Collector type writing instrument

• US 20030072600A1
• Filed: 06/14/2002
• Published: 04/17/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 12/16/1999
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Furukawa, Kazuhiko, Sano, Yojiro
• Granted Patent: US 6,588,963 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/224
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 5/005 Pen barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 5/18 Arrangements for feeding the ink to the nibs
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 7/005 Pen barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 7/08 Preventing leakage
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/003 Pen barrels
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/04 Arrangements for feeding ink to writing-points
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/14 with coreless tubular writing-points
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/18 Arrangements for feeding the ink to the writing-points
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/36 Hydrogen production from non-carbon containing sources, e.g. by water electrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/133 Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight

Abstract

The present invention provides a collector type writing instrument including: a collector for temporarily storing ink therein upon a change in inter pressure, a sectioning portion for substantially separating its ink tank for storing ink, and a snorkel having a vent portion for establishing air communication between the front and rear spaces divided by the sectioning portion or an ink absorber for reducing the inner tank volume, wherein the snorkel or the cladding of the ink absorber is molded of the same material as the collector or the ink tank is or is subjected to the same wettability reforming treatment as the collector or the ink tank is.

Claims

1. (amended) A collector type writing instrument including:

a point assembly with a writing point at a tip thereof, an ink tank for storing a low viscosity ink in a free-state ink condition, an ink feeder portion extended from the ink tank to the point assembly, and a collector disposed between the ink tank and the point assembly as an adjuster element for storing ink within a plurality of grooves when an inner pressure is adjusted,

the writing instrument characterized in that;

the ink tank is formed therein with a snorkel having, integrally or as a separate part, a sectioning portion for substantially separating the ink tank without an ink conduit into a front tank and a rear tank, and a vent portion for establishing air communication between the front and rear spaces divided by the sectioning portion,

the ink conduit is sized so as to be more unlikely to pass air than the vent portion does, and is formed in the sectioning portion, an inner wall of the ink tank, or both of the sectioning portion and the inner wall of the ink tank,

the vent portion of the snorkel allows an air bubble to pass through, and has a front opening arranged at a rear end side of the collector and a rear opening arranged at a approximate center of, or at a position more rearward than, the ink tank, and

the snorkel is molded of the same material as the collector is or is subjected to the same surface reforming treatment as the collector is, so that the snorkel is equivalent in wettability to the collector.

3. (amended) The collector type writing instrument according to claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

an ink absorber which is disposed inside the ink tank and is capable of holding ink and connects with a center core or a collector core which leads ink from the ink tank to the point assembly,

wherein the ink absorber has an unabsorbent cladding and is configured so that its length at least reaches to a position more rearward than the approximate center of the ink tank and so as to be able to absorb ink through front and rear openings, and, the cladding of the ink absorber is molded of the same material as the snorkel or the ink tank is or is subjected to a surface treatment as the snorkel or the ink tank is, so that the cladding of the ink absorber is equivalent in wettability to the snorkel or the ink tank.

2. (amended) A collector type writing instrument including:

a point assembly with a writing point at a tip thereof, an ink tank for storing a low viscosity ink in a free-state ink condition, an ink feeder portion extended from the ink tank to the point assembly, and a collector disposed between the ink tank and the point assembly as an adjuster element for storing ink within a plurality of grooves when an inner pressure is adjusted,

the writing instrument characterized in that;

the ink tank is formed therein with a snorkel having, integrally or as a separate part, a sectioning portion for substantially separating the ink tank without an ink conduit into a front tank and a rear tank, and a vent portion for establishing air communication between the front and rear spaces divided by the sectioning portion,

the ink conduit is sized so as to be more unlikely to pass air than the vent portion does, and is formed in the sectioning portion, an inner wall of the ink tank, or both of the sectioning portion and the inner wall of the ink tank,

the vent portion of the snorkel allows an air bubble to pass through, and has a front opening arranged at a rear end side of the collector and a rear opening arranged at a approximate center of, or at a position more rearward than, the ink tank, and

the snorkel is molded of the same material as the ink tank or is subjected to a surface reforming treatment as the ink tank is, so that the snorkel is equivalent in wettability to the ink tank.