Applicator

Abstract

To provide an applicator that can be used more suitably over time.SOLUTION: In an applicator having a coating liquid storage section that stores the coating liquid, an applicator body for applying the coating liquid, and a pressurizing mechanism that pressurizes the coating liquid stored in the coating liquid storage section, the pressurizing mechanism has a first member and a second member, one of which functions as a cylinder and the other as a piston that moves within the cylinder, the space within the coating liquid storage section and a rear space that includes at least the space within the first member are connected to form a sealed space, and the coating liquid in the coating liquid storage section is pressurized by compressing the air within the sealed space, and a part of the first member comes into close contact with the coating liquid storage section to form a first sealing part that seals a gap between a part of the coating liquid storage section and a part of the first member, thereby forming the sealed space, and the first sealing part is formed forward of the center of the rear space in the front-to-rear direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 17

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an applicator having a pressure mechanism for applying pressure to an application liquid. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, ballpoint pens with small ball diameters have had problems such as a decrease in the amount of ink dispensed, resulting in lighter colored lines. Furthermore, it has been difficult for such small-diameter ballpoint pens to smoothly dispense highly viscous ink.

[0003] Here, Patent Document 1 discloses a writing implement provided with a pressure mechanism that applies pressure to ink in order to increase the density of handwriting. More specifically, Patent Document 1 discloses a writing instrument having a ballpoint pen refill, a piston, a cylinder, and a knock body, with the ballpoint pen refill attached to the piston via a ballpoint pen refill holding member. In this writing instrument, the cylinder is disposed so as to cover the piston, an air hole is formed in the rear end portion of the cylinder, and the outer wall surface of the piston and the inner wall surface of the cylinder are sealed by an O-ring so as to be slidable relative to each other.

[0004] This writing instrument has a space formed by connecting the internal space at the rear end of the ballpoint pen refill, the internal space of the piston, and the internal space of the cylinder. The front end of this space is blocked by the ink in the ballpoint pen refill, and the rear is open due to an air hole in the cylinder. This space is always formed, and the rear end of the ballpoint pen refill and the ballpoint pen refill holding member are always in contact with the cylinder (the stepped portion formed in the cylinder). A protruding portion is provided inside the knock body, and an elastic body is held in the protruding portion.

[0005] As described above, the pressure mechanism in this writing instrument can apply pressure to the ink in the ballpoint pen refill when the ballpoint pen tip is caused to protrude from inside the barrel. That is, by moving the knock body forward, the elastic body inside the knock body moves forward, blocking the air hole in the cylinder, thereby sealing the aforementioned space. In this state, the knock body and the cylinder move forward together, and the cylinder moves forward relative to the piston. As a result, the distance from the rear end of the piston to the cylinder inside the cylinder becomes shorter, compressing the space outside the piston and inside the cylinder, compressing the space. This compression of the space then applies pressure to the ink in the ballpoint pen refill. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0006] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6768708 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0007] However, in the conventional ballpoint pens described above, when an elastic body is attached inside the knock body, it is necessary to form a part to hold the elastic body inside the knock body, but this part ends up having a complex shape, making it difficult to ensure sufficient strength. That is, with the use of conventional ballpoint pens, the rear end of the cylinder is repeatedly and strongly pressed against the elastic body. However, as mentioned above, since the part of the knock body that holds the elastic body has a complex shape, it is difficult to ensure sufficient strength in this part, and with long-term use, problems arise such as the part that holds the elastic body being damaged or the elastic body being dislodged. In other words, conventional ballpoint pens have room for improvement in terms of longer and more stable use. In addition, in conventional ballpoint pens, in order to form a sealed space, the ballpoint pen refill is press-fitted into a ballpoint pen refill holding member, and the ballpoint pen refill holding member is press-fitted into the piston. That is, in this ballpoint pen, the ballpoint pen refill is firmly attached. As a result, when the ballpoint pen is used continuously, the ballpoint pen refill is difficult to remove, making it difficult to replace the ballpoint pen refill. In other words, there is room for improvement in conventional ballpoint pens from the perspective of making it easier to continue using them.

[0008] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an applicator that can be used more suitably over time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0009] One aspect of the present invention for solving the above-described problems is an applicator having a coating liquid storage section that stores a coating liquid, an applicator body for applying the coating liquid, and a pressurizing mechanism that pressurizes the coating liquid stored in the coating liquid storage section, wherein the pressurizing mechanism has a first member and a second member, one of which functions as a cylinder and the other functions as a piston that moves within the cylinder, a space within the coating liquid storage section and a rear space that includes at least the space within the first member are connected to form a sealed space, and the coating liquid in the coating liquid storage section is pressurized by compressing the air within the sealed space, and a part of the first member comes into close proximity to the coating liquid storage section to form a first sealing part that seals a gap between a part of the coating liquid storage section and a part of the first member, thereby forming the sealed space, and the first sealing part is formed forward of the center of the rear space in the front-to-rear direction.

[0010] According to this aspect, it is possible to pressurize the coating liquid without necessarily firmly fixing the coating liquid storage section, and it is not necessary to firmly hold the elastic body in the tail plug (crown), which prevents problems such as damage to the part of the tail plug that holds the elastic body or the elastic body coming off the tail plug.

[0011] Preferably, one of the first member or the coating liquid storage section has an elastic sealing member, and the first sealing section is a part of the other of the first member or the coating liquid storage section, and a part of the rear side of the coating liquid storage section or a part of the front side of the first member is in close contact with the sealing member to form the first sealing section.

[0012] According to this aspect, it is possible to apply pressure to the coating liquid using a simpler and less breakable structure.

[0013] Preferably, when the sealed space is formed, the second member moves in a direction relatively closer to the coating liquid storage section, compressing the air in the sealed space and creating a pressurized state, and from the pressurized state, the first member moves in a direction relatively away from the coating liquid storage section, creating a state in which the sealed space is not formed, and when the sealed space is not formed, the second member moves relatively in a direction away from the front end of the first member.

[0014] According to this aspect, when the pressurized state is released, the sealed space is opened to the outside, and then the second member moves relative to the first member. That is, when the pressurized state is released, compared to a structure in which the second member moves in the opposite direction to when the coating liquid is pressurized while the sealed space remains formed, it is possible to more reliably prevent the occurrence of problems (such as air flowing in from the tip of the applicator) caused by reduced pressure in the internal space of the coating liquid storage section.

[0015] Preferably, the device has an operating unit, and by operating the operating unit, the first member and the second member are each pressed from behind by the operating unit and move forward, and by applying force in a predetermined direction to the operating unit, the first member moves forward without the second member moving forward to form the sealed space, after which the first member and the second member move forward together, and further after that, the second member moves forward without the first member moving forward to achieve the pressurized state.

[0016] According to this aspect, the operation of shifting to the pressurized state is easy.

[0017] Preferably, the device has a barrel and is switchable between a protruding state in which at least a part of the applicator body protrudes outward from the barrel and a retracted state in which the applicator body retracts into the barrel, and when the first member moves forward while the sealed space is formed, the first member presses the application liquid storage section forward, causing the application liquid storage section and the applicator body to move forward and enter the protruding state, and in the protruding state, the second member moves forward and enters the pressurized state.

