BACKGROUND
Field of the Invention
[0001] The invention generally relates to fountain pens, and more specifically to a fountain
pen having a clean ink refill system.
Related Technology
[0002] Conventional fountain pens include a free ink reservoir that is fluidly connected
to a writing nib. Ink flows from the reservoir to the writing nib via capillary action.
As ink leaves the reservoir, air replaces the vacated volume through an air hole located
near the writing nib. When the ink reservoir is depleted, it can be refilled by dipping
the air hole into an ink container. Ink from the container is then sucked up into
the reservoir by an internal piston.
[0003] Conventional fountain pens suffer, in particular, from two problems. A first problem
is ink leaking out of the pen during changes in external pressure. For example, when
a user carries a fountain pen in an airplane and the airplane depressurizes slightly
as it ascends, the pressure within the ink reservoir will eventually force ink out
of the nib to equalize internal reservoir pressure with external air pressure. This
can cause the ink to leak and stain, for example, a shirt pocket. Leaks of this sort
can also occur with rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, such as the passage of
a storm front. Similar leaks can also occur during changes in atmospheric temperature,
which result relative pressure differentials between the pressure within the reservoir
and outside of the reservoir.
[0004] A second problem is that refilling the fountain pen ink is a messy procedure. To
refill the fountain pen, the writing nib and part of the ferrule up to the air hole
must be immersed in a pool of ink, usually within an ink jar of some sort. Because
the writing nib and ferrule are immersed in the pool of ink, the writing nib and ferrule
become coated with an ink film that must be removed by cleaning the fountain pen after
the ink refilling procedure is completed.
[0005] According to an embodiment of the invention an ink refill system for a fountain pen
comprises: a fountain pen barrel having: a barrel body including a first end, an orifice
being formed at the first end, and a second end that is closed; an ink reservoir disposed
in the barrel body, the ink reservoir being capable of containing ink, and the ink
reservoir being fluidly connected with the orifice; a valve disposed within the barrel
body between the ink reservoir and the orifice, the valve including a piston and a
seat; a biasing element that biases the valve towards a closed position in which the
piston contacts the seat to prevent from flowing out of the reservoir through the
orifice; and a bottle. The bottle comprises: a bottle body having an opening at one
end; an ink refill reservoir disposed within the bottle body; and a refill tube disposed
within the bottle body, the refill tube extending at least partially through the bottle
opening, wherein the valve is opened and closed by interaction with the refill tube.
[0006] According to a particular embodiment the ink refill system comprises a refill adapter
for releasably securing the fountain pen to the bottle, the refill adapter being disposed
within the opening, the refill tube extending through the refill adapter. Preferably,
the ink refill adapter is attached to a bottle cap that is releasably secured to the
bottle to cover the opening.
[0007] According to a particular embodiment, the ink refill system comprises a retainer
disposed on the fountain pen barrel, the retainer being adapted to cooperate with
the ink refill adapter to releasably secure the fountain pen barrel to the bottle
body. Preferably, the retainer includes at least one bayonet post and/or the retainer
includes internal threads.
[0008] According to a particular embodiment, the ink refill system includes a bayonet slot
for receiving a bayonet on the fountain pen barrel.
[0009] Particularly, the refill adapter includes external threads that cooperate with the
internal threads of the retainer to releasably secure the fountain pen barrel to the
bottle body.
[0010] Particularly, the bottle cap includes an air hole for relieving pressure within the
bottle body during ink refill of the fountain pen barrel.
[0011] According to a particular embodiment, the ink refill system comprises a refill tube
extender disposed on one end of the refill tube, wherein particularly the refill tube
extender extends through the seat to move the piston to an open position, away from
the seat, when the fountain pen barrel is attached to the bottle body.
[0012] According to a further embodiment of the invention that can be combined with the
embodiment mentioned above, an ink bottle for holding liquid ink is concerned, the
ink bottle comprising: a bottle body having an opening at one end; an ink refill reservoir
for containing ink, the ink refill reservoir being formed by the bottle body; and
a refill tube disposed within the bottle body, the refill tube extending at least
partially through the bottle opening.
[0013] According to a particular embodiment, the ink bottle comprises a refill adapter for
releasably securing a writing instrument to the bottle body, the refill adapter being
disposed within the opening, and the refill tube extending at least partially through
the refill adapter.
[0014] Particularly, the ink refill adapter or the ink bottle is attached to a bottle cap
that is releasably secured to the bottle to cover the opening.
[0015] Particularly, the refill adapter or the ink bottle includes a bayonet slot and/or
the refill adapter includes external threads.
[0016] According to a particular embodiment, the bottle cap includes an air hole for relieving
pressure within the bottle body during ink refill of the fountain pen barrel.
[0017] According to a particular embodiment, the ink refill system or the ink bottle comprises
a refill tube extender disposed on one end of the refill tube, wherein particularly
the refill tube extender extends through the refill adapter.
[0018] Further embodiments are described in the subclaims.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] Further features and advantages of the invention can be gathered from the claims,
the following description, and the attached diagrammatic drawings, wherein:
Fig. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an uncapped fountain pen with an internal valve
in an open position;
Fig. 2 is cross-sectional view of the fountain pen of Fig. 1 with a cap disposed over
the writing nib and the internal valve in a closed position;
Fig. 3 is an exploded cross-sectional view of the fountain pen of Fig. 1;
Fig. 4 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the internal valve of the fountain pen
of Fig. 1;
Fig. 5 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the internal valve of the fountain pen
of Fig. 2;
Fig. 6 is a close-up cross-sectional view of the internal valve of the fountain pen
of Fig. 3;
Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the fountain pen of Fig. 1, with a ferrule assembly
removed and the fountain pen connected to an ink refill bottle; and
Fig. 8 is close-up cross-sectional view of the fountain pen and ink refill bottle
of Fig. 7.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0020] A fountain pen 10 is exemplified in the drawings, however, other writing instruments
that include free ink refillable reservoirs, including, but not limited to, markers,
high-lighters, felt tip pens, and other fluid application devices including, but not
limited to, correction fluid applicators and paint applicators could also be made
in accordance with the teachings of the disclosure by selection of appropriate components.
[0021] Turning now to Figs. 1-3, the fountain pen 10 comprises an outer hollow barrel 11
having a barrel body 12 and an orifice at a first end 15 thereof through which ink
is delivered from a reservoir 14 to a writing nib 16. As illustrated, the orifice
is formed in an elastomer joint 13 that is disposed at the first end 15 of the barrel
body 12. The elastomer joint 13 forms a valve seat, which will be discussed further
below, that cooperates with a valve to selectively open and close the orifice. The
ink reservoir 14 is capable of containing a supply of ink. The writing nib 16 is operatively
connected to the barrel 12 by a feed assembly 17 that includes a ferrule 18 that is
removably secured to the barrel body 12. A locking mechanism 20, such as a bayonet
or a threaded connection, secures the ferrule 18 to the first end 15 of the barrel
body 12. A cap 22 may be attached to the first end 15 of the barrel body 12 to cover
the writing nib 16, as illustrated in Fig. 2, or removed from the barrel to expose
the nib 16, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The cap 22 may be attached, more specifically,
to the feed assembly 17 by a threaded connection 19.
[0022] A refill piston 24 is located within the barrel body 12 at a second end 26. The refill
piston 24 is operatively connected to the reservoir 14. The refill piston 24 is movable
along a longitudinal axis A of the barrel body 12. As the refill piston 24 moves towards
the second end 26, a volume of the reservoir 14 is increased, causing pressure within
the reservoir to decrease. When refilling the reservoir 14 with ink, this decrease
in reservoir pressure results in a pressure differential between the reservoir and
the external environment that forces fresh ink into the reservoir through the first
end 15 of the barrel body 12. The refill piston 24 may be actuated by a refill cap
28 that is rotatably secured to the second end 26 of the barrel body 12. As the refill
cap 28 is rotated, internal threads 30, which are coupled to the refill piston 24,
cause the refill piston 24 to translate along the longitudinal axis A. In other embodiments,
the refill piston 24 may be actuated by other elements, such as a refill lever (not
shown). In yet other embodiments, the illustrated barrel body 12 may be formed as
a replaceable cartridge that is covered by an outer shell.
[0023] A valve 32 is disposed within the barrel body 12 at the first end 15. The valve 32
selectively opens and closes the orifice to allow ink to pass through the orifice,
either from the reservoir 14 to the writing nib 16, or from an ink supply to the reservoir
14 during a refilling operation.
