Refill case

Abstract

This refill case allows for easy removal of the required refill without having to turn the refill opening downwards, and eliminates the problem of multiple refills flying out of the case at once. [Solution] The case body 2 has an inner space enclosed by a back plate 2a and left and right leg plates 2b that serves as a replacement lead storage chamber 2c, and a lid portion 2e is formed on the front side and a case portion f on the rear side via a bendable thin-walled portion 2d provided on the back plate. The cover member 1 has a front plate 1a and left and right outer leg plates 1b that form a U-shape in cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the front plate covers the replacement lead storage chamber on the case body side, and the leg plates of the case body are positioned inside the outer leg plates, thereby supporting the case body so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction. A rail-shaped guide body 2j is formed on the lid portion 2e along the longitudinal direction, and a sliding body 1g that contacts the guide body is provided on the cover member.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a refill case for accommodating a writing core used in a mechanical pencil or the like.

Background Art

[0002] A refill case for accommodating a writing core used in a mechanical pencil or the like is often composed of two parts, a bottomed case body and a lid detachably attached to the opening of the case body. For example, the refill case disclosed in Patent Document 1 is composed of two parts, a case body made of a resin material and a lid made of a resin material. By sliding the lid in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the refill case, the opening of the case body (the refill outlet) is opened. In this case, the sliding position of the lid with respect to the case opening can be configured to be set in, for example, two steps. Thereby, the user can set an opening with a suitable width for taking out the refill.

[0003] Also, the refill case disclosed in Patent Document 2 is composed of two parts, a case body made of a resin material and a lid made of a resin material. The lid is detachably attached to the opening of the bottomed case body. The opening formed in the case body (the refill outlet) is cut obliquely on the front side. Thereby, the user can pick up the refill with a fingertip, realizing a user-friendly refill case.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] By the way, in the refill cases disclosed in the aforementioned patent documents, it is necessary to tilt the case body so that the refill dispensing opening is slightly downward while the opening is open. Then, the refill is removed by utilizing the fact that the refill comes out of the case body to the dispensing opening due to its own gravity. This requires delicate operations such as adjusting the tilt of the case and shaking it. As a result, more refills than necessary, or even all of the refills inside the case, may fly out of the dispenser and scatter on the floor, forcing the user to pick up the scattered refills.

[0006] This invention addresses the aforementioned problems of conventional lead refill cases and aims to provide a lead refill case that allows for easy removal of the required lead refill without having to turn the lead refill opening downwards, and solves the problems of conventional cases such as a large number of lead refills flying out of the case body at the same time. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The replacement lead case according to this invention, made to solve the aforementioned problems, has an inner space enclosed by a back plate and left and right leg plates that serves as a replacement lead storage chamber, and a case body formed with a lid on the front end side and a case on the rear side via a bendable thin-walled portion provided near the longitudinal end of the back plate, and a front plate and left and right outer leg plates that form a U-shape in cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the replacement lead storage chamber on the case body side is covered by the front plate, and the leg plates of the case body are positioned inside the outer leg plates. The case comprises a cover member that supports the case body so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction, wherein at least one leg plate of the lid portion has a guide body formed along the longitudinal direction, and the outer leg plate on the cover member side that covers the leg plate has a sliding body that contacts the guide body, and as the lid portion of the case body slides out from the tip of the cover member, the sliding contact of the sliding body with the guide body causes a rotational movement that bends the lid portion toward the rear side via the thin-walled portion.

[0008] In this case, in a preferred embodiment, an inner lid is further provided, which is attached to the left and right leg plates of the case body and covers the replacement lead storage chamber on the front side. It is desirable that the inner surface of the back plate of the case body on the side facing the replacement lead storage chamber and the inner surface of the inner lid on the side facing the replacement lead storage chamber are provided with protrusions to avoid surface contact with the stored replacement lead.

[0009] Furthermore, it is desirable that the inner lid is formed such that a pair of protective plates are positioned on the inside of the left and right leg plates, extending from the thin-walled portion of the case body to the lid portion.

[0010] On the other hand, a preferred form of the guide body is formed on the outside of the leg plate of the lid portion, protruding in a rail-like manner along the longitudinal direction. A preferred form of the locking portion is formed at the tip of the cover member from which the lid portion is extended by the sliding motion, protruding so as to contact the guide body. Furthermore, the guide body has an inclined region that moves away from the back plate from the tip towards the thin-walled portion, so that a rotational motion is provided that causes the lid portion to bend towards the back side via the thin-walled portion as the sliding motion occurs.

