Notebook

Abstract

To provide a writing instrument with a line-drawing function that makes it easy to draw straight lines in the desired location. [Solution] The writing instrument 1 comprises a long body 2 and a writing mechanism 5 that dispenses a core material or ink. The body 2 is divided into a first part 3 and a second part 4 at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the body 2, with a dividing line drawn along the longitudinal direction of the body 2. The writing mechanism 5 is fixed to the first part 3. The first part 3 is connected to the second part 4 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis facing the direction opposite to the second part 4, and so as to be movable along the longitudinal direction of the second part 4. When drawing a straight line, the first part 3 and the writing mechanism 5 are slid relative to the second part 4, and the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 is brought outward from the base end of the tip side cylinder of the second part 4. Then, the first part 3 and the writing mechanism 5 are rotated about the rotation axis to an upright position relative to the second part 4. Then, the first part 3 and the writing mechanism 5 are moved along the longitudinal direction of the second part 4.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This disclosure relates to writing utensils.

Background Art

[0002] Patent Document 1 below discloses a pencil with a scale that is rotatable and slidably attached to a pencil.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0003]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0004] Since the structure of Patent Document 1 is such that a scale is attached to the pencil body, the distance between the pen tip and the scale becomes wide, and it is difficult to draw a straight line at the targeted location.

[0005] Therefore, an object of this disclosure is to provide a writing utensil having a line-drawing function that can easily draw a straight line at a targeted location.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The writing utensil of this disclosure is formed in a hand shape and has a body that is gripped by a user during writing, and a writing member provided inside the body and having a writing tip that protrudes from the tip of the body and emits a core material or ink. The body has a structure that is divided into a first part and a second part such that a dividing line is drawn along the longitudinal direction of the body, the writing member is included in the first part, The first part has a connecting portion that is rotatably connected to the second part about a rotation axis perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first part and facing the direction in which the first part and the second part face each other. The second portion has a guide portion that connects the connecting portion so that it is rotatable about the axis of rotation and movable along the longitudinal direction of the second portion. In the normal state, when the longitudinal directions of the first and second parts are oriented in the same direction, their outer circumferential surfaces are formed to be continuous. By moving the first part upright relative to the second part from the normal state, and then moving the first part in the upright state along the longitudinal direction of the second part, it becomes possible to write a straight line along the second part.

[0007] According to this design, the writing instrument's body is divided into a first and second part, with a dividing line drawn along the longitudinal direction of the body. When drawing a straight line, the first part and the writing element contained within it are raised relative to the second part, and then the first part and the writing element can be moved along the second part. This makes it possible to write a straight line along the second part. The first and second parts constitute the body that is normally held by the user, meaning that their outer surfaces are continuous in the normal state. Therefore, in the upright position, the distance between the tip of the writing element contained in the first part and the second part, which functions as a guide for drawing lines, can be reduced. This makes it easier to draw a straight line at the desired location. Furthermore, since the first and second parts are inseparably connected by a connecting part and a guide part, the distance between the tip of the writing element and the second part can be kept constant when drawing a straight line. This makes it easier to draw straight lines even outdoors, such as on a train. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] This is a plan view of a writing instrument in its normal state. [Figure 2] This is a cross-sectional view of a writing instrument in its normal state, taken along line II-II in Figure 1. [Figure 3]This is a cross-sectional view of a writing instrument in its normal state, cut by a plane perpendicular to the cross-section in Figure 2 (a cross-sectional view cut by a plane parallel to the plane of paper in Figure 1, and containing the central axis of the writing instrument). [Figure 4] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of a writing instrument in its normal state, taken along the line IV-IV in Figure 1. [Figure 5] This diagram shows an intermediate state where the first part and the writing mechanism have been slid relative to the second part. [Figure 6] This is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the writing instrument in an intermediate state, taken along the line VI-VI in Figure 5. [Figure 7] This figure shows the first part and the writing mechanism in an upright position relative to the second part, with the tip of the writing mechanism retracted into the middle section. [Figure 8] This figure shows the first part and the writing mechanism in an upright position relative to the second part, with the tip of the writing mechanism protruding outside the intermediate cylinder. [Figure 9] Figure 8 is an enlarged cross-sectional view along the line IX-IX. [Figure 10] This figure shows the normal state of the writing instrument in relation to the modified form. [Figure 11] This figure shows a modified writing instrument in which the first part and the writing mechanism are raised relative to the second part. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a writing instrument 1 having a straight-line drawing function. Note that Figure 1 shows the writing instrument 1 in its normal state. The writing instrument 1 comprises a main body 2 formed in a longitudinal shape (in other words, a rod shape) and held by the user when writing, and a writing mechanism 5 as a writing member having a writing tip 5c provided inside the main body 2 and having a core material that protrudes from the tip of the main body 2.

[0010] The main body 2 has a structure divided into a first part 3 and a second part 4, with a dividing line b1 (in other words, a boundary line) drawn along the longitudinal direction of the main body 2. The dividing line b1 is drawn from an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the main body 2 in a direction away from the tip 2a of the main body 2 (in other words, towards the base end 2b of the main body 2). The dividing line b1 does not reach the base end 2b, but ends before the base end 2b. The dividing line b1 is set on both the front and back sides of the paper in Figure 1. The dividing line b1 is set parallel to the central axis L1 of the main body 2 or the central axis L2 of the writing mechanism 5 in the normal state, and at a position offset from the central axes L1 and L2 in the opposing direction of the first part 3 and the second part 4 (a direction perpendicular to the axes L1 and L2 in the in-plane direction of Figure 1).

