EP0564666A1

EP0564666A1 - Non-mingling multicolor marker and its fabrication

Info

Publication number: EP0564666A1
Application number: EP92105153A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Sixiong Xie
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1990-11-13
Filing date: 1992-03-25
Publication date: 1993-10-13
Also published as: CN1061564A; CN1020877C; AU656338B2; JPH06127188A; AU8785191A

Abstract

The marker is comprised of a combined tip (8), a tip guard tube (6), a tip position fixing device (12), a movable tip holder (10) and other parts. The tip points either closed up or separated can be controlled as desired by the relative displacement of the movable tip holder (10) and the combined tips (8), thus the any color mingling among the tip points is prevented. To process the points as well as the tail end of a tip with specified length and shape in one single working step, a cutting device, specially designed, is used. Owing to a position fixing device (12) for mounting the combined tips the consistency and reliability of products may be secured and the percentage of qualified product and shelf life of product have been raised consequently saving of raw mmterials consumption, time, along with working steps have been obtained. In addition, the automation of processing line for the production of combined tips of this multicolor marker is facilitated.

Description

The present invention relates to a non-mingling multicolor marker and the method of its fabrication.
Chinese Patent No. 87107887 disclosed a "multicolor bunched pen in which several nibs with ink tight surfaces are bunched together in close contact into a tip guard tube to form a combined tip". Lateron, the mentioned Patent was further improved by a method in which the points of the bunched tips are machined as a whole. It makes the shape of the tip points into a convex surface, thereby the clearance between the tip points is minimized. Then the color may be continuously varied as desired in writing occuring and any twin color lines is eliminated as well.
However, with the "multicolor bunched pen" and "multicolor pen", the new structure of the tip brings forth some new troubles, since the tips are bonded together very tightly, as a result the clearance between the different tip points is very small, and, again a hydrostatic head of ink inside the respectine tip must be generated between the neighbouring tips due to the differences of ink level. Besides, the capillary effect along with the inevitable variation of the atmospheric pressure and temperature from time to time will make the ink in the tips to move aross the narrow clearance and a migration is possible. This is particularly remarkable when the ink amount in the reservoir is high. Naturally, it will produce an inter-mingling of ink marks which is obviously undesirable. And what is worse, the color inks will gradually be mixed up with each other, making the color quality and the stability of multicolor marker deteriorated, resulting in low percentage of qualified product, and low safe life of products.
Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a non-mingling multicolor marker, in which the clearance between the tip points may be optionally adjustable. In this way, as mentioned above, the marker may write a single, mixed, twin or multicolors lines with different clearance in a range. When writing is finished, the tips can be released to restore its original separated state to prevent the color-mingling between the tip points. Thus the stability and the reliability of the multicolor marker may be greatly improved and the main drawback of multicolor pens is thereby eliminated.
Another object is to provide a multicolor pen with color indicator for convenience to use and color selection.
A further object is to provide a method for fabrication of the above mentioned non-mingling multicolor marker in which a fixed shape forming cutter is used to get individual tips in a single cutting, then a positioning device is used to form combined tips, thereby eliminating the machining steps of turning, cutting, grinding for individual tips and the machining of the front part of the combined tips as a whole, thereby simplifying the assembling process and increasing the percentage of qualified products and storage life of product.
The present invention relates to a non-mingling multicolor marker. The device of the invention comprises a back plug provided with a color identification, a barrel, ink reservoirs, a tip guard tube, combined tips, a tip position fixing device and a movable tip holder.
The combined tips are composed of more than two elastic tips with ink tight surface positioned in a tip positioning device which are fixed in the tip guard tube in a non direct close contact state, that is with the points of the tips separated from each other and no any spacers are between them. The separating and the closing of the tip points are controlled by a movable tip holder slipped on the outside of the combined tips which can be moved back and forth with respect to the tips. Inside the movable tip holder is a hollow frustum-cylinder shaped through bore (as illustrated in Embodiment II). The inner wall of the bore may also be provided with an inner thread (as illustrated in Embodiment I). The front part of the bore becomes gradually narrower towards one end in a stepped or tapered manner. This inner thread is matched with an outer thread on the surface of the tip guard tube or an outer thread on the front end of the barrel. In other words, the movable tips holder is slipped on the outer surface of the front end of the tip guard tube or inserted into the bore of the front end. When the movable tip holder is moved along or screwed upward, the conical surface of the frustum-cylinder shaped bore tapers down or tapers off, thereby directly or indirectly making the tips points close together and thus ready for writing. When the movable tip holder is moved or screwed downwards to a certain degree, the tips get rid of the pressure caused by the conical surface of the bore and become separated one from another by their own inherent elasticity, in other words, the tips are returned to the separate state.
