EP0803381A1 - Pufferbehälter für Flüssigkeitsschreibgerät und Schreibgerät mit einem solchen Behälter - Google Patents

Pufferbehälter für Flüssigkeitsschreibgerät und Schreibgerät mit einem solchen Behälter Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0803381A1
EP0803381A1 EP97490009A EP97490009A EP0803381A1 EP 0803381 A1 EP0803381 A1 EP 0803381A1 EP 97490009 A EP97490009 A EP 97490009A EP 97490009 A EP97490009 A EP 97490009A EP 0803381 A1 EP0803381 A1 EP 0803381A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
ink
microbeads
buffer tank
hydrophilic
reservoir
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP97490009A
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP0803381B1 (de
Inventor
José Duez
Vincent Bedhome
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Conte SA
Original Assignee
Conte SA
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Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Conte SA filed Critical Conte SA
Publication of EP0803381A1 publication Critical patent/EP0803381A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0803381B1 publication Critical patent/EP0803381B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K8/00—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls
    • B43K8/02—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls with writing-points comprising fibres, felt, or similar porous or capillary material
    • B43K8/04—Arrangements for feeding ink to writing-points
    • B43K8/06—Wick feed from within reservoir to writing-points
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K8/00—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls
    • B43K8/02—Pens with writing-points other than nibs or balls with writing-points comprising fibres, felt, or similar porous or capillary material
    • B43K8/04—Arrangements for feeding ink to writing-points

