 24, wherein the size of said fibrous conductor and said injection tube are such, that in between both elements a capillary ink transport channel as well as a capillary vent channel are present.

26. Pen according to Claim 25, wherein the lower end of said injection tube via at least one capillary channel is connected with an ink buffer unit, positioned around said tube a containing a great number of capillary ink buffer channels, said channels being in capillary connection with each other.

27. Pen according to Claim 26, wherein in the lower end of said nib a revolving ball is positioned, to which said fibrous conductor is capillary connected.

28. Pen according to one of the foregoing Claims, wherein said tip is a metal tip, of which a central ink transport sleeve is in capillary connection with an ink transport element, positioned in said injection tube.

29. Pen as in Claim 28, wherein said ink transport element is enclosed in said tube and contains a capillary ink transport channel, which capillary connects the upper section of said injection tube with said capillary sleeve in said tip and also contains a capillary vent channel, capillary connecting said upper section with the capillary channel, connecting said injection tube with said capillary ink buffer section of said vent system.

30. Pen according to Claim 29, wherein said vent channel of said ink transport element is centrally located in said nib.

31. Cartridge according to Claim 21 , wherein said cartridge also contains a tampon section, containing vaporizable thinner.