[0011] In this case, more preferably, the contact portion of the guide body with the sliding body has a parallel region formed on the tip side that is parallel to the back plate, and the inclined region is formed following the parallel region. This allows the cover member to extend from its tip without giving the cover a rotational movement in the first half of the sliding motion, and to give the cover a rotational movement that bends the cover towards the back side in the second half of the sliding motion.

[0012] In a preferred embodiment, a closing plate is formed at the tip of the lid portion, connecting the left and right leg plates to close the tip portion. The lid portion is housed in the cover member, and the closing plate is visibly positioned at the tip of the cover member when the front plate of the cover member is viewed from the front.

[0013] Furthermore, it is desirable that both the case body and the cover member are made of resin material, that a number of linear protrusions arranged perpendicular to the longitudinal direction are formed on the back surface of the back panel of the case body, and that, for example, circular recesses are formed on the surface of the front panel of the cover member.

[0014] Furthermore, it is desirable that sliding ribs are formed on the outer surface of the inner lid along the longitudinal direction of the inner lid, and that the inner bottom surface of the cover member be a textured surface. [Effects of the Invention]

[0015] According to the refill case of this invention described above, a case body having a lid portion and a case portion formed by a flexible thin-walled portion is slidably mounted inside a cover member to form the refill case. A guide body and a sliding body are provided on either the lid portion or the cover member side, and on the other side, so that they can slide against each other during the sliding motion, thereby providing a rotational motion that bends the lid portion toward the rear side as the sliding motion occurs. Therefore, the rotational movement of the lid due to the thin-walled section exposes the tip of the refill, allowing for easy removal of the required refill. According to this, the refill can be removed without having to turn the refill dispenser downwards, thus providing a refill case that solves the problems of conventional cases, such as a large number of refills flying out from the case body at the same time.

[0016] Furthermore, by adding an inner lid to the case body that covers the refill storage compartment on the front side, and by forming protrusions on the inner surface of both the case body and the inner lid to prevent surface contact with the refill, the problem of the refill sticking to the inside of the refill storage compartment due to static electricity can be effectively resolved. According to this method, since the case body and the inner lid are formed from two parts, compared to the case where protrusions are formed on opposing inner surfaces using a single part, it is possible to avoid the problem of damaging the opposing protrusions by forcibly removing them during demolding.

[0017] Furthermore, the inner lid employs a configuration in which a pair of protective plates, positioned from the thin-walled portion of the case body to the lid portion, are formed on the inside of the left and right leg plates of the case body, respectively. This effectively eliminates the problem of the replacement lead getting caught between the leg plate on the lid portion side, which is curved towards the rear, and the leg plate on the case portion side when the lid portion, which has been extended by the sliding motion, is returned to the cover member.

[0018] Furthermore, other effects relating to this invention will be explained in the section on embodiments for carrying out the invention, along with the description of the examples. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0019] [Figure 1] This is a front view of the refill case according to the first embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 2] This is also a rear view of the refill case. [Figure 3] This is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow from the a-a line in FIG. 2. [Figure 4] This is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow from the b-b line in FIG. 2. [Figure 5] This is a rear view of the state where the lid part is extended halfway, seen from the side of the case body. [Figure 6] This is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow from the c-c line in FIG. 5. [Figure 7] This is a cross-sectional view showing the state where the lid part is further fully opened from the state shown in FIG. 6. [Figure 8] This is a perspective view of the state where the lid part is fully opened, seen from the side of the cover member. [Figure 9] This is also a perspective view of the state where the refill is housed, seen from the side of the cover member. [Figure 10] This is a front view showing the single-component structure of the case body. [Figure 11] This is also a top view. [Figure 12] This is a perspective view showing the single-component structure of the inner lid. [Figure 13] This is also a front view. [Figure 14] This is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow from the d-d line in FIG. 13. [Figure 15] This is a perspective view showing the single-component structure of the cover member. [Figure 16] This is also a front view. [Figure 17] This is a cross-sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow from the e-e line in FIG. 16. [Figure 18] This is a perspective view showing the single-component structure of the case body constituting the refill case according to the second embodiment of the present invention. [Figure 19] This is also a front view. [Figure 20] This is also a top view. [Figure 21]This is a perspective view showing the individual components of the inner lid of the second embodiment. [Figure 22] This is also a front view. [Figure 23] This is a cross-sectional view taken from the ff line in Figure 22, in the direction of the arrow. [Figure 24] This is a perspective view showing the individual components of the cover member of the second embodiment. [Figure 25] This is also a front view. [Figure 26] This is a cross-sectional view taken from the gg line in Figure 25, in the direction of the arrow. [Figure 27] This is an enlarged perspective view of the area enclosed by the dashed line j in Figure 22. [Figure 28] This is an enlarged view of the rear corner portion of the refill case of the second embodiment. [Figure 29] This is a perspective view showing the individual components of the cover member of the third embodiment. [Figure 30] This is an external perspective view showing the individual components of the inner lid of the third embodiment. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0020] The refill case according to this invention will be described with reference to the figures. Figures 1 to 17 show the refill case of the first embodiment, and Figures 18 to 28 show the refill case of the second embodiment. Furthermore, Figures 29 and 30 show a part of the refill case of the third embodiment. First, the replacement lead case of the first embodiment will be described based on Figures 1 to 17. Figures 1 and 2 show the overall configuration of the refill case as viewed from the front side of the cover member 1 and as viewed from the back side of the case body 2. In this embodiment, the cover member 1 and the case body 2 are molded from a resin material, and the inner lid 3, which is attached to the case body 2 and covered by the cover member 1 (described later), is also molded from a resin material. The case body 2 and the inner lid 3 are attached to the cover member 1 so as to be slidable along the longitudinal direction, thereby forming a replacement lead case. In the following explanation, for convenience of explanation, one end of the case body 2 in the longitudinal direction from which the lid portion 2e, described later, extends from the cover member 1 will be referred to as the front end, and the other end as the rear end.

[0021] Figures 10 to 17 show the individual components of the case body 2, inner lid 3, and cover member 1 described above. First, we will explain the detailed configuration of each component based on these individual components shown in the figures. Figures 10 and 11 show the case body 2, which is formed by a back panel 2a and left and right leg panels 2b, creating a U-shaped cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and forming a replacement lead storage compartment 2c in the inner space enclosed by the U-shape.

[0022] Furthermore, a lid portion 2e is formed on the front end side and a case portion 2f is formed on the rear end side via a bendable thin-walled portion 2d provided near the front end in the longitudinal direction of the back plate 2a. Furthermore, the left and right leg plates 2b are connected to the lid portion 2e to form a closing plate 2g that closes the front end of the lid portion 2e, and the left and right leg plates 2b are connected to the rear end of the case portion 2f to form a rear closing plate 2h that closes the rear end of the case portion 2f.

[0023] On the outer sides of the left and right leg plates 2b of the lid portion 2e, a pair of guide bodies 2j are formed, each protruding in a rail-like manner along the longitudinal direction. As shown in Figure 11, at the tip end of the lid portion 2e, a parallel region 2j1 is formed that is parallel to the back plate 2a, and following this parallel region 2j1, an inclined region 2j2 is formed that moves away from the back plate 2a toward the thin-walled portion 2d. Furthermore, the aforementioned parallel region 2j1 and inclined region 2j2 of the guide body 2j come into contact with the sliding body 1g provided on the cover member 1 side as the lid portion 2e of the case body 2 is extended from the tip of the cover member 1, which will be described later. This contact acts to impart a rotational movement to the lid portion 2e, causing it to bend towards the rear side, via the aforementioned thin-walled portion 2d.

[0024] In the case portion 2f described above, the left and right leg plates 2b have fitting recesses 2k for attaching the inner lid 3, which will be described later, formed approximately in the center of the longitudinal direction and near the lid portion 2e. Furthermore, a pair of sliding protrusions 2m are formed on the outer surfaces of the left and right leg plates 2b of the case section 2f, along the longitudinal direction of the case body 2. These sliding protrusions 2m engage with the case support portion 1d, which will be described later, provided on the cover member 1, and act to support the case body 2 so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction.

[0025] Furthermore, rib-shaped click protrusions 2n are formed near the rear of the left and right leg plates 2b in the case section 2f. These protrusions create a clicking action when the cover member 1 slides against the case body 2, overcoming the click body 1f formed on the case body 2 side. Consequently, this clicking action also occurs when returning the case body 2 to the cover member 1. Furthermore, on the inner surface of the back panel 2a of the case section 2f on the side facing the refill storage chamber 2c, multiple protrusions 2p are formed perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the case body 2 to avoid surface contact with the stored refill. This serves to prevent the refill L from being attracted and sticking due to static electricity on the inner surface of the refill storage chamber 2c of the case body 2, which is made of resin material.