The said tip positioning device is composed of fixing blocks with same size and shape. The shape of the said fixing blocks may vary, they may be, for example, fan shaped, in each fan shaped block there is a circular through hole or an arc shaped concave groove. On each fixing block there is defined a positioning groove, these grooves are matched with the positioning grooves on the rear end of the bore of the tip guard tube. When the tips marked with positioning marks are inserted into the circular hole or arc shaped concave grooves of the tip positioning device and followed by being put into the tip guard tube, the emerging points of the tips make no contact between themselves and thus are in separate state and no any spacers are between the tip points. The above mentioned unique fixing structure for the tips together with the movable tip holder with frustum-cylinder shaped bore can control the separating or closing of the tips, thereby avoiding the drawback of color-mingling caused by long time close contact between the tips.
The said tip positioning device, said tip guard tube and the movable tip holder may be made of plastics, copper, iron, ferronickel or aluminium alloy, while the tips are generally made of microporous plastic wire rods with water tight outer walls.
In order to facilitate the correct selection of colors while writing, a color identification device may be provided on the barrel. The kinds, number, arrangement direction, order and angle of colors indicated by the color identification device correspond to those of color upon writing.
With a view to enhancing the effect of combined colors, the central part of the top end of the combined tips can take a flat shape and the surrounding part can take the shape of a convex arc surface.
The present invention also provides a method for fabrication the combined tips of the non-mingling multicolor marker, in which a fixed shape forming cutting device is provided which is composed of two arc shaped slideways, a positioning sliding block, a fastening device, a fixed shape form cutter, an impact rod and springs. The said positioning block is mounted on the said two parallel arc shaped slideways with two ends of which being connected to the slideways via springs, the impact rod and the fixed shape forming cutter are mounted respectively on the appropriate positions of the positioning sliding block and fixed by suitable fasteners. The positioning block of the fixed shape form cutting device is provided with the tip shape form cutter with concave edge which is fixed on the positioning block by a fastener. Using the fixed shape form cutter to form individual tips at a single cutting results in individual tips with fixed length, fixed position and fixed shape, which insures the consistency of position and angle of individual tips, that is, one end of the tip formed takes, for example, the shape of a partial convex arc surface while the other end takes the shape of a concave arc surface.
When the above-mentioned tips with ink tight surface are inserted into or get stuck in the circular holes or arc shaped concave grooves of the tip positioning device, the tip positioning device then is inserted into the tip guard tube from the rear portion of its bore, and is fixed in the tip guard tube by means of interference fit or adhesion so that the points of the tips emerge from tip guard tube and a combined tips is formed, the rear portions of the tips are then made communicated with reservoirs which contain inks of different colors.
Another machining process which is similar to oscillating an arm for drawing an arc may also be used to achieve individual tips with fixed length, fixed position in a single cutting. In this case, the fixed shape form cutter with concave edge is mounted on the oscillating arm.
The present invention relates to a non-mingling multicolor-marker and a method of its fabrication, which, compared with the prior art, has the following advantages:

1. The tips of a multi-color pen can be held close together when in use and can be made (kept) separated when writing ends up thereby avoiding the drawback of color-mingling caused by long time close contact and the stability of multicolor ink fountain pens is improved.
2. The non-mingling multicolor marker according to the present invention has a color identification device with which the user can correctly and easily select the color as desired when writing.
3. The individual tips with fixed length, fixed position and with one end having the shape of a partial convex arc surface, and other end having the shape of a concave arc surface may be made by a single cutting, thus eliminating the machining steps of turning, cutting, grinding for the individual tips and the bunched tips as a whole as well as the troubles caused by these machining steps, thereby the quality of products is insured:

