WRITING INSTRUMENT

INSTRUMENT POUR ECRIRE

English Abstract

Disclosed is an improved writing instrument having a slidably and pivotably disposed
cap for covering the writing tip. The improved cap retaining means improves the
manageability of the instrument such that the cap means can be removed and lodged
into its open position by a continuous motion of the hand which is holding the
instrument.

French Abstract

Instrument pour écrire amélioré, équipé d'un capuchon pouvant glisser et pivoter en vue de couvrir la pointe d'écriture. Le dispositif amélioré de retenue du capuchon facilite l'utilisation de l'instrument, de sorte que le capuchon peut être enlevé et placé dans sa position ouverte, dans un mouvement continu de la main qui tient l'instrument.

Claims

I claim:
1. A writing instrument comprising:
an elongated cylindrical body having a first end,
a second end, and a passage extending from said first end to said second end;
a writing means disposed within said passage and extending outwardly from the
first end; and
a cap means having a body for covering the first end of said cylindrical body, an
arm extending from said first side of said body portion, a projection disposed on
the opposite side of said body portion to facilitate removal of the cap means
from said cylindrical body, and a cap retaining means disposed on said first side
for retaining the cap in an open position;
said cap further having a pivot means for pivotably and slidably positioning thecap arm along the cylindrical body;
wherein said cylindrical body has a continuous groove extending from the first
end of said body to the second end of said body; said groove having channel
portions disposed at said first end and extending longitudinally toward said
second end adapted to receive said pivot means.
2. The writing instrument of Claim 1 wherein the cap retaining means is at least one
ridge disposed on the side of the cap.
3. The writing instrument of Claim 2 wherein the cap receiving means is a cavity in the
side of the body portion.
4. The writing instrument of Claim 1 wherein the writing means is an ink impregnated
felt material.
5. The writing instrument of Claim 4 wherein the cylindrical body and cap means are
made of plastic material.
6. The writing instrument of Claim 5 wherein the cylindrical body includes a clip means.
7. The writing instrument of Claim 3 wherein the pen is a felt tipped pen having an ink
impregnated felt material projecting outwardly from said passage and said felt is
beveled at its distal end.

Description

21~24~7
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Marking pens have become a commonly used writing implement because of their
versatility and unique marking characteristics. They are not only used by artists and
students, they are commonly used in many businesses whenever a bold or highlighted
entry is necessary. Improvements in the ink, writing tips, and m~mlf~cture have
progressed steadily to produce low cost, high quality writing implements. A principal
advantage of marking pens is their ability to employ porous felt tips having a variety of
di~elelll colored inks.
Nevertheless, conventional marking pens have several inherent deficiencies. One of
these deficiencies is the requirement that the pen's inked tip, generally porous felt
impregn~ted with ink, must be kept covered when not in use. Because the inked porous
tip of many marking pens has a tendency to dry out when left exposed to the
atmosphere, these pens have a separate cap for covering the felt tip when not being
used for writing. Quite often, users of the pen have a tendency to remove the cap
carelessly and set it aside. When it is time to replace the cap, the user spends several
irritating seconds searching for the cap. This is particularly annoying when the user is
busy and concentrating on performing his or her duties.
Thus, the ink-impregnated porous tip of conventional marking pens has created a
dilemma not encountered by other types of writing implements such as pencils, colored
wax, and the like. Heretofore, a convenient method of keeping track of the cap used to
cover this felt tip portion of marking pens has not been available.

i 2132~87
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In accordance with the present invention, disclosed is a writing instrument comprising
an elongated cylindrical body having a first end, a second end, and a passage extending
from said first end to said second end; a writing means disposed within said passage
and ~.~tçn~ing outwardly from the first end; and a cap means having a body for
covering the first end of said cylindrical body, an arm extending from said first side of
said body portion, and an indent disposed on an opposite side of said body portion to
facilitate removal of the cap means from said cylindrical body, and at least one ridge
disposed on said first side; said arm having a first and second projection extending
outwardly from the terminal end of said arm; said cap being pivotably and slidably
mounted within said channels; wherein said cylindrical body has a continuous groove
extending from the first end of said body to the second end of said body; said grooves
having channel portions disposed at said first end and extending longitudinally toward
said second end adapted to receive said outwardly extending projections.
DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG 1 is a perspective view of the improved marking pen in accordance with present
mvention;
FIG 2 is a side elevational view of the improved marking pen having its cap removed in
accordance with present invention;
FIG 3 is a side elevational view of the marking pen having its cap in place over the felt
tip in accordance with the present invention;
FIG 4 is a side elevational view of the marking pen in accordance with the present
invention showing the groove and cap-arm relationship;

