US 5,067,837 AGranted

Variable point writing instrument

OwnerPeter J. Panopoulosinventor

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Abstract

There is disclosed a variable tip writing instrument for imprinting characters, lines or segments of lines of variable diametric dimensions, to be used manually or incorporated into the designs of computer related printers, plotters, or typewriter devices with computerized controls, the writing instrument being of the type having a storage end and a writing end opposed from the storage end, and a barrel adapted to contain a supply of ink which is in communication with the writing tip, formed by a writing tip positioned at the writing end of the instrument, the writing tip having an expandable diameter thereby to vary between the smallest diametric dimension and the largest diametric dimension thereof, and control means associated with the writing tip having a control end in operative relationship with the writing tip and an opposed manipulative end positioned along the length of the instrument and adapted to permit the manipulative control of the writing tip to control the diametric dimension of the writing tip to any desired dimension between the smallest and largest diametric dimensions thereof.

Claims3

Dependent claims

A variable tip writing instrument for printing characters of the type having a storage end and a writing tip end positioned in opposed relation to the storage end, and a barrel adapted to contain a supply of ink formed as a part of the storage end, which is in communication with the writing tip end, the improvement comprising in combination,

a writing tip positioned at the writing tip end of said instrument within the confines of the barrel,
said writing tip formed from an ink deliver material formed from a porous spongy membranous material,
control means associated with said porous spongy membranous material and adapted to control and vary the amount of porous spongy membranous material exposed at the writing tip end of said instrument,
said control means including a collar rotatably mounted on the barrel of said writing instrument adjacent the writing tip end thereof,
said collar provided with a plurality of shutter blades pivotly secured to said collar and adapted to open and close in response to the rotational movement of said rotatable collar.
said rotatable collar adapted for manipulation between a fully opened positioned exposing the greatest amount of porous spongy membranous material and rotatable to vary the diametric dimension of said shutter blades to a fully closed position,
whereby the writing instrument is provided with a single writing tip capable of varying the diametric dimension thereof by said control means between a large and a small diametric dimension thereby to vary the amount of porous spongy membranous material available for imprinting characters.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.