Patent Publication Number: US-2017348998-A1

Title: Mechanical-pencil cap serving as touch-pen tip and pencil-lead sharpener, and mechanical pencil having the same

Description:
BACKGROUND 
     The present invention relates to a mechanical-pencil cap serving as a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener, and a mechanical pencil having the mechanical-pencil cap. More particularly, the present invention relates to a mechanical-pencil cap serving as both a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener, which enables an input operation into a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone or a smart pad having a capacitive touch screen, to be performed in a touch manner, and allows a pencil lead inserted into a pencil-lead insert container and ejected out when in use to be conveniently sharpened without the necessity of separating the pencil lead, and to a mechanical pencil having the mechanical-pencil cap. 
     Generally, a conventional mechanical pencil has been used with a lead having a thickness that is the same as that of a pencil lead. 
     However, such a lead should be sharpened unlike the typical lead of the mechanical pencil. To this end, a mechanical-pencil cap having a pencil-lead sharpener has been proposed. 
     Therefore, the present invention is intended to provide a pencil-lead sharpener differentiated from a conventional structure. 
     CITED REFERENCES 
     1. SHARP PENCIL (Korean Patent Appl. No. 10-1985-0000731) 
     2. AUTOMATIC MECHANICAL PENCIL (Korean Patent Appl. No. 10-2000-0020749) 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention has been made in an effort to solve the above-described problems associated with related art. An object of the present invention is to provide a mechanical-pencil cap serving as both a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener, which enables an input operation into a mobile terminal, such as a smartphone or a smart pad having a capacitive touch screen, to be performed in a touch manner, and allows a pencil lead inserted into a pencil-lead insert container and ejected out when in use to be conveniently sharpened without the necessity of separating the pencil lead, and to provide a mechanical pencil having the mechanical-pencil cap. 
     Objects of the present invention are not limited to the above-mentioned objects, and other objects that are not mentioned herein will be clearly understood by those skilled in the art from the following description. 
     In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a mechanical-pencil cap serving as a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener including a front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip formed in a shape of a truncated conical recess; and a pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c  provided to be opposite to the front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip, and connected to the touch-pen tip  11   f  formed to surround an outer circumference of a touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e.    
     The mechanical-pencil cap may further include a body inserting/fixing part  11   a  formed on a rear end of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  in the shape of an annular edge, and having two upper and lower protrusions to engage with two fastening grooves that are formed on upper and lower regions of a pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  of a mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener. 
     Further, the front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip may be formed to surround and fix a portion located in front of the fastening grooves of the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  when the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  is inserted. 
     Further, the touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e  may be made of an elastic material in a shape of a dome (hemisphere), and a pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  may be formed in a center of the touch-pen tip fixing member. 
     Further, a blade  11   e  may be formed in a central portion of a front region of the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c  to sharpen the pencil lead  16  inserted through the pencil-lead insert hole  11   g.    
     In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a mechanical pencil with a mechanical-pencil cap serving as a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener, wherein, if the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener is separated from a rear end of the mechanical pencil, is moved to a front of mechanical pencil and a mounting surface of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is mounted on the rear end of the mechanical pencil is fastened to a front end of the mechanical pencil, the mechanical-pencil cap is used as the touch-pen tip, and, if the mechanical-pencil cap  11  is separated from the rear end and a surface opposite to the mounting surface of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is used as the touch-pen tip is fastened to the mechanical pencil, the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil is inserted into the pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  defined in the mechanical-pencil cap  11  to be surrounded by the touch-pen tip  11   f , so that the mechanical-pencil cap serves as the pencil-lead sharpener by the blade  11   d  in the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when either of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  or the mechanical pencil is rotated by an external force. 
