Side knock type wiring utensil

Abstract

To provide a side knock type writing utensil which does not impair a beautiful feeling and a knocking function.SOLUTION: A side knock type writing utensil 1 includes: a barrel 2 in which a first window hole 11 is provided on a side surface; a refill 4 arranged in the barrel 2; a knock member 20 including a knock operation part 21 exposed via the first window hole 11 and arranged behind the refill 4; and a spring 5 for energizing the knock member 20 backward via the refill 4. The side knock type writing utensil comes into a writing state by a knock operation for sliding the knock operation part 21 frontward, and it comes into a non-writing state by a release operation. The knock member 20 is constituted in such a manner that, when the first window hole 11 is viewed from the front in the writing state, the first window hole 11 is covered from the inside.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 16

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a side-knock writing instrument. [Background technology]

[0002] A knock-type writing instrument has a barrel, a writing body arranged in the barrel and having a writing part which is a pen tip, a knock member arranged behind the writing body and having an operating part, and a spring which urges the knock member backward via the writing body. In the knock-type writing instrument, the operating part is knocked against the urging force of the spring arranged in the barrel to bring the writing part into a writing state in which the writing part protrudes from the tip of the barrel, and a release operation brings the writing part into a non-writing state in which the writing part retracts into the barrel. As knock-type writing instruments, in addition to knock-type writing instruments in which the operating part is arranged at the rear end of the barrel (hereinafter referred to as "rear-end knock-type writing instruments"), knock-type writing instruments in which the operating part is arranged on the side of the barrel (hereinafter referred to as "side knock-type writing instruments") are known (Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] JP 2017-41220 A [Patent Document 2] JP 2011-56677 A Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] In a rear-end knock type writing instrument, a knock operation is performed by pressing forward an operating part arranged at the rear end of the barrel. For this reason, a rear end opening is provided at the rear end of the barrel for projecting the operating part. The rear end opening of the barrel has a cross-sectional shape that is substantially equal to that of the operating part, and the size of the gap around the operating part at the rear end opening is substantially constant regardless of whether the rear-end knock type writing instrument is in a writing state or a non-writing state.

[0005] On the other hand, in the side knock type writing instrument as described in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2, the knock operation is performed by sliding the operating part arranged on the side of the barrel forward. Therefore, a window hole extending in the front-rear direction according to the movable range of the operating part is provided on the side of the barrel. When the side knock type writing instrument is in a writing state, that is, when the knock member is located further forward in the window hole, a gap space communicating with the inside of the barrel through the window hole is defined by the rear end of the operating part or the rear end of the knock member. Therefore, when the side knock type writing instrument is used for a long period of time, dirt such as dust gradually accumulates in the rear end of the knock member or in the gap space through the window hole, which impairs the aesthetic appearance and may impair the knock function.

[0006] An object of the present invention is to provide a side-knock type writing instrument that does not impair aesthetic appearance and knock function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a side-knock type writing instrument comprising a barrel having a first window hole on its side, a writing body arranged within the barrel, a knock member having a knock operation portion exposed through the first window hole and arranged behind the writing body, and a spring that urges the knock member rearward via the writing body, the side-knock type writing instrument being configured to be in a writing state by a knock operation that slides the knock operation portion forward and to be in a non-writing state by a release operation, wherein the side-knock type writing instrument is configured such that when the first window hole is viewed from the front in the writing state, the first window hole is covered from the inside.

[0008] The knock member may have a cover portion extending rearward beyond the knock operation portion. A second window hole may be provided on the side surface of the barrel so as to face the first window hole, and the knock member may further include a release operation portion that is exposed through the second window hole and is released, and the knock member may be configured so that the second window hole is covered from the inside when the second window hole is viewed from the front in the writing state. The knock member may have a sliding contact portion where an outer surface of the knock member and an inner surface of the barrel slide with each other as the knock member retreats when switching from the writing state to the non-writing state. The sliding contact portion may be a slope provided on the outer surface of the knock member or the inner surface of the barrel. Effect of the Invention

[0009] According to the aspects of the present invention, a common effect is achieved in that a side-knock type writing instrument is provided that does not impair aesthetic appearance and knock function. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0010] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a side-knock type writing instrument according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a non-writing state. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the side-knock writing instrument of FIG. 1 in a writing state. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is another perspective view of the side-knock writing instrument of FIG. 1 in a non-writing state. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is another perspective view of the side-knock writing instrument of FIG. 1 in a writing state. [Diagram 5] FIG. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the side-knock type writing instrument of FIG. 1 in a writing state. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the rear barrel of the side-knock writing instrument of FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a side view of the rear axle of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rear axle of FIG. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view of the rear axle taken along line AA in FIG. [Figure 10]FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of the rear axle corresponding to the line BB in FIG. [Figure 11] 11 is a perspective view of a knock member of the side knock type writing instrument of FIG. [Figure 12] 12 is a side view of the knock member of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 13] 13 is another side view of the knock member of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 14] FIG. 14 is a front view of the knock member of FIG. [Figure 15] 15 is a bottom view of the knock member of FIG. 11. FIG. [Figure 16] 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rear end portion of the side-knock type writing instrument of FIG. [Figure 17] 17 is another vertical cross-sectional view of the rear end portion of the side-knock type writing instrument of FIG. [Figure 18] FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end portion of the side-knock writing instrument of FIG. 1 in a non-writing state. [Figure 19] FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end portion of the side-knock writing implement of FIG. 1, showing a writing state. [Figure 20] FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the rear barrel of a side-knock type writing instrument according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 21] FIG. 21 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rear axle of FIG. [Figure 22] FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view of the rear shaft of FIG. [Diagram 23] FIG. 23 is a perspective view of a knock member of a side knock type writing instrument according to the second embodiment. [Figure 24] FIG. 24 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end portion of a side-knock writing instrument according to a second embodiment, showing the non-writing state. [Diagram 25] FIG. 25 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end portion of a side-knock writing implement according to the second embodiment, showing a writing state. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Corresponding components are designated by common reference numerals throughout the drawings.

