Internal Pressure Regulating Marker Pen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2022016925-A1
Application number	US-202117489165-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Sep 29, 2021
Priority date	Apr 21, 2016
Publication date	Jan 20, 2022
Grant date	—

Abstract

A writing implement is configured to dispense material onto a work surface. The writing implement includes a body having a first end, a second end, and an inner surface. The writing implement also includes a nib coupled to the first end. The nib is configured to allow the material to be dispensed onto the work piece. The writing implement further includes a pressure regulating assembly coupled to the body. The pressure regulating assembly and the inner surface define a cavity configured to hold the material. The pressure regulating assembly is moveable relative to the body in response to a pressure change within the cavity.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A writing implement, comprising:
a body comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
an inner surface defining a cavity between the first end and the second end, the cavity comprising a marking material;
a nib coupled to the first end and configured to dispense the marking material on a work piece; an end cap coupled to the inner surface and configured to allow ambient air to pass through the end cap out of the cavity; a piston having a first surface facing the first end and a second surface facing the second end; and a seal coupled to the piston between the first surface and the second surface, wherein at least one of the piston and the seal slideably engages the inner surface of the body.

2 . The writing implement of claim 1 , wherein the end cap is formed from an absorbent, porous material.

3 . The writing implement of claim 1 , wherein the seal slideably engages the inner surface of the body.

4 . The writing implement of claim 1 , wherein the piston includes a groove positioned between the first surface and the second surface, and wherein the seal is located within the groove.

5 . The writing implement of claim 4 , further comprising a first chamfer located between the groove and the first surface and a second chamfer located between the groove and the second surface.

6 . The writing implement of claim 5 , wherein the first chamfer extends from the first surface and the second chamfer extends from the second surface.

7 . The writing implement of claim 1 , wherein a volume of the cavity increases as the piston moves toward the second end in response to a pressure within the cavity increasing above a desired pressure within the cavity.

8 . The writing implement of claim 7 , wherein the volume of the cavity decreases as the piston moves toward the first end in response to the pressure within the cavity decreasing below the desired pressure within the cavity.

9 . A writing implement, comprising:
a body comprising:
a first end;
a second end; and
an inner surface defining a cavity between the first end and the second end, the cavity comprising a marking material;
a nib coupled to the first end and configured to dispense the marking material on a work piece; an absorbent porous end cap coupled to the inner surface and configured to allow ambient air to pass through the absorbent porous end cap out of the cavity; and a pressure regulating assembly coupled to the second end of the body.

10 . The writing implement of claim 9 , further comprising a filter between the cavity and an inlet of the pressure regulating assembly that inhibits a liquid solution from traveling through the filter while allowing air to travel through the filter.

11 . The writing implement of claim 9 , wherein the pressure regulating assembly is coupled to the second end of the body and comprises a valve, a biasing member, and an outlet, wherein the biasing member creates a biasing pressure against the valve to press the valve against an inlet at the second end.

12 . The writing implement of claim 11 , wherein the valve and the biasing member are positioned between the inlet and the cavity within the inner surface.

13 . The writing implement of claim 11 , further comprising a first edge of the inlet and a tapered surface; wherein the valve is positioned between the first edge of the inlet and the tapered surface of the pressure regulating assembly, wherein the biasing member creates the biasing pressure on the valve against the first edge, wherein when an internal pressure within the cavity of the inner surface is less than the biasing pressure the cavity is blocked from fluid communication with the outlet, and wherein when the internal pressure within the cavity of the inner surface is greater than the biasing pressure the valve moves towards the outlet.

14 . The writing implement of claim 9 , wherein the pressure regulating assembly comprises a piston that defines a solid cylindrical member with a first surface facing the first end and a second surface facing the second end, the piston comprising a groove positioned between the first surface and the second surface, and a seal coupled to the piston and located within the groove, wherein at least one of the piston and the seal slidably engages the inner surface of the body.

15 . The writing implement of claim 14 , wherein the groove is positioned between the first surface and the second surface, a first chamfer between the groove and the first surface, and a second chamfer between the groove and the second surface.

16 . The writing implement of claim 15 , wherein the piston has an outer diameter and the body has an inner diameter, such that the outer diameter of the piston and the inner diameter of the body are within 0.05 mm of each other.

17 . A method of manufacturing a writing implement, the method comprising:
providing a body including a first end, a second end opposite the first end, and an inner surface defining a cavity between the first end and the second end; inserting a piston into the cavity of the inner surface of the body, the piston configured to be moveable relative to the body to control a pressure within the cavity; injecting a material through the first end of the body into the cavity; and coupling a nib to the first end of the body, the nib configured to allow the material to be dispensed onto a work surface.

18 . The method of claim 17 , further comprising coupling a porous end cap to the second end of the body so that the piston is positioned between the porous end cap and the nib, wherein the porous end cap is configured to allow ambient air to pass through the porous end cap.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein the piston is inserted into the body at a location such that a desired internal pressure within the cavity is created once the material is injected into the cavity and the nib is coupled to the first end of the body.

20 . The method of claim 19 , wherein an actual pressure within the cavity relative to the desired internal pressure is regulated before the nib is depressed onto the work surface.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Ballard James G

Classifications

• B43K8/04

  Arrangements for feeding ink to writing-points · CPC title

• B43K5/06 Primary

  with movable pistons {for withdrawing ink from an ink-receptacle (B43K5/1818 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B43K23/08

  Protecting means, e.g. caps · CPC title

• B43K8/02 Primary

  with writing-points comprising fibres, felt, or similar porous or capillary material (B43K8/22 takes precedence) · CPC title