pencil case

Abstract

To provide a pencil case which facilitates visible recognition from the outside including the state of the pencil lead of the pencils held in a pen holder even with the lid closed, which has the pen holder having a holding power that prevents pencils from carelessly falling out in spite of receiving violent impact or vibration, and which can maintain designability by the top cover with conventional synthetic leather finish.SOLUTION: A pencil case is provided with a frame body having at least an upward facing storage part and with a lid body for opening / closing the storage part. The storage part forms an outer shell at least from the right-side upper face over to the right side-face of the pencil case, and has a pen holder made of a transparent and hard resin constituting a curved surface from the top face to the right side face. The pen holder can be housed in the storage part in standing or falling shape by turning with a hinge that is supported on a fulcrum installed on the right end of the frame body. Also, the pen holder includes a tapered part which houses a pencil holding member, a separate body, composed of an elastic material and provided with pencil insertion holes capable of inserting a plurality of pencils and which can restrain the tip excluding the lead tip of the holding pencils.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a box-shaped pencil case for storing and carrying writing implements such as pencils, mainly for elementary school children. [Background technology]

[0002] Pencil cases for carrying writing implements are essential for children, and they are brought to school every day in their school bags along with their textbooks and other study materials. The widespread use of box-shaped pencil cases in Japanese elementary schools is due to the adoption of pencils as the basic writing implement. Pencils are ideal for mastering the strokes of kanji and hiragana characters that children learn in the lower grades. Their simple design, which does not disassemble like mechanical pencils, makes them an ideal writing implement for lower grade students. Furthermore, especially in the lower grades, students often check their pencil cases to ensure they have a sufficient number of properly sharpened pencils before school starts, and by remembering to store them in their school bags along with their textbooks, they learn to prepare for school, manage their belongings, and develop the habit of organization. In this respect, pencil cases, especially for lower grade students, are more than just stationery; they are also expected to have educational benefits.

[0003] A typical box-shaped pencil case has space for storing pencils and other writing implements, erasers, rulers, etc., making it easy for children to prepare and check their stationery. Furthermore, by incorporating a sturdy frame and a lid with a magnetic fastening, the case can withstand rough handling by active children and protect the stationery inside. Furthermore, many pencil cases emphasize design, with the lids made of synthetic leather with built-in cushioning to match the look of school supplies purchased at the same time, such as school bags.

[0004] In recent years, box-shaped pencil cases have become popular, such as the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, which has five to seven pen holders fixed in a storage compartment that can be rotated up and down, and in which the tips of pencils are inserted and held. Typical pen holders are made of a single piece of resin, such as PP (polypropylene) or PE (polyethylene), and hold pencils by the elasticity of the resin. Furthermore, some pen holders have been commercialized with slits in each pencil holder, which increase holding power by utilizing the elastic restoring force of the slits that deform when a pencil is inserted.

[0005] However, due to their high slipperiness, PP and PE materials tend to easily release pencils from their holders. Active children often run and jump around on their way to school, causing the pencils to slip out of the penholders and hit the tip of the pencil inside the pencil case, breaking the lead. In particular, when children store their pencil cases upright in their school backpacks with the pencil tip pointing upwards, gravity increases the risk of the pencil slipping out of the penholder. In other words, simply inserting a pencil weighing 6 to 10 grams into a one-piece molded penholder made of conventional materials and structures is insufficient to hold the pencil in place against strong vibrations and shocks. [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 6897978

[0006] Furthermore, although children are instructed to sharpen their pencils at home every day and store the necessary number of pencils in their pencil cases when they first start school, they often forget to do this for the first year or two until they have fully developed the habit. The synthetic leather cover is opaque, and the contents cannot be seen unless the pencil case lid is opened, so it is not possible to know the condition of the pencils at a glance, making it difficult for parents to check thoroughly.

