Patent Publication Number: US-6698960-B2

Title: Push-button writing implement

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to a push-button writing implement, such as a mechanical pencil or a ballpoint pen, having an added value for amusement. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Conventional push-button writing implements of this kind include, other than those having writing functions, those having a barrel printed with well-known character, and those having a decorated barrel. A printed character printed on the side surface of a barrel is planar, is capable of adding a value of the publicity of the character, is incapable of giving strong impression and is erasable. 
     A prior art push-button writing implement disclosed in JP-A No. 278483/1998 has a barrel provided with an ornamental article attached to its outer surface. This ornamental article is an obstacle to using the push-button writing implement and to carrying the same in a pocket. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide a fancy push-button writing implement having functions required of push-button writing implements, positively using the function of a return spring, having an added value for a toy or amusement, and capable of being used for writing and being carried without difficulty. 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, a push-button writing implement includes: a barrel having at least a transparent or semitransparent part; a refill axially slidably contained in the barrel, and provided with a writing tip; and a refill-operating mechanism including a push-button and a return spring, and designed so as to be operated by the push-button to project the writing tip of the refill from a tip of the barrel and to retract the same into the barrel; wherein a front stopper ring having the shape of an O ring is put on the refill, a fancy member is axially slidably put on part of the refill extending backward beyond the front stopper ring, and the fancy member is moved up and down along the refill when the refill is moved by the resilience of the return spring by operating the refill-operating mechanism. 
     According to another aspect of the present invention, a push-button writing implement includes: a barrel having at least a transparent or semitransparent part; a refill axially slidably contained in the barrel, and provided with a writing tip; and a refill-operating mechanism including a push button, and a return spring and designed so as to be operated by the push button to project the writing tip of the refill from a tip of the barrel and to retract the same into the barrel; wherein a fancy member is fixedly put on the refill, and the fancy member is moved together with the refill when the refill is moved by the resilience of the return spring by operating the refill-operating mechanism. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a push-button ballpoint pen in a first embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is an enlarged, longitudinal sectional view of a main cam included in the push-button ballpoint pen shown in FIG. 1; 
     FIG. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view of a push-button ballpoint pen in a second embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view of a push-button ballpoint pen in a third embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 5 is an enlarged perspective view of an essential part of a push-button ballpoint pen in a fourth embodiment according to the present invention; 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary, longitudinal sectional view of the push-button ballpoint pen shown in FIG. 5; 
     FIG. 7 is an enlarged, fragmentary front elevation of a push-button ballpoint pen in a fifth embodiment according to the present invention: and 
     FIG. 8 is an enlarged front elevation of an essential part of the push-button ballpoint pen shown in FIG.  7 . 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, a push-button ballpoint pen in a first embodiment according to the present invention has a barrel  1  having a transparent or semitransparent part, a ballpoint refill (hereinafter referred to simply as “refill”)  2  axially slidably contained in the barrel  1  and provided with a ballpoint tip  22 , i.e., a writing tip, and a refill-operating mechanism for operating the refill  2 . The refill  2  is provided with a protrusion  21  resting on the back end of a return spring  3 . A barrel cap  4  is attached to the front end of the barrel  1 . The return spring  3  is extended between the barrel cap  4  and the protrusion  21  of the refill  2 . An elastic back stopper  5  having the shape of an O ring, and an elastic front stopper  6  having the shape of an O ring are put on a part of the refill extending behind the protrusion  21 . The stoppers  5  and  6  are spaced a predetermined distance apart. A bear doll  7 , i.e., a fancy member, and two rings  8 , i.e., decorative parts, are axially movably put on a part between the stoppers  5  and  6  of the refill  2 . The bear doll  7  and the rings  8  may be of any suitable shapes provided that the bear doll  7  and the rings  8  can be axially slidably put on the refill  2 . For example, the rings  8  may have a shape resembling a star. 