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to the field of writing articles with liquid ink, that is to say in which the ink is in the free state, not being trapped in a fibrous reservoir.
  • a writing article comprises a reservoir for the ink and a tip ensuring by capillary action the transfer of the ink from this reservoir to the writing head proper which may consist of the end of said tip.
  • the applicant has already proposed in document EP 0516538 a writing article of this type whose buffer tank, which is made of a hydrophobic material with open pores, is constituted in the form of at least one compact block adjusted loosely around the transfer point, coaxial to it.
  • the porous hydrophobic material is based on microbeads or microspheres, for example polypropylene.
  • the buffer tank provided for in document EP 0516538 is satisfactory on the functional level, that is to say that it technically fulfills the function of absorbing and restoring the excess ink arriving in the tip in the event of variation of the pressure in the ink tank.
  • the efficiency of the buffer tank decreases radially as one moves away from the zone of contact with the transfer tip.
  • the ink diffuses without difficulty from the transfer point into the buffer tank in an area relatively close to the transfer point, an area which depending on the case may be of the order of 2 to 4 mm. The further one moves away from the transfer point, the more difficult the ink diffusion is to become zero at a distance which can be of the order of 6 to 7 mm.
  • the useful volume of the buffer tank is a function of the maximum excess volume of ink likely to be caused by such variation.
  • This excess ink is in particular a function of the volume of air contained in the liquid ink tank, since it is generally an increase in the temperature of the air contained in this tank which will cause the pressure variation causing this excess. ink in the tip. The less ink remains in the tank, the more air it contains and the more excess ink there is, for the same temperature increase.
  • the aim which is sought by the applicant is to propose a buffer tank which overcomes the above-mentioned drawback.
  • the buffer tank of the invention which, in a manner known by document EP 0516538, is a buffer tank for a writing article containing a liquid ink, said writing article comprising a reservoir, a transfer point opening out. in the tank, said buffer tank being able to absorb and restore the excess ink in the event of a variation in the pressure prevailing in the tank and being produced in the form of a compact block made of an open pore material based on microbeads.
  • the buffer tank consists of microbeads of hydrophobic nature with respect to said ink and, in reduced proportion, of microbeads of hydrophilic nature with respect to said ink.
  • hydrophilicity and hydrophobia is a relative concept, which is linked to the nature of the ink, in particular its viscosity and its surface tension. Is considered hydrophilic compared to a specific ink - and even if this ink would not have water as a solvent - a porous material in which naturally diffuses said ink under normal conditions of use; is considered hydrophobic with respect to the same ink, a porous material in which said ink does not diffuse under normal conditions of use. A given material can be hydrophobic for a given ink and hydrophilic for another ink.
  • polypropylene is hydrophobic for an aqueous ink without additive capable of modifying its surface tension and hydrophilic for an ink of the alcohol solvent type.
  • this is the principle of the buffer tank, an excess of ink can diffuse into the hydrophobic material when the conditions of use are modified, in particular by abnormal increase in pressure.
  • hydrophilic microbeads in reduced proportion, among hydrophobic microbeads unexpectedly promotes the diffusion of ink throughout the volume of the buffer tank, well beyond the peripheral zone which is in direct contact with the ink, especially on the surface of the transfer tip.
  • the difficulty for the ink to diffuse through the network formed by the hydrophobic microbeads of the buffer tank is due to the pressure drops increasing as one moves away radially from the periphery of the tip transfer.
  • Having locally hydrophilic microbeads on the path of the ink in the hydrophobic microbead network allows the ink to reach hydrophobic sites which were inaccessible in the case of a buffer tank consisting exclusively of hydrophobic microbeads.
  • hydrophobic and hydrophilic microbeads can result from a homogeneous mixture throughout the volume of the buffer tank.
  • hydrophilic microbeads can also consist of a differentiated mixture, the proportion of hydrophilic microbeads being lower in the area immediately in contact with the excess ink and being higher in the most distant area.
  • hydrophilic microbeads On average, the proportion of hydrophilic microbeads is between 2 and 10% relative to the total weight of the buffer tank.
  • the writing article 1 which is represented in FIG. 1 is in accordance with the teaching of the document EP 0516538 of the applicant. It is composed of a body 2, a transfer tip 3 and a buffer tank 4.
  • the body 2 has its rear part which constitutes a tank 5 for the liquid ink, tank which is closed by an internal partition 6.
  • the transfer point 3 has its rear end 3 a which opens into the tank 5 through the interior partition 6; its front end 3b constitutes the writing tip and opens out of the body 2 through a central orifice 7.
  • the buffer tank 4 which is able to absorb and restore the excess ink coming from the tip 3 by capillarity in the event of of variation of the pressure prevailing in the ink tank 5, is produced in a open pore material based on microbeads and is in the form of a compact block adjusted loosely around the tip 3 coaxially therewith.
  • the ink 8 coming from the reservoir 5 is consumed by the writing tip 3 b as it is used and is replaced by air which can circulate freely between the ambient space and said reservoir 5 thanks to the natural porosity of the transfer point 3 but also to a communication orifice 9 formed at the level of the central orifice 7 through which the writing point 3b passes and to a free space 10 surrounding the buffer tank 4.
  • Buffer tank 4 is a compact porous block based on microbeads, the grade, particle size as well as distribution, molecular weight and morphology of which are known.