[0012] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a side knock type writing instrument 1 according to a first embodiment of the present invention in a non-writing state, Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the side knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1 in a writing state, Fig. 3 is another perspective view of the side knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1 in a non-writing state, and Fig. 4 is another perspective view of the side knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1 in a writing state. Also, Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the side knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1 in a writing state.

[0013] The side-knock type writing instrument 1 has a barrel 2 equipped with a front barrel 3 and a rear barrel 10 that screws onto the outer surface of the rear end of the front barrel 3, a refill 4 which is a writing body disposed within the barrel 2 and equipped with a writing portion 4a at one end, a spring 5 which biases the refill 4 rearward, a knock member 20 disposed behind the refill 4, and a clip member 6 attached to the rear end of the rear barrel 10.

[0014] In this specification, in the axial direction of the side knock type writing instrument 1, the side of the writing part 4a is defined as the "front" side, and the side opposite the writing part 4a is defined as the "rear" side. In the explanation of each component, the "front" side and the "rear" side are defined based on the state in which the side knock type writing instrument 1 is assembled. In the side knock type writing instrument 1, the state in which the writing part 4a protrudes from the barrel 2 by a knock operation is referred to as the writing state (FIGS. 2 and 4), and the state in which the writing part 4a is retracted into the barrel 2 is referred to as the non-writing state (FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0015] A first window 11 and a second window 12 arranged to face the first window 11 are provided on the rear of the barrel 2, i.e., on the side surface of the rear of the rear barrel 10. The first window 11 and the second window 12 are arranged at positions shifted by 90 degrees from each other in the rotation direction around the central axis with respect to the clip member 6. The knock member 20 has a knock operation portion 21 and a release operation portion 22 as an operation portion. The knock operation portion 21 is exposed to the outside through the first window 11 of the rear barrel 10. The release operation portion 22 is exposed to the outside through the second window 12 of the rear barrel 10. As described later, the side knock type writing instrument 1 is configured to be in a writing state by a knock operation that slides the knock operation portion 21 forward against the biasing force of the spring 5, and to be in a non-writing state by a release operation that presses the release operation portion 22 radially inward.

[0016] Fig. 6 is a perspective view of rear barrel 10 of side-knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1, Fig. 7 is a side view of rear barrel 10 of Fig. 6, Fig. 8 is a vertical cross-sectional view of rear barrel 10 of Fig. 6, Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view of rear barrel 10 taken along line AA of Fig. 7, and Fig. 10 is a cross-sectional view of rear barrel 10 corresponding to line BB of Fig. 8.

[0017] The rear axle 10 has a first plane 10a and a second plane 10b that are formed by cutting the cylindrical side surface along the axial direction. The first plane 10a and the second plane 10b are parallel to each other. The first plane 10a has the first window hole 11 described above, and the second plane 10b has the second window hole 12 described above. The first window hole 11 and the second window hole 12 are rectangular with rounded corners, and the portions corresponding to the short sides are each formed in a semicircular shape. The rear end of the rear axle 10 is formed in a substantially hemispherical shape, and a mounting portion 10c including a hole for mounting the clip member 6 is provided in a part of the rear end.

[0018] A pair of rail projections 13, which are projections extending forward from the rear end along the axial direction and projecting radially inward, are provided on the inner surface of the rear axle 10. Each of the pair of rail projections 13 is arranged to face each other. Each of the pair of rail projections 13 is arranged at a position shifted by approximately 90 degrees in the rotation direction around the central axis from the first window hole 11 and the second window hole 12. In detail, each of the pair of rail projections 13 is arranged slightly shifted toward the first window hole 11 from a position shifted by 90 degrees in the rotation direction around the central axis from the first window hole 11 and the second window hole 12. Therefore, strictly speaking, one rail projection 13 does not project radially inward, i.e., toward the central axis, but projects toward the other rail projection 13 that is shifted.

[0019] Each of the pair of rail projections 13 has an inner rail 14 extending forward from the rear end of the rear axle 10 and an outer rail 15 extending forward from the front end of the inner rail 14. The inner rail 14 protrudes from the inner surface of the rear axle 10 further than the outer rail 15. The cross-sectional shape of each of the inner rail 14 and the outer rail 15, i.e., the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the central axis of the rear axle 10, is rectangular. The inner rail 14 and the outer rail 15 are formed in a stepped shape along the axial direction. The pair of inner rails 14 have flat first top surfaces 14a that face each other and extend in the axial direction. A first locking projection 14b is provided near the front end of the first top surface 14a. A restricting inclined surface 14c is provided behind the first top surfaces 14a that face each other and are inclined in a direction approaching each other toward the rear.

[0020] A first engagement portion 16 is provided at the front end of the inner rail 14. The first engagement portion 16 is formed at an acute angle consisting of a side surface on the first window hole 11 side of the inner rail 14 and a front end surface that slopes backward from the first window hole 11 toward the second window hole 12. A support portion 17 is provided at the front end of the outer rail 15. The support portion 17 is formed at an obtuse angle consisting of a side surface on the first window hole 11 side of the outer rail 15 and a front end surface that slopes forward from the first window hole 11 toward the second window hole 12.

[0021] 10, the rear end of the rear axle 10 is partially formed to be thick, and thus, a rectangular first guide rail 18 and a second guide rail 19 extending in the axial direction are defined by the inner surface of the rear axle 10 and the pair of rail projections 13. The first guide rail 18 is provided on the first window hole 11 side of the pair of rail projections 13, and the second guide rail 19 is provided on the second window hole 12 side of the pair of rail projections 13. As described above, the pair of rail projections 13 are slightly disposed in the first window holes 11, so that the first guide rail 18 defines a narrower space than the second guide rail 19.

