Protract-retract mechanism and writing instrument including same

Claim 2

IN A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASING, A PUSH MEMBER SLIDABLY AND NON-ROTABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASING, A ROTATABLE MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS BETWEEN A FIRST AXIAL POSITION AND A SECOND AXIAL POSITION AND FOR ROTATION THROUGH AT LEAST 360* ABOUT SAID AXIS, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TOWARD THE PUSH MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING BEING FORMED WITH COACTING MEMBERS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LUG ELEMENT AND AT LEAST ONE CAM ELEMENT, THERE BEING A PLURALITY OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS OF WHICH THERE ARE A PLURALITY SUCCESSIVELY COACTING WITH THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID CAM ELEMENT COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL, TWO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TEETH OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, AND A STOP SURFACE BETWEEN SAID TEETH AT A POSITION OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, SAID CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE, SAID LUG ELEMENT EXTENDING INTO AND BEING SLIDABLE IN SAID CHANNEL AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TEETH AND STOP SURFACE, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING IN ONE OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT EXTENDS INTO A CHANNEL AT A POSITION LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE AND IN THE OTHER OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT ENGAGES A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE TOOTH DIRECTED TOWARD SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING RECIPROCABLE WITH SAID PUSH MEMBER AND A TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER ENGAGING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER WHEN THE PUSH MEMBER IS BEING DEPRESSED WITH SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AGAINST THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER AND THE ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING INCLINED SO THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER AND THE ENGAGING SURFACE OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION ABOUT SAID AXIS WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS DEPRESSED, DEPRESSION OF THE PUSH MEMBER REMOVING A LUG ELEMENT FROM WITHIN A CHANNEL AND ROTATING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO POSITION A LUG OPPOSITE ONE OF SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT, SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH INTO ENGAGEMENT, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH BEING SO INCLINED THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION; AND MEANS ADAPTED TO EXERT AN AXIAL FORCE

Claim 3

IN A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASING, A PUSH MEMBER SLIDABLY AND NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASING, A ROTATABLE MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS BETWEEN A FIRST AXIAL POSITION AND A SECOND AXIAL POSITION AND FOR ROTATION THROUGH AT LEAST 360* ABOUT SAID AXIS, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TOWARD THE PUSH MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING BEING FORMED WITH COACTING MEMBERS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LUG ELEMENT AND AT LEAST ONE CAM ELEMENT, THERE BEING A PLURALITY OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS OF WHICH THERE ARE A PLURALITY SUCCESSIVELY COACTING WITH THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID CAM ELEMENT COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL, TWO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TEETH OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, AND A STOP SURFACE BETWEEN SAID TEETH AT A POSITION OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, SAID CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE, SAID LUG ELEMENT EXTENDING INTO AND BEING SLIDABLE IN SAID CHANNEL AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TEETH AND STOP SURFACE, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING IN ONE OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT EXTENDS INTO A CHANNEL AT A POSITION LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE AND IN THE OTHER OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT ENGAGES A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE TOOTH DIRECTED TOWARD SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING RECIPROCABLE WITH SAID PUSH MEMBER AND A TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER ENGAGING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER WHEN THE PUSH MEMBER IS BEING DEPRESSED WITH SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AGAINST THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER AND THE ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING INCLINED SO THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER AND THE ENGAGING SURFACE OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION ABOUT SAID AXIS WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS DEPRESSED, DEPRESSION OF THE PUSH MEMBER REMOVING A LUG ELEMENT FROM WITHIN A CHANNEL AND ROTATING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO POSITION A LUG OPPOSITE ONE OF SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT, SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH INTO ENGAGEMENT, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH BEING SO INCLINED THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION; AND MEANS ADAPTED TO EXERT AN AXIAL FORCE AGAINST SAID PUSH MEMBER TO AXIALLY MOVE SAID PUSH MEMBER, WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS RELEASED, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE TOOTH THEREON FACES SO THAT WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS RELEASED, THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER UNTIL A LUG ELEMENT ENGAGES A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER MOVING TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION SO THAT UPON A SUBSEQUENT DEPRESSION OF SAID PUSH MEMBER, A TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER ENGAGES THE ROTATABLE MEMBER TO REMOVE THE LUG ELEMENT FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STOP SURFACE AND TO ROTATE THE ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION TO POSITION A LUG ELEMENT OPPOSITE ANOTHER OF SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT WHEREBY WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS AGAIN RELEASED, THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE LATTER OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION UNTIL A LUG ELEMENT ENTERS AND SLIDES LONGITUDINALLY OF A CHANNEL BEYOND A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER MOVING TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION FOR A REPETITION OF THE CYCLE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID LUG IS ON SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND AN INTERNAL GEAR IS FIXED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING, EACH CAM ELEMENT FORMING A PART OF SAID INTERNAL GEAR, SAID INTERNAL GEAR HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION BETWEEN SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT, SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY TO SAID STOP SURFACE, THE END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION ADJACENT SAID STOP SURFACE AND EACH LUG ELEMENT BEING SO DIMENSIONED THAT WHEN A LUG ELEMENT IS IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, SAID END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION WILL PREVENT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LUG ELEMENT PAST SAID END TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, SAID PUSH MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEST ONE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUG IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, EACH OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUG ON SAID PUSH MEMBER AND SAID FIRST NAMED END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION BEING SO DIMENSIONED THAT SAID PUSH MEMBER LUG CAN MOVE AXIALLY PAST SAID END TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, EACH PUSH MEMBER LUG BEING SLIDABLE IN THE CHANNEL OF EACH CAM ELEMENT.