Fig. 1A is a schematic appearance view of the non-mingling multicolor marker:
Fig. 1B is a schematic sectional view of the structure of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the tip guard tube of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 3A is the schematic bottom view of the tip guard tube of the non-mingling multicolor marker (four tips);
Fig. 3B is the schematic bottom view of the tip guard tube of the non-mingling multicolor maker (three tips);
Fig. 4A shows the schematic vertical view of the tip guard tube of the non-mingling multicolor marker (four- tips);
Fig. 4B shows the schematic vertical view of the tip guard tube of the non-mingling multicolor marker (three tips);
Fig. 5 illustrates the schematic view of the insert-type position fixing device for the tip of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 6 is a schematic view of the bayonet-locking type position fixing device for the tip of the non-mingling multicolor marker:
Fig. 7 shows a schematic view of vertically movable type tip holder and the parts of the pen head.
Fig. 8 is a schematic assembly view for the embodiment II of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 9 is a schematic view of the fixed shape (forming) cutting form-cutting device for tips cutting;
Fig. 10 is a schematic view of the structure and assembly procedure of the composite (combination) pen head (four tips) of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 11 is a schematic view of the structure and assembly procedure of the composite (combination) pen head of non-mingling multicolor marker (three tips);
Fig. 12 shows the structure of the combined tips of the non-mingling multicolor marker;
Fig. 13A is a schematic perspective view of the non-mingling multicolor marker with a color selecting device;
Fig. 13B is a schematic vertical view of the color identification device shown in Fig. 13A;
Fig. 14A is a schematic sectional view of a pointer type color identification device according to the present invention;
Fig. 14B is a schematic left view of the color identification device shown in Fig. 14A;
Fig. 15A is a schematic sectional view of a spheroid pointer type color identification device according to the present invention.
Fig. 15B a schematic left view of the spheroid pointer type color selecting device shown in Fig. 15A.
Fig. 16 is a schematic sectional view of an another spheroid pointer type color identification device;
Fig. 17A is a schematic view of the non mingling multicolor marker with a short tube like color identification device.
Fig. 17B is a schematic sectional view of the short tube like color identification device shown in Fig. 17A;
Fig. 18A is a schematic view of a non-mingling multicolor marker with a ring shaped color identification device according to the present invention;
Fig. 18B is a schematic sectional view of the ring shaped color selecting device shown in Fig. 18A;
Fig. 19A is a schematic view of the non-mingling multicolor marker with a penholder type color identification device according to the present invention;
Fig. 19B is a schematic sectional view of the barrel type color selecting device shown in Fig. 19A;
Fig. 20 is a schematic perspective view of a cylindric tube shaped color selecting device according to the present invention;
Fig. 21 shows a schematic perspective view of a hexaprismatic tube shaped color selecting device.

In the drawings, the reference numbers refer to the parts as follows:

1: backplug
2: barrel
3: reservoir
4: pen neck
5: outer thread
6: tip guard-tuber
7: open slot
8: tip (nib)
9: segmented pieces
10: movable tip holder with inner thread
11: inner thread
12: tip position fixing device
12-1: positioning slipped on ring
12-2: elastic positioning frame
12-3: fixing block
12-4: positioning support
13: inward protruding positioning pieces
14: positioning pieces protruding outwardly
15: air hole
16: tip hole
17: concave positioning grooves
18: bayonet lock type fixing blocks
19: insert type fixing blocks
20: tip guard tube with open groove
21: gland
22: movable tip holder without inner thread
23: small protruding piece
24: impact rod
25: arc shaped slideways
26: positioning sliding block
27: material for nibs
28: fixed shape forming cutter
29: springs
30: positioning marks
31: color indication plate
32: transparent cover body
33: pointer
34: microspheric member
35: tube shaped member
35: ring shaped member
36: axial (concave) groove
37: bore
38: reservoir partitioning device