[0018] According to this aspect, unintentional leakage of the coating liquid into the barrel can be more reliably prevented compared to a structure in which the coating liquid is pressurized inside the barrel and then the applicator body is protruded. [Effects of the Invention]

[0019] The present invention provides an applicator that can be used more suitably over time. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0020] [Figure 1] 1 is a cross-sectional view showing an applicator according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view showing the applicator of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the barrel of FIG. 2. [Figure 4] FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the core member of FIG. 2. [Figure 5] 3A and 3B are diagrams showing the auxiliary member of FIG. 2, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a perspective view seen from a different direction from (a), and (c) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 6] 3A and 3B are perspective views showing the front member of FIG. 2, where (a) and (b) show the state as seen from different angles. [Figure 7] 7A and 7B are diagrams showing the front member of FIG. 6, in which (a) is a cross-sectional perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 8] 3A and 3B are perspective views showing the rear member of FIG. 2, where (a) and (b) show the state as seen from different angles. [Figure 9]9A and 9B are diagrams showing the rear member of FIG. 8, in which (a) is a cross-sectional perspective view and (b) is a cross-sectional view. [Figure 10] 3A to 3C are views showing the tail plug member of FIG. 2, in which (a) is a perspective view, (b) is a cross-sectional view, and (c) is a cross-sectional perspective view. [Figure 11] 11 is an explanatory diagram showing the state in which the tail plug side first cam portion and the tail plug side second cam portion of FIG. 10 are developed on a plane. FIG. [Figure 12] FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing an enlarged view of the rear part of the applicator of FIG. 1. [Figure 13] 2A and 2B are diagrams showing the applicator in a state not recommended for use in FIG. 1, in which (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 14] 13, which shows how the applicator is transitioned from the protruding state to the pressurized state, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the states of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 15] Following Figure 14, these figures show the state in which the applicator has been transitioned to the protruding state and before it is transitioned to the pressurized state, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 16] 15, which shows the state in which the applicator has been transitioned to a protruding state and a pressurized state, (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 17] 16, showing the state in which the applicator has been transitioned to the recommended use state, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 18] 17, which shows the applicator being moved to a retracted state and a non-pressurized state, (a) being a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) being an explanatory diagram showing a schematic diagram of the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 19]Following Figure 18, these figures show the state in which the applicator has been transitioned to a retracted state and is transitioning to a non-pressurized state, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state of the first cam portion and second cam portion of the applicator in (a). [Figure 20] 19, which are diagrams showing the state in which the applicator has been retracted and transitioned to a non-pressurized state, where (a) is a cross-sectional view of the applicator, and (b) is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the state of the first cam portion and the second cam portion of the applicator in (a). DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0021] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the following description, the relationship of "front and back" will be described with the pen tip side being the front side and the tail end side, which is the end opposite to the pen tip, being the rear side.

[0022] 1 and 2, the applicator 1 of this embodiment has a barrel 2, a core member 3, an auxiliary member 4, a pressure member 5, and a tail plug member 7 (operation portion). The applicator 1 of this embodiment also has a first biasing member 12, a second biasing member 13, and a third biasing member 14. Here, the first biasing member 12, the second biasing member 13, and the third biasing member 14 are all compression coil springs, which, when compressed, exert an elastic restoring force in the direction opposite to the compression direction. In this embodiment, the first biasing member 12, the second biasing member 13, and the third biasing member 14 have different sizes (spring diameters).

[0023] 3, barrel 2 is a member that is primarily held by the user when using applicator 1, and is capable of housing the main components of the applicator. Barrel 2 of this embodiment has barrel tip side portion 2a and barrel main body portion 2b, and is formed by detachably attaching barrel tip side portion 2a to the front side of barrel main body portion 2b.

[0024] The barrel 2 has a pen tip side opening 18 located on the front end side and a rear side opening 19 located on the opposite rear end side, and the internal space communicates with the outside via the pen tip side opening 18 and the rear side opening 19. The pen tip side opening 18 is an opening through which a part of the pen tip forming part 36 (details of which will be described later, see Figure 4 etc.) can appear and disappear. The barrel tip side portion 2a has a tapered portion at the front that gradually becomes thinner as it goes forward, and a screw thread is formed on the outer peripheral surface at the rear side. The barrel main body 2b has, from the front, a main body side engaging portion 23, a first member accommodating portion 24, and a second member accommodating portion 25, which are integrally formed.

[0025] The main body side engaging portion 23 is a portion in which the rear side portion of the barrel tip side portion 2a is housed, and has a screw thread formed on its inner circumferential surface. The first member accommodating portion 24 is a portion that accommodates most of the core member 3 and a portion of the front side of the auxiliary member 4 (see Figure 1, etc.), and is a portion whose inner hole (inner surface) has an approximately polygonal cross-sectional shape (approximately hexagonal in this embodiment) that extends in the front-to-rear direction. Second member accommodating section 25 accommodates the rear portion of auxiliary member 4, pressure member 5, a portion of the front side of tail plug member 7, etc. (see FIG. 1, etc.), and has a generally circular inner hole (inner peripheral surface) extending in the front-to-rear direction. Second member accommodating section 25 also has a thin-walled section 25a at its rear end where the thickness of the peripheral wall is thinner than the adjacent front portion. Here, a step is formed at the boundary between the first member accommodating portion 24 and the second member accommodating portion 25, and the inner circumferential surface of the first member accommodating portion 24 and the inner circumferential surface of the second member accommodating portion 25 of the shaft tube main body portion 2b are continuous via a vertical wall-shaped portion 28.

[0026] The barrel 2 (second member accommodating portion 25) of this embodiment is provided with a barrel-side first engaging portion 31 and a barrel-side second engaging portion 32 inside.

[0027] The tube-side first engagement portion 31 has a protrusion 31a and a groove 31b. The protrusion 31a protrudes inward from the inner peripheral surface of the second member accommodating portion 25 and is a protrusion portion that extends in an annular (ring-shaped) shape in the circumferential direction of the barrel 2, and has a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. That is, the protrusion 31a has an inclined surface portion on the rear side, and the inclined surface portion forms an inclined surface that slopes toward the central axis of the barrel 2 as it extends forward. The central axis of the barrel 2 is also the central axis of the applicator 1, and is an imaginary straight line passing through the center of the cross section of each part of the barrel 2 (applicator 1). In the following description, unless otherwise specified, the central axis of the applicator 1 will also be simply referred to as the central axis. Groove portion 31b is a groove portion formed between the upright wall portion 28 and the protrusion portion 31a, and is a groove that extends in an annular (circular) shape in the circumferential direction of the barrel 2, and is a groove that is recessed in a direction away from the central axis of the barrel 2.

[0028] The tube-side second engagement portion 32 has a protrusion 32a and a groove 32b. The protrusion 32a is formed on the thin-walled portion 25a, is larger than the protrusion 31a of the above-mentioned tube-side first engagement portion 31, and is a portion having substantially the same shape (substantially similar shape) as the protrusion 31a, and a detailed description thereof will be omitted. The groove 32b is a groove portion formed between the front portion of the protrusion 32a and the upright wall portion 21 formed at the boundary between the thin-walled portion 25a and the portion adjacent to the front side of the thin-walled portion 25a. This groove 32b is also a groove that extends annularly (annularly) in the circumferential direction of the barrel 2 and is a groove that is recessed in a direction away from the central axis of the barrel 2.

[0029] The barrel 2 of this embodiment is provided with an inside-outside communication hole 33 that connects the internal space of the barrel 2 with the outside. This inside-outside communication hole 33 is a sight glass-like hole formed on the outer circumferential surface (outer circumferential wall) of the barrel 2. The inside-outside communication hole 33 of this embodiment is formed in the rear part of the barrel main body portion 2b, and is a hole that connects the second member accommodating portion 25 with the outside. One or more internal / external communication holes 33 may be formed, and may be formed in the front part of the barrel body 2b to communicate the first member accommodating portion 24 with the outside.

[0030] As shown in Figure 4, the core member 3 is a rod-shaped member that has a pen tip forming portion 36 (applicator body) and an ink storage portion 37 (applicator liquid storage portion), which are integrally connected to form the core member 3.

[0031] The pen tip forming section is a section that can apply the supplied ink (application liquid) to an application target such as paper. The applicator 1 of this embodiment employs a ballpoint pen tip as the pen tip forming section . The ink reservoir 37 is a cylindrical member, and contains ink therein. The rear portion of the nib forming section 36 of the core member 3 is inserted through the front opening of the ink reservoir 37, and the nib forming section 36 is fixed to the ink reservoir 37. As a result, the nib forming section 36 is the portion to which the ink stored in the ink reservoir 37 is supplied. The ink reservoir 37 has a rear opening 37a which is an opening on the rear end side and connects the inside and outside. As described above, the core member 3 of this embodiment functions as a ballpoint pen refill.

