Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
CA 02455767 2004-02-05
BACKGRUOND OP THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a pen with a light-emitting body allowing users to
write in the dark,
and particularly to a light-emitting pen with a light reflecting and enhancing
chamber which
reduces the illuminated area, concentrates the light to the targeting area,
and achieves a
more even and brighter lighting result on the surface to be written on.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In the prior art, light-emitting pens may incorporate a slim flash light
attached to the pen, or
integrate a light-emitting body into the body of the pen. Typically, a
transparent front pen
tube is used to allow light goes through.
Generally, the light-emitting pens of the prior art encounters two problems,
the ineffective
lighting result and the shadow caused by the light blocking off of the ink
cartridge.
To compensate the ineffectiveness of lighting, usually the light-emitting body
is located
relatively close to the pen tip; thus, a shorter ink cartridge is employed and
a short usage life
of pen can not be voided. In the case of purposely elongating the usage life
of pen, making up
for the short length of ink cartridge, an ink cartridge of larger diameter may
be used; however,
it causes more shadow problem, duce to more light blocking off by the
cartridge itself.
The disadvantage of prior art mentioned here is shown in FIG 5. In FIG 5, it
shows a less
controlled light propagating, spreading light over the surrounding space
through a long
transparent front pen tube, rather than having light toward to the targeting
area to be writfien
on. And, less illumination on the targeting area to be written on occurs due
to part of the
emitted light being wasted. Furthermore, the spreading over light may cause a
shining that is
uncomfortable to eyes when trying to concentrate viewing at the surface to be
written on.
Besides, a dark shadow, usually at the area around the writing pen tip, limits
the purpose of
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a light-emitting pen.
Design of the present invention incorporates a "light reflecting chamber". A
light reflecting
chamber recovers part of the emitted light that goes to the cylindrical side
of front pen tube
rather than going directly to the pen tip. It reflects light and indirectly
propagates the light
toward the pen tip, hence, enhancing the total illumination on the surface to
be written on.
Further more, the additional light recovering, reflected from the cylindrical
rim of light
reflecting chamber to the pen tip as a effect of side illuminating, reduces or
eliminates the
shadow, caused from light blocking off by the ink cartridge. As illustrated in
FIG 4, this
lighting pattern also helps avoiding the uncomfortable shining to the eyes as
mentioned
above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a light-emitting pen with which writing
in dark becomes
more convenient because of a improved illumination, due to the design of the
present
invention that employs a light reflecting chamber in the light-emitting pen.
In an embodiment of the invention, a writing implement with a built-in
illumination system
has a transparent cone of front pen tube accommodating an ink cartridge, a
hollow cylindrical
barrel surrounded by a light reflecting tube, a middle ring housing the light-
emitting body and
an annular light reflecting plate, a power chamber housed in the rear pen tube
and consisting
of a LED conducting wire channel and a battery room, a conducting spring, a
push tube, a
switching cap, and a pen cap with clip protecting the ink cartridge tip.
When light switches on, a part of the emitted light passes straightly and
directly toward the
cone of front pen tube through the hollow of the front pen tube to light up
the surface to be
written on, simultaneously, another part of the light is reflected at the
surface of the annular
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light reflecting plate and the polished mirror-like inner wall surface of the
light reflecting tube
and is propagated toward the cone of front pen tube. As a result, the emitted
light portion
hidden by the ink cartridge is indirectly covered back and illuminates the
surface to be written
on. Consequently, illumination is enhanced, a more even illumination result
achieved, and a
shadow made by the ink cartridge is reduced or eliminated.
The various objects and advantages of the present invention will be more
readily understood
from the following detailed description when read in conjunction with the
appended drawing.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows an exploded perspective view of the light-emitting pen of the
present invention.
FIG. 2 shows a cross sectional view of the light-emitting pen of the present
invention.
FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the light-emitting pen of the present
invention.
FIG.4 shows a perspective view showing that the light-emitting pen of the
present invention
lights up.
FIG. 5 illustrates a perspective view of a light-emitting pen with no light
reflecting tube lights
up.
FIG. 6 is a schematic view of the middle ring of the present invention.
FIG. 7 is a perspective view of power chamber together with the light-emitting
body of the
present invention.