Embodiment I

The embodiment according to the present invention comprises a backplug 1 provided with a color idendification device, a barrel 2, a pen neck 4, a tip guard tube 6, ink reservoir 3, tips 8, a movable tip holder 10 with inner thread and a tip position fixing device 12.
The barrel 2 is a hollow tube to which is attached a pen neck 4. In the inner wall of the front portion of the neck there are made, for example, three longitudinal grooves which are matched with the positioning pieces 14 protruding outwardly on the rear end of the tip guard tube 6. The said tip position fixing device 12 is composed of three bayonet lock type fixing blocks 18 (or insert type fixing blocks 19), the concave positioning groove 17, which is formed by the adjacent edges of each two fixing blocks, gets firmly stuck (bayonet locked) (or is inserted) into the inward protruding positioning pieces 13 on the rear end of the tip guard tube 6. On the front end of the tube wall of the tip guard tube 6 are defined several open longitudinal slots 7 (for example three open slots 7) so that several, for example, three segmented pieces or tongues 9 are formed. The tip guard tube 6 has an inner bore which can loosely accommodate several, for example, three pieces of tips. The outer wall of the central portion of the tip guard tube 6 is provided with an outer thread 5. When three tips 8 with the position fixing devices (which are matched with the positioning grooves on the said tube wall) are inserted and passed through the tip guard tube 6, the emerged parts of these three tips are in a non contact or separated state, there are no any spacers between them. The three tips 8 are respectively located in front of the respective segmented pieces 9 and are in alignment with them. The ink reservoirs 3 containing ink of different colors are slipped respectively on the rear ends of the three tips 8. Then, the rear end of the pen neck 4 is inserted into the bore of the front end of the barrel 2 and the rear end of the movable tip holder 10 with inner thread is screwed on the tip guard tube 6. Then put the back plug 1 provided with a color identification device on the rear end of the barrel 2.
The above mentioned parts (except for color marks) can be manufactured by mould pressing or by machining, while the airhole is formed by a conventional method. When the marker is to be used, the movable tip holder cap 10 with the inner thread is screwed upward to the barrel 2. In doing so, the nib cap 10 moves upwards and the stepped conical surface of the tapered bore gradually forces segmented pieces 9 to contract, that is, gradually forces the three tips to close together. At this point, the said marker is ready for writing. When writing is finished, the tip holder 10 with inner thread may be loosened so that the segmented pieces 9 can be returned to a larger circumferential position. At this time, the pressure from the inner wall of the tip holder 10 with inner thread on the segmented pieces 9 is released, thereby the tips 8 restore in their separated condition by their own inherent elasticity. The rear portion of the tip guard tube 6 and the front portion of the pen neck 4 are joined in tight fit by a groove connection or by a sawtooth joint or they are bonded together by a suitable adhesive agent to prevent the tip guard tube 6 from being separated off together with the pen head 8 while adjusting the movable tip holder. The air hole is formed by the conventional method as known. The tips and the tip position fixing device may be assembled by the means of insertion, bayonet lock or adhesion. For convenience of use, the positioning marks 30 can be marked on the movable tip holder 10 with inner thread and the barrel 2 to indicate if the tips are in the separated state or in the closed state.

Embodiment II

Prepare a tip guard tube 20 with logitudinal slots 7 similar to Fig. 1 in the Embodiment I. On its front part, one or several open longitudinal slots 7 may be formed. The structure and the method for fixing tips are also similar to those of the Embodiment I except that the inner diameter of the front end of the tube wall of the profiled tube like member with the open slots is larger and a movable (adgustable) tip holder 22 (Fig. 7) without inner thread can move back and forth therein, the bore of the movable tip holder without inner thread is made in a shape of a truncated cone. When the movable tip holder without inner thread 22 is inserted into the tip guard tube 20 with slots 7, a gland 21 may be put on its outer surface to prevent the movable tip holder 22 without inner thread from sliding out. The movable tip holder 22 without inner thread is provided with one or more small protruding inner projections 23 received in the slots 7 or one or more notches, so that a user may adjust the tip holder with fingernail through moving them, thereby the movable tip holder 22 without inner thread and with truncated cone shaped bore may moved back and forth in the tip guard tube 20 with open longitudinal slots 7. When the tip holder without inner thread 22 is moved outwards, the said tips points get separated, that is, they spread apart to a larger circumferential position depending on the elasticity of the nibs, when the tip holder without inner thread 22 is moved inward, the tip points contract and are held together and lie in the position defined by the tapered bore.
Due to the fact that the points of the tips are made in the shape of partial convex arc surface pen head, once the tips points are held together, they are ready for giving one color, dual color or combined multi-color upon writing. The separation and closing of the tips can be controlled through adjusting the position of the movable tip holder 22 without inner thread. The tip guard tube 6 and the movable tip holder 22 without inner thread can be made of plastics, copper, iron, alloys such as ferronickel and aluminium alloy and can be manufactured by mould pressing or machining method.