[0032] In this embodiment, the ink reservoir 37 has a front portion that is thinner (has a smaller diameter) than a rear portion, and a step (reservoir-side step 40) is formed between the two. The ink reservoir 37 also has a locking protrusion 41 on a portion of its outer circumferential surface that is slightly forward of the rear end portion. The locking protrusion 41 is a protrusion that protrudes outward from the outer circumferential surface of the ink reservoir 37, extends in the circumferential direction of the ink reservoir 37 (in the circumferential direction of the central axis), and is continuous in an annular (circumferential ring) shape. In other words, the locking protrusion 41 is also a flange-like portion formed on the outer circumferential surface of the ink reservoir 37.

[0033] As shown in FIG. 5, the auxiliary member 4 is a member in which an auxiliary member front side portion 4a and an auxiliary member rear side portion 4b are integrally formed, and is a cylindrical member having a space inside. The auxiliary member front portion 4a has an outer shape that is generally polygonal and prism-shaped (in this embodiment, generally hexagonal and prism-shaped), and at least a part of the auxiliary member front portion 4a is a portion that can be inserted almost exactly into the above-described first member accommodating portion 24 (see FIG. 3). In other words, the auxiliary member front portion 4a and the first member accommodating portion 24 form a mating engagement portion. The auxiliary member rear portion 4b is a portion having a substantially cylindrical (approximately cylindrical) outer shape, and has an intermediate engagement portion 44 at its front portion.

[0034] The intermediate engagement portion 44 is an engagement portion that pairs with the above-mentioned tube-side first engagement portion 31 (see FIG. 3), and is a portion formed by removing a portion of the outer surface of the auxiliary member rear portion 4b. In detail, the intermediate engagement portion 44 has a protrusion 44a and a groove portion 44b adjacent to and rearward of the protrusion 44a. The protrusion 44a is a protrusion that extends annularly in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the barrel 2, and has a substantially trapezoidal cross-sectional shape. The protrusion 44a has an inclined surface portion at the front portion, and the inclined surface portion forms an inclined surface that inclines outward (in the direction away from the central axis) as it extends rearward. The rear end surface of the protrusion 44a forms part of the groove wall of the groove 44b, which is a groove extending in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the barrel 2. In other words, the groove 44b is formed to be thinner than the adjacent portions in the front and rear, and is a groove that is recessed in the direction approaching the central axis of the barrel 2.

[0035] The auxiliary member 4 has a front opening 46 and a rear opening 47 formed in the front end portion and the rear end portion, respectively, and the internal space of the auxiliary member 4 communicates with the outside via the front opening 46 and the rear opening 47. The front opening 46 is an opening portion having a substantially circular opening shape, and the rear opening 47 is an opening portion having a substantially polygonal (hexagonal) opening shape.

[0036] As shown in FIG. 5(c), the internal space of the auxiliary member 4 has, from the front side, a front space portion 50, a communication portion 51, and a rear space portion 52, which are communicated with each other to form a space. The front space 50 is a space that has a substantially circular cross section and extends in the front-rear direction. The communicating portion 51 is a space having a substantially circular cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. More specifically, a partition wall 53 having a thickness in the front-rear direction is formed between the front space 50 and the rear space 52, and the communicating portion 51 also serves as a through-hole that penetrates the partition wall 53. The communicating portion 51 is shorter in length in the direction of expansion of the cross section and in the front-rear direction than the front space 50 and the rear space 52. The rear space 52 is a space having a substantially polygonal (substantially hexagonal) cross section that extends in the front-rear direction.

[0037] The auxiliary member rear portion 4b has an engagement hole 54 that communicates the rear space 52 with the outside. In this embodiment, two engagement holes 54 are formed at positions 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the auxiliary member rear portion 4b (the central axis of the applicator 1) (see FIG. 5(b), etc.), and are spaced apart and facing each other. The engagement holes 54 are elongated holes extending in the front-rear direction.

[0038] The pressure member 5 is a member that constitutes the main part of the pressure mechanism, and as shown in Figures 1 and 2, has a front member 56 (pressure member front part, first member) and a rear member 57 (pressure member rear part, second member).

[0039] 6 and 7, the front member 56 is a cylindrical member that houses a part of the rear member 57 therein (see FIG. 1, etc.), thereby functioning as a cylinder member (details will be described later). The front member 56 has, in order from the front side, a first member front portion 56a, a first member middle portion 56b, and a first member rear portion 56c.

[0040] The first member front portion 56a has an outer shape that is generally polygonal and prism-shaped (in this embodiment, generally hexagonal and prism-shaped), and at least a part of the first member front portion 56a is a portion that can be inserted into the rear space portion 52 (see FIG. 5) described above. In other words, the first member front portion 56a and the rear space portion 52 form a mating engagement portion. The first member front portion 56a has on its outer circumferential surface an engaging protrusion 60. In detail, the applicator 1 of this embodiment has a total of two engaging protrusions 60 (one of which is not shown), one at each position 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction of the central axis. The engaging protrusion 60 is a protrusion having a generally trapezoidal columnar outer shape and has an inclined surface at the front portion. This inclined surface is inclined outward (away from the central axis) as it extends rearward. The engaging protrusion 60 is a protrusion that can be housed within the above-mentioned engaging hole 54 (see FIG. 5). In other words, the engaging hole 54 and the first member housing portion 24 form a pair of engaging portions.

[0041] The first member intermediate portion 56b has a generally cylindrical outer shape, and a flange portion 63 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear end portion. The flange portion 63 protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the first member intermediate portion 56b, and extends in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of the first member intermediate portion 56b (the central axis of the applicator 1) to form a continuous ring. The flange portion 63 is also the thickest portion (having the longest length in the direction of expansion of the cross section) of the first member front portion 56a.

[0042] The first member rear portion 56c is a generally cylindrical portion and has a front first cam portion 68. The front first cam portion 68 is a protruding portion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the first member rear portion 56c and extends rearward from the rear end surface of the flange portion 63. The front first cam portion 68 has two side surface portions 68a that are arranged at positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the first member rear portion 56c (the central axis of the applicator 1) that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and a rear curved surface portion 68b that extends so as to connect the rear end portions of the two side surface portions 68a.

[0043] Both of the two side portions 68a form surfaces that extend in the front-to-rear direction, with one side portion 68a being longer in the front-to-rear direction than the other side portion 68a, and the rear end portion of one side portion 68a being located further rearward than the rear end portion of the other side portion 68a. The rear curved surface portion 68b forms the rear end face of the front first cam portion 68, and forms a surface that extends while curving rearward in the circumferential direction of the first member rear side portion 56c (the central axis of the applicator 1). The front first cam portion 68 also has a first cam side corner portion 68c at the boundary between one side surface portion 68a and the rear curved surface portion 68b.

[0044] The front member 56 has a front opening 70 and a rear opening 71 formed in the front end portion and the rear end portion, respectively, and the internal space of the front member 56 communicates with the outside via the front opening 70 and the rear opening 71. Both the front opening 70 and the rear opening 71 are openings with a substantially circular opening shape.

[0045] As shown in Figure 7, the internal space of the front member 56 has, from the front side, a front space portion 75, a communication portion 76, an intermediate space portion 77, and a rear space portion 78, which are connected to each other to form a space.

[0046] The front space 75 is formed continuously from a front introduction section that narrows in diameter (the area of ​​the cross section in the direction of expansion becomes smaller) as it moves from the front to the rear, and a rear section that has an approximately circular cross section and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The communicating portion 76 is a space having a substantially circular cross section and extending in the front-rear direction. More specifically, a partition wall 80 having a thickness in the front-rear direction is formed between the front space 75 and the intermediate space 77, and the communicating portion 76 also serves as a through-hole that penetrates the partition wall 80. The communicating portion 76 is shorter in length in the direction of expansion of the cross section and in the front-rear direction than the front space 75 and the intermediate space 77. The intermediate space 77 is a space extending in the front-rear direction and is a hole shaped so that at least a part of the second member front portion 57a ​​(see FIG. 8), which will be described later, can be inserted into it. As described above, the intermediate space 77 forms an engaging portion that forms a pair with the second member front portion 57a. The rear space 78 is a space that has a substantially circular cross section and extends in the front-rear direction. A step is formed between the inner circumferential surface surrounding the intermediate space 77 and the inner circumferential surface surrounding the rear space 78 .

[0047] Here, the front member 56 has a first sealing member 83 (sealing member) attached thereto. The first sealing member 83 is an elastic body made of an elastic material such as rubber, and is a substantially disk-shaped member having a sealing-side communication hole 83a in the center. The first sealing member 83 is inserted into the rear part of the front space 75, and its outer peripheral surface (end face) is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface surrounding the front space 75. The sealing-side communicating hole 83a is a through-hole that penetrates the first sealing member 83 in the thickness direction (front-rear direction) and has a circular opening that extends in the front-rear direction. The sealing-side communicating hole 83a is a hole whose cross-sectional area is approximately the same as that of the communicating portion 76 described above, and the sealing-side communicating hole 83a and the communicating portion 76 are arranged side by side in the front-rear direction to form a continuous hole. At this time, the rear end surface of the first sealing member 83 is in close contact with the front surface of the partition wall portion 80.

[0048] 7, the first sealing member 83 is attached to the front side of the front member 56. Note that the "front side" here refers to the side forward of the center position in the front-to-rear direction, and refers to a range of 0.5×L1 from the front end, where L1 is the maximum length of the front member 56 in the front-to-rear direction. In this embodiment, the first sealing member 83 is attached to the front member 56 within a range of 0.3×L1 from the front end.

[0049] 8 and 9, the rear member 57 has a rod-like outer shape extending in the front-rear direction and has an internal space. The rear member 57 functions as a piston member by housing a front portion inside the front member 56 (see FIG. 1, etc.) and moving the front portion relative to the front member 56 (this will be described in detail later).

[0050] As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the rear member 57 has, in order from the front side, a second member front portion 57a, a second member intermediate portion 57b, and a second member rear portion 57c.

[0051] The second-member front portion 57a ​​has a generally polygonal outer shape (a generally hexagonal prism in this embodiment), and more specifically, has a plurality of faces (six faces) and corners located between two adjacent faces. One of the faces (six faces) has a rounded, convex shape that extends outward. In other words, the second-member front portion 57a ​​is a polygonal prism-shaped portion that is different from (similar to) the first-member front portion 56a (see FIG. 6) described above. This configuration has the advantage of making it less likely for an error to occur during assembly. The intermediate space 77 (see FIG. 7) is a hole that can accommodate at least a portion of the second-member front portion 57a. That is, the inner peripheral surface surrounding the intermediate space 77 is configured by six faces and corners located between two adjacent faces (not shown in detail), one of which is a curved surface that is recessed outward (away from the central axis) (not shown in detail).

[0052] The second member intermediate portion 57b is a portion having a generally cylindrical outer shape, with a sealant attachment groove 85 provided in the front portion and a flange portion 86 formed on the outer peripheral surface of the rear portion. The sealant attachment groove 85 is a groove recessed inward from the outer circumferential surface of the second member intermediate portion 57b, and extends in the circumferential direction of the outer circumferential surface (the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1) to form a continuous ring. The flange portion 86 is formed at a position adjacent to the rear end portion of the first member intermediate portion 56b, and is a portion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the first member intermediate portion 56b, extending continuously in a ring shape in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface (in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1). The flange portion 86 is also the thickest portion (having the longest length in the direction of expansion of the cross section) of the first member front portion 56a.

[0053] Here, the rear member 57 has a second sealing member 88 attached thereto. The second sealing member 88 is an elastic body made of an elastic material such as rubber, and is a torus-shaped member having a circular cross section that continues in an annular shape. The inner portion of the second sealing member 88 is press-fitted (housed) in the sealant mounting groove 85, and the outer portion protrudes outward from the opening of the sealant mounting groove 85. In other words, the outermost portion of the second sealing member 88 is located outside the outer circumferential surface of the second member intermediate portion 57b.

[0054] The second member rear portion 57c is a generally cylindrical portion and has a rear second cam portion 91. The rear second cam portion 91 is a protruding portion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of the second member rear portion 57c and extends rearward from the rear end surface of the flange portion 86. The rear second cam portion 91 has two side surface portions 91a that are arranged at positions spaced apart in the circumferential direction of the second member rear portion 57c (the central axis of the applicator 1) that extends in the front-to-rear direction, and a rear curved surface portion 91b that extends so as to connect the rear end portions of the two side surface portions 91a.

[0055] Both of the two side portions 91a form surfaces that extend in the front-to-rear direction, with one side portion 91a being longer in the front-to-rear direction than the other side portion 91a, and the rear end portion of one side portion 91a being located further rearward than the rear end portion of the other side portion 91a. The rear curved surface portion 91b forms the rear end face of the rear second cam portion 91, and forms a surface that extends while curving rearward in the circumferential direction of the second member rear side portion 57c (the central axis of the applicator 1). The rear second cam portion 91 also has a second cam side corner portion 91c at the boundary between one side surface portion 91a and the rear curved surface portion 91b.

[0056] The rear member 57 has a front opening 94 and a rear opening 95 formed in the front end portion and the rear end portion, respectively. The front opening 94 and the rear opening 95 are both openings with a substantially circular opening shape.

[0057] 9, the rear member 57 has, as internal spaces, a front space 98 that communicates with the outside via a front opening 94, and a rear space 99 that communicates with the outside via a rear opening 95. A partition wall 100 that has a thickness in the front-to-rear direction is formed between the front space 98 and the rear space 99, and the front space 98 and the rear space 99 are separated from each other by the partition wall 100 inside the rear member 57.

[0058] That is, the front space 98 is a bottomed hole-like space that opens to the front opening 94, and is a space that has a substantially circular cross section and extends in the front-to-rear direction. The rear space 99 is a space whose diameter (cross-sectional area) increases stepwise toward the rear.

[0059] As shown in FIG. 10, the tail plug member 7 is a substantially cylindrical member with a bottom. More specifically, the tail plug member 7 has at its front end a tail plug first cam portion 110. The tail plug first cam portion 110 is a peripheral wall portion located at the front of the tail plug member 7, and is shaped as if a substantially cylindrical portion had been cut off at an angle. It extends circumferentially around the central axis of the applicator 1 and forms a continuous ring. For this reason, the front surface of the tail plug side first cam portion 110 has a front position portion 110a, a rear position portion 110b, a first inclined surface forming portion 110c, and a second inclined surface forming portion 110d. Note that this tail plug side first cam portion 110 (the front surface of the tail plug side first cam portion 110) is a cam that pairs with (meshes with) the front side first cam portion 68 (see Figure 6) of the front side member 56 described above. Note that the interlocking of these cams will be described in detail later.

[0060] The front position portion 110a is a portion that becomes the front end surface of the tail plug side first cam portion 110 (tail plug member 7). The rear position portion 110b is located rearward of the front position portion 110a. Furthermore, in a side view, the front position portion 110a and the rear position portion 110b are disposed at positions separated in a direction perpendicular to the central axis of the applicator 1 (the up-down direction in FIG. 10(b)), and both are on a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. Note that the "surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction" here refers to a surface on which the positions of each portion in the front-to-rear direction are the same (or approximately the same). In other words, the front position portion 110a and the rear position portion 110b are disposed at positions approximately 180 degrees apart in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1, and extend while curving in the circumferential direction of the central axis so that the positions of each portion in the front-to-rear direction are the same. The first inclined surface forming portion 110c and the second inclined surface forming portion 110d form an inclined surface located between the front position portion 110a and the rear position portion 110b. In detail, the first inclined surface forming portion 110c is a surface that extends while curving forward as it approaches one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis, and the second inclined surface forming portion 110d is a surface that extends while curving backward as it approaches one side in the same circumferential direction.

