Notebook

Abstract

To achieve stable writing in a writing instrument equipped with a holding member having a flexible portion. [Solution] The writing instrument 10 comprises a tip member 40 having a writing portion 42 that forms a line, a holding member 50 that holds the tip member 40 and has a flexible portion 54 that can bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction da by the pressure applied to the tip member, and a pair of support portions 62 that are positioned on the outside of the tip member 40, sandwiching the tip member 40.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to writing utensils.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, writing utensils such as marking pens having a tip member formed of a fiber tip or the like are known. In such writing utensils, generally, the tip member is fixed to a shaft cylinder via a holding member or the like. Patent Document 1 describes a marking pen including a pen body and a holder portion that holds the pen body. In this marking pen, a notch is provided in the holder portion, thereby imparting flexibility to the holder portion. As a result, an excessive writing pressure is not applied to the tip of the pen body during writing, so that it is possible to prevent the tip of the pen body from being crushed and to more easily obtain a good handwriting.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Thus, in a writing utensil in which flexibility is imparted to a holder portion that holds a pen body, it is required to be able to write more stably.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of such points, and an object thereof is to realize stable writing in a writing utensil provided with a holding member having a flexible portion.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The writing utensil of the present invention [1] a tip member having a writing portion that forms a handwriting, A holding member for holding the aforementioned tip member, having a flexible portion that can bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction due to pen pressure, A writing instrument comprising a pair of support parts positioned on the outside of the tip member, sandwiching the tip member.

[0007] The writing instrument of the present invention is [2] The holding member is capable of bending in the flexible portion in only one bending direction intersecting the axial direction, The pair of support parts are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction when viewed from the axial direction, as described in [1], for the writing instrument.

[0008] The writing instrument of the present invention is [3] The support portion is a writing instrument according to [1] or [2], which is rotatable about a central axis.

[0009] The writing instrument of the present invention is [4] In a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction in front of the flexible portion, The holding member has a pair of tangents extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the support portions are aligned, The support portion is a writing instrument according to any one of [1] to [3], which is not located in the region between the pair of tangents.

[0010] The writing instrument of the present invention is [5] Further equipped with a barrel, The support portion is integrally formed with the barrel and is a writing instrument according to any one of [1] to [4].

[0011] The writing instrument of the present invention is [6] Further equipped with a shaft cylinder, The support portion is a writing instrument described in any one of [1] to [5], which is attached to the barrel.

[0012] The writing instrument of the present invention is [7] The support part is attached to the holding member, and is the writing instrument according to any one of [1] to [6].

[0013] The writing instrument of the present invention [8] An ink storage part for storing ink, and A leakage suppression member for suppressing leakage of the ink to the outside from the ink storage part, and further includes The support part is attached to the leakage suppression member, and is the writing instrument according to any one of [1] to [7].

Effect of the Invention

[0014] According to the present invention, in a writing instrument provided with a holding member having a flexible part, stable writing can be realized.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0015] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a view showing an embodiment of the present invention, and is an external view showing an example of a writing instrument provided with a holding member. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the writing instrument of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 3 is an external view showing the front part of the writing instrument of FIG. 1. [Figure 4] FIG. 4 is a longitudinal sectional view corresponding to the line IV-IV of FIG. 3. [Figure 5] FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the front part of the writing instrument of FIG. 1. [Figure 6] FIG. 6 is a view showing a modified example of the writing instrument. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the front part of the writing instrument of FIG. 6. [Figure 8] FIG. 8 is a view showing another modified example of the writing instrument. [Figure 9] FIG. 9 is a view showing the front part of the writing instrument seen along the arrow with IX attached in FIG. 8. [Figure 10] FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing the front part of the writing instrument of FIG. 8. [Figure 11]Figure 11 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 12] Figure 12 shows the front portion of the writing instrument as seen along the arrow labeled XII in Figure 11. [Figure 13] Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument shown in Figure 11. [Figure 14] Figure 14 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 15] Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument shown in Figure 14. [Figure 16] Figure 16 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 17] Figure 17 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument shown in Figure 16. [Figure 18] Figure 18 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 19] Figure 19 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument shown in Figure 18. [Figure 20] Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument shown in Figure 18. [Figure 21] Figure 21 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 22] Figure 22 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument shown in Figure 21. [Figure 23] Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument shown in Figure 21. [Figure 24] Figure 24 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument. [Figure 25] Figure 25 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument shown in Figure 24. [Figure 26] Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument shown in Figure 24. [Figure 27] Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of a writing instrument, showing the positional relationship of the support part to the holding member. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Note that, for the sake of illustration and ease of understanding, the scale and aspect ratios of the drawings accompanying this specification have been appropriately altered and exaggerated from those of the actual objects.