Embodiment III

In order to expound more clearly the structure of the above mentioned combined tips and the method for putting the tips on the positioning device, the Embodiment III will be described in details in conjunction with the accompanyirwg drawings.
In the Fig. 10 of the Embodiment III, the barrel 2 is a hollow tube. Attached to the barrel 2 is a pen neck which has a special structure and therefore is also referred to as tip guard tube 6. The front end tube wall of the tip guard tube 6 is formed with several, for example, four open longitudinal slots 7 to divide the tip guard tube 6 into several, for example, four segmented pieces 9. The tip guard tube 6 has an inner bore which can loosely accommodate (is spacious for accommodating) several, for example, four tips. The central portion of the outer wall of the tip guard tube 6 is provided with the outer thread 5, and the inner wall of the rear portion of the bore of the tip guard tube 6 is provided with several, for example, four inward protruding positioning pieces or ribs 13, or several, for example, four concave grooves 17 may be provided on the inner wall. The said protruding positioning pieces and positioning concave grooves are all matched with the tip position fixing device 12. The tip position fixing device 12 itself is composed of several, for example, four fixing blocks 19, the concave positioning grooves 17 formed by the adjacent edges of each two fixing blocks are firmly bayonet locked (or inserted) to the inward protruding positioning pieces 13 of the rear portion of the bore of the tip guard tube 6. According to the same principle for the positioning of the tips, the said tip position fixing device may be also divided into a positioning support 12-4 formed as a cross member the ends of the arms of which match to the grooves 17, block 12-3 composed of the fixing blocks 19 or formed as a single fixing block having a cross-like through slot for insertion which, an elastic positioning frame 12-2 and a positioning slipped-on ring 12-1. Further, it is even possible to form the positioning support 12-4 receiving the ink reservoirs 3 between its arms, and the fixing block 12-3 as a one-piece member as shown in Fig. 1B. Then the tip combination is composed according to the assembly procedure shown in Fig. 10 and is inserted into and passed through the tube 6 with the emerged points of these four tips being in the separated state, that is, there is no contact and no any spacers between these tips points. The assembly is then as shown in Fig. 4A. The four tips are located respectively in front of the four segmented pieces 9 with the central line of the nib and the segmented piece being in alignment with each other. The reservoirs containing ink of different colors are respectively inserted onto the rear end of the pen tips and the rear end of the tip guard tube 6 is inserted into the bore of the front end of the barrel 2. After that, the rear end of the movable tip holder with inner thread 10 is screwed on the tip guard tube 6. The backplug 1 provided with the color identification device is mounted on the rear end of the barrel 2. The above mentioned parts except for color marks, are also manufactured with mould pressing or machining methods while the air hole 15-1 is formed by the conventional method. When the marker is to be used, the movable tip holder 10 with inner thread is screwed towards the barrel 2. In doing so, the tip holder 10 moves upwards and its steppedly tapered surface forces grandually the segmented pieces 9 and makes them contract inwardly, that is, the four tips 8 are forced to be closed together. At this point, the marker is ready for writing. When writing is finished the movable tip holder 10 with inner thread may be unscrewed (loosened) so that the segmented pieces 9 my be returned to its larger circumferential position. At this point the pressure of the inner wall of the movable tip holder with inner thread 10 on the segmented pices 9 is released, thereby the segmented pieces 9 and the positioning device (elastic positioning frame) 12-2 all contribute to make the tips 8 resume its separated state from each other depending on their own elasticity. The rear part of the tip guard tube 6 and the front end of the barrel 2 are joined in tight fit by means of groove connection, saw tooth grooves or are bonded together with adhesives to prevent the tip guard tube 6 from being screwed out together with the tips while adjusting the tip holder. The positioning blocks 12-3 of the positioning device may be composed of several fixing blocks 19 or of one single block with, for example, four holes. The positioning device 12-2 formed as a cross for receiving the tips 8 between its arms may be made of rubber, foamed plastics or elastic metals. For convenience sake, the positioning marks 30 may be marked on the movable tip holder 10 with inner thread and the barrel 2 to indicate whether the tips points are in separated or in closed position. In order to enhance the effect of combined colors, the structure in which the central portion of the top end of the combined is made flat and the surrounding portion is made partial convex arc shaped surface may be adopted. According to the above mentioned method, the combined tips comprising four tips with different ink colors can give four kinds of pure color and more than five combined colors in writing and the undesired color mingling can be effectively prevented, thereby greatly increasing the percentage of qualified products quality of writing and shelf life of product. The non-mingling multicolor marker, according to the present invention has obvious advantages in advanced art, novelty and utility.
In the following description the color selecting device will be further described in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.
In Fig. 13A and 13B a non-mingling multicolor marker with another kind of color identification device according to the present invention is illustrated which comprises a transparent cover body 32 mounted on the rear end of the barrel 2, a color indication plate 31 with several color marks on its surface mounted in the cover 31 for indicating the color of writing. The color indication plate 31 may be a circular, elliptical, polygonal flat surface or an arc surface in shape. The color marks on the plate may be lines, areas, dots or letters of different colors for indicating the colors of writing. The kinds, number, arrangement direction, order and angles of color they indicated coincide with those of colors in writing.
The transparent cover body 32 may be manufactured by injection moulding process. The mounting structure between the rear end of the barrel 2 and the cover 32 is such that the ring shaped concave grooves of the inner wall of the cover 32 is matched with the ring shaped protruding shoulder on the outer surface of the rear end of the barrel and these two can be adjusted by relative rotation. When assembling or using the multicolor marker, the transparent cover 32 may be adjusted so that the positions of colors indicated by color marks correspond to the position of the color given by the tip 2 in writing, then the position of the transparent cover 32 is fixed. In this way a user needs only to select a certain color indicated by the color indication plate, the color given by the multicolor marker, when writing will be what the user expects.