[0061] The tail plug member 7 has a tail plug side engaging portion 113 and a flange portion 114 on the rear side of the tail plug side first cam portion 110.

[0062] The tail plug side engaging portion 113 has a protrusion 113a and a groove 113b adjacent to the rear of the protrusion 113a. Protrusion 113a protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of tail plug member 7 and extends in an annular (circular) shape in the circumferential direction of the central axis of applicator 1, with a cross-sectional shape that is approximately trapezoidal. That is, protrusion 113a has an inclined surface portion at the front portion, and the inclined surface portion forms an inclined surface that slopes outward (away from the central axis of applicator 1) as it extends rearward. Groove portion 113b is a groove portion formed between the rear end surface of protrusion portion 113a and the front surface of another protrusion portion located in front of flange portion 114. Groove portion 113b is also a groove that extends in an annular (circular ring) shape in the circumferential direction of the central axis of applicator 1. Flange portion 114 is a portion that protrudes outward from the outer peripheral surface of tail plug member 7, and extends continuously in an annular shape in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface of tail plug member 7 (the central axis of applicator 1). Flange portion 114 is also the thickest portion of tail plug member 7 (having the longest length in the direction of expansion of the cross section).

[0063] The tail plug member 7 has an internal space that is open at the front and extends in the front-rear direction, and a tail plug side second cam portion 117 is provided inside the tail plug member 7.

[0064] The tail plug side second cam portion 117 is a protruding portion that protrudes inward from the inner circumferential surface of the tail plug member 7 and continues in an annular (circular ring) shape. 11, this tail plug-side second cam portion 117 has a front portion (front surface portion) that is continuously configured with a rear position portion 117a, a first inclined surface forming portion 117b, a first connecting wall portion 117c, a second inclined surface forming portion 117d, a third inclined surface forming portion 117e, an intermediate position portion 117f, and a second connecting wall portion 117g. This front surface portion is formed so that the rear position portion 117a, the first inclined surface forming portion 117b, ..., and the second connecting wall portion 117g are aligned in this order toward one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1 (toward the left in FIG. 11). This tail plug side second cam portion 117 (the front portion of the tail plug side second cam portion 117) becomes a cam that pairs with (meshes with) the rear side second cam portion 91 (see FIG. 8) of the rear side member 57. The interlocking of these cams will be described in detail later.

[0065] The rear position portion 117a and a portion of the first inclined surface forming portion 117b are located rearward of the first inclined surface forming portion 110c. Another portion of the first inclined surface forming portion 117b, the first connecting wall portion 117c, and the second inclined surface forming portion 117d are located rearward of the front position portion 110a. The third inclined surface forming portion 117e and a portion of the intermediate position portion 117f are located rearward of the second inclined surface forming portion 110d. Another portion of the intermediate position portion 117f is located rearward of the rear position portion 110b.

[0066] The rear position portion 117a is the surface located at the rearmost side of the front surface of the tail plug-side second cam portion 117, and forms a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction. Note that the "surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction" here refers to a surface on which the positions of each part in the front-rear direction are the same (or approximately the same). In other words, the rear position portion 117a extends while curving in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1 so that the positions of each part in the front-rear direction are the same. The first inclined surface forming portion 117b and the second inclined surface forming portion 117d become surfaces that extend while curving forward (not curved in Figure 11) as they move toward one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1 (the left side in the left-right direction in Figure 11). Here, the front end portion of first inclined surface forming portion 117b is located forward of the rear end portion of second inclined surface forming portion 117d. The first connecting wall portion 117c is continuous with both first inclined surface forming portion 117b and second inclined surface forming portion 117d, and is a surface connecting these and is a surface parallel to the front-rear direction. The third inclined surface forming portion 117e is a surface that extends while curving rearward (it is not curved in FIG. 11, see FIG. 10) as it approaches one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1. The intermediate position portion 117f is a surface that is located forward of the rear position portion 117a and forms a surface that is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction. Note that the "surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction" here refers to a surface on which the positions of each portion in the front-to-rear direction are the same (or approximately the same). In other words, the intermediate position portion 117f extends while curving in the circumferential direction of the central axis of the applicator 1 so that the positions of each portion in the front-to-rear direction are the same. The second connecting wall portion 117g is continuous with both the intermediate position portion 117f and the rear position portion 117a, and is a surface that connects them and is parallel to the front-rear direction. That is, a step is formed between the intermediate position portion 117f and the rear position portion 117a. For the above reasons, the front surface of the tail plug side second cam portion 117 has a locking recess 119 located near the front end. The locking recess 119 is formed between the first connecting wall portion 117c and the second inclined surface forming portion 117d, and is a recess that is recessed toward the rear.

[0067] Next, the connecting structure of each member in the applicator 1 of this embodiment will be described. As described above, the applicator 1 of this embodiment is a pressurized applicator that has the pressurizing member 5 and is capable of pressurizing the application liquid in the core member 3. Furthermore, the applicator 1 of this embodiment is also a retractable applicator that can be switched between a retracted state (see FIG. 1, etc.) in which the tip of the pen tip forming portion 36 is located inside the barrel 2, and a protruding state (see FIG. 15, etc.) in which the tip is located outside the barrel 2. In the following description of the connecting structure, the retracted state will be used as the reference state unless otherwise specified.

[0068] As shown in Figure 1, in the applicator 1 of this embodiment, the rear end portion of the first urging member 12 housed in the barrel 2 abuts from the front against the housing-side step portion 40 of the core member 3, and the core member 3 is constantly pressed backward by the first urging member 12. 12, the rear portion of the core member 3 is inserted into the auxiliary member 4 through the front opening 46 of the auxiliary member 4. At this time, the locking protrusion 41 of the core member 3 abuts against the partition wall 53 from the front, restricting further rearward movement of the core member 3.

[0069] That is, a part of the rear portion of the core member 3 is disposed within the communicating portion 51 of the auxiliary member 4, and another part is disposed within the rear space 52 of the auxiliary member 4. Furthermore, the rear end portion of the core member 3 and its surrounding area are inserted into the front space 75 of the front member 56 through the front opening 70 of the front member 56, and are disposed within the front space 75. The rear end portion (rear end surface and rear opening 37a) of the core member 3 is disposed at a position spaced forward from the first sealing member 83, and a gap 123 is formed therebetween. The gap 123 is part of the front space 75. In other words, the internal space of the core member 3 (ink storage section 37) is a space that is open to the outside (internal space of the barrel 2) via the front space 75 and the internal space of the auxiliary member 4. In this embodiment, as described above, the barrel 2 has the inside-outside communication hole 33 (see FIG. 3). Therefore, in the applicator 1 of this embodiment, an air circulation path is formed that leads from the internal space of the core member 3 to the outside of the barrel 2.

[0070] The auxiliary member 4 is attached to the barrel 2 with the auxiliary member front portion 4a inserted into and engaged with the first member accommodating portion 24 of the barrel 2, and with the intermediate engaging portion 44 of the auxiliary member 4 engaged with the barrel-side first engaging portion 31. In detail, the protrusion 44a of the intermediate engaging portion 44 is accommodated in the groove 31b of the barrel-side first engaging portion 31, and the protrusion 31a of the barrel-side first engaging portion 31 is accommodated in the groove 44b of the intermediate engaging portion 44. As a result, the auxiliary member 4 is attached to the shaft tube 2 in a state where it does not rotate relative to the shaft tube 2 in the circumferential direction of the central axis (relative rotation is restricted), and does not move relative to the shaft tube 2 in the forward / backward direction (relative movement is restricted).