  • this compact block can be obtained by thermofusion of a mixture of microbeads of at least two thermoplastic materials of different grade, that is to say two materials having different melting temperatures. After a homogeneous mixture of the microbeads in a suitable mold, they are brought to a given temperature which is higher than the melting temperature of the material of the first type and lower than the melting temperature of the material of the second type. In this way the material constituting the microbeads of the first type bottom, which on the one hand creates the microcavities corresponding to the open pores and on the other hand ensures the cohesion of all the microbeads of materials of the second type.
  • the compact block can be obtained from microbeads of a single thermoplastic material by simple sintering, the capillary network being formed by the interstices between the microbeads, after localized melting and bonding thereof.
  • the ink 8 which is contained in the reservoir 5 and which is in contact with the rear end 3 a of the transfer point 3 is absorbed and migrates by capillary action in the point 3 to its front end 3 b .
  • the ink consumed by this front end 3 b serving as a writing head, is replaced progressively by the ink 8 coming from the reservoir 5.
  • the ink which diffuses in the transfer point 3 is itself replaced by air coming from inside the body 2 There is thus established a pressure balance between the air contained in the reservoir 5 and the air prevailing in the rest of the body 2.
  • the buffer tank 4 can store all the excess ink which is liable to flow from the transfer point 3 in the event of an abnormal increase in the pressure inside the tank 5.
  • This capacity is a function of the capacity of the tank 5 of liquid ink 8, this excess being maximum when the ink tank contains a large proportion of air which tends to expand strongly in the event of an increase in the temperature of the article 1.
  • this theoretical volume was not always sufficient to absorb all of the excess ink, insofar as there was not complete saturation of the tank stamp, ink not being able to diffuse radially beyond a certain distance from the face which is in contact with the transfer point 3.
  • This distance is a function of the nature, in particular of the surface tension and the viscosity of the ink 8 and also of the constitution of the buffer tank 4.
  • the really effective distance ie where the buffer tank is saturated, can be limited to 2 to 3 mm.
  • the aforementioned difficulty has been resolved by using, in the constitution of the buffer tank 4, from microbeads, microbeads with hydrophobic character, and in a lesser proportion, microbeads with hydrophilic character, according to the particular definition which has been given above to the notions of hydrophilicity and hydrophobia.
  • hydrophilic microbeads has the effect of facilitating the diffusion of the ink throughout the volume of the buffer tank.
  • the proportion suitable for obtaining the above technical effect was between 2 and 10% of hydrophilic polyethylene relative to all of the constituent microbeads of the buffer tank.
  • microbeads which have a hydrophobic character for the most part and a hydrophilic character for a reduced proportion.
  • the hydrophobic or hydrophilic nature of the microbeads is obtained according to the type of ink used either because of the choice of the material of the microbeads or because of an appropriate preliminary treatment, for example by fluorinated plasma to confer the hydrophobic character or else by an oxidation treatment to give the character hydrophilic or by the deposition of a surfactant to bring the surface energy of the material to a determined value, depending on the desired character.
  • a mixture of hydrophobic and hydrophilic microbeads was produced homogeneously throughout the volume of the buffer tank.
  • the mixture comprised 95% of microbeads of hydrophobic character and 5% of microbeads of character hydrophilic.
  • the buffer tank had a cylindrical shape on the order of 12.5 mm in diameter, the transfer tip disposed axially in the buffer tank had a diameter on the order of 5 mm.
  • the buffer tank behaves as if it were a completely hydrophilic material. In other words, the ink diffuses into the material in question even if the conditions of use are normal conditions. This is of course not the technical function which is sought for a buffer tank.
  • the buffer tank must absorb and restore excess ink from abnormal use, and not consist of a storage means where the ink would be stored in addition to the liquid ink tank.
  • the maximum percentage of microbeads, making it possible to obtain the desired effect, of improved migration of the ink was of the order of 10%. This proportion may change depending on the nature of the ink, and the nature and size of the microbeads. It is therefore up to the person skilled in the art to determine precisely, as a function of these parameters, what is the optimal proportion to be retained for the hydrophilic microbeads compared to all of the microbeads used for the constitution of the reservoir. buffer.
  • the ink 8 is slowed in its diffusion from the face in contact with the transfer tip 3 due to the existence of pressure drops in the capillary network of the buffer tank 4.
  • this diffusion is very good in the area immediately in contact with the ink. Consequently, in this zone, it would be possible to use microbeads having only the hydrophobic character, or possibly an even smaller proportion of microbeads with hydrophilic character.
  • the buffer tank can then be in the form of annular elements, fitting into each other, the outermost annular element having the proportion of microbeads with the most hydrophilic character. high.
  • FIG 2 there is shown a buffer tank 4 which consists of three successive elements 4 ', 4 ", 4"', fitted into each other, in which the proportion of hydrophilic microbeads was respectively 2% for the innermost element 4 ', 6% for the intermediate element 4 "and 10% for the outermost element 4".
  • microbeads used in the composition of the buffer tank is determined according to the characteristics sought. It may be polyethylene as in the above example or other materials such as in particular polypropylene.
  • the hydrophilic microbeads can be made of a different material from the hydrophobic microbeads.
  • microbeads having different dimensions or even a different grade for the production of microbeads with hydrophobic characteristics and / or microbeads with hydrophilic character.