[0022] Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the knock member 20 of the side knock type writing instrument 1 of Fig. 1, Fig. 12 is a side view of the knock member 20 of Fig. 11, Fig. 13 is another side view of the knock member 20 of Fig. 11, Fig. 14 is a front view of the knock member 20 of Fig. 11, and Fig. 15 is a bottom view of the knock member 20 of Fig. 11. The knock member 20 is disposed in the barrel 2 so that the lower side is the front side of the side knock type writing instrument 1 and the upper side is the rear side of the side knock type writing instrument 1 in Figs. 11 to 13. Fig. 14 is a view of the knock member 20 as viewed from the front, and Fig. 15 is a view of the knock member 20 as viewed from the rear.

[0023] The knock member 20 has a first sliding body 23 and a second sliding body 24, which are substantially rectangular and arranged in parallel, and a substantially plate-like connecting body 25 that connects the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24. The first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 are arranged to face each other and have substantially the same length. The connecting body 25 has a length that is substantially half that of the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24. The connecting body 25 is integrally molded so as to connect the rear halves of the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 perpendicularly to the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24. Therefore, the rear half of the knock member 20 has a substantially H-shaped cross section.

[0024] The above-mentioned knock operation unit 21 is provided on the surface of the first sliding body 23. The above-mentioned release operation unit 22 is provided on the surface of the second sliding body 24. The knock operation unit 21 and the release operation unit 22 have a rounded rectangular shape, similar to the corresponding first window hole 11 and second window hole 12. As shown in FIG. 16 described later, the knock operation unit 21 has a longitudinal length that is about two-thirds of the first window hole 11. The release operation unit 22 has a longitudinal length that is substantially the same as that of the second window hole 12, and can cover the entire second window hole 12 in the writing state of the side knock type writing instrument 1, as particularly shown in FIG. 16(b) described later. The knock operation unit 21 has a length that is about one-third of the length of the first sliding body 23, that is, the length of the knock member 20. The knock operation unit 21 is disposed in the longitudinal center on the surface of the first sliding body 23. The release operation portion 22 has a length that is approximately two-thirds of the length of the second sliding body 24, that is, the length of the knock member 20. The release operation portion 22 is disposed on the surface of the second sliding body 24 toward the rear.

[0025] The outer surface of the first sliding body 23 in front of the knock operation portion 21 and the outer surface of the second sliding body 24 are formed in a cylindrical shape. The outer surface of the first sliding body 23 behind the knock operation portion 21 is formed flat. In the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24, the mutually facing surfaces of the front half portions, which are the portions in front of the connecting body 25, i.e., the inner surfaces, are formed in a cylindrical shape. Therefore, the front half of the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 are formed to form a part of a cylinder. The front half of the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 and the front end surface of the connecting body 25 form the receiving portion 26 that opens forward. On the inner surface of each of the front end portions of the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 corresponding to the inlet of the receiving portion 26, a thin-walled portion 26a that gradually becomes thinner toward the front end portion is formed.

[0026] A first guide projection 23a protruding toward the second slide body 24 is provided on a surface of the first slide body 23 in the longitudinal center portion thereof facing the second slide body 24. The first guide projection 23a is provided across the width direction of the first slide body 23 with the connecting body 25 in between. A flat first guide surface 23b is provided on a surface of the first guide projection 23a facing the second slide body 24. A second engagement portion 27 is provided on the rear end portion of the first guide projection 23a. The second engagement portion 27 is formed in an acute angle shape composed of the first guide surface 23b and a rear end surface inclined forward from the rear end portion of the first guide surface 23b. The second engagement portion 27 has an acute cross-sectional shape that is approximately complementary to the first engagement portion 16 of the rear axle 10.

[0027] The first sliding body 23 has a pair of second guide projections 23c extending forward from a central portion in the longitudinal direction and projecting outward in the width direction. The surface of the second guide projections 23c facing the second sliding body 24 constitutes a part of the first guide surface 23b described above. A support projection 23d projecting in the width direction of the first sliding body 23 is provided at the front end of each of the pair of second guide projections 23c. The surface of the support projection 23d facing the second sliding body 24 constitutes a part of the first guide surface 23b described above. A support surface 23e having a convex curved shape is provided at the side surface on the rear side of the support projection 23d. Each surface in the vicinity of the rear end of the first sliding body 23 is inclined at approximately the same angle, and a first tapered portion 23f that is tapered as a whole is provided.

[0028] The second sliding body 24 has a pair of third guide projections 24a that extend from the longitudinal center to the rear end and project outward in the width direction. A flat second guide surface 24b is provided on the surface of the third guide projections 24a that faces the first sliding body 23. Each surface in the vicinity of the rear end of the second sliding body 24 is inclined at approximately the same angle, and a second tapered portion 24c that is tapered as a whole is provided.

[0029] A pair of second locking projections 25a are provided linearly across the width direction on each surface of the connecting body 25 near the rear end thereof. A third tapered portion 25b is provided on each surface of the connecting body 25 rearward of the second locking projections 25a, inclined at approximately the same angle and tapered overall.

[0030] FIG. 16 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument 1 of FIG. 1, and FIG. 17 is another vertical cross-sectional view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument 1 of FIG. 1. Specifically, FIG. 16 is a cross-sectional view that includes the central axis of the side knock writing instrument 1 and is parallel to the plane of the connecting body 25, and FIG. 17 is a cross-sectional view that corresponds to a cross-section rotated 90 degrees around the central axis from the cross-section in FIG. 16. FIG. 16(a) and FIG. 17(a) are cross-sectional views of the side knock writing instrument 1 in a non-writing state, and FIG. 16(b) and FIG. 17(b) are cross-sectional views of the side knock writing instrument 1 in a writing state. Also, FIG. 18 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument 1 of FIG. 1 in a non-writing state, and FIG. 19 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument 1 of FIG. 1 in a writing state. Figures 18 and 19 show a cut-out portion of the rear end of the rear axle 10, rotated 90 degrees around the central axis from the cross section corresponding to line AA in Figure 7 toward the first window hole 11, starting from the clip member 6 side, including part of the rail projection 13.

