Deformable Pouch Felt Pen Ink System

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional writing felt pens are limited by the cylindrical shape of their ink system component, leading to dead space and material thickness issues, which restricts design flexibility and ink flow efficiency.

Innovation Solution

A writing felt pen featuring a deformable pouch composed of absorbent polymer and fibers, where the nib is in fluidic communication with the mix, allowing for a non-cylindrical barrel shape and continuous ink flow, utilizing a porous buffer with interconnected pores and specific fiber and resin combinations to manage ink absorption and distribution.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If a cylindrical ink system component is used, then the barrel structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but dead space is created and material thickness increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvebarrel structure simplicityVSAvoiddead space
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSLoss of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The ink system is segmented into a deformable pouch containing absorbent polymer and fibres, separated from the barrel structure. This allows the barrel to be thin-walled without cylindrical constraints while the pouch adapts to available space, eliminating dead space caused by thick cylindrical walls.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The ink system uses a deformable pouch instead of a rigid cylindrical container. The pouch dynamically changes shape and volume as ink is consumed, adapting to the available space within the barrel and eliminating the need for fixed thick walls, thereby reducing dead space.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #15Dynamics

2Ease of manufacture

If a cylindrical ink system component is used, then the manufacturing process is straightforward, but design flexibility is restricted

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvemanufacturing process simplicityVSAvoiddesign flexibility
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSAdaptability or versatility

Solution Approach 1:

By separating the ink storage function (pouch) from the structural function (barrel), the design gains flexibility. The pouch can be positioned and shaped independently, allowing various barrel designs while maintaining manufacturing simplicity through modular assembly.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable pouch made of flexible material replaces the rigid cylindrical constraint, allowing the barrel to have diverse shapes and thin walls. The flexible pouch adapts to any barrel configuration, providing design freedom without complicating manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

3Device complexity

If conventional ink system components are used, then the structure is simple, but ink flow efficiency is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvestructure simplicityVSAvoidink flow efficiency
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The ink system incorporates a porous buffer and absorbent polymer with controlled porosity. The porous structure creates capillary channels that efficiently transport ink from the pouch through the buffer to the nib, significantly improving ink flow efficiency while maintaining structural simplicity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #31Porous materials

Solution Approach 2:

The ink system uses a composite structure combining absorbent polymer, fibres, and porous buffer materials. This composite approach optimizes ink absorption, storage, and flow properties, enhancing ink delivery efficiency without substantially increasing device complexity.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This configuration enables a flexible barrel shape, reduces material thickness, and ensures continuous ink flow by adapting to ink consumption, maintaining fluidic communication between the nib and the absorbent polymer-fiber mix, thereby optimizing ink usage and pen performance.

Implementation Method 1

a deformable pouch (24) including a mix (16) of absorbent polymer (18) and fibres (20), an ink being absorbed in the absorbent polymer (18)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectAbsorption: Absorption (physical)

Implementation Method 2

the buffer (22) has a porosity greater than the porosity of the nib (14)... the ink absorbed in the absorbent polymer (18) is drained by the fibres (20) from the absorbent polymer (18) to the nib (14)

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectCapillary action: Capillary Action

Implementation Method 3

The buffer has a porosity greater than the porosity of the nib. The buffer may be a porous system with interconnected open pore.

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectPorosity: Porosity

Data Source

PatentEP3753746B1Writing felt pen
Publication Date: 2024.07.24 SOCIETE BIC SA
  • EP3753746B1 patent drawingFigure 1~2
  • EP3753746B1 patent drawingFigure 3~4
  • EP3753746B1 patent drawingFigure 5~6

AI summary

A writing felt pen (10) including a barrel (12) and a nib (14) attached to the barrel (12), and a deformable pouch (24) comprising a mix (16) of absorbent polymer (18) and fibres (20), an ink being absorbed in the absorbent polymer (20) and the nib (14) being in fluidic communication with the mix (16).