Abstract:
A device for feeding an elongate member comprises a tubular member having a slit extending in the axial direction thereof and locking portions arranged in the axial direction of the tubular member, and a slider disposed in the tubular member for sliding movement along the axial direction of the tubular member. The slider has a fastening portion for holding the elongated member, a slider body portion and a retraction preventing portion. The fastening portion and retraction preventing portion are connected together by an elastic portion, and the retraction preventing portion and slider body portion are connected together by an elastic portion.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to a device for feeding a longitudinal rodlike body, such as a lipstick, a crayon, a pastel and an eraser, and more particularly to a rodlike body feeding device capable of extending and retracting a rodlike body from and into a case easily, and preventing the unintentional retraction of the rodlike body when in use. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     Japanese Patent Publication No. 38239/1992 discloses a rodlike body feeding device consisting of a tubular shaft provided with a slit extending in the axial direction of the tubular shaft, and a plurality of engageable portions provided in the same axial direction; and a slider provided slidably in the tubular shaft and having a rodlike body-fastening portion. 
     This prior art publication is directed to a holder for a rodlike body, and the holder has a slider provided in the tubular shaft slidably in the axial direction, operable via a push-button, and fixable in an engagement position. The slider, mainly together with a tightening member, other than the push-button, constitutes a two-arm lever, and the two-arm lever can be turned around a common pivot. In order to convert a pressing force, which is exerted on a receiving member in the axial direction thereof, into a radially acting force and to transmit the converted force, the receiving member and the tightening member are movably connected via the above-mentioned pivot. The tubular shaft is provided with a tightened surface or a locking hole and a guide slit. The guide slit is so provided as to face to the tightened surface or locking hole. The object of adopting such a structure is to provide a holder for a rodlike member, the holder having a simple structure, such that, for example, the device can be easily operated by applying a pressure to the push-button in the axial and/or radial direction, and the rodlike member to be supported can be supported when an axial force is applied to the rodlike member. 
     However, in order to retract a rodlike body into the conventional rodlike body feeding device, it is necessary that the push-button (knob) be pressed radially inwardly toward the axis of the shaft (tube) and then moved in the axial direction while releasing the lock for preventing the retraction. Namely, the operability of this type of device needs improvement. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An object of the present invention is, in view of the complicated operation of the conventional device of this kind, to provide a rodlike body feeding device in which the rodlike body can be easily retracted, but which is not retracted during the use of the device. 
     Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved rodlike feeding body device capable of feeding a rodlike body comfortably with a light &#34;click&#34; sound even after the device has been used for a long time. 
     The present invention has been developed with a view to attaining these objects, and is directed to a rodlike body feeding device comprising a tubular shaft provided with a slit extending in the axial direction of the tubular shaft, and a plurality of locking portions arranged in the same axial direction, and a slider provided slidably in the tubular shaft and having a rodlike body fastening portion. The slider comprises a rodlike body fastening portion, a retraction preventing portion and a slider body in such a manner that the fastening portion and retraction preventing portion are connected with each other by an elastic body, and similarly the retraction preventing portion and slider body are connected with each other by an elastic member. 
     Since the rodlike fastening portion and retraction preventing portion are connected together, and the retraction preventing portion and slider body are connected together by the elastic members, respectively, the retraction preventing portion and the locking portions are not engaged while the rodlike body is being slid out or retracted, so that the feeding and retraction of the rodlike body can be accomplished by only the application of an axial force. When the device is in use, i.e., when the rodlike body is projected to a feedout position and pressed against, for example, the surface of paper, the retraction preventing portion receives a compressive force from the body fastening portion and slider body due to the reaction of the paper-pressing force, and is displaced toward the axis of the tubular shaft to be engaged with the locking portions thereof. Accordingly, unintentional retraction of the rodlike body can be prevented. 
     In another embodiment of the present invention, a rodlike body feeding device comprises a tubular shaft provided with a slit extending in the axial direction of the tubular shaft, and a plurality of locking portions provided in the same axial direction, and a slider provided slidably in the tubular shaft and having a rodlike body-fastening portion, and has a structure in which the slider comprises a rodlike body fastening portion, a retraction preventing portion connected elastically to the body fastening portion, and a tubular slider body connected elastically to the retraction preventing portion. A spring member is housed in the slider body in such a manner that the locking portion having a locking portion projects from a window provided in a side wall of the slider body, and is engaged with one of the above-mentioned locking portions. 
     By this structure, unintentional retraction of the rodlike body can be prevented, and, moreover, the shoulder portions of the spring member which are on the lower side of the locking portion thereof are in contact with the inner surface of the slider body since the spring member is housed in the slider body in a state that the locking portion projects from the window provided in the side wall of the slider body. When the rodlike body is projected or retracted, the locking portion of the spring member engages with and disengages from one of the locking portions of the tubular shaft continuously, so that the spring member is moved repeatedly in the radial, i.e. vertical direction. During this time, the shoulder portions of the spring member impinge upon the inner surface of the slider body to generate light click sounds, and the device can thus be operated comfortably. Since both shoulder portions of the spring member impinge upon the inner surface of the slider body, clear click sounds can be generated as compared with a case where only one shoulder portion impinges upon the inner surface. The part upon which the spring member impinges is the inner surface of the wall of the slider body which can be thickened, so that the device is durable for a long time. 
     In still another embodiment of the present invention, a rodlike body feeding device comprises a tubular shaft provide with a slit extending in the axial direction of the tubular shaft, and a plurality of locking portions provided in the same axial direction, and a slider provided slidably in the tubular shaft and having a rodlike body-fastening portion. In this embodiment of the invention, the slider comprises a rodlike body fastening portion, a retraction preventing portion connected pivotably to the body fastening portion, and a slider body connected pivotally to the retraction preventing portion. 
     By this arrangement, the retraction preventing portion and the locking portion of the tubular shaft are not engaged with each other during the rodlike body feeding and retraction operations, so that rodllke body can be fed out and retracted by applying an axial force only to the knob. When the device is in use, the retraction preventing portion receives a compressive force from the body fastening portion and slider body due to the reaction of the paper pressing force, and is displaced toward the axis of the tubular shaft to be engaged with a locking portion thereof. Accordingly, the retraction of the rodlike body can be prevented. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a front elevation of a rodlike body feeding device according to a first embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a longitudinal section of the rodlike body feeding device shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 and 4 are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of a slider in the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 5 illustrates a retraction preventing mechanism shown in FIG. 2; 
     FIGS. 6 and 7 are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of a slider in a modified example of the first embodiment; 
     FIGS. 8 and 9 are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of a slider of another modified example of the first embodiment; 
     FIG. 9A is a side elevation of the slider of still another modified example; 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section of a modified example of the rodlike body feeding device of FIG. 2; 
     FIG. 11 is a longitudinal section showing a part of a rodlike body feeding device according to a second embodiment of the present invention; 
     FIGS. 12 and 13 are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of a slider employed in the second embodiment of the rodlike body feeding device; and 
     FIGS. 14 and 15 are a front elevation and a side elevation, respectively, of a slider of another embodiment. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a flat surface portion 1a is formed on the outer surface of a tubular shaft 1, so that the flat surface portion 1a extends in the axial direction thereof. The flat surface portion 1a has a slit 2 having on both sides thereof a plurality of mutually-facing pairs of locking portions 2a consisting of rectangular recesses. 
