EARLIEST PRIORITY DATE:

This Application claims priority from a Complete patent application filed in India having Patent Application No. 202141050605, filed on November 03, 2021 and titled “A BIODEGRADABLE WRITING DEVICE AND A METHOD TOMANUFACTURE THE SAME”.

BACKGROUND

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a writing device and more particularly to a biodegradable writing device and a method to manufacture the same.

Market for writing device in India is estimated approximately at 1600 to 2400 million pieces a year. The writing devices have become an indispensable part of our daily life, be it with students, offices, or professionals and housewives. It is well known that almost all the writing devices are made of plastic and almost all of them go to dump yard. With a major portion of these being made as use-and throw type, consumption of these items, lead to accumulation of huge proportions, without serious knowledge of its impact on environment. Therefore, various environment friendly solutions are being adopted to prevent environmental degradation.

Conventionally, the writing device available in the market includes a barrel which is made up of paper. However, even this writing device includes a refill manufactured from plastic which is a non-biodegradable material, thereby the writing device only partially replaces use of plastic. Also, most of these writing devices are made up of newly made paper, which is again energy consuming in the primary manufacturing process and besides creating process pollution and resultant environmental effects. Moreover, even though the writing device uses recycled paper, generally brown paper is being used which is re-made from recycled paper. Such remaking process again involves considerable amount of energy input and corresponding environmental effects. Furthermore, such writing device includes a cap which is also fabricated from plastic instead of any biodegradable material.

Hence, there is a need for an improved biodegradable writing device and a method to manufacture the same in order to address the aforementioned issues.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION

In accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure a biodegradable writing device is disclosed. The device includes a barrel fabricated from a recycled paper, wherein the barrel is provided to hold and reserve ink for working of the writing device. The barrel of a predefined dimension is fabricated by rolling of the recycled paper using a rolling machine, wherein the barrel is having an internal surface coated with a water repellent material. The device also includes an adaptor integrated with at least one end of the barrel, wherein the adaptor is coupled to a nozzle for enabling flow of the ink from the barrel to facilitate writing. The device also includes a cap fabricated from the recycled paper and processed into a predetermined shape using a cap barrelling machine, wherein the cap is configured to protect the nozzle of the writing device.

In accordance with another embodiment of the present disclosure, a method for manufacturing a biodegradable writing device is disclosed. The method includes cleaning a recycled paper collected from an external source. The method also includes cutting the recycled paper collected into a predefined size upon cleaning. The method also includes pasting a cut recycled paper of the barrel by applying an adhesive material using a gumming machine. The method also includes rolling a pasted recycled paper in form of a barrel having a predefined dimension, wherein the pasted recycled paper is rolled by using a barrelling machine. The method also includes drying a rolled barrel by natural or forced air drying. The method also includes coating an internal surface of the barrel with a water repellent material upon pasting of the rolled recycled paper. The method also includes trimming at least one end of the barrel, upon coating of the internal surface of the barrel, using a grinding machine for integrating an adaptor. The method also includes coupling a nozzle with the adaptor integrated at the at least one end of the barrel based on trimming. The method also includes filling ink into the barrel in a predefined quantity using an ink filling machine for enabling flow of the ink through the nozzle based on trimming of the at least one end of the barrel The method also includes coupling a nozzle with the adaptor integrated at the at least one end of the barrel using a nozzle fitting machine upon filling the ink into the barrel. The method also includes forcing the ink in the barrel to flow towards the nozzle for enabling flow of the ink through the nozzle while writing using a centrifugal machine. The method also includes fabricating a cap of a predefined shape using a cap barrelling machine to protect the nozzle upon filling the ink. The method also includes assembling the barrel, the adaptor, the nozzle and the cap to manufacture the biodegradable writing device for facilitating writing.

To further clarify the advantages and features of the present disclosure, a more particular description of the disclosure will follow by reference to specific embodiments thereof, which are illustrated in the appended figures. It is to be appreciated that these figures depict only typical embodiments of the disclosure and are therefore not to be considered limiting in scope. The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the appended figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The disclosure will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail with the accompanying figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a biodegradable writing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure;

FIG. 2 represents a schematic representation of a cap of a biodegradable writing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure; and

FIG. 3 is a flow chart representing the steps involved in a method for manufacturing a biodegradable writing device in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure.

Further, those skilled in the art will appreciate that elements in the figures are illustrated for simplicity and may not have necessarily been drawn to scale. Furthermore, in terms of the construction of the device, one or more components of the device may have been represented in the figures by conventional symbols, and the figures may show only those specific details that are pertinent to understanding the embodiments of the present disclosure so as not to obscure the figures with details that will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art having the benefit of the description herein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

For the purpose of promoting an understanding of the principles of the disclosure, reference will now be made to the embodiment illustrated in the figures and specific language will be used to describe them. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the disclosure is thereby intended. Such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated system, and such further applications of the principles of the disclosure as would normally occur to those skilled in the art are to be construed as being within the scope of the present disclosure.