[0031] As shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, in the assembled side-knock type writing instrument 1, the knock member 20 is disposed in the rear barrel 10 so that the first sliding body 23 is disposed in the first guide rail 18 of the rear barrel 10 and the second sliding body 24 is disposed in the second guide rail 19 of the rear barrel 10. At this time, as shown in FIG. 17, the connecting body 25 is disposed so as to be inserted between the pair of rail projections 13. The thickness of the connecting body 25 is set to be slightly smaller than the distance between the inner rails 14. When the knock member 20 is inserted into the rear barrel 10, the second locking projection 25a of the knock member 20 overcomes the opposing first locking projection 14b of the pair of rail projections 13 while undergoing elastic deformation. Therefore, even if there is no refill 4, for example, when replacing the refill 4, the second locking projection 25a of the knock member 20 locks with the first locking projection 14b of the rear barrel 10, thereby preventing the knock member 20 from falling off the rear barrel 10.

[0032] The refill 4 inserted from the front end opening of the rear barrel 10 is inserted into the receiving portion 26 of the knock member 20. At this time, even if the refill 4 or the knock member 20 are radially misaligned from each other, the rear end edge of the refill 4 abuts against the thin portion 26a of the receiving portion 26, so that the refill 4 is reliably guided into the inside of the receiving portion 26. The rear end surface of the refill 4 biased by the spring 5 abuts against the front end surface of the connecting body 25 of the knock member 20, and the knock member 20 is also biased backward. As described later, the knock member 20 moves toward the first window hole 11 side or the second window hole 12 side relative to the refill 4 as shown in FIG. 16 by switching between the writing state and the non-writing state. Therefore, the size of the receiving portion 26, i.e., the distance between the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24, is set so that the refill 4 does not interfere with the refill 4 due to the movement of the knock member 20 relative to the refill 4.

[0033] Here, the distance between the pair of opposing inner rails 14 is set smaller than the width of the portion of the first guide projections 23a of the knock member 20, i.e., the width of the first sliding body 23. The distance between the pair of opposing outer rails 15 is set larger than the width of the portion of the pair of second guide projections 23c of the knock member 20 and smaller than the width of the portion of the pair of support projections 23d of the knock member 20. The width of the portion of the pair of support projections 23d of the knock member 20, i.e., the maximum width of the first sliding body 23, and the width of the portion of the pair of third guide projections 24a, i.e., the maximum width of the second sliding body 24, are set equal to each other and are set slightly smaller than the widths of the first guide rail 18 and the second guide rail 19. As a result, the lateral or rotational movement of the knock member 20 during the forward and backward movement of the knock member 20 is restricted by the abutment of the support projections 23d with the inner surface of the first guide rail 18 and the abutment of the third guide projections 24a with the inner surface of the second guide rail 19. Therefore, when a knock operation is performed, the knock member 20 can be stably moved in the front-rear direction. The length of the outer rail 15 is set to be substantially equal to the length of the second guide projection 23c.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 16(a), the width of the rear end of the knock member 20 in the direction including the connecting body 25 is slightly smaller than the distance between the first window 11 and the second window 12 of the rear barrel 10. In this state, the knock operation portion 21 of the knock member 20 protrudes slightly from the first window 11 and is exposed through the first window 11. Therefore, the user can operate the knock operation portion 21. As shown in FIG. 17(a), in the side knock type writing instrument 1 in the non-writing state, the knock member 20 retreats together with the refill 4 due to the biasing force of the spring 5 via the refill 4. At this time, the rear end surface of the connecting body 25 of the knock member 20 abuts against the inner surface of the rear barrel 10 or the third tapered portion 25b of the connecting body 25 of the knock member 20 engages with the restricting inclined surface 14c of the rear barrel 10, thereby restricting the retreat of the knock member 20.

[0035] A knock operation for switching from the non-writing state to the writing state will be described with reference to Figs. 16(a), 17(a), 18, 1 and 3. From the non-writing state, a knock operation is performed to slide the knock operation unit 21 forward against the biasing force of the spring 5. When the knock operation unit 21 is slid forward, a radially inward force is also applied to the knock member 20 by being pushed in by the user's finger. The knock operation causes the first sliding body 23 and the second sliding body 24 of the knock member 20 to slide along the first guide rail 18 and the second guide rail 19 of the rear axle 10, respectively.

[0036] Specifically, the first guide projection 23a, the second guide projection 23c, and the first guide surface 23b of the support projection 23d of the first slide body 23 slide along the side surface of the pair of rail projections 13 on the first window hole 11 side. In other words, the first guide projection 23a and the second guide projection 23c of the first slide body 23 slide against the inner rail 14, and the support projection 23d slides against the outer rail 15. As described above, the partial cross-sectional perspective view of FIG. 18 shows a cut-out portion of the rail projection 13 together with the rear axle 10. Therefore, in reality, the first guide surface 23b of the knock member 20 abuts against the side surface of the rail projection 13.

[0037] When the knock member 20 is moved a predetermined distance, the first guide protrusion 23a and the second guide protrusion 23c of the first sliding body 23 fall off the inner rail 14, and the support protrusion 23d falls off the outer rail 15. As a result, as shown in Figures 16(b), 17(b) and 19, the knock member 20 moves toward the second window 12, the knock operation portion 21 is slightly inserted into the first window 11, and the release operation portion 22 protrudes slightly from the second window 12. The forward movement of the knock member 20 is restricted by the front end of the release operation portion 22 engaging with the front edge of the second window 12. At this time, the writing portion 4a of the refill 4 protrudes from the front end opening of the barrel 2.

