Patent Publication Number: US-10787023-B2

Title: Writing implement with magnetic component

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS AND PRIORITY CLAIM 
     This Non-Provisional Patent Application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent App. No. 62/570,281, filed on Oct. 10, 2017, and titled “WRITING IMPLEMENT WITH MAGNETIC COMPONENT,” which is incorporated herein by reference in the entirety. 
    
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The field relates to writing implements, such as pens, markers, and the like, that include a magnetic component. 
     BACKGROUND 
     Writing implements are sometimes used in circumstances where it is desirable to have the writing implements remain in a particular place, such as against a surface or object. This may be desirable for ease of access, storage, transportation, enjoyment, or for another reason. As a result, a writing implement that can be magnetically attached to a surface or object is desired. 
     SUMMARY 
     This summary is intended to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the detailed description section of this disclosure. This summary is not intended to identify key or essential features of the disclosed subject matter, and it is not intended to be used as an aid in isolation to determine the scope of the claimed subject matter. 
     In brief, and at a high level, this disclosure describes, among other things, a writing implement having one or more magnetic components that allow the writing implement to be magnetically attached to a surface or object. The writing implement may be a pen, pencil, marker, highlighter, or other type of writing implement, and may include a writing tip, a reservoir for providing a writing fluid to the writing tip, a housing, and a magnetic component. The housing may be elongated and/or cylindrical, and the magnetic component may be sized and shaped to be at least partially enclosed or encased within the housing. Additionally, the magnetic component may include one or more magnets, and may be movably coupled to the housing to allow the magnets to move freely relative to the housing. The magnets are therefore able to self-orient based on attraction to a nearby ferromagnetic surface or object, facilitating magnetic attachment to the same. 
     In one embodiment, a writing implement is provided. The writing implement comprises a housing comprising a first end and a second end, a writing tip coupled to the first end of the housing, and a magnetic component at least partially enclosed within the housing. The magnetic component is movably coupled to the housing. 
     In another embodiment, a magnetic writing implement is provided. The magnetic writing implement comprises a housing having a first end and an opposite second end, a writing tip coupled to the first end of the housing, a reservoir coupled to the writing tip and enclosed at least partially within the housing, and a magnetic component at least partially enclosed within the housing. The at least one magnet is freely rotatable about an axis of the housing. 
     In another embodiment, a method of manufacturing a magnetic writing implement is provided. The method comprises attaching a writing tip to a reservoir containing a writing fluid, attaching the writing tip to a first end of a housing, and positioning a magnetic component comprising at least one magnet at least partially within the housing, such that the magnetic component is movably coupled to the housing. 
     The term “writing implement” as used herein is intended to encompass any type of writing device or tool, such as a pencil, pen, marker, highlighter, etc., including one that uses visible or conditionally visible ink (e.g., black-light ink), and also one that is multi-functional (e.g., including both a pen and a pencil, etc.). These examples of writing implements are intended to be exemplary and non-limiting, and other styles, configurations, and combinations of writing implements are contemplated as within the scope hereof. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The subject matter of this disclosure is described with reference to the attached drawing figures, which are intended to provide non-limiting examples of the disclosed subject matter, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts a non-exploded view of an exemplary writing implement that includes a magnetic component, in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an exploded view of the writing implement of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 3  depicts a non-exploded view of an exemplary magnetic component for use with a writing implement, in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an exploded view of the magnetic component of  FIG. 3 , in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 5  depicts a partial cross-section view of the writing implement of  FIG. 1 , in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIGS. 6A-6B  depict the writing implement of  FIGS. 1-2  with the magnetic component orienting towards a ferromagnetic surface due to magnetic attraction, in accordance with embodiments hereof; 
         FIG. 7  depicts a pair of writing implements similar to the writing implement of  FIGS. 1-2  magnetically attached to each other, in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 8  depicts a flow diagram of an exemplary method of manufacturing a writing implement with a magnetic component, in accordance with an embodiment hereof; 
         FIG. 9  depicts a pair of disk-shaped magnet holders each having four magnets positioned about the respective disc, in accordance with embodiments hereof; 
         FIG. 10A  depicts a writing implement having a spherical magnetic component enclosed therein, in accordance with an embodiment hereof; and 
         FIG. 10B  depicts the spherical magnetic component of  FIG. 10A  in isolation, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The subject matter of this disclosure is described with specificity herein to meet statutory requirements. However, this description is not intended to limit the scope of this invention. Rather, the claimed subject matter may be embodied in other ways, to include different steps, combinations of steps, features, and/or combinations of features, similar to those described herein and in conjunction with other present or future technologies. Moreover, although the terms “step” or “block” may be used herein to identify different elements of methods employed, the terms should not be interpreted as implying any particular order among or between steps or blocks except when an order is explicitly described and required. 
