Efficient fluid dispensing utensil
AssigneeDataprint R. Kaufmann GmbH
InventorRainer Kaufmann
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A fluid dispensing utensil, such as a writing utensil, includes a container (20) defining a first storage area (11) for storing fluid, a second storage area (25) and an opening therebetween, a tip (15), a capillary conveying line (14) extending from the opening through at least a portion of the second storage area to the tip, and a capillary storage (16) associated with the second storage area and in direct contact with the conveying line. A porous shroud (28) may also be provided. Even still, the capillary conveying line and the capillary storage may be a unitary fibrous structure where the fibers are aligned along the longitudinal axis defined by the tip and the opening. Moreover, a capillary divider may be between the first and second storage areas to allow air to flow therethrough into the second storage area.
Claims33
Apparatus for the application of liquid on a surface by means of an application element, comprising:
- a liquid chamber whose wall is formed with an opening;
- a capillary liquid duct having a distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity filling the opening and connecting the liquid chamber with an application element;
- a capillary reservoir also having a distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity in direct contact with the capillary liquid duct outside the liquid chamber;
- a ventilation way passing at least some of the distance through a capillary material, the capillary material having a distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity, and through which air can enter the liquid chamber by a reduction in the volume of liquid taken up in the liquid chamber;
- wherein the smallest capillarity of the liquid duct is greater than the largest capillarity of the capillary reservoir;
- and
- a part of the wall of the liquid chamber includes the capillary material and forms a part of the ventilation way, and the smallest capillarity of the capillary material is greater than the capillarity of a predominant part of the reservoir and smaller than the smallest capillarity of the liquid duct.
A fluid dispensing utensil, comprising:
- a container defining an interior surface;
- a capillary divider separating the container into a first area for storing fluid and a second storage area, the capillary divider having an opening, wherein the capillary divider has a divider distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- a tip;
- a capillary duct completely filling the opening of the capillary divider and extending from the opening through at least a portion of the second storage area to the tip, wherein the capillary duct has a duct distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- and
- a capillary reservoir associated with the second storage area, wherein at least a portion of the capillary reservoir is in contact with the capillary duct, wherein the capillary reservoir has a resesrvoir distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity, the reservoir distribution having a mean capillarity;
- wherein the smallest capillarity of the capillary divider is between the mean and largest capillarity of the capillary reservoir, wherein the smallest capillarity of the capillary divider is smaller than the smallest capillarity of the capillary duct.
A fluid dispensing utensil, comprising:
- a container defining an interior surface;
- a capillary divider separating the container into a first storage area for storing fluid and a second storage area, the capillary divider having an opening, wherein the capillary divider has a divider distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- a tip;
- a capillary duct substantially filling the opening of the capillary divider and extending from the opening through at least a portion of the second storage area to the tip, wherein the capillary duct has a duct distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- and
- a capillary reservoir associated with the second storage area, wherein at least a portion of the capillary reservoir is in contact with the capillary duct, wherein the capillary reservoir has a reservoir distribution from a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- wherein the smallest capillarity of the capillary divider is substantially equal to the largest capillarity of the capillary reservoir and the largest capillarity of the capillary divider is substantially equal to the smallest capillarity of the capillary duct.
An application element for applying liquid to a support, comprising:
- a container having a capillary dividing partition defining a first storage area for storing liquid and a second storage area, the capillary dividing partition having an opening and a distribution of a smallest capillarity to a largest capillarity;
- a tip;
- a capillary duct extending from the opening of the capillary dividing partition to the tip and having a smallest capillarity;
- a capillary reservoir within the second storage area and in direct contact with the capillary duct and having a largest capillarity, wherein the smallest capillarity of the capillary dividing partition is less than the largest capillarity of the capillary reservoir but greater than the smallest capillarity of the capillary duct.
A method of compensating for liquid leaving a liquid storage container of a fluid dispensing utensil, comprising:
- enclosing a liquid chamber with a capillary dividing partition having an opening;
- filling the opening with a capillary duct;
- inletting air through the capillary dividing partition to compensate for a rise in partial vacuum pressure within the liquid chamber as liquid within the liquid chamber conveys through the capillary duct.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.