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US 4,595,307 AGranted
Retractable implement closure
OwnerEugene L. Heydeninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protective closure for an implement such as a pencil or pen. The closure comprises a retractable sheath intended for an attached relation to the implement body portion. The sheath having fold means is shortened or contracted longitudinally to achieve an exposing position when opposing sections of the sheath are urged together, achieving an intermediate, cross-sectionally continuous fold thereby. The fold means is further adapted to self-retain.
Claims22
A retractable closure for an implement having an elongated body portion and at least one end having work performance means, said closure comprising:
- an elongated tubular sheath of foldably resilient material defining a wall with an inner wall surface and an outer wall surface, said sheath also having a central axis and a centrally open region therein;
- a forward sheath section including forward communication means adapted for axial displacement from a normally enclosing position to an achieved exposing position with respect to said work performance means;
- a rearward sheath section including rearward communication means adapted to receive said end and said work performance means therethrough, said rearward sheath section also adapted to form an adherent relation to, and a degree of resistance to displacement from, at least a portion of said implement;
- fold means integral with said sheath in the vicinity of said rearward sheath section for adjusting the length of said sheath, said sheath thereby and thereat biased to fold upon itself into a fold bringing a portion of said forward sheath section and a portion of said rearward sheath section in overlapping position, said sheath contracting in length from an enclosing first position to an exposing second position with respect to said work performance means when attached to said implement, said work performance means extending through said forward communication means when so exposed;
- and,
- fold retaining means for retaining said sheath in said exposing second position, said fold retaining means retaining the folded state of said sheath when actuated to achieve said fold.
3 more elements
An implement comprising:
- an elongated body portion;
- a forward end having work performance means;
- a rearward end, said rearward end opposing said forward end;
- an elongated tubular sheath of foldably resilient material carried upon said implement in the vicinity of said forward end;
- said sheath including a forward sheath section and forward communication means in an extending first position and in spaced-apart and movable relation to said forward end and said work performance means;
- said sheath also having a rearward sheath section in a substantially adherent relation to at least a part of said implement;
- fold means integral with said sheath in the vicinity of said rearward sheath section for adjusting the length of said sheath, said sheath thereby and thereat biased to fold upon itself into a fold bringing a portion of said forward sheath section and a portion of said rearward sheath section in overlapping relation, said sheath contracting in length from an enclosing first position to an exposing said position with respect to said work performance means, said work performance means extending through said forward communication means when so exposed;
- and,
- fold retaining means for retaining said sheath in said exposing second position, said fold retaining means retaining the folded state of said sheath when actuated to achieve said fold.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.