GB2201337A

GB2201337A - Liquid applicator

Info

Publication number: GB2201337A
Application number: GB08804534A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Yoshiomi Konose
Original assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Current assignee: Mitsubishi Pencil Co Ltd
Priority date: 1987-02-26
Filing date: 1988-02-26
Publication date: 1988-09-01
Anticipated expiration: 2008-02-26
Also published as: GB8804534D0; GB2201337B; KR900010158Y1; JPS63136775U; IT8819534A0; FR2611350B1; DE3806184A1; JPH066952Y2; KR880016075U; FR2611350A1

Description

c r t 0k 1,7 52-664 220133, -"LIQUID APPLICATOR" 1 The present invention

relates to a liquid applicator, such as a writing tool, for applying a liquid in which a valve mechanism is provided and used to control the rate of supplying a coating liquid such as writing ink, error correction liquid, liquid cosmetics, paint adhesive and medicine and the like.

There is already known such an applicator in the prior art as a brush writing tool in Fig.

3. This writing tool comprises an outer cylinder 1 in which a reservoir 2 for containing a coating liquid is inserted freely movable in the longitudinal direction. In the interior of an opening of the liquid reservoir, there is provided a valve mechanism and a piston portion 4 of a valve rod 3 of the valve mechanism. in ad.dition, a cylinder 6 is equipped on a spring seat in the valve mechanism. Thus, the valve rod 3 is in contact with a liquid flow tube 7 which-is fixedly positioned. When the rear end of valve rod 3 is knocked, all component members of the valve mechanism (including spring seat 5), other than the valve rod 3, and the liquid reservoir 2 are driven forward together towards the valve rod 3 while opening the valve. When a force applied to the rear end is removed, the liquid components are driven backwardly from the valve rod 3 thereby closing the valve.

According to the prior art as described above, there is a slight gap between the piston portion

36 4 of the valve,rod 3 and the inner wall of the cylinder 6 of the spring seat 5. When the piston portion 4 moves forwardly towards the cylinder 6 for supplying the liquid, pressurized liquid may leak through the gap, varying the rate of supplying k the liquid, as a fatal defect. If the gap between the piston por tion 4 and the cylinder 6 is made smaller to-solve such a defect, friction resistance of moving the piston increases adversely affecting smooth movement of the piston.

According to the invention there is provided a liquid applicator comprising a valve mechanism between a liquid reservoir and a liquid applying member for controlling the supply of liquid therebetween, wherein a flexible skirt portion is provided on the outer periphery of the piston portion of a valve rod, with the front end of said skirt portion being opened to define a-space between said skirt portion and--- said valve rod.

is The skirt portion prevents leakage of liquid between the valve rod and the seat, but does not prevent the valve rod being easily moved relative to the seat.

Anembodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:- Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a valve rod provided with a skirt portion according to an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 shows an axial cross-section of a writing tool equipped with the valve rod of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 shows an axial cross-section of a conventional brush writing tool, known in the prior artP as described above.

Fig. 1 shows a valve rod equipped with a skirt portion 10. The main body of the valve rod is indicated by 9 in the figure, while skirt portion has a front end opened in the outer periphery.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a writing tool containing the valve rod of Fig. 1. This writing tool comprises-a cylindrical main body 11, a brush 12 provided at the top of said main body 11 through il 1 m 11 t41 il 1.

a mouthpiece, an ink leading tube 7' fixed behind said brush i2 and a cartridge type ink reservoir 2' removably attached in said main body it.

With the top of the ink reservoir 21 opened, the ink reservoir 21 is mounted in the main body 11 of the writing tool by inserting the ink leading tube 71 in the opening. The reservoir 21 is provided with a valve mechanism at the top, the valve mechanism comprising a valve seat 13, a valve rod main body 9.and a spring seat 5.

