초록 ▼

A capless retractable sealed marking instrument has a sealed chamber incorporated in a marker casing. The sealed chamber includes a chamber, a wiper ring, and an annular rim and a seal portion with a cross-slit aperture defining surfaces or flaps which are moved out of contact by a linearly-advanced

A capless retractable sealed marking instrument has a sealed chamber incorporated in a marker casing. The sealed chamber includes a chamber, a wiper ring, and an annular rim and a seal portion with a cross-slit aperture defining surfaces or flaps which are moved out of contact by a linearly-advanced marker nib to open the seal for extension of the marker nib. The configuration of the disk provides positive sealing force between the lateral sealing surfaces of the seal flaps. Retraction of the marker nib draws the flaps back into the sealed chamber configuration to protect the marker nib and cartridge from atmospheric degradation.

대표청구항 ▼

We claim: 1. A capless retractable sealed writing instrument comprising: an elongated marker housing with an axial opening; a marker reservoir having a marker nib and held within a marker carrier mechanism within the marker housing, the marker carrier mechanism operative to linearly move the marker

We claim: 1. A capless retractable sealed writing instrument comprising: an elongated marker housing with an axial opening; a marker reservoir having a marker nib and held within a marker carrier mechanism within the marker housing, the marker carrier mechanism operative to linearly move the marker reservoir and marker nib within the marker housing, to extend and retract the marker nib through the axial opening in the marker housing; a sealing means having a sealing chamber, a wiper seal piece and a forward seal piece; and said chamber having a peripheral wall defining a hollow bore, the chamber disposed coaxially with said reservoir, whereby the reservoir extends at least partially into said hollow bore with the wiper seal piece sealing against the reservoir, and wherein the forward seal piece extends from an annular flange and includes a flexible central membrane with at least one slit there through that does not extend to the annular flange forming at least two flexible sealing flaps. 2. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said sealing chamber is separate from said wiper seal piece which is maintained in abutting relationship with said sealing chamber at a first end of said sealing chamber, and said sealing chamber is separate from said forward seal piece which is abutting said chamber adjacent an opposite end of said chamber, said forward seal piece having said annular flange which is held within the marker housing in a plane generally perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said marker housing. 3. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 2, wherein the sealing chamber comprises a generally-circular, peripheral wall defining a hollow bore suitable for passage of a cylindrical reservoir portion there through; an annular forward terminus at one end of said peripheral wall adapted for compressing said as annular flange of a said forward seal piece; and an annular rearward terminus at an opposite end of said peripheral wall having a flat edge at one end adapted for compressing said wiper seal piece which is encircling the reservoir portion. 4. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 3, wherein said forward seal piece includes at least two of said slits formed through the flexible central membrane forming greater than two flexible sealing flaps which are adapted to permit extension and retraction of the marker nib therethrough. 5. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 4, wherein said seal piece extends from an annular flange. 6. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 5, wherein the forward seal piece has a collapsible bellows shape for greater extension of said nib through said sealing flaps. 7. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the marker carrier mechanism comprises a marker reservoir receiver, a release spring, and a plunger in linear alignment with said reservoir, said plunger being movable along a longitudinal axis of said writing instrument. 8. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the marker carrier mechanism comprises a marker reservoir receiver and a plunger in linear alignment with the pushrod. 9. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said chamber wall also comprises first and second wall portions, wherein said wall portions are attached at a step portion, said first wall portion having a larger outside diameter than said second wall portion. 10. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said housing further comprises a tip portion in engagement with a first end of the marker housing and axially aligned therewith, and an axial tip opening for the marker nib to be advanced by the marker carrier mechanism through the forward seal piece and further through the axial tip opening in the tip portion to reach a fully-extended position exposing the nib for writing. 11. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 10, wherein said wiper piece extends from an annular flange adjacent the marker housing. 12. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the peripheral wall of the seal chamber includes an intermediate shoulder defining a first outer diameter and a second outer diameter along said peripheral wall, and said peripheral wall also being tapered axially slightly inwardly. 13. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 12, wherein said chamber is separate from said forward seal piece and the wiper seal piece and has a rim portion at one end and a bead depending from said rim portion, said bead impressing upon one said seal piece to provide positive airtight contact therebetween. 14. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 13, wherein said bead having a profile selected from a group consisting of: semicircular, pointed, rectangular, or serrated, such that said bead, when compressed in contact with a resilient seal flange, will at least partially impinge upon said resilient flange to prevent radial slip and ensure sealing engagement with said flange. 15. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said forward seal piece also comprises at least one member projecting radially inwardly to prevent the forward seal piece from inverting upon retraction of the marker nib. 16. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said wiper seal piece includes an annular flange which is separate from the annular flange of the forward seal piece. 17. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said marker reservoir also comprises at least one internal vent tube. 18. The capless retractable sealed writing instrumental claim 1, wherein said forward seal piece includes at least two intersecting slits. 19. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said reservoir also includes an airtight plug in an end opposite from said nib. 20. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said housing having a contoured profile, with an indentation proximate the tip portion for facilitating a writer's grip between thumb and forefinger and having a partially non-circular radial shape to inhibit the marker from rolling on a tilted flat surface. 21. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the chamber portion includes structural support members. 22. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein said peripheral wall of said chamber changes in diameter along a longitudinal length thereof. 23. The capless retractable sealed writing instrument of claim 1, wherein the elongated marker housing has a hollow interior with an axial opening at eithr end. 24. In a capless retractable marking instrument, a forward chamber portion for sealingly enclosing a marker nib when the marking instrument is retracted, the forward chamber portion comprising: a generally-circular peripheral wall defining a hollow bore suitable for passage of a cylindrical reservoir portion therethrough; an annular forward terminus at one end of said peripheral wall adapted for compressing an annular rim of a seal portion; and an annular rearward terminus at an opposite end of said peripheral wall having a flat edge at one end adapted for compressing an elastomeric wiper seal encircling the reservoir portion, wherein said seal portion is adhesively affixed on said forward terminus, said seal portion comprising: an annular flange portion in adhesive contact with said forward terminus; a circular head portion; and a hollow cylindrical sidewall connecting said forward terminus and said head portion; wherein said head portion including a flexibly-resilient, reclosable aperture adapted to permit extension and retraction of the marker nib therethrough.