US4621936A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Zirconia pen balls
Assignee: Didier Werke AG
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Filing: 1983-10-14
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Granted: 1986-11-11
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Expires: 2003-10-14
Abstract
Abstract A liquid transfer ball formed from sintered zirconium oxide particles which exhibits utility as the ball element of a ball pen writing instrument to transfer ink from an ink reservoir to a writing surface such as paper. The ball exhibits a porosity of less than 8% by volume and is immune to corrosive action of inks.
Inventors
- 👤 John N. Hansson
- 👤 Herbert L. Johns
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 06:34
CPC Classifications
B; B41; B41K; B41K1/00; B41K1/08; B43; B43K; B43K1/00; B43K1/08; B43K1/082; C; C04; C04B; C04B35/00; C04B35/01; C04B35/48; C04B35/486
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
83 words
A liquid transfer device including a hollow tip, adapted to be placed in communication with a liquid container, and a liquid transfer ball seated in said hollow tip in protruding relation, said liquid transfer ball formed of a ceramic comprising zirconium oxide as the major analytic constituent of the ceramic and being at least partially stabilized by a stabilizer, and said ball having a porosity of less than about 8 percent by volume as determined by optical image analysis of a polished section.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
83 words
A liquid transfer device including a hollow tip, adapted to be placed in communication with a liquid container, and a liquid transfer ball seated in said hollow tip in protruding relation, said liquid transfer ball formed of a ceramic comprising zirconium oxide as the major analytic constituent of the ceramic and being at least partially stabilized by a stabilizer, and said ball having a porosity of less than about 8 percent by volume as determined by optical image analysis of a polished section.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
46 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 1 wherein the zirconium oxide is at least partially stabilized by a stabilizer which produces at least one phase selected from cubic and tetragonal zirconia at elevated temperatures and which phase tends to be retained upon cooling to room temperature.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
92 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 2 wherein the composition of the ball is represented by the molar formula (ZrO.sub.2).sub.1-x (R.sub.y O.sub.z).sub.x where R represents at least one element from the group consisting of elements of Group II-A, Group III-B, and the lanthanide series of the Periodic Table which form cations with stable +2, +3, and +4 valences in the oxide, x represents a number having a value from about 0.05 to about 0.3 and y and z represent numbers having values necessary to make (R y O z ) electrically neutral.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
26 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 3 wherein the stabilizer is selected from the group consisting of CaO, MgO, Y 2 O 3 and mixtures thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
60 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 4 wherein the stabilizer is an oxide selected from the group consisting of CaO, MgO, and Y 2 O 3 and where the amount of each said oxide, based upon the total weight of the ball is: 2.6 to 5.5% MgO, 3.0 to 10% CaO, and 4.0 to 16% Y 2 O 3 .
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
23 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 2 formed of zirconium oxide powder having an average particle size not greater than about one micron.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
23 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 2 formed of zirconium oxide powder having an average particle size not greater than about 0.6 micron.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 2 which is produced by first forming a sintered mass of at least partially stabilized zirconium oxide, said sintered mass exhibiting porosity, as determined by optical image analysis of a polished section, and then hot isostatically pressing the mass to reduce its porosity.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
The liquid transfer device of claim 8 wherein the sintered mass is formed of particles whose average particle size is greater than one micron and exhibits a porosity of at least about 10 percent prior to hot isostatic pressing.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1989-11-10 | 1990-05-12 | 1990-11-11 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1993-11-10 | 1994-05-12 | 1994-11-11 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1997-11-10 | 1998-05-12 | 1998-11-11 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |