Abstract:
A writing instrument system including a writing instrument and packaging generally encasing the writing instrument, wherein the packaging includes an opening formed therein. The system further includes a retaining component, configured to be releasably coupled to the writing instrument. The retaining component is configured to at least partially extend through the opening when the writing instrument is releasably coupled to the retaining component.

Description:
[0001]     The present invention is directed to a packaging system for a writing instrument, and particularly, to a packaging system for a writing instrument which allows the writing instrument to be removably coupled to a retaining component.  
       BACKGROUND  
       [0002]     Writing instruments, such as pens, pencils, markers, crayons, highlighters and the like are often packaged for sale to a flat panel or bound component, such as a journal, diary, date book, address book, notebook, binder, or the like. For example, the writing instrument may be sold with the bound component as a notebook/writing instrument system. It may be desired to securely package the writing instrument to the bound component to prevent the writing component from being separated from the bound component, and to prevent theft of the writing instrument. However, many existing packaging systems do not allow the user to sufficiently inspect the writing instrument, which can be an important part of the purchasing decision.  
         [0003]     Accordingly, there is a need for a writing instrument packaging system which allows inspection and/or manipulation of the writing instrument.  
       SUMMARY  
       [0004]     In one embodiment, the present invention is a writing instrument packaging system which allows inspection and/or manipulation of the writing instrument. In particular, in one embodiment the invention is a writing instrument system including a writing instrument and packaging generally encasing the writing instrument, wherein the packaging includes an opening formed therein. The system further includes a retaining component configured to be releasably coupled to the writing instrument. The retaining component is configured to at least partially extend through the opening when the writing instrument is releasably coupled to the retaining component.  
         [0005]     In another embodiment the invention is a writing instrument system including a writing instrument and a spring clip having base portion and a pair of arms defining an opening therebetween. The spring clip and the writing instrument are configured such that the writing instrument is releasably received in the opening to retain the writing instrument therein. The system further includes coupling component coupling the writing instrument and the spring clip. The writing instrument is movable between a coupled position wherein the writing instrument is removably received in the spring clip, and an uncoupled position wherein the writing instrument is not received in the spring clip. The coupling component couples the writing instrument and the spring clip when the writing instrument is in the coupled position and when the writing instrument is in the uncoupled position. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0006]      FIG. 1  is a front perspective view of one embodiment of the writing instrument system of the present invention, with the cover flap in a closed position;  
         [0007]      FIG. 2  is a front perspective view of the writing instrument system of  FIG. 1 , with the cover flap partially open;  
         [0008]      FIG. 3  is a top view of the writing instrument and part of the bound component of  FIG. 1 ;  
         [0009]      FIG. 4  is a front perspective view of the writing instrument system of  FIG. 1 , with the bound component opened to the back cover;  
         [0010]      FIG. 5  is a side cross section taken along line  5 - 5  of  FIG. 4 ;  
         [0011]      FIG. 6  is a front perspective view of the writing instrument system of  FIG. 5 , with the writing instrument packaging pivoted to an open position;  
         [0012]      FIG. 7  is a side cross section taken along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 6 ; and  
         [0013]      FIG. 8  is an exploded view of the writing instrument system of  FIG. 6 . 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION  
       [0014]     As shown in  FIG. 1 , the writing instrument system  10  may include a bound component  12  and a writing instrument  14  coupled thereto. The bound component  12  may take the form of a journal, diary, date book, address book, notebook, binder, or the like. In the illustrated embodiment the bound component  12  includes a front cover  16 , a rear cover or backing panel  18 , and a plurality of pages  20  bound to the front  16  and rear  18  covers by a binding mechanism  22 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , the front cover  16  may include a cover flap  24  located thereon and pivotally mounted to the binding mechanism  22 .  
         [0015]     Each of the pages  20  may be made of a cellulose-based paper or pulp-based paper such that the pages  20  can be written upon by a wide variety of media. Each of the front  16  and rear  18  covers may be made of material having at least one of a stiffness or thickness greater than the pages  20 , and can be made of, for example, cardboard, paperboard, plastic, etc.  
         [0016]     In the illustrated embodiment, the writing instrument  14  includes writing or dispensing tips at opposite ends of the writing instrument, with each tip having a removable end cap  26 ,  28 . For example, one writing tip of the writing instrument  14  may dispense permanent solvent-based markings, and the other writing tip of the writing instrument  14  may dispense an erasing solution to allow the permanent marking to be erased. However, the writing instrument  14  may include only a single writing/dispensing tip, and may have only a single cap located thereon.  
         [0017]     As can be best seen in  FIGS. 1-3 , one of the covers  16 ,  18  (i.e., the rear cover  18  in the illustrated embodiment) may have a surface area greater than the other cover  16  and/or the plurality of pages  20 . In particular, the rear cover  18  may include a protruding portion  30  which is not covered by the pages  20  and/or front cover  16  when the bound component  12  is in its closed position. In the illustrated embodiment, the protruding portion  30  is shaped as a circle segment with a curved outer edge although the protruding portion  30  can take a wide variety of other shapes and/or forms. In the illustrated embodiment, the writing instrument  14  is coupled to the protruding portion  30  to ensure that the writing instrument  14  is always viewable and accessible even when the bound component  12  is closed.  
