Method and apparatus for making NIBS and ink reservoirs for writing and marking instruments and the resultant products

• US 20030194260A1
• Filed: 03/19/2003
• Published: 10/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 04/10/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Porex Technologies Corporation
• Original Assignee: Filtrona Richmond, Inc. (Essentra Plc)
• Inventors: Ward, Bennett C., Payne, Jackie F. Jr., Nelson, Donald F., Long, Robert D., Nelson, Raymond J., Yancey, E. Vaughan
• Granted Patent: US 6,840,692 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/199
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/02 with writing-points comprising fibres, felt, or similar porous or capillary material B43K8/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/08 Wick separate from writing-points
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/12 with at least one polyamide as constituent
• CPC Class Codes: D01F 8/14 with at least one polyester as constituent
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/2933 Coated or with bond, impregnation or core

Abstract

Melt blown bicomponent fibers comprising a sheath of polyethylene terephthalate or a copolymer thereof and a core of nylon 6,6 and a reservoir or a nib in a writing or marking instrument comprising a porous element formed from such fibers bonded to each other at spaced points of contact. For use as a nib the core polymer may also be polybutylene terephthalate.

Claims

1. A sheath/core bicomponent fiber comprising a sheath of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers of polyethylene terephthalate and a core of nylon 6,6.

2. The bicomponent fiber of claim 1, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

3. A wicking device comprising a relatively self-sustaining fibrous element formed of a multiplicity of fibers bonded to each at spaced points of contact to define a porous matrix, said fibers being melt blown bicomponent sheath/core fibers comprising a sheath of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers of polyethylene terephthalate and a core of nylon 6,6.

4. The wicking device of claim 3, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

5. A writing or marking instrument comprising a wicking device according to claim 3.

6. The writing or marking instrument of claim 5, comprising a barrel containing a reservoir for holding and controllably releasing a quantity of ink and a nib for transferring ink from said reservoir to a writing surface, and said nib comprises said wicking device.

7. The writing or marking instrument of claim 6, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

8. A fiber point pen according to claim 6, comprising a fiber point nib, wherein said fiber point nib comprises said wicking device.

9. A fiber point pen according to claim 8, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

10. A felt tip marking device according to claim 6, comprising a felt tip nib, wherein said felt tip nib comprises said wicking device.

11. A felt tip marking device according to claim 10, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

12. A roller ball pen according to claim 5, comprising a barrel containing a reservoir for holding and controllably releasing a quantity of ink, a roller ball tip including a roller ball at its terminus and a roller ball wick extending therefrom into contact with said reservoir, said roller ball wick comprising said wicking device.

13. A roller ball pen according to claim 12, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

14. The writing or marking instrument of claim 5, comprising a barrel containing a reservoir for holding and controllably releasing a quantity of ink and a nib for transferring ink from said reservoir to a writing surface, said reservoir comprises said wicking device.

15. The writing or marking instrument of claim 14, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

16. The writing or marking instrument of claim 5, comprising a barrel containing a reservoir for holding and controllably releasing a quantity of ink and a nib for transferring ink from said reservoir to a writing surface, and wherein said reservoir and said nib each comprise one of said wicking devices.

17. The writing or marking instrument of claim 16, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

18. A writing or marking instrument comprising a barrel containing a reservoir for holding and controllably releasing a quantity of ink and a nib for transferring ink from said reservoir to a writing surface, said nib comprising a relatively self-sustaining fibrous element formed of a multiplicity of fibers bonded to each other at spaced points of contact to define a porous element, said fibers being melt blown bicomponent sheath/core fibers comprising a sheath of a polymer selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate and copolymers of polyethylene terephthalate and said core comprising a polymer selected from the group consisting of nylon 6,6 and polybutylene terephthalate.

19. The writing or marking instrument of claim 18, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate.

20. The writing or marking instrument of claim 18, wherein the polymer of said core is nylon 6,6.

21. The writing or marking instrument of claim 18, wherein the polymer of said core is polybutylene terephthalate.

22. The writing or marking instrument of claim 18, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate and the polymer of said core is nylon 6,6.

23. The writing or marking instrument of claim 18, wherein the polymer of said sheath is polyethylene terephthalate and the polymer of said core is polybutylene terephthalate.