[0011] In the normal state, at the boundary between the first part 3 and the second part 4, in addition to the dividing line b1, an arc-shaped dividing line b2 is set that extends circumferentially around the main body 2, connecting one end of the dividing line b1 on the near side of the paper in Figure 1 (the end on the front end 2a side of the main body 2) and one end of the dividing line b1 on the far side (the end on the front end 2a side of the main body 2). Furthermore, an arc-shaped dividing line b3 is set that extends circumferentially around the main body 2, connecting the other end of the dividing line b1 on the near side of the paper in Figure 1 (the end on the base end 2b side of the main body 2) and the other end of the dividing line b1 on the far side (the end on the base end 2b side of the main body 2).

[0012] The main body 2 is cylindrical in its normal state. As shown in Figure 4, the outer circumference of the cross-section of the main body 2 in its normal state, perpendicular to the central axis L1, is circular. That is, in the cross-section of Figure 4, the line (arc) drawn by the outer surface 6a of the first division 6, which will be described later and constitute part of the first part 3, and the line (arc) drawn by the outer surface 4h of the second division 4b, which will be described later and constitute part of the second part 4, are continuous. The arcs drawn by these outer surfaces 6a and 4h have the same curvature.

[0013] Even at the positions of the circumferentially extending dividing lines b2 and b3 shown in FIG. 1, the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 4 are continuous. Thus, in the normal state where the longitudinal direction of the first portion 3 and the longitudinal direction of the second portion 4 are in the same direction and the first portion 3 and the second portion 4 are joined together, the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 4 are formed into a continuous curved surface. In other words, in the normal state, no step or gap is formed between the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 4. Here, the "step or gap" does not include minute steps or gaps that are unavoidably formed due to manufacturing conditions. That is, minute steps or gaps that are unavoidably formed due to manufacturing conditions may exist between the outer peripheral surface of the first portion 3 and the outer peripheral surface of the second portion 4.

[0014] As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the first portion 3 includes a first dividing portion 6 that defines the above-described dividing lines b1, b2, and b3, and an intermediate cylindrical portion 7 provided on the tip side of the first dividing portion 6. The first dividing portion 6 is formed in a cylindrical shape having the same direction as the longitudinal direction L2 of the writing mechanism 5 as its longitudinal direction.

[0015] Specifically, when viewed in cross section in FIG. 4, the outer peripheral surface 6a of the first dividing portion 6 is formed in an arc shape obtained by cutting out a part of a circle. The central angle of the arc drawn by the outer peripheral surface 6a is larger than 180°. The first dividing portion 6 includes mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d that mate with the mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k of the second dividing portion 4b that constitutes a part of the second portion 4 in the normal state. The mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d are surfaces that cannot be visually recognized from the outside in the normal state. The mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d are surfaces that connect both ends in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface 6a. The mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d are surfaces that are long in the longitudinal direction of the first dividing portion 6 and slide on the mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k of the second dividing portion 4b when the first dividing portion 6 is relatively moved with respect to the second dividing portion 4b.

[0016] The mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d include the first surface 6b, the second surface 6c, and the third surface 6d. The first surface 6b and the third surface 6d are planes whose normals point in the same direction. The width of the first surface 6b in the shorter direction (vertical direction in Figure 4) is greater than the width of the third surface 6d in the shorter direction (vertical direction in Figure 4). The first surface 6b and the third surface 6d are positioned perpendicular to the writing surface 100 in the normal state and when the writing instrument 1 is laid flat on the writing surface 100 and stabilized by the clip 4c described later to prevent it from rolling on the writing surface 100 (the state in Figure 4). In other words, in the state in Figure 4, the normals of the first surface 6b and the third surface 6d are parallel to the writing surface 100.

[0017] The second surface 6c is provided between the first surface 6b and the third surface 6d, and forms a step between the first surface 6b and the third surface 6d in the same direction as the normal direction of surfaces 6b and 6d. That is, the second surface 6c is perpendicular to the first surface 6b and the third surface 6d. In the state shown in Figure 4, the second surface 6c is located on the second surface 4j of the second divided portion 4b.

[0018] In the cross-section shown in Figure 4, the third surface 6d is located on the side where the first divided portion 6 is positioned in the opposing direction between the first divided portion 6 and the second divided portion 4b (left-right direction in Figure 4) (normal direction of surface 6d) (in other words, the side closer to the center O of the writing mechanism 5) (i.e., the left side in Figure 4), compared to the first surface 6b. Furthermore, in the opposing direction between the first divided portion 6 and the second divided portion 4b, the third surface 6d is located on the side where the second divided portion 4b is positioned (right side in Figure 4), compared to the center O of the writing mechanism 5.

[0019] As shown in Figures 2 to 4, a hole 6e for inserting the writing mechanism 5 is formed inside the first divided section 6. The hole 6e extends in the longitudinal direction of the first divided section 6 and forms an opening at the base end of the first divided section 6. The diameter of the hole 6e is smaller than the diameter of the intermediate cylindrical section 7. The hole 6e is also connected to a space 6f for housing the intermediate cylindrical section 7.

