Writing implements combined with a scroll of sheet material

Abstract

 ccording to the invention a writing implement having a writing element (45) such as a ball-point cartridge which is retractable within the barrel (31) of the implement incorporates within the barrel a tube (35) which is rotatable around the writing element and serves as a spool for a length of flexible material (38) which has its inner end attached to such tube and can be drawn out from the scroll via a slot (32) in the barrel. The tube is connected to an exposed part such as the barrel tip (48) or the retraction mechanism plunger (40) so that the material can be rewound into the implement by rotating that part. The material (38) is preferably of plastics or other durable material. It can bear advertising or other readable matter and/or be suitable for writing on.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to improvements in combined with writing implements a scroll of sheet material.

[0002] writing Many attempts have been made to combine/such implements with sheet material, particularly scrolls or cylinders of such material.

[0003] U.S. Patent Nos. 1,759,596 and 1,769,321 describe fountain pens with protective caps. The caps contain chambers above where the pen nib extends. The chambers contain scrolls of blotting paper which extend through a longitudinal slot in the cap. The scrolls function like window shades, i.e., they are springloaded and automatically retractable when the user is finished.

[0004] U.S. Patent 1,545,399 also describes a similar fountain pen cap but the scroll consists of note are provided paper. No means/for retracting the paper into the cap, Paper is obviously an expendible item.

[0005] U.S. Patent No. 1,069,746 also describes a fountain pen cap, but for dispensing stamps, which are also expendible paper.

[0006] U.S. Patent 1,551,530 describes a fountain pen cap with a rotatable perpetual calendar within the top of the cap. A large window in the cap allows the selected month to be displayed.

[0007] U.S. Patent No. 555,752 describes a combination pen and pencil which has a separate chamber above the pen and pencil sections. In that separate chamber there is "a tape of suitable textile material secured at one end to a rotary spindle... and having its free end projected through a slot" in the chamber, "and provided with a finger-piece, through the medium of which it may be drawn outward. This finger-piece is larger than the transverse opening of the slot..., and therefore it will prevent the free end of the tape from being drawn into the" chamber "when the spindle... is rotated to coil the said tape. This tape is designed to be provided with any desirable reference- tables or similar devices." The tape illustrated has a calendar and a measuring rule.

[0008] U.S. Patent No. 700,803 describes an attachment for a pencil. The attachment has provision for scrolling a multileaved book on it.

[0009] U.S. Patent No. 489,959 describes a hollow cylinder or roller, within which a pencil, or pen and ink well can be stored after removing an end cap on the roller. Provision is made to attach a replaceable multileaved copying book on the roller. In use the leaves of the book are dampened, a letter is inserted between the leaves and the book rolled onto the outside of the roller.

[0010] U. S. Patent No. 2,171,188 describes a dovetail groove in a pencil designed to receive and hold the folded edge of a golf score card. No provision is made to scroll the card.

[0011] U.S. Patent No. 640,543 describes a mechanical pencil combined with a note paper holder. The pencil mechanism is atone end of the unit and the chamber above the mechanism is comprised of inner and outer rotatable tubes, each with a longitudinal slot. When aligned, the slots allow the note paper to be withdrawn and torn off. The torn segment paper would then obviously not be able to be retracted into the chamber.

[0012] U.S. Patent No. 2,224,470 describes a combination of pencil and.separate chamber for note paper similar to that described in U.S. Patent No. 640,543. U. S. Patent No. 2,224,470 also describes a mechanical pencil with paper wrapped around its lead tube (not a separate tube) with no means to retract the note paper. Again, the paper is meant to be torn off in segments and the roll then replaced when the previous roll is used up.

[0013] U.S. Patent No. 3,963,358 describes a ball point pen with a dispenser for note paper, which may be torn off. The paper is not wound on a core but rather inside a hollow cylinder.

[0014] Ball point pens are well known and indeed are ubiquitous, as are retraction mechanisms for propelling and retracting the pen point in and out of the pen barrels. One example of such pens and retraction mechanisms may be seen in U.S. Patent No. 2,933,067.

[0015] In summary, in the prior art proposals pertaining to the combination of flexible sheet scrolls with writing implements sheet material is held in an extension of or accessory to the writing implement or the implement is formed simply to hold sheet material for dispensing piece by piece as required.