     In the tubular shaft 1, slidably provided is a slider 3, which has a fastening portion 3a to which a rodlike body A, such as a lipstick, a crayon, a pastel, an eraser and a cutting blade is fixed. In this slider 3, the part of the fastening portion 3a, to which the rodlike body A is fastened, which is on the opposite side of the locking portions 2a, and the part of a retraction preventing portion 3b, on which a projection 3d constituting locking means is formed, which is on the opposite side of the locking portions 2a, are connected to each other by an elastic platelike member 3e at a lower position of the platelike member. The part of the retraction preventing portion 3b which is close to the locking portions 2a, and the part of a slider body 3c which is close to the locking portions 2a are connected to each other by an elastic platelike member 3f at an upper position of the platelike member. 
     As shown in FIG. 5, spring member (for example, a leaf spring) 4 has a locking portion 4a engageable with a locking portion 2a formed in the tubular shaft 1 and the spring member 4 is disposed in the interior of the retraction preventing portion 3b and slider body 3c so that the spring member 4 forms a &#34;mountain&#34; shape. The locking portion 4a of this spring member 4 can be engaged with a locking portion 2a formed in the tubular shaft 1 through a hole 3g made in the central part of the platelike portion 3f by which the retraction preventing portion 3b and slider body 3c are connected together. A knob 5 of a clip 6 is fixed to the slider body 3c at its leg portion 5a extending inward through the slit 2. 
     The locking portion 4a may be a projection capable of entering a locking portion 2a, and, when the operability of the device during the feeding and retraction of the rodlike body A is taken into consideration, it is preferable that the locking portion 4a has a curved or inclined surface. In view of the effect in preventing the retraction of the rodlike body A, it is preferable that the feeding-side surface (front surface) of the projection 3d constituting a locking portion is a curved or inclined surface, and that the retraction-side surface (rear surface) thereof is a substantially vertical surface when viewing the feeding device in the horizontal orientation shown in FIG. 5. The tubular shaft 1 can employ any of other suitable cross-sectional shapes, such as a square or flat (oval) cross-sectional shape. 
     An operation of the device will now be described. Referring to FIG. 2 which shows the device in a rest state, the retraction preventing portion 3b does not receive any force from the fastening portion 3a and slider body 3c, so that the projection 3d constituting a locking portion is not in engagement with a locking portion 2a. When a pressing force is applied to the knob 5 in the moving direction of the rodlike body A so as to feed or retract the rodlike body A, the locking portion 4a is displaced toward the axis of the tubular shaft (i.e., in the radially inward direction of the tubular shaft) and disengaged from a locking portion 2a. During this time, the retraction preventing portion 3b receives only a force applied in one direction, so that the projection 3d constituting a locking portion does not engage a locking portion 2a. When the device is in use, i.e., when the rodlike body A is projected outward and pressed on the surface of paper, the reaction force which is equal to the pressing force applied to the surface of the paper is exerted on the rodlike body A. Therefore, a force acting to retract the rodlike body A is exerted on the slider 3. However, since an engagement force of the locking portion 4a with respect to a locking portion 2a is exerted on the slider body 3c, the retraction preventing portion 3b receives a compressive force from the fastening portion 3a and slider body 3c and is displaced radially outwardly, so that a locking portion 2a and the projection 3d are engaged with each other as shown in FIG. 5. This prevents the retraction of the rodlike body A during use of the feeding device. When the rodlike body A is displaced away from the surface of the paper after the device is used, the reaction force described above is lost, and a pressure difference between the locking portion 2a of the tubular shaft 1 and the projection 3d constituting a locking portion is also lost. Consequently, the retraction preventing portion 3b returns to the original position and is disengaged from the locking portion 2a, so that the rodlike body A can be easily retracted into the tubular shaft 1. 
     Referring to FIGS. 6 and 7 showing a modified example of this embodiment, a platelike portion 3e of an elastic material for connecting a fastening portion 3a of a slider 3 and a retraction preventing portion 3b together is positioned close to the locking portions 2a, and a platelike portion 3f of an elastic material for connecting the retraction preventing portion 3b and a slider body 3c together is positioned on the opposite side of the locking portions 2a. Accordingly, this modified example is identical with the previously-described embodiment except that a projection 3d serving as a locking portion is formed on the part of the retraction preventing portion 3b which is near the fastening portion 3a, and the operation and effect of this modified example are also substantially identical with those of the previous embodiment. 