[0024] Turning now to Figs. 4-6, the feed assembly 17 includes the ferrule 18, the locking
mechanism 20, and a nib support 34 that secures the nib 16 to the ferrule 18. An ink
feed channel 36 extends through the nib support 34, fluidly connecting the reservoir
14 to the writing nib 16 when the valve 32 is open. The nib support 34 is slidably
attached to the ferrule 18 so that the nib support 34 and the nib 16 are movable along
the longitudinal axis A.
[0025] The locking mechanism 20 is threadedly secured to the ferrule at a first end 40 and
releasably secured to the barrel body 12 proximate a second end 42 by a bayonet connection
44. In other embodiments, a second threaded connection (not shown) may be substituted
for the bayonet connection 44. The bayonet connection 44 comprises a slot 46 disposed
in the locking device, and a bayonet 48 disposed on a retainer 50. A retainer cover
52 secures the retainer 50 to the barrel body 12. The bayonet connection 44 allows
a user to quickly and easily remove the feed assembly 17 from the barrel body 12 so
that the reservoir 14 may be refilled when depleted of ink.
[0026] The valve 32 comprises a piston 60 that is longitudinally translatable within the
barrel body along the longitudinal axis A, a seat 62 disposed within the orifice at
the first end 15 of the barrel body 12, and a first biasing element 64 that biases
the piston 60 towards the seat 62. The seat 62 is attached to the barrel body 12 by
a seat cover 63. The piston 60 may be made of an elastomer, such as a thermoplastic
elastomer. A piston guide 70 may optionally retain the piston 60 within the barrel
body 12, and guide movement of the piston 60 along longitudinal axis A.
[0027] During use, the piston 60 may be opened by a valve opening mechanism 68 when the
cap is removed from the feed assembly 17. More specifically, as discussed above, the
writing nib 16 is slidably secured to the ferrule 18 by the nib support 34 so that
the writing nib 16 and nib support 34 may slide along the longitudinal axis A. The
nib support 34 may be guided in longitudinal movement by an inner surface of the seat
62. A second biasing element 74 biases the nib support 34 and the nib 16 towards the
valve 32. When the cap 22 is removed from the feed assembly 17, the nib support 34
is biased by the second biasing element 74 towards the piston 60, which pushes the
piston 60 away from the seat 62 to open the valve 32. The valve opening mechanism
68, comprises an ink feed tube 76 that extends towards one end of the nib support
34. As the nib support 34 moves towards the valve 32, one end of the nib support 34a
pushes against the piston 60, thereby causing the piston 60 to move away from the
seat 62. Once the piston 60 is spaced apart from the seat 62, ink may flow through
the seat 62, through the ink feed tube 76 and into the ink feed channel 36 to the
writing nib 16.
[0028] When the cap 22 is attached to the feed assembly 17 by the threaded connection 19,
the threaded connection 19 draws the nib support 34 and the writing nib 16 away from
the valve 32. As the nib support 34 moves away from the valve 32, the nib support
34 allows the piston 60 to move towards the seat 62 under the biasing force produced
by the first biasing element 64. Eventually, the piston 60 makes contact with the
seat 62 (Fig. 5), which closes the orifice, thus preventing ink from flowing out of,
or into, the reservoir 14 through the orifice. As a result, when the cap is attached
to the feed assembly 17, the valve 32 prevents ink from leaking out of the reservoir
14.
[0029] Similarly, when the feed assembly 17 is removed from the barrel body 12, the piston
60 remains pressed against the seat 62 by the biasing force from the first biasing
element 64, as illustrated in Fig. 6. Once the feed assembly 17 is removed from the
barrel body 12, the reservoir 14 may be replenished with ink, as discussed below.
[0030] Once the feed assembly 17 is removed from the barrel body 12, the barrel body 12
may be releasably connected to an ink supply, such as an ink bottle 100, as illustrated
in Fig. 7. The ink bottle 100 may include a bottle body 102 having an opening 104
at a first end 106. The bottle body 102 may comprise an ink refill reservoir 108.
