| CPC B43K 1/003 (2013.01) [B43K 5/1836 (2013.01)] | 20 Claims |
|
1. A free-ink writing instrument comprising:
a tank for storing a writing ink, the tank having a bottom surface and a peripheral wall extending from the bottom surface;
a nib having a first end protruding within the tank for being in contact with writing ink and a second opposite end located outside the tank for dispensing writing ink outside the writing instrument, the first end comprising axial terminating portion that faces a bottom of the tank, wherein a surface of the axial terminating portion that is closest to the bottom of the tank is exposed wherein the writing instrument further comprises a nib drying delay component that is locally arranged around the first end of the nib in a liquid tight manner and configured to locally retain ink therein so as to keep the first nib end in contact with locally retained ink whatever the spatial position of the writing instrument,
wherein the nib drying delay component comprises a surrounding wall that extends between the first nib end and the peripheral wall of the tank so as to form an ink trap in a first portion of the surrounding wall that is adjacent the first nib end, and
the surrounding wall comprises a second portion that is located farther from the first nib end than the first portion of the surrounding wall, the first or second portion having an opening configured to allow ink stored in the tank to flow through the opening and enter into the ink trap when the writing instrument is moved toward an appropriate position,
wherein a micro-valve is arranged in the opening so as to enable therethrough a flow of stored ink in a first direction into the ink trap when the writing instrument is moved toward an appropriate position and prevent ink from flowing out in a second opposite direction when the writing instrument is moved to a position where the first nib end is at the level of the tank above the tank.
|