     The subject matter of this disclosure relates to writing implements having one or more magnetic components integrated therein. The magnetic components allow the writing implements to be magnetically attracted and/or attached to ferromagnetic surfaces and objects. The writing implements can therefore be placed at certain desired locations (e.g., against a metal surface) based on magnetic attraction. One exemplary writing implement comprises a writing tip, a housing, a reservoir, and a magnetic component. The magnetic component may be incorporated, attached, and/or otherwise enclosed within the housing to minimize interference with the writing functionality of the writing implement. Exemplary writing implements, as well as methods of manufacturing and/or using the same, are discussed in further detail below with respect to  FIGS. 1-8 . 
     Referring initially to  FIG. 1 , a non-exploded view of an exemplary writing implement  10  is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. The writing implement  10  is depicted as a marker, but could be another type of writing implement. The writing implement  10  includes a cap  12 , a housing  14  having a first end  16  and a second end  18 , and an end plug  20  that is secured to the housing  14 . The housing  14  depicted in  FIG. 1  is an elongated cylinder that includes an interior cavity  22  (shown in  FIG. 2 ) within which a magnetic component  24  and a reservoir  26  may be at least partially enclosed or encapsulated (also shown in  FIG. 2 ). 
     Referring to  FIG. 2 , the writing implement  10  of  FIG. 1  is depicted in exploded form, in accordance with an embodiment hereof.  FIG. 2  additionally depicts a writing tip  28  (e.g., a pen or marker tip through which an ink is dispersed onto a writing surface) that is coupled to the reservoir  26 , which supplies a writing fluid to the writing tip  28 . In alternative aspects, the writing fluid may not be provided from a reservoir enclosed within the writing implement, such as the reservoir  26 , but rather may be stored and provided using a “free ink” system, in which the writing fluid is enclosed within the writing implement but not housed in a specific reservoir. Back to  FIG. 2 , the magnetic component  24  includes a first magnet  30  and a second magnet  32  coupled to a magnet holder  34 . The magnetic component  24  may be integrally built into the writing implement  10 , or may be a separately formed piece that is integrated into the writing implement  10  in any number of ways. The writing implement  10  further includes a spacer  42  that separates the magnetic component  24  from the reservoir  26 . The end plug  20  can be secured to the second end  18  of the housing  14  to at least partially enclose or encapsulate the magnetic component  24  within the housing  14  when the writing implement  10  is assembled, as shown in  FIG. 1 . The magnetic component  24  may also be movably coupled within the housing  14  to allow movement of the first and second magnets  30 ,  32  relative to the housing  14  (e.g., to allow the magnets  30 ,  32  to self-orient based on attraction to a ferromagnetic surface or object). 
     The magnetic component  24  may be movably coupled to the housing  14  in different ways. For example, the magnetic component  24  may be directly movably coupled to the housing  14  (e.g., with a fixed part-to-part connection, such as, for example, an axle), or instead, may simply be movably enclosed by components of the writing implement  10 , such as the end plug  20 , the spacer  42 , and the housing  14 , with a sufficient amount of frictional tolerance to allow for a desired freedom-of-movement of the magnets  30 ,  32  within the housing  14  (e.g., a desired degree of rotation about an axis  47  of the writing implement  10 /housing  14 ). 
