EP0765769A2 - Writing instrument, especially a fountain pen - Google Patents

Abstract

The ink-chamber (2) is connected by a passage (8) with flow-regulator (7) to the nib. It is refilled from a reserve chamber (3), which is connected to it via there filling valve (4), the latter being normally shut. The reserve chamber has a refilling port (22,34) accessible from the outside and shut by a valve (33) closing automatically. A refilling vessel forms a sealed joint with the port and holds the valve open. The passage (8) contain a normally-open stop valve (9), and which is so coupled to the refilling valve (4) that it shuts before the latter opens, and opens only after this has shut. The volume of the ink-chamber can be enlarged after the refilling valve shuts and before the stop-valve opens.

Description

The invention relates to a writing instrument, in particular fountain pen, with a storage space which can be filled with ink or another writing fluid and which is connected via a connecting channel to a flow regulator and a writing tip, the storage space having a refill opening which is accessible from the outside and is closed by an automatically closing valve , to which a refill container provided with means for keeping the valve open can be tightly connected. The invention further relates to a refill container for filling the writing instrument.

The CH-A-255 993 is known to be a refill container, which can be connected to the storage space of a fountain pen of the type mentioned at the beginning with the aid of a filling pipe in order to refill it with writing liquid. The filling tube is axially movable against the force of a spring in front of the container opening closed by a valve plate, from which a hose leads to the container bottom. The same valve plate is located in the refill opening of the fountain pen. With the help of an air pump formed by a rubber balloon, the refill container can be pressurized. For refilling, the writing instrument is placed with its refill opening on the fill tube and pressed down against the refill container, the fill tube penetrating both valve plates and thereby connecting the hose to the reservoir of the fountain pen. Due to the overpressure generated in the refill container compared to the outside air pressure, the liquid flows through the hose and the filling pipe into the Storage space of the fountain pen pressed, the air in it escapes through the ventilation channel at the tip of the fountain pen. After filling, the fountain pen is pulled off the filling tube, the openings in the valve plates automatically closing again.

From GB-A-6570 a fountain pen is known, the shaft of which contains a storage space and a reserve space which are separated from one another by a wall in which a refill valve is located. In addition, a separating valve is provided, by means of which the connecting channel leading from the storage space to the writing tip can be closed in the tip part. The closure elements of both valves are connected by a plunger to a rotary knob designed as a screw, which is arranged at the rear end of the fountain pen. If the ink in the storage space is used up, the refill valve is opened by turning the rotary knob and then, when the refill valve has reached its maximum open position, the isolating valve is closed. The fountain pen is then held with the writing tip down and shaken in order to transport the ink from the reserve room into the storage room. The closed isolation valve prevents ink from escaping from the writing tip. The fountain pen is filled with ink by unscrewing its tip part and thus also the seat of the separating valve from the shaft. The isolating valve is therefore open when filling.

A refillable writing instrument is known from US Pat. No. 2,646,777, in which the storage space is provided at the end opposite the writing spring with a piston pump which can be actuated by a suction pipe protruding from the storage space. To refill the storage space, the suction tube is immersed in an ink container and the piston pump is actuated by moving the writing instrument up and down. The disadvantage here is that when refilling the increasing pressure in the ink regulator in the storage space emerges at the writing tip, so that the outside of the writing instrument and the operator's fingers can be soiled with ink. Likewise, the supply space and the ink chambers in the ink regulator can easily become overfilled, which initially makes the typeface dirty when writing. Finally, the handling of the known writing instrument is cumbersome and the suction pipe protruding from the storage space requires the arrangement of an additional protective sleeve.

The invention has for its object to design a writing instrument of the type mentioned in such a way that it can be repeatedly filled with ink or writing fluid without overfilling is possible and that there is no excessive supply of ink at the tip when refilling the storage space can.

This object is achieved in that the connecting channel can be blocked by a separating valve which is open in its basic position and that the opening of the automatically closing valve of the refill opening is only possible after the separating valve has reached its closed position.