Alternatively, the color indication plate with flat surface (or arc surface) 31 may be mounted on the end portion of the tip holder of the multicolor marker and the positioning lines are marked on the barrel and on the tip holder respectively. When the tip holder is slipped on the rear portion of the barrel and the positioning lines of the pen body and the nib cap are aligned so that the colors indicated by the color marks on the color indication plate 31 may correspond to the colors the tip will give in writing, in doing so, the said color selecting device is ready for use for selecting colors.
Now refer to Fig. 14A and 14B. In order to enhance the correctness in color selection of the said color identification device, the present invention, on the basis of the above mentioned color identification device comprising a color indication plate 31 and a transparent cover body 32 provides a pointer type color identification device, that is, a supporting point is provided on the center of the flat surface or arc surface of the color indication plate 31 in the transparent cover body 32. On the said supporting point is mounted a pointer 33 which can be rotated relative to the color indication plate. Due to the fact that the weights of the two arms of the pointer are unequal relative to (about) the center when the barrel is inclined for writing, the heavier arm of the pointer points always downwardly, while the lighter arm points always upwardly. In case that a single arm pointer is used, the pointer points always downwardly. According to the fact that the direction indicated is unvaried constant, by adjusting the transparent cover body 32 and making the positions of the colors indicated by the color indication plate 31 correspond to the positions of the colors given by the tip in writing occurring, then no matter how the multicolor marker is rotated, the color indicated by the pointer will be exactly the color given by the tip when writing.
Referring to Fig. 15A and 15B, similarly an active microspherical member 34, such as metal or plastic bead may be mounted on the flat surface or arc surface color indicating plate fitting in the transparent cover body. When writing, the microsperical member always takes the lowermost position due the own weight of the microspheric member. Due to the fact that the movement direction of the microspheric piece keeps constant anyhow, when assembling or using the multicolor marker, by adjusting the transparent cover body 32 so that the positions of the colors indicated by the color indication plate 31 correspond to the positions of the colors given by the tip in writing, when writing, the colors indicated by the spherical piece 34 will be the colors gien by the tip while writing.
If the shape of the color indication plate 31 is of a certain kind of shapes such as a circular, elliptical or polygonal one, the shape of the inner wall of the transparent cover body 32 must suit thereto. In Fig. 16 a hexagonal color identification device is shown in which the color selecting plate 31 and the inner wall of the transparent cover body are all of hexagonal shape.
Moreover, the color indication plate 31 may also be mounted on the rear end of the barrel 2 and the kind, number, arrangement direction, order, angle of the colors indicated by the color indication plate are made correspond 10 those of the colors given by the multi-color market upon writing.
The color marks on the color indication plate 31 may be printed with color printing or metal surface printing process. In addition, the transparent cover or lid 32 may be of various different shapes and colors to make it pleasing to the eye.
Fig. 17A through 21 show non-mingling multicolor markers with various tube shaped color identification devices according to the present invention in which the color identification device consists of a tube shaped member 35 mounted on the barrel 2. The outer wall of the tube shaped member 35 is provided with several color marks to indicate the colors of writing. The kinds, number, arrangement direction, order and angle of colors indicated by the color marks correspond to those of colors given by the multi-color marker upon writing.
When the multi-color marker with the above mentioned color identification device is to be used, the color of writing will be the color rquired by the user by aligning with a certain color indicated by the color mark.
The color marks of the above mentioned embodiments include several axial concave longitudinal grooves 36 formed on the outer circumferential wall of the tube shaped member 35. In each of the concave grooves 36, one kind of color is marked for indicating the color of writing, the kinds, number, arrangement direction, order, angle of colors they indicate correspond to those of colors given by the multi-color marker upon writing. The said color marks may also be several color strips directly marked on the outer circumferential wall of the tube shaped member 35 for indicating the colors of writing.
The length of the tube shaped member 35 may vary with the various requirements. If the length of the tube shaped member is the same as the length of the barrel, it can replace the barrel as shown in Fig. 19A and 19B. If a shorter length is used, then it becomes a short tube shaped member as shown in Fig. 12A and 12B. If a still shorter length is used, it becomes a ring shaped member as shown in Fig. 18A and 18B. When the short tube shaped member or the ring shaped member is used, they may be mounted on the barrel 2. In this case, the bore 37 of the said member is closely matched with the outer wall of the barrel 2, for example, is closely matched with the ring shaped concavo-convex shoulders and may be rotated relatively so that the position of colors can be adjusted when assembling is made or when the said multi-color marker is used for writing. Furthermore, the said tube shaped member can also be made in integral with the barrel 2.
The appearance of the tube shaped member 35 may be cylindrical as shown in Fig. 14, or may be multi-prismatic in shape such as a hexagonal prism as shown in fig. 15, or elliptical or profiled prismatic in shape.
The short tube shaped color identification device according to the present invention may be mounted on the front part of the barrel or on the central or rear part of the barrel.
The tube shaped member 35 may be manufactured by injection moulding, color printing, direct color marking or color plastic tube drawing processes, or, color marking is made after the metal tube drawing step has been completed.
In the above illustrated drawings, the same reference numbers used for the structure members have the same meanings.
Now the method and equipment for fabrication of the non-mingling multicolor marker will be described as follows.

