The invention relates to writing, drawing, marking and/or painting utensils or cosmetic implements or input devices for touch-sensitive surfaces formed from plastic material or plastic-containing wood substitutes, which have a particular external shaping, as well as to a method for their production.
Writing, drawing, marking and/or painting utensils or cosmetic implements or input devices for touch-sensitive surfaces with a surface which exhibits a particular effect are known in principle.
Writing, drawing, marking and/or painting utensils or cosmetic implements or input devices for touch-sensitive surfaces which are produced by means of extrusion always have a constant cross-sectional profile over their entire length. The cross-sectional profiles may differ substantially in their geometry or be configured in different manners. When produced in this manner, however, differences perpendicular to the direction of extrusion such as, for example, depressions or raised structures cannot be produced in an uninterrupted or continuous process. It has been shown that depressions or structures of this type have a pleasant tactile sensation for the user and thus are an important component of utensils of this type.
Thus, for example, a writing utensil which requires a subsequent machining process in order to generate bumps is known from DE 299 08 890 U1. Utensils of that type have bumps formed from an aqueous dispersion of plastic material which improve the utensil from an ergonomic or tactile viewpoint. A configuration of that type is intended to prevent user fatigue when the utensil is used for a long time.
The disadvantage with utensils of that type is that the bumps which are applied have to be applied subsequently, i.e. in a separate and additional working step, from an aqueous dispersion of plastic material. Furthermore, the bumps, which are applied in a liquid or paste form, first have to be hardened after application or deposition. This impedes a continuous process and as a result, increases the production costs for a utensil of that type. Moreover, disadvantageously, the applied bumps easily wear off during use and so they constitute an unattractive external detail element and furthermore lose their positive properties as regards the ergonomic advantages.
Writing, drawing, marking and/or painting styluses which have a slip-resistant surface are also known from DE 201 16 363 U1. Pencils of that type are coated with a special paint which is supposed to render the surface slip-resistant and provided it with good grip. Furthermore, the production is claimed to be technically simple and economical.
The disadvantage with writing, drawing, marking and/or painting styluses of this type is that although they have an appealing tactile surface, they do not have a raised structure which could also make the surface appearance more visible. This informs the user that the utensil is one with the usual smooth surface which is not slip-resistant.
Writing, drawing, marking and/or painting utensil shafts which are formed in one piece are known from DE 10 2010 030539 A1. In this regard, the surface of the shaft element is heated with a laser, which means that the plastic which is heated protrudes out of the surface of the shaft element because of a change in the volume.
The disadvantage here is that the process described demands a great deal of energy, and in addition is difficult to control. Each individual structure which is to be produced has to be programmed individually. Furthermore, in parts the energy input from the laser beam is too high, whereupon burning may occur on parts of the utensil shaft.