History of gel pens

A “gel pen” is a type of ballpoint pen that replaces ink with pigmented water-based gel. Gel pens are used for writing or drawing and leave a much stronger mark on the surface than ink pens. According to Wikipedia, Sakura Color Products Corporation of Osaka, Japan became the first to manufacture and sell gel pens. Sakura’s “Gelly Roll” was one of the first gel pens introduced to the American market in the late 1980s. Following that, Crayola began to market larger-bodied gel pens to children. These gel pens produced writing in metallic sparkles and vivid colors. Gel pens are particularly popular among graphic artists and architects due to their superior control over ballpoint pens and their vibrant colors. Gel pens enable fluid writing and drawing, and because their tips don’t deteriorate over time like felt-tip markers, the quality of their writing doesn’t fade away. Typically, iron oxides and copper phthalocyanine are the pigments used in gel pens. These are combined with biopolymers (polymers that are produced by or derived from living organisms such as plants) and some polyacrylate thickeners, along with water. This type of gel is thicker than ink and provides stronger color as a result. Bright, pastel, opalescent, metallic, and sparkly pigments are combined and can be applied on darker surfaces while still being visible.

The Energel liquid gel ink pen is a smooth writing pen that uses a pigmented water-based gel ink that can be applied to any surface and come in every possible color you can imagine.

The Energel liquid gel ink pen is a smooth writing pen that uses a pigmented water-based gel ink that can be applied to any surface and come in every possible color you can imagine.

 

Form Description

The Energel liquid gel pen consists of six parts: the barrel, ballpoint tip, spring, cartridge ink, thrust device and tubular plunger.

The barrel, which is divided into an upper barrel and a lower barrel, makes up the pen’s exterior. The pen’s ink cartridge and tubular plunger are stored in the lower barrel, which is a black, hollow cylindrical tube. The upper barrel is cylindrical a cone that houses part of the ink cartridge, the spring and the ballpoint tip.

The ballpoint tip is composed of the holder and the bearing ball of the pen. The holder holds the bearing ball in place, a tiny metal cylindrical cone. The holder is attached to the ink cartridge so that the ink flows from the cartridge to the bearing ball. The bearing ball of the pen is a small metal sphere that rotates and fills with ink when in use. The bearing ball is located at the top of the holder.

The spring is a metal spiral attached to the cartridge and keeps it retracted until ready for use.

The ink cartridge is a cylindrical tube composed of the reservoir for the ink and a tip the releases the ink. The ink cartridge is connected to the ballpoint tip and the spring. It is stored inside the barrel of the pen.

The thrust device or cam is a small tube with angled teeth or slants. It rotates and slides up and down. The cam is positioned at the bottom barrel between the ink cartridge and the tubular plunger and is responsible for the clicking.

The tubular plunger is a cylindrical tube that fits the bottom of the barrel. It ensures whether the cartridge extend or retract.

Extension Mechanism of the pen

The ink cartridge and pen tip remain fully retracted because of the spring inside the barrel. The spring is being compressed as the plunger and cam are pushed downward. However, the spring’s restoring force enables the cam and plunger to come into contact. In addition, the ink cartridge is depressed, allowing the ballpoint tip to emerge. The cam spins until it strikes the plunger as the cartridge is no longer locked in place. This mechanism results in the initial click. When the plunger is released, the spring forces the cartridge up and causes the cam to rotate until it collides with the plunger surface. Then, the second click is produced. The thrust device is locked in place and the pen is ready for writing.

Retraction mechanism

The cam revolves until it collides with the edges of the plunger after the plunger and cam have been pressed down to retract the ballpoint tip. Third click is produced as a result. The spring lifts the cartridge as soon as the plunger is let go. The thrust device turns as a result and strikes the plunger. Eventually, the pen makes its fourth and last click. Finally, the ballpoint pen and ink cartridge will retract back into the pen’s barrel once the plunger has fully extended and returned to its retracted position.

Conclusion

People that operate in a professional setting, such as business owners, architects, attorneys, students, etc., are the target market for the Energel liquid gel pen. One of the official colors used in significant documents is black gel ink, which is what is in the pen. The target audience can use the pen repeatedly without having their work ruined due to the pen’s smear and bleed free technology. The mechanical design of the pen offers a value of simplicity, but it also offers a value of comfort, as shown by the ergonomic grip, which enables users to comfortably use the pen for extended periods of time. Finally, the pen’s clip offers convenience because it enables users to carry it around.

References

Karleen Wise Andersen. Parts of a pen: Anatomy of Ballpoint, Stick, and Fountain Pens.https://www.pens.com/blog/parts-of-a-pen/

Pentel. Energel Liquid Gel Pen. https://www.pentel.com/collections/energel/products/energel-rtx-gel-pen

Gel pen. Wikipedia. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gel_pen#:~:text=analyzed%20with%20TLC.-,History,1980s%20was%20the%20Gelly%20Roll.