pen

Abstract

This invention relates to a pen having a refill and a rotating mechanism for adjusting the refill in the pen's longitudinal direction. The rotating mechanism includes a spindle and a threaded nut, and the internal thread of the threaded nut is at least partially divided into first thread segments, each first thread segment extending less than 360° in the circumferential direction. According to the invention, the external thread of the spindle is at least partially divided into second thread segments, each second thread segment extending less than 360° in the circumferential direction; the circumferential distance between adjacent second thread segments is less than the circumferential extension length of the first thread segments; and the circumferential distance between adjacent first thread segments is less than the circumferential extension length of the second thread segments.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a pen having a refill and a rotating mechanism for adjusting the refill in the longitudinal direction of the pen, wherein the rotating mechanism includes a spindle and a mating threaded nut, and the internal thread of the threaded nut is at least partially divided into first thread segments, each first thread segment extending less than 360° in the circumferential direction.

[0002] The above-mentioned types of pens are known. In some cases, threaded nuts are constructed in a clamp-like shape.

[0003] However, it has been found that torsion mechanisms sometimes tend to jam or get stuck, especially when they are made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate).

[0004] The present invention is based on the following objective: to further improve the aforementioned type of pen so that its rotating mechanism can operate reliably and smoothly and is not prone to jamming.

[0005] According to the present invention, the task is solved by: the external thread of the spindle being at least partially divided into second thread segments, each second thread segment extending less than 360° in the circumferential direction; the distance between adjacent second thread segments in the circumferential direction being less than the extension length of the first thread segment in the circumferential direction; and the distance between adjacent first thread segments in the circumferential direction being less than the extension length of the second thread segment in the circumferential direction.

[0006] In other words, not only is the internal thread of the rotating mechanism's threaded nut at least partially divided into thread segments, but the external thread of the spindle is also divided in the same way. This reduces friction in the rotating mechanism, thereby improving the smoothness of movement and reducing the risk of jamming and misalignment.

[0007] The external thread of the spindle can have two or more second thread segments every 360° rotation.

[0008] That is, it has been found that even dividing the rotational direction into two segments brings significant advantages in solving the above problems.

[0009] According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention, the internal thread of the threaded nut has two, three or more first thread segments for every 360° rotation.

[0010] In the case of internal threads, it has been shown that it is appropriate to use more segments than in the case of internal threads in threaded nuts, where even division into two segments (such as in the case of external threads on spindles) provides significant advantages for the aforementioned tasks.

[0011] According to a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the threaded nut is configured such that it includes a slot between at least some adjacent first thread segments in the circumferential direction.

[0012] These slots allow the threaded nut to expand when the rotating mechanism is overtightened, thus allowing the threads to skip teeth. This prevents the rotating mechanism from jamming or even being damaged due to overtightening.

[0013] According to the present invention, at least some slots may be provided that open toward at least one end of the threaded nut.

[0014] This makes it easier to expand the threaded nut to protect the rotating mechanism from overtightening, thus improving effectiveness.

[0015] The above measures allow for the use of a variety of materials to manufacture pens. This is particularly suitable for PET. Therefore, according to the invention, it is preferably arranged that the pen is made entirely of PET, except for the pen core material or the core filler.

[0016] This makes the pen particularly easy to recycle.

[0017] In this regard, it should be noted that the pen according to the invention can be a pen in which the lead material is rod-shaped.

[0018] According to the present invention, the PET is preferably recycled PET.

[0019] Finally, the present invention also provides a rotating mechanism for pens of the above type.

[0020] The invention will now be explained in more detail below with reference to preferred embodiments, which have more specific details.

[0021] Figure 1 A schematic longitudinal sectional view of a pen according to an embodiment of the present invention is shown.

[0022] Figure 2 It shows that according to Figure 1 The pen's longitudinal section view along the BB plane.

[0023] Figure 3 It shows that according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A 3D diagram of a pen with a spindle and refill holder.

[0024] Figure 4 It shows that according to Figure 3 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the pen refill holder with the spindle.

[0025] Figure 5 It shows that according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 A schematic partial cross-sectional view of the threaded nut of the pen, and

[0026] Figure 6 It shows the relationship with Figure 4 and Figure 5The same view, however, shows the threaded nut screwed onto the spindle.

[0027] The pen shown in the attached diagram includes a protective sleeve 10, a pen holder 12, a refill holder 14 with a spindle 16, a refill 18 held by the refill holder 14, and a pen barrel 20. The longitudinal axis of the pen is marked L.