     In  FIGS. 1-2 , it is depicted that the magnetic component  24  is internal to the writing implement  10  when the writing implement  10  is in assembled form. However, in other embodiments, some or all of the magnetic component  24  and/or the magnets  30 ,  32  may be exposed or external to the writing implement  10 . Additionally, in some aspects, the housing  14  may be at least partially transparent or opaque, allowing the magnetic component  24  and/or the magnets  30 ,  32  thereof to be at least partially visible. The magnetic component  24  may be positioned at any location along the axis  47  of the housing  14 , and is not limited to the axial location shown in  FIG. 2 . Additionally, although a single magnetic component  24  is depicted with the writing implement  10  shown in  FIG. 2 , it should be noted that multiple magnetic components may be utilized in additional embodiments. Magnetic components that are movably coupled to the housing  14  or that are fixed relative to the housing  14  are also contemplated herein. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , a non-exploded and an exploded view of the magnetic component  24  depicted in  FIG. 2  is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. The magnetic component  24  includes the first magnet  30  and the second magnet  32 , which are coupled to a magnet holder  34 . The first magnet  30  is coupled to the magnet holder  34  at a first location  36  (i.e., at a first indentation  44  sized and shaped to receive the first magnet  30 ). The second magnet  32  is coupled to the magnet holder  34  at a second location  38  (i.e., at a second indentation, obscured in  FIGS. 3-4 , sized and shaped to receive the second magnet  32 ). The second location  38  is located generally on an opposite side of the magnet holder  34  as the first location  36 . It should be noted that although the magnet holder  34  shown in  FIGS. 3-4  is configured for mounting two magnets  30 ,  32 , in other embodiments, a magnet holder may be configured for mounting one, three, four, or another number of magnets in circumferential fashion or in axial fashion. Furthermore, in other embodiments, one or more magnets may simply be incorporated into a writing implement with no magnet holder at all, or with a magnet holder of a different size, shape, or configuration than the magnet holder  34  shown in  FIGS. 3-4 . 
       FIG. 3  depicts a non-exploded view of the magnetic component  24 , which is sized and shaped to fit at least partially within the writing implement  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-2 .  FIG. 4  depicts the magnetic component  24  with the first magnet  30  moved out from its corresponding first location  36  on the magnet holder  34  and the second magnet  32  moved out from its corresponding (obscured) second location  38  on the magnet holder  34 . The first location  36  includes the first indentation  44  which may be sized and shaped to receive the magnet  30  and/or frictionally and/or magnetically hold it in place. The second location  38  may include a similar indentation, which is not shown due to it being obscured. The magnetic component  24  allows the magnets  30 ,  32  to be movably coupled within the housing  14  of the writing implement  10 , allowing them to freely rotate 360 degrees about the axis  47  of the housing  14 . This allows the magnets  30 ,  32  to self-align, or rather, move into a position that aligns one or more of the magnets with a surface or object to which the one or more magnets are magnetically attracted. 
     Referring to  FIG. 5 , a partial cross-section view of the writing implement  10  depicted in  FIGS. 1-2  is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof.  FIG. 5  further depicts how the end plug  20 , the one or more walls  46  of the housing  14 , and the spacer  42  at least partially enclose or encapsulate the magnetic component  24  within the writing implement  10 , but still allow the magnetic component  24  to remain movable relative to the writing implement  10  (i.e., rotatable about the axis  47 ). In other words, based on the configured movement tolerance and frictional engagement between the magnetic component  24  and the surrounding components of the writing implement  10 , the magnets  30 ,  32  are able to rotate about an axis  47  of the housing  14  to allow the magnets  30 ,  32  to be oriented towards a magnetic field of a ferromagnetic surface to which the writing implement  10  is to be attached. 
     Referring to  FIGS. 6A-6B , the writing implement  10  of  FIGS. 1-2  with the magnetic component  24  orienting towards a surface  48  due to magnetic attraction is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. In  FIG. 6A , the writing implement  10  is positioned close to the surface  48 , which may be ferromagnetic (i.e., a material that is attracted to a magnet). As the writing implement  10  gets closer to the surface  48 , the magnetic attraction increases between the surface  48  and at least one of the magnets  30 ,  32 . This increase in magnetic attraction moves (i.e., rotates) the magnets  30 ,  32 , aligning the first magnet  30  with the surface  48 .  FIG. 6B  depicts the magnetic attraction between the surface  48  and the re-oriented first magnet  30 , which allows magnetic attachment of the writing implement  10  to the surface  48 . It should be noted that different configurations allow for different types of attachment. For example, in another aspect, the writing implement  10  may have another magnetic component located near the first end  16  of the housing  14  to permit the first end  16  to be attached to the surface  48 , so that it is not free hanging as shown in  FIGS. 6A-6B . 
