Applicator

Abstract

To provide an applicator capable of drawing double lines with a single stroke, and capable of clearly drawing both lines for a long period of time.SOLUTION: An applicator 1 has a plurality of applicator parts, and applies a coating liquid by bringing the tips of the applicator parts into contact with an object 10 to be coated. The applicator 1 has a first applicator part 3 for applying a first coating liquid and a second applicator part 5 for applying a second coating liquid as the plurality of applicator parts. The first applicator part 3 and the second applicator part 5 are arranged side by side without their tip portions 3a, 5a touching each other. The first coating liquid consists of an aqueous first ink composition containing glycerin, and the second coating liquid consists of a second aqueous ink composition containing glycerin. When the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is A weight % and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is B weight %, the absolute value of the difference between A and B is 0 to 17.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to an applicator for applying a coating liquid to an object such as paper.

Background Art

[0002] An applicator having a pen tip made of felt, synthetic resin, etc., like a so-called marking pen, is widely known. As such an applicator, there is an applicator capable of drawing a double line (in one stroke).

[0003] Patent Document 1 discloses a marking pen in which a wide-line drawing pen tip portion and a narrow-line drawing pen tip portion are arranged side by side at positions close to each other on a straight line. In this marking pen, there is a gap between the tip portion of the wide-line drawing pen tip portion and the tip portion of the narrow-line drawing pen tip portion. Therefore, when a line is drawn on a paper surface or the like, the drawn line becomes two lines extending in parallel with a gap therebetween.

[0004] Patent Document 2 discloses a refill-type multicolor marking pen having a uniaxial pen tip. Patent Document 3 discloses a multicolor marker having a uniaxial pen tip portion. In these marking pens / markers, since the pen tip is uniaxial, the drawn line is multicolor but forms one line.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0005]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Patent Document 3

[0007] The inventors noticed that in a water-based marking pen capable of drawing double lines with a single stroke, one of the lines would become faint after long-term storage with the cap attached. After much research to find a solution, they discovered that the above problem could be solved by modifying the composition of the ink supplied to each pen tip (coating part).

[0008] One aspect of the present invention is an applicator having a plurality of applicator parts, for applying an applicator liquid by bringing the tip portions of the applicator parts into contact with an object to be coated, wherein the plurality of applicator parts include a first applicator part for applying a first applicator liquid and a second applicator part for applying a second applicator liquid, the first applicator part and the second applicator part are arranged side by side without their tip portions contacting each other, the first applicator liquid consists of an aqueous first ink composition containing glycerin, the second applicator liquid consists of an aqueous second ink composition containing glycerin, and when the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is A by weight and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is B by weight, the absolute value of the difference between A and B is 0 to 17.

[0009] This embodiment relates to an applicator having a plurality of applicator parts, which apply an coating liquid by bringing the tip portions of the applicator parts into contact with the object to be coated. In the applicator of this embodiment, the plurality of applicator parts include a first applicator part that applies a first coating liquid and a second applicator part that applies a second coating liquid, and their tip portions are arranged side by side without touching each other. Therefore, a double line can be drawn with a single stroke. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the difference in glycerin concentration (weight %) between the first ink composition constituting the first coating liquid and the second ink composition constituting the second coating liquid is within a specific range. According to this embodiment, even after long-term storage, the phenomenon of one line becoming blurred is suppressed, and an applicator that maintains high writing performance can be provided.

[0010] Preferably, the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight.

[0011] Preferably, the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight.

[0012] Preferably, the absolute value is between 0 and 7.

[0013] Preferably, the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight, and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight, with the absolute value being 0 to 7. [Effects of the Invention]

[0014] According to the present invention, in an applicator that can draw double lines with a single stroke, the phenomenon of one of the lines becoming faint even after long-term storage is suppressed, and high writing performance is maintained. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0015] [Figure 1] This is an explanatory diagram schematically showing the coating body portion of a coating tool according to one embodiment of the present invention and the double line drawn using the coating tool. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0016] First, let me briefly explain the basic components of the applicator. The applicator 1 shown in Figure 1, according to one embodiment of the present invention, belongs to the category of so-called water-based marking pens. The applicator 1 is equipped with a plurality of pen tip members (applicator parts) at its tip, specifically a first pen tip member 3 (first applicator part) and a second pen tip member 5 (second applicator part). The first pen tip member 3 is a wide tip and is for drawing thick lines 6. The second pen tip member 5 is a rod-shaped, narrow tip and is for drawing thin lines 7. When drawing lines 6 and 7 on an object to be coated 10 such as paper using the applicator 1, the tip portion 3a of the first pen tip member 3 and the tip portion 5a of the second pen tip member 5 are moved while in contact with the object to be coated 10. At this time, since the tip portions 3a and 5a of the first pen tip member 3 and the second pen tip member 5 are not in contact with each other, the thick lines 6 and thin lines 7 drawn do not overlap, but become parallel double lines.