The ink refill reservoir 108 may contain a supply of ink 110. A cap 112 may cover
the opening 104 to prevent ink from spilling out of the opening 104. The cap 112 may
include an air hole 113 to relieve negative pressure within the ink refill reservoir
during ink refill operations for the barrel 11. A gas permeable barrier 121 may be
disposed between liquid in the ink refill reservoir 108 and the air hole 113. The
gas permeable barrier 121 allows gas to pass through the air hole 113 to equalize
pressure while preventing liquid from passing through the air hole 113 to prevent
liquid leaks. In other embodiments, the cap 112 may be integrally formed with the
bottle body 102.
[0031] The barrel body 12 may be releasably coupled to the cap 112 by a refill adapter 114.
The refill adapter 114 comprises a central orifice 115 (Fig. 8). A refill tube 116
may comprise a refill channel 118, through which ink may flow from the ink refill
reservoir 108 to the reservoir 14. The refill tube 116 may extend partially into the
central orifice 115. A refill tube extender 122 may be attached to one end of the
refill tube 116, the refill tube extender 122 extending through the central orifice
115. In other embodiments, the refill tube extender 122 may be integrally formed with
the refill tube 116.
[0032] The refill adapter 114 may comprise a locking device 120 having a bayonet slot 146,
similar to the bayonet slot 46 in the locking mechanism 20 of Figs. 1-5. The locking
device 120 releasably secures the barrel body 12 to the refill adapter 114. The bayonet
slot 146 in the locking device 120 receives the bayonet 48 on the retainer 50 of the
barrel 11. As the barrel body 12 is secured to the refill adapter 114, the piston
60 is pushed away from the seat 62 by the refill tube extender 122. Once the piston
60 is spaced apart from the seat 62, the reservoir 14 is fluidly connected with the
ink refill reservoir 108 by the ink refill tube 116.
[0033] After the barrel body 12 is connected to the refill adapter 114, the refill piston
24 may be actuated. As the refill piston 24 moves away from the seat 62 volume of
the reservoir 14 increases. This increase in volume decreases pressure within the
reservoir 14 relative to the ink refill reservoir 108 and atmospheric pressure above
the ink supply 110 pushes ink from the ink supply 110, through the refill tube 116,
through the seat 62, and into the reservoir 14 to replenish the reservoir 14 with
ink.
[0034] After the refill operation is complete, the barrel body 12 may be removed from the
refill adapter 114 by releasing the bayonet 48 from the bayonet slot 146. As the barrel
body 12 is moved away from the refill tube extender 122, force from the first biasing
element 64 moves the piston 60 towards the seat 62 until the piston 60 contacts the
seat 62 and closes the valve 32, thereby preventing any ink from spilling out of the
reservoir 14. Additionally, because the feed assembly 17 is removed from the barrel
body 12 during the refill operation, the writing nib 16 and ferrule 18 are kept out
of the ink supply and thus remain clean and dry.
[0035] In other embodiments, the piston 60 may be replaced by a ball. In yet other embodiments,
the valve may be actuated by mechanical movement of the barrel body, such as by twisting
the barrel body, instead of being biased by a biasing element.
[0036] The disclosure is not limited to a fountain pen. The disclosure could be applied
to virtually any writing instrument. The features of the invention disclosed in the
description, drawings and claims can be individually or in various combinations for
the implementation of the different embodiments of the invention.
[0037] The features disclosed in the above description, the figures and the claims may be
significant for the realisation of the invention in its different embodiments individually
as in any combination.