In the writing instrument according to the invention, the reservoir is always separated from the writing tip and the flow regulator when the ink is refilled with the isolating valve. The pen can therefore only take up as much ink as it can hold when it is refilled. Overfilling with the result that ink emerges from the writing tip is not possible. A pressure in the storage space that is higher than atmospheric pressure, which can occur when refilling with ink, can therefore not lead to an excess supply of ink at the writing tip and the capillary system of the flow regulator. Because the pantry is easily refilled with ink can be, it can be optimally adapted in its size to the pressure compensation capacity of the flow regulator.

According to a further proposal of the invention, the separation valve can be actuated in a simple manner in that the closure element of the separation valve is attached to a tappet. Here, the closure element of the separating valve can be axially movable relative to the plunger, so that differences between the closing path of the closure element and the actuation path of the plunger are compensated for.

A preferred embodiment of the invention provides that the closure element of the separating valve is formed by an elastically deformable hose which is fastened to the closure element of the refill valve and which can be pressed with its free end onto a valve seat at the inlet end of the connecting channel. This design of the isolating valve is characterized above all by a low manufacturing and assembly effort and by a low susceptibility to wear.

Another embodiment of the invention provides that the isolating valve has a valve seat with a seat formed by a cylindrical bore into which the closure element can be inserted and which is of such a length that the closure element can be moved axially to a limited extent in its closed position.

According to a further proposal of the invention, the ink flow through the opened separating valve can be improved in that ribs extending in the flow direction adjoin the valve seat, which counteract the surface tension and prevent individual drops from sticking in the region of the passage opening of the valve.

The pushbutton for operating the isolating valve closes preferably the end of the storage space opposite the writing tip. The push button can be supported on a compression spring, by which it is held in a basic position in which the isolating valve is open. It has proven to be advantageous if the pushbutton cannot be operated suddenly. According to the invention, this can be achieved in that the pushbutton is screwed into the threaded bore of a sleeve-shaped rotary knob with an external thread and can be moved axially by turning the rotary knob.

According to a further proposal of the invention, the refill opening, which is accessible from the outside, can furthermore be formed by a central bore in the push button which is connected to the storage space and which receives the self-closing valve.

According to the invention, the closure element of the valve in the refill opening can further consist of a wall or membrane made of elastomeric material and have a pre-pierced, automatically closing opening through which a hollow needle of a refill container can be pierced from the outside. This enables a refill container to be tightly connected to the storage space with simple means, without the storage space having to be opened by loosening a lid or a comparable closure. Refilling the storage room is therefore possible in a simple and clean way. The hollow needle can alternately push ink into the storage space and suck air out of the storage space. Furthermore, the area containing the closure element can have a guide surface which is concentric with the closure element and which serves to orient a guide element of a refill container provided for refilling. To protect the closure element and to avoid its contact, the closure element can also be arranged sunk in a bore, the diameter of which is the outside diameter of the Hollow needle of the refill container only slightly exceeds.

Figur 1

einen Längsschnitt durch den Vorratsraum und die angrenzenden Abschnitte eines erfindungsgemäßen Füllhalters,

Figur 2

einen Längsschnitt durch das der Schreibspitze entgegengesetzte Ende des Füllhalters gemäß Figur 1,

Figur 3

einen Längsschnitt durch das der Schreibspitze entgegengesetzte Ende eines erfindungsgemäßen Füllhalters mit Drehknopf und

Figur 4

einen Querschnitt durch eine Füllvorrichtung zum Füllen eines Füllhalters gemäß den Figuren 1 bis 4 mit Tinte.

The invention is explained in more detail below on the basis of exemplary embodiments which are illustrated in the drawing. Show it

Figure 1

2 shows a longitudinal section through the storage space and the adjacent sections of a fountain pen according to the invention,

Figure 2

2 shows a longitudinal section through the end of the fountain pen according to FIG. 1 opposite the writing tip,

Figure 3

a longitudinal section through the opposite end of a fountain pen according to the invention with rotary knob and

Figure 4

a cross section through a filling device for filling a fountain pen according to Figures 1 to 4 with ink.