[0020] Furthermore, a space 6f for housing the intermediate cylinder portion 7 is formed inside the first divided portion 6. The space 6f is formed on the tip side of the first divided portion 6. The space 6f is formed to be larger in diameter than the hole 6e. An opening 6k (see Figure 3) may be formed in the first surface 6b described above in the space 6f. For example, the intermediate cylinder portion 7 may be assembled into the space 6f through this opening 6k. Alternatively, the intermediate cylinder portion 7 may be assembled into the first divided portion 6 as follows: That is, during the manufacturing stage of the writing instrument 1, the tip side portion of the first divided portion 6 is separated from the other parts so that the space 6f is exposed. In that state, the intermediate cylinder portion 7 is assembled into the space 6f from the exposed part of the space 6f. After that, the tip side portion of the first divided portion 6 is assembled to the other parts and fixed by means of adhesive, screws, claws, etc. to prevent them from separating.

[0021] The first divided portion 6 has a tip hole 6g (see Figures 2 and 3) that forms an opening at the tip in the longitudinal direction of the first divided portion 6. The tip hole 6g is electrically connected to the space 6f. The diameter of the tip hole 6g is larger than the diameter of the main body 7a of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7, and smaller than the diameter of the large-diameter portion 7e provided at the base end of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7. In other words, the tip hole 6g is provided to allow passage of the main body 7a, while prohibiting passage of the large-diameter portion 7e.

[0022] Thus, a through hole (hole 6e, space 6f, and tip hole 6g) is formed inside the first divided section 6, penetrating from both ends in the longitudinal direction of the first divided section 6. The writing mechanism 5 and the intermediate cylinder section 7 are inserted into this through hole.

[0023] The tip portion 6h of the first divided portion 6 (see Figures 2, 3, and 5) is formed to have a smaller diameter compared to the other parts of the first divided portion 6. The tip portion 6h is the part that is inserted into the tip side cylindrical portion 4a of the second portion 4 under normal conditions. In other words, the tip portion 6h is a part that is not visible from the outside under normal conditions.

[0024] A projection 6i (see Figures 2, 5, and 6) is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the tip portion 6h. The projection 6i is the part that engages with a groove 4g (see Figure 2) provided in the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a when the tip portion 6h is inserted into the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a of the second portion 4. In other words, the projection 6i is an engaging part that prevents the tip portion 6h from unintentionally coming out of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a. However, the engaging force of the projection 6i and groove 4g is set such that the engagement between the projection 6i and groove 4g is released when the first divided portion 6 is slid relative to the second portion 4.

[0025] The base end portion 6j of the first division portion 6 (see Figure 3) is the part that defines the arc-shaped dividing line b3 (see Figure 1) described above. The cross-section of the base end portion 6j perpendicular to the central axis of the hole 6e of the first division portion 6 is larger than that of the other parts of the first division portion 6 (the part that defines the dividing line b1). Specifically, the cross-section of the base end portion 6j perpendicular to the central axis of the first division portion 6 is formed to have the same shape as the cross-section of the main body 2 in its normal state, and is specifically formed to be circular. In its normal state, the base end portion 6j covers the base end of the second portion 4.

[0026] The intermediate cylindrical section 7 includes a cylindrical body 7a. The outer diameter of the body 7a is smaller than the outer diameter of the first divided section 6. Inside the body 7a, a through hole 7d is formed, passing through from the tip to the base of the body 7a. The through hole 7d is a hole for inserting the writing mechanism 5 and is located on the central axis of the hole 6e of the first divided section 6. The inner diameter of the body 7a, i.e., the diameter of the through hole 7d, is larger than the diameter of the writing mechanism 5. The writing mechanism 5 is inserted into the through hole 7d. The intermediate cylindrical section 7 is provided so that it can move relative to the writing mechanism 5 in the direction of the central axis of the intermediate cylindrical section 7.

[0027] As shown in Figure 6, the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 includes an arc-shaped outer circumference portion 7b formed around the central axis of the main body 7a, and a flat portion 7c connecting the two ends of the arc-shaped outer circumference portion 7b in the circumferential direction. A shaft portion 7f is formed on the flat portion 7c, projecting in the direction normal to the flat portion 7c. The shaft portion 7f may be formed integrally with the main body 7a, or it may be formed as a separate component from the main body 7a. The shaft portion 7f is formed on the tip side of the main body 7a. A bearing 7g (bearing) is mounted on the tip of the shaft portion 7f. In other words, the shaft portion 7f is press-fitted into the hole in the inner ring of the annular bearing 7g. The outer ring of the bearing 7g is rotatable around the axial direction of the shaft portion 7f. Alternatively, an enlarged diameter portion integrated with the shaft portion 7f may be provided instead of the bearing 7g. The enlarged diameter portion is provided at the tip of the shaft portion 7f, and its cross-section perpendicular to the central axis of the shaft portion 7f is circular. The shaft portion 7f and the bearing 7g correspond to the connecting portion in this disclosure.

[0028] As shown in Figures 2 and 3, a large-diameter portion 7e is formed at the base end of the main body 7a, which functions as a stopper to prevent the main body 7a from coming out of the space 6f. The large-diameter portion 7e is shaped to protrude laterally from the main body 7a, partially increasing its outer diameter.

[0029] The intermediate cylindrical portion 7 is housed in the space 6f of the first divided portion 6. With the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 housed in the space 6f, the flat portion 7c of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 may be exposed through the opening 6k (see Figure 3) of the space 6f formed on the mating surface 6b (first surface) of the first divided portion 6 (see Figure 3).