         [0018]     As best shown in  FIGS. 6-8 , a retaining component  32 , in the form of a spring clip in one embodiment, may be located on or coupled to the protruding portion  30 . In the illustrated embodiment, the spring clip  32  is generally “U”-shaped in end view or cross section, and includes a base portion  34  and a pair of contoured arms  36  extending upwardly away from the base  34 . The arms  36  define an opening  38  therebetween with the opening  38  having a mouth  40  located between the distal ends of the arms  36 , or at the narrowest space between the arms  36 .  
         [0019]     The mouth  40  may have a width which is smaller than the width of a portion of the writing instrument  14  to be received in the spring clip  32 . In order to couple the writing instrument  14  to the spring clip  32 , the writing instrument  14  is pressed into and through the mouth  40  until the writing instrument  14  is fully seated in the opening  38 . The arms  36  have sufficient flexibility to flex or spring outwardly while the writing instrument  14  is manually pressed into the opening  38 . The writing instrument  14  can then be manually removed by pulling the writing instrument  38  away from the spring clip  32  and through the mouth  40 , which again flexes the arms  36  outwardly.  
         [0020]     The system  10  may include packaging or a coupling component  42 . In one embodiment, the packaging  42  generally encases the writing instrument  14 . In particular, the packaging  42  may include a lower portion  44  which is generally flat or sheet-like and can be made of cardboard, paperboard, plastic or the like. The packaging  42  may also include an upper portion  46  coupled to the lower portion  44  and closely receiving the writing instrument therein. The upper portion  46  can be made of a generally transparent or translucent plastic material (such as a blister-type material). However, the upper portion  46  can be made of a variety of materials such as cardboard, paperboard, opaque plastic, etc. As best shown in  FIGS. 6 and 8 , the lower portion  44  may include an opening  48  formed therein.  
         [0021]     In the illustrated embodiment, the lower portion  44  includes a hinge or crease line or crease area  50  formed therein, and is coupled to the spring clip  32  and/or rear cover  18 . In particular, as best shown in  FIG. 8 , the lower portion  44  may include an extension portion  49  located to the right of the hinge line  50 . A pair of rivets  52  may extend through the spring clip  32  and the rear cover  18 , and adjacent to the extension portion  49  to trap the packaging  42  between the spring clip  32  and the rear cover  18 . In this manner, at least part of the packaging  42  is positioned between the rear cover  18  and the spring clip  32 .  
         [0022]     The writing instrument  14  and/or distal end of the packaging  42  may be pivotable about the hinge  50 . In particular, the writing instrument  14  and distal end of the packaging  42  may be pivotable between a coupled position ( FIG. 1-5 ) wherein the writing instrument  14  is directly coupled to the spring clip  32  and an uncoupled position ( FIGS. 6 and 7 ) wherein the writing instrument  14  is not directly coupled to the spring clip  32 .  
         [0023]     The opening  48  is sized to receive the spring clip  32  therein when the writing instrument  14  is in its coupled position. In the illustrated embodiment, the size and shape of the opening  48  generally corresponds to the footprint of the spring clip  32  (i.e., the size and shape of the spring clip  32  in top view) or may be slightly larger such that the opening  48  can closely receive the spring clip  32  therein. The lower portion  44  may form or include a generally flat bottom surface  51  which is configured to lay flat against the rear cover  18 /extension portion  49  when the writing instrument  14  is in the coupled position. The packaging/coupling component  42  may be generally flexible such that the packaging  42  is bent (i.e., about hinge line  50 ) when the writing instrument  14  is in the coupled position, as shown in  FIG. 5 . In addition, rather than having a clearly defined hinge, the bottom portion  44  may be made of a flexible or elastic material that can easily bend and does not include a defined hinge line.  
         [0024]     In this manner, the writing instrument  14  is pivotable or movable between the coupled and uncoupled positions. This mounting arrangement allows a user to inspect the spring clip  32  to view the writing instrument  14  and the manner in which the writing instrument  14  is coupled to the bound component  12 . In addition, a user can reach through and feel the writing instrument  14  through the opening  48 , and can view the writing instrument  14  through top portion  46  of the packaging  42 . Thus, the mounting system allows the user great ability and access to view and even feel the writing instrument  14 . However, because the writing instrument  14  remains securely packaged within the packaging  42 , the writing instrument  14  is not easily removed and remains secure. In addition, because the packaging  42  covers the distal ends of the writing instrument  14 , the end caps  26 ,  28  cannot be easily removed which prevents damage to the writing instrument  14  (i.e., drying out of the writing tips).  
         [0025]     The spring clip  32  and writing instrument  14  can be located in a variety of other positions on the rear cover  18 , and can also be located on the front cover  16 , cover flap  24  and various other parts of the bound component  10 . In addition, the writing instrument  14 /retaining component  32  can be located on various other components, as well as clip boards, bulletin boards, white boards, bound components, etc.  
         [0026]     In addition, the retaining component  32  need not necessarily take the form of the spring clip shown herein. For example, the retaining component  32  can take the form of corresponding portions of hook-and-loop fastening material (such as VELCRO®), snap components, adhesive material, inter-engaging shapes or the like. In this case, the writing instrument  14  may remain packaged and secured to the rear cover  18  or other component by a flap or the like similar to the bottom portion  44  of the packaging  42 .  
         [0027]     Having described the invention in detail and by reference to the preferred embodiments, it will be apparent that modifications and variations thereof are possible without departing from the scope of the invention.