Non-smear nib and associated writing instruments

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12179508-B2
Application number	US-202117376596-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 15, 2021
Priority date	Aug 4, 2020
Publication date	Dec 31, 2024
Grant date	Dec 31, 2024

Abstract

Writing instruments with flexible nibs for reduced writing force in use are provided. A nib includes a nib body having a flexible upper writing portion and a lower portion in communication with the flexible upper writing portion, the lower portion of the nib body being configured to deliver ink to the flexible upper writing portion and the flexible upper writing portion being configured to deliver ink to a writing surface, wherein the flexible upper writing portion of the nib body has a flattened chisel-shaped tip at a superior end of the flexible upper writing portion, and wherein the nib is effective to deliver ink to the writing surface upon application of a force of less than about 0.1 lbs thereto.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A nib for a writing instrument, comprising:
a nib body comprising a flexible upper writing portion and a lower portion in communication with the flexible upper writing portion, the lower portion of the nib body being configured to deliver ink to the flexible upper writing portion and the flexible upper writing portion being configured to deliver ink to a writing surface,
wherein the flexible upper writing portion of the nib body comprises:
a flattened and angled chisel-shaped tip defining opposed flat faces at a superior end of the flexible upper writing portion, and
a lower tapered portion extending symmetrically from each opposed flat face of the chisel-shaped tip in a direction towards the lower body portion of the nib;

wherein an entire surface of the superior end of the flexible upper writing portion is configured to contact the writing surface in-use, the surface having a width defined as the distance between the opposed flat faces that is from about 0.2 mm to about 2 mm, and wherein the width is less than or equal to half of a maximum diameter of the lower tapered portion; and
wherein the nib is effective to deliver ink to the writing surface upon application of a force of less than about 0.1 lbs thereto, and wherein the chisel-shaped tip has a non-zero angle with respect to a central axis of the lower portion of the nib body.

2. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the nib is effective to deliver ink to the writing surface upon application of a force of from about 0.06 lbs to about 0.1 lbs.

3. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the nib is monolithic.

4. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the lower portion of the nib body comprises a groove for securing the nib in a writing instrument.

5. The nib of claim 4 , wherein the groove has a width of from about 1 mm to about 4 mm.

6. The nib of claim 1 , wherein an inferior end of the lower portion of the nib body has a truncated-cone shape.

7. The nib of claim 1 , wherein:
the flexible upper writing portion of the nib body and the lower portion of the nib body are joined at a middle boundary,
the flexible upper writing portion of the nib body has a first diameter at the middle boundary and the lower portion of the nib body has a second diameter at the middle boundary, and
the first diameter is greater than the second diameter.

8. The nib of claim 7 , wherein:
an inferior end of the lower portion of the nib body has a truncated-cone shape, and
the cone shape of the inferior end tapers from the second diameter to a third diameter.

9. The nib of claim 8 , wherein the third diameter is from about 1 mm to about 5 mm.

10. The nib of claim 7 , wherein the first diameter is from about 4 mm to about 8 mm.

11. The nib of claim 7 , wherein the second diameter is from about 3 mm to about 7 mm.

12. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the flattened chisel-shaped tip further comprises an upper blade portion angled relative to an axis perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the nib body.

13. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the nib body had a length of from about 15 mm to about 45 mm.

14. The nib of claim 1 , wherein:
the nib is configured to generate a first line width when held against the writing surface at an angle of about 60°,
the nib is configured to generate a second line width when held against the writing surface at an angle of about 90°, and
the first line width and second line width are substantially the same.

15. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the nib is a highlighter nib.

16. The nib of claim 1 , wherein the nib is formed out of nylon 6, acrylic fiber, polyester fiber, nylon fiber, porous ceramic, synthetic fiber, synthetic felt, polyethylene, a porous plastic, felt, or a combination thereof.

17. A writing instrument, comprising:
an elongated body comprising an ink reservoir; and
the nib of claim 1 disposed at an end of the elongated body and in fluid communication with the ink reservoir,
wherein the flexible upper writing portion of the nib body protrudes outside of the elongated body.

18. The writing instrument of claim 17 , wherein the writing instrument is a highlighter.

Assignees

• Sanford Lp

Inventors

• Gnanadoss Vasanth Andrew
• Chowdhury Brojokishore
• Munoz Nataly Thiry

Classifications

• B43K8/06

  Wick feed from within reservoir to writing-points · CPC title

• B43K8/022

  with writing-points comprising fibres · CPC title

• B43K1/006

  Porous nibs (B43K1/12 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B43K1/12 Primary

  Writing-points comprising fibres; Felt pads · CPC title