MULTI-COLOR WRITING AND PAINTING INSTRUMENTS WITH SINGLE NIB FED WITH USER-SELECTED COLORED INK

• US 20090154983A1
• Filed: 12/12/2008
• Published: 06/18/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 12/12/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: University of Southern California
• Original Assignee: University of Southern California
• Inventors: Khoshnevis, Behrokh
• Application Number:
  US12/333,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20090154983A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 401/34
• CPC Class Codes: B41J 3/36 for portability , i.e. hand-held printers or laptop printers B41J3/4075 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 1/00 Nibs continuously adjustable nibs B43K17/00; Writing-points for indicating or recording apparatus G01D15/16
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 27/00 Multiple-point writing implements, e.g. multicolour; Combinations of writing implements B43K29/00 takes precedence; mechanisms for selecting, projecting, retracting or locking writing units B43K24/00; multiple writing devices with pantographic linkages B43L13/12
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 27/08 Combinations of pens
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 27/12 of ball-point pens
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 5/025 with multiple colours
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 5/18 Arrangements for feeding the ink to the nibs
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 7/02 Ink reservoirs; Ink cartridges B43K7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 7/10 Arrangements for feeding ink to the ball points B43K7/01 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/03 Ink reservoirs; Ink cartridges
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 8/04 Arrangements for feeding ink to writing-points

Abstract

A multicolor writing and painting instrument for writing and painting on a writing surface may include an ink-receiving surface which may be configured to receive a flow of one of a plurality of different colored inks. The instrument may include a nib configured to deliver the flow of ink received by the ink-receiving surface to the writing surface. The instrument may include a separate ink reservoir configured to hold each of the different colored inks. The instrument may include a fluid delivery system configured to controllably channel ink from any one of the ink reservoirs to the ink-receiving surface. The instrument may include a color selection control configured to enable a user to select one of the colored inks and to cause the fluid delivery system to deliver the selected colored ink from the reservoir which is holding this ink to the ink-receiving surface.

Claims

1. A multicolor writing and painting instrument for writing and painting on a writing surface comprising:

a tubular housing sized and shaped to be held by fingers of a user;

an ink-receiving surface within the tubular housing and configured to receive a flow of one of a plurality of different colored inks;

a nib at an end of the tubular housing configured to deliver the flow of ink received by the ink-receiving surface to the writing surface;

a separate ink reservoir within the tubular housing configured to hold each of the different colored inks;

a fluid delivery system within the tubular housing configured to controllably channel ink from any one of the ink reservoirs to the ink-receiving surface;

a color selection control supported by the tubular housing, coupled to the fluid delivery system, and configured to enable a user to select one of the colored inks and to cause the fluid delivery system to deliver the selected colored ink from the reservoir which is holding this ink to the ink-receiving surface.

2. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein:

the ink-receiving surface is configured to receive a flow of two of the plurality of different colored inks;

the nib is configured to deliver a mixture of the flow of the two colored inks that are received by the ink-receiving surface to the writing surface;

the fluid delivery system is configured to controllably channel ink from two of the ink reservoirs to the ink-receiving surface; and

the color selection control is configured to enable the user to select one or two of the colored inks and to cause the fluid delivery system to deliver the selected one or two of the colored inks from the reservoirs which are holding these inks to the ink-receiving surface of the ink delivery system.

3. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 2 wherein:

the fluid delivery system is configured to channel ink from two of the ink reservoirs to the ink-receiving surface at controllably different rates; and

the color selection control is configured to enable the user to select between different flow rates for the selected two colored inks and to cause the fluid delivery system to implement these different selected control rates.

4. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 2:

wherein the nib and the ink-receiving surface include a roller ball;

further comprising a roller ball housing that houses the roller ball;

wherein the roller ball housing has a rearward cylindrical lumen that has a central axis that is offset from the center of the roller ball;

wherein the fluid delivery system includes a plurality of substantially equally-sized cylindrical sectors, one for each of the different colored inks, that collectively form a cylinder that is rotatably positioned within the rearward cylindrical lumen; and

wherein the color selection control is configured to cause the cylinder formed by the cylindrical sectors of the fluid delivery system to rotate based on the colored ink selected by the user.

5. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1:

further comprising a separate fluid reservoir configured to hold a clear fluid;

wherein the nib is configured to receive a flow of the clear fluid;

wherein the nib is configured to deliver a mixture of the flow of the clear fluid with the flow of the colored ink that is received by the nib to the writing surface;

wherein the fluid delivery system is configured to controllably channel fluid from the reservoir that is configured to hold the clear fluid to the nib; and

further comprising a clear control coupled to the fluid delivery system and configured to enable the user to controllable cause the fluid delivery system to deliver the clear fluid from the reservoir holding this fluid to the nib.

6. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 5 wherein the clear control is configured to allow the user to select the flow rate of the clear fluid to the nib and to cause the fluid delivery system to implement this selected flow rate.

7. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the nib includes a capillary element.

8. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the ink-receiving surface includes a capillary element.

9. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 8 wherein the capillary element includes a flat disk sector and wherein the fluid delivery system includes a plurality of equally-sized cylindrical sectors equal in number to the number of different colored inks and collectively forming a cylinder, each having a sector-like end surface configured to abut the flat disk sector.

10. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 9 wherein each of the sector-like end surfaces of cylindrical sectors and the flat disc sector have approximately the same arc length.

11. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 8 wherein the fluid delivery system includes a reciprocating capillary element for each of the ink reservoirs configured to slidably engage a portion of the ink-receiving surface in an amount that is based on the position of the color selection control.

12. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 11 wherein the color selection control includes a slider for each of the colored inks.

13. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 further comprising a disengagement control configured to allow a user to cause the fluid delivery system to disengage from the ink-receiving surface.

14. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the color selection control includes a rotatable knob at the end of tubular housing opposite of the nib.

15. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the color selection control automatically selects the colored ink based on the rotational position of the tubular housing.

16. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 15 wherein the color selection control includes a free-wheeling weight within the tubular housing that substantially maintains its rotational position within the tubular housing notwithstanding rotation of the tubular housing.

17. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 15 further comprising color indicia on the surface of the tubular housing that is configured to communicate to the user the color the instrument is positioned to write.

18. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the color selection control includes a spring for each of the colored inks.

19. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the fluid delivery system includes a droplet dispensing mechanism for each of the colored inks.

20. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 19 wherein each droplet dispensing mechanism includes a solenoid valve.

21. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 19 wherein each droplet dispensing mechanism includes a piezo electric actuator.

22. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 19 wherein each droplet dispensing mechanism includes a bubble jet mechanism.

23. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein the fluid delivery system includes a fluidic valve for each of the colored inks.

24. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 23 wherein the color selection control includes a pivoting weight for each of the colored inks configured within the tubular housing to cause the fluidic valve associated with that colored ink to open or close depending upon the rotational position of the tubular housing.

25. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 1 wherein each reservoir contains a different colored ink.

26. The multicolor writing and painting instrument of claim 25 wherein the different colors include yellow, cyan, and magenta.

27. A multicolor writing and painting instrument comprising:

a tubular housing having an open end that is sized and shaped to be held by fingers of a user;

a plurality of droplet dispensing mechanisms within the tubular housing, each oriented to controllable spray ink droplets though the open end of the tubular housing; and

a separate ink reservoir within the tubular housing for each of the droplet dispensing mechanisms configured to hold a different colored ink.