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US 4,359,290 AGranted
Writing instrument
AssigneePentel Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorsTomozo Sekiguchi, Kazuma Noguchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A writing instrument comprises a plurality of slots for holding writing implements such as colored leads, the slots being formed radially in the inner wall of a cylindrical body. The instrument comprises a guide tube mounted coaxially within the cylindrical body and having an opening which can be aligned any one of the slots, a cover plate provided at the opening of the guide tube and adapted to be tilted by the operation of a knock cap, and a chuck provided to the front end of the guide tube. A selected writing implement in the slot is allowed to drop by gravity into the guide tube from the tilted cover plate and then is clamped by the chuck.
Claims20
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltably movable between a blocking first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- and
- means for, upon axial movement of said guide tube and cover plate from said first closed position thereof toward said released second position thereof, tilting said cover plate from said blocking first position thereof to said unblocking second position thereof, said tilting means comprising a projecting member rotatably mounted to a rear portion of said cylindrical body, said projecting member having a projection extending inwardly through said opening, and engagement means in the form of a depressed portion in said cover plate at a position such that said projection engages said depressed portion when said guide tube and cover plate are in said first closed position thereof and engages an undepressed portion of said cover plate when said guide tube and cover plate are moved toward said released second position thereof.
4 more elements
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltably movable between a blocking first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- and
- means for, upon axial movement of said guide tube and cover plate from said closed first position thereof toward said released second position thereof, tilting said cover plate from said blocking first position thereof to said unblocking second position thereof, said tilting means comprising an annular projecting member formed integrally with said cylindrical body, said projecting member having an inwardly extending projection maintained exteriorly of said opening, and engagement means in the form of a raised portion of said cover plate at a position such that said projection engages an unraised portion of said cover plate when said guide tube and cover plate are in said closed first position thereof and engages said raised portion when said guide tube and cover plate are moved toward said released second position thereof.
4 more elements
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and for axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltably movable between a blocking first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- and
- means for enabling rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body when said guide tube is in said closed first position and for preventing such rotation when said guide tube is axially moved away from said closed first position, said means comprising sub-partition walls formed on the inner surface of said cylindrical body at positions aligned with corresponding partition walls defining said slots, an annular control member rotatably fitted to the rear end of said cylindrical body and extending between said sub-partition walls and said guide tube, said control member functioning as a breechblock and having a projection extending into said guide tube, said control member having at least one radially flexible movable member having on an external surface thereof a raised portion fitting between adjacent said sub-partition walls, and said guide tube having in the external surface thereof an engagement groove at a position such that when said guide tube is in said closed first position thereof said movable member is totally axially aligned with said engagement groove, whereby said movable member is movable inwardly into said engagement groove and said raised portion can ride over said sub-partition walls, thereby enabling rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, and such that when said guide tube is moved away from said closed first position thereof said movable member is not totally axially aligned with said engagement groove, whereby said movable member is not movable inwardly into said engagement groove and said raised portion is prevented from riding over said sub-partition walls, thereby preventing rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body.
4 more elements
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and for axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltably movable between a blocking a first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- said cylindrical body including a front body portion and a rear body portion rotatably connected to said front body portion;
- and
- means for enabling rotation of said guide tube with respect to said front body portion when said guide tube is in said closed first position and for preventing such rotation when said guide tube is axially moved away from said closed first position, said means comprising sub-partition walls formed on the front end of the inner surface of said rear body portion at positions aligned with corresponding partition walls defining said slots, an annular control member fixed to the rear end of said front body portion and extending between said sub-partition walls and said guide tube, said control member having at least one radially flexible movable member having on an external surface thereof a raised portion fitting between adjacent sub-partition walls, and said guide tube having in the external surface thereof an engagement groove at a position such that when said guide tube is in said closed first position thereof said movable member is totally axially aligned with said engagement groove, whereby said movable member is movable inwardly into said engagement groove and said raised portion can ride over said sub-partition walls, thereby enabling rotation of said guide tube with respect to said front body portion, and such that when said guide tube is moved away from said closed first position thereof said movable member is not totally axially aligned with said engagement groove, whereby said movable member is not movable into said engagement groove and said raised portion is prevented from riding over said sub-partition walls, thereby preventing rotation of said guide tube with respect to said from body portion.
5 more elements
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and for axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltable movable between a blocking first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- leaf spring means for imparting a recovery force to said cover plate tending to urge said cover plate to said blocking first position thereof;
- said guide tube and said leaf spring means having bent base portions;
- said guide tube having adjacent the rear end thereof, in a side thereof opposite said opening, opening means for receiving therethrough said base portions;
- and
- said base portions extending through said opening means and being held between said guide tube and said cap means.
7 more elements
A multiple slot writing instrument comprising:
- a cylindrical body having in an internal surface thereof a plurality of longitudinally extending partition walls defining slots for containing a plurality of writing instruments;
- a guide tube fitted within said cylindrical body for rotation and axial movement relative thereto, said guide tube having therethrough a single longitudinally extending opening adapted to be aligned with a selected one of said slots upon rotation of said guide tube with respect to said cylindrical body, whereby a respective writing implement is transferrable through said opening between said selected slot and the interior of said guide tube;
- chuck means positioned at a front end of said guide tube for gripping a writing implement within said guide tube;
- a cover plate positioned adjacent said opening in said guide tube, said cover plate being tiltably movable between a blocking first position blocking said opening and an unblocking second position unblocking said opening;
- cap means mounted on a rear end of said cylindrical body for moving said guide tube and said cover plate axially with respect to said cylindrical body from a closed first position toward a released second position;
- said guide tube including a front tube portion and a rear tube portion rotatably connected to said front tube portion, said front tube portion having first projections slidably fitted between adjacent said partition walls, said rear tube portion having therein openings;
- and
- said cylindrical body having a tubular body at a position between said front and rear tube portions, said tubular body including outwardly extending second projections fitted between adjacent said partition walls at locations to close said openings in said rear tube portion when said guide tube is in said closed first position thereof.
5 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.