[0030] A portion of the intermediate cylindrical section 7 protrudes from the tip of the first divided section 6 through the tip hole 6g (see Figure 2) of the first divided section 6. The intermediate cylindrical section 7 is provided so as to be able to move relative to the first divided section 6 in the direction of the central axis of the intermediate cylindrical section 7 within the space 6f, so as to change the amount of protrusion. That is, the intermediate cylindrical section 7 is provided so as to be able to move in the direction of the central axis between a first state (state in Figure 2) in which the large diameter section 7e is in contact with the rear wall 6f1 (see Figure 2) of the space 6f, and a second state (state in Figure 5) in which the large diameter section 7e is in contact with the front wall 6f2 (see Figure 2) of the space 6f. The first state is when most of the intermediate cylindrical section 7 is housed in the space 6f, and the amount of protrusion of the intermediate cylindrical section 7 from the tip of the first divided section 6 is minimized. The first state is the normal state when the first section 3 and the second section 4 are joined together. The second state is when most of the intermediate cylinder portion 7 is outside the space 6f, and the amount of the intermediate cylinder portion 7 protruding from the tip of the first divided portion 6 is at its maximum. Also, in the second state (the state in Figure 5), the tip of the writing mechanism 5 is set to be located inside the intermediate cylinder portion 7.

[0031] The shaft portion 7f and bearing 7g are positioned to protrude from the tip of the first divided portion 6 (in other words, outside the space 6f) in any of the first state, second state, or intermediate state. The bearing 7g engages with a guide groove 4l formed in the second portion 4. The shaft portion 7f is also inserted through a narrow groove 4m in the second portion 4 that is conductive to the guide groove 4l. In this way, the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 is connected to the second portion 4 by the shaft portion 7f and bearing 7g so that it can rotate around the shaft portion 7f and move in the direction in which the guide groove 4l extends (the longitudinal direction of the second portion 4). The bearing 7g and shaft portion 7f may be assembled to the guide groove 4l and narrow groove 4m as follows, for example. That is, during the manufacturing stage of the writing instrument 1, the base end portion of the second portion 4 is separated from the other parts so that the openings of the guide groove 4l and narrow groove 4m are formed on the base end side in the longitudinal direction of the second portion 4. In that state, the bearing 7g and the shaft portion 7f on which it is mounted are assembled into the guide groove 4l and the narrow groove 4m through the openings of the guide groove 4l and the narrow groove 4m. After that, the base end portion of the second portion 4 is assembled to the other portion and secured to prevent them from separating using adhesive, screws, claws, or other fastening means.

[0032] In its normal state, the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 is concealed inside the first divided portion 6 and the second portion 4, and is therefore not visible from the outside. Specifically, in its normal state, most of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 is housed in the space 6f, and a portion of the tip side of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 (including the shaft portion 7f and the bearing 7g) is located inside the tip side cylindrical portion 4a of the second portion 4.

[0033] As shown in Figures 5 and 7, the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 has a notch 7h at its tip. The notch 7h is formed by cutting out the side of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 opposite to the side on which the shaft portion 7f is provided, from the tip toward the base end. That is, as seen in Figure 5, the notch 7h is formed so that it gradually displaces toward the base end of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 as it moves toward the opposite side of the shaft portion 7f in the axial direction L3 of the shaft portion 7f (upper side in Figure 5). Also, as shown in Figure 7, the notch 7h is formed by cutting out an arc shape on the side of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 when viewed from the opposite side on which the shaft portion 7f is provided in the axial direction of the shaft portion 7f.

[0034] The second part 4 comprises a tip-side cylindrical portion 4a, a second divided portion 4b, and a clip 4c. The tip-side cylindrical portion 4a constitutes the portion from the tip 2a of the main body 2 to the intermediate position where it is divided into the first divided portion 6 and the second divided portion 4b. The tip-side cylindrical portion 4a is the part that constitutes the tip side of the main body 2 and is formed in a cylindrical shape. A small-diameter hole 4d for inserting the writing mechanism 5 is formed inside the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a. The diameter of the small-diameter hole 4d is larger than the diameter of the writing mechanism 5 and smaller than the outer diameter of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 and the outer diameter of the first divided portion 6. The tip of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a constitutes the tip 2a of the main body 2 and forms the opening of the small-diameter hole 4d for exposing the tip portion 5c of the writing mechanism 5.

[0035] At the base end of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a, a large-diameter hole 4e and an intermediate hole 4f are formed in order from the base end. These holes 4e and 4f are formed coaxially with the small-diameter hole 4d and to be electrically connected to the small-diameter hole 4d. The large-diameter hole 4e is a hole for fitting the tip portion 6h of the first divided portion 6 in the normal state. That is, the large-diameter hole 4e is formed to have the same diameter as the tip portion 6h, while being smaller in diameter than the outer diameter of the portion of the first divided portion 6 other than the tip portion 6h.

[0036] The intermediate hole 4f is provided between the large-diameter hole 4e and the small-diameter hole 4d. The intermediate hole 4f is larger in diameter than the small-diameter hole 4d and smaller in diameter than the large-diameter hole 4e. The intermediate hole 4f is a hole for fitting a part of the tip side of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 in the normal state. That is, the intermediate hole 4f has the same diameter as the tip side of the main body 7a of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7, and is smaller in diameter than the tip 6h of the first divided portion 6.

[0037] Furthermore, a portion of the guide groove 4l (start end) in which the bearing 7g engages, and a portion of the narrow groove 4m (start end) in which the shaft portion 7f engages are formed on the inside of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a. Under normal conditions, the bearing 7g and the shaft portion 7f are located in the guide groove 4l and the narrow groove 4m within the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a includes, in order from the base end, a constant-diameter portion 4a1 along the direction of the central axis of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a, and a reduced-diameter portion 4a2 that gradually decreases in diameter towards the tip of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a. The length of the constant-diameter portion 4a1 along the direction of the central axis of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a is greater than the length of the reduced-diameter portion 4a2. The large-diameter hole 4e, the intermediate hole 4f, the starting end of the guide groove 4l, and the starting end of the narrow groove 4m are formed in the constant-diameter portion 4a1.