[0016] The present invention involves the concept of a writing implement of a kind having a retractable writing element, combined with a scroll of sheet material which can be unwound from and rewound into the implement, this combination being managed in such a way that the scroll and its mounting are integrated with and not merely appended to the body of the implement but nevertheless allow normal retraction and advancement of the writing element.

[0017] A writing implement and sheet material scroll combination according to the present invention is defined in Claim 1 hereof. The combination is characterised in that the writing implement comprises a barrel in which a writing element is supported and is retractable by the operation of retraction mechanism; said writing element is surrounded by a tube which is rotatably supported in the barrel and is associated with means accessible at the exterior of the implement whereby such tube can be rotated within the barrel by the user; a length of flexible sheet material is wound onto and has its inner end attached to said tube, and the barrel has a longitudinal slot therein through which an end portion of such length of material projects so that it can be gripped and pulled thereby to unwind sheet material out of the implement.

[0018] As will hereafter be exemplified, the invention can be embodied in the form of a retractable writing implement, e.g. a retractable ball point pen, which has the general overall streamlined form and/of conventional implements. dimensions. The scroll of material which is accommodated within the barrel of the implement and can be repeatedly extended therefrom for viewing and then rewound, can advantageously bear reference or advertising or other readable informationfor exposure and perusal whenever required.

[0019] It is desirable for the scroll to be of durable sheet material. In preferred embodiments of the invention the flexible sheet material is wholly or mainly synthetic polymeric material, e.g. a polyester, a polyolefin or a polyamide.

[0020] Preferably the outer end of the length of flexible material has a width and/or thickness enlargement or an attachment and the extent to which the material can be rewound into the barrel is limited by abutment of that enlargement or attachment against the barrel adjacent the longitudinal slot or merely by the inadequacy of the space in the barrel to permit entry of the said outer end.

[0021] The invention includes a writing implement having a hollow barrel with a central writing mechanism containing the marking media, especially a ball point pen, a rotatable tube surrounding the central writing mechanism, the tube being connected to an external means for rotating it, and attached to the tube, one end of a sheet of flexible plastic sheet, the other end of the sheet extending through a slot in the barrel and having at its end outside the barrel a gripping means which also functions to prevent the sheet from being irretrievable when the means for rotating the tube is turned thereby winding the sheet on the tube in the annulus between the tube and the inside of the barrel.

[0022] In particularly favoured embodiments of the invention the writing element is a ball point pen. Certain ball point pens according to the invention are defined in Claim 4 hereof.

[0023] It should be noted that the implements of this invention have many unique utilities. For example, many businesses imprint their names and their addresses, telephone numbers, or product lines, or all of these items on the barrels of ball point pens and provide them to their customers as a durable advertisement, which the customer sees every time he uses the pen. Unfortunately, the small surface of the barrel of a pen severely limits the wording and the size of the type that may be used. With the pen of this invention, however, the advertiser can imprint his message, for example, on both sides of- a flexible sheet of material, which may be approximately 2-9/16" x 12", or a total of 61.5 square inches, a veritable billboard in comparison to the surface of the barrel of a pen. To be sure that the customer receiving the pen will actually use it, the advertiser can imprint it with vital reference material, e.g., product characteristics, dimensions, utilities, delivery times, credit terms, office and warehouse addresses and telephone numbers, the names of salesmen, etc. In addition, promotions may be keyed to information or codes on the sheet of flexible material. For example, gifts could be awarded to customers who had the lucky number or code on the sheet in their pen, thereby inducing them to look at the sheet.

[0024] The sheets in the pens of this invention may be fully imprinted with advertizing reference material, bon mots, etc. or may be unimprinted or may be part imprinted and part unimprinted. Any part of the sheet not imprinted may be of such a material or so treated that it may be permanently marked by the owner of the pen. Alternatively, the sheet may be like a palimpsest, i.e., it may be erasable and reusable. For example, one may list telephone numbers and erase them as they change.

[0025] Another unique utility of the pens of this invention is as a secret safekeeping place for valuables and confidential information. For example, one may conceal currency or traveler's checks by pulling out the sheet all the way, then aligning the currency note with the sheet and with one end of the note in the nip between the tube and the sheet, then rotating the tube,winding both the sheet and the note around the tube in jelly-roll fashion. Microfilm may also be concealed in similar fashion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0026] 

Figure 1 is a view of a longitudinal section of one embodiment of the invention, a modified, commercially available ball point pen utilizing a conventional retracting mechanism and incorporating the improvement of the invention.