[0026] Furthermore, on the back side of the rear panel 2a of the case body 2, as shown in Figure 2, a recess 2q is formed along the longitudinal direction of the rear half, and within this recess 2q, a group of linear protrusions 2r are formed, arranged in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the case body 2. Preferably, a triangular arrow mark 2s is formed on the tip side of the recess 2q. The arrow mark 2s indicates the sliding direction of the case body 2 relative to the cover member 1, and the group of protrusions 2r functions as a non-slip surface for fingertips during sliding operations.

[0027] Furthermore, the left and right leg plates 2b of the case body 2 each have inward-facing ribs 2t formed toward the inside of the case body 2. When the inner lid 3, which will be explained later, is attached to the case body 2, these inward-facing ribs 2t come into contact with the side edges of the inner lid 3, filling the gap between the case body 2 and the inner lid 3, thereby acting as a fitting force for the inner lid 3 on the case body 2. As a result, the inward-facing ribs 2t will not come off one side at a time during disassembly, improving the fixing force.

[0028] Figures 12 to 14 show the individual components of the inner lid 3, which is attached to the left and right leg plates 2b of the case body 2 and covers the replacement lead storage chamber 2c on the front side. The inner lid 3 is formed in a flattened shape, with rectangular fitting protrusions 3a formed near the center and tip in the longitudinal direction. These fitting protrusions 3a are fitted into the inner lid fitting recesses 2k formed in the case body 2, positioning the inner lid 3 and the case body 2, and the inner lid 3 is attached so as to cover the replacement lead storage chamber 2c of the case body 2 from the front.

[0029] At this time, a pair of protective plates 3b formed at the tip of the inner lid 3 are positioned on the inside of the left and right leg plates 2b of the case body 2, extending from the thin-walled portion 2d of the case body 2 to the lid portion 2e. As a result, as described in the section on the effects of the invention, the problem of the replacement lead L getting caught between the leg plate 2b on the lid portion 2e side, which is curved toward the rear, and the leg plate 2b on the case portion 2f side when the lid portion 2e, which has been extended by the sliding motion, is returned to the cover member 1, can be effectively resolved.

[0030] Furthermore, at the rear of the inner lid 3, a pair of spacers 3c, which are formed to protrude from the inner surface of the inner lid 3, act to maintain a constant distance between the inner lid 3 and the back plate 2a of the case body 2 at the rear of the inner lid 3. Furthermore, multiple protrusions 3d are formed on the inner surface of the inner lid 3 in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the inner lid 3. This is to avoid surface contact with the refill L in the resin inner lid 3 that covers the refill storage chamber 2c of the case part 2f from the front, and to prevent the refill L from being attracted by static electricity and sticking to the inner lid 3.

[0031] Furthermore, a rib-shaped stopper 3e is formed immediately adjacent to the pair of spacers 3c formed on the inner lid 3, protruding from the inner surface of the inner lid 3. This stopper 3e is positioned directly in front of the gap that occurs between the case body 2 and the rear end of the inner lid 3 when the inner lid 3 is attached to the case body 2, and acts to prevent the replacement lead L stored in the replacement lead storage chamber 2c from leaking out of the replacement lead case.

[0032] Figures 15 to 17 show the individual components of the cover member 1. This cover member 1 is formed by a front plate 1a and left and right outer leg plates 1b, with a cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction forming a U-shape. A rear leg plate 1c is formed at the rear of the cover member 1, connecting the left and right outer leg plates 1b. The front plate 1a covers the replacement core storage compartment 2c of the case body 2, and the left and right leg plates 2b of the case body 2 are positioned inside the left and right outer leg plates 1b, thereby supporting the case body 2 so that it can slide in the longitudinal direction. Furthermore, the lid portion 2e of the case body 2 is extended from the tip end of the cover member 1 by a sliding motion.

[0033] Case support portions 1d are formed at two locations along the longitudinal direction of the edges of the left and right outer leg plates 1b, facing inward. These support portions 1d slidably support the left and right sliding protrusions 2m formed on the leg plates 2b of the case body 2, thereby allowing the case body 2 to slide, and also serve to prevent the case body 2 from coming off the cover member 1. Furthermore, a pair of sliding protrusions 1e are formed facing each other on the inner side of the rearward-facing outer leg plates 1b on both the left and right sides. These protrusions create a clicking action when the rib-shaped click protrusions 2n formed on the case body 2 are pushed forward and pass over them, opening the case body 2. Furthermore, a pair of click bodies 1f are formed on the inner side of the rear side of the outer leg plate 1b, facing each other. When the case body 2 is slid, the rib-shaped click projections 2n formed on the case body 2 move backward over these click bodies 1f, generating a clicking action.