[0038] When the user releases the force applied to the knock member 20 for the knock operation, the knock member 20 engages with the rear barrel 10 while moving slightly backward due to the biasing force of the spring 5 via the refill 4. That is, by the backward movement of the knock member 20, as shown in Fig. 19, the acute-angled second engagement portion 27 of the first sliding body 23 meshes with the acute-angled first engagement portion 16 of the rear barrel 10, and the support surface 23e of the support protrusion 23d of the first sliding body 23 is supported in the radial direction by the support portion 17 of the rear barrel 10. As a result, the side-knock type writing instrument 1 is in a writing state (Figs. 2 and 4).

[0039] The writing state is switched to the non-writing state by pressing the release operation part 22 radially inward. That is, when the release operation part 22 is pressed radially inward, an axial component force is generated by the mutually abutting inclined surfaces of the first engagement part 16 and the second engagement part 27, which are acute-angled with each other. The axial component force causes the knock member 20 to advance slightly and move toward the first window hole 11, and the engagement between the first engagement part 16 and the second engagement part 27 is released. When the engagement between the first engagement part 16 and the second engagement part 27 is released, the knock member 20 retreats due to the biasing force of the spring 5, and the writing part 4a of the refill 4 sinks into the front end opening of the barrel 2. In addition, when the knock member 20 retreats, the second guide surface 24b of the second sliding body 24 slides along the side surface of the pair of rail projections 13 on the second window hole 12 side. As a result, the release operation portion 22 is slightly recessed into the second window 12, and the knock operation portion 21 is slightly protruded from the first window 11, so that the side knock type writing instrument 1 is in a non-writing state (FIGS. 1 and 3).

[0040] When the side-knock type writing instrument 1 is in a non-writing state, the first window 11 and the second window 12 are viewed from the front as indicated by line of sight V1 in Fig. 16(a), and as also shown in Figs. 1 and 3, the first window 11 and the second window 12 are substantially covered from the inside by the knock member 20. Specifically, in the first window 11, the knock operation portion 21 and a portion of the first sliding body 23 in front of the knock operation portion 21 function as a cover portion to cover the first window 11. In the second window 12, the release operation portion 22 and a portion of the second sliding body 24 in front of the release operation portion 22 function as a cover portion to cover the second window 12.

[0041] On the other hand, when the side-knock type writing instrument 1 is in the writing state and the first window 11 and the second window 12 are viewed from the front as indicated by line of sight V2 in Fig. 16(b), the first window 11 and the second window 12 are substantially covered from the inside by the knock member 20 as also shown in Figs. 2 and 4. Specifically, in the first window 11, the knock operation portion 21 and a portion of the first sliding body 23 behind the knock operation portion 21 function as a cover portion and cover the inside of the first window 11. In the second window 12, the release operation portion 22 itself functions as a cover portion and covers the second window 12.

[0042] As described above, in the side knock type writing instrument 1, the knock member 20 has a cover portion that extends rearward beyond the knock operation portion 21 or the release operation portion 22, so that the first window hole 11 and the second window hole 12 are covered from the inside not only in the non-writing state but also in the writing state, preventing dust and the like from entering the inside of the barrel 2. As a result, the knock function arranged inside the barrel 2 is not impaired over time due to dust and the like. In addition, the aesthetic appearance is not impaired by dirt such as dust.

[0043] By the way, not only in the rear end knock type writing instrument, but also in the side knock type writing instrument, when the writing state is switched to the non-writing state, the knock member moves vigorously backward by the biasing force of the spring and collides with the inner surface of the rear shaft facing backward and stops. At this time, the inner surface of the rear shaft is usually formed as a surface perpendicular to the central axis, that is, a vertical surface. Therefore, the knock member directly receives an impact in the axial direction at the time of the collision. The impact caused by the collision of the knock member is also transmitted to the refill. When an impact is applied to the refill, especially when the refill contains low viscosity ink or shear thinning ink, the impact may cause the ink to retreat, and air may be mixed into the refill through the writing part. In this case, air bubbles may be generated in the ink, causing poor writing. Therefore, when the writing state is switched to the non-writing state, it is preferable that the impact received by the knock member and therefore the refill is small.

[0044] In the side-knock writing instrument 1, the knock member 20 moving backward is stopped by the sliding contact between the third tapered portion 25b provided at the rear end of the connecting body 25 and the restrictive inclined surface 14c provided at the rear end of the rear barrel 10, specifically, at the rear end of the rail projection 13. That is, the backward movement of the knock member 20 is gradually attenuated by the frictional resistance caused by the sliding contact between the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b and the inclined surface of the restrictive inclined surface 14c, and by the wedge-shaped clamping between the opposing inclined surfaces. Therefore, the impact on the knock member 20 and the refill 4 can be minimized. In particular, the area of ​​the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b and the inclined surface of the restrictive inclined surface 14c can be made wider by adjusting the inclination angle, thereby further reducing the impact. By reducing the impact, the impact sound when the knock member 20 stops can be reduced, and a silencing effect can be achieved.

[0045] In short, like the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b and the inclined surface of the restricting inclined surface 14c, an inclined surface may be provided on at least one of the outer surface of the knock member 20 or the rear barrel 10, i.e., the inner surface of the barrel 2, and a sliding contact portion that slides against the inclined surface may be provided on the other. The sliding contact portion may be configured arbitrarily as long as the outer surface of the knock member 20 and the inner surface of the barrel slide against each other as the knock member 20 retreats when switching from the writing state to the non-writing state. Therefore, although the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b, i.e., the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the restricting inclined surface 14c, was approximately the same, the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b may be made larger while the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the restricting inclined surface 14c may be made smaller. Also, the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the third tapered portion 25b may be made smaller while the inclination angle of the inclined surface of the restricting inclined surface 14c may be made larger. The rear end of connecting body 25 of knock member 20 may not be provided with third tapered portion 25b, but may have a right-angled rear end edge, and the rear end edge may be in sliding contact with restricting inclined surface 14c of rear axle 10. On the other hand, instead of restricting inclined surface 14c of rear axle 10, a protrusion protruding radially inward may be provided, and the protrusion may be in sliding contact with third tapered portion 25b of knock member 20.