[0017] Furthermore, terms used in this specification to specify shapes, geometric conditions, and their degrees, such as "parallel," "orthogonal," and "identical," as well as values ​​for length and angle, shall not be strictly interpreted, but shall be interpreted to include a range that allows for the expectation of similar functionality.

[0018] In this specification, the direction in which the central axis A of the writing instrument 10 extends (longitudinal direction, vertical direction in the longitudinal section view) is defined as the axial direction da, the direction perpendicular to the axial direction da is defined as the radial direction, and the direction along the circumference around the central axis A is defined as the circumferential direction. Furthermore, along the axial direction da, the side that approaches the writing surface such as paper when writing (the lower side in the longitudinal section view) is defined as the front, and the side that moves away from the writing surface (the upper side in the longitudinal section view) is defined as the rear. Furthermore, along the radial direction, the side that approaches the central axis A is defined as the inside, and the side that moves away from the central axis A is defined as the outside.

[0019] Figure 1 is a diagram showing one embodiment of the present invention, and is an external view showing an example of a writing instrument 10 equipped with a holding member 50. Figure 2 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10. Figure 3 is an external view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10. Figure 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view corresponding to line IV-IV in Figure 3. Figure 5 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0020] The writing instrument 10 of this embodiment is, for example, a marking pen (marker), a felt-tip pen, or the like. In this embodiment, an example in which the writing instrument 10 is a marking pen will be described. The writing instrument 10 of this embodiment comprises a barrel 20, an ink guide core 26, a leak suppression member 30, a tip member 40, a holding member 50, and a support part 62. The tip member 40 is a member that forms a mark on a writing surface such as paper. The holding member 50 is a member that holds the tip member 40. The holding member 50 has a flexible part 54 that can bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction da. The writing instrument 10 of this embodiment is configured so that when writing, the holding member 50 can bend at the flexible part 54 due to the pressure applied to the pen.

[0021] The barrel 20 extends axially da along the central axis A of the writing instrument 10. Therefore, the central axis of the barrel 20 coincides with the central axis A of the writing instrument 10. The barrel 20 in this embodiment has a bottomed cylindrical shape with an open front end and a closed rear end. An ink storage section 22 is formed inside the barrel 20. The ink storage section 22 is a space for storing writing ink. In the example shown in Figure 2, the ink storage section 22 is hollow, but the specific configuration of the ink storage section 22 is not limited to this. An ink storage body capable of impregnating and storing ink may be placed inside the ink storage section 22. The ink storage body may be, for example, a member having continuous pores capable of impregnating and storing ink. Such an ink storage body may be, for example, a heat-fused fiber bundle, a resin-processed fiber bundle, a resin-processed felt, a needle-punched felt, a porous body such as a sponge, etc. Furthermore, the ink storage container may have an outer shell formed of a synthetic resin film or the like on its outer surface.

[0022] Ribs 24 are formed on the inner surface of the barrel 20. The ribs 24 have the function of reducing the thickness of the side wall of the barrel 20, thereby increasing the volume of the ink storage section 22, while appropriately ensuring the strength of the barrel 20. In the example shown in Figure 2, the ribs 24 extend linearly in the axial direction da. The barrel 20 may have multiple ribs 24. Multiple ribs 24 may be arranged at equal angular intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. In this embodiment, the barrel 20 has four ribs 24 arranged at 90-degree angular intervals from each other in the circumferential direction. However, it is not limited to this, and the barrel 20 may have three or fewer ribs 24, or five or more ribs 24. In the example shown in Figure 2, the front end of the rib 24 contacts the rear end of the leak suppression member 30. Thus, the rib 24 also has the function of positioning the leak suppression member 30 in the axial direction da.

[0023] A pair of support portions 62 are formed at the front end of the barrel 20. Details of the support portions 62 will be described later. A cap member may also be attached to the barrel 20 to cover the tip member 40 and suppress the drying of ink on the tip member 40.

