US3315437A - Method of charging ballpoint pens - Google Patents

Method of charging ballpoint pens Download PDF

Info

Publication number
US3315437A
US3315437A US381390A US38139064A US3315437A US 3315437 A US3315437 A US 3315437A US 381390 A US381390 A US 381390A US 38139064 A US38139064 A US 38139064A US 3315437 A US3315437 A US 3315437A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
reservoir
ink
follower
open end
pen
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
US381390A
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Ernst J Henriksen
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Individual
Original Assignee
Individual
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Individual filed Critical Individual
Priority to US381390A priority Critical patent/US3315437A/en
Priority to DE19651461609 priority patent/DE1461609A1/de
Priority to CH902365A priority patent/CH435026A/de
Priority to FR23112A priority patent/FR1463852A/fr
Priority to GB29260/65A priority patent/GB1113625A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of US3315437A publication Critical patent/US3315437A/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

Links

Images

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B43—WRITING OR DRAWING IMPLEMENTS; BUREAU ACCESSORIES
    • B43K—IMPLEMENTS FOR WRITING OR DRAWING
    • B43K7/00—Ball-point pens
    • B43K7/02—Ink reservoirs; Ink cartridges
    • B43K7/04—Arrangements for filling the reservoirs, e.g. arrangements at the ball-point ends