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FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing the non-extended canducting spring, of
the present
invention, when switches off.
FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing the extended conducting spring, of the
present invention,
contacting the electrode of battery, when switches on.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of the light-emitting pen of the
present invention.
FIG 2 is a cross sectional view of the light-emitting pen of the present
invention which has
been assembled, and FIG 6,7,5,9 are enlarged sectional partial views of the
light-emitting
pen of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the light-emitting pen with a light reflecting
chamber has
generally a transparent cone of front pen tube 14 accommodating an ink
cartridge 7, a hollow
cylindrical barrel 12 surrounded by a light reflecting tube 2, a middle ring 3
housing the
light-emitting body 42 and an annular light reflecting plate 41 and combining
front pen tube
i and rear pen tube 4 by a thread and groove conjugation, a power chamber 43
housed in
the rear pen tube 4 and consisting of a LED conducting wire channel 432 and a
battery room
431, a conducting spring 55, a push tube 52, a switching cap 5, and a
separable pen cap 6
with clip 61 covering and protecting the ink cartridge tip 71. The cap has a
small hole 63
allowing light inside to be seen and functioning as a light indicator when the
writing
implement being capped and lighted. There is also a plastic cushion 62
installed inside the
pen cap 6 to firmly hold the pen body.
The front pen tube 1 is separated into 3 sections, cone of front pen tube 14,
hollow cylindrical
barrel 12, and threaded tube 11. A cylindrical light reflecting tube 2, major
part of the light
reflecting chamber, covers the cylindrical barrel section 12 and the threaded
tube section 11
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of the front pen tube 1.
Front pen tube 1 has a hollow structure and is constructed of a transparent
material,
preferably an acrylic polymer to favor light transferring. Cylindrical barrel
section 12 of front
pen tube 1 has a smaller diameter than that of a light reflecting tube 2 and,
thus, the light
reflecting tube 2 covers around the cylindrical barrel section 12. After
assembly, light
reflecting tube 2 locates between lower side of the stopping post 31 of the
middle ring 3 and
the stopping post 13 of the front pen tube. The inner surface 21 of light
reflecting tube 2 is
fully polished to be shining and bright as a mirror-like surface which fully
reflects the light.
The outer surface 22 of light reflecting tube 2 has a color matching the color
of rear pen tube
4 to give an integral and uniform product color of pen body. Light reflecting
tube 2 is
preferably metal made. The mirror-like inner surface 21 of light reflecting
tube 2 together
with the annular light reflecting plate 41 propagates the emitted light from
the light-emitting
body 42, generally a light emitting diodes, toward the cone of front pen tube
14 and surface
to be written on, to give a maximum illuminating result.
Middle ring 3 has a threaded groove 33 to adopt both threaded tube 11 of
front: pen tube 1
and threaded tube 433 of power chamber 43, and is fixed in place in the rear
pen tube 4,
therefore, conjugating the front pen tube 1 and rear pen tube 4. The upper
side 32 of the
stopping post of the middle ring 3 resists against the lower opening end 44 of
the rear pen
tube 4 and the lower side 31 of the stopping post of the middle ring 3 resists
against the
upper opening end 23 of the light reflecting tube 2. Middle ring 3 also
accommodates the
annular light reflecting plate 41, a light-emitting body 42, and LED seat 437
sequentially.
The annular light reflecting plate 41, preferably made of plastic material
with one mirror-like
side facing downward the writing tip, together with the light reflecting tube
2 forms the light
reflecting chamber.
LED seat 437 supports and holds the light-emitting body 42. The threaded tube
433 allows
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the power chamber 43 screws into the middle ring 3. The lower side 411, the
side facing to
cone of front pen tube, of light reflecting plate 41 is coated or painted with
light reflecting
material to create a shining and bright or a mirror-like surface and perform
light reflecting
function to forward light to the cone 14 of front pen tube 1. The lower side
411 of annular
light reflecting plate 41 together with the mirror-like inner surface 21 of
middle section tube
2 forms a light reflecting and enhancing chamber.
The main body of the light-emitting system, housed inside the rear pen tube 4,
consists of a
light-emitting body 42, LED seat 437, and power chamber 43. The power chamber
43 is
separated into three sections, the battery room 431, the LED conducting wire
channel 432,
and a threaded tube 433.