[0024] The leak suppression member 30 functions as a lid for the ink storage section 22 and prevents ink from leaking out of the ink storage section 22. The leak suppression member 30 has a tip portion 32, a through hole 34, and comb grooves 36. The tip portion 32 protrudes forward and is the part to which the retaining member 50 is attached. The through hole 34 extends linearly along the central axis A from the center of the leak suppression member 30. The ink guide core 26 is inserted through the through hole 34. The comb grooves 36 are grooves extending in the circumferential direction provided on the outer surface of the leak suppression member 30. In the example shown in Figure 2, the leak suppression member 30 has a plurality of comb grooves 36 arranged in the axial direction da.

[0025] When the air inside the ink reservoir 22 expands due to changes in temperature and / or atmospheric pressure, the ink inside the ink reservoir 22 is pushed by the expanded air and drawn into the comb groove 36 by capillary action, where it is held in place. This prevents ink from leaking out through the gap between the leak suppression member 30 and the barrel 20.

[0026] The ink guide core 26 is a component that guides the ink contained in the ink storage section 22 toward the tip member 40. The ink guide core 26 is made of a material through which ink can flow in the axial direction da. For example, the ink guide core 26 may be made of a porous body having open cells. Alternatively, the ink guide core 26 may be made of a fiber bundle, a hair bundle, felt, a resin having capillary passages extending in the axial direction da, etc. The rear end of the ink guide core 26 is located inside the ink storage section 22. The front end of the ink guide core 26 is located inside the rear recess 44 of the tip member 40, which will be described later.

[0027] The tip member 40 is a component that forms a writing mark on a writing surface such as paper. The tip member 40 is made of a material through which ink can flow mainly in the axial direction da. For example, the tip member 40 may be made of a porous body having open cells. Alternatively, the tip member 40 may be made of a fiber bundle, a bristle bundle, felt, a resin having capillary passages extending in the axial direction da, etc. The tip member 40 may be formed integrally with the ink guide core 26. That is, the tip member 40 and the ink guide core 26 may be formed from a single component.

[0028] The tip member 40 has a writing portion 42 and a rear recess 44. The writing portion 42 is the part that forms a writing mark on the writing surface. At least a portion of the front of the writing portion 42 protrudes forward from the holding member 50. The writing portion 42 may have, for example, a chisel shape. However, it is not limited to this, and the writing portion 42 may have other shapes such as a bullet shape, a rectangular shape, a rectangular prism shape, or a plate shape.

[0029] The writing section 42 may have a ridge section 43. The ridge section 43 is the part that constitutes the tip of the writing section 42 and is intended to come into contact with the writing surface on which the writing marks are formed, such as a piece of paper. The ridge section 43 extends in a direction intersecting the central axis A. In particular, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the ridge section 43 extends linearly in a direction perpendicular to the central axis A. When the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the side, the ridge section 43 may extend in a direction perpendicular to the central axis A, or it may extend in a direction inclined with respect to the central axis A. In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 5, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the side, the ridge section 43 extends in a direction inclined with respect to the central axis A.

[0030] The rear recess 44 is a recess that opens at the rear end of the tip member 40. The ink guide core 26 is attached to the tip member 40 by inserting its front end into the rear recess 44. As shown in Figure 4, the ink guide core 26 may be attached to the tip member 40 so as not to contact the innermost part 46 of the rear recess 44. Specifically, the ink guide core 26 may be attached to the rear recess 44 such that its front end surface does not contact the innermost part 46 of the rear recess 44. In other words, a gap in the axial direction da may be formed between the front end surface of the ink guide core 26 and the innermost part 46 of the rear recess 44. When the holding member 50 bends at the flexible part 54 due to writing pressure, the ink guide core 26 also bends. On the other hand, the tip member 40 does not bend even when the holding member 50 bends at the flexible part 54. In this case, when the holding member 50 bends at the flexible portion 54, the front end of the ink guide core 26 may move forward relative to the tip member 40. At this time, the gap formed between the front end surface of the ink guide core 26 and the innermost part 46 of the rear recess 44 can absorb the movement of the front end of the ink guide core 26. Therefore, it becomes possible to keep the tip member 40 and the ink guide core 26 stably connected. This results in more stable writing performance.

