Writing instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12017473-B2
Application number	US-202217651084-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 15, 2022
Priority date	Mar 16, 2021
Publication date	Jun 25, 2024
Grant date	Jun 25, 2024

Abstract

A writing instrument may include an elongated tubular casing, an elongated writing medium cartridge and a tubular elastic spring element. The tubular elastic spring element comprises a first portion and a second portion. The second portion comprises a wall comprising a plurality of apertures.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A writing instrument comprising
an elongated tubular casing, the casing comprising a wall with a plurality of apertures;
an elongated writing medium cartridge; and
a tubular elastic spring element;
wherein the tubular elastic spring element comprises:
a first portion and a second portion,
wherein the second portion comprises a wall comprising a plurality of apertures; and
wherein the plurality of apertures of the casing face the plurality of apertures of the spring element, and/or wherein the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the casing corresponds in projection to the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the spring element.

2. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the plurality of apertures is arranged as a net-like structure.

3. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion and the second portion form an integral part and wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged longitudinally to each other.

4. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the first portion comprises a first material and the second portion comprises a second material, wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

5. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element is manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

6. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element and the casing form an integral part manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

7. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element and the writing medium cartridge form an integral part manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

8. A cartridge assembly for a writing instrument, the writing assembly including a tubular casing with a plurality of apertures, the cartridge assembly comprising:
an elongated writing medium cartridge comprising a writing tip at a distal end; and
a tubular elastic spring element;
wherein the tubular elastic spring element comprises a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion comprises a wall comprising a plurality of apertures, and
wherein the plurality of apertures of the tubular casing face the plurality of apertures of the spring element, and/or wherein the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the tubular casing corresponds in projection to the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the spring element.

9. The cartridge assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion and the second portion form an integral part and wherein the first portion and the second portion are arranged longitudinally to each other.

10. The cartridge assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the first portion comprises a first material and the second portion comprises a second material wherein the first material is more rigid than the second material.

11. The cartridge assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the spring element and the writing medium cartridge form an integral part manufactured by an additive manufacturing process.

12. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the writing medium cartridge is arranged within the casing and comprises a writing tip at a distal end;
the writing instrument further comprising an actuating mechanism configured to translate the writing medium cartridge between a first position and a second position;
the tubular elastic spring element being configured to bias the writing medium cartridge in the second position.

13. A method of manufacturing a tubular elastic spring element for a writing instrument with an elongated tubular casing and an elongated writing medium cartridge, the elongated tubular casing including a wall with a plurality of apertures, wherein the tubular elastic spring element comprises:
a first portion and a second portion, wherein the second portion comprises a wall comprising a plurality of apertures,
wherein the plurality of apertures of the tubular casing face the plurality of apertures of the spring element, and/or wherein the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the tubular casing corresponds in projection to the arrangement and shapes of the plurality of apertures of the spring element, and
wherein the method comprises an additive manufacturing process.

14. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the spring element is configured to change from a relaxed state to a contracted state when it is subjected to a compression force in the longitudinal direction.

15. The writing instrument according to claim 14 , wherein, in a first position, the spring element is in the relaxed state and, in a second position, the spring element is in the contracted state.

16. The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the writing medium cartridge comprises a shoulder on its outer surface and the second portion of the spring element faces the shoulder on the writing medium cartridge.

17. The writing instrument according to claim 16 , wherein the shoulder of the writing medium cartridge comprises a groove directed in the longitudinal direction towards the distal end of the writing medium cartridge.

18. The cartridge assembly according to claim 8 , wherein the second portion comprises a net-like structure.

Assignees

• Bic Violex Sa
• Bic Violex Single Member Sa

Inventors

• Tsegenidis Anestis
• Paspatis Georgios
• Panselinas Dimitrios

Classifications

• B43K24/02

  for locking a single writing unit in only fully projected or retracted positions · CPC title

• B43K7/12 Primary

  with retractable ball points (mechanisms for retracting or locking ball points B43K24/00) · CPC title