GB2329155A

GB2329155A - Ballpoint pen with ink reservoir outside body

Info

Publication number: GB2329155A
Application number: GB9719216A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Mellen Chamberlain Peirce
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1997-09-11
Filing date: 1997-09-11
Publication date: 1999-03-17
Also published as: GB9719216D0

Abstract

The pen has an ink reservoir 14 that extends out through an aperture 13 to one side of the pen body 10 so as to subtend an acute angle therewith thereby ensuring ink flow to the tip 12 even when the pen is tilted below the horizontal.

Description

PEN The present invention relates to a pen of the kind having a ballpoint type writing tip. This includes both conventional ballpoint pens and also rollerball pens.

The invention is particularly applicable to ballpoint pens having a reservoir of ink that is fed to the writing tip or nib of the pen primarily by gravity. One problem with such pens is that they do not work well if the tip is above the ink reservoir, as the ink then tends to flow away from the tip instead of towards it. This situation can arise when for example the writer is writing on a vertical notice board or is writing whilst lying down on a sofa or bed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a pen that mitigates the afore-mentioned difficulty.

According to the present invention there is provided a pen comprising a ballpoint type writing tip, an elongate body member that is connected to the tip and is adapted to be gripped by the writer, and an ink reservoir connected to the tip, wherein a substantial portion of the ink reservoir extends to one side of the elongate body member.

By constructing the pen with the ink reservoir to one side of the elongate body member, it is possible to hold the pen with a major part of the reservoir higher than the writing tip, thus ensuring an adequate flow of ink to the tip, even when the pen is pointing slightly upwards, i.e. with the tip above the body member. The pen can thus be used when writing on vertical surfaces or when lying down. The extent to which the pen can be tilted below the horizontal and still write will depend on the level on ink in the reservoir and the angle at which the reservoir extends from the body member.

A further advantage of the present invention is that the pen can be manufactured very cheaply, by making a minor modification to a conventional ballpoint pen. This modification consists simply of providing an aperture in one side of the body member and inserting the ink reservoir through the aperture, so that it extends to one side of the body member. The pen need not therefore be significantly more expensive than a basic conventional ballpoint pen.

The ink reservoir may comprise an elongate tube that extends outwards through an aperture in the body member, such that longitudinal axes of the body member and the ink reservoir subtend an acute angle. The aperture in the body member is preferably located close to the end where it is connected to the writing tip.

The ink reservoir preferably comprises a tube of a flexible plastics material. This helps to prevent inadvertent damage to the reservoir and also allows the angle subtended by the reservoir to be adjusted to ensure an adequate flow of ink to the tip. The reservoir can also then be pressed against the side of the body member for convenient packaging.

An embodiment of the invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawing, wherein: Fig. 1 is side view of a pen, shown in partial crosssection.

The pen comprises a body member 10 in the form of a rigid elongate tube (only part of the tube being shown in the drawings). The tip end 11 of the tube is tapered to form a smooth transition to the writing tip 12, which is received in that end 11 of the tube 10. The tip 12 is of conventional construction for a ballpoint or rollerball pen. An aperture 13 is provided in one side of the body member 10, towards the tip end 11 of the member.

An ink reservoir 14 comprising a flexible plastics tube containing ink is received in the rear aperture of the writing tip 12, in a conventional manner. A porous stopper (not shown) is preferably provided in the free end of the reservoir 14, to prevent ink leaking from the reservoir.

The flexible tube comprising the ink reservoir 14 is bent and extends outwards through the aperture 13 in the side of the body member 10, such that the longitudinal axes of the reservoir 14 and the body member 10 subtend an acute angle.

A substantial part of the reservoir 14 is thus located to one side of the body member 10. The bend 15 is located within the body member, which helps to prevent the reservoir becoming detached from the writing tip 12.

Because the a substantial part of the reservoir 14 is located to one side of the body member 10, the reservoir may still be located above the writing tip 12 even when the pen is inclined slightly below the horizontal, i.e. with the tip 12 raised above the body member 10. Ink will thus flow under gravity to the tip 12, so that the pen continues to write. The pen may therefore be used for writing on vertical surfaces or when lying down.

Various modifications of the invention are of course possible, as will apparent to those skilled in the art.

For example, a casing may be provided for the ink reservoir 14 and that casing may either form an arm that extends from the body member 10 or the body member may itself be widened to enclose the reservoir.

Claims

1. A pen comprising a ballpoint type writing tip, an elongate body member that is connected to the tip and is adapted to be gripped by the writer, and an ink reservoir connected to the tip, wherein a substantial portion of the ink reservoir extends to one side of the elongate body member.

2. A pen according to claim 1, wherein the ink reservoir comprises an elongate tube and the longitudinal axes of the body member and the ink reservoir subtend an acute angle.

3. A pen according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the ink reservoir extends outwards through an aperture in the body member.

4. A pen according to claim 3, wherein the aperture in the body member is located close to the end of the body member that is connected to the writing tip.

5. A pen according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ink reservoir comprises a tube of a flexible plastics material.

6. A pen substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated by the accompanying drawing.