Ink metering injector for marker pens and associated marker pen

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ink injector with a metering device for marker pens, with erasable or non-erasable inks, comprising a double-locking valve with ball retention, forming a sealing barrier that ensures the fluid tightness of the marker pen before, during, and after refilling. The marker pen has been developed to enable automatic and clean refilling without the need to dismantle it.

Description

[0001] [Ink Injector for Marker Brushes and Their Marker Brushes] p1] This invention describes an ink injector with a dispenser for marker brushes, with erasable or non-erasable inks, composed of a double-locking valve with ball retention, generating a sealing barrier that guarantees the brush's watertightness before, during, and after refilling. The brush was developed to ensure automatic and clean refilling without the need for disassembly. 2 The market generally offers users marker brushes, which can be refillable or disposable, and regarding their use, there are variations such as: marker brushes for drawing on paper, for whiteboards, and others, using inks of various formulations, i.e., with a wide range of applications. 3] Generally, brush refills are performed by manually replacing a refill that mechanically dispenses ink into the brush.For this to work, the brush needs to be partially disassembled each time it is refilled, or the paint needs to be poured directly from a larger bottle into the brush, causing premature wear of the material, as well as the risk of getting paint on the user and the surrounding area if the movements are not precise.

[0002] P4 With the current method used for refilling brushes, there is an increase in the number of brushes to be discarded after use, generating an accumulation of waste in the environment, in addition to the risk of chemical contamination due to the remaining paint impregnated in the object. Furthermore, existing devices are not capable of automatically refilling the brushes available on the market.

[0003] [P5] The technology proposed in this patent has its own brush models for each type of application and are exclusive for automatic refilling. The brush was developed to ensure automatic and clean refilling without the need to disassemble it. A valve with double locking was developed, one in a highly resilient material and the other a ball retention system, generating a double sealing barrier that guarantees the brush's watertightness before, during, and after refilling. The brush also has a specific geometry that does not...

[0004] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21 allows another model to be inserted into the device. p6 In searches carried out in the main patent databases, some similar technologies were found, which do not present efficient solutions compared to those described in the present patent.

[0005] P7| Patent PI 0503570-8 refers to a refillable pen having a rear sealing cap that can be easily removed when refilling the pen, which has a sealing part and a threaded part, forming a screw closure and an airtight barrier.

[0006] P8| Patent BR1020190194200 refers to an automatic brush refilling machine with visual and audible controls, eliminating the need to remove the back of the brush. This system provides convenience and safety in performing this task, preventing premature wear of the brushes, reducing refill costs, and minimizing the environmental impact caused by improper disposal of paint-contaminated material.

[0007] P9| Patent BR 202019017998-3 presents a refillable marker pen that uses ink injection, consisting of a rear cap with a hole and an elastomer, providing less environmental impact, reduced refill costs, and greater user convenience.

[0008]

[0010] Patent JP2023067711 discloses a ballpoint pen refill including an ink storage tube, a ball holder mounted on the tip of the ink storage tube, a pressure rod mounted inside the holder and a ball housed in the tip of the holder.

[0009]

[0011] The patents listed above present machines for refilling marker pens, however, they do not present the characteristics and advantages of the dosing injector and marker pen, which are the subject of this patent application. The figures below help in understanding the proposed technology.

[0010]

[0012] FIGURE 1 represents the isometric view of the ink dispensing injector for marker brushes.

[0011]

[0013] FIGURE 2 represents a view showing the internal components of

[0012] Ink dispensing injector for marker pens.

[0013] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21 [14 FIGURE 3 represents an exploded view illustrating the components that make up the anti-evaporation and anti-vacuum systems.

[0014]

[0015] FIGURE 4 represents a schematic view of the internal injection system of the brush and the action of the double-lock valve.

[0015]

[0016] With the aim of solving existing problems in the state of the art, the present invention, the "INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES AND THEIR MARKER BRUSH", was developed. It consists of an ink injector with a doser for marker brushes, with erasable or non-erasable inks, composed of a double-locking valve with ball retention, generating a double sealing barrier that guarantees the brush's watertightness during refilling. The brush was developed to ensure automatic and clean refilling, without the need for disassembly. The practicality and safety of refilling the brush are guaranteed by the automation of the process, preventing premature wear of the brushes, reducing refill costs and the environmental impact caused by the improper disposal of ink-contaminated material.