Figure 2 is sectional view taken on line 2 - 2 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a sectional view also taken on line 2 - 2 of Figure 1, but after the core is wound with sheet material.

Figure 4 is a perspective view of the barrel shown in section in Figure 1.

Figure 5 (left) is a perspective view of the core, or tube, about which the sheet material is wound and (right) the tip of the pen shown in section in Figure 1.

Figure 6 is a view of a longitudinal section of another embodiment of the invention, a modified _BIC "CLIC" pen incorporating the improvement of the invention.

Figure 7 is a perspective view of the barrel of the pen shown in section in Figure 6.

Figure 8 (left) is a perspective view of the retraction mechanism in combination with the tube about which the sheet material is wound and (right) the tip of the pen shown in section in Figure 6.

Figure 9 is a longitudinal section view of still another embodiment of the invention, a modified PAPER MATE pen incorporating the improvement of the invention.

Figure 10 is a side elevation view of the tube in the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 11 is a top elevation view of the tube shown in Figure 10.

Figure 12 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the barrel of the pen shown in section in Figure 9.

Figure 13 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the tip of the pen shown in section in Figure 9.

Figure 14 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the cap of the pen shown in section in Figure 9.

Figure 15 is a bottom elevation view of the retractor of the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 16 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the retractor of the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 17 is a top elevation view of the retractor of the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 18 is a bottom elevation view of the plunger shown in Figure 19.

Figure 19 is a side elevation view of the plunger of the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 20 is a top elevation view of the . retaining ring indicated in the pen shown in Figure 9.

Figure 21 is a side elevation view, partially in section, of the band shown in Figure 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0027] As indicated above, Figures 1 to 5 are different views of one of the preferred embodiments of the invention.

[0028] Figure 1 is a longitudinal section of ball point pen 30, which is comprised of barrel 31, which contains slot 32 (shown in Figure 4). Barrel 31 has an internal shoulder 33 surrounding opening 34, through which tube 35 is inserted so that its flange 36 rests on shoulder 33. The description in the preceding sentence may be clearly visualized in the enlarged partial section of that area of the pen right above Figure 1. The other end of tube 35 is attached to union 37 either by adhesive bonding, brazing, soldering, etc. The attachment may also be by threading and screwing together the union 37 and tube 35. When so attached, the combination of tube 35 and union 37 comprises.a kind of spool within the barrel 31, leaving an annulus 49 between the tube 35 and the inner wall of the barrel 31. Through slot 32, one end of an elongated sheet of flexible material 38 may be attached to tube 35 by appropriate means, including taping, heat sealing, adhesive, etc. The other end of the sheet 38 has gripping means 39 thicker than the width of slot 32 or the remaining annulus after winding,to prevent that end from being pulled through the slot and being irretrievable when the sheet 38 is wound on tube 35. Cap 39 is then loaded with plunger 40 and conventional retraction mechanism parts 42 through 44 and is then attached to barrel 31 either permanently by adhesive, sonic welding, etc. or by means of mating threaded surfaces on cap 39 and barrel 31. Then standard ball point cartridge 45 is inserted through the bore of 46 tube 35 and union 37 until the end opposite the ball point is properly seated at the retraction mechanism part 44. Coil spring 47 is then slipped on over the ball point end of cartridge 45 until it is resting against the customary bulge 51 formed by the crimp in the cartridge. The pen assembly is completed by screwing tip 48 on union 37. To wind the sheet 38 on tube 35, one simply grasps the barrel 31 in one hand and rotates the tip 48 so that tube 35 turns inside the barrel 31. Figure 2 shows annulus 49 when sheet 38 is fully extended from barrel 31. Figure 3 shows barrel ₃1 when its annulus 49 is filled with sheet 38 wound on tube 35.

[0029] In an alternative, preferred version of the first embodiment, barrel 31 and cap 39 comprise a single element. To assemble a pen with that configuration, one insert parts 40, 42, 43 and 44 in that order through the bottom of barrel 31 so that plunger 40 protrudes through the opening at the top of the unitary barrel. Then the subassembly shown at the left in Figure 5 with sheet 38 tightly wound on tube 35 is fully inserted in barrel 31 so that the bottom of barrel 31 is resting on the shoulder of union 37. Shoulders 33 can then be formed by any convenient means such as by piercing or heating and depressing barrel 31 at points 52. This has the effect of retaining the subassembly inside the barrel 31. The shoulder 33 and the shoulder on union 37 provide bearing surfaces when tube 35 is turned by rotating tip 48 with one hand while holding barrel 31 with the other hand. In that manner the tube with sheet 38 wound on it can be rotated so that the free end may be grasped through slot 32 and then gripping means 39 may be attached to the free end of sheet 38.