The fountain pen shown has a tubular shaft 1 which contains a storage space 2. At the end 5 of the shaft 1 there is a writing tip 6 (not shown in any more detail) which contains an ink regulator 7 which has capillary channels and compensation chambers and which connects an application element, for example a writing pen, to the storage space 2. The ink regulator 7 is connected via a bore 8 to the storage space 2, which can be closed by a separating valve 9. The isolating valve 9 is formed by a tubular closure element 10 made of elastomeric material and a conical seat 11 adjacent to the bore 8, against which the closure element 10 can be pressed. The closure element 10 surrounds the end 12 of a plunger 13 projecting into the storage space 2. To hold the closure element 10 in place, the end 12 has a bead 15, which the Closure element 10 encompasses elastically. In the axial direction, the closure element 10 is additionally supported on an element 14. The seat 11 are adjacent within the storage space 2 ribs 35, which promote the flow of ink through the open isolation valve.

The end 19 of the plunger 13 opposite the closure element 10 is fastened to a push button 20 which is axially movably mounted in a sleeve-shaped carrier element 21 on the end of the shaft 1 opposite the writing tip 6. The pushbutton 20 has a longitudinal bore 22, in which the cross-shaped end 19 engages. In the axial direction, the end 19 is held by projections 23 which are engaged in undercut slots in the wall of the push button 20. A compression spring 25 is arranged in a recess 24 in the lateral surface of the pushbutton 20. The compression spring 25 is supported at one end on the push button 20 and at the other end on the support element 21 and thereby holds the push button 20 in the position shown, in which it protrudes from the support element 21 and with a stop surface 26 delimiting the recess 24 a collar 27 of the carrier element 21 protruding into the recess 24. The carrier element 21 has a cylindrical bore 28 in which the end of the pushbutton 20 facing the storage space is sealed with a sliding seal ring 29.

The carrier element 21 is inserted into the open end of the shaft 1 and sealed with a sealing ring 30 with respect to the shaft 1. For fastening in the shaft 1, spring tongues 31 are formed on the carrier element 21 and are latched with projections at their ends in recesses 32 in the wall of the shaft 1.

For refilling the storage space 2, a wall 33 made of elastomeric material is arranged in the longitudinal bore 22 of the pushbutton 20, which wall is accessible from the outside through a narrow bore 34 and has a pre-pierced opening 55 which is kept closed by the contraction behavior of the material. Through the bore 34, the opening 55 of the wall 33 can be pierced with a hollow needle of a refill container and then ink can be filled in through the hollow needle. The air displaced when filling in new ink is sucked out intermittently through the hollow needle by constantly changing the pressure in the refill container. The wall 33 seals the hollow needle during refilling and behaves like an automatically closing valve. After pulling out the hollow needle, it contracts immediately so tightly that the opening 55 and the storage space 2 are immediately sealed again. In order to be able to precisely align the hollow needle of the refill container with the bore 34, the pushbutton 20 is provided with a concentric annular groove 37 into which a guide tube of the refill container surrounding the hollow needle can be inserted.

In order to ensure the closing of the isolation valve 9 when refilling writing liquid through the opening in the wall 33, it is advisable to design the refill device so that the hollow needle can only pierce the wall 33 after the isolation valve 9 has reached its closed position by pressing the pushbutton 20 is. This can be achieved, for example, in that the guide tube of the refill container which engages in the annular groove 37 is displaceable relative to the latter and is supported on a compression spring, the spring force of this compression spring being greater than that of the compression spring 25 on the pushbutton 20.

