AU2003271005B2 - A Writing Implement - Google Patents

Description

22/12/2003 15:41 +61398867600 MORCOM PERNAT PAGE 04 1

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT "A Writing Implement" The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: COMS ID No: SMBI-00546856 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:49 Date 2003-12-22 44fLZL zt3t1d i'61398U8f7600 MORCOI PERNAT PAGE 2 A WIING IMPLEMENT FIELD OF THE INVENTION Thbis invention relates to writing implements providing greater ease and conmfort in use.

BACKGROUND

Discomfort when writing with a pen or pencil, particularly for long periods, is a common experience. This can occur in the fingers, hand and wrist, due to the way the pen or pencil is gripped, and/or the application of force by the grip over a long period.

In addition, however, there can be indirect effects. Eyestrain can develop, due to the need to focus continually on a small area of the writing surface adjacent to the tip of the pen or pencil. This can be especially serious if lighting conditions are poor.

With some gripping approaches, a writer's hand can even partially obscure this writing area. In either case, leaning forward to improve viewing can lead to discomfort in the writer's back or neck for example.

The present invention is directed to at least alleviating these problems. A writing implement which may be any of a number of types of pen, pencil or the 1like is provided which encourages users to adopt a grip that is ergonomically effective and that gives a good view of the writing surface. The writing implement also lends itself Well to the provision of direct lighting of the writing area adjacent in a particularly convenient and effective position. A preferred embodiment of the writing implement incorporates a suitable light source.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the invention there is provided a writing implement for writing on a surface, said implement including: marking means for applying markings to a surface when a tip of said marking means is applied to said surface by a user; an elongate holder of said marking means; and an elongate barrel adapted to be gripped by a hand of said user, wherein said barrel is secured to said holder at a point between said tip of said marking means and an end of said elongate holder remote from said tip.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00546856 Received by IP Australia: Time (I-tm) 15:49 Date 2003-12-22 22/12/2003 15:41 +61398267600 MORCOM PERNAT PAGE 06 3 Writing implements according to the invention have been found surprisingly comfortable in use, particularly over lengthy periods, while at the same time applying the tip to the surface in an effective manner.

Preferably, said elongate barrel is so secured to said elongate bolder that longitudinal axes of said holder and said barrel lie at an acute angle to each other.

Said barrel may have two ends and be secured to said holder by a neck formation an said barrel adjacent to a said end. This is an alternative to arrangements in which the barrel simply joins the holder directly.

Preferably, said holder and said barrel are integrally formed. However, it is also within the scope of the invention to provide for the holder and barrel to be separately constructed and then joined. Some bases for deciding between these two alternative arrangements are discussed below.

It is particularly preferred that the writing implement of the invention further include lighting means secured to said elongate holder and arranged to illuminate in use of said implement an area of said surface adjacent to said tip. One potential source of discomfort for a user of a writing implement is straining to see what is being written in conditions of poor light. This may be quite unnoticed by the user. By lighting the writing area, this tendency can be at least reduced.

Said lighting means may be a light-emitting diode. Incandescent light sources may of course be used, but the light-emitting diode has an advantage of low power consumption. Preferably, said lighting means is powered by battery means contained in said barrel.

Preferably, said lighting means is located on a side of said holder opposite said barrel. This arrangement is found to provide lighting of the writing surface where it is required, with the light source clear of the user's hand.

Said lighting means may be located at a point along said holder further from said tip than the point at which said said barrel is secured to said holder.

Writing implements according to the invention may be of several types. For example, said marking means may be such that said writing implement is a ballpoint pen, a fountain pen, a pencil, a propelling pencil, or a felt-tip pen.

Said marking means or a component thereof may be replaceable. Also, said barrel may be adapted to store a spare one of said marking means or component COMS ID No: SMBI-00546856 Received by IP Australia: Time (1-tm) 15:49 Date 2003-12-22 22/12/2003 15:41 +&1398267600 MORCOM PERNATPAE7 PAGE 07 4 thereof. However, it is of course also possible for a writing implement according to the invention to be of "throwaway" type, with no provision for the fitting or storage of spare marking means or parts thereof.

The invention will now be described in more detail, by reference to the attached Figures, of which: Figure 1 is a side elevation of a writing instrument according to the invention; Figure 2 is a front elevation of the writing instrument shown in Figure 1, i.e.

as seen by an observer looking in the direction of arrow 'A; Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken at station "XX" in Figure 2 of the writing implement shown therein with some minor detailI omitted; Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view, directly comparable with that of Figure 3, of an alternative writing implement according to the invention; Figure 5 is a side elevation of a further alternative writing implement according to the invention.

i s DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 1 is a side elevation, and Figure 2 is a front elevation, of a ballpoint pen 1 according to the invention. Pen I has an elongate barrel 2 similar to a pen of conventional type. Integrally Conned with part 2 is an elongate holder section having an axis 12 that forms an acute angle 6 with an axis 7 of barrel 2. Between holder section 5 and barrel 2 is a connecting neck 8.