[0034] A pair of sliding bodies 1g are provided projecting from the outer leg plate 1b at the tip of the cover member 1, facing each other. When the case body 2 slides and the lid portion 2e protrudes from the tip of the cover member 1, these sliding bodies 1g come into contact with the parallel region 2j1 and the inclined region 2j2 of the guide body 2j formed on the lid portion 2e, thereby bending the lid portion 2e toward the rear. Details of this operation will be explained later with reference to Figures 4 to 7, etc.

[0035] Furthermore, a stopper 1h is provided facing the aforementioned sliding body 1g at the tip of the cover member 1, slightly towards the rear. When the lid 2e is fully opened by the sliding of the case body 2, the tip of the sliding projection 2m formed on the leg plate 2b of the case part 2f comes into contact with this pair of stoppers 1h, thereby stopping the sliding movement of the case body 2 (see Figure 7). Furthermore, during the sliding motion of pulling the case body 2 back into the cover member 1, this pair of stoppers 1h also plays a role in returning the lid portion 2e, which is curved towards the rear, back to a state aligned with the longitudinal direction of the case body 2 by contacting the return guide portion 2j3 of the guide body 2j. This operation will be explained later with reference to Figures 4 to 7, etc.

[0036] Furthermore, as shown in Figures 15 and 16, the inner bottom surface 1m of the cover member 1, surrounded by the left and right outer leg plates 1b, has rectangular, flat protrusions 1n that are formed to slightly project from the inner bottom surface 1m, intermittently formed along the left and right outer leg plate 1b sides, excluding the central part in the longitudinal direction of the inner bottom surface 1m. Furthermore, linear sliding ribs 1p are formed continuously on the flat projections 1n that are aligned in the longitudinal direction, extending toward the tip of the cover member 1, and the sliding rib 1p on the rear side is formed in a state that connects the front and rear flat projections 1n. The aforementioned flat projection 1n and sliding rib 1p are formed to a greater dimension than the inner bottom surface 1m, and furthermore, the sliding rib 1p is formed to be higher than the flat projection 1n.

[0037] As a result, when the case body 2, which is mounted to the cover member 1 so as to be slidable along its longitudinal direction, slides, the back surface of the inner lid 3 attached to the case body 2 contacts only the aforementioned sliding rib 1p and slides along it along its longitudinal direction. Therefore, the inner lid 3 slides smoothly with respect to the cover member 1 by reducing the contact area.

[0038] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 1, a circular recess 1k is formed on the surface of the front panel 1a of the cover member 1, approximately in the center of the cover member 1. The recess 1k and the linear projections 2r on the case body 2 side mentioned above allow for smooth sliding when operating the case body 2 by sliding it relative to the cover member 1. For example, by placing the thumb on the recess 1k and the index finger on the linear projections 2r on the case body 2 side and sliding them relative to each other.

[0039] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, when the case body 2 is housed in the cover member 1, the closing plate 2g of the lid portion 2e formed at the tip of the case body 2 is visible along the tip recess 1j formed at the tip of the cover member 1 when the front plate 1a of the cover member 1 is viewed from the front (as shown in Figure 1). According to this, by matching the resin color used to mold the case body 2 to approximately the same color as the lead color of the refill L housed in this refill case, the lead color housed in the refill case can be identified by the coloring of the blocking plate 2g.

[0040] By varying the density of the resin color used to mold the case body 2 in stages according to the hardness of the replacement lead L, the user can distinguish between the two leads by the density of the closure plate 2g. The same color referred to here is a Munsell color system hue, with no more than 10 hues, and a lightness and saturation of 3 or less. The density is measured on the surface of the component using a densitometer (sakura DENSITO METER PDA65, Konishiroku Photo Industry Co., Ltd.). The lead hardness is the writing hardness measured by the method specified in JIS S 6005:2007.