In the embodiment variant shown in FIG. 3, the pushbutton 20 is not moved directly, for example by axial finger pressure, but by the rotary movement of a rotary knob 47 which is rotatably attached to the open end of the shaft 1. The rotary knob 47 is in the form of a sleeve which surrounds the push button 20 and which is connected to the push button 20 by a thread 48. In axial Direction, the rotary knob 47 is mounted on the carrier element 21. For this purpose, the carrier element 21 has at its rear end a radially inwardly projecting collar 49 which engages in an annular groove in the lateral surface of the rotary knob 47. The carrier element 21 is slotted in the region of the collar 49, which makes it easier to insert the carrier element 21 and the rotary knob 47 into one another. In the installed position of the carrier element 21 in the shaft 1, the collar 49 is secured against radial expansion by the shaft 1, so that the rotary knob 47 cannot be released. Between the outer ends of the push button 20 and the rotary knob 47, an annular groove 37 is provided analogously to the exemplary embodiment according to FIG. 2 for receiving the guide tube of a refill container which can be connected to the fountain pen. The bottom surface 50 of the annular groove 37 is located on the rotary knob 47 and serves as a stop for the inward movement of the pushbutton 20 and for limiting the insertion depth of the guide tube.

The pushbutton 20 is secured against rotation with respect to the carrier element 21 by a projection 51 which engages in a longitudinal groove 52 which cuts the threads on the outside of the pushbutton. If the rotary knob 47 is rotated clockwise from right to left in FIG. 3, the pushbutton 20 is moved to the left and, as previously described, the isolating valve 9 is actuated via the plunger 13. In the end position, the pushbutton 4 rests on the bottom surface 50 with a stop surface 53.

The actuation of the pushbutton 20 with the aid of a rotary knob has the advantage that the isolating valve 9 cannot be actuated abruptly, for example by pushing open the fountain pen with its pushbutton-side end. This prevents mass forces acting on the ink from causing undesired ink transport to the writing tip during this process.

The filling device shown in Figure 4 is provided for filling a fountain pen according to Figures 1 to 4. It consists of a container 61, which is composed of an elastically deformable hollow body 62 and a rigid jacket body 63. The hollow body 62 has a cylindrical wall 64, a slightly curved bottom 65 and a truncated cone-shaped cover 66, which is adjoined by a cylindrical neck 67. The neck 67 is provided with a thread 68 on its outside. The jacket body 63 has a frustoconical wall 69 and a cap 70 with an internal thread 71, which is screwed onto the neck 67 and closes it tightly. The inclination of the wall 69 corresponds to the cover 66 and its outer edge lies firmly on the edge of the cover 66.

The bottom 72 of the cap 70 is provided with a depression 73 which projects into the neck 67 and is formed by cylindrical wall sections. A sleeve-shaped insert 75, which contains a valve 76 and a filling tube 77 designed as a hollow needle, is fastened in a bore 74 of the depression 73. The valve 76 consists of a wall 78 in the form of a cylindrical disk, onto which a sleeve-shaped extension 79 is formed. The wall 78 is pierced with a needle along its cylinder axis, whereby an automatically closing valve bore is formed. The wall 78 is held in the insert 75 by a ring 80. The filling tube 77 is arranged on the side of the wall 78 facing away from the interior of the container 61 and is guided at one end in the bore of the attachment 79. In the middle, the filling tube 77 is connected to a spring plate 81, which can be placed on an annular collar 82 of the insert 75 and is guided with a cylindrical guide section therein. A compression spring 83 is arranged between the spring plate 81 and the wall 78. The outer end of the insert 75 forms a guide sleeve 84 which surrounds the outer end of the filling tube 77 at a distance.

The lower half of the illustration in FIG. 4 shows the filling tube 77 in its basic position, in which the valve 76 is closed. In this position, the filling tube 77 is held in contact with the collar 82 by the prestressed compression spring 83 with the spring plate 81.