[0039] The second division portion 4b is formed integrally with the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a and extends from the base end of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a in a direction parallel to the central axis of the tip-side cylindrical portion 4a, defining the division line b1 (see Figure 1).

[0040] As shown in Figure 4, the second divided portion 4b has an outer peripheral surface 4h that is formed in the shape of an arc with a part of a circle cut out, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the second divided portion 4b (cross section in Figure 4). The outer peripheral surface 4h is a surface that forms part of the outer peripheral surface of the main body 2 in the normal state and is a surface that is visible from the outside in the normal state. The central angle of the arc drawn by the outer peripheral surface 4h is smaller than that of the outer peripheral surface 6a of the first divided portion 6, specifically less than 180°.

[0041] The second division section 4b has mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k that, in the normal state, align with the mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d of the first division section 6. The mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k are surfaces that are not visible from the outside in the normal state. The mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k are surfaces that connect the two ends of the outer peripheral surface 4h in the circumferential direction. The mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k are surfaces that are long in the longitudinal direction of the second division section 4b and also function as surfaces that guide the movement of the mating surfaces 6b, 6c, and 6d of the first division section 6 when the first division section 6 is moved relative to the second division section 4b.

[0042] The mating surfaces 4i, 4j, and 4k include the first surface 4i, the second surface 4j, and the third surface 4k. The first surface 4i and the third surface 4k are planes whose normals point in the same direction. The width of the first surface 4i in the short direction (vertical direction in Figure 4) is greater than the width of the third surface 4k in the short direction (vertical direction in Figure 4). The first surface 4i and the third surface 4k are positioned perpendicular to the writing surface 100 in the normal state and when the writing instrument 1 is laid flat on the writing surface 100 and stabilized by the clip 4c described later to prevent it from rolling on the writing surface 100 (the state in Figure 4). In other words, in the state in Figure 4, the normals of the first surface 4i and the third surface 4k are parallel to the writing surface 100.

[0043] The second surface 4j is provided between the first surface 4i and the third surface 4k, and forms a step between the first surface 4i and the third surface 4k in the same direction as the normal direction of surfaces 4i and 4k. That is, the second surface 4j is a surface perpendicular to the first surface 4i and the third surface 4k. In the state shown in Figure 4, the second surface 4j is located below the second surface 6c of the first divided portion 6.

[0044] In the cross-section shown in Figure 4, the third surface 4k is located on the side where the first dividing portion 6 is positioned in the opposing direction between the first dividing portion 6 and the second dividing portion 4b (left-right direction in Figure 4) (normal direction of surface 4k) (in other words, the side closer to the center O of the writing mechanism 5) (i.e., the left side of Figure 4) compared to the first surface 4i. Furthermore, in the opposing direction between the first dividing portion 6 and the second dividing portion 4b, the third surface 4k is located on the side where the second dividing portion 4b is positioned (right side of Figure 4) compared to the center O of the writing mechanism 5.

[0045] The first surface 4i aligns with the first surface 6b of the first divided portion 6 under normal conditions. The second surface 4j aligns with the second surface 6c of the first divided portion 6 under normal conditions. The third surface 4k aligns with the third surface 6d of the first divided portion 6 under normal conditions.

[0046] The second division section 4b has a guide groove 4l into which a bearing 7g fits. The guide groove 4l extends in the longitudinal direction of the second division section 4b. The second division section 4b has a narrow groove 4m that has an opening in the first surface 4i and conducts to the guide groove 4l through the opening. The width of the narrow groove 4m in the direction perpendicular to both the longitudinal direction of the second division section 4b and the opposing direction between the first division section 6 and the second division section 4b (the vertical direction in Figures 4 and 6) is smaller than the width of the guide groove 4l and also smaller than the width of the bearing 7g. In other words, the narrow groove 4m is set to a width that prevents the bearing 7g from coming out of the guide groove 4l. The narrow groove 4m extends in the longitudinal direction of the second division section 4b. The shaft portion 7f of the first division section 6 passes through the narrow groove 4m.

[0047] The guide groove 4l and the narrow groove 4m are guide parts or connected parts that connect the connecting part (bearing 7g and shaft part 7f) of the first divided part 6 so that it can rotate around the axis L3 of the shaft part 7f and move along the longitudinal direction of the second divided part 4b.

[0048] The clip 4c is fixed to the base end of the second division portion 4b. The clip 4c is provided so as to protrude laterally from the outer peripheral surface 4h (see Figure 4) of the second division portion 4b. The clip 4c has the function of hooking the writing instrument 1 onto an object (such as the pocket of a shirt worn by the user or documents) by clamping it between itself and the second division portion 4b. Specifically, as shown in Figure 3, the clip 4c is composed of a fixed end portion 4c1 fixed to the second division portion 4b and a main body portion 4c2 extending from the fixed end portion 4c1 towards the tip of the second division portion 4b in the longitudinal direction of the second division portion 4b. It is possible to clamp an object between the main body portion 4c2 and the second division portion 4b. When the clip 4c is in contact with the writing surface 100 and the second portion 4 is held in a lying position on the writing surface 100, the rotation axis L3 of the shaft portion 7f becomes parallel to the writing surface 100.