[0031] The holding member 50 is a member that holds the tip member 40. The holding member 50 has a recess 51, a through hole 52, and a flexible portion 54. The tip member 40 is attached to the recess 51. In this embodiment, the tip member 40 is attached to the holding member 50 by press-fitting the rear end of the tip member 40 into the recess 51. The through hole 52 extends from the center of the holding member 50 along the central axis A. The ink guide core 26 is inserted through the through hole 52. The ink guide core 26 does not have to contact the inner surface 53 of the through hole 52. In other words, a radial gap may be formed between the side surface of the ink guide core 26 and the inner surface 53 of the through hole 52. When the holding member 50 bends at the flexible portion 54 due to writing pressure, the ink guide core 26 also bends. A gap is formed between the side surface and the inner surface 53 of the ink guide core 26, allowing the holding member 50 and the ink guide core 26 to bend with different curvatures. For example, the ink guide core 26 can bend with a curvature smaller than that of the holding member 50. This reduces the force acting between the ink guide core 26 and the tip member 40 due to the bending of the ink guide core 26. Therefore, it becomes possible to keep the tip member 40 and the ink guide core 26 stably connected. This results in more stable writing performance.

[0032] The flexible portion 54 is configured to bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction da due to writing pressure. In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 5, the holding member 50 is configured to bend in only one bending direction db intersecting the axial direction da. In particular, in the examples shown in Figures 1 to 5, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and the bending direction db are orthogonal to each other. In other words, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the holding member 50 bends in a bending direction db that is orthogonal to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends. The holding member 50 may also be configured to bend in two directions intersecting the axial direction da, or it may be configured to bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da. Such examples will be described later.

[0033] The flexible portion 54 of this embodiment has a notch 56, a flange portion 57, and a connecting portion 58. The notch 56 is formed between the outer circumferential surface of the holding member 50 and the through hole 52. When the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the notch 56 extends parallel to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and opens in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends. The flexible portion 54 having such a notch 56 can bend in the direction in which the notch 56 opens (the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends). That is, the direction in which the notch 56 opens and the bending direction db coincide with each other. The notch 56 has a shape in which the holding member 50 is cut out in a roughly semi-circular shape. In this embodiment, two notches 56 are arranged along the bending direction db. Multiple notches 56 may be arranged along the axial direction da. In the examples shown in Figures 4 and 5, three notches 56 are arranged along the axial direction da. However, the arrangement is not limited to this, and one, two, or four or more notches 56 may be arranged along the axial direction da. The flange portion 57 is formed between two adjacent notches 56 along the axial direction da. The flange portion 57 has a generally semi-disc shape. The flange portion 57 is connected to the portion adjacent to the axial direction da by a connecting portion 58.

[0034] The retaining member 50 is preferably made of a material such as resin or metal. As the resin, relatively hard synthetic resins such as polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polycarbonate, polyethylene terephthalate, polyacetal, acrylic, nylon, acrylonitrile-styrene copolymer resin (AS resin), and acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer resin (ABS resin) can be used. As the metal, for example, aluminum alloy can be used.

[0035] When pressure is applied, the flexible portion 54 bends such that, on one side in the bending direction db, adjacent flange portions 57 in the axial direction da move closer together, and on the other side in the bending direction db, adjacent flange portions 57 in the axial direction da move further apart. The bending of the flexible portion 54 prevents excessive pressure from being applied to the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 during writing. This prevents the writing portion 42 from being crushed by high pressure. Therefore, it becomes possible to form good handwriting on the writing surface with the writing portion 42.

[0036] The writing instrument 10 has a pair of support parts 62. In this embodiment, the support parts 62 are formed integrally with the barrel 20 and protrude forward from the main body of the barrel 20. The tip member 40 is positioned between the pair of support parts 62. Therefore, the pair of support parts 62 are positioned radially outward from the tip member 40, with the tip member 40 in between. When the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the pair of support parts 62 are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the deflection direction db of the holding member 50. In this embodiment, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the pair of support parts 62 are each located on the extension of the ridge line portion 43 of the writing part 42. The pair of support parts 62 may have the same length as each other, or they may have different lengths as each other. For example, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from a direction perpendicular to both the central axis A and the ridge line portion 43 (see Figure 3), the straight line connecting the front ends of the two support parts 62 may extend parallel to the ridge line portion 43. The support portion 62 is intended to come into contact with the writing surface, such as paper, when writing with the writing instrument 10. The front end of the support portion 62 is located behind the front end of the writing portion 42. In particular, the straight line connecting the front ends of the two support portions 62 is located behind the ridge portion 43 of the writing portion 42. Preferably, the base end (rear end) of the support portion 62 is located behind the flexible portion 54 of the holding member 50. This allows the holding member 50 to bend appropriately at the flexible portion 54 and suppresses the application of excessive writing pressure to the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40.

