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115 2 COMMONWEALTH OF AUSTRALIA P at e nts A ct 1 95 2 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION (Original) FOR OFFICE USE Application Number: P16634 Class Lodged: 8/2/88 Int. Class 0.
0 0 o 000 00 00 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 000 000 0 0 0 00 0 0 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 Complete Specification Lodged: Accepted: Published: Priority: Related Art: TO BE COMPLETED BY APPLICANT 0000 000 0 Name of Applicants: '00 00000 AGNES DONALD LEWIS and PETER CLYDE LEWIS 000c 0 Address of Appli~cants; 0 00 7 Orana Way, Roleystone, in the State of Western Australia, Commonwealth of Australia.
0 00 0000 0 Actual inventors: AGNES DONALD LEWIS and PETER CLYDE L~EWIS Address for Service:- C-9C ray&w-A0-so~at~rs e N Primary Industry ARouse ~~A 0s A ~239 dli 4 Adla Terrace "~Perthirn-Western-Auta-i1a-6 ODO.
Complete Specifica-t V;Writing Implement" for the invention entitled: The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us;- -1I- Signature OT applicant or Australian attorney 1 LJ (SignatureI THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS This form must be accompanied by either a provisional specification (Form 9 and true copy) or by a complete specification (Form 10 and true copy).
r c 0- 2 THIS INVENTION relates to a writing implement which adapted to be attached to a finger of a user.
Throughout this specification, the term "writing" shall taken to include any marking operation on a surface.
There are many instances where it is necessary to have access to a pen or other writing implement whil.a performing other tasks such as handling papers, answering telephone calls and operating key boards. In such instances, it is rather inconvenient to have to pick up the writing implement each time it is required for use and 00 o o then put it down. It is also inconvenient if the writing oa oo implement cannot be easily located each time it is a o o 0o required.
09 o 0 000 oaoo The present invention seeks to provide a novel and useful 0 0 o° writing implement for attachment to a finger of the user 0 oo so that the user can write using the implement and, when 0 0 o 0 not writing have his or her hands free for use in performing other tasks.
o o In one form the invention resides in a writing implement 0000 oo 0 020 for attachment to a finger of a user, the writing o a implement comprising: hollow body foir receiving the 00 0 finger; said hollow body including 4n opening to expose the outer end of the finger, an elongated portion for 0 extending along the posterior surface of the finger o o0o 00 0 o 0 o 0 between the middle and outer joints of the finger and 00 0 0 adapted to co-operate with the finger so as to prevent sideways movement of the writing implement and a band for at least partially surrounding the finger to engage the anterior side of the finger only in the region between the middle and outer joints of the finger thereby to permit flexing of the finger while the writing implement is attached thereto; and a writing tip supported on said longated portion.
THE COMMISSIONER OF PATENTS.
S (IMPORTANT Cross out inapplicable words in the above Form.) r i t The writing implement is attached to the finger with the writing tip disposed towards the free end of the finger.
With this arrangement, the user can write using the implement and can perform other tasks when not writing.
Because the outer end of the finger of the user is exposed when the writing implement is attached to the finger, it is possible for the user to perform other tasks such as operating a keyboard and handling paper.
0 0 0 Preferably, the writing implement is so positioned on the 0 00 S°10 finger that the writing tip is disposed between the free o 0 end of the finger and the outer joint. In this way, the S°°0 writing tip does not provide an obstruction when tasks oo o other than writing are being performed. When the writing 0 00 implement is to be used to write, the finger is flexed so as to move the outer end of the finger away from the noo oo00 writing tip thereby to enable the writing tip to be 0o0oo presented to a surface on which writing is required.
o 00 00 0 V° 0P The writing tip may be of any suitable construction such as a ball-poant, felt tip or pencil point.
0 00 "o0o20 The invention will be better understood by reference to the following description of one specific embodiment thereof as shown in the accompanying drawings in which:- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a writing implement according to the embodiment; Figure 2 is a perspective view of the underside of the writing implement of Figure 1; Figure 3 is a schematic view showing the writing implement according to the embodiment attached to a finger of a user, with the finger shown in a position 4 whereby tasks other than writing can be performed; and Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 3 with the exception that the finger is shown in a position whereby the writing implement can be presented to a surface for the purposes of writing.
The embodiment shown in the drawings is directed to a writing implement 10 adapted for attachment to an index finger 11 of a user. When the writing implement is used oo 10 for writing purposes, it is also supported by the thumb 12 S00 of the user, as will be explained later.
00 40 0 0 o 0 oo The writing implement 10 comprises a hollow body 15 which a0 o includes an elongated portion 17 and a band 19. The 0o 0 00 a* o0 0 elongated portion 17 and the band 19 are formed integral 0 00 with each other and may be constructed of any suitable material such as plastics material or metal, particularly 0 0o aluminium.
0 00 0 0 0 00 The elongated portion 17 includes a longitudinal rib 21 0o 0 which is hollow to receive a tube (not shown) containing ink, one end of the tube being in communication with a writing tip 23 in the form of a ball-point (of the type 0 00 0 oo employed in conventional ball-point pens) mounted onto the hollow body at one end of the rib. The tube and ball point may be either permanently in position or replacable.
The edges of the band converge in the direction away from the elongated portion of the hollow body to a narrowmost section 25 diametrally opposed to the elongated portion.
The narrowmost section 25 of the band is so dimensioned as to fit between the middle and outer joints 27 and 29 respectively of the finger 11 on the anterior side thereof. In this way, the finger 11 of the user can flex when the writing implement is attached to it.
The longitudinal extent of the elongated portion 17 of the hollow body is such that it extends along the posterior side 31 of the finger between the middle and outer joints of the finger, More particularly, the elongated portion extends beyond the outer joint such that the writing tip is disposed between the outer joint and the tip of the finger.
0 00 qlo0 Because the writing tip is disposed inwardly of the free o o end of the finger 11, it does not provide a hindrance when 00 0 °o o either the finger or the hand to which the finger is o°'o attached, is performing routi?, tasks such as handling no o 0o 0 papers or operating a key board. Furthermore, the outer end of the finger is exposed to facilitate performance of such tasks.
ooo 0 o0o By flexing the finger into the position shown in Figure 4 o on of the drawings, the outer section of the finger can be o o a o g moved away from the writing tip of the implement thereby to allow the writing implement to be presented to a writing surface 33 for writing purposes, as shown in Figure 4 of the drawings. When the writing implement is used for writing the thumb 12 of the user bears against the band 19 (as shown in Figure 3) to provide additional support for the writing implement.
6 The band can be expanded circumferentially to accommodate fingers of different sizes. This is achieved by forming the band in two parts 35 and 37 which overlap such that the extent of overlapping can be varied to provide adjustment to the size of the band.
6 The interior surface of the band may be provided with a lining (not shown) for comfort and ventilation.
From the foregoing it is evident that the present invention provides a writing implement which can remain attached to a finger of a user so as to allow the user to perform routine tasks such as handling papers and operating a keyboard while being readily available for writing as required.
0" Although the invention has been described with reference 0 o o10 to one specific embodiment it should be appreciated that 0 0 0 S°0 it is not limited thereto and various alterations and 0 o 0oo modifications may be made without departing from the scope Soo0 of the invention.
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