POSITIONING APPLIANCE FOR MARKING IMPLEMENTS

Abstract: An appliance for positioning an implement in a desired position, which implement, preferably a marking implement, has a body section and a marking tip, and which positioning appliance consists of one or more movable sections and a fixed section, in which the movable sections can be shifted into two or more discrete positions between a folded up position for transporting the marking implement and a folded out position for positioning the marking implement, and in which the movable sections or the fixed section accommodate a support and a groove or clip, so that when folded up for transport, the implement may be attached and unattached to a garment or suchlike, while when folded out, the implement may be placed on a working surface or attached in a stable yet removable manner on a book or suchlike in such a way that the body section may easily be grasped by the user for use.

Description: POSITIONING APPLIANCE POR MARKING IMPLEMENTS Marking implements, particularly so-called markers, are being increasingly used to accentuate portions of text in a (study) book or other document. The use of markers, as these are widely known, has the drawback that removal of the cap of the marker, which prevents it from drying up due to the hermetic seal it has with the body of the marker when in closed position, requires considerable force being applied. The cap then has to be temporarily held or put on the work surface used. The user therefore frequently needs both hands to use a marking implement. The cap is easily misplaced, which is inefficient. Inventions which endeavour to resolve these problems, as known from patent application US 4,374,565, are solely used in combination with primarily horizontal working surfaces like a table, which are not always available. Moreover, the aforementioned invention tends to fall sideways when the cap is replaced on the marking implement, which is inefficient. This can be prevented if the marking implement is either fixed to the working surface using adhesive means or if multiple marking implements are joined together but this makes such a marker or set of markers difficult to transport. This present invention is intended to improve the use of marking implements and/or to make them easier to use and to prevent one or more of the aforementioned problems from arising and do this simply. This present invention provides a positioning appliance for a marking implement, like a felt-tip pen, with a body section and a marker tip, in which the positioning section consists of one or more movable parts which many be flipped between an initial folded position for transport, expediting portability, and a second unfolded position for use, rendering it easy for the user to position the body section in the desired manner so as to use the marker tip. Furthermore, this present invention provides an appliance for positioning a marking implement, fitted with a body section and writing section as well as a hinged section between them allowing the user to choose from two or more different positions of the writing section in relation to the body section. Finally, this present invention furnishes a positioning appliance, containing a means of closing an implement, for example a marking implement, in particular a felt-tip, with a marking tip and a body section, in which closure there is: a base, and a cap which is connected with this base by at least one hinged element, which permits the extremity of the implement to be exposed when the cap is folded out and which covers the tip when the cap is folded up. Further advantages, properties and details of the present invention shall be clarified using the following descriptions under reference to the enclosed drawings which are: figure 1, a partially exposed view, in perspective, of an initially preferred format for the appliance in accordance with this present invention; figure 2, a partially exposed view, in perspective, of a second preferred format in accordance with this present invention; figure 3, a side elevation of a third preferred format in accordance with this present invention in a closed position; figure 4, a cross-section of the preferred format illustrated in figure 3 in full-use position; and figure 5, a partially exposed view, in perspective, of a fourth format of a marking implement with a positioning appliance in accordance with this present invention, in closed position in relation to a body section of a felt-tip; - figure 6, a detail of the closure of figure 5 in a partially open position in relation to the body section of a felt-tip; figure 7 and figure 8: formats of a cover in accordance with this present invention for use together with the aforementioned format illustrated by figure 5 and figure 6 for a marking tip of a marking implement. The preferred formats illustrated by figure 1 and figure 2, numbered 10 and 20 of the appliance, in accordance with this present invention, permit the user to position the marking implement. Ml or M2, in the desired manner using a clip element, 11 or 21, which has the advantage that when folded out, it can be attached on a book, for example, to stabilise it, and moreover, when folded in, it can be attached to a garment, for example, for convenient transport. A clip element, 11, consists of an outer section 12 and an inner element 13, between which there is a groove, 14, which clip element 11 is hinged in relation to the cap section, 15, in accordance with arrow A, using hinging elements 16 and 17. The hinging elements may permit the deployment of discrete positions thanks to a projection, 18, fitting into one or more recesses 19, but may also offer sufficient resistance for the cap to be positioned at will in relation to the top. The preferred format illustrated by figure 2 contains hinging elements 22 and 23 close to a lower edge 24 of the cap 20; which part of the cap, 20, has a recess, 25, to partially accommodate clip section 21 which may be fitted to a book or a garment, for example; in the same manner as illustrated by the preferred format illustrated by figure 1. The third preferred format (figure 3 and figure 4) of the positioning appliance in accordance with this present invention, illustrates of cap 30 in a slanted position to accommodate a marking implement 31, fitted with a writing section 32 and a body section 33 which are interconnected by a bellows-like or harmonica-like organ, 34, which allows marking tip 35 to be positioned by the user at will so that the user is able to gain a excellent view of those portions of text to be marked, while the hand is not in view. The fold-out section 36 contains an upright section 37, a sloping section, 38, which folds out at an downward angle, linking elements 39 and a horizontal section 40, consisting of two fold-away sections, 41 and 42. The fourth preferred format (figure 5 and figure 6) of this present invention concerns an implement with a positioning appliance, 51, comprising a base, 52, which is attached to a body section, 53, of a marking implement, or which is part thereof, and a cap, 54, which is hinged to base 52 by hinge 55. Clipping cap 54 on and off base 52 should preferably be expedited by the shape of cap 54 and base 52. An air-tight cover, 56, for a marker tip, 57, of a felt-tip should preferably be fitted in cap 54 to offer additional protection against the fluid of the marker tip drying out. Cover 56, for marker tip 57 of the marking implement has a fixed section 58, a flap 59, and opening/closing mechanisms for opening and closing flap 59; which opening and closing mechanisms consist of an operating mechanism, 60 joining flap 59 and the fixed section 58. When cap 54 is closed over base 52 (see figure 5) , the marking tip of the felt-tip can be exposed for use by opening cap 54 in relation to base 52 around the hinged section 55. In this manner, the lower section 61 of marking implement 53, is thrust against the flap 59 thus opening it. When flipping cap 54 back, in relation to base 52 around hinge 55, the lower end 61 of the marking implement is pressed against the operating mechanism, 60, returning it in the direction of fixed section 58 hence closing flap 59 against the lower section 61 so that fixed section 58 and flap 59, together with cap 54, close around marker tip 57. The shapes of fixed section 58, flap 59 and operating mechnism 60, should be such that protection is afforded by them, together with cap 54, against the drying out of various kinds of marker tips as these might be present in different kinds of marking implements. Preferred formats of such shapes are illustrated in figures 7 and 8 in which A is always the closed position and B always the open position. This present invention is not limited to the foregoing descriptions of preferred formats thereof; the rights requested shall be determined by the following claims.