[0046] Fig. 20 is a perspective view of rear barrel 110 of a side-knock writing instrument according to a second embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 21 is a vertical cross-sectional view of rear barrel 110 of Fig. 20, and Fig. 22 is a horizontal cross-sectional view of rear barrel 110 of Fig. 20. Fig. 22 is a horizontal cross-sectional view corresponding to Fig. 8.

[0047] Although the side knock type writing instrument according to the second embodiment is not shown in its entirety, it is similar to the side knock type writing instrument 1 of the first embodiment in that it has a barrel with a front barrel and a rear barrel 110 screwed onto the outer surface of the rear end of the front barrel, a refill 4 which is a writing body disposed in the barrel and has a writing part 4a at one end, a spring 5 which biases the refill 4 rearward, a knock member 120 disposed behind the refill 4, and a clip member 106 which is integrally provided on the side surface of the rear end of the rear barrel 110. In addition, as described later, it is similar to the side knock type writing instrument 1 of the first embodiment in that the knock member 120 is configured so that the first window hole 111 is covered from the inside when the first window hole 111 is viewed from the front in a writing state. Therefore, the side-knock writing instrument according to the second embodiment similarly achieves the above-mentioned effect of preventing dust and other contaminants from gradually accumulating at the rear end of the knock member or in the gap space through the window hole, thereby preventing the aesthetic appearance from being marred and the knock function from being impaired.

[0048] The side surface of the rear body 110 is provided with a first curved surface 110a and a second curved surface 110b in the shape of a concave curved surface. The first curved surface 110a and the second curved surface 110b are arranged to face each other. The first curved surface 110a is provided with a first window hole 111, and the second curved surface 110b is provided with a second window hole 112. The first window hole 111 and the second window hole 112 are rectangular with rounded corners, and the portions corresponding to the short sides are each formed in a semicircular shape. A clip member 106 is provided at a position shifted by approximately 90 degrees from the first window hole 111 and the second window hole 112 in the rotation direction around the central axis.

[0049] The inner surface of the rear barrel 110 is provided with a pair of rail projections 113, which are projections that extend forward from the rear end along the axial direction and project radially inward. Each of the pair of rail projections 113 is arranged to face each other. Also, each of the pair of rail projections 113 is arranged at a position shifted by 90 degrees in the rotation direction around the central axis from the first window hole 111 and the second window hole 112. That is, in the side knock type writing instrument 1 according to the above-mentioned first embodiment, each of the pair of rail projections 13 is arranged slightly shifted toward the first window hole 11 from a position shifted by 90 degrees in the rotation direction around the central axis from the first window hole 11 and the second window hole 12. On the other hand, in this embodiment, the pair of rail projections 113 are arranged at a position equidistant from the first window hole 111 and the second window hole 112.

[0050] Each of the pair of rail projections 113 has an inner rail 114 extending forward from the rear end of the rear axle 110, and an outer rail 115 extending forward from the front end of the inner rail 114. The inner rail 114 protrudes further from the inner surface of the rear axle 110 than the outer rail 115. The cross-sectional shape of each of the inner rail 114 and the outer rail 115, i.e., the cross-sectional shape perpendicular to the central axis of the rear axle 110, is rectangular. The inner rail 114 and the outer rail 115 are formed in a stepped shape along the axial direction.

[0051] A first engagement portion 116 is provided at the front end of the inner rail 114. The first engagement portion 116 is formed in a wedge shape inclined toward each other from each of the side surface of the inner rail 114 on the first window hole 111 side and the side surface of the second window hole 112 side. A support portion 117 is provided at the front end of the outer rail 115. The support portion 117 is formed in a wedge shape inclined toward each other from each of the side surface of the outer rail 115 on the first window hole 111 side and the side surface of the second window hole 112 side.

[0052] 22, the rear end of rear barrel 110 is partially formed to be thick, so that the inner surface of rear barrel 110 and a pair of rail projections 113 define rectangular first guide rail 118 and second guide rail 119 extending in the axial direction. First guide rail 118 and second guide rail 119 are formed as spaces having the same inner surface. In short, rear barrel 110 is formed symmetrically with respect to a plane passing through the central axis, unlike rear barrel 10 of side-knock type writing instrument 1 according to the first embodiment described above.

[0053] Fig. 23 is a perspective view of a knock member 120 of a side knock writing instrument according to the second embodiment. In Fig. 23, the knock member 120 is disposed in the barrel so that the lower side is the front side of the side knock writing instrument and the upper side is the rear side of the side knock writing instrument.

[0054] The knock member 120 has a first sliding body 123 and a second sliding body 124, which are substantially rectangular and plate-like and arranged substantially parallel to each other, and a substantially plate-like connecting body 125 that connects the first sliding body 123 and the second sliding body 124. The first sliding body 123 and the second sliding body 124 are arranged to face each other and have substantially the same length. The connecting body 125 has substantially the same length as the first sliding body 123 and the second sliding body 124, and is integrally molded so as to connect the first sliding body 123 and the second sliding body 124 perpendicularly. Therefore, the knock member 120 has a substantially H-shaped cross section.

[0055] A knock operation portion 121 is provided on the surface of the first sliding body 123. A release operation portion 122 is provided on the surface of the second sliding body 124. The outer surface of the first sliding body 123 and the outer surface of the second sliding body 124 are formed into a cylindrical surface shape. A first guide protrusion 123a protruding toward the second sliding body 124 is provided on the surface of the first sliding body 123 facing the second sliding body 124 in the central part in the longitudinal direction. The first guide protrusion 123a is provided across the width direction of the first sliding body 123 with the connecting body 125 in between. A flat first guide surface 123b is provided on the surface of the first guide protrusion 123a facing the second sliding body 124. A second engagement portion 127 is provided on the rear end portion of the first guide protrusion 123a. The second engagement portion 127 is formed at an acute angle with the first guide surface 123b and a rear end surface that is inclined forward from the rear end of the first guide surface 123b. The second engagement portion 127 has a slope with the same inclination as the slope of the first engagement portion 116 of the rear axle 110.

