Patent Publication Number: US-6340260-B1

Title: Marker assembly having hinged cap

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to marker assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new marker assembly having hinged cap for preventing the loss of the cap. 
     2. Description of the Prior Art 
     The use of marker assemblies is known in the prior art. More specifically, marker assemblies heretofore devised and utilized are known to consist basically of familiar, expected and obvious structural configurations, notwithstanding the myriad of designs encompassed by the crowded prior art which have been developed for the fulfillment of countless objectives and requirements. 
     Known prior art includes U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,653,949; 5,494,185; 3,723,048; 4,060,373; 5,176,460; and U.S. Pat. No. Des. 389,515. 
     While these devices fulfill their respective, particular objectives and requirements, the aforementioned patents do not disclose a new marker assembly having hinged cap. The inventive device includes a housing that has an interior for holding ink. A wick member is coupled to the housing. The wick member extends into the interior. The wick member has a writing tip extending outwardly from the housing for dispensing ink through the wick member. A cap member is hingably coupled to the housing. 
     In these respects, the marker assembly having hinged cap according to the present invention substantially departs from the conventional concepts and designs of the prior art, and in so doing provides an apparatus primarily developed for the purpose of preventing the loss of the cap. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     In view of the foregoing disadvantages inherent in the known types of marker assemblies now present in the prior art, the present invention provides a new marker assembly having hinged cap construction wherein the same can be utilized for preventing the loss of the cap. 
     The general purpose of the present invention, which will be described subsequently in greater detail, is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the marker assemblies mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new marker assembly having hinged cap which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art marker assemblies, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     To attain this, the present invention generally comprises a housing that has an interior for holding ink. A wick member is coupled to the housing. The wick member extends into the interior. The wick member has a writing tip extending outwardly from the housing for dispensing ink through the wick member. A cap member is hingably coupled to the housing. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting. 
     As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention. 
     Further, the purpose of the foregoing abstract is to enable the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and the public generally, and especially the scientists, engineers and practitioners in the art who are not familiar with patent or legal terms or phraseology, to determine quickly from a cursory inspection the nature and essence of the technical disclosure of the application. The abstract is neither intended to define the invention of the application, which is measured by the claims, nor is it intended to be limiting as to the scope of the invention in any way. 
     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap apparatus and method which has many of the advantages of the marker assemblies mentioned heretofore and many novel features that result in a new marker assembly having hinged cap which is not anticipated, rendered obvious, suggested, or even implied by any of the prior art marker assemblies, either alone or in any combination thereof. 
     It is another object of the present invention to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap that may be easily and efficiently manufactured and marketed. 
     It is a further object of the present invention to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap that is of a durable and reliable construction. 
     An even further object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap that is susceptible of a low cost of manufacture with regard to both materials and labor, and which accordingly is then susceptible of low prices of sale to the consuming public, thereby making such marker assembly having hinged cap economically available to the buying public. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap which provides in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art some of the advantages thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 
     Still another object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap for preventing the loss of the cap. 
     Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap which includes a housing that has an interior for holding ink. A wick member is coupled to the housing. The wick member extends into the interior. The wick member has a writing tip extending outwardly from the housing for dispensing ink through the wick member. A cap member is hingably coupled to the housing. 
     Still yet another object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap that helps prevent a child from swallowing a lost cap. 
     Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new marker assembly having hinged cap that is easy to use. 
     These together with other objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and the specific objects attained by its uses, reference should be made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated preferred embodiments of the invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The invention will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
     FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a new marker assembly having hinged cap according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the present invention, illustrating the cap member in the open position. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic side view of the present invention, illustrating the cap member in the open position. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of the present invention, illustrating the cap member in the closed position. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new marker assembly having hinged cap embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the marker assembly having hinged cap  10  generally comprises a housing  11  that has an interior  12  for holding ink  13 . The housing  11  has an upper end  14 . 
     A wick member  15  is coupled to the housing  11 . The wick member  15  extends into the interior  12 . The wick member  15  has a writing tip  16  that extends outward from the housing  11  for dispensing ink  13  through the wick member  15 . 
     A cap member  17  is hingably coupled to the housing. The cap member  17  may pivot between a closed position  18  and an open position  19 . The closed position is defined by when the cap member  17  covers the wick member  15 . The open position  19  is defined when the cap member  17  is pivoted away from the wick member  15 . The open position  19  permits dispensing of ink  13  onto a recipient surface by the writing tip  16  of the wick member  15 . 
     A cap biasing member  20  holds the cap member  17  in the open position  19  during use. The cap biasing member  20  includes a biasing spring  21  which asserts constant pressure on the cap member  17  towards the open position  19  orientation. 
     The marker assembly  10  also has a clip member  22 . The clip member  22  selectively holds the cap member  17  in the closed position  18 . The cap member  17  has a catch portion  23 . The clip member  22  is pivotally coupled to the housing  11 . The clip member  22  has a first end  24  for engaging the catch portion  23  of the cap member  17 . When the clip member  22  is engaged with the catch portion  23 , the cap member  17  is prevented from being pivoted into the open position  19  by the cap biasing member  20 . 
     The clip member  22  has a second end  25  opposite the first end  24 . The second end  25  is positioned in spaced relationship to an outer surface  26  of the housing  11  when the first end  24  is engaged to the catch portion  23 . If the first end  24  is engaged to the catch portion  23 , depression of the second end  25  of the clip member  22  towards the outer surface  26  of the housing  11  disengages the first end  24  from the catch portion  23 . If the first end of the clip member  22  is disengaged from the catch portion  23 , the cap biasing member  20  pivots the cap member  17  into the open position  19 . 
     The cap member  17  may be made transparent for permitting visual inspection of the wick member  15  when the cap member  17  is in the closed position  18 . 
     The writing tip  16  of the wick member  15  has a substantially rectangular cross-section for facilitating writing a line. The line produced by the writing tip  16  has a first width when the writing tip  16  is moved across the recipient surface that is transverse to a length of the rectangular cross-section. In addition, the line produced by the writing tip  16  has a second width when the writing tip  16  is moved across a recipient surface transverse to a width of the cross-section. 
     The housing  11  has an upper surface  30 . The upper surface  30  has an outer perimeter edge  27  and a raised interior portion  28 . The writing tip  16  extends upward from the raised interior portion  28  of the upper surface  30 . This design facilitates the application of the writing tip  16  onto the recipient surface for facilitating use of the marker assembly  10 . In addition, a rubber seal  29  lines the outer perimeter edge  27  to prevent evaporation of the ink  13  when the cap member  17  is in the closed position  18 . 
     In use, the second end  25  of the clip member  22  is depressed toward the outer surface  26  of the housing  11 . This action releases the cap member  17  to the open position  19 . The marker assembly  10  may then be used to transfer ink  13  to a recipient surface. When finished, the cap member  17  is returned to the closed position  18  and the first end  24  of the clip member  22  is engaged in the catch portion  23  of the cap member  17  for storage. 
     As to a further discussion of the manner of usage and operation of the present invention, the same should be apparent from the above description. Accordingly, no further discussion relating to the manner of usage and operation will be provided. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, colors, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.