[0049] The writing mechanism 5 is formed in a longitudinal shape (in other words, a rod shape). As shown in Figure 2, the writing mechanism 5 has a cylindrical body 5a, a base end 5b, and a tip end 5c. Inside the cylindrical body 5a, a writing lead is housed, and a mechanism is provided that dispenses a fixed amount of the lead from the tip end 5c, which serves as the writing tip, each time an extension operation (push operation) is performed on the base end 5b. The base end 5b protrudes from the base end of the cylindrical body 5a and is provided to be movable relative to the cylindrical body 5a in the direction of operation during the push operation. The base end 5b is the part where the lead is dispensed. The tip end 5c protrudes from the tip of the cylindrical body 5a and is the part from which the lead is dispensed. In the normal state shown in Figure 1, the base end 5b protrudes from the base end 2b of the body 2, and the tip end 5c protrudes from the tip 2a of the body 2.

[0050] The cylindrical body 5a is fixed to the first divided section 6 in such a way that it cannot move relative to it, by being inserted into the hole 6e of the first divided section 6. In other words, the writing mechanism 5 is integrated with the first divided section 6. When the first divided section 6 is moved relative to the second section 4, the writing mechanism 5 moves in conjunction with that movement.

[0051] The cylindrical body 5a is inserted into the hole 7d of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 so as to be able to move relative to it in the direction of the central axis of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7. In the normal state, the cylindrical body 5a has a portion that extends through the hole 7d of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 and protrudes from the tip of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7. The portion of the cylindrical body 5a that protrudes from the tip of the intermediate cylindrical portion 7 is inserted into the hole 4d of the tip side cylindrical portion 4a of the second portion 4. The cylindrical body 5a is provided so as to be able to move relative to the tip side cylindrical portion 4a in the direction of the central axis of the tip side cylindrical portion 4a. In the normal state, the tip portion 5c is provided so as to protrude from the tip of the tip side cylindrical portion 4a. In the normal state, the central axis L2 (see Figure 1) of the writing mechanism 5 and the central axis L1 of the body 2 coincide.

[0052] (How to use writing instruments) Next, a method for writing a straight line on the writing surface 100 using the writing instrument 1 will be described. First, from the normal state shown in Figures 1 to 3, the user slides the first dividing part 6 along the longitudinal direction of the second part 4 to the right in Figures 1 to 3 (towards the base end of the second part 4), while maintaining the state in which the longitudinal direction of the first part 3 and the longitudinal direction of the second part 4 are in the same direction. At this time, the user may perform the above sliding movement with the writing instrument 1 lying flat on the writing surface 100, or with the writing instrument 1 lifted away from the writing surface 100 (with the writing instrument 1 held up).

[0053] When sliding is performed, the bearing 7g moves along the guide groove 4l, causing the first division 6 and the writing mechanism 5 fixed thereto to move along the longitudinal direction of the second division 4b. At this time, the intermediate cylinder 7 maintains its normal position (the position shown in Figures 2 and 3) until the base end 7e (large diameter portion) of the intermediate cylinder 7 contacts the front wall 6f2 (see Figure 2) of the space 6f in which the intermediate cylinder 7 is housed. In other words, the first division 6 and the writing mechanism 5 move with relative movement to the intermediate cylinder 7 until the limit of the range of motion in which relative movement between the intermediate cylinder 7 and the first division 6 is reached.

[0054] After the base end 7e of the intermediate cylinder portion 7 contacts the front wall 6f2 of space 6f, that is, after reaching the limit of the range of motion, the sliding movement of the first division portion 6 continues. Then, in conjunction with this sliding movement, the intermediate cylinder portion 7 also moves along the longitudinal direction of the second division portion 4b. Finally, the sliding movement continues until it reaches the state shown in Figure 5, that is, until the tip of the intermediate cylinder portion 7 extends outward from the base end of the tip-side cylinder portion 4a. When the state shown in Figure 5 is considered the intermediate state, the tip portion 5c of the writing mechanism 5 also extends outward from the tip-side cylinder portion 4a. Note that when the base end 7e of the intermediate cylinder portion 7 is in contact with the front wall 6f2, the tip portion 5c of the writing mechanism 5 is retracted inside the intermediate cylinder portion 7. In other words, the intermediate state in Figure 5 is when the tip portion 5c of the writing mechanism 5 is retracted inside the intermediate cylinder portion 7.

[0055] Next, the user rotates the first divided section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 around the axis L3 of the shaft section 7f from the intermediate state in Figure 5 to an upright state relative to the second divided section 4b. Figure 7 illustrates the upright state. In this case, the first divided section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 may be rotated with the second section 4 lying flat on the writing surface 100, or the first divided section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 may be rotated with the second section 4 lifted away from the writing surface 100. In Figure 7, an example is shown where the upright angle of the first divided section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 relative to the second section 4 is 90°, but angles other than 90° are also acceptable. In the upright state in Figure 7, the tip of the intermediate cylinder section 7 is located above the writing surface 100.

[0056] Next, the user places the clip 4c of the second part 4 in contact with the writing surface 100 and lays the second part 4 flat on the writing surface 100. Furthermore, the user adjusts the position of the second part 4, or the position of the first part 6, the intermediate cylinder 7, and the writing mechanism 5 in the longitudinal direction of the second part 4b, so that the mating surface 4k (see Figure 7), which functions as a straight-line drawing guide surface of the second division part 4b, is positioned along the target location for straight-line drawing on the writing surface 100, and the tip of the intermediate cylinder 7 is positioned above the starting point for straight-line drawing on the writing surface 100. This adjustment is performed while keeping the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 retracted inside the intermediate cylinder 7.