A trench 436 is made on the outer surface of threaded tube 433 of power
chamber 43. The
trench 436 allows the short LED conducting wire 422 fitting in and, therefore,
being well
positioned to the right place. The short LED conducting wire 422 remains
contacting the
electricity transferable inner wall of the rear pen tube 4.
The bottom 434 of battery room 431 has a small hole 435, allowing the long LED
conducting
wire 421 go through. The very end 423 of long LED conducting wire 421 is
shaped a upside
down "L'° and rests on the bottom 434 of battery room 431, making the
end of conducting
wire keep contacting with the battery in the battery room 431.
The battery 45 and fastening rubber ring 46 are sequentially installed in the
battery room
431. The fastening rubber ring 46 presses on the batteries 45 to keep them
firmly contacted
to each other to ensure the integrity of circuit that lights up the light-
emitting body 42. The
rubber ring hole 461 allows the conducting spring 55 goes through when the
switching cap
switches on. When switching on, the conducting spring 55 moves down to contact
the
battery 45, thus, the electric circuit accomplishes and the light-emitting
body 42 lights up.
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The switching-on system is provided by a combination of switching cap 5 with
ratchet teeth
56 inside, a push tube 52, a joint 53, a conducting spring 55, a supporting
spring 54, a
switching base 51, and a switching base holder 48.
The lower rim 513 of switching base 51 mounts into the upper rim 487 of the
switching base
holder 48. Thread 481 of the switching base holder 48 goes to the groove 471
of the
adopting tube 47 that is fixed in place inside the upper end 49 of rear pen
tube 4.
A supporting spring 54 locates between joint 53 and annular plate 482 of
switching base
holder 48 to push back the push tube 52 after the ratchet teeth 56 releases
the push tube 52.
A teeth shaped hole 512 at the center of the annular plate 511 of the
switching base 51 fits
the push tube 52 and its teeth 521. And, the switching base holder 48 has a
hole at the
center of its annular plate 482 allowing conducting spring 55 going through.
The stopping post 484 has a larger diameter for resisting the switching cap at
its upper side
485 and against rear pen tube 4 at its lower side 486.
The switching on function is accomplished by rotating the switching cap 5 to
press down the
push tube 52 downward by the ratchet teeth 56 built inside. The push tube 52
further moves
down the joint 53 and, sequentially, the conducting spring 55 which extends
through the
rubber ring hole 461 and makes direct electrical contact with the electrode
451 of battery 45.
The joint 53 has two cavities 531,532 firmly holding the push tube 52, by the
second cavity
531, and the conducting spring 55, by the first cavity 532. When the
conducting spring 55
gets in contact with the electrode 451 of battery, the electrical circuit
forms starting from the
electrode 451 through conducting spring 55, joint 53, annular plate 511 of
switching base
51, the switching base holder 48, the threaded adopting tube 47, inner wall of
rear pen tube
4, short LED conducting wire 422, light-emitting body 42, long LED conducting
wire 421,
and, finally, the other electrode of battery 45. All the mentioned elements
45i, 55, 53, 511,
51, 48, 47, 4, 422, 42, 421 in the electrical circuit are metal made or
electricity transferable.
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Electrical connection is broken simply by another rotating of the switching
cap 5 that draws
back the conducting spring 55, pushed back by the supporting spring 54, and
disconnects
the electrode 451 of battery 45.
When writing in the dark, user can rotate the switching cap 5 and the electric
circuit forms.
Accordingly, the light-emitting body 42 comes to be supplied with electrical
energy from the
battery 45 to emit light. A part of the light emitted by the light-emitting
body 42 passes
straightly through the hollow of front pen tube 1 directly toward the cone of
front pen tube 14,
simultaneously, another part of the light is reflected at the annular light
reflecting plate 41
and the polished mirror-like inner wall surface 21 of the light reflecting
tube 2 and
propagates light toward the cone of front pen tube 14. Therefore, the portion,
on the surface
to be written on, that is supposedly having a light blocking off by the ink
cartridge is indirectly
illuminated, so that a shadow made by the ink cartridge is reduced or
eliminated,, illumination
is enhanced, and a more even illumination result achieved.
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