[0037] In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 5, the radial width of the support portion 62 is constant along the axial direction da, but it is not limited to this. For example, the radial width of the support portion 62 may decrease as it moves forward along the axial direction da. This makes it possible to ensure the strength of the support portion 62 while making the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 easier to see.

[0038] Furthermore, it is preferable that the radial width of the support portion 62 is smaller than the diameter of the tip member 40 and the diameter of the holding member 50. This also makes it easier to see the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40.

[0039] Near the base end of the support portion 62, the circumferential width of the support portion 62 may increase as it moves backward along the axial direction da. This ensures sufficient strength at the base end of the support portion 62. In this case, as shown in Figure 5, near the base end of the support portion 62, the side surface (the surface facing the circumferential direction) of the support portion 62 may be a curved surface that is concave outward. Also, near the base end of the support portion 62, the side surface of the support portion 62 may be a plane extending in a direction inclined with respect to both the axial direction da and the circumferential direction.

[0040] As described above, in the writing instrument 10 of this embodiment, the flexible portion 54 of the holding member 50 flexes due to the pressure applied to the writing surface. When writing, the support portion 62 contacts the writing surface, allowing the amount of flexion of the writing portion 42 to be controlled within a predetermined range. This prevents the writing portion 42 from being damaged or broken due to excessive flexion. Furthermore, by moving the writing instrument 10 while the two support portions 62 remain in contact with the writing surface, the writing portion 42 can form a handwriting pattern with a constant amount of flexion. Therefore, it becomes possible to form stable handwriting.

[0041] The writing instrument 10 of this embodiment comprises a tip member 40 having a writing portion 42 that forms a line, a holding member 50 that holds the tip member 40 and has a flexible portion 54 that can bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction da by the pressure applied to the tip member, and a pair of support portions 62 that are positioned on the outside of the tip member 40, sandwiching the tip member 40.

[0042] In the writing instrument 10 of this embodiment, the holding member 50 is capable of bending in only one bending direction db that intersects the axial direction da at the flexible portion 54, and the pair of support portions 62 are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction db when viewed from the axial direction da.

[0043] With this writing instrument 10, when writing, the support portion 62 contacts the writing surface, allowing the amount of deflection of the writing portion 42 to be controlled within a predetermined range. This prevents the writing portion 42 from being damaged or broken due to excessive deflection. Furthermore, by moving the writing instrument 10 while the two support portions 62 remain in contact with the writing surface, the writing portion 42 can form a handwriting pattern with a constant amount of deflection. Therefore, it becomes possible to form a stable handwriting pattern.

[0044] The writing instrument 10 of this embodiment further comprises a barrel 20, and the support portion 62 is formed integrally with the barrel 20.

[0045] With this type of writing instrument 10, the support portion 62 is formed integrally with the barrel 20, thereby reducing the number of parts in the writing instrument 10. Furthermore, since there is no need to assemble the support portion 62 to other parts, the assembly process of the writing instrument 10 can be simplified.

[0046] Modifications of this embodiment will be described below. In the following description and the drawings used therein, parts that can be configured in the same way as in the above-described embodiment will be given the same reference numerals as those used for the corresponding parts in the above-described embodiment, and redundant explanations will be omitted.

[0047] A modified example of the holding member 50 will be described with reference to Figures 6 to 17. In Figures 6 to 17, the support portion 62 is not shown. Figure 6 is a diagram showing a modified example of the writing instrument 10. Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0048] In this modified example, similar to the example described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, the holding member 50 is configured to bend in only one bending direction db that intersects the axial direction da. On the other hand, in this modified example, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the direction in which the ridge portion 43 of the tip member 40 extends and the bending direction db coincide with each other. In other words, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the holding member 50 bends in a bending direction db parallel to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends. The flexible portion 54 in this modified example is the same as the flexible portion 54 in the example described with reference to Figures 1 to 5, rotated 90 degrees around the central axis A. Therefore, a detailed explanation of the flexible portion 54 is omitted.