[0017] The first pen tip member 3 is supplied with a first ink composition, which is the first coating liquid. For example, the first ink composition is filled into a first core (not shown), and the first ink composition is supplied from the first core to the first pen tip member 3. The first pen tip member 3 is, for example, a sintered core (porous body) formed by heating powder such as plastic powder, and is a porous body having continuous pores. That is, it is a member that can draw in the first coating liquid by capillary action and move it toward the pen tip side (front side). Alternatively, the first pen tip member 3 can be made of felt.

[0018] The second pen tip member 5 is supplied with a second ink composition that serves as the second coating liquid. For example, a second ink composition is filled in a second core (not shown), and the second ink composition is supplied from the second core to the second pen tip member 5. The second pen tip member 5 is formed, for example, by extruding and stretching a synthetic resin having fine pores inside and leaving these pores. As the synthetic resin, for example, engineering plastic (polyacetal resin) is adopted. That is, the second pen tip member 5 can be composed of a plastic tip. In addition, the second pen tip member 5 can be composed of a fiber bundle.

[0019] In this embodiment, a wide tip is adopted as the first pen tip member 3 and a narrow tip is adopted as the second pen tip member 5. However, there is no master-slave relationship between the first pen tip member 3 and the second pen tip member 5, and the combination of the wide tip and the narrow tip may be reversed, or tips of the same type may be adopted for both.

[0020] Next, the first ink composition and the second ink composition will be described. Regarding matters common to the first ink composition and the second ink composition, they will be collectively described simply as the ink composition.

[0021] The ink composition of this embodiment is an aqueous ink composition and contains at least a solvent, a colorant, and a lubricant.

[0022] As the solvent, usually water is used. The content ratio of water in the entire ink composition is, for example, 1 to 60% by weight, preferably 5 to 50% by weight. The solvent may include a water-soluble organic solvent, for example, butyl cellosolve.

[0023] As the colorant, pigments, dyes, colored resin particles, etc. can be used. Examples of pigments include organic pigments such as phthalocyanine, azo, quinacridone, anthraquinone, dioxane, indigo, thioindigo, perinone, perylene, indolenone, and azo-azomethine; and inorganic pigments such as titanium dioxide, carbon, aluminum powder pigments, glass flakes, mica, and pearl pigments. The pigment content in the ink composition (the ratio of pigment to the total ink composition) is, for example, 0.5 to 35% by weight, preferably 1 to 30% by weight. If the pigment content is too high, the viscosity of the ink composition may increase, potentially leading to poor ink flow. If the pigment content is too low, the color development and opacity of the ink may be poor.

[0024] When pigments are used as colorants, it is preferable to include a dispersant to stabilize the dispersion of the pigments. Examples of dispersants include styrene-acrylic resins, styrene-based resins, acrylic resins, etc. These dispersants not only stabilize the dispersion of pigments but also have the function of imparting adhesion to the pigments. The dispersant content in the ink composition is, for example, 0.1 to 20% by weight, preferably 0.5 to 15% by weight. If the dispersant content is too high, the viscosity of the ink composition may increase, potentially leading to poor ink flow. If the dispersant content is too low, the viscosity of the ink composition may decrease, or the adhesion of the pigments may be poor.

[0025] Examples of dyes include acridine, aniline, anthraquinone, azine, azo, azomethine, benzoquinone, naphthoquinone, indigoid, indophenol, indoaniline, indamine, leuco, naphthalimide, nigrosine, indurine, nitro, nitroso, oxazine, dioxazine, oxidation dyes, phthalocyanine, polymethine, quinophthalone, sulfur dyes, triallylmethane, diallylmethane, thiazine, thiazole, xanthene, and various other dyes. The dye content in the ink composition is, for example, 0.5 to 35% by weight, preferably 1 to 30% by weight. If the dye content is too high, the viscosity of the ink composition may increase, potentially impairing the ink's flow. If the dye content is too high, the color development and opacity of the ink may be reduced.