     The mechanical-pencil cap serving as both a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener, and the mechanical pencil having the mechanical-pencil cap according to an embodiment of the present invention enable the input operation into the mobile terminal, such as the smartphone or the smart pad having the capacitive touch screen, to be performed in a touch manner, and allow the pencil lead inserted into the pencil-lead insert container and ejected out when in use to be conveniently sharpened without the necessity of separating the pencil lead. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an entire mechanical pencil with a mechanical-pencil cap serving as a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  is a sectional view illustrating the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a detailed view illustrating the configuration of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a state in which the mechanical-pencil cap  11  closing a pencil-lead insert container  13  and fastened to a mechanical-pencil body  14  is separated from a rear end of the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 , and then is fastened to a pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  provided on a front end of the mechanical pencil; 
         FIG. 5  is an enlarged view illustrating the structure of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is fastened to the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  provided on the front end of the mechanical pencil of  FIG. 4 ; 
         FIG. 6  is a view illustrating a state in which a pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil is inserted through a pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  formed in a central portion of the touch-pen tip  11   f  and comes into contact with a blade  11   d , at the front end of the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 7  is an enlarged view illustrating the structure of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  used as the pencil-lead sharpener, in a state in which the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil of  FIG. 6  is inserted to come into contact with the blade  11   d;    
         FIG. 8  is a view illustrating the use of the touch tip and a one-sided pencil-lead sharpener described in  FIGS. 1 to 7 ; 
         FIGS. 9 a  and 9 b    are views illustrating a structure having only a touch tip and causing a pencil lead to be ejected according to another embodiment of the present invention; and  FIG. 9 b    is a view illustrating the use of the touch tip and a one-sided pencil-lead sharpener described in  FIG. 9   a;    
         FIGS. 10 a  and 10 b    are views illustrating the use of a touch tip and a double-sided pencil-lead sharpener according to a further embodiment of the present invention and  10   b  is a view illustrating the use of the touch tip and a one-sided pencil-lead sharpener described in  FIGS. 10   a.    
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
     Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Further, in the description of this invention, the description of known functions or configurations will be omitted herein to make the gist of this invention clear. 
       FIG. 1  is a view illustrating an entire mechanical pencil with a mechanical-pencil cap serving as a touch-pen tip and a pencil-lead sharpener according to an embodiment of the present invention.  FIG. 2  is a sectional view illustrating the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 .  FIG. 3  is a detailed view illustrating the configuration of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 . 
     First, referring to  FIG. 1 , the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener includes a mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as both the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener, an eraser part  12 , a pencil-lead insert container  13 , a mechanical-pencil body  14 , a pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15 , and a pencil lead  16 . 
     In this regard, as illustrated in  FIG. 1 , the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener is usually mounted on a rear end of the mechanical pencil. However, after the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener is separated from the rear end of the mechanical pencil and is moved to a front of mechanical pencil, a mounting surface of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is mounted on the rear end of the mechanical pencil may be fastened to a front end of the mechanical pencil. In this case, the mechanical-pencil cap may be used as the touch-pen tip (see,  FIG. 4 ). Meanwhile, if the mechanical-pencil cap  11  of  FIG. 1  is separated from the rear end and a surface opposite to the mounting surface of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is used as the touch-pen tip is fastened to the mechanical pencil, the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil is inserted into the pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  defined in the mechanical-pencil cap  11  to be surrounded by the touch-pen tip  11   f , so that the mechanical-pencil cap may serve as the pencil-lead sharpener by the blade  11   d  in the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when either of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  or the mechanical pencil is rotated by an external force (see,  FIG. 6 ). 
     Next, referring to  FIG. 3 , the mechanical-pencil cap  11  serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener includes a body inserting/fixing part  11   a , a front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip, a pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c , a blade  11   d , a touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e , a touch-pen tip  11   f , and a pencil-lead insert hole  11   g.    
     The body inserting/fixing part  11   a  is formed on a rear end of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  in the shape of an annular edge, and has two upper and lower protrusions to engage with two fastening grooves that are formed on upper and lower regions of the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15 . 
     The front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip is formed in front of the body inserting/fixing part  11   a  in the shape of a truncated conical recess, to surround and fix a portion located in front of the fastening grooves of the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  when the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  is inserted. 