[0049] Figure 8 shows other variations of the writing instrument 10. Figure 9 shows the front portion of the writing instrument 10 as seen along the arrow labeled IX in Figure 8. Figure 10 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0050] In this modified example, the holding member 50 is configured to bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da. The flexible portion 54 includes a plurality of notches 56 that extend in mutually perpendicular directions when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da. In particular, in the example shown in Figures 8 to 10, the flexible portion 54 includes a notch 56 that extends parallel to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and opens in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends, and a notch 56 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and opens in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends. As a result, the holding member 50 can bend in two mutually perpendicular directions at the flexible portion 54. By combining these two directions of bending, in this modified example, the holding member 50 can bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da.

[0051] Figure 11 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 12 shows the front portion of the writing instrument 10 as seen along the arrow labeled XII in Figure 11. Figure 13 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10 in Figure 11.

[0052] In this modified example, the holding member 50 is configured to bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da. The flexible portion 54 includes a plurality of notches 56 that extend in mutually perpendicular directions when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da. In particular, in the example shown in Figures 11 to 13, the flexible portion 54 includes a notch 56 that extends parallel to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and opens in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends, and a notch 56 that extends in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends and opens in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends. As a result, the holding member 50 can bend in two mutually perpendicular directions at the flexible portion 54. By combining these two directions of bending, in this modified example, the holding member 50 can bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da.

[0053] In the examples shown in Figures 1 to 10, the width of one notch 56 is constant along the radial direction. In contrast, in this modified example, as shown in Figures 11 and 12, the width of one notch 56 decreases towards the inside in the radial direction. The width of the notch 56 refers to the dimension in the axial direction da of the notch 56. Even with a flexible portion 54 having such notches 56, the holding member 50 can be appropriately deflected by pen pressure. Note that in the holding member 50 that can be deflected in only one deflection direction db, as shown in Figures 1 to 7, the width of the notch 56 may decrease towards the inside in the radial direction. Also, as in this modified example, the width of the notch 56 may change along the circumferential direction.

[0054] Figure 14 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 15 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0055] In this modified example, the retaining member 50 is configured to bend in all directions intersecting the axial direction da. The flexible portion 54 has notches 56 that extend spirally around the outer circumferential surface of the retaining member 50. In the example shown in Figures 14 and 15, the flexible portion 54 has two notches 56. Each notch 56 extends around the outer circumferential surface of the retaining member 50. The rear end of one notch 56 and the rear end of the other notch 56 are located at an angle of 180 degrees from each other in the circumferential direction. Similarly, the front end of one notch 56 and the front end of the other notch 56 are located at an angle of 180 degrees from each other in the circumferential direction. The flexible portion 54 may have one notch 56 or three or more notches 56. Furthermore, when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, it is preferable that the notch 56 is formed around the entire circumference in the circumferential direction. For example, if the flexible portion 54 has one notch 56, it is preferable that the notch 56 extends around the outer circumferential surface of the holding member 50 for one or more turns.

[0056] Figure 16 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 17 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10.

[0057] In this modified example, the writing instrument 10 has a deflection-suppressing member 70. The deflection-suppressing member 70 has the function of suppressing the deflection of the holding member 50 and changing the flexibility of the holding member 50. The deflection-suppressing member 70 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is attached to the outer circumferential surface of the holding member 50. The deflection-suppressing member 70 may be detachably attached to the holding member 50. In this case, when the deflection-suppressing member 70 is attached, the deflection of the holding member 50 is suppressed, and when the deflection-suppressing member 70 is removed, the deflection of the holding member 50 is not suppressed. If the deflection-suppressing member 70 is flexible, when the deflection-suppressing member 70 is attached, the flexibility of the holding member 50 can be changed to any size corresponding to the flexibility of the deflection-suppressing member 70. Also, if the deflection-suppressing member 70 is not flexible, when the deflection-suppressing member 70 is attached, the holding member 50 is substantially inflexible.

[0058] Such a deflection-suppressing member 70 is preferably made of a material such as resin or metal. For example, the deflection-suppressing member 70 may be manufactured by resin injection molding. The deflection-suppressing member 70 may also be attached to members other than the holding member 50, such as the shaft cylinder 20 or the leak suppression member 30.

