Ambidextrous writing instrument

Abstract

To provide an ambidextrous writing instrument which can be used by both right-handed people and left-handed people without feeling uncomfortable, by changing a direction of a tip of a brush with one touch without soiling the fingertips.SOLUTION: An ambidextrous writing instrument (1) of the present invention has an upper part (2) that serves as a grip and a lower part (3) that has a brush tip (30) that are connected so that they can be bent. A click bar (21) is provided within the upper part (2). This click bar (21) can move up and down by a click shift structure (22). The click bar (21) is connected so as to push the lower part (3) on its underside. The lower part (3) tilts when the upper part of the click bar (21) is pushed, but the lower part (3) does not tilt when the click bar (21) is not pushed.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an ambidextrous writing instrument that can be used not only by right-handed people but also by left-handed people without feeling uncomfortable. [Background technology]

[0002] Data shows that approximately 10% of the world's population is left-handed, meaning that left-handers are in the minority. Since the majority of people are right-handed, most tools that are operated with one hand are generally designed to be operated with the right hand, which is the dominant hand. While a small number of left-handed cooking utensils and stationery have recently become available, the selection is still limited and they are difficult to use, so it cannot be said that the inconveniences of daily life have been resolved.

[0003] One thing that left-handed people find particularly inconvenient is writing implements, especially brushes. A brush, made of a large number of strands of flexible animal hair or similar material, has a characteristic that makes it fundamentally different from other writing implements: the tip of the brush cannot be moved in the direction of travel. In other words, the brush tip must always be pointed in a direction other than the direction of travel, and in most cases, it must be pointed downstream from the direction of travel. In particular, in the Japanese characters hiragana, katakana, and kanji, many of the elements that make up the characters are written by moving the brush tip from left to right, which also tends to be suitable for writing with the brush held in the right hand. For this reason, when students learn calligraphy at school, teachers often instruct them to hold the brush in their right hand. However, if left-handed people are forced to use their right hand, they may feel that their individuality is being denied, and there is no denying that a certain number of them may harbor negative feelings. Of course, even with writing implements other than brushes, such as fountain pens and ballpoint pens, in many languages, including Japanese, when written horizontally, the letters are aligned from left to right to write a sentence, and the tip of the pen points in the direction of travel, making it clearly more difficult to write with than when writing with the right hand.

[0004] On the other hand, it is true that there are some people who choose to write using the brush in their left hand. Holding a brush in the left hand is a mirror image of holding it in the right hand, with the tip of the brush pointing to the right, the direction of travel. This makes it extremely difficult to start writing with the brush in the left hand. Furthermore, once the character has been written, the hand rubs over it, causing it to become smudged. Nevertheless, left-handed people use various techniques to write characters with a brush, such as bending their wrist deeply towards themselves and tilting the tip of the brush slightly to the left, as if the brush were held in the right hand, or tilting the paper. In order to reduce such inconveniences and difficulties, there is a brush with a tilted tip, called "Left-handed Brush" (Patent Document 1), published in 1988-084379. However, in order to tilt the tip of the brush, it is necessary to perform complex operations such as twisting the area near the tip of the brush as shown in Figure 1 of Patent Document 1, or bending the tip of the brush as shown in Figure 2 of the same document. This means that there is a risk that touching the tip will stain your fingertips, and is therefore not sufficient. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] Jikkai Showa 63-084379 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0006] The present invention was completed with this background in mind, and allows the tip of the brush to be changed with one touch without soiling the fingertips, making it suitable for use by right-handed people as well as left-handed people without any discomfort. The challenge was to come up with an ambidextrous writing instrument that could be used with both hands. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The ambidextrous writing instrument (1) according to claim 1 comprises an upper part (2) which serves as a grip portion and A lower part (3) having a brush tip (30), It is connected so that it can bend, A knock rod (21) is provided in the upper part (2), and this knock rod (21) can move up and down by a knock shift structure (22). The knock rod (21) is connected so that it can push the lower part (3) on its underside. When the upper part of the knock rod (21) is pressed, the lower part (3) tilts, The structure prevents the lower part (3) from tilting when the knock rod (21) is not pressed. It is characterized by the following.

[0008] The ambidextrous writing implement (1) according to claim 2 is characterized in that, in addition to the requirements of claim 1, the brush tip (30) is a tip (31) for a writing brush.

[0009] The ambidextrous writing implement (1) according to claim 3 has, in addition to the requirements of claim 1 or 2, the top surface (33) where the tip edge (20e) of the upper part (2) or the tip (21a) of the knock rod (21) and the lower part (3) come into contact with each other, The magnets (M1) and (M1') are arranged so that the opposite magnetic poles face each other, or One side is a magnet (M1) and the other side is a magnetic body (M2). It is characterized by the following.