[0026] As colored resin particles, spherical resin spheres colored with any pigment or dye can be used. Examples of colored resin particles include Lumikol NKW-3907E (manufactured by Nippon Fluorescent Chemical Co., Ltd., resin: styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, dye: CI Basic Violet 11:1, CI Basic Red 1:1), Lumikol NKW-3905E (manufactured by Nippon Fluorescent Chemical Co., Ltd., resin: styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, dye: CI Basic Yellow 40), Lumikol NKW-3908E (manufactured by Nippon Fluorescent Chemical Co., Ltd., resin: styrene-acrylonitrile copolymer, dye: CI Basic Blue 3), etc. The content of colored resin particles in the ink composition is, for example, 0.5 to 35% by weight, preferably 1 to 30% by weight. If the content of colored resin particles is too high, the viscosity of the ink composition will increase, which may impair the flow of the ink. If the content of colored resin particles is too high, the color development and opacity of the ink may be reduced.

[0027] When using colored resin particles as a coloring agent, uncolored resin spheres may be further included. Examples of such resin spheres include Lumikol NKW-85E (manufactured by Nippon Fluorescent Chemicals Co., Ltd., styrene-acrylonitrile polymer), Toughtic AR650SX (manufactured by Nippon Exlan Industries Co., Ltd., polymethyl methacrylate), and the like.

[0028] To draw thick lines 6 and thin lines 7 (Figure 1) of different colors, it is preferable to use different colorants in the first ink composition and the second ink composition.

[0029] The ink composition of this embodiment contains at least glycerin as a lubricant. The glycerin concentration in the ink composition (the percentage of glycerin in the total ink composition, or the glycerin content in the ink composition) is, for example, 1 to 50% by weight, preferably 5 to 30% by weight.

[0030] In this embodiment, the difference between the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is within a predetermined range. Specifically, when the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is A by weight and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is B by weight, the absolute value X of the difference between A and B is 0 to 17 (0 or more and 17 or less). The absolute value X is preferably 0 to 12, more preferably 0 to 7, even more preferably 0 to 3, and particularly preferably 0 to 1. Because the absolute value X is set within a predetermined range, the applicator 1 of this embodiment suppresses the phenomenon of one line becoming blurred even after long-term storage, and maintains high writing performance.

[0031] Other components besides glycerin may be included as lubricants. Examples of wetting agents other than glycerin include ethylene glycol, propylene glycol, diethylene glycol, urea, polyalkylene glycol, alkylene glycol monoalkyl ether, etc. The total lubricant content in the ink composition, including glycerin and other lubricants, is, for example, 1 to 50% by weight, preferably 5 to 30% by weight. If the lubricant content is too high, the viscosity of the ink composition may increase, potentially impairing ink flow. If the lubricant content is too low, the pen tip may dry out easily, potentially causing skipping during writing.

[0032] Instead of glycerin, glycols such as ethylene glycol and diethylene glycol may be used, provided that the concentration difference between the two ink compositions remains within a predetermined range.

[0033] The ink composition in the present invention may contain components other than those mentioned above, as long as they do not impair its performance. Examples of such components include thickeners, thixotropes, surfactants, antifungal agents, preservatives, defoamers, leveling agents, and the like. [Examples]

[0034] 1. Preparation of the first ink composition (Ink A) Six aqueous ink compositions (inks A1 to A6) with different glycerin concentrations were prepared using the formulations shown in Table 1 (unit: parts by weight). Specifically, a colored resin particle dispersion (Lumikol NKW-3907E; Nippon Fluorescent Chemical Co., Ltd.), a resin particle dispersion (Lumikol NKW-85E; Nippon Fluorescent Chemical Co., Ltd.), and glycerin were added to deionized water and stirred with a desolver for 60 minutes. A preservative (Proxel XL-2; Arch Chemicals Japan Co., Ltd.) and an antifungal agent (Coatside PH2; Osaka Gas Chemical Co., Ltd.) were then added and stirred for 10 minutes to obtain inks A1 to A6.

[0035] [Table 1]

[0036] 2. Preparation of the second ink composition (Ink B) Four aqueous ink compositions (inks B1-B4) with different glycerin concentrations were prepared using the formulations shown in Table 2 (unit: parts by weight). Specifically, a 20% resin solution (Hyros X-1; Seikoh PMC), ethylene glycol, water, and butyl cellosolve were mixed and stirred for 10 minutes. A pigment (Simlafast Red 4127, naphthol azo pigment) was then added and stirred for 120 minutes, followed by slow stirring overnight to remove foam. This was then processed in a continuous Dynomill to disperse the mixture until the target particle size was achieved. Deionized water, a preservative (Proxel XL-2), and an antifungal agent (Coatside PH2) were added and stirred for 10 minutes to obtain a pigment dispersion. The pigment dispersion, activator (phosphanol PE-510; Toho Chemical Industry Co.), preservative, and antifungal agent were added to the deionized water and stirred for 10 minutes to obtain inks B1-B4.