[0059] Figure 18 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 19 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10. Figure 20 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0060] In this modified example, the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 has a so-called bullet shape. The holding member 50 has the configuration described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. In this modified example, the writing instrument 10 has a support member 60. The support member 60 has a support portion 62 and a base portion 64. The base portion 64 is a member that is attached to other members and supports the support portion 62. The support member 60 (base portion 64) may be detachably attached to other members. The base portion 64 has a substantially annular shape. In this modified example, the base portion 64 is located outside the holding member 50 and is attached to the holding member 50. Thus, the support member 60 is attached to the holding member 50. In this case, the support portion 62 is attached to the holding member 50 via the base portion 64. However, it is not limited to this, and the support member 60 (support portion 62) may be attached to the leak suppression member 30.

[0061] The base portion 64 is preferably located behind the flexible portion 54 of the holding member 50. This allows the holding member 50 to bend appropriately at the flexible portion 54 and suppresses the application of excessive pressure to the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40. In particular, the connecting portion of the base portion 64 to the holding member 50 is preferably located behind the flexible portion 54. The front portion of the base portion 64 may cover the flexible portion 54 to the extent that it does not hinder the bending of the flexible portion 54. That is, the front portion of the base portion 64 may overlap the flexible portion 54 radially. In this case, the support portion 62 can be shortened, and the possibility of the support portion 62 breaking when an external force is applied to it can be reduced.

[0062] The support member 60 (support portion 62) may be configured to rotate around the central axis A. This allows the user to rotate the support portion 62 in a desired direction and use the writing instrument 10. In particular, if the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 has a bullet shape, a part of the writing portion 42 may wear down due to repeated writing. In such cases, by rotating the support portion 62, writing can be performed using the unworn portion of the writing portion 42.

[0063] The support member 60 (support portion 62) is preferably made of resin. As the resin, for example, synthetic resins such as polyacetal (POM) and polypropylene (PP) can be used.

[0064] The support portion 62 may be provided integrally with the shaft cylinder 20 or the leakage suppression member 30. In this case, the support portion 62 may not be rotatable around the central axis A.

[0065] Figure 21 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 22 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10. Figure 23 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0066] In this modified example, the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 has the configuration described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The holding member 50 has the configuration described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. In this modified example, the base 64 of the support member 60 is attached to the barrel 20. Thus, the support member 60 is attached to the barrel 20. In this case, the support portion 62 is attached to the barrel 20 via the base 64.

[0067] The support member 60 (support portion 62) may be configured to rotate around the central axis A. In particular, the support member 60 (support portion 62) may be configured to stop rotating at 90-degree intervals so that when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the pair of support portions 62 can be aligned in a first direction and the pair of support portions 62 can be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first direction may be the direction in which the ridge portion 43 of the writing portion 42 extends. The second direction may be the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 of the writing portion 42 extends.

[0068] When the pair of support parts 62 are aligned in the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends, the writing portion 42 can be moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends while the pair of support parts 62 are in contact with the writing surface to form a handwriting mark. Therefore, whether the writing portion 42 is moved in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends to form a handwriting mark, or in the direction in which the ridge portion 43 extends to form a handwriting mark, the pair of support parts 62 can be used to perform stable writing. In addition, as in this modified example, when the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 has a chisel shape, that is, when the ridge portion 43 has a longitudinal direction and a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the dimensions in the longitudinal direction and the dimensions in the transverse direction are different from each other, it is possible to stably form handwriting with different line widths.

[0069] Figure 24 shows yet another variation of the writing instrument 10. Figure 25 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10. Figure 26 is a perspective view showing the front portion of the writing instrument 10.

[0070] In this modified example, the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40 has the configuration described with reference to Figures 1 to 5. The holding member 50 has the configuration described with reference to Figures 14 and 15. The base 64 of the support member 60 is located on the outside of the barrel 20 and is attached to the barrel 20. Thus, the support member 60 is attached to the barrel 20. In this case, the support portion 62 is attached to the barrel 20 via the base 64.