[0007] To address this issue, pencil cases have been commercialized, such as those disclosed in Patent Document 2, which have a transparent window in part of the outer shell, and those shown in Non-Patent Document 1, in which the lid and outer shell are entirely made of transparent material. [Patent Document 2] Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 55-146105 [Non-Patent Document 1] Kutsuwa Co., Ltd. "Tough Clear" URL https: / / www.kutsuwa.co.jp / items / ch204 /

[0008] However, the pencil case with a transparent window according to Patent Document 2 requires a window to be provided in a part of the top lid and then assembled by gluing a separate transparent resin plate, which not only increases costs due to the gluing and assembly process, but also makes the top lid prone to breakage when a torsional force is applied to the plate-like top lid. In particular, if the edge of the window is designed to be close to the edge of the top lid so that the tip of the stored pencil can be seen through the window, there is a problem in that the strength of the top lid itself is reduced.

[0009] Furthermore, in the case of the pencil case described in Non-Patent Document 1, in which the lid is made of a transparent material, it is difficult to fit a general-purpose cushioning material such as sponge into the lid, which inevitably reduces the cushioning and impact resistance. Furthermore, by making the entire surface transparent, the inside of the storage compartment is completely visible, which not only creates aesthetic and privacy issues such as the exposure of stored items and stains caused by the pencil lead (graphite) inside, but also makes it difficult to fully address design considerations such as coordinating with school bags, which have traditionally been emphasized. Another structural problem is that the visibility of the entire pencil makes it difficult to pay close attention to the particularly important tip of the pencil lead.

[0010] Furthermore, even if the entire outer shell is made of a transparent material, as long as there are corners on the outer shell of the box, the transparency at the corners will decrease due to the thickness of the transparent resin, and the refractive index will also change. Therefore, when the pencil case is placed on a desk and viewed from diagonally above, it can be difficult to check the state of the pencil lead inside the pen holder. DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0011] The present invention was invented to solve the problems of the prior art as described above, and aims to provide a pencil case that can be manufactured at low cost, which allows the pencils held in the pen holder to be easily seen from the outside, including the state of the lead, even when the lid is closed, has a pen holder with enough holding power to prevent the pencil from accidentally falling out even when subjected to severe impact or vibration, and further maintains the design of the conventional synthetic leather-covered top lid. [Means for solving the problem]

[0012] In order to solve the above problem, the pencil case described in claim 1 is a pencil case comprising a frame body having at least an upper storage section facing upward, and a lid body for opening and closing the frame body, and the storage section extends from the upper right surface to the right side surface of the pencil case. The surface is curved. The pen holder is made of a transparent hard resin and forms an outer shell. The pen holder accommodates a separate pencil holding member made of an elastic material having pencil insertion holes into which a plurality of pencils can be inserted, and has a tapered portion capable of engaging the tip end of the held pencil excluding the lead tip, The cover is characterized in that it can be opened and closed and covers the remaining part of the storage section except for the upper surface of the pen holder.

[0013] The surface of the pen holder from the top to the right side is curved, without any corners or ribs to ensure strength, so-called R-surfaces. This prevents the loss of transparency due to the thickness of the transparent resin and prevents changes in refractive index due to the presence of corners. Therefore, even when the pencil case is placed on a desk and viewed from diagonally above, the state of the pencil lead inside the pen holder can be clearly seen without distortion.

[0014] The material of the pen holder is not particularly limited as long as it is a resin that allows the interior to be seen through and has durability (impact resistance, abrasion resistance) that allows it to form part of the outer shell of the pencil case, but PC (polycarbonate), which has transparency similar to glass and high impact and abrasion resistance, is suitable. By configuring it so that it forms the outer shell from the upper right surface to the right side of the pencil case, when the top lid is closed with the pen holder stored in the frame, the top surface of the pencil case generally presents a unified appearance with no significant step between the top lid and the pen holder, and the state of the pencil leads stored inside can be easily seen from the outside through the pen holder even with the top lid closed.