[0037] [Table 2]

[0038] 3. Making a marking pen A marking pen was manufactured that incorporates two independent cores (first core and second core) and has a wide tip (first pen tip) and a narrow tip (second pen tip) whose tips do not come into contact with each other. The first core is filled with a first ink composition (inks A1 to A6), and the first ink composition is supplied to the wide tip. The second core is filled with a second ink composition (inks B1 to B4), and the second ink composition is supplied to the narrow tip. A flat and square felt tip was used for the wide tip. A round tip made of fiber bundles was used for the narrow tip. After the two cores filled with ink compositions were installed in the body, each tip, a stopper, and a cap were attached.

[0039] 4. Storage stability test Each marking pen was stored for one month at a specified temperature and in a specified position with the cap attached, and changes in writing performance (skipping) were evaluated. Four temperature conditions were used: refrigeration, 40°C, 50°C, and a cycle of -10°C to 50°C (repeating a cycle of -10°C → 50°C → -10°C over two days). Three positions were used: horizontal, upright, and inverted. As part of the evaluation method, before the test began, participants first wrote on a sheet of paper to obtain a baseline handwriting sample. For the writing method, using a wide tip, five 10cm straight lines were drawn with the thicker side of the tip; and using a narrow tip, ten continuous circles with a diameter of 15mm were drawn. After the test, participants wrote similarly adjacent to the baseline handwriting sample to check for any smudging or unevenness. The evaluation criteria were based on the following three levels. A: Both the wide and narrow tips produce no skipping from start to finish. B: At least one of the wide tip and the narrow tip skips at the beginning of writing, but resumes writing midway through. C: At least one of the wide tip and the narrow tip remains scratchy from the beginning to the end of writing.

[0040] 5.Results The results are shown in Table 3. Hereafter, a marking pen combining inks A1 and B1 will be denoted as "A1 / B1," for example. A "-" in Table 3 indicates that data was not obtained.

[0041] The combinations A1 / B1, A2 / B2, A3 / B3, and A4 / B4, where the glycerin concentration was the same, as well as the combinations A1 / B2, A2 / B3, A3 / B4, A2 / B1, A3 / B2, and A4 / B3, where the absolute value X of the difference in glycerin concentration (weight%) was 5, maintained very good writing performance (Rating: A).

[0042] For combinations A1 / B3, A2 / B4, A3 / B1, A4 / B2, and A6 / B4, where the absolute value X of the difference in glycerin concentration (weight%) is 10, very good writing performance was maintained under refrigerated and 40°C conditions (Rating: A). Good writing performance was also maintained under 50°C conditions (Rating: B).

[0043] In combinations A1 / B4, A4 / B1, and A5 / B3, where the absolute value X of the difference in glycerin concentration (by weight) is 15, good writing performance was maintained at 50°C (Evaluation: B).

[0044] In other combinations where the absolute value X of the difference in glycerin concentration (by weight) was 20 or more, streaking occurred in the lines drawn with the tip that had the lower glycerin concentration under the condition of 50°C (Evaluation: C).

[0045] The above results show that if the absolute value X of the difference in glycerin concentration between ink A and ink B is within the range of at least 0 to 15, good writing performance is maintained even after long-term storage. In particular, if the absolute value X is within the range of 0 to 5, very good writing performance is maintained.

[0046] [Table 3] [Explanation of Symbols]

[0047] 1. Applicator 3. First pen tip component (coating body portion, first coating body portion) 3a Tip part 5. Second pen tip component (coating body part, second coating body part) 5a Tip part 10. Object to be coated

Claims

1. An applicator having multiple applicator parts, which applies an applicator liquid by bringing the tip portions of the applicator parts into contact with the object to be coated, The plurality of coating portions include a first coating portion that applies the first coating solution and a second coating portion that applies the second coating solution. The first coating portion and the second coating portion are arranged side by side without their tip portions touching each other. The first coating solution consists of an aqueous first ink composition containing glycerin. The aforementioned second coating solution consists of an aqueous second ink composition containing glycerin. An applicator in which, when the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is A by weight and the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is B by weight, the absolute value of the difference between A and B is 0 to 17.

2. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight.

3. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight.

4. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the absolute value is 0 to 7.

5. The glycerin concentration in the first ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight. The glycerin concentration in the second ink composition is 1 to 50% by weight. The applicator according to claim 1, wherein the absolute value is 0 to 7.

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