     Referring to FIGS. 8 and 9 which show another modified example, both a platelike portion 3e of an elastic material for connecting a fastening portion 3a of a slider 3 and a retraction preventing portion 3b together, and a platelike portion 3f of an elastic material for connecting the retraction preventing portion 3b and a slider body 3c together are formed close to locking portions 2a. Accordingly, this modified example is identical with the first embodiment except that a projection 3d constituting a locking portion is formed on the substantially central part of the retraction preventing portion 3b, and the operation and effect of the modified example are identical with those of the first embodiment. 
     FIG. 9A shows still another modified example. 
     In this modified example, a fastening portion 3a of a slider and a slider body 3c are connected together by a retraction preventing portion 3b comprising an elastic plate member, and a projection 3d constituting a locking portion is formed on the substantially central part of this retraction preventing portion 3b. This modified example is identical with the above-described embodiment except that the retraction preventing portion 3b is so formed as to be curved arcuately and the projection 3d is formed outside the arcuately formed retraction preventing portion 3b. The operation and effect of this modified example are also substantially identical with those of the first embodiment. 
     Although in the example shown in FIG. 9 only one retraction preventing portion 3b is provided, two retraction preventing portions may also be provided. When two retraction preventing portions are provided, the fastening portion 3a of the slider and the slider body 3c are connected together at their lower parts by the retraction preventing portions 3b, and projections 3d constituting locking portions are formed on the substantially central parts of the lower sides of the retraction preventing portions 3b. In this case the projections 3d constituting downwardly extending locking portions contact the inner surface of the tubular shaft and generate frictional resistance, so that the retraction of a rodlike body A can be prevented more reliably. There are some cases where the retraction of a certain kind of rodlike body can be prevented to a certain extent even by only the friction between the retraction preventing portions and the inner surface of the tubular shaft. In such cases, the projection is not necessarily formed on the retraction preventing portions 3b. 
     FIG. 10 is a longitudinal section showing a modified example of the rodlike body feeding device of FIG. 2. In this modified example, a slit 2 and locking portions 2a consisting of a plurality of holes are formed in a tubular shaft so that the slit 2 and locking portions 2a are positioned in a confronting relation with each other. Therefore, the construction, operation and effect of this modified example are identical with those of the first embodiment except that a knob 5 is provided on the opposite side of the locking portions 2a. The locking portions may be bores or recesses aligned longitudinally other than the illustrated examples. 
     A second embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGS. 11-13 will now be described. In this embodiment, a slider 3 is so formed that a retraction preventing portion 3b on which a projection 3d is formed is connected resiliently by a platelike portion 3e to a fastening portion 3a to which a rodlike body A if fastened, and a slider body 3c is joined resiliently to this retraction preventing portion 3b by a platelike portion 3f. A spring member 4 of a leaf spring having a locking portion 4a engageable with the locking portions 2a formed in a tubular shaft 1 is provided in the interior of the slider body 3c in such a manner that the spring member 4 forms a &#34;mountain&#34; shape. The locking portion 4a of the spring member 4 is projected from a window 3i provided in a side wall of the slide body 3c and engageable with a locking portion 2a in the tubular shaft 1, and the shoulder portions 4b of the spring member 4 contact the inner surface of the slider body 3c. A knob 5 of a clip 6 is fixed at its leg portions 5a, extending downward through a slit 2 to the slider body 3c. 
     As best shown in FIG. 13, the locking portion 4a of the spring member 4 may be a projection capable of entering a locking portion 2a, and, when the operability of the device during the feeding and retraction of the rodlike body A is taken into consideration, it is preferable that the side surface of the locking portion 4a has a curved or inclined surface. In view of the effect in preventing the retraction of the rodlike body A, it is preferable that the feeding (front) surface of the projection 3d constituting a locking portion has a curved or inclined surface, and that the retraction-side (rear) surface thereof has a substantially vertical surface, in the same manner as in the previously-described embodiment. 