[0071] The front member 56 is disposed in the barrel 2 with the front portion of the first member front portion 56a inserted from the rear into the rear space 52 of the auxiliary member 4 and these engaged with each other. At this time, the two engaging protrusions 60 (see Figure 6, one not shown) on the front side portion 56a of the first member are inserted separately into the two engaging holes 54 (see Figure 5(b)) of the auxiliary member 4 (detailed illustration omitted). From the above, the front member 56 is arranged within the barrel 2 in a state where it does not rotate relative to the auxiliary member 4 and the barrel 2 in the circumferential direction of the central axis (a state in which relative rotation is restricted), and is capable of moving relatively in the front-to-rear direction, and is connected to the auxiliary member 4.

[0072] In the applicator 1 of this embodiment, the second urging member 13 is disposed between the rear end surface of the auxiliary member 4 and the flange portion 63 of the front member 56, and the rear end portion of the second urging member 13 abuts against the flange portion 63 from the front. As a result, the front member 56 is constantly pressed rearward by the second urging member 13.

[0073] The rear member 57 is disposed in the barrel 2 with its front portion (first member front portion 56a and part of the first member intermediate portion 56b) inserted into the front member 56 from the rear, and its rear portion (another part of the first member intermediate portion 56b and the first member rear portion 56c) inserted into the tail plug member 7 from the front. At this time, the rear member 57 is connected to the front member 56 with part of the second member front portion 57a ​​inserted almost exactly into the intermediate space 77 of the front member 56, and the intermediate space 77 and the second member front portion 57a ​​engaged with each other. As a result, the front member 56 and the rear member 57 are in a state where they do not rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the central axis (a state where relative rotation is restricted), but are in a state where they can move relative to each other in the front-to-rear direction. Here, as described above, the front member 56 is connected to the auxiliary member 4 in a state where they do not rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the central axis with respect to the auxiliary member 4 and the barrel 2. Therefore, the rear member 57 is also in a state where they do not rotate relative to each other in the circumferential direction of the central axis (a state where relative rotation is restricted).

[0074] Furthermore, in the applicator 1 of this embodiment, a third biasing member 14 is disposed inside the front member 56. The front end portion of the third biasing member 14 abuts against the partition wall portion 80 of the front member 56 from behind, the rear portion is inserted into the front space portion 98 of the rear member 57 from the front, and the rear end portion abuts against the partition wall portion 100 of the rear member 57 from the front. As described above, the front member 56 and the rear member 57 are biased in directions that move them away from each other in the front-to-rear direction. Furthermore, the front space portion 98 (the recessed portion in front of the rear member 57) functions as a movement restriction means that prevents the third biasing member 14 from shifting position.

[0075] In the applicator 1 of this embodiment, the second sealing member 88 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the first member rear portion 56c (the inner peripheral surface surrounding the rear space 78), and a sealing portion (hereinafter referred to as the second sealing portion 125) is formed to airtightly seal the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the rear member 57 and the inner peripheral surface of the first member rear portion 56c. The second sealing portion 125 is a sealing portion that is always formed.

[0076] As described above, in the applicator 1 of this embodiment, both the front member 56 and the rear member 57 are movable in the front-rear direction relative to the barrel 2, and the rear member 57 is movable in the front-rear direction relative to the front member 56. When the rear member 57 moves in the front-rear direction relative to the front member 56, the second sealing member 88 moves relative to the inner circumferential surface of the first member rear portion 56c while maintaining close contact with the inner circumferential surface of the first member rear portion 56c. In other words, the second sealing member 88 is slidable relative to the inner circumferential surface of the first member rear portion 56c, and as the second sealing member 88 slides, the portion of the inner circumferential surface of the first member rear portion 56c that comes into contact with the second sealing member 88 changes. From the above, the second sealing portion 125 is also a sealing portion formed so that its relative position with respect to the barrel 2 can be changed.

[0077] The applicator 1 of this embodiment also has a rear connecting space 128 (rear space) formed by including the interior of the seal-side communicating hole 83a, the communicating portion 76, part of the intermediate space 77 of the front member 56, and the front space 98 of the rear member 57. The front side of the rear connecting space 128 is in communication with the outside via the front opening of the seal-side communicating hole 83a, and the rear portion (in this embodiment, the rear end portion) is airtightly sealed by the second sealing portion 125. The front opening of the seal-side communicating hole 83a forms the front end portion of this rear connecting space 128, and the second sealing portion 125 (the contact portion between the second sealing member 88 and the inner circumferential surface of the first member rear portion 56c) forms the rear end portion.

[0078] The tail plug member 7 is attached to the barrel 2 with its front portion inserted into the barrel 2 through the rear opening 19 of the barrel 2 and with the tail plug side engaging portion 113 engaged with the barrel side second engaging portion 32 of the barrel 2. In detail, the protrusion 113a of the tail plug side engaging portion 113 is housed in the groove 32b of the barrel side second engaging portion 32, and the protrusion 32a of the barrel side second engaging portion 32 is housed in the groove 113b of the tail plug side engaging portion 113. As a result, the tail plug member 7 is attached to the barrel 2 in a state where it can rotate relative to the barrel 2 in the circumferential direction of the central axis, but does not move relative to the barrel 2 in the front-rear direction (a state where relative movement is restricted).

[0079] At this time, the front surface of the tail plug side first cam portion 110 (see Figures 10(a), 11, etc.) of the tail plug member 7 is in contact with the front side first cam portion 68 (see Figure 6) of the front side member 56 from behind. Also, the front portion of the tail plug side second cam portion 117 (see Figures 10(b), 10(c), 11, etc.) of the tail plug member 7 is in contact with the rear side second cam portion 91 (see Figure 8) of the rear side member 57 from behind. That is, the applicator 1 of this embodiment has a first cam portion constituted by the tail plug side first cam portion 110 and the front side first cam portion 68, and a second cam portion constituted by the tail plug side second cam portion 117 and the rear side second cam portion 91.

[0080] Next, the procedure for transitioning the applicator 1 of this embodiment from the non-recommended state (the state shown in FIG. 13) to the recommended state (the state shown in FIG. 17) and the operation of each part at that time will be described. The non-recommended state is a retracted state in which the pen tip forming part 36 is retracted, and is a non-pressurized state in which the application liquid is not pressurized. The recommended state is a protruding state in which the pen tip forming part 36 protrudes from the barrel 2, and is a pressurized state in which the application liquid is pressurized.

[0081] When the applicator 1 of this embodiment is shifted to the protruding state, the tail plug member 7 is rotated relative to the barrel 2 by rotating the tail plug member 7 to one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis (for example, clockwise when viewed from the rear), etc. This causes the front member 56 to move forward, as shown in Figures 13 and 14 . More specifically, in the applicator 1 of this embodiment, when the tail plug member 7 is rotated to one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis, the tail plug first cam portion 110 rotates in the same direction with the rear curved surface portion 68b and the first inclined surface forming portion 110c in surface contact. As a result, the portion of the first inclined surface forming portion 110c that contacts the front first cam portion 68 (rear curved surface portion 68b) changes, and the rotational motion of the tail plug member 7 (tail plug first cam portion 110) is converted into motion in the front-to-rear direction, applying a forward force to the front first cam portion 68. This causes the front member 56 to move forward. At this time, the front member 56 moves forward, while the rear member 57 does not move forward. That is, as the tail plug member 7 rotates, the tail plug-side second cam portion 117 also rotates in the same direction, and the portion of the rear position portion 117a that contacts the rear second cam portion 91 (second cam-side corner portion 91c) changes. However, as described above, since the rear position portion 117a is a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction, the position of the rear member 57 in the front-rear direction is maintained. That is, while the front member 56 moves forward, the core member 3 and the rear member 57 do not move in the front-rear direction, and their positions do not change (their relative positions with respect to the barrel 2 are maintained).