1. Fixed shape form cutting machine for tips cutting comprises (Fig. 9) an impact rod 24, arc shaped slideways (guiding rails) 25, a positioning sliding block 26, tip-raw material 27, fixed shape cutter 28, springs 29 and fasteners 26-1. The positioning sliding block 26 is placed on the two parallel arc shaped slideways 25, the two ends of which are connected to the two arc shaped slideways 25 by springs 29. The impact rod 24 and the fixed shape form cutter 28 are mounted respectively on the appropriate positions of the positioning slide block 26 and fixed by fasteners 26-1. The tips raw materials for manufacturing nibs are placed under the fixed shape form cutter. Generally the tips are made of microporous plastic wire rod with water proof outer wall.
2. Cutting the materials in a single cutting by using fixed shaped form cutter and impact process can result in individual tips with fixed length, fixed position, fixed shape, for example tips with one end having a partial convex arc surface and with the other end having a concave arc surface. Because of the using of the fixed shape form cutter and the positioning device, the consistency of the bearing and angle of the tips is assured. At the same time the method of a single cutting by fixed shape form cutter makes the concave end of the inclined plane of the tip to have a larger contact area, which is just right for the reservoir to be inserted into it for drawing ink. Thus a machining step for grinding the tip point is eliminated. The cutter may be a fixed shape form cutter with concave edge. Through the action of impact force and springs, the cutter moves upwards and downwards while passing along the arc shaped slideways and the fixed shape (forming) cutting of the tips is achieved in a single cut. The cutter is provided with a positioning block which is connected with the impact rod through a movable riveting structure for the cutter to make the required arc movement in the slideways. In order to keep the toughness of the tips material for in cutting the temperature surrounding the work piece may be increased.
3. During cutting (before or after cutting with the same result), the positioning marks may be made on tip body or the positioning device may be used. The tip positioning device may be manufactured by injection moulding or metal rolling process. The shape of the positioning device may vary. The tip and the positioning device may be assembled by the insert type bayonet lock type or binding.
4. Then the individual tips with the positioning device or the combined tips are inserted into the corrcsponding holes, the joints of which may be fixed by bonding or locking means.
5. When the assemblance of the combined tips has been completed the tip holder may be slipped on to make tips close together and the simulative writing can be taken to make the tip points smoother.
6. As the final step the movable tip holder should be placed in a proper position so that the tips may be kept in separated state.