     Since an operation of the device in this embodiment is identical with that of the previously-described embodiment shown in, for example, FIG. 5, the detailed description thereof is omitted. When the device is in use, i.e., when the rodlike body A is projected outward and contacts the surface of paper, the reaction force which is equal to the pressing force applied to the surface of the paper is exerted on the rodlike body A. Therefore, a force for retracting the rodlike body A is exerted on the slider 3. However, since a force of engagement of the locking portion 4a with a locking portion 2a is exerted on the slider body 3c, the retraction preventing portion 3b receives a compressive force from the fastening portion 3a and slider body 3c and is displaced radially outwardly, so that the locking portion 2a and the projection 3d constituting a locking portion are engaged with each other as shown in FIG. 5. This enables the retraction of the rodlike body A to be prevented. 
     When a pressing force is applied in the operating direction to the knob 5 fixed to the slider body 3c so as to slide the rodlike body A out or retract it, the locking portion 4a of the spring member 4 is displaced inwardly toward the axis of the tubular shaft (i.e., in the radially inward direction) against the elastic force of the spring member 4, so that the locking portion 4a is disengaged from a first locking portion 2a with which it is engaged and engages another locking portion 2a adjacent to the first locking portion 2a in accordance with the movement of the slider 3. During this time, the two shoulder portions 4b of the spring member 4 impinge upon the inner surface of the thick wall of the slider body 3c and generate light and pleasant click sounds. Therefore, the device can withstand-long-term use sufficiently. 
     Referring to FIGS. 14 and 15 which show another embodiment of the present invention, a platelike portion 3e extending rearwardly from a portion 3a, to which a rodlike body A is fastened, of a slider 3 and a retraction preventing portion 3b on which a projection 3d constituting a locking portion is formed are connected pivotally by connecting members 3h, such as bolts or screw, and this retraction preventing portion 3b and a slider body 3c are pivotally connected by a connecting portion 3f through connecting members 3j, 3k such as bolts or screws. Although the platelike portion 3e formed integrally with the fastening portion 3a is illustrated as an example, it can also be formed separately from the fastening portion 3a. When the platelike portion 3e is formed separately from the fastening portion 3a, they may be fixedly or pivotally connected together. 
     Since the construction of the other parts of the feeding device in this embodiment are identical with that of the corresponding parts of the previously-described embodiments, the detailed description thereof will be omitted. An operation of the device in the embodiment of FIGS. 14 and 15 will now be briefly described. 
     When the device in this embodiment is in use with the rodlike body projected, a reaction force corresponding to the paper-pressing force is exerted on the rodlike body A, so that a force for retracting the rodlike body A is applied to the slider 3. A force due to the engagement of the locking portion 4a of a spring member 4 with a locking portion 2a of the tubular shaft 1 is imparted to the slider body 3c. Accordingly, the retraction preventing portion 3b receives a compressive force from the fastening portion 3a and slider body 3c and is displaced in the radially outward direction (vertically upward as shown in FIG. 15) to cause the locking portion 2a of the tubular shaft 1 and the projection 3d to be engaged with each other. This can prevent the retraction of the rodlike body A during use thereof. When the rodlike body A is displaced away from the surface of the paper after the device is used, the reaction force described above is lost, and a pressure difference between the locking portion 2a of the tubular shaft 1 and the projection 3d constituting a locking portion is also lost. Consequently, the retraction preventing portion 3b returns to the original position and is disengaged from the locking portion 2a, so that the rodlike body A can be easily retracted into the tubular shaft 1. Since the platelike portion 3e and connecting portion 3f can be formed separately, the material therefor can be selected freely. Therefore, the mechanical strength of the slider can be increased as necessary, and the device can be formed so as to withstand long-term use.