[0082] When the front member 56 moves forward, the first sealing member 83 comes into contact with the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37 from behind. As the front member 56 continues to move forward, the first sealing member 83 also moves forward, and the first sealing member 83 is pressed firmly against the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37 from behind (pressing the rear end portion from behind). This brings the first sealing member 83 and the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37 into tight contact with each other. This eliminates the gap 123, eliminating the air flow path from the front space 75, where the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37 is located, to the internal space of the ink reservoir 37. In other words, a sealing portion (hereinafter referred to as a first sealing portion 130, see FIG. 14 ) is formed to airtightly seal the gap adjacent to the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37. At this time, the first sealing member 83 constituting the first sealing portion 130 airtightly seals the gap between the core member 3 and the partition wall portion 80, and is a member interposed between the internal space of the ink storage portion 37 and the communication portion 76 and the space behind it, airtightly communicating (connecting) them.

[0083] In the applicator 1 of this embodiment, a sealed space 131 is formed by forming the first sealing portion 130. This sealed space 131 is a space formed integrally by airtightly communicating the internal space of the ink storage portion 37 and the rear connecting space 128 described above. Here, the first sealing portion 130 in this embodiment is formed forward of the center in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 that constitutes part of the sealed space 131. More specifically, the applicator 1 is structured so that the first sealing portion 130 is formed within a range of 0.5×L2 from the front end of the rear connecting space 128, where L2 is the maximum length in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 when the sealed space 131 is formed (before air is pressurized). It is more preferable to structure the first sealing portion 130 within a range of 0.3×L2, and in this embodiment, the first sealing portion 130 is formed at a position adjacent to the front end of the rear connecting space 128.

[0084] Furthermore, when the tail plug member 7 is rotated in the same direction (relatively rotated in the same direction), the front member 56 and the rear member 57 move forward together, and the core member 3, which is pressed forward by the front member 56, also moves forward, as shown in Figures 14 and 15. That is, the core member 3, the front member 56, and the rear member 57 all move forward, and their respective positions are changed (their relative positions with respect to the barrel 2 are changed). At this time, the formed sealed space 131 also moves forward (moves relative to the barrel 2) while maintaining its size (volume).

[0085] Then, as the core member 3 moves forward (moves relative to the barrel 2), the core member 3 (pen tip forming portion 36) transitions from a state in which it is disposed in a retracted position at the rear to a state in which it is disposed in a protruding position at the front. As a result, a part (tip portion) of the pen tip forming portion 36 of the applicator 1 protrudes to the outside from the pen tip-side opening 18, and the applicator 1 transitions from a retracted state to a protruding state (see Figure 15).

[0086] Furthermore, when the tail plug member 7 is rotated in the same direction (relatively rotated in the same direction), the rear member 57 moves forward as shown in Figures 15 and 16. Note that while the rear member 57 moves forward, the core member 3 and the front member 56 do not move in the front-to-rear direction, and their positions are not changed. More specifically, as described above, as the tail plug member 7 rotates, the tail plug-side first cam portion 110 and the tail plug-side second cam portion 117 both rotate in the same direction. As the tail plug-side second cam portion 117 rotates, the portion of the first inclined surface forming portion 117b that comes into contact with the rear-side second cam portion 91 changes, pressing the rear-side second cam portion 91 forward and moving the rear member 57 forward. Meanwhile, as the tail plug-side first cam portion 110 rotates, the portion of the front position portion 110a that comes into contact with the front-side first cam portion 68 changes. However, as described above, because the front position portion 110a is a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, the position of the front member 56 in the front-to-rear direction is maintained. As a result, the rear member 57 moves relative to the front member 56 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0087] In this way, when the front portion of the rear member 57 moves forward inside the front member 56, the volume of the sealed space 131 (the volume inside the sealed space 131) decreases, and a certain mass of air trapped in the sealed space 131 is compressed, increasing the pressure. As a result, the ink in the ink storage section 37 of the applicator 1 is pressurized, and the applicator 1 transitions from a non-pressurized state to a pressurized state. 16, by transitioning from the non-pressurized state to the pressurized state, the maximum length L2 in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 becomes shorter than when the sealed space 131 is formed (see FIG. 13). However, even in the pressurized state, the first sealing portion 130 remains formed forward of the center of the rear connecting space 128 in the front-to-rear direction.

[0088] When the tail plug member 7 is further rotated in the same direction, as shown in Figure 17(b), the rear end portion (the lower end portion in Figure 17(b)) of the rear second cam portion 91 fits into the locking recess 119. In other words, the core member 3 and the front member 56 do not move in the front-rear direction, and their positions remain unchanged, while the rear member 57 moves slightly rearward. This causes the applicator 1 to transition to the recommended usage state. Here, in the recommended use state, the relative position of the rear member 57 with respect to the front member 56 is further forward than in the non-pressurized state (the state before ink is pressurized). That is, in the recommended use state, the front end of the rear member 57 is located closer to the front end of the front member 56 than in the non-pressurized state. As a result of the above, the volume of the sealed space 131 increases as the rear member 57 moves slightly rearward, but remains smaller than the volume in the non-pressurized state. In other words, although the pressure decreases slightly, the pressurized state in which the application liquid is pressurized is maintained. It should be noted that the maximum length L2 in the front-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 also increases slightly.

[0089] When the applicator 1 of the present embodiment transitions to the recommended use state, rotation of the tail plug member 7 in the reverse direction (for example, counterclockwise when viewed from the rear) is restricted. That is, when an attempt is made to rotate the tail plug member 7 in the reverse direction, the first connecting wall portion 117c abuts against the side surface portion 91a of the rear second cam portion 91, thereby preventing the tail plug member 7 from rotating in the reverse direction.

[0090] The applicator 1 of this embodiment is designed to be used for writing (applying the application liquid) in a recommended usage state in which reverse rotation of the tail plug member 7 is restricted. In other words, by using the applicator 1 of this embodiment in a state in which it has transitioned to the recommended usage state, unintended movement (retraction) of the core member 3 due to writing pressure or the like during use can be prevented.

[0091] Next, the procedure for transitioning from a recommended state to a non-recommended state and the operation of each part at that time will be described.

[0092] When transitioning the applicator 1 of this embodiment to the non-recommended state, the tail plug member 7 is rotated to one side in the circumferential direction of the central axis. At this time, the direction in which the tail plug member 7 is rotated is the same as the direction in which the applicator 1 is transitioned to the recommended state (for example, clockwise when viewed from behind). 17 and 18, the rear second cam portion 91 moves forward from a state in which it is fitted into the locking recess 119, and becomes a state in which it is disposed outside the locking recess 119. At this time, while the rear member 57 moves forward, the core member 3 and the front member 56 do not move in the front-to-rear direction, and their positions do not change. It should be noted that the maximum length L2 in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 becomes slightly shorter.

[0093] More specifically, as the tail plug first cam portion 110 and the tail plug second cam portion 117 rotate in the same direction, the portion of the second inclined surface forming portion 117d that comes into contact with the rear second cam portion 91 changes. This presses the rear second cam portion 91 forward, causing the rear member 57 to move forward. Meanwhile, the portion of the front position portion 110a that comes into contact with the front first cam portion 68 changes, but as described above, the front position portion 110a is a surface that is perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, so the position of the front member 56 in the front-to-rear direction is maintained.

[0094] Further, when the tail plug member 7 is rotated in the same direction (relatively rotated in the same direction), the front member 56 and the rear member 57 move rearward together as shown in FIGS. That is, the portion of the second inclined surface forming portion 110d that comes into contact with the front first cam portion 68 and the portion of the third inclined surface forming portion 117e that comes into contact with the rear second cam portion 91 change. As a result, the biasing force of the second biasing member 13 and the biasing force of the third biasing member 14 move the front member 56 and the rear member 57 rearward. Furthermore, as the front member 56 moves rearward, the core member 3 also moves rearward due to the biasing force of the first biasing member 12.

[0095] As a result of the above, the core member 3, the front member 56, and the rear member 57 all move rearward, changing their respective positions (changing their relative positions with respect to the barrel 2). At this time, the formed sealed space 131 also moves rearward (moves relative to the barrel 2) while maintaining its size (volume). In other words, the pressurized state in which the application liquid is pressurized is maintained. It should be noted that the maximum length L2 in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 is also maintained.