[0015] While the material of the pencil holder is not particularly limited as long as it has elasticity, silicone rubber, with its high coefficient of friction and low slippage, is preferred. Conventional technologies rely on the elasticity of the PP or PE pen holder itself to hold pencils, but these materials, with their high slippage and limited elasticity, have insufficient pencil holding power. Furthermore, by making the pencil holder an independent elastic material, restrictions on the material of the pen holder are eliminated, allowing for the use of highly transparent but hard resins such as PC, which allows for both visibility of the pen holder interior and pencil holding power. Furthermore, the flexibility of silicone rubber allows for the creation of a pen holder with redundancy, accommodating a variety of commercially available pencil shapes (e.g., hexagonal, triangular, circular cross sections), slight variations in pencil diameter, and differences in surface treatment.

[0016] On the other hand, it is necessary to limit the depth of insertion so that the pencil does not break when inserted too deeply into the pen holder due to the tip of the lead touching the inner wall at the right end of the pen holder. In prior art pen holders, both the pencil holding force and the insertion depth limiting force were integrally molded from the same elastic material, so there was a risk that the elasticity of the material, which increased the holding force, would actually impair the ability to limit the insertion depth. In contrast, the pen holder of the present invention solves this contradictory problem by dividing the holding force by a separate elastic pencil holding member and the insertion depth limiting force by the tapered portion of the pen holder made of a hard material.

[0017] Furthermore, by making the pencil holding member an independent component, six pencil insertion holes can be formed as a single unit, and its plasticity allows it to be assembled into the pen holder all at once, making the assembly process easier. Furthermore, the elastic pencil holding member is protected by the hard pen holder, which reduces deformation, damage, wear, and deterioration due to aging when inserting and removing pencils, and increases durability.

[0018] Next, the invention described in claim 2 is a pencil case described in claim 1, characterized in that the pen holder can be rotated by a hinge supported by a fulcrum provided at the right end of the frame body, standing up or tipping over, so that it can be stored in the storage section.

[0019] Furthermore, the invention described in claim 3 is the pencil case described in claim 2, characterized in that the pen holder has a locking portion that extends below the lid when the pencil case is tipped over, and can only stand up when the lid is open, and when the lid is closed after standing up and then tipped over, the locking portion comes into contact with the right end of the top surface of the lid, thereby maintaining the pencil case in an inclined position.

[0020] By providing a locking part on the left end of the pen holder that extends below the top cover in the event of a tipping over, the locking part is fixed by the cover when the cover is closed, and the pen holder will not inadvertently stand up even if it is subjected to shock or vibration as long as the cover is not opened. Also, by closing the cover and holding the pen holder at an angle, pencils can be inserted and removed immediately when using pencils one after another without having to open the cover and touch the pen holder each time.

[0021] lastly, The invention according to claim 4 is Any one of claims 1 to 3 The pencil case described in the above is characterized in that the pencil holding member has a coaxial annular ridge portion provided on the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole.

[0022] The pencil is held in place by the friction between its outer surface and the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole, but in order to generate this friction, the inner diameter of the pencil insertion hole must be smaller than the diameter of a standard pencil (approximately 8 mm). However, if the inner diameter is too small, the holding force on the pencil will be excessive, and the resistance when inserting and removing the pencil will be too great, making it difficult to use. In addition, since commercially available pencils vary in cross-sectional shape and diameter, the way the outer surface contacts the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole will vary.

[0023] Therefore, the inner diameter of the pencil insertion hole is set to be slightly smaller than the diameter of a standard pencil, and by providing ridges on its inner surface, the clamping effect, which is the reaction of the elastic deformation of the ridges, and the friction force between the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole, ensure sufficient holding power for the outer surfaces of a variety of pencils. Moreover, since only the ridges generate significant friction when inserting and removing the pencil, no unnecessary resistance is generated, ensuring a comfortable feel when using the pencil. [Effects of the Invention]