The terms "comprises", "comprising", or any other variations thereof, are intended to cover a non-exclusive inclusion, such that a process or method that comprises a list of steps does not include only those steps but may include other steps not expressly listed or inherent to such a process or method. Similarly, one or more devices or sub-systems or elements or structures or components preceded by "comprises... a" does not, without more constraints, preclude the existence of other devices, sub-systems, elements, structures, components, additional devices, additional sub-systems, additional elements, additional structures or additional components. Appearances of the phrase "in an embodiment", "in another embodiment" and similar language throughout this specification may, but not necessarily do, all refer to the same embodiment.

Unless otherwise defined, all technical and scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by those skilled in the art to which this disclosure belongs. The system, methods, and examples provided herein are only illustrative and not intended to be limiting.

In the following specification and the claims, reference will be made to a number of terms, which shall be defined to have the following meanings. The singular forms “a”, “an”, and “the” include plural references unless the context clearly dictates otherwise.

Embodiments of the present disclosure relate to a biodegradable writing device. The device includes a barrel fabricated from a recycled paper, wherein the barrel is provided to hold and reserve ink for working of the writing device. The barrel of a predefined dimension is fabricated by rolling of the recycled paper using a rolling machine, wherein the barrel is having an internal surface coated with a water repellent material. The device also includes an adaptor integrated with atleast one end of the barrel, wherein the adaptor is coupled to a nozzle for enabling flow of the ink from the barrel to facilitate writing. The device also includes a cap fabricated from the recycled paper and processed into a predetermined shape using a cap barrelling machine, wherein the cap is configured to protect the nozzle of the writing device.

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a biodegradable writing device (100) in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The device (100) includes a barrel (110) fabricated from a recycled paper, wherein the barrel is provided to hold and reserve ink for working of the writing device (100). The barrel (110) of a predefined dimension is fabricated by rolling of the recycled paper using a rolling machine, wherein the barrel (110) is having an internal surface coated with a water repellent material. In one embodiment, the barrel of the predefined dimension is fabricated for at least one of a ball point pen, an ink pen, a gel pen, a sketch pen, a permanent marker or a combination thereof. In such embodiment, the predefined dimension may include an inner diameter of 1.6 millimetre to 4-5 millimetre and a length of 140 millimetre. In another embodiment, an outer diameter of the barrel may include 6 millimetre to 12-millimetre range. In another embodiment, the water repellent material may include silicone. As used herein, the term ‘silicone’ are defined as compounds that contain silicon, carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, and perhaps other kinds of atoms. Silicones exhibit many useful characteristics, including low thermal conductivity, low chemical reactivity, low toxicity, thermal stability, ability to repel water and form watertight seals, does not stick to many substrates, but adheres very well to others, does not support microbiological growth, resistance to oxygen, ozone, and ultraviolet (UV) light. This property has led to the widespread use of silicones in the construction industry such as coatings, fire protection, glazing seals and the automotive industry. Because silicone can be formulated to be electrically insulative or conductive, it is suitable for a wide range of electrical applications, high gas permeability: at room temperature (25 °C), the permeability of silicone rubber for such gases as oxygen is approximately 400 times that of butyl rubber, making silicone useful for medical applications in which increased aeration is desired.

The device (100) also includes an adaptor (120) integrated with atleast one end of the barrel, wherein the adaptor is coupled to a nozzle for enabling flow of the ink from the barrel to facilitate writing. In one embodiment, the atleast one end of the barrel comprises a cone shaped end integrated with the adaptor.

The device (100) also includes a cap (130) fabricated from the recycled paper and processed into a predetermined shape using a cap barrelling machine, wherein the cap is configured to protect the nozzle of the writing device. In one embodiment, cap of the predefined shape includes fabricating the cap having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end is having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the barrel and the closed end. One such embodiment of the cap of the biodegradable writing device is depicted in FIG. 2.

FIG. 2 represents a schematic representation of a cap of a biodegradable writing device in accordance with an embodiment of the present disclosure. The cap (130) is also prepared using the recycled paper. In one embodiment, the recycled paper may include newsprint recycled paper. For preparing the cap, first the recycled paper is cut into a predefined size. Upon cutting of the recycled paper, such cut pieces are pasted by applying an adhesive material using a gumming machine. Again, upon pasting, such pasted recycled paper is rolled in a form of barrel using the barrelling machine. Further upon rolling, a rolled barrel is dried by a natural or forced air drying. Once, the paper is formed into the shape of the cap, it is allowed to get dried naturally for finishing purpose. In a specific embodiment, the adhesive material may include Jammfix PS- 55. As used herein, the term ‘Jammfix PS-55’ is defined as a water repellent adhesive material which helps the barrel to maintain its shape for a long time of use while also being biodegradable and food safe. The Jammfix PS-55 is durable, clean machine liquid resistant and compatible. It also has strong bond, lasts till the end of use, water resistant for up to 4 hours, suitable for holding hot and cold beverages, biodegradable and compostable, food safe for direct contact, good wet tack and open time.