[0030] As indicated above, Figures 6, 7 and-8 illustrate a second preferred embodiment of the invention, the major difference between the first embodiment and the second embodiment. is that whereas one turned the tip to wind the sheet back inside the barrel in the former, one turns the plunger in the latter to perform the same function.

[0031] The second embodiment is shown in a modified _BI_C "CLIC" pen. In the second embodiment, barrel 61 has slot 62 longitudinally positioned, through which sheet 63 issues forth. Again, one end of sheet 63 is attached to tube 64, which has flange 65 at one end. The other end of tube 64 is attached to retraction mechanism 66, between which and plunger 67.is coil spring 68. Plunger 67 has flange 69, which rests against shoulder 70 of barrel 61 when the subassembly of tube 64, retraction mechanism 66, spring 68, and plunger 67 is inserted into barrel 61. Again, that insertion step occurs prior to the attaching of sheet 63 to tube 64. That attachment step occurs through slot 62. The other end of the sheet 63 has gripper bar 71 attached to it to enable the user to grasp it to pull sheet 63 out of the barrel 61 and also to prevent the irretrievable loss of that end when the user rewinds sheet 63 by grasping barrel 61 and turning plunger 67.

[0032] Next the end of ball point cartridge 72 is inserted through the center of the tube 64 until the end rests against the retraction mechanism 66. Spring 73 is then slipped over the ball point, and finally tip 74 is also slipped over the ball point and screwed into barrel 61.

[0033] As indicated above, Figures 9 through 21 illustrate the third preferred embodiment of the invention. Like the second embodiment, the third embodiment has the plunger as the means for rotating the tube.

[0034] The third embodiment is shown in a modified PAPER MATE pen. In the third embodiment, barrel 80 has longitudinal slot 81 which extends to the end of the barrel at the upper end of the pen, but not to the other end of the barrel. Barrel 80 has internal threads 82 at one end to receive similarly threaded end 83 on tip 84. Before threading the parts together, however, compression coil spring 85 is placed in the cavity in tip 84, then the ball point end of cartridge 86 is placed through the central opening in the spring 85 and tip 84. Tip 84 is then screwed into barrel 80. Retaining ring 99 is placed in the top end of barrel 80. Tube 87 is slipped over the free end of cartridge 86 in barrel 80. Tube 87 has tabs 87a bent outward in a cruciform fashion as shown. Tabs 87a rest on the inner shoulder of retaining ring ^99. constructed

[0035] The cap subassembly then isCap 88 is inverted so that its top end is down. Plunger 89 is inserted so that the ridged end protrudes. Flange 90 on plunger 89 rests on shoulder 91 in cap 88. Compression coil spring 92 is then slipped over end 93 on plunger 89. Retractor 94 is placed in the top end of barrel 81 so that the cruciform indentations 96 in its bottom end match and mate with the longitudinal cruciform projections formed in end of tube 8:6 by tabs 87a. Then the cap subassembly is placed on the barrel subassembly so that the end 93 of plunger 89 fits into the matching depression 97 in retractor 94. Threaded end 98 of cap 88 is screwed into threaded end 95 of barrel 80 after band 100 has been placed around the top of barrel 80. 101 is a pocket clip.

[0036] In practice, the sheet material is attached at one end to tube 86 before the latter is inserted in barrel 80 in such a way that the sheet slides in slot 81 with its gripper end outside the barrel 80.

[0037] The materials that may be used in the pens of the invention are generally those used in conventional commercial ball point pens. Indeed, prototypes of the invention's embodiments.have been made by modifying the popular, commercially available ball point pens to include the improvements of the invention. It is surprising that it was possible to do so without affecting the pens' sense of balance, writing ability, and most especially their retracting capabilities - while at the same time enhancing the pens' properties and value by successfully integrating the improvement of the invention. This should be contrasted to the prior art developments in the other areas described above where the writing implements and the other items were joined together but not truly integrated.