[0041] Figures 3 to 9 mainly illustrate the opening and closing operation of the lid portion 2e when the case body 2 is slid relative to the cover member 1. Figure 3 is a central cross-sectional view (viewed along line aa in Figure 2) of the case body 2 with the inner lid 3 attached, housed in the cover member 1, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view (viewed along line bb in Figure 2) of one of the guide body 2j portions formed on the lid portion 2e at this time. In the state shown in Figure 4, where the case body 2 is housed within the cover member 1, the stopper 1h of the cover member 1 abuts against the return guide portion 2j3 of the guide body 2j. Therefore, the lid portion 2e remains closed along the longitudinal direction of the cover member 1.

[0042] Figure 5 shows the state in which the lid portion 2e of the case body 2 protrudes from the tip of the cover member 1 by about half the length of the lid portion 2e, and Figure 6 shows the state of the lid portion 2e at this time. That is, in the initial stage (first half) of protruding the lid portion 2e from the tip of the cover member 1, the sliding body 1g on the cover member 1 side slides in contact with the parallel region 2j1 of the guide body 2j formed on the lid portion 2e. For this reason, the lid portion 2e is extended from the tip of the cover member 1 without giving the lid portion 2e a rotational movement. In the state shown in Figure 6, the sliding body 1g is slightly in contact with the inclined region 2j2 of the guide body 2j, and consequently, the lid portion 2e is slightly curved toward the back side via the thin-walled portion 2d.

[0043] As described above, in the initial stage of extending the lid portion 2e, the lid portion 2e is extended from the tip of the cover member 1 without any rotational movement being applied to the lid portion 2e. Therefore, even if the refill case is tilted unintentionally, it is possible to prevent the refill L inside the case from flying out and falling.

[0044] Figure 7 shows the state in which the lid portion 2e is fully extended from the cover member 1. In the latter half of the extension operation of the lid portion 2e from the state shown in Figure 6 to the state shown in Figure 7, as the cover member 1 is extended, the sliding body 1g slides along the inclined region 2j2 of the guide body 2j, so the lid portion 2e is subjected to a rotational movement that causes it to bend sharply toward the rear side via the thin-walled portion 2d. When the lid portion 2e is fully open, as shown in Figure 7, the tip of the sliding projection 2m, which is provided along the longitudinal direction of the case body 2, comes into contact with the stopper 1h, and the extension of the lid portion 2e is stopped.

[0045] Figures 8 and 9 show the external configuration of the refill case with the lid 2e fully open, and Figure 9 shows the case with the refill L housed inside. When the lid portion 2e is fully open, as shown in Figure 7, the rear part of the inclined region 2j2 of the guide body 2j is in contact with the sliding body 1g. In this state, the lid portion 2e can be further bent arbitrarily by a fingertip or the like via the thin-walled portion 2d. Therefore, the required number of refills L can be accurately removed from the refill case.

[0046] On the other hand, when sliding the lid portion 2e back into the cover member 1 from the fully open state shown in Figures 7 to 9, the return guide portion 2j3 of the guide body 2j slides against the stopper 1h on the cover member 1 side, as shown in Figure 6, for example. As a result, the lid portion 2e, which is curved toward the rear, is returned to a state that is aligned with the longitudinal direction of the case body 2 and is housed inside the cover member 1. In the state shown in Figure 4, where the lid portion 2e is fully housed within the cover member 1, the return guide portion 2j3 of the guide body 2j is in contact with the stopper 1h on the cover member 1 side, and therefore the lid portion 2e remains closed.

[0047] Furthermore, when returning the lid portion 2e from its fully open state to the cover member 1, some of the replacement lead L stored inside the case may get caught between the lid portion 2e and the leg plates 2b provided on the case portion 2f via the thin-walled portion 2d, potentially causing the replacement lead L to break. However, as shown in Figure 8, since the pair of protective plates 3b formed at the tip of the inner lid 3 are located inside the respective leg plates 2b of the lid portion 2e and the case portion 2f, the problem of breaking the replacement core L can be avoided.

[0048] Next, a replacement lead case of the second embodiment of this invention will be described based on Figures 18 to 28. The basic configuration of the replacement lead case of this second embodiment is the same as that of the replacement lead case of the first embodiment already described, and is composed of a cover member 1, a case body 2, and an inner lid 3. Therefore, the same reference numerals are used for the corresponding main parts, and their descriptions are omitted as appropriate. Below, we will mainly describe the unique configuration of the refill case of the second embodiment.