Definitions

  • the present-day ballpoint pens employ a rather heavy ink and often an ink that dries or hardens on exposure to air.
  • Applicant has devised a method for preventing such ink deterioration which comprises the provision of a non-solid follower comprising a plug of suitable material placed in the ink reservoir at the free surface of the ink and which plug follows the ink as it is consumed and keeps the ink surface isolated from air in the reservoir.
  • a non-solid follower comprising a plug of suitable material placed in the ink reservoir at the free surface of the ink and which plug follows the ink as it is consumed and keeps the ink surface isolated from air in the reservoir.
  • follower material is a greasy or pulpy mass.
  • Such a follower plug is more fully described in this applicants prior Patent No. 2,678,634.
  • the follower plug may be placed in an ink reservoir of capillary dimensions or even in a reservoir of greater than capillary diameter and in the latter case serves the further purpose of preventing flow of the ink out through the open end of the reservoir when a pen or refill is placed on its side.
  • the writing tip is customarily empty of ink and contains only air which would prevent even the commencement of writing and it becomes necessary to force the ink into the writing tip and to expel any entrapped air therefrom before the pen is ready for use.
  • the device is placed in a centrifuge with the Writing tip outermost and the centrifuging operation causes the ink to flow into and completely fill the writing tip and any air therein or air trapped in the ink is forced through the body of ink, out through the other end of the reservoir. It is the present practice to thereafter insert the plug follower mentioned above into the open end of the reservoir and the processes presently employed add expense and time to the completion of the pen.
  • a body of the follower material is positioned adjacent the open end of the ink reservoir when the latter is placed in the centrifuge and upon subsequent centrifuge action, the previously described expulsion of air is accomplished and at the same time the centrifugal force acting on the follower material causes the same to move into the open end of the reservoir, to contact the free surface of the ink and to conform to the inner surface of the reservoir in sealing relation thereto.
  • the means by which the follower material is placed in the described position will be described in more detail.
  • Another object is to provide a novel method, as set forth above, wherein the insertion of a plug material is accomplished by centrifugal action simultaneously with the performance of a conventional step in making and charging pen ink reservoirs.
  • FIG. 1 is a side view of one form of ballpoint pen reservoir showing the follower material in position to be forced into the reservoir;
  • FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1 but showing the parts after a centrifuging operation
  • FIG. 3 is a fragmentary schematic view of an apparatus for measuring predetermined quantities of the follower material in a centrifuging apparatus
  • FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the parts in different relative positions
  • FIG. 5 is a detailed sectional view of a modified form of holder for the material.
  • FIG. 6 is an enlarged detailed sectional view of a further modified form of holder for plural materials.
  • FIG. 1 shows What may be considered a conventional ballpoint ink reservoir or refill comprising a tubular reservoir portion 2 and a writing tip having a connector portion 4 secured to one end of the tube 2 and a tubular writing tip portion 6 carried by the connector 4, and including a ballpoint 8.
  • the refill shown in FIG. 1 is merely by way of illustration since other forms of reservoir may be employed to practice the present invention.
  • the tube 2 is conventionally filled with a body of ink 10 by forcing the same thereinto, under pressure, from the lower end of the tube before the writing tip is installed.
  • the connector 4 is secured to the lower end of the tube and, according to the present practice, the assembly is then placed in a centrifuge and rotated at high speed so as to force ink 10 into the writing tip 6 and to force air upwardly therefrom through the body of ink 10 and to the exterior of the reservoir.
  • a holder device 12 which comprises a generally tubular member having a reduced diameter portion 14 terminating in a shoulder 16.
  • the holder device 12 is hollow, open at both ends, and the portion 14 is of a size to be snugly received in the open end of the tube 2 with the shoulder 16 abutting the end of the tube.
  • a suitable non-solid follower plug material 18 Prior to placing the device 12 on the tube 2, the interior thereof is filled with a suitable non-solid follower plug material 18, which may be of the type heretofore referred to. Obviously, the material 18 may be placed in the holder 12 by automatic machinery or otherwise, in a rapid manner suitable for mass production.
  • the assembly is placed in a centrifuge with the writing tip pointing radially outwardly and upon rotation, the previously described removal of air is accomplished and at the same time centrifugal force acts on the material 18 to cause the same to flow inwardly into the tube 2 into contact with the surface of the ink 10 and to expand in shape to completely engage the inner surface of the tube 2 and thus seal the ink against contact by air.
  • Many commercial ballpoint pens and refills include a cap member at the open end of the tube 2, which cap member is provided with an opening for the admission of air into the reservoir to replace the ink as the latter is used.
  • the holder 12 may be left in the position shown to serve as such a cap, in which case it may be secured permanently to the tube 2 by indentations (not shown) or in any other suitable manner.
  • the. inner end of the passageway through holder 12 may be of reduced diameter (as shown at 19) to temporarily restrict or control the rate of flow of material 18 into the tube 2.
  • the size of the restriction 19 must be chosen according to the consistency of the material 18. ⁇ Vhen the material 18 is a liquid such as the main ink supply restriction 19 must be quite small and may be a plurality of very small openings as shown at 21 in FIG. 5.
  • That passageway may be restricted or partially closed, especially if the holder 12 is to be left on the tube 2 as a permanent cap.
  • FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate a slightly differentmanner of providing a measured quantity of the follower plug material and holding it in the proper position to be centrifuged into a reservoir.