Due to the fact that a single cutting method is used, the machining steps of turning, cutting, grinding and the troubles caused by these machining steps are reduced, for example, the powdered bits caused by the turning, cuttiny or grinding steps may block the pores of the tips and make the ink supply unfluent and unsmooth. Axial turning cutting and grinding for the combined tips may destroy the membrane on the outer surface of the tips which is provided for preventing ink from permeation thereby causing the color-mingling between the tips with different color inks, resulting in low percentage of qualified products.
Moreover, the use of the tip positioning device greatly simplifies the assemblance procedures which in turn assures the consistency and stability of the products. In other words, the method for fabrication of the non-mingling multicolor marker according to the present invention has obvious advantages in increasing the percentage of qualified products, in time, labor, materials consumption saving, and with the method according to the present invention the set up of automatic production lines for manufacturing the tips which is the key part in the production of the non-mingling multicolor marker, will be facilitated as well.

Claims

A non-mingling multicolor marker comprising a back plug (1) fitted with a color identification device, a barrel (2), ink reservoirs (3), a combined tip (8), a tip position fixing device (12) and a movable tip holder (10, 22), characterized by:
a) the combined tips being composed of more than two tips (8) with ink tight surface and elasticity fitted in a positioning device (12), the tips being fixedly mounted in a tip guard tube (6, 20) in a separated state, that is, there are no any spacers in between the points of the tips, the pen head further having a movable tip holder (10, 22) which can be slipped on the outer surface of the combined tips and is movable with respect to the combined tips;

b) a movable tip holder (10, 22) (with inner thread or without inner thread), the bore of which is a truncated cone-cylinder shaped hole;

c) a tip position fixing device (12), which consists of several fixing blocks with the same size and shape, the shape of the blocks may be varied, for example, such block may be of the shape of a fan, on each fan shaped block is defined a circular hole (16) or an arc shaped concave groove (16), further the blocks are provided with positioning grooves (17) which are matched with the positioning grooves on the bore of the rear end of the tip guard tube (6, 20).
The non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the position fixing device (12), on which several tips (8) having ink tight surface and elasticity are positioned, is composed of a positioning support (12-4), positioning blocks (12-3), a elastic positioning support (12-2) and a positioning ring (12-1).
The non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inner thread of the said movable tip holder (10) with inner thread is on the inner wall cylindrical part of the tip holder cone/cylinder bore, the said inner thread is engaged with an outer thread (5) on the tip guard tube (6) or with an outer thread on the front end of the barrel (2).
The non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the inner bore of the movable tip holder (22) becomes gradually narrower towards the front end.
A method for fabrication of the said non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 1, comprising the following steps:
a) a nib is produced in a single cut by cutting the raw material (27) of tips using a fixed shape (forming) cutter or form cutter (28);

b) one end of the tip formed by the fixed shape (forming) cutter is made in the shape of a concave arc surface while the other end is made in the shape of a convex arc surface;

c) inserting or bayonet locking several tips (8) with ink tight surface into the circular hole (16) or arc shaped concave groove (16) of the tip position fixing device (12);

d) mounting the tip position fixing device (12) for the tip (8) which may be done before, after or just during cutting;

e) inserting tips (8) positioned in the positioning device (12) into the tip guard tube (6, 20) and fixing the positioning device (12) in the tip guard tube so that the points of the tips (8) emerge from tip guard tube and form a combined tip;

f) slipping on the movable tip holder (10, 22) (tip holder with inner thread or without thread).
The method for fabricating the non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that when a movable tip holder (22) without inner thread is used a gland (21) can be mounted on the front end of the tip guard tube (20).
The method for fabricating the non-mingling multicolor marker as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that the said movable tip holder when marker leaving factory is adjusted so that the tip points are in the separated position without contact with each other.