[0049] Figures 18 to 20 show the individual components of the case body 2. In this second embodiment of the case body 2, three inclined protrusions 2u are integrally molded along the upper edges of the left and right leg plates 2b on the case portion 2f side of the case body 2, along the same plane as the so-called fitting recess 2k. All of these inclined protrusions 2u are inclined such that the protruding surface becomes lower from the outside to the inside of the case portion 2f. Furthermore, mountain-shaped protrusions 2v are formed on the inner surfaces of the left and right leg plates 2b, facing each other, close to the inclined protrusions 2u on the front and rear ends of the case portion 2f. Furthermore, on the lid portion 2e of the case body 2, rib-like protrusions 2w are formed on the inner sides of the left and right leg plates 2b, facing each other.

[0050] The aforementioned inclined protrusions 2u, mountain-shaped protrusions 2v, and rib-shaped protrusions 2w all function to prevent the lead breakage of the lead L when the lead case is assembled, for example, by an automated machine, with a predetermined number of lead Ls stored in the lead storage chamber 2c of the case body 2. In other words, assembling this refill case using the aforementioned automated machine involves inserting a predetermined number of refills L into the refill storage chamber 2c of the case body 2, which is positioned on a horizontal plane, aligned with its longitudinal direction, and then pressing the inner lid 3 onto the case body 2 from above to fit the inner lid 3 into the case body 2. Then, the cover member 1 is attached to the top of the case body 2 so as to cover the inner lid 3, and the leg plates 2b of the case body 2 are housed inside the outer leg plates 1b of the cover member 1, so that the case body 2 is slidably supported relative to the cover member 1, and the refill case product is assembled.

[0051] Therefore, since the projection surface of the aforementioned inclined projection 2u is inclined to become lower from the outside to the inside of the case portion 2f, it is prevented from placing the elongated replacement lead L on the same plane as the fitting recess 2k, and this ensures that all of the inserted replacement leads L are accommodated in the replacement lead storage chamber 2c of the case body 2.

[0052] Furthermore, the aforementioned mountain-shaped protrusions 2v and rib-shaped protrusions 2w function as guides that direct each replacement lead L inserted into the replacement lead storage chamber 2c toward the central part of the replacement lead storage chamber 2c so that it does not come into contact with the left and right leg plates 2b. This design prevents the pair of protective plates 3b formed on the inner lid 3 from pinching the tip of the refill L inserted into the refill storage chamber 2c during the process of fitting the inner lid 3 to the case body 2. This prevents breakage of the refill L and prevents product defects in the refill case.

[0053] Figures 21 to 23 show the individual components of the inner lid 3. In this second embodiment of the inner lid 3, the rib-shaped stopper 3e protruding from the inner surface of the inner lid 3 is formed to have a larger height dimension than the stopper 3e of the first embodiment of the inner lid 3 shown in Figures 12 to 14. Specifically, while the height dimension of the stopper 3e of the inner lid 3 in the first embodiment is 0.3 mm, the height dimension of the stopper 3e of the inner lid 3 in this second embodiment has been increased to 0.5 mm. This improves the effect of preventing lead leakage, which prevents the lead L from leaking out from the gap between the case body 2 and the inner lid 3 at the rear end of the lead case.

[0054] Furthermore, in the inner lid 3 of the second embodiment, as shown in Figure 27, which is a partial enlargement view enclosed by the dashed line j in Figure 22, a pair of bevels 3g are provided on the inner surface of the rectangular fitting projection 3a. Furthermore, the thickness of each of the pair of left and right protective plates 3b formed on the tip side of the inner lid 3 in the second embodiment is slightly reduced compared to the thickness of each of the protective plates 3b in the first embodiment, thereby reducing the width between the left and right tip ends of the pair of protective plates 3b.

[0055] By providing a pair of bevels 3g on the aforementioned fitting projection 3a, longitudinal misalignment of the inner lid 3 during assembly with respect to the case body 2 can be more effectively prevented. Furthermore, by reducing the width of the tip of the protective plate 3b, the tolerance range for assembly position accuracy can be increased.

[0056] Figures 24 to 26 show the individual components of the cover member 1. In this second embodiment of the cover member 1, the opposing slide projections 1e and click bodies 1f formed on the inside of the outer leg plate 1b have been modified in shape to form gentler slopes along their longitudinal direction, compared to the cover member 1 of the first embodiment shown in Figures 15 to 17. Figure 28 is a magnified view of a portion of the case body 2, enclosed by the dashed line m in Figure 19, with the back of the corner of the cover member 1, enclosed by the dashed line n in Figure 25, attached to the corner of the cover member 1. As shown in Figure 28, the click body 1f formed on the cover member 1 side is formed to form a gentle slope along the longitudinal direction, and the sliding projection 2n on the case body 2 side is molded into a trapezoidal shape with a flat surface 2y formed at its top.

