US 11,787,223 B2
Multifunction writing instrument
Loic Folgoas, Clichy (FR)
Assigned to SOCIÉTÉ BIC, Clichy (FR)
Appl. No. 17/600,237
Filed by SOCIETE BIC, Clichy (FR)
PCT Filed Apr. 10, 2020, PCT No. PCT/EP2020/060306
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date Sep. 30, 2021,
PCT Pub. No. WO2020/212277, PCT Pub. Date Oct. 22, 2020.
Claims priority of application No. 19305494 (EP), filed on Apr. 16, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2022/0219483 A1, Jul. 14, 2022
Int. Cl. B43K 27/12 (2006.01); B43K 29/08 (2006.01)
CPC B43K 27/12 (2013.01) [B43K 29/08 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A multifunction writing instrument comprising:
a body extending along an axial direction and receiving two or more retractable writing elements, the retractable writing elements comprising a writing tip, the retractable writing elements being movable between a writing position in which the writing tip extends from the body and a retracted position in which the writing tip is retracted within the body, and
an electronic unit configured to detect which retractable writing element is in the writing position, wherein the electronic unit comprises a wireless communication system and a total number of chips and switches that is the same as a total number of retractable writing elements; and
wherein the chip or the switch of a retractable writing element is electrically connected to the wireless communication system when the retractable writing element is in the writing position, and the chip or the switch of the retractable writing element is electrically disconnected from the wireless communication system when the retractable writing element is in the retracted position.