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US 12,005,730 B2Granted
Self-healing seal for a writing instrument
AssigneeSociete BIC
InventorsDavid Duffy, Bernadette Elliott-Bowman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A writing instrument may include a self-healing sealing component to prevent the internal components of the writing instrument from drying out.
Claims20
A writing instrument comprising:
- a tubular body terminating in a writing orifice at a distal end of the tubular body;
- a reservoir for storing a writing ink which is arranged proximally to the writing orifice;
- a nib arranged distally to the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the nib is configured to be axially translatable within the tubular body between a first retracted position in which the nib is positioned within the tubular body and not protruding through the writing orifice and a second extended position in which the nib protrudes through the writing orifice;
- an actuating means for axially translating the nib within the tubular body between the first retracted position and the second extended position for writing;
- a seal component located within the tubular body at or adjacent to the writing orifice which seals the nib and the reservoir from exposure to an environment in the first retracted position,
- wherein the seal component is configured to be ruptured when the nib is advanced into the second extended position for writing,
- wherein the seal component comprises a self-healing material selected from intrinsic self-healing materials or extrinsic self-healing materials, and
- wherein the seal component is configured to at least partly restore its sealing property when the nib is retracted to the first retracted position.
5 more elements
A writing instrument comprising:
- a tubular body terminating in a writing orifice at a distal end of the tubular body;
- a reservoir for storing a writing ink which is arranged proximally to the writing orifice;
- a nib arranged distally to the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir and includes a piercing mechanism,
- wherein the nib is configured to be axially translatable within the tubular body between a first retracted position in which the nib is positioned within the tubular body and not protruding through the writing orifice and a second extended position in which the nib protrudes through the writing orifice;
- an actuating means for axially translating the nib within the tubular body between the first retracted position and the second extended position for writing;
- a seal component located within the tubular body at or adjacent to the writing orifice which seals the nib and the reservoir from exposure to an environment in the first retracted position,
- wherein the seal component is configured to be ruptured by the piercing mechanism when the nib is advanced into the second extended position for writing,
- wherein the seal component includes one or more predetermined breaking points or lines which are arranged to create two or more leaflets when the seal component is ruptured,
- wherein the seal component comprises a self-healing material, and
- wherein the nib or the piercing mechanism include a roughened surface or protrusions to facilitate return of the leaflets to their original position when the nib is retracted to the first retracted position, and the seal component is configured to at least partly restore its sealing property when the nib is retracted to the first retracted position.
7 more elements
A writing instrument comprising:
- a tubular body terminating in a writing orifice at a distal end of the tubular body;
- a reservoir for storing a writing ink which is arranged proximally to the writing orifice;
- a nib arranged distally to the reservoir and in fluid communication with the reservoir, wherein the nib is configured to be axially translatable within the tubular body between a first retracted position in which the nib is positioned within the tubular body and not protruding through the writing orifice and a second extended position in which the nib protrudes through the writing orifice;
- an actuating means for axially translating the nib within the tubular body between the first retracted position and the second extended position for writing;
- a seal component located within the tubular body at or adjacent to the writing orifice which seals the nib and the reservoir from exposure to an environment in the first retracted position,
- wherein the seal component is configured to be ruptured when the nib is advanced into the second extended position for writing,
- wherein the seal component comprises a self-healing material including a crosslinked thermoplastic polymer, and
- wherein the seal component is configured to at least partly restore its sealing property when the nib is retracted to the first retracted position.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.