  • the tubular reservoir 2 and other associated parts of the pen structure may be identical to those shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 and are so identified. It is to be understood, however, that other forms of reservoir may also be used.
  • numeral indicates generally a centrifuge having a rotor 22 provided with holding means 24 designed to receive and hold a reservoir thereon with its writing tip 6 extending radially outwardly and its open inner end pointing inwardly.
  • the centrifuge rotor 22 is provided with a central chamber 25 defined by a thick wall 26 and containing a supply 28 of the follower material 18.
  • the chamber 25 is defined by a relatively thick cylindrical wall 26 having openings 30 therethrough each of which is radially aligned with a reservoir 2 in the'holders 24.
  • Each of the openings 30 is of a volume to contain exactly the desired quantity of follower material 18.
  • An inner movable wall member .32 is movably mounted within the chamber 25 and is provided with a plurality of openings 34 therein, which openings may be placed in alignment with the openings 30, as shown in FIG. 3.
  • An outer wall 36 is movably mounted on the exterior surface of the chamber wall 26 and'is likewise provided with a plurality of passageways 38 therein adapted to be moved into or out of alignment with the openings 30 and reservoirs 2, as shown in FIG. 4.
  • Each of the passageways 38 is preferably defined by a short nozzle structure 40 integral with the wall 36.
  • the nozzles 40 are of such radial extent as to extend to a position closely adjacent the ends of the reservoirs 2 when the latter are mounted in the holders 24.
  • the material 28 may be forced by pressure into the openings 30 to fill the same while the outer wall'36 closes the outer ends of those openings.
  • the filling of the openings 30 may be accomplished by applying static presure to the mass of semi-fluid material 28 or the latter may be caused to flow into the openings 30 after the centrifuge has started to rotate, by centrifugal force.
  • the inner wall member 32 is moved to the position shown in FIG. 4'to interrupt communication between the openings 30 and the supply chamber 25 and thereafter the outer wall 36 is moved to the position of FIG. 4 to open the outer ends of openings 30 and provide a flow path therefrom into the upper ends of the reservoirs 2.
  • an intermediate layer may be a very thin fiowable material and difiicult to in sort in the reservoir by conventional or prior methods.
  • FIG. 6 shows an alternative method of introducing plural layers of material into the pen reservoir.
  • the section 52 has a reduced end portion 58 telescopically received in the outer end of the portion 59.
  • the portion 50 has a reduced end por tion 60 adapted to be telescopically positioned and held within the open end of the pen reservoir 2 (not shown in FIG. 6).
  • the section 50 has an opening 62 therein whereas the section 52 has a restricted opening 64 in the lower end thereof.
  • a material 5-6 may be loaded into the seetion52 and a second material 54 loaded into section 50.
  • the sections are thereupon assembled in the manner shown and placed in the open end of the pen reservoir and the entire assembly then placed in a centrifuge machine to cause both materials 54 and 5-6 to enter the reservoir.
  • the capacities of the sections 50 and 52 will depend upon the purpose and material of the materials therein.
  • the material 54 could be the main ink supply and m aterial'56 a suitable follower plug.
  • both materials 54 and 56 could be different components of a multilayer follower;
  • the opening 64 is more restricted than the opening 62 so that the material 54 will enter the pen reservoir before the material 56 begins to flow.
  • the size of the openings 62 and 64 will, of course, depend upon the viscosity or consistency of the particular mate rials in the corresponding sections of the holder.
  • the discharge of the material 56 is thus delayed until material 54 is discharged
  • the size of the restrictions may be so calculated and related to their respective materials so that material 54 will discharge at one particular speed of the centrifuge and the material 56 will then be dis charged only at a higher speed.
  • the holder 12 of FIGS. 1 and 5 and the holders 50 and 52 of FIG. 6 are of a material having low afiinity for the materials 18, 54, or 56 so that it will clean itself during the cen-trifuging step.
  • Polyethylene and poly propylene plastics are very good materials for many inks and greases.
  • the method of charging an open ended pen reservoir with fluent material comprising the steps of: measuring a quantity of said fluent material, less than the quantity necessary to fill said reservoir; centrifuging said reservoir with said open end extending radially inwardly; and simultaneously positioning said measured quantity of said fluent material adjacent said open end and aligned therewith whereby said centrifuging step causes said measured quantity of fluent material to enter said open end and conform to the inner periphery of said reservoir leaving empty a portion of said reservoir, at said open end.
  • the method of charging an open ended pen reservoir with ink and a non-solid follower comprising the steps of: placing a body of fluid material, including a column of ink in said reservoir to a level adjacent but spaced inwardly from said open end; centrifuging said reservoir and fluid material with said open end extending radially inwardly; and simultaneously positioning a body of non-solid follower material adjacent said open end and aligned therewith whereby said centrifuging step simultaneously expresses air from said reservoir and column of ink and causes said body of follower material to enter said open end, engage the adjacent end of said body of fluid material and conform to the inner periphery of said reservoir.
  • the method of claim 2 including the step of limiting the size of said body of follower material to a size insuflicient to fill said reservoir to the open end thereof.
  • step of positioning said body of follower material adjacent said open end is performed by placing the same in an open-ended generally tubular holder and inserting a portion of said holder in the open end of said reservoir, to be supported thereby.
  • step of positioning said body of follower material adjacent said open end is performed by establishing a supply of said follower material, establishing a measuring zone of predetermined volume adjacent said open end, forcing follower material from said supply into said zone to fill the same, isolating said zone from said supply, and then establishing communication between said zone and said open end.