[0057] Subsequently, as shown in Figures 8 and 9, the user moves the first division section 6 downward while holding down the second section 4 to prevent it from moving, thereby exposing the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 and the core material 10 extending from its tip 5c from the tip of the intermediate cylinder section 7. At this time, the intermediate cylinder section 7 is held in a position where its tip is above the writing surface 100. Then, the first division section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 are moved along the longitudinal direction of the second division section 4b. At this time, the bearing 7g moves along the guide groove 4l. This makes it possible to draw a straight line along the second division section 4b. Alternatively, the first division section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 may be tilted diagonally relative to the second section 4 while drawing a straight line, or they may be held upright at a 90° angle to the second section 4 as shown in Figure 8 while drawing a straight line.

[0058] After drawing a straight line, the user rotates the first division section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 around the axis L3 of the shaft section 7f to return to the intermediate state shown in Figure 5. Then, the user slides the first division section 6, the intermediate cylinder section 7, and the writing mechanism 5 along the longitudinal direction of the second section 4 toward the tip of the second section 4 to return to the normal state shown in Figures 1 to 3.

[0059] (effect) The effects of this embodiment are described below. Even without holding a ruler in addition to the writing instrument 1, it is possible to draw a straight line along the second divided section 4b. The first section 3 and the second section 4 constitute the main body 2 that is held by the user in the normal state, that is, they are formed so that their outer surfaces are continuous in the normal state, so in the upright state, the distance d (see Figure 9) between the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 included in the first section 3 and the second divided section 4b of the second section 4 which functions as a guide for drawing lines can be made smaller. This makes it easier to draw a straight line at the desired location. Furthermore, the third surface 4k of the second section 4 which functions as a straight-line drawing guide surface is set to a position closer to the central axis L2 of the writing mechanism 5 than the first surface 4i, so the above distance d can be made even smaller. The distance d is set to less than 3 mm, more preferably less than 1 mm.

[0060] Since the first part 3 and the second part 4 are inseparably connected to each other, it is easy to draw straight lines even outdoors, such as inside a train.

[0061] Furthermore, the main body 2 is divided into a first divided section 6 and a second divided section 4b at an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the main body 2, and the second section 4 includes a tip-side cylindrical section 4a as an undivided section up to the aforementioned intermediate position. The second section 4 also includes a clip 4c. These tip-side cylindrical section 4a and clip 4c allow the second section 4 to be stabilized when it is laid flat during straight drawing. In other words, the second section 4 can be held in a laid-back position on the writing surface 100 so that the rotation axis L3 of the first section 3 is parallel to the writing surface 100.

[0062] Furthermore, by positioning the intermediate cylinder 7 and the writing mechanism 5 outside the tip cylinder 4a, and by creating a structure in which the first divided section 6, the intermediate cylinder 7, and the writing mechanism 5 rotate around the rotation axis L3, the rotation mechanism (shaft 7f, bearing 7g, guide groove 4l) can be moved away from the tip of the tip cylinder 4a, thereby preventing the tip of the tip cylinder 4a from becoming too thick. As a result, the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 and the lead material 10 that protrude from the tip of the tip cylinder 4a are easily visible during normal writing.

[0063] In the intermediate state shown in Figure 5, the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 is retracted into the intermediate cylinder 7. This prevents the tip 5c or the core material 10 from coming into contact with the writing surface 100 when moving from the intermediate state in Figure 5 to the upright state in Figure 7. This prevents unintended writing from occurring on the writing surface 100 when moving to the upright state.

[0064] Furthermore, even in the upright position shown in Figure 7, the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5 can be kept retracted inside the intermediate cylinder 7, thus preventing unintended writing from occurring while aiming to draw a straight line. Also, in the upright position shown in Figure 7, the tip of the intermediate cylinder 7 is positioned above the writing surface 100, thus preventing unintended writing from occurring while aiming to draw a straight line.

[0065] Furthermore, since a notch 7h is formed at the tip of the intermediate cylinder portion 7, it is easy to determine to what extent the tip portion 5c of the writing mechanism 5 or the lead material 10 is recessed inward relative to the tip of the intermediate cylinder portion 7.

[0066] Furthermore, since the first divided section 6 and the writing mechanism 5 are provided so that they can move relative to the intermediate cylinder section 7 in the axial direction of the intermediate cylinder section 7, the writing pressure can be adjusted by adjusting the force applied downwards to the first divided section 6 in the state shown in Figure 8.

[0067] Furthermore, the stepped surface 6c of the first divided section 6 (see Figure 4) and the stepped surface 4j of the second divided section 4b (see Figure 4) allow the first section 3 to rotate in one direction around the rotation axis L3 from the state shown in Figure 5, but prohibit rotation in the other direction. This allows the second section 4 to be laid flat on the writing surface 100 such that, in the upright state shown in Figure 7, the third surface 4k of the second divided section 4b is positioned relatively lower and the first surface 4i is positioned relatively upper. In other words, it prevents the second section 4 from being laid flat on the writing surface 100 in the wrong position, such that the third surface 4k is positioned relatively upper and the first surface 4i is positioned relatively lower.

[0068] Furthermore, since the cross-section of the main body 2 is circular and perpendicular to the central axis L1, it is easy to grip the main body 2 in its normal state.