[0057] With this configuration, both the click body 1f on the cover member 1 side and the sliding projection 2n on the case body 2 side have a gentle slope, so when sliding the case body 2 against the cover member 1 and the lid portion 2e of the case body 2 protrudes and begins to open, the resistance felt during operation can be reduced. Furthermore, the sliding projection 2n on the case body 2 is molded in a trapezoidal shape with a flat surface 2y at its top, which helps to reduce the impact of a fall if the refill case is dropped.

[0058] Next, a replacement lead case of the third embodiment of this invention will be described based on Figures 29 to 30. The basic configuration of the replacement lead case of this third embodiment is the same as that of the replacement lead case of the second embodiment already described, and is composed of a cover member 1, a case body 2, and an inner lid 3. In the refill case of the third embodiment, the cover member 1 shown in Figure 29 uses the same reference numerals for the parts corresponding to the parts shown in Figure 24 as the cover member of the second embodiment. In addition, the inner lid 3 shown in Figure 30, which is used in the refill case of the third embodiment, is shown in a perspective view of its outer surface, and this uses the same reference numerals for the parts corresponding to the parts shown in Figures 21 to 23 as the cover member of the second embodiment. The replacement lead case of the third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the sliding rib 1p is removed from the cover member 1 of the second embodiment, and instead, two sliding ribs 3f are formed parallel to each other along the longitudinal direction of the outer surface of the inner lid 3, that is, on the cover member 1 side of the inner lid 3 that is to be slid.

[0059] Furthermore, the inner bottom surface 1m of the cover member 1 is formed as a textured surface, and the sliding rib 3f formed on the outer surface of the inner lid 3 slides along the longitudinal direction of the rib 3f on the textured surface applied to the inner bottom surface 1m of the cover member 1. In this case, the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the textured surface formed on the inner bottom surface 1m of the cover member 1 is preferably in the range of 5 μm to 50 μm. If the value is less than 5 μm, the surface will become close to a mirror finish, increasing contact resistance and potentially preventing smooth sliding with the inner lid 3. On the other hand, if the value is greater than 50 μm, demolding will become difficult and sufficient mold surface (textured surface) transfer properties will not be obtained. Furthermore, in order to obtain good demolding properties and mold surface transfer properties, it is even more preferable that the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) is in the range of 10 μm to 25 μm.

[0060] The aforementioned textured surface can be obtained by performing processes such as etching, sandblasting, or polishing (not mirror finishing) on ​​the mold surface. Alternatively, a textured surface can be created by leaving the mold part surface unpolished after electrical discharge machining. The arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) of the pear-shaped surface refers to the arithmetic mean roughness (Ra) defined in JIS B0601:1982. The surface roughness is measured using a Mitutoyo SJ-301 instrument. Furthermore, by setting the release force between the cover and the main body to 15N or more, it becomes difficult to easily remove the cover from the main body, thus preventing parts from falling out.

[0061] In the refill cases of the first to third embodiments described above, the case body 2 is slidably attached to the cover member 1 with the inner lid 3 attached to the case body 2. However, the inner lid 3 is not necessarily required and can be omitted. Furthermore, when using the inner lid 3, it can be integrally molded by connecting it to the rear side of the case body 2 via a thin-walled connecting band (not shown). By folding back the thin-walled connecting band and assembling the inner lid 3 to the case body 2, the number of parts can be reduced, thereby simplifying manufacturing control and providing a refill case that is also more cost-effective. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0062] 1 Cover member 1a Front plate 1b Outer leg plate 1d Case support section 1g sliding element 1h stopper 1K (1K apartment) with a recessed area. 1m Inner bottom surface (pearly surface) 2 Case body 2a Back plate 2b leg plate 2c Replacement lead storage compartment 2d Thin section 2e Lid 2F Case section 2g occlusion plate 2j guide body 2j1 parallel region 2j2 slope area 2j3 Return guide section 2m sliding protrusion 2p protrusion (protrusion to prevent core sticking) 2r projection group 3. Inner lid 3b Protective plate 3D protrusions (protrusions to prevent core sticking) 3f Ribs for sliding L Refill

Claims

[Claim 1] The invention described in the present specification.

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