[0024] With the above-described configuration, the pencil case according to the present invention has the following excellent effects not found in the prior art. (1) While the majority of the top cover is made of the same material as conventional pencil cases, the transparent pen holder integrated into the outer shell allows children and parents to easily visually check the number and type of pencils stored inside, as well as the state of their lead tips. This prevents pencil shortages and forgetting to sharpen pencils, and also allows for a unified design with school bags and other items. (2) The pen holder is equipped with a separate pencil holding member made of an elastic material that has a high pencil holding force, preventing the pencil from slipping out of the pen holder and breaking the lead inside the pencil case even when subjected to strong impacts or vibrations. In addition, the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole in the pencil holding member is provided with an annular ridge, realizing tolerance, redundancy, and operability that allows a variety of pencils with different cross-sectional shapes and diameters to be comfortably stored, held, and removed. (3) Although the number of parts increases due to the separate pencil holding member, the tapered portion of the hard pen holder limits the insertion depth of the pencil, while the soft pencil holding member shares the pencil holding force, so both can be achieved at a high level compared to pen holders of the prior art in which elastic resin members are integrally molded. (4) The pen holder can be raised and the top cover can be closed, allowing the pencil to be placed at an angle on top of the pencil case, so that pencils can be easily removed and stored on the pencil case. This allows pencils to be replaced without having to open and close the pencil case every time, even during exams and other situations where silence is required. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0025] [Figure 1] Perspective view of pencil case (with top lid closed) [Figure 2] Perspective view of the pencil case (with the top cover open and the pen holder standing upright) [Figure 3] Front view of pencil case [Figure 4] Back view of pencil case [Figure 5] Plan view of pencil case [Figure 6] Right side view of the pencil case [Figure 7] Plan view of the pencil case (with the top lid open) [Figure 8] Bottom view of the pencil case (bottom cover open) [Figure 9] 1 is a perspective view of the pencil holder with the pencil holder separated; [Figure 10] Enlarged perspective view of the pen holder [Figure 11] Front view of the pen holder [Figure 12] Left side view of the pen holder [Figure 13] A perspective view of a pencil holder [Figure 14] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a cross section of a pencil holding member; [Figure 15] Photo of the pencil case prototype (before pencils were stored) [Figure 16] Photo of the pencil case prototype (with pencils stored inside) [Figure 17] Comparison photo (pen holder part) with a conventional pencil case BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[0026] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The pencil case according to the embodiment is a so-called double-door pencil case, which has a first storage compartment and a top cover on the top surface of the frame, and also has a second storage compartment and a bottom cover on the bottom surface.

[0027] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of pencil case 1 with top cover 12 closed, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view with top cover 12 open. FIG. 3 is a front view, FIG. 4 is a rear view, FIG. 5 is a plan view, and FIG. 6 is a right side view, all of which show top cover 12 and bottom cover 14 closed. FIG. 7 is a plan view with top cover 12 open, and FIG. 8 is a bottom view with bottom cover 14 open. FIG. 9 is a perspective view of the pen holder with the pencil holding member separated from it, FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of the pen holder, and FIG. 11 is a front view of the pen holder. FIG. 12 is a left side view of the pen holder (viewed from the first storage section), FIG. 13 is a perspective view of pencil holding member 30, and FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing the cross-sectional structure of pencil holding member 30. Furthermore, FIGS. 15 and 16 are photographs of a prototype of pencil case 1, with FIG. 15 showing the state before pencils are stored and FIG. 16 showing the state after pencils are stored. FIG. 17 is a comparative photograph of the pen holder portion of the pencil case according to the present invention and the pencil case according to the prior art shown in Non-Patent Document 1.

[0028] The pencil case 1 has a first storage section 11 on the top side of the frame 10 and a second storage section 13 on the bottom side, with a top lid 12 for opening and closing the first storage section 11 and a bottom lid 14 for opening and closing the second storage section 13, both of which are provided to open from the front side of the pencil case 1. The top lid 12 covers approximately three-quarters of the left side of the first storage section 11, and a pen holder 20 and a pencil sharpener storage section 40 are provided in approximately one-quarter of the right side.