[0038] The sheet of flexible material may be comprised of any flexible plastic, particularly the synthetic thermoplastic polymers. Examples of such polymers are the polyamides, polyolefins, the polyesters, the polyacetates, the polyvinyls, etc., and their copolymers and terpolymers. The sheets may be continuous films, preferably uniaxially or biaxially oriented, such as the polyester films, e.g., MYLAR polyester films from Du Pont, which are preferred. The sheets may alternatively be spun-bonded polyolefins such as the _TYV_EK spun-bonded polyolefin sheets, also available from Du Pont. The sheets should be comprised of polymers which are either receptive to ink or can be made so by treatment, e.g., corona - discharge treatment of polyolefin films. The sheets may be of any suitable thickness, but generally the thinner the better because more can be wound in the annulus in the barrel of the pen. Generally, 1 to 2 mils are acceptable.

[0039] The information on the sheets can either be printed on them by the pen manufacturer by such processes as silk screening or flexography or can be written there by the user. In the latter case, metallized MYLAR film has proved acceptable.

[0040] The tube about which the sheet is wound may be of any suitable material, but preferably metal. Brass and aluminum are preferred.

[0041] Although the preferred embodiments of the invention, i.e., the ball point pens, have been particularly illustrated and described in the foregoing section, it should be pointed out that the invention writing implements with other types of writing element e.g. to is also applicable to/cartridge pens, felt tip pens, porous nylon-tip pens, etc. in a manner analogous to that described for the ball point pens.

Claims

1. A writing implement which is combined with a scroll of sheet material, characterised in that said implement comprises a barrel (31) in which a writing element (45) is supported and is retractable by the operation of retraction mechanism (40, 42-44, 47); said writing element (45) is surrounded by a tube (35) which is rotatably supported in the barrel (31) and is associated with means (48) accessible at the exterior of the implement whereby such tube (35) can be rotated within the barrel by the user; a length of flexible sheet material (38) is wound onto and has its inner end attached to said tube (35), and the barrel has a longitudinal slot (32) therein through which an end portion of such length of material projects so that it can be gripped and pulled thereby to unwind sheet material out of the implement.

2. A writing implement according to Claim 1, wherein said means for rotating the tube within the barrel is a barrel tip or a plunger for actuating the retraction mechanism, which tip or plunger is rotatable relative to the main part of the barrel and is connected to said tube.

3. A writing implement according to Claim 1 or 2, wherein said sheet material is wholly or mainly a synthetic polymeric material.

4. In a ball point pen including a barrel having a first opening at one end for a pen tip; an elongate ink cartridge disposed within said barrel, said cartridge having a ball pen tip at one end; and cartridge retraction means disposed in said barrel for selectively moving and retaining said cartridge longitudinally within said barrel to position said pen tip inside and outside of said first opening; the improvement comprising, in combination:

(a) a cylindrical tube disposed within said barrel and surrounding said cartridge, said tube being rotatable about its longitudinal axis;

(b) a sheet of elongate, flexible material wrapped, in part, around said tube and extending through a slot in said barrel, said sheet being attached at one end to said tube within said barrel;

(c) means for rotating said tube within said barrel, thereby to wrap said sheet around said tube after it has been pulled outward away from said tube through said slot, and

(d) gripping means attached to the opposite end of said sheet outside of said barrel, said gripping means being wider or longer than said slot to prevent said opposite end from being pulled through said slot into said barrel when said sheet is wrapped around said tube.

5. The improvement recited in Claim 4, wherein said material is polyester.

6. The improvement recited in Claims 4 or 5, wherein said sheet is glued at said one end to said tube.

7. The improvement recited in Claims 4 or 5, wherein said sheet is taped at said one end to said tube.

8. The improvement recited in any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein said barrel has a second opening at its opposite end; whereby said cartridge retraction means include a plunger arranged in said barrel and extending through said second opening; and wherein said rotating means includes said plunger,
whereby said cartridge may be moved longitudinally by pressing said plunger and said tube may be rotated by rotating said plunger.

9. The improvement recited in any of Claims 4 to 7, wherein said barrel includes first and second barrel sections arranged axially end to end, said first opening being at one end of said second section and said slot being in said first section; wherein said tube is attached to the opposite end of said second section; and wherein said rotating means includes said second section which is rotatable with respect to said first section.

10. A writing implement according to any preceding claim, in combination with one or more articles which is or are held between convolutions of said sheet material forming said scroll so as to be dispensed from the implement when material of the scroll is unwound out of the implement.

Drawing