This valve mechanism is normally closed but, when the ink leading tube 71 is inserted from the top opening with the top coming into contact with the front end of the valve rod main body 9 and pushing main body 1 inwardly, the valve mechanism_ is opened to supply ink from the reservoir towards the brush 12 after passing through the valve mechanism and the ink leading tube 71.

- A cap 14 covers the brush 12, but also may act at a knock member for knocking the ink reservoir 21.

On the inner wall portion of the top opening in the ink reservoir 21, an O-ring 15 is provided to close a gap between the outer periphery of the ink leading tube 71 and the top opening of the ink reservoir 21 in order to prevent leakage of ink when the valve is opened after the ink reservoir 21 is located in themain body 11 through the ink leading tube 71. 30 The structure of the brush writing tool, described in the above referring to Fig. 2F is conventional and already known in.the prior art. The skirt portion 10 provided on the piston portion of the valve rod, comprises an edge portion apart from the outer periphery of the valve rod main body 9 while forming a space 16 about the - outer periphery of the valve rod main body 9.

As long as such a space is formed, preferred flexibility 1 k is given to the skirt portion 10 according to the physical properties of a material used in the skirt portion 10.

Accordingly, the material of the skirt portion 10 should have a rigidity not so high but giving slight flexibility as a minimum requirement. In addition, it is preferred that the thickness of the skirt portion 10 is so thin as to provide preferred elasticity.

Preferably the inner diameter of the cylinder in the spring seat 51 and the outer diameter of the skirt portion 10 are equal, or the latter may be slightly larger. Thus, the outside of the skirt portion 10 can slide while elastically pushing the interior of thepiston portion equipped in the spring seat 51. However, the skirt portion 10 is made so,flexible that sliding is substantially not restricted, but still completely preventing leakage of a writing or coating liquid such as ink.

When the spring seat 51 is driven back, in the space 16 between the skirt portion 10 and the outer periphery of the rod main body 9 (the valve rod moves forwardly) the pressure of a writing or coating liquid, such as ink, becomes slightly higher thereby the skirt portion 10 is,pushed slightly outwardly. Consequently, the sealing property is made higher completely preventing leakage. However, the movement of the ink reservoir 21 is substantially not disturbed.

It is to be clearly understood that there are no particular features of the foregoing specification, or of any claims appended hereto, which are at present-regarded as being essential to the performance of the present invention, and that any one or more of such features or combinations thereof may therefore be included in, added to, omitted from or deleted from any of such claims if and when amended during

7 1 1 k the prosecution of this application or in the filing or prosecution of any divisional application based thereon. Furthermore the manner in which any of such features of the specification or claims are described or defined-may be amended, broadened or otherwise modified in any.manner which falls within the knowledge of a person skilled in the relevant art, for example so as to encompass, either implicitly or explicitly, equivalents or generalisations ther of.

V 1,1 1

Claims

CLAIMS:

1. A liquidlapplicator comprising a valve mechanism between a liquid reseivoir and a liquid applying member for controlling the supply of liquid therebetween, wherein a flexible skirt portion is provided on the outer periphery of the piston portion of a valve rod, with the front end of said skirt portion being opened to define a space between said skirt portion and said valve rOd.

2. An applicator according to claim 1 wherein said skirt Portion forms a slidable seal between said valve rod and a seat, and said valve rod may be moved between open and closed conditions of said valve. 15

3. An applicator according to claim 2 wherein the outer diameter of said skirt portion is equal to or slightly greater than the internal diameter of said seat.

4. An applicator according to claim 1,2 or 3 wherein said skirt portion is thin to provide said flex.ibility.

5. A liquid applicator substantially as hereinbefore de-scribed with reference to Figs 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

Published 1988 at The Patent Office, State House, 66171 High Holborn, London WC1R 4TP. Parther copies may be obtained from Mle Patent Office, Sales Branch, St Mary Cray, Orpington, Rent BRS 3RD. Printed by Multiplex techniques ltd, St Mary Cray, Kent. Con. 118-7.

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