[0056] The first sliding body 123 has a pair of second guide projections 123c extending from the center in the longitudinal direction toward the front end and projecting outward in the width direction. The surface of the second guide projections 123c facing the second sliding body 124 constitutes a part of the first guide surface 23b described above. A support projection 123d projecting in the width direction of the first sliding body 123 is provided at the front end of each of the pair of second guide projections 123c. The surface of the support projection 123d facing the second sliding body 124 constitutes a part of the first guide surface 123b described above. A support surface 123e in the shape of a convex curve is provided at the side surface on the rear side of the support projection 123d. Each surface near the rear end of the first sliding body 123 is inclined at approximately the same angle, and a first tapered portion 123f that is tapered as a whole is provided.

[0057] The second sliding body 124 has a pair of third guide projections 124a extending in the longitudinal direction and projecting outward in the width direction. A flat second guide surface 124b is provided on the surface of the third guide projections 124a facing the first sliding body 123. Each surface in the vicinity of the rear end of the second sliding body 124 is inclined at approximately the same angle, and a second tapered portion 124c that is tapered as a whole is provided.

[0058] Fig. 24 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument according to the second embodiment in a non-writing state, and Fig. 25 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view of the rear end of the side knock writing instrument according to the second embodiment in a writing state. In the partial cross-sectional perspective views of Fig. 24 and Fig. 25, the rear end of the rear barrel 110 is shown cut out, including a part of the rail projection 113, as in Fig. 18 and Fig. 19.

[0059] As shown in Fig. 24 and Fig. 25, in the assembled side-knock type writing instrument, the knock member 120 is disposed in the rear barrel 110 such that the first sliding body 123 is disposed in the first guide rail 118 of the rear barrel 110 and the second sliding body 124 is disposed in the second guide rail 119 of the rear barrel 110. At this time, the connecting body 125 is disposed so as to be inserted between the pair of rail projections 113. The refill 4 biased rearward by the spring 5 abuts against the front end surfaces of the first sliding body 123, the second sliding body 124 and the connecting body 125 of the knock member 120. Therefore, the knock member 120 is biased rearward by the biasing force of the spring 5 via the refill 4.

[0060] Here, the distance between the pair of opposing inner rails 114 is set smaller than the width of the portion of the first guide projections 123a of the knock member 120, i.e., the width of the first sliding body 123. The distance between the pair of opposing outer rails 115 is set larger than the width of the portion of the pair of second guide projections 123c of the knock member 120 and smaller than the width of the portion of the pair of support projections 123d of the knock member 120. The width of the portion of the pair of support projections 123d of the knock member 120, i.e., the maximum width of the first sliding body 123, and the width of the portion of the pair of third guide projections 124a, i.e., the maximum width of the second sliding body 124, are set equal to each other, and further set slightly smaller than the width of the first guide rail 118 and the width of the second guide rail 119. As a result, the lateral or rotational movement of the knock member 120 during the forward and backward movement of the knock member 120 is restricted by the abutment between the support protrusion 123d and the inner surface of the first guide rail 118 and the abutment between the third guide protrusion 124a and the inner surface of the second guide rail 119. Therefore, the knock member 120 can be stably moved in the forward and backward directions during the knock operation. The length of the outer rail 115 is set to be approximately equal to the length of the second guide protrusion 123c.

[0061] 24 and 25, a knock operation for switching from the non-writing state to the writing state will be described. From the non-writing state, a knock operation is performed to slide the knock operation unit 121 forward against the biasing force of the spring 5. When the knock operation unit 121 is slid forward, a radially inward force is also applied to the knock member 120 by being pushed in by the user's finger. The knock operation causes the first sliding body 123 and the second sliding body 124 of the knock member 120 to slide along the first guide rail 118 and the second guide rail 119 of the rear axle 110, respectively.

[0062] Specifically, the first guide projection 123a, the second guide projection 123c, and the first guide surface 123b of the support projection 123d of the first slide body 123 slide along the side surface of the pair of rail projections 113 on the first window hole 111 side. In other words, the first guide projection 123a and the second guide projection 123c of the first slide body 123 slide against the inner rail 114, and the support projection 123d slides against the outer rail 115. As described above, the partial cross-sectional perspective views of Figures 24 and 25 show a part of the rail projection 113 cut out together with the rear axle 110. Therefore, in reality, the first guide surface 123b of the knock member 120 abuts against the side surface of the rail projection 113.

[0063] When the knock member 120 is moved a predetermined distance, the first guide projection 123a and the second guide projection 123c of the first sliding body 123 fall off the inner rail 114, and the support projection 123d falls off the outer rail 115. When the user releases the force applied to the knock member 120 for the knock operation, the knock member 120 engages with the rear barrel 110 while moving slightly backward by the biasing force of the spring 5 via the refill 4. That is, as shown in FIG. 25, by the backward movement of the knock member 120, the acute-angled second engagement portion 127 of the first sliding body 123 engages with the wedge-shaped first engagement portion 116 of the rear barrel 110, and the support surface 123e of the support projection 123d of the first sliding body 123 is supported in the radial direction by the support portion 117 of the rear barrel 110. As a result, the side knock type writing instrument is in a writing state.

[0064] The writing state is switched to the non-writing state by pressing the release operation portion 122 radially inward. That is, when the release operation portion 122 is pressed radially inward, an axial component force is generated by the inclined surfaces of the first engagement portion 116 and the second engagement portion 127 that abut against each other. The axial component force causes the knock member 120 to advance slightly and move toward the first window hole 111, and the engagement between the first engagement portion 116 and the second engagement portion 127 is released. When the engagement between the first engagement portion 116 and the second engagement portion 127 is released, the knock member 120 retreats due to the biasing force of the spring 5, and the writing portion 4a of the refill 4 sinks into the front end opening of the barrel. In addition, when the knock member 120 retreats, the second guide surface 124b of the second sliding body 124 slides along the side surface of the pair of rail projections 113 on the second window hole 112 side. As a result, the release operation portion 122 is slightly recessed into the second window 112, and the knock operation portion 121 is slightly protruded from the first window 111, so that the side knock type writing instrument is in a non-writing state.