Inside holder section 5 is an ink cartridge 16 which supplies ink to a ballpoint writing ti p 9 of conventional type. Thus pen I can apply markings to'a writing surface Pen 1 is shown in a typical writing orientation relative to writing surface Connecting neck 8 meets holders section 5 partway along its length, so that there is a part I I of holder section 5 that in normal use of pen 1 extends above neck 8.

A light source 13 is provided on holder section 5 and is suitably located to illuminate the writing surface 10 directly adjacent to tip 9. Light source 13 is on the opposite side of holder section 5 from barrel 2. Light source 13 is powered by a battery 14 held inside the barrel 2, and is switchable on and off by a slide switch on barrel 2.

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of pen 1, and shows internal wiring 16 whereby light source 13 is connected to battery 14 and switch 15. Light source 13 is COMS ID No: SMBI-0546856 Received by IF Australia: Time 15:49 Date 2003-12-22 22/12/2003 15:41 +61398s67600 MORCOM PERNAT MORCNI RNATPAGE 62 shown as a light emitting diode, and is preferred because of the low battery power consumption of such devices. However, a conventional incandescent bulb or other type of light source may be used if desired. Light emitting diodes are now available in a range of light colours, including white.

In use of pen 1, it is found that a comfortable grip is encouraged, and that unconventional grips, sometimes seen, are discouraged. The holder section 5 and that part of barrel 2 adjacent to neck 8 are readily gripped between the user's first and second fingers and his or her thumb, the barrel 2 resting between the upper part of the thumb and the main part of the hand.

Without in any way being bound or limited by any particular explanation for the comfort that is found to be provided by pen 1, it is thought that the following holds true. The fact that holder section 5 extends upward beyond the point of intersection 17 of the axes 7 and 12 makes the grip comfortable. The upward extension 11I (in particular) of holder 5 tends to stop the fingers sliding downwards along the barrel 2 without requiring the pen I to be tightly held.

Upward extension I11 also discourages, for example, unconventional grips in which the user's fingers extend around the front of the pen. This in turn means that the light source 13 can be easily placed in a good position to illuminate the writing surface 10 without being liable to blocking by the user's hand.

It will also be noted that the arrangement of holder section 5 and barrel 2 in pen 1 allows for a more nearly vertical application of the tip 9 to writing surface which is desirable.

Figure 2 shows that the holder section 5 and barrel 2 lie in a single plane.

However, at the expense of requiring different pens for left and right handed users, this condition can be reinxed if required.

It is also to be noted that the holder section 5 need not be limited to the form of an essentially cylindrical pen barrel. It may be shaped, if required, to provide the most satisfactory grip for a user. Figure 1 shows some degree of shaping of holder section An important aspect that may be varied in designing writing implements according to the invention is the position of tip 9 relative to barrel axis 7. It has been COMS ID No: SMBI-00546856 Received by IP Australia: Time 15:49 Date 2003-12-22 22/12/2003 15:41 +61398867600 MORCIJM PERNAT PAGE 09 6 found generally preferable that tip 9 lie close to, or even on, axis 7 (when extended as shown in Figure 1).

Holder section 5 is comparatively short, so that ink cartridge 16 is shorter than is usual. However, this may be offset by malking the cartridge 16 of larger diameter and/or by providing for storage of a spare cartridge (not shown) in barrel 2. However, as shown in Figure 4, with suitable design of the connection between barrel 2 and holder 5, it is possible to provide a pen 20 with a flexible ink supply tube 21 that is held partly in barrel 22. Note that barrel 22 and holder section 25 of pen 20 are joined with a thicker neck 23 than neck 8 of pen 1.

Of coure, it is possible to provide a writing implement (not shown) according to the invention that has a propelling pencil mechanismn instead of an ink cartridge and tip such as cartridge 16 and tip 9 of pen 1. Similarly, it will be apparent to persons skilled in the art that the writing implement of the invention could be a felt pen.

Other variations may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention. For example only, Figure 5 shows a writing implement 30 having a barrel 32 and holder section 35 (corresponding respectively to parts 2 and 5 of pen 1) that are separate parts, barrel 32 having a ferrule 38 into which bolder section 35 is a push fit (being assembled into ferrule 38 by pushing from below so that a shoulder 39 contacts ferrule 38). This arrangement allows holder section 35 to be replaced as a unit when needed, e.g if implement 30 is a ballpoint pen, when its ink is exhausted.

A light source 37 is provided on the ferrule 38 to avoid the problem of making an electrical connection with a battery (not shown) in barrel 32.

COMS ID No: SMBI-00546856 Received by IF Australia: Time 15:49 Date 2003-12-22

Claims (1)

1. A writing implement substantially as described herein by reference to the attached figures. Dated this 16th day of December 2004 Hashmatullha Ali Shahabi by his patent attorneys Morcom Pernat