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  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Absorbent Articles And Supports Therefor (AREA)
EP97490009A 1996-04-23 1997-04-10 Pufferbehälter für Flüssigkeitsschreibgerät und Schreibgerät mit einem solchen Behälter Expired - Lifetime EP0803381B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
FR9605344 1996-04-23
FR9605344A FR2747611B1 (fr) 1996-04-23 1996-04-23 Reservoir tampon pour article d'ecriture a encre liquide et article d'ecriture comportant un tel reservoir

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0803381A1 true EP0803381A1 (de) 1997-10-29
EP0803381B1 EP0803381B1 (de) 1999-09-29

Family

ID=9491660

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP97490009A Expired - Lifetime EP0803381B1 (de) 1996-04-23 1997-04-10 Pufferbehälter für Flüssigkeitsschreibgerät und Schreibgerät mit einem solchen Behälter

Country Status (13)

Country Link
US (1) US5927885A (de)
EP (1) EP0803381B1 (de)
JP (1) JP3875351B2 (de)
AR (1) AR006775A1 (de)
AT (1) ATE185112T1 (de)
BR (1) BR9701906A (de)
CA (1) CA2202713C (de)
DE (1) DE69700558T2 (de)
DK (1) DK0803381T3 (de)
ES (1) ES2139429T3 (de)
FR (1) FR2747611B1 (de)
GR (1) GR3032040T3 (de)
RU (1) RU2164209C2 (de)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0899128A1 (de) * 1997-08-29 1999-03-03 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Schreibgerät mit direkter Flüssigkeitsversorgung
EP1066982A1 (de) * 1999-07-05 2001-01-10 Schwan-STABILO Schwanhäusser GmbH & Co. Vorrichtung zum Auftragen einer Schreibflüssigkeit auf eine Fläche
EP1780046A1 (de) * 2004-06-22 2007-05-02 Hori, Yayoi Flüssigkeitszufuhrvorrichtung
CN105644195A (zh) * 2016-02-15 2016-06-08 温其洲 马克笔

Families Citing this family (22)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6322268B1 (en) * 1993-11-12 2001-11-27 Avery Dennison Corporation Efficient fluid dispensing utensil
US6416242B1 (en) * 1993-11-12 2002-07-09 Dataprint R. Kaufmann Gmbh Efficient fluid dispensing utensil
DE19529865C2 (de) 1995-08-14 2002-02-28 Kaufmann R Dataprint Gerät zum Auftragen von Flüssigkeiten auf eine Unterlage mittels eines Auftragselements
AU5891400A (en) 1999-06-28 2001-01-31 Sanford L.P. Free ink system
DE19930540B4 (de) 1999-06-28 2004-04-22 Sanford Gmbh Hand-Auftraggerät
JP4614530B2 (ja) * 2000-12-08 2011-01-19 豊国商事株式会社 インクの自動流出調整機能を有する筆記具
US6695517B2 (en) 2001-03-26 2004-02-24 Sanford, L.P. Free ink system
US6457892B1 (en) 2001-04-20 2002-10-01 Avery Dennison Corporation Writing instrument having a capillary hole through the container
US6637965B1 (en) 2001-06-22 2003-10-28 Avery Dennison Corporation Writing instrument having a reservoir between a tip and a capillary storage
US20040241490A1 (en) * 2003-03-28 2004-12-02 Finley James J. Substrates coated with mixtures of titanium and aluminum materials, methods for making the substrates, and cathode targets of titanium and aluminum metal
US7481593B2 (en) * 2003-08-19 2009-01-27 Sanford, L.P. Combination hydrophobic/hydrophilic filters/reservoirs for controlling fluid flow
US7467907B2 (en) 2003-08-19 2008-12-23 Sanford, L.P. Valve mechanisms for paint or ink brush with integrated reservoir
US20050202386A1 (en) * 2004-03-15 2005-09-15 Jehan Clements Flip-over storytelling book publishing system, method, and kit
AR056792A1 (es) * 2005-11-12 2007-10-24 Unilever Nv Dispensador capilar
FR2896183B1 (fr) * 2006-01-13 2010-02-12 Bic Soc Instrument d'ecriture comprenant un dispositif de mise a l'air libre du reservoir
US8517728B2 (en) * 2007-01-24 2013-08-27 Colgate-Palmolive Company Oral care implement having fluid delivery system
FR2964052B1 (fr) 2010-08-25 2012-09-14 Cie Francaise Eiffel Construction Metallique Procede et systeme de detubage, en particulier de condenseurs
EP2758097A4 (de) 2011-09-21 2015-07-01 Bayer Medical Care Inc Kontinuierliche multi-fluid-pumpvorrichtung, antrieb sowie betätigungssystem und -verfahren dafür
RU2531891C1 (ru) * 2013-10-30 2014-10-27 Дмитрий Александрович Павлов Пишущая ручка
RU2714926C2 (ru) 2015-01-09 2020-02-21 БАЙЕР ХелсКер ЛЛСи Многофлюидная система доставки с многоразовым расходным комплектом и ее конструкционные особенности
CN106079967A (zh) * 2016-07-29 2016-11-09 温莉 马克笔的加墨方法
CN106113995A (zh) * 2016-07-29 2016-11-16 温莉 马克笔