[0029] The pen holder 20 is a single-piece member made of transparent PC (polycarbonate). Its top surface and right side surface are continuous and curved, forming the outer shell from the upper right surface to the right side of the pencil case 1. A pair of hinges 21 provided at the bottom end of the right side of the pen holder 20 rotatably engage with a pair of fulcrums 16 provided at the bottom of the right side of the frame 10, allowing the pen holder 20 to be stored upright or in an inverted position.

[0030] The left end of the pen holder 20 is provided with a locking portion 22 that extends below the right end of the top cover 12 when the pen holder is stored upside down. When stored upside down, the locking portion 22 interferes with the underside of the right end of the top cover 12, preventing the pen holder 20 from standing up unless the top cover 12 is opened. This prevents the pen holder 20 from accidentally standing up due to impact or vibration, and preventing the pencil P from falling out. On the other hand, if the pen holder 20 is in an upright position and then turned upside down after the top cover 12 is closed, the locking portion 22 abuts against the upper surface of the right end of the top cover 12, holding the pen holder 20 at an angle. This allows pencils P to be replaced on the desk without having to open and close the top cover 12 or standing or tipping the pen holder 20, making it particularly convenient in situations where quietness is required, such as exams.

[0031] Next, by making the pen holder 20 out of transparent PC, the number and type of pencils stored can be easily seen even when the pen holder 20 is stored upside down and the top cover 12 is closed. In the photograph of Figure 17, the left side shows the pencil case according to the embodiment, and the right side shows an enlarged photograph of the pen holder portion of a conventional pencil case with a completely transparent top cover. It can be seen that the pencil case on the right, according to the conventional art, has a corner at the right end (top of the photograph), making it difficult to see the tips of the pencils. In contrast, the pencil case on the left side according to the embodiment has a curved top surface and right side of the pen holder 20 that are continuous, so there is no corner at the top right end. Therefore, when the pencil case 1 is viewed diagonally from above, not only can the pen holder and the pencils inserted therein be seen, but the state of the pencil leads can also be easily confirmed without being obstructed by the corner.

[0032] Near the left end of the pen holder 20 is a pencil holding member storage section 23 into which a substantially rectangular parallelepiped pencil holding member 30 made of silicone rubber can be inserted and fitted, and at the right end of the pencil holding member storage section 23 is a tapered section 24 that holds and regulates the tip of a sharpened pencil P. Furthermore, six continuous through holes 25 are provided on the underside of the pencil holding member storage section 23.

[0033] The pencil holding member 30 has six pencil insertion holes 31, which are continuous through-holes with an inner diameter of just under 8 mm and whose axes are horizontal, and an annular ridge 32 is provided near the left end of the inner surface of the pencil insertion holes 31. In addition, the underside of the pencil holding member 30 has six protrusions 33 that correspond to the through-holes 25, and the pencil holding member 30 is inserted into the pencil holding portion storage section 23 of the pen holder 20 and is fixed by fitting the protrusions 33 into the through-holes 25.

[0034] The pencil holding member 30 is made of silicone rubber with low slip properties, and its inner diameter is just under 8 mm, slightly smaller than the diameter of a typical pencil, so the inserted pencil P is held in place by friction with the inner surface of the pencil insertion hole 31. In addition, the outer surface of the pencil P presses against the annular ridges 32, and the reaction to this elastic deformation tightens the pencil P. Therefore, the pencil P will not fall out of the pencil holding member 30 even if it is subjected to severe impact or vibration.

[0035] Furthermore, the tip of the pencil P that has been inserted into and passed through the pencil insertion hole 31 will then come into contact with the tapered portion 24. Because the tapered portion 24 is integrally molded within the PC pen holder 20, it does not elastically deform and completely restricts the entry of the pencil P even if the pencil P is pressed in hard, so the lead of the pencil P will not come into contact with the inner wall of the pen holder 20 and break.