FIG. 3 is a flow chart (200) representing the steps involved in a method for manufacturing a biodegradable writing device in accordance with the embodiment of the present disclosure. The method (200) includes cleaning a recycled paper collected from an external source in step 210. The method (200) also includes cutting the recycled paper collected into a predefined size upon cleaning in step 220.

The method (200) also includes pasting a cut recycled paper of the barrel by applying an adhesive material using a gumming machine in step 230. In one embodiment, pasting the rolled recycled paper of the barrel may include pasting the rolled recycled paper by applying a Jammfix PS -55.

The method (200) also includes rolling a cut recycled paper in form of a barrel having a predefined dimension, wherein the cut recycled paper is rolled by using a barrelling machine in step 240. In one embodiment, rolling the cut recycled paper in the form of the barrel having the predefined dimension may include forming the barrel having an inner diameter of 1.6 millimetre to 4-5 millimetre and a length of 140 millimetre. In another embodiment, an outer diameter of the barrel may have 6 millimetre to 12- millimetre range.

The method (200) also includes drying a rolled barrel by natural or forced air drying in step 250. The method (200) also includes coating an internal surface of the barrel with a water repellent material upon drying of the rolled barrel in step 260. In one embodiment, coating the internal surface of the barrel with the water repellent material may include coating the internal surface of the barrel with silicone spray. The method (200) also includes trimming at least one end of the barrel, upon coating of the internal surface of the barrel, using a grinding machine for integrating an adaptor in step 270.

The method (200) also includes filling ink into the barrel in a predefined quantity using an ink filling machine for enabling flow of the ink through the nozzle based on trimming of the at least one end of the barrel in step 280. In one embodiment, filling the ink into the barrel in the predefined quantity for enabling flow of the ink through the nozzle may include filling the ink of capacity 0.35 cubic centimetre (cc).

The method (200) also includes coupling a nozzle with the adaptor integrated at the at least one end of the barrel using a nozzle fitting machine upon filling the ink into the barrel in step 290. The method (200) also includes forcing the ink in the barrel to flow towards the nozzle for enabling flow of the ink through the nozzle while writing using a centrifugal machine in step 300. .

The method (200) also includes fabricating a cap of a predefined shape using a cap barrelling machine to protect the nozzle upon filling the ink in step 310. In one embodiment fabricating the cap of the predefined shape comprises fabricating the cap having an open end and a closed end, wherein the open end is having a diameter corresponding to a diameter of the barrel and the closed end. The method (200) also includes assembling the barrel, the adaptor, the nozzle and the cap to manufacture the biodegradable writing device for facilitating writing in step 320.

Various embodiments of the present disclosure provide a writing device which includes a barrel made up of recycled paper thereby eliminates almost greater than or equal to 10,000 tons of plastic ballpoint pen wastes per year approximately.

Moreover, the present disclosed device does not use a separate plastic adaptor, instead of which the adaptor is integrated in the barrel itself and coupled to a nozzle of the writing device.

Furthermore, the present disclosed device does not use plastic refill. The barrel itself acts as ink reservoir and hence the need for refill is eliminated. In that sense it is a use- and-throw type ballpoint writing device. However, the writing device can also be reused by returning it to the original manufacturing place where an original equipment manufacturer (OEM) can replace the worn-out the nozzle and refilling the ink. Hence, the life of the writing device can be extended up to 2-3 times depending on users’ habit and writing methods.

It will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing general description and the following detailed description are exemplary and explanatory of the disclosure and are not intended to be restrictive thereof.

While specific language has been used to describe the disclosure, any limitations arising on account of the same are not intended. As would be apparent to a person skilled in the art, various working modifications may be made to the method in order to implement the inventive concept as taught herein. The figures and the foregoing description give examples of embodiments. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that one or more of the described elements may well be combined into a single functional element. Alternatively, certain elements may be split into multiple functional elements. Elements from one embodiment may be added to another embodiment. For example, the order of processes described herein may be changed and are not limited to the manner described herein. Moreover, the actions of any flow diagram need not be implemented in the order shown; nor do all of the acts need to be necessarily performed. Also, those acts that are not dependent on other acts may be performed in parallel with the other acts. The scope of embodiments is by no means limited by these specific examples.