List of Reference numerals
[0038]
- 10
- fountain pen
- 11
- outer hollow barrel
- 12
- barrel body
- 13
- elastomer joint
- 14
- ink reservoir
- 15
- first end
- 16
- writing nib
- 17
- feed assembly
- 18
- ferrule
- 19
- threaded connection
- 20
- locking mechanism
- 22
- cap
- 24
- refill piston
- 26
- second end
- 28
- refill cap
- 30
- internal threads
- 32
- valve
- 34
- nib support
- 34a
- one end of the nib support
- 36
- ink feed channel
- 40
- first end
- 42
- second end
- 44
- bayonet connection
- 46
- slot
- 48
- bayonet
- 50
- retainer
- 52
- retainer cover
- 60
- piston
- 62
- seat
- 63
- seat cover
- 64
- first biasing element
- 68
- valve opening mechanism
- 70
- piston guide
- 74
- second biasing element
- 76
- ink feed tube
- 100
- ink bottle
- 102
- bottle body
- 104
- opening
- 106
- first end
- 108
- refill reservoir
- 110
- ink supply
- 112
- cap
- 113
- air hole
- 114
- refill adapter
- 115
- central orifice
- 116
- refill tube
- 118
- refill channel
- 120
- locking device
- 121
- gas permeable barrier
- 122
- refill tube extender
- 146
- bayonet slot
1. An ink refill system for a fountain pen (10), the system comprising:
a fountain pen barrel (11) comprising:
a barrel body (12) including a first end (15), an orifice being formed at the first
end, and a second end (26) that is closed;
an ink reservoir (14) disposed in the barrel body (12), the ink reservoir (14) being
capable of containing ink, and the ink reservoir (14) being fluidly connected with
the orifice;
a valve (32) disposed within the barrel body (12) between the ink reservoir (14) and
the orifice, the valve (32) including a piston (60) and a seat (62);
a biasing element (64) that biases the valve (32) towards a closed position in which
the piston (60) contacts the seat (62) to prevent from flowing out of the reservoir
through the orifice; and
a bottle (100) comprising:
a bottle body (102) having an opening (104) at one end;
an ink refill reservoir (108) disposed within the bottle body (102); and
a refill tube (116) disposed within the bottle body (102), the refill tube (116) extending
at least partially through the bottle opening (104),
wherein the valve (32) is opened and closed by interaction with the refill tube (116).
2. The ink refill system of claim 1, further comprising a refill adapter (114) for releasably
securing the fountain pen (10) to the bottle (100), the refill adapter (114) being
disposed within the opening (104), the refill tube (116) extending through the refill
adapter (114), wherein particularly the ink refill adapter (114) is attached to a
bottle cap (112) that is releasably secured to the bottle (100) to cover the opening
(104).
3. The ink refill system of claim 1 or 2, further comprising a retainer (50) disposed
on the fountain pen barrel (11), the retainer (50) being adapted to cooperate with
the ink refill adapter (114) to releasably secure the fountain pen barrel (11) to
the bottle body (102), wherein particularly the retainer (50) includes at least one
bayonet post (48) and/or the retainer (50) includes internal threads (30).
4. The ink refill system of claim 2 or 3, wherein the refill adapter (114) includes a
bayonet slot (46) for receiving a bayonet (48) on the fountain pen barrel (11), wherein
particularly the refill adapter (114) includes external threads that cooperate with
the internal threads (30) of the retainer (50) to releasably secure the fountain pen
barrel (11) to the bottle body (102).
5. The ink refill system of one of the claims 2 to 4, wherein the bottle cap (112) includes
an air hole (113) for relieving pressure within the bottle body (102) during ink refill
of the fountain pen barrel (11).
6. The ink refill system of one of the preceding claims, further comprising a refill
tube extender (122) disposed on one end of the refill tube (116), wherein particularly
the refill tube extender (122) extends through the seat (62) to move the piston (60)
to an open position, away from the seat (62), when the fountain pen barrel (11) is
attached to the bottle body (102).
7. An ink bottle (100) for holding liquid ink, the ink bottle (100) comprising:
a bottle body (102) having an opening (104) at one end;
an ink refill reservoir (108) for containing ink, the ink refill reservoir (108) being
formed by the bottle body (102); and
a refill tube (116) disposed within the bottle body (102), the refill tube (116) extending
at least partially through the bottle opening (104).
8. The ink bottle (100) of claim 7, further comprising a refill adapter (114) for releasably
securing a writing instrument to the bottle body (102), the refill adapter (114) being
disposed within the opening (104), and the refill tube (116) extending at least partially
through the refill adapter (114).
9. The ink bottle of claim 8, wherein the ink refill adapter (114) is attached to a bottle
cap (112) that is releasably secured to the bottle (100) to cover the opening (104).
10. The ink bottle of claim 8 or 9, wherein the refill adapter (114) includes a bayonet
slot (46).
11. The ink bottle of one of the claims 8 to 10, wherein the refill adapter (114) includes
external threads.
12. The ink bottle of one of the claims 7 to 11, wherein a bottle cap (112) includes an
air hole (113) for relieving pressure within the bottle body (102) during ink refill
of the fountain pen barrel (11).
13. The ink bottle of one of the claims 7 to 12, further comprising a refill tube extender
(122) disposed on one end of the refill tube (116).
14. The ink bottle of claim 13, wherein the refill tube extender (122) extends through
the refill adapter (114).