2132487
FIG 5 shows the pen in accordance with the present invention with the cap means
separated from the cylindrical body;
FIG 6 is a side view of the pen shown in FIG 5;
FIG 7 is a side elevational view of the cap used to cover the felt tip in accordance with
the present invention;
FIG 8 is a side elevational view ofthe cap shown in FIG 7 from a di~elenl side:
FIG 9 is a cross sectional view of the pen in accordance with the present invention
along line 9-9 of FIG 5;
FIG 10 is a cross sectional view of the pen in accordance with the present invention
along line 10-10 of FIG 4.
FIG 11 is a top plan view of the pen in accordance with the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF TIIE PREFERRED
EMBODIMENT OF T~E PRESENT INVENTION
In accordance with a preferred embodiment of the present invention, disclosed ismarking pen 10 having a substantially cylindrical elongated body portion 20. Thecylindrical body portion can be made of any durable material and is preferably made of
plastic material. The cylindrical body 20 has a first end 22, a second end 24, and a
passageway 26 extending longitudinally from the first end 22 to the second end 24. A
writing element 28, preferably one having a tendency to dry out when exposed to the
atmosphere such as a porous ink impregn~ted felt strip, is generally disposed within this
passageway 26 and extends outwardly from the first end 22 of the body 20. The tip of
the writing element is generally beveled as clearly shown at 29 in FIGS 2,5,6 and 9 to
facilitate writing.

2~32487
.
Disposed on the first end of the cylindrical body 20 is a cap member 30 for making a
closure over the writing element 28 when not in use. The cap has a body portion 32
which is generally complementary in shape to the first end 22 of the cylindrical body 20
of the pen. The cap member has a closed end 31 and an open end 33 for sliding over
the first end 22 of the cylindrical body 20 when it is desired to cover the tip of the
writing element 28.
Extending outwardly from the perimeter ofthe open end 33 ofthe cap member 30 is an
elongated arm 34 which pivotably joins the cap member 30 with the elongated
cylindrical body 20 of the pen. The arm 34 extends a distance from the open end 33
sufficient to permit the cap member 30 to be slidably removed from the end and pivoted
downwardly to engage the cap receiving area adjacent the second end 24 of the
cylindrical body 20 as shown in FIG 2~
The cap member 30 further includes a means for removing the cap from the pen body
20 with a person's finger. This cap removing means is preferably a projection 36designed to accommodate a finger as shown in FIG 2. It is understood that the
projection 36 shown here is merely illustrative ofthe various configurations sufficient
to facilitate removal of the cap from the pen while holding the pen in one's hand.
Opposite the cap removing means is at least one cap retaining means for retaining the
cap in an open position after removal from the writing element. Preferably the cap
ret~ining means are two ridges 46 and 47 which are adapted to engage grooves 62 and
64 disposed on the walls of channel 52 on the lower end of the cylindrical body 20 as
shown in FIGS 2, 4 and 9.
The arm 34 extending from the cap 30 has a first and second projection 42 and 44extending outwardly and in opposite directions from the terminal end 43 of the arm.
These projections 42 and 44 are adapted to engage channels in the cylindrical body 20
and pivotably move the cap from a closed position to an open position as discussed in
detail below.
The cylindrical body has a continuous groove 52 extending longitudinally from the first
end 22 of the body to a position at or adjacent the second end 24 of the body.

2132487
Disposed adjacent the sides of the groove 52 is a pair of channels 54 and 56 which are
adapted to engage projections 42 and 44 at the terminal end 43 of the cap arm 34. The
length of the channels 54 and 56 can vary, and will be long enough to accommodate the
cap arm as it is pivotably and slidably positioned between an open and closed position.
In operation, the cap can be removed from the end of the pen by pressing on the
projection portion with one's finger. The cap is displaced upwardly from its seated
position on the end of the cylindrical body until it clears the tip of the writing element.
The cap is then pivoted downwardly along the side of the cylindrical body until it
reaches the cap receiving area where is it secured in its open position. When it is
desired to return the cap to its closed position, the cap is pivoted upwardly and slid
along the groove until it can cover the writing element again.
Although the present invention has been described in detail and with specific reference
to its preferred embodiment, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that
various modifications and changes can be made thereto without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention.

Representative Drawing