[0071] In the example shown in Figures 24 to 26, the support portion 62 has a tip portion 62a, an intermediate portion 62b, and a base portion 62c. The base portion 62c is connected to the base portion 64. The intermediate portion 62b is the part that connects the tip portion 62a and the base portion 62c. The front end of the intermediate portion 62b is connected to the tip portion 62a, and the rear end of the intermediate portion 62b is connected to the base portion 62c. The tip portion 62a and the base portion 62c each extend linearly along the axial direction da. The intermediate portion 62b extends linearly in a direction inclined with respect to the axial direction da and the radial direction, so that it approaches the central axis A as it moves forward. The radial distance between the tip portion 62a and the central axis A is smaller than the radial distance between the base portion 62c and the central axis A. As a result, the tip portion 62a is located near the writing portion 42 of the tip member 40. In this case, when writing with the tip portion 62a aligned with a ruler, the writing portion 42 can be brought closer to the ruler, which has the advantage of making writing easier. The specific shape of the support portion 62 is not limited to the shape described above, but it is preferable that the radial distance between the tip portion 62a and the central axis A is smaller than the radial distance between the base portion 62c and the central axis A.

[0072] The support member 60 (support portion 62) may be configured to rotate around the central axis A. In particular, the support member 60 (support portion 62) may be configured to stop rotating at 90-degree intervals so that when the writing instrument 10 is viewed from the axial direction da, the pair of support portions 62 can be aligned in a first direction and the pair of support portions 62 can be aligned in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction. The first direction may be the direction in which the ridge portion 43 of the writing portion 42 extends. The second direction may be the direction perpendicular to the direction in which the ridge portion 43 of the writing portion 42 extends.

[0073] In this modified example, since the base 64 of the support member 60 is positioned outside the shaft cylinder 20, the user can grasp the base 64 with their fingers and rotate the support member 60 around the central axis A. Therefore, the support portion 62 can be easily rotated.

[0074] Figure 27 is a cross-sectional view of the writing instrument 10, showing the positional relationship of the support portion 62 with respect to the holding member 50.

[0075] In this modified example, in a cross-sectional view (sectional view) perpendicular to the axial direction da in front of the flexible portion 54, the retaining member 50 has a pair of tangents T extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the support portions 62 are aligned, and the support portions 62 are not located in the region B between the pair of tangents T. In this case, when the retaining member 50 bends at the flexible portion 54, it is possible to suppress the pair of support portions 62 from hindering the bending of the retaining member 50.

[0076] In this modified example, the inner surface (inward-facing surface) and outer surface (outward-facing surface) of the support portion 62 have an arc shape in the cross-section of the writing instrument 10 (Figure 27), but are not limited to this. The inner surface and outer surface of the support portion 62 in the cross-section of the writing instrument 10 may have other shapes, such as straight lines.

[0077] In addition, the flexible portion 54 of the retaining member 50 in the modified example described with reference to Figures 18 to 26 may be the same as the flexible portion 54 of the retaining member 50 in the example described with reference to Figures 1 to 13. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0078] 10 Writing instruments 20 shaft cylinder 22 Ink storage section 24 Ribs 26 Ink guide core 30 Leakage suppression member 32 Tip 34 Through holes 36 Comb groove 40 Chip components 42 Writing section 43 Ridge section 44 Rear recess 46. ​​Deepest part 50 Retaining member 51 Recess 52 Through hole 53 Inner self 54 Flexible part 56 Notches 57 Guard section 58 Connecting part 60 Support member 62 Support part 62a Tip 62b Middle part 62c proximal end 64 Base 70 Deflection suppression member A Center axis B area T tangent da axis direction db deflection direction

Claims

1. A tip member having a writing portion that forms a handwriting line, A holding member for holding the aforementioned tip member, having a flexible portion that can bend in a direction intersecting the axial direction due to pen pressure, A writing instrument comprising a pair of support parts positioned on the outside of the tip member, sandwiching the tip member.

2. The holding member is capable of bending in only one bending direction intersecting the axial direction at the flexible portion. The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the pair of support parts are arranged in a direction perpendicular to the bending direction when viewed from the axial direction.

3. The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is rotatable about a central axis.

4. In a cross-section perpendicular to the axial direction forward of the aforementioned flexible portion, The holding member has a pair of tangents extending in a direction perpendicular to the direction in which the support portions are aligned, The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is not located in the region between the pair of tangents.

5. It also has a barrel, The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is formed integrally with the barrel.

6. It also has a barrel, The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is attached to the barrel.

7. The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is attached to the holding member.

8. An ink reservoir for storing ink, The system further includes a leak suppression member that prevents the ink from leaking out of the ink storage section to the outside, The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the support portion is attached to the leak suppression member.

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