Citations (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0332896A (ja) * 1989-06-29 1991-02-13 Pentel Kk 筆記具の一時的インキ溜め部材の改質方法
EP0516538A1 (de) * 1991-05-27 1992-12-02 Conte S.A. Flüssigkeitschreibgerät mit einem mikroporösen Pufferbehälter
EP0726166A1 (de) * 1995-02-07 1996-08-14 Conte S.A. Flüssigkeitsschreib- oder Malgerät aus kompaktem Block von porösen Material

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US3501225A (en) * 1968-07-19 1970-03-17 Textron Inc Fountain pen
DE4115685C3 (de) * 1991-05-14 2001-07-05 Dataprint Datendrucksysteme R Schreibgerät mit in einem Behälter frei aufgenommener Schreibflüssigkeit
US5290116A (en) * 1992-06-23 1994-03-01 Chang Shin Ju D Flow control for writing instruments

Patent Citations (3)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
JPH0332896A (ja) * 1989-06-29 1991-02-13 Pentel Kk 筆記具の一時的インキ溜め部材の改質方法
EP0516538A1 (de) * 1991-05-27 1992-12-02 Conte S.A. Flüssigkeitschreibgerät mit einem mikroporösen Pufferbehälter
EP0726166A1 (de) * 1995-02-07 1996-08-14 Conte S.A. Flüssigkeitsschreib- oder Malgerät aus kompaktem Block von porösen Material

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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Title
PATENT ABSTRACTS OF JAPAN vol. 015, no. 164 (M - 1106) 24 April 1991 (1991-04-24) *

Cited By (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0899128A1 (de) * 1997-08-29 1999-03-03 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Schreibgerät mit direkter Flüssigkeitsversorgung
US5967687A (en) * 1997-08-29 1999-10-19 The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. Direct liquid supply writing implement
EP1066982A1 (de) * 1999-07-05 2001-01-10 Schwan-STABILO Schwanhäusser GmbH & Co. Vorrichtung zum Auftragen einer Schreibflüssigkeit auf eine Fläche
EP1780046A1 (de) * 2004-06-22 2007-05-02 Hori, Yayoi Flüssigkeitszufuhrvorrichtung
EP1780046A4 (de) * 2004-06-22 2008-11-26 Hori Yayoi Flüssigkeitszufuhrvorrichtung
CN105644195A (zh) * 2016-02-15 2016-06-08 温其洲 马克笔

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US5927885A (en) 1999-07-27
RU2164209C2 (ru) 2001-03-20
FR2747611A1 (fr) 1997-10-24
DE69700558T2 (de) 2000-03-02
ATE185112T1 (de) 1999-10-15
JPH1044680A (ja) 1998-02-17
FR2747611B1 (fr) 1998-07-10
CA2202713C (en) 2005-04-12
ES2139429T3 (es) 2000-02-01
JP3875351B2 (ja) 2007-01-31
DE69700558D1 (de) 1999-11-04
CA2202713A1 (en) 1997-10-23
BR9701906A (pt) 1998-11-10
MX9702953A (es) 1997-10-31
AR006775A1 (es) 1999-09-29
EP0803381B1 (de) 1999-09-29
GR3032040T3 (en) 2000-03-31
DK0803381T3 (da) 2000-03-27

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