[0016]

[0017] The ink dispensing injector for marker brushes consists externally of the housing (1), a bottom closing cover (2), a containment tray (3), a lid fitting with positioning sensor (4), brush fittings with positioning sensor (and RFID antenna) (5), reservoir counter cover (6), reservoir cover (7), display (8), and navigation and control buttons (9). The brush fittings (5) and the lid (4) can adopt different geometric shapes or fastening systems, such as screw locking, pressure, quick coupling or magnetic fastening, provided they guarantee safe positioning for the automated refilling operation.

[0017]

[0018] Internally, the injection molding machine consists of the ink reservoir (10), recirculation system pump (11), circulation hose (12), reservoir level sensor (13), injection system hose (14), injection pump assembly (15), injection pump support (16), injection needle fitting (17), injection needle (18) and electronic board (19).

[0018]

[0019] The internal injection system of the brush and the action of the double locking valve is responsible for maintaining the tightness of the brush before, during and after the refilling procedure. This system is composed of the resilient valve (23), ball

[0019] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21 of retention (24), retention spring (25), ball guide support (26) and injection needle (18). The geometry of the resilient valve (23), ball (24) and needle (18) may vary according to the type of brush or application, provided that it maintains the functionality of double sealing and automatic actuation by axial insertion and ensures safe refilling.

[0020] 20] The injection pump (15), used to inject the paint into the brush, is of the peristaltic type and has a double internal lock that guarantees the tightness of the paint storage system, without the need to use one-way valves, and is also capable of performing back cleaning of the system. This prevents any portion of paint from being exposed to evaporation and drying out and clogging the injection system.

[0021]

[21] The proposed invention eliminates the risk of soiling the user and the surrounding environment when removing the back cap from conventional brushes and brushes that require needle refilling. This is because a needle with a specific geometric shape is used to insert the paint inside the brushes. Furthermore, the valve inside the brush is constructed of resilient material and also has an internal retention mechanism, factors that ensure a perfect seal for the brush.

[0022]

[22] Before starting operation, the ink reservoir (10) must be filled with a specified ink. The tightness and evaporation control of the stored ink are guaranteed by the anti-evaporation and anti-vacuum system, composed of the reservoir's counter cap (6), reservoir cap (7), obturator (20), obturator spring (21), and obturator spring guide lock (22). These listed items incorporated into the reservoir (10) ensure that the stored fluid does not evaporate and also control the entry of atmospheric pressure, preventing the formation of a high vacuum pressure.

[0023]

[23] The equipment reloading procedure prompts the user, via a message on the display (8), to insert the brush cap into the cap slot (4), which has a brush cap positioning sensor, and then the equipment prompts the user to insert the brush into the brush slot (5), corresponding to the desired color. This also has a positioning sensor that recognizes the position of the brush. The positioning sensors indicated in (4) and (5) can be of the mechanical, optical or other type that fulfills the function of identifying the presence of the cap and brush in their respective compartments.

[0024] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21. With the brush and cap inserted, the user can start the refill. By pressing one of the navigation and control buttons (9), a growing bar will be shown on the display (8) to monitor the refill, which begins with the suction of the ink by the activation of the motor pump assembly (15). The ink then passes through the injection system hose (14), being directed to the injection needle (18). After injecting a pre-programmed amount of ink, the system displays the end-of-refill message and the user can remove the cap and brush from the fittings.

[0025]

[0025] After refilling, the system installed on the electronic control board (19) recognizes the end of the refilling and performs a backwashing procedure on the needle and the part of the injection hose (14) downstream of the injection pump (15). This ensures that all the ink in the system is properly sealed and without the possibility of drying out or clogging the injection system. The injection system is then clean and isolated from the rest of the system upstream of the injection pump (15), guaranteed by a double internal seal of the pump.

[0026] 26| To indicate the need for a new ink supply, the reservoir level sensor (13) is responsible for emitting a signal that generates a low level alert on the display (8).

[0027] 27| For the entire system to function automatically, the injection molding machine is equipped with an electronic board (19) consisting of a microcontroller with firmware, drive drivers, and connectors for signal input and output. This board performs sequential and timed control of all operations, including continuous sensor reading, interaction with the display (8), pump activation, and event logging. In addition, the embedded system can integrate multiple communication interfaces with external networks, such as wireless local area networks, wired networks, and mobile networks, switching between them automatically or according to pre-set parameters. This multifunctional communication module allows the equipment to operate in a connected manner in different operational scenarios, ensuring stability in data transmission and integrity in remote synchronization with servers.

[0028] 28 The brush's watertightness guarantees a clean refill and is characterized by the development of the brush's internal double locking system. When the user inserts the brush into the fitting (5), the needle (18) enters through the valve (23) which ensures a seal with the needle body (18). Then the needle body raises the ball (24) pushing it against the spring (25), allowing the injection of ink into the brush. At the end of the refill, with the removal of the brush, the ball (24), pushed by the spring (25), returns to its seat on the valve seat (23), completing the seal at the bottom of the brush.