[0036] The silicone rubber pencil holding member 30 can be easily deformed due to its elasticity, making it extremely easy to assemble and remove from the pencil holding member storage compartment 23 of the PC pen holder 20. However, because silicone rubber has a large frictional force against PC, it will not easily fall out of the pencil holding member storage compartment 23 even when a pencil P is inserted or removed or when it is subjected to external shocks or vibrations. Furthermore, as mentioned above, the protrusion 33 on the pencil holding member 30 is fitted into the through-hole 25 on the pen holder 20, so when a pencil is inserted, the protrusion 33 is pressed into the through-hole 25, further reliably securing the pencil. This prevents the pencil holding member 30 from falling out of the pencil holding member storage compartment 23 due to being dragged by the pencil when attempting to pull it out.

[0037] As described above, the pen holder 20 of the pencil case 1 is configured so that the holding force of the pencil P is shared by the pencil holding member 30 made of silicone rubber, and the regulating force for limiting the insertion depth of the pencil P is shared by the tapered portion 24 made of PC, thereby solving the problem of the conflict between holding force and regulating force in pen holders of pencil cases of the prior art, which are made only of one-piece molded parts of elastic resin.

[0038] The pencil case 1 also has a transparent pencil sharpener storage section 40 next to the pen holder 20, which is also shaped to form part of the outer shell of the pencil case 1. In this embodiment, the lower part of the pencil sharpener storage section 40 opens to the second storage section 13 side, and the stored pencil sharpener (not shown) can be attached and detached by opening the bottom cover 14. The stored pencil sharpener itself is incorporated into a transparent case that also serves as a shavings container, making it easier for children to develop the habit of sharpening pencils and discarding shavings every time they check the number of pencils and the condition of the leads.

[0039] The above describes an embodiment of the present invention with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not necessarily limited to the above-described configuration, and can be modified and implemented as appropriate within the scope of achieving the object of the present invention and having the effects thereof. As long as they fall within the scope of the technical idea of ​​the present invention, they also fall within the technical scope of the present invention. [Industrial Applicability]

[0040] The pencil case of the present invention can be widely used as a stationery item by children and adults, but it can also be used as a learning tool by first-year elementary school students, along with their school bags and textbooks, to practice managing and maintaining their belongings for the first time by checking the number and type of pencils and the condition of the leads.It can also be expected to be effective as a teaching material for learning about lesson preparation and mental preparation. [Explanation of symbols]

[0041] 1 pencil case 10 Frame 11 First storage area 12 Top lid 13 Second storage area 14 Bottom lid 15 Magnet 16 fulcrum 17 Magnet holder 20 Pen Holder 21 Hinge 22 Locking portion 23 Pencil holder storage section 24 Tapered section 25 through holes 30 Pencil holder 31 Pencil insertion hole 32 Ridge 33 Protrusion 40 Pencil sharpener storage compartment

Claims

1. A pencil case comprising a frame having at least an upward-facing storage section and a lid for opening and closing the frame, wherein the storage section has a pen holder made of a transparent hard resin that forms an outer shell with a curved surface from at least the upper right surface to the right side of the pencil case, the pen holder houses a separate pencil holding member made of an elastic material with pencil insertion holes into which multiple pencils can be inserted, and has a tapered portion that can engage the tips of the held pencils excluding the lead tips, and the lid can be opened and closed by covering the remaining part of the storage section excluding the top surface of the pen holder.

2. 2. The pencil case according to claim 1, wherein the pen holder is rotatable by a hinge supported by a fulcrum provided at the right end of the frame body so as to stand up or fall down and be stored in the storage section.

3. The pencil case of claim 2, characterized in that the pen holder has a locking portion that extends below the lid when the case is tipped over, and can only stand up when the lid is open, and when the lid is closed after standing up and then tipped over, the locking portion comes into contact with the right end of the top surface of the lid, thereby maintaining the case in an inclined position.

4. 4. The pencil case according to claim 1, wherein the pencil holding member has a coaxial annular ridge on the inner peripheral surface of the pencil insertion hole.

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