     Referring to  FIG. 7 , a pair of writing implements  50 ,  52 , which are similar to the writing implement  10  shown in  FIGS. 1-2 , magnetically attached to each other, is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. In  FIG. 7 , each writing implement  50 ,  52  includes a respective magnetic component  54 ,  56 . Each magnetic component  54 ,  56  includes a respective magnet  58 ,  60  with a north and south polarity. For the purposes of clarity, one magnet is shown in each magnetic component  54 ,  56  in  FIG. 7 , but in other aspects, multiple magnets may be used in each, such as to provide different outward-facing polarities for attraction to other magnets. In  FIG. 7 , the magnets  58 ,  60  are positioned on the magnetic components  54 ,  56  such that each has an opposite polarity facing outward. When the opposite polarities of the magnets  58 ,  60  are moved into magnetic proximity (i.e., within each other&#39;s magnetic fields), the attraction of the magnets  58 ,  60  to each other can rotate the respective magnetic components  54 ,  56  to align surfaces  62 ,  64  of the magnets  58 ,  60  to provide a magnetic attachment. Once again, as shown in  FIG. 7 , the magnetic components  54 ,  56  are enclosed within respective housings  66 ,  68  of the writing implements  50 ,  52  and are movably (i.e., rotatably) coupled to the housings  66 ,  68 . 
     Referring to  FIG. 8 , a block diagram of an exemplary method  800  of manufacturing a magnetic writing implement is provided, in accordance with an embodiment hereof. At block  810 , a writing tip, such as the writing tip  28  depicted in  FIG. 2 , is attached to a reservoir, such as the reservoir  26  depicted in  FIG. 2 , containing a writing fluid (e.g., ink). At block  820 , the writing tip is attached to a first end of a housing, such as the first end  16  of the housing  14  depicted in  FIG. 2 . At block  830 , a magnetic component, such as the magnetic component  24  depicted in  FIG. 2 , comprising at least one magnet, such as the first magnet  30  and the second magnet  32  depicted in  FIG. 2 , is positioned at least partially within the housing, such that the magnetic component is movably coupled to the housing (e.g., rotatably coupled). The magnetic component may also be able to move axially along the housing. 
     Referring to  FIG. 9 , a pair of disk-shaped magnet holders  70 ,  72  each having four magnets  74 ,  76  secured thereon is provided, in accordance embodiments hereof. The magnets  74 ,  76  are positioned circumferentially about the respective disc-shaped magnet holders  70 ,  72 . Each magnet holder  70 ,  72  may form part or all of a magnetic component that is integrated into a writing implement to impart magnetic attachment functionality to the writing implement. In the aspect shown in  FIG. 9 , each disc-shaped magnet holder  70 ,  72  includes four quadrants, each associated with a respective one of the magnets  74  or  76 . The magnets  74 ,  76  may be oriented such that opposite north and south poles are facing radially outward on alternating quadrants, allowing the magnet holders  70 ,  72 , when rotated, to align the magnetic pole of one magnet with a ferromagnetic surface or an opposite magnetic pole of another magnet. In  FIG. 9 , four magnets are shown, but more or fewer may be utilized in other aspects. 
       FIG. 10A  depicts a writing implement  80  with a spherical magnetic component  82  movably enclosed within a housing  84  of the writing implement  80 , in accordance with an embodiment hereof. In the aspect depicted in  FIG. 10A , the spherical magnetic component  82  includes six magnets  86  positioned about an outer circumference of the spherical magnetic component  82 , with the magnetic poles oriented radially outward. The spherical shape of the magnetic component  82  allows for multi-axis movement within the writing implement  80  (i.e., rotation about multiple axes, such as x, y, and z axes), which provides greater flexibility for aligning the magnets  86  towards an object or surface. The spherical magnetic component  82  may be movably enclosed or attached within the writing implement  80  in the ways described elsewhere herein. For example, the spherical magnetic component  82  may be movably enclosed within the housing  84  between different components or walls of the writing implement  80  with sufficient tolerance to allow for rotational movement. 
       FIG. 10B  depicts the spherical magnetic component  82  of  FIG. 10A  in isolation, showing the magnets  86  mounted about the outer circumference of the spherical magnetic component  82 , in accordance with an embodiment hereof. The magnets  86  are positioned such that one of the magnetic poles of each magnet  86  faces radially outward from the spherical magnetic component  82 . Additionally, the magnetic poles may, in certain aspects, be arranged in alternating or non-consistent fashion (e.g., north pole facing outward, then south pole facing outward, etc.), allowing for different magnetic attractions depending on the orientation of the spherical magnetic component  82 . The spherical magnetic component  82  may utilize indentations, adhesives, magnetic attraction, frictional engagement, male-female engagement, or another method of attachment for securing the magnets  86  thereon. 
     The subject matter of this disclosure has been described in relation to particular embodiments, which are intended in all respects to be illustrative rather than restrictive. Alternative embodiments will become apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present subject matter pertains without departing from the scope hereof. Different combinations of elements, as well as use of elements not shown, are also possible and contemplated.