[0029] 29] In order to guarantee the homogeneity and quality of the paint, the recirculation system pump (11) and the circulation hose (12) maintain the paint always with the same properties throughout the time of use, the frequency and time of fluid circulation is defined by a programming logic exclusive to each type of paint to be used.

[0030]

[30] The injection molding machine's electronic system allows for the automatic transmission of operational information to remote servers, such as the number of refills performed per color, identification of brushes used, sensor status, and refill cycle events. This data is organized in an external database, enabling complete traceability, generation of analytical reports, and integration with management platforms. The equipment is also capable of receiving remote commands and executing firmware updates, validating the integrity of the received file and securely replacing the previous version. The update logic ensures that the device resumes operation only after complete verification of the new code, preventing failures or corruption. Remote configuration management can be performed through a digital interface accessible to authorized systems, enabling adjustments, lockouts, diagnostics, and maintenance, even without physical access to the equipment.

[0031] 31 Another feature related to management is the identification of marker pens through RFID tags and the placement of an RFID antenna on the outside of the pen holders. When a pen is inserted into one of the holders, the RFID antenna identifies that pen and informs the microcontroller on the electronic board which holder it was inserted into. This information, after being transmitted to a database, allows the user or manager to know how many refills have been performed on the same pen, the colors that were refilled, and whether it was refilled on the same device or on different devices.

[0032]

[32] For marketing reasons, the equipment shown in the figures was developed to accommodate 3 colors of ink. However, the proposed invention is not limited to the number of colors that can be used. With this proposed technology, it is also possible to program a percentage combination of these colors, with the aim of forming

[0033] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21 various other colors for the brush, according to the user's needs. The electronic board (19) allows adjusting the desired percentages of paints for creating colors.

[0034] Petition 870240067401, dated 08 / 08 / 2024, page 21 / 21

Claims

MODIFIED CLAIMS Received by the International Secretariat on January 13, 2026 (13.01.2026) 1. INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, with a dispenser for refillable marker brushes, characterized by comprising externally a housing (1), a lower closing cover (2), a containment tray (3), a cover fitting with positioning sensor (4), brush fittings with positioning sensor (5), a reservoir counter cover (6), a reservoir cover (7), a display (8), and navigation and control buttons (9); internally an ink reservoir (10), a recirculation system pump (11), a circulation hose (12), a reservoir level sensor (13), an injection system hose (14), an injection motor pump assembly (15), an injection pump support (16), an injection needle fitting (17), an injection needle (18) and an electronic board [19] that make up the ink control and refilling unit. 2 “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized in that the injection pump (15) is preferably of the peristaltic type and has a double internal lock to ensure the tightness of the ink storage system.

3. “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized in that the injection pump (15) is configured to perform a back cleaning procedure of the injection needle and injection line after refilling.

4. “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized by comprising a shutter (20), a shutter spring (21), and a shutter spring guide lock (22), which comprise an anti-evaporation and anti-vacuum system in the ink injection, ensuring the tightness of the reservoir and the control of evaporation of the stored ink.

5. “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized by the recirculation pump (11) and the circulation hose (12) having the function of ensuring the homogeneity and quality of the ink.

6. “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized by the electronic board (19) comprising a microcontroller with resident firmware installed, an RFID antenna for wireless communication, drive drivers, connectors for signal input and output, and a remote management interface accessible by an authorized system, to create the following functionalities for the injector: a) allow automated operation; b) allow programming a percentage combination of injected colors to form different colors; c) connect to external networks through multiple communication interfaces, including local wireless networks, wired networks, and mobile networks, for sending operational data and receiving system updates; d) perform remote firmware updates, with integrity validation and automatic replacement of the previous version after successful verification;e) Periodically send recharge data, brush identification, and sensor status to a remote database, enabling traceability and remote management; f) Allow viewing of events, scheduling of tasks, and configuration of equipment without the need for physical access.

7. “INK DOSING INJECTOR FOR MARKER BRUSHES”, according to claim 1, characterized by the injection needle (18) having a geometry adapted to actuate an automatic sealing system with a double barrier, formed by a resilient element and a movable retaining element, preferably a ball or plunger. The “MARKER BRUSH”, for drawings on paper, whiteboard and others, characterized by comprising a resilient double-locking valve (23), a retaining ball (24), a retaining spring (25) and a ball guide support (26) to ensure sealing and watertightness of the brush during the refilling procedure, and an identification system, preferably by RFID tags.

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