[0096] Then, as the core member 3 moves rearward (moves relative to the barrel 2), the core member 3 (pen tip forming portion 36) transitions from a state in which it is disposed in a forward protruding position to a state in which it is disposed in a rear retracted position. In other words, the applicator 1 transitions to the retracted state (see FIG. 19).

[0097] Further, when the tail plug member 7 is rotated in the same direction (relatively rotated in the same direction), the front member 56 moves rearward, as shown in Figures 19 and 20. At this time, while the front member 56 moves rearward, the core member 3 is prevented from moving rearward as the locking protrusion 41 abuts against the partition wall 53. In other words, while the front member 56 moves rearward, the core member 3 and the rear member 57 do not move in the front-to-rear direction, and their positions are not changed.

[0098] More specifically, as the tail plug first cam portion 110 and the tail plug second cam portion 117 rotate in the same direction, the portion of the second inclined surface forming portion 110d that comes into contact with the front first cam portion 68 changes. As a result, the front member 56 moves rearward due to the biasing force of the second biasing member 13. Meanwhile, the portion of the intermediate position portion 117f that comes into contact with the rear second cam portion 91 changes, but as described above, the intermediate position portion 117f is a surface perpendicular to the front-to-rear direction, so the position of the rear member 57 in the front-to-rear direction is maintained. As a result, the front member 56 moves relative to the rear member 57.

[0099] As the front member 56 moves rearward, the first sealing member 83 moves away from the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37, and a gap 123 (see FIG. 20) is instantly formed between the first sealing member 83 and the rear end portion of the ink reservoir 37. The connection between the internal space of the ink reservoir 37 and the rear connecting space 128 described above is then released. As a result, the internal space of the ink reservoir 37 and the rear connecting space 128 become spaces open to the outside via the gap 123, and the sealed space 131 (see FIG. 19) is eliminated. This causes the applicator 1 to transition to a non-pressurized state. It should be noted that the maximum length L2 in the front-to-rear direction of the rear connecting space 128 also shortens; more specifically, it becomes the smallest value among the variable values ​​of L2.

[0100] When the tail plug member 7 is further rotated in the same direction (relatively rotated in the same direction), the rear member 57 moves further rearward as shown in Figure 13. At this time, the core member 3 and the front member 56 do not move in the front-rear direction, and their positions are not changed. More specifically, the rear second cam portion 91 transitions from a state in which it is in contact with the intermediate position portion 117f (see FIG. 20) to a state in which it is in contact with the rear position portion 117a (see FIG. 13). This causes the rear member 57 to move rearward. Meanwhile, the portion of the rear position portion 110b that is in contact with the front first cam portion 68 changes, but as described above, the rear position portion 110b is a surface perpendicular to the front-rear direction, so the position of the front member 56 in the front-rear direction is maintained.

[0101] As a result of the above, the applicator 1 transitions from the retracted state to the unpressurized state, and then to the state not recommended for use. That is, after the applicator of this embodiment eliminates the sealed space 131 and transitions to the unpressurized state, the rear member 57 is moved rearward, which is the opposite direction to when pressurizing, and is moved relative to the front member 56. With this configuration, the applicator 1 of this embodiment can more reliably prevent problems such as unintended leakage of application liquid from the rear side of the ink storage section 37 and problems caused by air being sucked in from the tip side (front end side) of the nib forming section 36, compared to a structure in which the rear member is moved rearward and then the sealed space is opened to the outside.

[0102] By transitioning to the non-recommended state, rotation of the tail plug member 7 in the reverse direction (for example, counterclockwise when viewed from the rear) is restricted. That is, when an attempt is made to rotate the tail plug member 7 in the reverse direction, the second connecting wall portion 117g abuts against the side surface portion 91a of the rear second cam portion 91, thereby preventing the tail plug member 7 from rotating in the reverse direction.

[0103] In the above embodiment, an example has been described in which a portion of the front side of the rear member 57 is housed within the front member 56 (a portion of the rear member 57 is fitted within the front member 56), and the portion of the front side of the rear member 57 is movable relative to the front member 56 in the front-to-rear direction within the front member 56. In other words, an example has been described in which the front member 56 functions as a cylinder member, and the rear member 57 functions as a piston member that moves within the cylinder member. However, the present invention is not limited to this. It is also possible to configure the rear part of the front member to be housed within the rear member (part of the rear member 57 fitted externally onto the front member 56), with the rear member functioning as a cylinder member and the front member functioning as a piston member that moves within the cylinder member.

[0104] In the above embodiment, an example was described in which the first sealing member 83 was attached to the front member 56, but the present invention is not limited to this, and it is also possible to attach the first sealing member 83 to, for example, the rear portion of the core member 3 (the portion adjacent to the rear end of the ink storage section).

[0105] In the above-described embodiment, the locking protrusion 41 is formed on the ink reservoir 37 and is configured to abut against the partition wall 53 from the front, but the present invention is not limited to this. The rear portion of the ink reservoir may be formed thinner than the adjacent front portion, with a step (step portion) between the thick front portion (portion with a larger outer diameter) and the thin rear portion (portion with a smaller outer diameter). The step portion of the ink reservoir may then abut against the partition wall 53 from the front. [Explanation of symbols]

[0106] 1 applicator 2 shaft cylinder 7. Tail plug member (operating part) 36 Pen tip forming part (applicator body) 37 Ink storage section (coating liquid storage section) 56 Front member (first member) 57 Rear member (second member) 83 First sealing member (sealing member) 128 Rear connection space (rear side space) 130 first sealing portion 131 Closed space

Claims

1. An applicator having a coating liquid storage section that stores a coating liquid, an applicator body for applying the coating liquid, and a pressurizing mechanism that pressurizes the coating liquid stored in the coating liquid storage section, the pressurizing mechanism has a first member and a second member, one of which functions as a cylinder and the other of which functions as a piston that moves within the cylinder, a space within the coating liquid storage unit and a rear space including at least a space within the first member are connected to form a sealed space, and the coating liquid within the coating liquid storage unit is pressurized by compressing air within the sealed space, a part of the first member comes close to the coating liquid storage portion, thereby forming a first sealing portion that seals a gap between a part of the coating liquid storage portion and a part of the first member, thereby forming the sealed space, The applicator, wherein the first sealing portion is formed forward of the center of the rear space in the front-rear direction.

2. 2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein one of the first member and the application liquid storage portion has an elastic sealing member, and the first sealing portion is a part of the other of the first member or the application liquid storage portion, and a part of a rear side of the application liquid storage portion or a part of a front side of the first member is in close contact with the sealing member to form the first sealing portion.

3. In a state in which the sealed space is formed, the second member moves in a direction relatively approaching the coating liquid storage portion, whereby the air in the sealed space is compressed and put into a pressurized state, 3. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein, from the pressurized state, the first member moves in a direction away from the application liquid storage section, thereby creating a state in which the sealed space is not formed, and in a state in which the sealed space is not formed, the second member moves relatively in a direction away from a front end of the first member.

4. It has an operation unit, By operating the operation unit, the first member and the second member are each pressed by the operation unit from behind and moved forward, 4. The applicator according to claim 3, wherein, by applying a force in a predetermined direction to the operating portion, the first member moves forward while the second member does not move forward, thereby forming the sealed space, after which the first member and the second member both move forward, and further after that, the second member moves forward while the first member does not move forward, thereby achieving the pressurized state.

5. It has a barrel, The applicator body is switchable between a protruding state in which at least a part of the applicator body protrudes outward from the barrel and a retracted state in which the applicator body retracts into the barrel, When the first member moves forward in a state in which the sealed space is formed, the first member presses the coating liquid storage portion forward, and the coating liquid storage portion and the applicator body move forward to assume the protruding state, The applicator according to claim 4 , wherein the second member moves forward in the protruding state to assume the pressurizing state.

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