[0065] When the side-knock type writing instrument is in a non-writing state, the first window 111 and the second window 112 are substantially covered from the inside by the knock member 120 when viewed from the front along line of sight V1 shown in Fig. 16(a). Specifically, in the first window 111, the knock operation portion 121 and a portion of the first sliding body 123 in front of the knock operation portion 121 function as a cover portion to cover the first window 111. In the second window 112, the release operation portion 122 and a portion of the second sliding body 124 in front of the release operation portion 122 function as a cover portion to cover the second window 112.

[0066] On the other hand, when the side-knock type writing instrument is in the writing state and the first window 111 and the second window 112 are viewed from the front along the line of sight V2 shown in Fig. 16(b), the first window 111 and the second window 112 are substantially covered from the inside by the knock member 120. Specifically, in the first window 111, the knock operation portion 121 and a portion of the first sliding body 123 behind the knock operation portion 121 function as a cover portion and cover the inside of the first window 111. In the second window 112, the release operation portion 122 itself functions as a cover portion and covers the second window 112.

[0067] As described above, in the side knock type writing instrument, the knock member 120 has a cover portion that extends rearward beyond the knock operation portion 121 or the release operation portion 122, so that the first window hole 111 and the second window hole 112 are covered from the inside not only in the non-writing state but also in the writing state, preventing dust and the like from entering the inside of the barrel. As a result, the knock function arranged inside the barrel is not impaired over time due to dust and the like. In addition, the aesthetic appearance is not impaired by dirt such as dust.

[0068] According to the side knock writing instrument of the second embodiment, the rear barrel 110 is formed symmetrically compared to the rear barrel 10 of the side knock writing instrument 1 of the first embodiment. Therefore, the insertion direction of the knock member 120 can be changed by 180 degrees around the central axis according to the user's preference. That is, the knock operation unit 121 can be arranged on the second window hole 112 side, rather than on the first window hole 111 side. This allows the knock operation unit 121 or the release operation unit 122 to be arranged on the clip member 106 so as to be easier to operate. In particular, the arrangement can be changed according to the user's nature, such as right-handedness or left-handedness.

[0069] In the two side-knock type writing instruments described above, the knock operation part and the release operation part were easily distinguishable by their shapes, but they may be distinguished by being different colors. In this case, the knock operation part and the release operation part may be made to have the same shape as a symmetrical design. In addition, the knock operation part and the release operation part may be made to have different colors by coloring or attaching a sticker, or the knock operation part and the release operation part may be made to have different colors by molding them by two-color molding.

[0070] In the two side knock type writing instruments described above, a first window hole and a second window hole are provided in the barrel, but the above-mentioned configuration may be applied to a side knock type writing instrument having a single window hole as shown in Patent Document 2, or may be applied to a multi-core side knock type writing instrument having three or more window holes. In short, the cover portion of the knock member may be configured in any manner as long as it has a portion that extends rearward beyond the window hole in the non-writing state and covers the window hole in the writing state.

[0071] In the above embodiment, the refill 4 is a ballpoint pen, but it may be other types of writing implements such as a marking pen, a touch pen, an eraser, etc. Also, a part or the whole of the rear end of the rear barrel may be an erasing part for erasing handwriting made by a side-knock type writing implement.

[0072] The refill 4 may be a ballpoint pen containing thermochromic ink. Here, the thermochromic ink refers to ink that has the property of maintaining a predetermined color (first color) at room temperature (e.g., 25°C), changing to another color (second color) when heated to a predetermined temperature (e.g., 60°C), and then returning to the original color (first color) when cooled to a predetermined temperature (e.g., -5°C). In a thermochromic writing instrument using thermochromic ink, the second color is made colorless, and the term "erasing" refers to heating a line drawn in the first color (e.g., red) to make it colorless. Therefore, the friction member, which is the erasing part, rubs against the writing surface on which the line was drawn to generate frictional heat, thereby changing the drawn line to colorless, that is, erasing it. It should be noted that the second color may be a color other than colorless. [Explanation of symbols]

[0073] 1. Side-knock writing implement 2 shaft cylinder 3 Front axle 4 Refills 5. Spring 10 rear axle 11 First window 12 Second window hole 13 Rail protrusion 14 Inner rail 15 Outer rail 16 First engagement portion 17 Support part 18 First guide rail 19 Second guide rail 20 Knock parts 21 Knock operation unit 22 Release operation section 23 First sliding body 24 Second sliding body 25 Connectors 26 Receptor 27 Second engagement portion

Claims

1. a barrel having a first window hole on a side surface; A writing body disposed within the barrel; a knock member provided behind the writing body and having a knock operation portion exposed through the first window; a spring that biases the knock member rearward via the writing body, A side-knock type writing instrument configured to be in a writing state by a knock operation of sliding the knock operation part forward and in a non-writing state by a release operation, 13. A side-knock type writing implement, wherein the knock member is configured so as to cover the first window from the inside when the first window is viewed from the front in a writing state.

2. A second window hole is provided in a side surface of the barrel so as to face the first window hole, and the knock member further includes a release operation portion that is exposed through the second window hole and is released by a release operation, 2. The side-knock type writing implement according to claim 1, wherein the knock member is configured so that the second window hole is covered from the inside when the second window hole is viewed from the front in a writing state.

3. 3. A side-knock type writing instrument according to claim 1 or 2, wherein an outer surface of the knock member and an inner surface of the barrel slide against each other as the knock member retracts when switching from a writing state to a non-writing state, and the sliding contact portion is a slope provided on the outer surface of the knock member or on the inner surface of the barrel.

Images