Landscapes

  • Pens And Brushes (AREA)
  • Coating Apparatus (AREA)
US381390A 1964-07-09 1964-07-09 Method of charging ballpoint pens Expired - Lifetime US3315437A (en)

Priority Applications (5)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US381390A US3315437A (en) 1964-07-09 1964-07-09 Method of charging ballpoint pens
DE19651461609 DE1461609A1 (de) 1964-07-09 1965-06-11 Verfahren zum Fuellen eines Tintenschreiberbehaelters
CH902365A CH435026A (de) 1964-07-09 1965-06-28 Verfahren zum Füllen eines offenen Tintenschreiber-Behälters
FR23112A FR1463852A (fr) 1964-07-09 1965-07-01 Procédé pour charger le réservoir de stylos à bille
GB29260/65A GB1113625A (en) 1964-07-09 1965-07-09 Methods of inserting fluent materials into pen reservoirs

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US381390A US3315437A (en) 1964-07-09 1964-07-09 Method of charging ballpoint pens

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US3315437A true US3315437A (en) 1967-04-25

Family

ID=23504856

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US381390A Expired - Lifetime US3315437A (en) 1964-07-09 1964-07-09 Method of charging ballpoint pens

Country Status (4)

Country Link
US (1) US3315437A (de)
CH (1) CH435026A (de)
DE (1) DE1461609A1 (de)
GB (1) GB1113625A (de)

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6095202A (en) * 1998-04-15 2000-08-01 Research Foundation State University Of New York Method and device for packing capillary columns
US6155312A (en) * 1999-05-12 2000-12-05 The Gillette Company Fluid dispensing device and method
WO2025212526A1 (en) * 2024-04-01 2025-10-09 Chewy, Inc. Centrifuge accessory for transdermal pens

Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2756915A (en) * 1953-04-08 1956-07-31 Sheaffer W A Pen Co Method of charging vessels, utilizing vacuum and centrifugal force
US3175732A (en) * 1960-07-28 1965-03-30 Unger Hans Peter Olof Device for measuring and dividing of liquids

Patent Citations (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2756915A (en) * 1953-04-08 1956-07-31 Sheaffer W A Pen Co Method of charging vessels, utilizing vacuum and centrifugal force
US3175732A (en) * 1960-07-28 1965-03-30 Unger Hans Peter Olof Device for measuring and dividing of liquids

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US6095202A (en) * 1998-04-15 2000-08-01 Research Foundation State University Of New York Method and device for packing capillary columns
US6155312A (en) * 1999-05-12 2000-12-05 The Gillette Company Fluid dispensing device and method
WO2025212526A1 (en) * 2024-04-01 2025-10-09 Chewy, Inc. Centrifuge accessory for transdermal pens

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CH435026A (de) 1967-04-30
GB1113625A (en) 1968-05-15
DE1461609A1 (de) 1969-07-10

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US4062477A (en) Container having flexible walls and two chambers which are kept separate until the container is opened
JP6909864B2 (ja) 粘性の物質用の排出装置及びそのための方法
US4541552A (en) Apparatus for metering liquids or semiliquids
US4766843A (en) Rubber or plastic-coated roller, method and apparatus for production thereof
DK164983B (da) Dispenser til halvfaste materialer i stangform og fremgangsmaade til samling af dispenseren
US3315437A (en) Method of charging ballpoint pens
JP3364447B2 (ja) スティックのリフィル方法およびリフィル・カートリッジ
US10611185B2 (en) Liquid ink writing instrument
US2906300A (en) Apparatus for dispensing liquid or semi-liquid substances
CN108367817A (zh) 用可流动组分填充筒的方法
US3306502A (en) Apparatus for injection of fluids
US2511369A (en) Fountain pen
US2756915A (en) Method of charging vessels, utilizing vacuum and centrifugal force
WO1991010115A1 (en) Dosing device for liquids
US3863686A (en) Apparatus and process for article filling under reduced pressure
US3620264A (en) Method and apparatus for adding fluid to fluid-carrying fillers
US5853111A (en) Two-compartment dispenser with an integrated sealing dose regulator and a process for dispensing liquids
USRE23683E (en) Segre
US4535823A (en) Method of filling containers with a viscous substance
US6155312A (en) Fluid dispensing device and method
US4498797A (en) Pressurized cartridge for a writing instrument
US2304521A (en) Method of closing
US3006386A (en) Refill device for cartridges of ball point pens
US1944201A (en) Grease gun
US3156386A (en) Gravity ejector for invertible container