Claim 4

IN A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING A TUBULAR CASING, A PUSH MEMBER SLIDABLY AND NON-ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS OF SAID CASING, A ROTATABLE MEMBER MOUNTED IN SAID CASING FOR MOVEMENT ALONG SAID AXIS BETWEEN A FIRST AXIAL POSITION AND A SECOND AXIAL POSITION AND FOR ROTATION THROUGH AT LEAST 360* ABOUT SAID AXIS, SPRING MEANS URGING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TOWARD THE PUSH MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING BEING FORMED WITH COACTING MEMBERS COMPRISING AT LEAST ONE LUG ELEMENT AND AT LEAST ONE CAM ELEMENT, THERE BEING A PLURALITY OF AT LEAST ONE OF SAID ELEMENTS, EACH OF SAID ELEMENTS OF WHICH THERE ARE A PLURALITY SUCCESSIVELY COACTING WITH THE OTHER OF SAID ELEMENTS, SAID CAM ELEMENT COMPRISING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING CHANNEL, TWO CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TEETH OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, AND A STOP SURFACE BETWEEN SAID TEETH AT A POSITION OFFSET FROM SAID CHANNEL, SAID CHANNEL EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE, SAID LUG ELEMENT EXTENDING INTO AND BEING SLIDABLE IN SAID CHANNEL AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE TEETH AND STOP SURFACE, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING IN ONE OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT EXTENDS INTO A CHANNEL AT A POSITION LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND SAID STOP SURFACE AND IN THE OTHER OF SAID AXIAL POSITIONS WHEN A LUG ELEMENT ENGAGES A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEAST ONE TOOTH DIRECTED TOWARD SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER, SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING RECIPROCABLE WITH SAID PUSH MEMBER AND A TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER ENGAGING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER WHEN THE PUSH MEMBER IS BEING DEPRESSED WITH SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING THE ROTATABLE MEMBER AGAINST THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF THE TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER AND THE ROTATABLE MEMBER BEING INCLINED SO THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE TOOTH OF SAID PUSH MEMBER AND THE ENGAGING SURFACE OF THE ROTATABLE MEMBER CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN ONE ROTATIONAL DIRECTION ABOUT SAID AXIS WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS DEPRESSED, DEPRESSION OF THE PUSH MEMBER REMOVING A LUG ELEMENT FROM WITHIN A CHANNEL AND ROTATING SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER TO POSITION A LUG OPPOSITE ONE OF SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT, SAID SPRING MEANS FORCING SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH INTO ENGAGEMENT, AT LEAST ONE OF THE ENGAGING SURFACES OF SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH BEING SO INCLINED THAT THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH ROTATABLY BIASES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION; AND MEANS ADAPTED TO EXERT AN AXIAL FORCE AGAINST SAID PUSH MEMBER TO AXIALLY MOVE SAID PUSH MEMBER, WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS RELEASED, IN A DIRECTION OPPOSITE THE DIRECTION IN WHICH THE TOOTH THEREON FACES SO THAT WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS RELEASED, THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN SAID OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER UNTIL A LUG ELEMENT ENGAGES A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER MOVING TO AN OPERATIVE POSITION SO THAT UPON A SUBSEQUENT DEPRESSION OF SAID PUSH MEMBER, A TOOTH OF THE PUSH MEMBER ENGAGES THE ROTATABLE MEMBER TO REMOVE THE LUG ELEMENT FROM ENGAGEMENT WITH THE STOP SURFACE AND TO ROTATE THE ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION TO POSITION A LUG ELEMENT OPPOSITE ANOTHER OF SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT WHEREBY WHEN SAID PUSH MEMBER IS AGAIN RELEASED, THE FORCE OF ENGAGEMENT BETWEEN THE LATTER OPPOSED LUG ELEMENT AND CAM ELEMENT TOOTH CAUSED BY SAID SPRING MEANS ROTATES SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER IN SAID ROTATIONAL DIRECTION UNTIL A LUG ELEMENT ENTERS AND SLIDES LONGITUDINALLY OF A CHANNEL BEYOND A STOP SURFACE, SAID PUSH MEMBER MOVING TO THE OPERATIVE POSITION FOR A REPETITION OF THE CYCLE; THE IMPROVEMENT WHEREIN SAID LUG IS ON SAID ROTATABLE MEMBER AND AN INTERNAL GEAR IS FIXED TO THE INTERIOR OF SAID CASING, EACH CAM ELEMENT FORMING A PART OF SAID INTERNAL GEAR, SAID INTERNAL GEAR HAVING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION BETWEEN SAID TEETH OF A CAM ELEMENT, SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY TO SAID STOP SURFACE, THE END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION ADJACENT SAID STOP SURFACE AND EACH LUG ELEMENT BEING SO DIMENSIONED THAT WHEN A LUG ELEMENT IS IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, SAID END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION WILL PREVENT AXIAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LUG ELEMENT PAST SAID END TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, SAID PUSH MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AT LEST ONE OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUG IN AXIAL ALIGNMENT WITH SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, EACH OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUG ON SAID PUSH MEMBER AND SAID FIRST NAMED END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION BEING SO DIMENSIONED THAT SAID PUSH MEMBER LUG CAN MOVE AXIALLY PAST SAID END TOWARD THE OTHER END OF SAID LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING PORTION, EACH PUSH MEMBER LUG BEING SLIDABLE IN THE CHANNEL OF EACH CAM ELEMENT.

