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US 4,789,263 AGranted
Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink, and tip produced thereby
AssigneeAlbe S.A.
InventorWerner Germann
Life of this patent
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AssigneeAlbe S.A.
InventorWerner Germann
Estimating the term…
A slender tube (A) having an internal diameter of about 1 mm and a wall thickness of about 0.1 mm is used for the production of the tips of ball-point pens. After a cycle of combined linear and rotation-derived working steps, the tip has a front cross section (A') the internal diameter of which has been reduced to approximately the cross section of the ball (5); a central cross section (A'") the cross section of which corresponds to that of the original tube; and a rear cross section (A") with a cross section larger than the preceding cross section (A'"). The seat (S) against which the ball (5) is supported consists of conical recesses. The seat (S) is traversed by an opening into which penetrates the end (3') of a needle-like part (3), which part effects the ink transfer from a reservoir (2) to the ball.
Process for the production of a ball-point pen tip to be supplied with liquid ink by means of a capillary member said tip comprising reservoir means (2) for feeding ink to a ball (5) by means of a porous, needle-like part (3), that emerges from a tubular section of predetermined length, said process comprising forming coaxially on a slender cylindrical metal tube a forward end zone (A') of reduced diameter relative to the original tube, a rearward end zone (A") of enlarged diameter relative to the original tube, and a central zone (A'") of substantially the original diameter of the tube, then reducing by simultaneous rolling from inside and outside the wall thickness of said forward end zone (A') by using a plurality of rollers on the outside of said forward end zone, flanging said end zone (A') of reduced thickness inwardly, and snapping said ball (5) into the flanged forward end zone.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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From the US filing history. Foreign family members aren’t listed.
Nibs ; Writing-points: with ball points; Balls or ball beds
Of sphere, i.e., ball, in socket: ball point pen making
Implements for writing or drawing
Technical subjects covered by former us classification
Term ended 6 Dec 2005 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The invention relates to a process for the production of a ball-point pen tip supplied with liquid ink.
Furthermore, the invention concerns the ball-point tip produced in accordance with this process.
Ball-point pens with pasty ink are conventional. These exhibit the disadvantage frequently to form spots when writing is begun.
A preferred embodiment of the invention will be described in greater detail below with reference to the appended drawings.
FIG. 1 shows schematically a section on an enlarged scale of the front portion of a ball-point pen,
FIGS. 2a-2k are schematic views of the succession of working steps for producing the tip, starting with a cylindrical tubelet,
Referring to the drawings, the tip is made from a tubelet commercially known as "microtube", and utilized, for example, for the manufacture of hollow needles for syringes, catheters, and the like.
This type of tube is obtained starting with a metal strip, especially of corrosion-resistant rolled steel, which is rolled up and welded together in the longitudinal direction. The thickness of the strip is about 0.1 mm, and the internal diameter of the unfinished tube offered on the market is about 1 mm.
FIG. 1 shows schematically the tip of a ball-point pen according to this invention, fed with liquid ink. Numeral 1 denotes the external cylindrical member with the tapered portion 1' on the side of the ball.