[0028] The pen holder 12 and the pen barrel 20 are rotatable relative to each other, but are connected to each other in the longitudinal direction of the pen. A threaded nut 22 is arranged in the pen barrel 20 and is connected to the pen barrel 20 in both the rotational direction and the longitudinal direction of the pen.

[0029] The threaded nut 22 includes an internal thread divided into several thread segments. Within these thread segments, Figure 5 The three threaded segments are indicated by reference numerals 24, 26, and 28 in the attached diagram.

[0030] The external thread of spindle 16 is also divided into thread segments. Figure 4 The figures in the attached drawing use reference numerals 30 and 32 to indicate two of these thread segments.

[0031] The threaded nut 22 is screwed onto the main shaft 16 of the refill holder 14 by means of threaded sections 24, 26, and 28, and by means of threaded sections 30 and 32. Due to this threaded connection, rotation of the pen barrel 20 relative to the pen cylinder 12 about the pen's longitudinal axis L causes the main shaft 16 of the refill holder 14, together with the pen refill 18, to move longitudinally within the pen cylinder 12. In this respect, the main shaft 16, together with the threaded nut 22, forms a rotational mechanism for adjusting the pen refill 18 in the longitudinal direction of the pen.

[0032] Threaded segments 30 and 32 extend a distance D in the circumferential direction, which is 100° in the illustrated embodiment. Two threaded segments are provided for each revolution, thereby forming a distance A of 80° in the rotational direction.

[0033] The threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 of the threaded nut 22 each have an extension length B of 90°, with three threaded segments provided every 360°. The distance C between adjacent threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 in the circumferential direction is 30°.

[0034] Therefore, the distance A between threaded segments 30 and 32 is less than the extension length B of threaded segments 24, 26, and 28, and the distance C between threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 is less than the extension length D of threaded segments 30 and 32. This ensures that neither threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 nor threaded segments 30 and 32 fall into the gap between the corresponding other threaded segments. This ensures the safe operation of the rotating mechanism used to move the pen refill 18 in the longitudinal direction of the pen.

[0035] Because the external thread of the spindle 16 is divided into two thread segments 30 and 32 every 360°, the smooth operation of the rotating mechanism is ensured, while preventing jamming.

[0036] To protect the rotating mechanism from damage due to overtightening, the threaded nut 22 is provided with slots, one of which is indicated by reference numeral 34. These slots are located between adjacent threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 in the circumferential direction and open toward the end of the threaded nut 22. This allows the threaded nut 22 to expand in the radial direction when the rotating mechanism is overtightened, and the threaded segments 24, 26, and 28 can skip over the threaded segments 30 and 32.

[0037] Except for the refill 18, all parts of the pen are made of recycled PET (polyethylene terephthalate). Because the external thread of the spindle 16 is divided into thread segments 30 and 32, and the internal thread of the threaded nut 22 is divided into thread segments 24, 26, and 28, the smooth movement required by the rotating mechanism is ensured despite the use of this material. It is not prone to jamming.

[0038] The features of the invention disclosed in the foregoing description, claims and drawings, whether alone or in any combination, may be necessary for implementing the invention in its various embodiments.

Claims

1. A pen that has Pen refill (18) and A rotating mechanism for adjusting the pen tip in the longitudinal direction of the pen, wherein The rotating mechanism includes a main shaft (16) and a threaded nut (22), and The internal thread of the threaded nut is at least partially divided into first thread segments (24, 26, 28), each first thread segment extending less than 360° in the circumferential direction. Its features The external thread of the spindle (16) is at least partially divided into a second thread segment (30, 32), which extends less than 360° in the circumferential direction. The distance (A) between adjacent second thread segments in the circumferential direction is less than the extension length (B) of the first thread segments (24, 26, 28) in the circumferential direction, and The distance (C) between adjacent first thread segments in the circumferential direction is less than the extension length (D) of the second thread segments (30, 32) in the circumferential direction.

2. The pen according to claim 1, characterized in that, The external thread of the spindle (16) includes two or more second thread segments (30, 32) for every 360° rotation.

3. The pen according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, The internal thread of the threaded nut (22) includes two, three or more first thread segments (24, 26, 28) for every 360° rotation.

4. The pen according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, The threaded nut (22) includes a slot (34) between adjacent first threaded segments (24, 26, 28) in the circumferential direction.

5. The pen according to claim 4, characterized in that, At least some of the slots (34) are open toward at least one end of the threaded nut (22).

6. The pen according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that, Except for the lead material or the filler in the lead, the pen is made entirely of PET.

7. The pen according to claim 6, characterized in that, The PET mentioned is recycled PET.

8. A pen rotation mechanism according to any one of the preceding claims.

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