     A back end part of the refill  2  is fitted in a rotary cam  9  having a working part engaged with a stationary cam  10  (FIG. 2) fixedly fitted in the barrel  1 . A push tube  11  is inserted in the barrel so as to lie between the rotary cam  9  and the stationary cam  10 , and to be in contact with the rotary cam  9 . A push button  12  is put on the back end of the push tube  11 . 
     When using the push-button ballpoint pen, the push button  12  is pushed to advance the push cam  11 . Consequently, the rotary cam  9  in contact with the push tube  11  and engaged with the stationary cam  10  turns relative to the stationary cam  10 , and the refill  2  is advanced against the resilience of the return spring  3 . Thus, the ballpoint tip  22  of the refill  2  is projected from the tip of the barrel cap  4 . When the push button  12  is fully depressed, the rotary cam  9  is restrained from axial movement by the stationary cam  10  to keep the ballpoint tip  22  projected from the barrel cap  4  for writing. When retracting the ballpoint tip  22  into the barrel  1 , the push button  12  is depressed again. Then, the rotary cam  9  is turned and is disengaged from the stationary cam  10 . Then, the rotary cam  9  is moved backward by the resilience of the return spring  3  and, consequently, the ballpoint tip  22  of the refill  2  is retracted into the barrel  1 . 
     When the push button  12  is depressed, the front end of the rotary cam  9  moves along the cam profile of the stationary cam  10  and the rotary cam  9  moves intermittently. On the other hand, the refill  2  moves to a position near the front end of its stroke when the push button  12  is depressed, and the refill  2  is moved slightly backward by the resilience of the return spring  3  upon completion of the operation for depressing the push button  12 . When the refill  2  is thus moved backward, the bear doll  7  and the rings  8  are thrust backward by the front stopper  6 . The bear doll  7  and the rings  8  jump backward, strike against the back stopper  5 , and bounce off the back stopper  5  or are gravitated. Since the bear doll  7  and the rings  8  are contained in the transparent or semitransparent part of the barrel  1 , the backward and forward movement of the bear doll  7  and the rings  8  can be easily seen, which gives amusement to the user. Since the stoppers  5  and  6  are elastic rings, the range of movement of the bear doll  7  and the rings  8  can be adjusted by shifting either the front stopper  6  or the back stopper  5 . It is desirable to determine the interval between the stoppers  5  and  6  taking into consideration the resilience of the return spring  3  so that the bear doll  7  is able to strike against the back stopper  5 . 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a push-button ballpoint pen in a second embodiment according to the present invention has a barrel  1  consisting of a front barrel  1   a  and a back barrel  1   b , a refill  2  contained in the barrel  1 , a clip  13  attached to the back end of the barrel  1 , a push button  12 , and a grip cover  14  put on the front barrel  1   a . Only the back barrel  1   b  may be transparent or semitransparent, and the front barrel  1   a  may be opaque. A back stopper  5 , a front stopper  6  and a doll  7  are fixedly put on the refill  2 . When the push button  12  is depressed, the refill  2  moves axially together with the doll  7 . The movement of the doll  7  can be seen through the barrel  1  for amusement. The stoppers  5  and  6  may be omitted. 
     Referring to FIG. 4, a push-button mechanical pencil in a third embodiment according to the present invention has a barrel  1 , a lead tank  15  containing leads, i.e., thin marking sticks, and axially slidably contained in the barrel, a chuck  16  pressed in and held on a front part of the lead tank  15  and having a chucking head  161  and a chuck ring  17  put on the chucking head  161 , and a cushion sleeve  18  surrounding the lead tank  15  to absorb excessive pressure put on the push-button mechanical pencil when writing. The cushion sleeve  18  is positioned in the barrel  1  with its back end resting on an annular ridge  1   c  formed on the inner surface of the barrel  1 . A return spring  3  is extended between the front end of the lead tank  15  and a step formed in the cushion sleeve  18 . 