[0069] (modified version) This disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications are possible. Modifications are described below. Figure 10 shows a modified writing instrument 50. The writing instrument 50 comprises a body 51 held by the user and a writing mechanism 54 as a writing member that dispenses a core material or ink from the tip of the body 51. The body 51 is formed longitudinally and is divided into a first part 52 and a second part 53 with a dividing line c drawn along the longitudinal direction. The dividing line c is set over the entire range from the tip to the base of the body 51. That is, in the writing instrument 50, the entire body 51 is divided into a first part 52 and a second part 53. The writing mechanism 54 is included in the first part 52. The first part 52 is connected to the second part 53 so as to be rotatable about a rotation axis facing the opposing directions of the first part 52 and the second part 53, and so as to be movable in the longitudinal direction of the second part 53. In other words, the first part 52 is equipped with a shaft portion (not shown) similar to the shaft portion 7f described above, and a bearing (not shown) similar to the bearing 7g described above. The second part 53 has a guide groove (not shown) similar to the guide groove 4l described above, and a narrow groove 55 (see Figure 11) similar to the narrow groove 4m described above. The bearing is fitted into the guide groove. The shaft portion is fitted into the narrow groove 55. In the normal state shown in Figure 10, the cross section perpendicular to the central axis of the main body 51 is non-circular, but the outer surface of the first part 52 and the outer surface of the second part 53 are continuous. When drawing a straight line, the first part 52 and the writing mechanism 54 are set upright relative to the second part 53, as shown in Figure 11. Then, the first part 52 and the writing mechanism 54 are moved along the longitudinal direction of the second part 53. This makes it possible to draw a straight line along the second part 53.

[0070] Furthermore, although the above embodiment shows an example where the core material 10 is supplied from the tip 5c of the writing mechanism 5, a writing member that supplies ink from the tip may be provided instead of the writing mechanism 5. Also, although an example is shown where the cross-section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the main body 2 is circular, the main body 2 with a circular cross-section may be replaced with a main body with a regular polygonal cross-section (for example, a regular hexagon). [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 1, 50 writing instruments 2.51 Main unit 3, 52 Part 1 4, 53 2nd part 4h Outer surface of the second divided section 4L Guide groove (guide section) 4m narrow groove (guide section) 5.54 Writing mechanism (writing components) 6a Outer surface of the first divided section 7f Shaft part (connection part) 7g bearing (connecting part) b1, c Dividing lines drawn along the longitudinal direction of the main body L3 Rotation axis

Claims

1. The main body is formed in an elongated shape and is held by the user when writing, The device comprises a writing member provided inside the main body and having a writing tip that dispenses a core material or ink, which protrudes from the tip of the main body, The main body is divided into a first part and a second part such that a dividing line is drawn along the longitudinal direction of the main body. The writing member is included in the first part, The first part has a connecting portion that is rotatably connected to the second part about a rotation axis that is perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the first part and faces the direction in which the first part and the second part face each other. The second portion has a guide portion that connects the connecting portion so that it is rotatable about the axis of rotation and movable along the longitudinal direction of the second portion. In the normal state, when the longitudinal directions of the first and second parts are oriented in the same direction, their outer circumferential surfaces are formed to be continuous. By moving the first part upright relative to the second part from the normal state, and then moving the first part in the upright state along the longitudinal direction of the second part, it becomes possible to write a straight line along the second part. Writing implements.

2. The main body is divided such that the dividing line is drawn from an intermediate position in the longitudinal direction of the main body toward the tip of the main body. The first part is, The first divided portion that constitutes one side of the divided structure, The device comprises an intermediate cylindrical portion having a connecting portion, which is provided so as to protrude from the tip of the first divided portion and is connected to the first divided portion so as to be able to move relative to the first divided portion in the longitudinal direction of the first divided portion, such that the amount of protrusion changes, The second part is, The portion of the main body from the tip to the intermediate position, the tip side cylinder portion having an opening at the tip that exposes the writing tip, It comprises a second divided portion which is formed integrally with the tip side cylindrical portion and extends from the base end of the tip side cylindrical portion in a direction parallel to the axis of the tip side cylindrical portion, and which constitutes the other side of the divided structure, The writing member is provided so as to be in conjunction with the first divided portion. The aforementioned intermediate cylindrical portion is concealed inside the main body in the normal state. The writing member is inserted into the intermediate cylindrical portion so that it can move relative to the intermediate cylindrical portion. The first divided portion, the intermediate cylindrical portion, and the writing member are capable of sliding along the longitudinal direction of the second portion from the normal state to an intermediate state in which the tip of the intermediate cylindrical portion is exposed and the tip of the writing member extends outward from the base end of the tip-side cylindrical portion, while maintaining a state in which the longitudinal direction of the first portion and the longitudinal direction of the second portion are in the same direction. In the upright state, where the first divided portion, the intermediate cylindrical portion, and the writing member are upright relative to the second divided portion, the tip of the writing member can be switched between a state in which it is retracted inside the intermediate cylindrical portion and a state in which it is extended outside the intermediate cylindrical portion. The writing instrument according to claim 1.

3. The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the outer circumference of the cross-section of the main body perpendicular to the longitudinal direction in the normal state is circular or a regular polygon.

4. The second part is equipped with a clip that protrudes from the outer surface of the second part and can be used to hook onto an object. The writing instrument according to claim 1, wherein the clip holds the second portion of the clip in a position where it is lying flat against the writing surface, such that the axis of rotation is parallel to the writing surface.

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