Claims: C L A I M S 1. An appliance for positioning an implement in a desired position, which implement, preferably a marking implement, has a body section and a marking tip, and which positioning appliance consists of one or more movable sections and a fixed section, in which the movable sections can be shifted into two or more discrete positions between a folded up position for transporting the marking implement and a folded out position for positioning the marking implement, and in which the movable sections or the fixed section accommodate a support and a groove or clip, so that when folded up for transport, the implement may be attached and unattached to a garment or suchlike, while when folded out, the implement may be placed on a working surface or attached in a stable yet removable manner on a book or suchlike in such a way that the body section may easily be grasped by the user for use. 2. An appliance in accordance with claim 1, containing a fixed section consisting of or fitted to a cap for closing off the marking tip of the marking implement in which the movable sections are folded up into a transport position along the fixed section and when folded out project in relation to the fixed section to prevent the implement from falling over. 3. An appliance in accordance with claim 2 in which the movable sections partly fit into a recess in the fixed section when folded up. 4. An appliance in accordance with claim 2 in which the movable sections form a sloping section and a horizontal section when folded out, which are interconnected by links fitted between them. 5. An appliance in accordance with claims 1 - 4 in combination with a marking implement which contains a positioning appliance, consisting of a hinged section for shifting the body section into two or more different positions in relation to the marking tip of the marking implement. 6. An appliance in accordance with claims 1 - 4 in which the fixed section is fitted with a clip for clipping the cap on. 7. An appliance in accordance with one of the foregoing claims whereby the appliance is made of a single piece of plastic.

Inventors: STUYVER RALPH, WAGTER HENDRIK SJIRK, STUYVER, RALPH, WAGTER, HENDRIK, SJIRK
Applicants: STUYVER RALPH, WAGTER HENDRIK SJIRK, STUYVER, RALPH, WAGTER, HENDRIK, SJIRK
Application year: 1995
Main classification: B43K23
IPC codes: B43K23, B43K25