[0010] The ambidextrous writing implement (1) according to claim 4, in addition to the requirements of claim 1 or 2, is rotatably connected by fitting a shift pin (P2) through a shift pin receiving hole (24) provided at the tip end of the knock rod (21) and a pin receiving hole (35) of a knock rod connecting stay (34) provided on the upper surface (33) of the lower part (3), and the pin receiving hole (35) is formed as a somewhat elongated hole. It is characterized by the following. [Effects of the Invention]

[0011] In the first invention, the ambidextrous writing implement can be easily switched between right-handed and left-handed use simply by knocking the top end.

[0012] In the second invention, the lower part is provided with a tip for a calligraphy brush, which is convenient for left-handed people who are writing with a calligraphy brush, including for calligraphy practice.

[0013] In the third invention, the upper part or knock rod and the upper surface of the lower part that comes into contact with it are each appropriately fixed by the action of magnetic force, so that the bent or straight state of the tip can be maintained.

[0014] In the fourth invention, the upper and lower parts are connected by a pin, which is convenient for left-handed people when writing with a calligraphy brush, such as when practicing calligraphy. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0015] [Figure 1] 1 is a partially enlarged front view of an ambidextrous writing instrument according to the present invention in a left-handed state; FIG. [Figure 2] 1 is a partially enlarged front view of an ambidextrous writing instrument according to the present invention, showing the state in which the writing instrument is set for right-handed use; FIG. [Figure 3] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a fixing structure (magnetic fixing type) of an ambidextrous writing implement of the present invention. [Figure 4] 1 is an explanatory diagram showing a fixing structure (pin connection fixing type) of an ambidextrous writing instrument of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0016] The present invention is as shown in the following examples, but it is possible to make appropriate modifications to these examples within the scope of the idea of ​​the present invention. [Example]

[0017] The structure of the ambidextrous writing instrument 1 of this invention will be described in detail. As shown in the figure, this ambidextrous writing instrument 1 is composed of an upper part 2 and a lower part 3. The upper part 2 forms the grip, and the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 are assembled so as to be bendable via a pin P1.

[0018] The lower part 3 has a knock rod 21, which is attached to the upper part 2 and has a tip 32 of a writing brush, as an example. The knock rod 21 can move up and down by a knock shift mechanism 22 attached to its upper side. The knock shift mechanism 22 is a well-known mechanism used in ballpoint pens and the like. The knock rod 21 returns to its original position by a set spring 23 attached below it.

[0019] (Bent state) The knock bar 21 is arranged so that its lower side can push the lower part 3 downward. This configuration is achieved by the knock bar 21 and the lower part 3 coming into contact with the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3 as shown in FIG. 1, and as a result, the lower part 3 can be tilted. (Upright position) On the other hand, when the knock rod 21 retreats upward and separates from the surface of the lower part 3, in order to keep the lower part 3 straight, a magnet M1 and a magnet M1', or alternatively, a magnet M1 on only one side and a magnetic body M2 on the other side, are provided on the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3 and the tip 21a of the upper part 2, so that the knock rod 21 does not move due to the magnetic attraction. Even in the bent state where the lower part 3 is pressed by the knock rod 21, the tip 21a of the knock rod 21 and the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3 are fixed together by the action of magnetic force.

[0020] Here, the arrangement of the magnet M1 and the magnetic body M2 will be described. First, when both magnets (M1, M1') are provided, they are arranged so that the different magnetic poles face each other so that they are magnetically attracted to each other, and magnetic forces always act to attract each other. On the other hand, when a combination of magnet M1 and magnetic body M2 is used, it is preferable that the upper surface 33 side of the lower part 3 is magnet M1, and the other member on the upper part 2 side (knock rod 21, tip edge 20e of the upper part 2) is magnetic body M2. Furthermore, as for the magnet, a normal alloy magnet, a ferrite magnet, a rare earth magnet such as a neodymium magnet, or the like can be used.

[0021] The ambidextrous writing instrument 1 having the above-described configuration can be used by either right-handed or left-handed people. The specific operation method will be explained below. First, when the knock rod 21 is not pressed, its lower end does not press the lower part 3, so the shift pin P2 is in a state of pulling up the lower part 3, and the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 are in a straight state, that is, in a state suitable for right-handed users. On the other hand, when the knock bar 21 is pushed down, the knock bar 21 is pushed down by the knock shift structure 22. This movement causes the lower end of the knock bar 21 to push down the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3, tilting the entire lower part 3. This bent state is the state of the left-handed writing instrument 1L. Then, when the knock shift structure 22 of the knock rod 21 is pressed again, the magnetic attractive force constantly generated between the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 brings the tip edge 20e of the upper part 2 closer to the lower part 3, and the writing instrument returns to the upright state, becoming a right-handed writing instrument 1R.