If fountain pens are to be filled with ink from the container 61, the container 61 is inserted with the guide sleeve 84 onto the pushbutton 20 at the end of the fountain pen and moved in the longitudinal direction of the guide tube 77, the guide sleeve 84 engaging in the annular groove 37 and the outer, from the spring plate 81 protruding end of the filling tube 77 penetrates the bore 34 and the opening 55 of the wall 33. The friction force to be overcome is absorbed by the prestressed compression spring 83. As soon as the spring plate 81 rests with its outer end on the end face of the push button 20, the force of the compression spring 83 is overcome, so that the filling tube 77 now also pierces the wall 78 and reaches the position shown in the upper half of FIG. 4. The interior of the container 1 is now connected to the storage space 2 by the filling tube 77. By intermittently pressing in the elastically deformable bottom 65, ink can now be conveyed from the container 61 into the storage space 2 and air from the storage space 2 into the container 61. After the filling process, the container 61 is pulled off the fountain pen. Here, the compression spring 83 has the effect that the outer end of the guide tube 77 can only be pulled out of the wall 88 when the spring plate 81 abuts the annular collar 82 and the valve 76 formed by the wall 78 is already closed.

Claims (13)

Writing device, in particular fountain pen, with a storage space (2) which can be filled with ink or another writing fluid and which is connected via a connecting channel (8) to a flow regulator (7) and a writing tip (6), the storage space (2) being one of externally accessible refill opening (22, 34) which is closed by an automatically closing valve (33) and to which a refill container provided with means for keeping the valve (33) open can be tightly connected, characterized in that the connecting channel (8) is provided by a its basic position, the isolating valve (9) can be blocked, and that the automatically closing valve (33) can only be opened after the isolating valve (9) has reached its closed position. Writing implement according to claim 1, characterized in that the separating valve (9) is connected to a push button (20) by an actuating element (12) and that the separating valve (9) comes into its closed position by pressing the push button (20). Writing implement according to claim 2, characterized in that the push button (20) closes the end of the storage space (3) opposite the writing tip (6). Writing implement according to one of claims 2 or 3, characterized in that the pushbutton (20) is supported on a compression spring (25) by means of which it is held in a Basic position is held in which the isolating valve (9) is open. Writing implement according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the pushbutton (20) is screwed into the threaded bore of a sleeve-shaped rotary knob (47) with an external thread and can be moved axially by turning the rotary knob (47). Writing implement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the closure element (10) of the separating valve (9) consists of an elastically deformable hose which can be pressed with its free end onto a valve seat (11) at the inlet end of the connecting channel (7, 8) . Writing implement according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the separating valve (9) has a valve seat with a seat surface (17) formed by a cylindrical bore, into which the closure element (14) can be inserted and in which the closure element (14) is axially limited is movable. Writing instrument according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the refill opening is formed by a central bore (22) in the pushbutton (20) containing the automatically closing valve (33). Writing instrument according to claim 8, characterized in that the automatically closing valve (33) of the refill opening (22, 34) consists of a wall or a membrane made of elastomeric material and has a pre-pierced, self-closing opening (55) through which a hollow needle is pierceable from the outside. Writing implement according to one of claims 8 or 9, characterized characterized in that the automatically closing valve (33) is countersunk in a bore (34) whose diameter only slightly exceeds the outer diameter of the hollow needle of the refill container. Writing implement according to one of claims 8 to 10, characterized in that a guide surface (37) is provided which is concentric with the automatically closing valve (33) and serves to orient a guide element (84) of a refill container (61). Refill container for filling the storage space (3) of a writing instrument according to one of the preceding claims with a writing liquid, consisting of a container (61) and a filling tube (77), through which the interior of the container (61) with the storage space (2 ) can be connected, the container (61) being closed by an automatically closing valve (76) which can be moved into its open position when the filler pipe (77) is connected to the storage space (2) by an actuating element (81) which can be supported thereon, characterized in that the container (61) has means (65) for alternately increasing and decreasing the pressure in its interior. Refill container according to claim 12, characterized in that a guide element (84) which is displaceable relative to the container (61) and is supported on a compression spring is provided, the spring force of the compression spring being greater than the spring force of the compression spring (25) on which the Pushbutton (20) of the writing instrument is supported.

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