     A slider  19  provided with a tip  192  is axially slidably fitted in a barrel cap  4  attached to the front end of the barrel  1 . The slider  19  has a back sliding part  191  in contact with the front barrel  1   a . The slider  19  holds a lead so that the lead may not falloff. An elastic back stopper  5  similar to an O ring, and an elastic front stopper  6  similar to an O ring are put on the lead tank  15 , and a doll  7 , i.e., fancy member, is put axially movably on a part between the stoppers  5  and  6  of the lead barrel  15 . When the push button  12  is depressed, the lead tank  15  is caused to move intermittently by the return spring  3 , so that the doll  7  shakes on the lead barrel  15 . In FIG. 4, indicated at  20  is an eraser. 
     When using the push-button mechanical pencil, the push button  12  is depressed to advance the lead tank  15  and the chuck  16  against the resilience of the return spring  3 . The chuck ring  17  is disengaged from the chucking head  161  while the chuck  16  is thus advanced, and the chuck  16  opens to release the lead. When the force applied to the push button  12  is removed, the lead tank  15  and the chuck  16  are retracted by the resilience of the return spring  3 . The chuck  16  is closed to grip the lead while the lead tank  15  is being retracted, and the lead is thus held for writing. When it is desired to retract the lead into the barrel  1 , the push button  12  is depressed again to open the chuck  16 , so that the lead is released. Then, the lead can be easily retracted into the barrel  1  by pushing the same with a fingertip. 
     When the push button  12  is thus depressed, the resilience of the return spring  3  exerts shocks on the lead tank  15  and, consequently, the doll  7  is forced to move between the elastic stoppers  5  and  6 . Since the barrel  1  has the transparent or semitransparent part, the movement of the doll  7  can be seen through the barrel  1  for amusement. The user is able to enjoy the axial movement of the doll  7  independent of writing by repeatedly depressing the push button  12 . 
     Referring to FIGS. 5 and 6 showing an essential part of a push-button mechanical pencil in a fourth embodiment according to the present invention, which is substantially the same in construction as the push-button mechanical pencil in the third embodiment, a panda doll  7  is put on a refill  2  for axial movement and is seated on a front stopper  6 . A transparent film  21  printed with a picture of branches of a eucalyptus, i.e., panda&#39;s favorite food, is applied to the outer surface of a barrel  1  as shown in FIG.  6 . The panda doll  7 , similarly to the bear dolls  7  of the foregoing embodiments, is thrust up by the front stopper  6 . The picture of branches of a eucalyptus printed on the transparent film  21  enhances the stereoscopic appearance of the panda doll  7 . 
     Referring to FIG. 7 showing an essential part of a push-button mechanical pencil in a fifth embodiment according to the present invention, which is substantially the same in construction as the push-button mechanical pencil in the third embodiment, a girl doll  7  is axially movably put on a lead tank so as to rest on a front stopper  6  with its head on the back side, and a boy doll  51  serving also as a back stopper is fixed to the lead tank with its head on the front side. When a push button is depressed, the girl doll  7  jumps up, and the face of the girl doll  7  comes into contact with that of the boy doll  51  as if the girl doll  7  and the boy doll  51  are kissing. Thus, the user is able to enjoy a comical action of the dolls  7  and  51 . 
     The push-button writing implement of the present invention may be provided with any fancy thing other than the doll  7 ; the push-button writing implement may be provided with a fancy member that generates sound when shocked, such as a bell, or a fancy member that reflects light and glitters, such as a golden or silvery reflector instead of the doll  7 . 
     As apparent from the foregoing description, the push-button writing implement according to the present invention has, in addition to a writing function as that of conventional push-button writing implements, a recreational function as an added value. The solid fancy member put on the refill and contained in the barrel has a remarkable decorative, amusing effect and does not cause troubles in using the push-button writing implement for writing and carrying the same. 
     Although the invention has been described in its preferred embodiments with a certain degree of particularity, obviously many changes and variations are possible therein. It is therefore to be understood that the present invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described herein without departing from the scope and spirit thereof.