[0022] Here, the magnetic state for maintaining both positions will be described. (Bent state) First, in the bent state, as shown in FIG. 3(a), the tip 21a of the knock bar 21 abuts against the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3, generating a magnetic attraction area Em, thereby fixing them together. For this reason, the inclination of the connecting surface between the lower part 3 and the upper part 2 is determined, for example, taking into consideration the desired bending angle θ of the tip. In this embodiment, the surface of the tip 21a is perpendicular to the axial direction of the writing implement, and therefore is angled upward by the bending angle θ from the horizontal when viewed from the pin P1 side. (Upright position) 3(b), in this upright position, the tip 21a of the knock rod 21 has retracted upward, so that the so-called "stop bar" is gone, and the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 on the other end of the pin P1, which had separated, are now attracted to each other by magnetic force and joined together. The area where the tip edge 20e of the upper part 2 and the top surface 33 of the lower part 3 come into contact becomes the magnetic attraction area Em, which secures them together.

[0023] Here, a supplementary explanation will be given regarding the bending angle θ of the tip 32. The bending angle θ is in the range of about 10° to 30°, which makes it easy to check the state of the tip 32 when holding the brush in the left hand, but a value around 20° is preferable. Of course, what has been explained here is merely an example, and it goes without saying that the appropriate bending angle θ will vary depending on the distance from the grip to the tip, the length of the brush bristles, and the stiffness of the brush. This is because if the tip of the bent brush tip 31 is too far from the axis of the upper part 2 that you are holding, your arm will make it difficult to see and check the tip 32. [Example]

[0024] (Modification of fixing structure in bent state) Furthermore, in order to reliably maintain the upright position (for right-handed users) and the bent position (for left-handed users) of the lower part 3, which is the brush tip 31, the following modifications can be considered. Specifically, the structure uses pin connections to connect the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 at two locations. That is, in this structure, the knock rod 21 of the upper part 2 and the lower part 3 are connected by a shift pin P2 as shown in Figure 4(a). The pin receiving hole 35 of the lower part is elongated so that the knock rod 21 can smoothly exert its pushing action on the upper surface of the lower part 3. While the tip 21a of the knock rod 21 slides in the axial direction (up and down direction) of the upper part 2, the upper surface 33 of the lower part 3 with which the tip 21a abuts moves while drawing an arc centered on the pin P1 at the connection between the upper part 2 and the lower part 3. Therefore, the axis of the lower part 3 is bent at an angle from the axial direction of the upper part 2, and the connection position, which was on the same axis before bending, moves somewhat closer to the connecting pin P1. Since the pin receiving hole 35 itself moves in this way, it has a somewhat elongated shape in the horizontal (cross-sectional) direction as shown in Figure 4(b). This shape allows the brush tip 31 to smoothly transition between a bent state and an upright state.

[0025] (Examples of application to other writing instruments) The ambidextrous writing instrument 1 of the present invention is most effectively applied to calligraphy brushes and other writing brushes, but can also be applied to ballpoint pens, fountain pens, mechanical pencils, and the like. [Explanation of symbols]

[0026] P1 pin P2 shift pin M1 magnet M1′ magnet M2 magnetic material Em Magnetizing area θ (tip) bending angle 1 Ambidextrous writing instrument 1R Right-handed writing implement 1L Left-Handed Writing Instrument 2 Upper parts 20e Leading Edge 21 Knock stick 21a tip 22 Knock shift structure 23 sets of springs 24 Shift pin receiving hole 3 Lower part 31 Brush Tip 32 Tip 33 Top surface 34 Knock rod connecting stay 35 Pin receiving hole

Claims

1. An ambidextrous writing instrument (1) is characterized in that an upper part (2) serving as a grip and a lower part (3) having a brush tip (30) are connected so as to be able to bend, a knock rod (21) is provided inside the upper part (2), and this knock rod (21) can move up and down by a knock shift structure (22), the knock rod (21) is connected so that it can push the lower part (3) on its underside, and the lower part (3) tilts when the upper part of the knock rod (21) is pushed, but the lower part (3) does not tilt when the knock rod (21) is not pushed.

2. 2. The ambidextrous writing instrument (1) according to claim 1, wherein the writing tip (30) is a brush tip (31).

3. 3. The ambidextrous writing instrument (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that magnets (M1) (M1') are respectively disposed on the tip edge (20e) of the upper part (2) or the tip (21a) of the knock rod (21) and the upper surface (33) of the lower part (3) in contact therewith, with opposite magnetic poles facing each other, or one is disposed as a magnet (M1) and the other as a magnetic body (M2).

4. 3. The ambidextrous writing instrument (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a shift pin (P2) is fitted into a shift pin receiving hole (24) provided at the tip end of the knock rod (21) and a pin receiving hole (35) of a knock rod connecting stay (34) provided on the upper surface (33) of the lower part (3), thereby rotatably connecting the knock rod (21) and the lower part (3), and the pin receiving hole (35) is formed as a somewhat elongated hole.

Images