Seal Assembly For Retractable Instrument
First Claim
1. A closure assembly for a retractable instrument having an applicator element, the closure assembly comprising:
- at least two fingers; and
a movable sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers;
wherein, when the retractable instrument is in a retracted position, the movable sleeve constrains the fingers such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the applicator element, and protraction of the movable sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the applicator element to be exposed.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A closure assembly for a retractable instrument having an applicator element comprises at least two fingers and a sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers. When the retractable instrument is in a retracted position, the sleeve constrains the fingers such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the applicator element. Protraction of the sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the fingers to open, thereby exposing the applicator element. Thus, the closure assembly opens to expose an applicator element such that the applicator element is in an application position.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A closure assembly for a retractable instrument having an applicator element, the closure assembly comprising:
-
at least two fingers; and a movable sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers; wherein, when the retractable instrument is in a retracted position, the movable sleeve constrains the fingers such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the applicator element, and protraction of the movable sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the applicator element to be exposed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A retractable writing instrument comprising:
-
a body and a nose disposed at a first end of the body; an internal writing assembly disposed within the body and including a nib; and a closure assembly coupled to the internal writing assembly, the closure assembly comprising at least two fingers and a movable sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers; wherein, when the retractable writing instrument is in a retracted position, the movable sleeve constrains the fingers, such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the nib, and protraction of the movable sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the fingers to open, thereby exposing the nib. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
-
-
18. A retractable instrument comprising:
-
a body and a nose disposed at a first end of the body; an internal assembly disposed within the body and including an applicator element; and a closure assembly coupled to the internal assembly, the closure assembly comprising at least two fingers and a movable sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers; wherein, when the retractable instrument is in a retracted position, the movable sleeve constrains the fingers such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the applicator element, and protraction of the movable sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the fingers to open, thereby exposing the applicator element.
-
-
19. A closure assembly for a retractable instrument having an applicator element, the closure assembly comprising:
-
at least two fingers; and a sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers; wherein, when the retractable instrument is in a retracted position, the sleeve constrains the fingers such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the applicator element, and protraction of sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the fingers to open, thereby exposing the applicator element, and wherein protraction of the fingers continues until a stop of a nose of the instrument engages a stop of the sleeve, thereby constraining the protraction of the fingers and allowing the applicator element to completely protract out of the retractable instrument and into an application position.
-
-
20. A retractable writing instrument comprising:
-
a body and a nose disposed at a first end of the body; an internal writing assembly disposed within the body and including a nib; and a closure assembly coupled to the internal writing assembly, the closure assembly comprising at least two fingers and a sleeve operatively coupled with the at least two fingers; wherein, when the retractable writing instrument is in a retracted position, the sleeve constrains the fingers, such that the fingers are in a fully closed state around the nib, and protraction of the sleeve and relative movement between the fingers and the sleeve allows the fingers to open, thereby exposing the nib, and wherein protraction of the fingers continues until a forward stop of the nose engages a forward stop of the sleeve, thereby constraining the protraction of the fingers and allowing the nib to completely protract out of the body and into a writing position.
-
Specification