     The pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c  is connected at a rear end thereof to the front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip, and connected at a front end thereof to the touch-pen tip  11   f  that is formed to surround an outer circumference of the touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e . Here, the touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e  is preferably made of an elastic material such as rubber or silicone, but is not limited thereto. The touch-pen tip fixing member is in the shape of a dome (hemisphere). The pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  having a diameter that is equal to or 0.1 to 0.2 mm larger than that of the pencil lead  16  is formed in a center of the touch-pen tip fixing member. 
     Further, two upper and lower blades are formed in a central portion of a front region of the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c  to sharpen the pencil lead  16  that is inserted through the pencil-lead insert hole  11   g.    
     The touch-pen tip  11   f  is detachably attached to the touch-pen tip fixing member  11   e , and is formed by coating a material such as flexible rubber or silicone with metal components to allow a capacitive touch. Thus, static electricity of a human body is transmitted through the mechanical-pencil cap  11  to a handle provided on a front portion of the mechanical-pencil body  14  that is entirely formed of or coated with a metal material, so that it is possible to input a signal to a mobile device such as a smartphone or a smart pad having a capacitive touch screen in a touch manner. 
       FIG. 4  is a view illustrating a state in which the mechanical-pencil cap  11  closing the pencil-lead insert container  13  and fastened to the mechanical-pencil body  14  is separated from the rear end of the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 , and then is fastened to the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  provided on the front end of the mechanical pencil. Further,  FIG. 5  is an enlarged view illustrating the structure of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  when it is fastened to the pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part  15  provided on the front end of the mechanical pencil of  FIG. 4 . That is, the front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip is formed to surround the outer circumference of the front fixing part  11   b  for the touch-pen tip, and the outer circumference of the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil is surrounded by a region having the blade  11   d  formed in the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c.    
     Meanwhile, a rear end of the blade  11   d  is open in the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c , and is connected via a passage to a front end of the opposite region surrounding the outer circumference of the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil in the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c.    
     Such a passage connecting structure allows shavings produced when the pencil lead  16  is sharpened by the blade  11   d  of the pencil-lead sharpener functioning part  11   c  to be discharged to an outside. 
       FIG. 6  is a view illustrating a state in which the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil is inserted through the pencil-lead insert hole  11   g  formed in the central portion of the touch-pen tip  11   f  and comes into contact with the blade  11   d , at the front end of the mechanical pencil with the mechanical-pencil cap serving as the touch-pen tip and the pencil-lead sharpener of  FIG. 1 . Further,  FIG. 7  is an enlarged view illustrating the structure of the mechanical-pencil cap  11  used as the pencil-lead sharpener, in a state in which the pencil lead  16  of the mechanical pencil of  FIG. 6  is inserted to come into contact with the blade  11   d.    
     Meanwhile,  FIG. 8  is a view illustrating the use of the touch tip and a one-sided pencil-lead sharpener described in  FIGS. 1 to 7 . 
       FIG. 9 a    is a view illustrating a structure having only a touch tip and causing a pencil lead to be ejected according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
     Further,  FIG. 10 a    is a view illustrating the use of a touch tip and a double-sided pencil-lead sharpener according to a further embodiment of the present invention. 
     While the invention has been shown and described with reference to exemplary embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims. Therefore, it is to be understood that the scope of the invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and all changes that fall within meets and bounds of the claims, or equivalence of such meets and bounds are intended to be embraced by the claims. 
     DESCRIPTION OF REFERENCE NUMERALS 
       11 : mechanical-pencil cap 
       11   a:  body inserting/fixing part 
       11   b : front fixing part for touch-pen tip 
       11   c : pencil-lead sharpener functioning part 
       11   d : blade 
       11   e:  touch-pen tip fixing member 
       11   f : touch-pen tip 
       11   g : pencil-lead insert hole 
       12 : eraser part 
       13 : pencil-lead insert container 
       14 : mechanical-pencil body 
       15 : pencil-lead ejecting and cap fixing part 
       16 : pencil lead