Coating implements with material supply – Bifurcate pointed nib tool – Including reservoir and feeder
Reexamination Certificate
1999-10-28
2001-01-23
Eloshway, Charles R. (Department: 3751)
Coating implements with material supply
Bifurcate pointed nib tool
Including reservoir and feeder
C401S151000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06176633
ABSTRACT:
This invention relates to marking instruments of the type in which a valve device is provided to control flow of marking fluid from a reservoir chamber to a marking tip used to apply the marking fluid to a surface. The invention has particular application to reservoir pens, and is specifically described herein in relation thereto, but the invention can also be incorporated with advantage in other types of marking instrument.
In WO 95/16577 there is described a valve device for controlling flow of marking liquid from a reservoir to a feed system for delivery to a marking tip, wherein the valve is operated by a member influenced by ambient atmospheric pressure and by the pressure in the feed system downstream of the valve so that the valve is opened when the pressure differential reaches a given level. Several embodiments of valve devices suitable for incorporation in a replaceable ink reservoir or cartridge are described and have been found to work effectively. However, difficulties can be encountered in establishing an initial ink flow when an empty ink cartridge is replaced with a full cartridge, especially if the ink feed system incorporated in the writing instrument into which the cartridge is installed has dried out so that capillary suction within the feed system can not reliably reduce the pressure in the feed system in order to open the valve.
The present invention addresses the problem explained above and in accordance with a first aspect the invention provides a cartridge for a marking instrument, comprising a body enclosing a reservoir chamber and a transfer chamber connected to the reservoir chamber by a feed path controlled by a valve, the transfer chamber being confined in part by a member displaceable upon engagement of the cartridge with a marking instrument to reduce the volume of the transfer chamber for positive feed of marking fluid from the transfer chamber.
With a cartridge according to the invention, engaging the cartridge with the marking instrument will result in a small amount of marking fluid being pumped from the transfer chamber into the feed system leading to the marking tip of the marking instrument thereby priming the fluid delivery system so that an initial supply of marking fluid to the tip is ensured and reliable subsequent control of the fluid supply from the reservoir chamber by operation of the valve device can be readily achieved.
In an especially convenient construction the displaceable member closes the forward end of the transfer chamber and communication between the transfer chamber and the feed system of the marking instrument is established through this member. With this construction the communication can be opened and the member displaced to cause marking fluid to be delivered from the transfer chamber by a longitudinal movement of the cartridge body e.g. brought about by a threaded engagement of the body with the marking instrument.
In the particular embodiments described in WO 95/16577, the valve devices include valve members which are inserted into their valve chambers in a direction transverse to the axis of the reservoir chamber. Such arrangements tend to complicate manufacture as current cartridge manufacturing methods and equipment favour an axial assembly of cartridge components.
With a view to facilitating assembly, according to a second aspect the present invention provides a marking instrument reservoir for controlled delivery of marking fluid comprising a reservoir chamber having an axis, a transfer chamber, a valve device for controlling communication between the reservoir chamber and transfer chamber, the valve device having a seat and a valve member including a sealing portion for co-operation with the seat and an actuating portion exposed on one side to the pressure in the transfer chamber and on the other side to atmospheric pressure, the valve seat and valve member being assembled in substantially coaxial alignment with the reservoir chamber.
In a particularly convenient construction the valve seat is cylindrical and defined by an axial spigot integral with a valve housing member. The housing member is a plastics moulding which is attached to the forward end of the cartridge case which encloses the reservoir camber. The spigot extends through the front end wall of the case and includes an ink channel which connects the interior of the reservoir to the valve seat. The valve member includes a cylindrical sealing part which extends around and normally contacts the valve seat, and an annular diaphragm which separates an air chamber from the transfer chamber within the valve housing. The valve member also includes an annular lip for sealing between the exterior of the spigot and the front wall of the cartridge case.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4973180 (1990-11-01), Hori
patent: 0413273 (1991-02-01), None
patent: 0476492 (1992-03-01), None
patent: 2604640 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 728188 (1955-04-01), None
patent: 2146588 (1985-04-01), None
patent: 9516577 (1995-06-01), None
Andrews Neville Edgar
Groom Glenn Andrew
Harrison Mark
Eloshway Charles R.
Ladas & Parry
Parker Pen Products
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