Porous cap felt pen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12479232-B2
Application number	US-202418752250-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 24, 2024
Priority date	Jul 28, 2023
Publication date	Nov 25, 2025
Grant date	Nov 25, 2025

Abstract

According to an aspect, a writing instrument is provided. The writing instrument includes a reservoir for storing writing ink, a nib arranged distally to the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir, a porous membrane or mesh surrounding at least a distal portion of the nib, wherein, in a writing position, the porous membrane or mesh is configured to contact the nib, thereby allowing ink to penetrate through the porous membrane or mesh.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1 . A writing instrument, comprising:
a reservoir for storing writing ink; a nib arranged distally to the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir; a porous membrane or mesh surrounding at least a distal portion of the nib; and an elastic part positioned between the nib and the porous membrane, the elastic part extending beyond an end of the nib; wherein, in a writing position, the porous membrane or mesh is configured to contact the nib, thereby allowing ink to penetrate through the porous membrane or mesh.

2 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the porous membrane or mesh is configured to yield starting from a non-writing position towards the writing position when pressure is applied to a first surface of the porous membrane or mesh facing away from the nib, wherein the pressure is applied to the first surface of the porous membrane or mesh when a user writes with the writing instrument on a writing surface.

3 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising a cap assembly, comprising:
the porous membrane or mesh; the elastic part comprising at least one writing orifice and surrounding at least the distal portion of the nib; wherein a wall thickness and a radius of the writing orifice are configured such that in a non-writing position the porous membrane or mesh along with the elastic part extends beyond the nib along a longitudinal axis of the writing instrument, and wherein, in a writing position, the cap assembly is configured to contact the nib, thereby allowing ink to penetrate through the porous membrane or mesh.

4 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic part is configured to yield starting from the non-writing position towards the writing position when pressure is applied to a first surface of the cap assembly facing away from the nib.

5 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the cap assembly and/or the porous membrane or mesh is configured to return to the non-writing position when no pressure is applied to a first surface of the cap assembly.

6 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the cap assembly is configured to yield starting from the non-writing position towards the nib based on an elastic material of the elastic part.

7 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , further comprising
a tubular body comprising a distal end, wherein the cap assembly is attached to the distal end of the tubular body.

8 . The writing instrument according to claim 7 , further comprising
a support element attached to the distal end of the tubular body to serve as a connector between the tubular body and the cap assembly; and wherein the support element comprises a protruding portion extending beyond the distal end of the tubular body; and wherein the porous membrane or mesh is attached to the protruding portion.

9 . The writing instrument according to claim 8 , wherein the support element is attached to the distal end of the tubular body on an inner circumferential surface or an outer circumferential surface of the tubular body, and wherein the support element is configured to be connected to the tubular body using a permanent interconnection or non-permanent interconnection.

10 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the cap assembly is configured to be connected to a tubular body using a permanent interconnection or non-permanent interconnection.

11 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic part is dome-shaped around the distal portion of the nib, and the writing orifice is centered with respect to the longitudinal axis of the writing instrument.

12 . The writing instrument according to claim 3 , wherein the elastic part comprises an elastomeric material with shore hardness ranging from Shore 20A to 90A.

13 . The writing instrument according to claim 12 , wherein the elastomeric material comprises a thermoplastic elastomer.

14 . The writing instrument according to claim 13 , wherein the thermoplastic elastomer, is a styrenic block copolymer, thermoplastic polyolefin elastomer, thermoplastic vulcanizate, thermoplastic polyurethane, thermoplastic copolyester, polyether block amide, and/or silicon rubber.

15 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein in a non-writing position the porous membrane or mesh is configured to not contact the nib, thereby allowing the ink to dry on the porous membrane or mesh and form a barrier to reduce ink evaporation through the nib or drying-out of the nib.

16 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the writing instrument is a felt pen, a highlighter, or a permanent or non-permanent marker.

17 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the nib has a diameter between about 0.4 mm and 12 mm.

18 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , wherein the elastic part includes at least one writing orifice positioned between the end of the nib and the porous membrane or mesh.

19 . The writing instrument according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a tubular body enclosing a portion of the nib, wherein the elastic part is slidably connected to the tubular body.

20 . A method for manufacturing a writing instrument, wherein the writing instrument comprises:
a tubular body; a porous membrane or mesh surrounding at least a distal portion of a nib; wherein, in a writing position, the porous membrane or mesh is configured to contact the nib, thereby allowing ink to penetrate through the porous membrane or mesh; and/or a cap assembly, further comprising: the porous membrane or mesh; an elastic part comprising at least one writing orifice and surrounding at least a distal portion of the nib, the elastic part positioned between the nib and the porous membrane; wherein a wall thickness and a radius of the writing orifice are configured such that in a non-writing position the elastic part extends beyond of the nib along a longitudinal axis of the writing instrument, and wherein, in a writing position, the cap assembly is configured to contact the nib, thereby allowing ink to penetrate through the porous membrane or mesh; wherein the method comprises: connecting the porous membrane or mesh and/or the cap assembly to the tubular body using permanent interconnection or non-permanent interconnection.

Assignees

• Bic Violex Single Member Sa
• SOCIéTé BIC

Inventors

• Chatzigrigoriou Nikolaos
• Lintermy Julien
• Kokozidis Michail
• Tsegenidis Anestis

Classifications

• B43K23/128

  with spring means · CPC title

• B43K1/01

  with ink reservoirs, e.g. funnel-shaped · CPC title

• B43K23/12

  for pens {(caps co-operating with retractable nibs B43K5/165)} · CPC title

• B43K5/17

  with closing means {(B43K5/165 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B43K8/028

  Movable closure or gate · CPC title