Claim 5

A PUSH BUTTON FOR A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL PUSH BUTTON PROVIDED AT ITS LOWER END WITH A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED-APART OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUGS, THE LOWER ENDS OF EACH LUG CONSTITUTING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED TOOTH, THE LOWER SURFACES OF EACH TOOTH BEING INCLINED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND TOWARD THE AXIS OF THE PUSH BUTTON SO THAT SAID TOOTH TAPERS TO A POINT WHICH IS GENERALLY CENTRALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID LUG.

Claim 6

A PUSH BUTTON FOR A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING A CYLINDRICAL PUSH BUTTON PROVIDED AT ITS LOWER END WITH A PLURALITY OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED-APART OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LUGS, THE LOWER ENDS OF EACH LUG CONSTITUTING A DOWNWARDLY DIRECTED TOOTH, THE LOWER SURFACES OF EACH TOOTH BEING INCLINED TOWARD EACH OTHER AND TOWARD THE AXIS OF THE PUSH BUTTON SO THAT SAID TOOTH TAPERS TO A POINT WHICH IS GENERALLY CENTRALLY POSITIONED WITH RESPECT TO SAID LUG.

Claim 7

A CAM MEMBER FOR A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INTERNAL GEAR FIXED TO THE INTERIOR THEREOF, SAID INTERNAL GEAR INCLUDING A CAM COMPRISING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RADIALLY DEEP CHANNELS SEPARATED BY PAIRS OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TEETH INCLINED TOWARD ONE END OF SAID MEMBER, SAID TEETH HAVING THEREBETWEEN A STOP SURFACE AT A POSITION OFFSET FROM SAID DEEP CHANNELS, SAID INTERNAL GEAR INCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RADIALLY SHALLOW CHANNEL INTERMEDIATE SAID DEEP CHANNELS AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TO SAID STOP SURFACE.

Claim 8

A CAM MEMBER FOR A PROTRACT-RETRACT MECHANISM COMPRISING AN OPEN ENDED TUBULAR MEMBER, SAID TUBULAR MEMBER BEING PROVIDED WITH AN INTERNAL GEAR FIXED TO THE INTERIOR THEREOF, SAID INTERNAL GEAR INCLUDING A CAM COMPRISING CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RADIALLY DEEP CHANNELS SEPARATED BY PAIRS OF CIRCUMFERENTIALLY SPACED TEETH INCLINED TOWARD ONE END OF SAID MEMBER, SAID TEETH HAVING THEREBETWEEN A STOP SURFACE AT A POSITION OFFSET FROM SAID DEEP CHANNELS, SAID INTERNAL GEAR INCLUDING A LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING RADIALLY SHALLOW CHANNEL INTERMEDIATE SAID DEEP CHANNELS AND EXTENDING TOWARD SAID ONE END OF SAID TUBULAR MEMBER TO SAID STOP SURFACE.