Edison New Filling System?

[dneal]

Back to the issue at hand. Hmm... should I wait to get my first Edison until whatever new coolness is revealed or order now and have to come up with an explanation for why I have not one but two expensive custom thesis writing pens. Decisions... Decisions.....

 

Easy. You order one now to write your thesis with. Then you order a second one and use a different color of ink for markup / editing.

 

Otherwise, you would have to keep changing ink in the solitary Edison. The tediousness of that clearly warrants a second pen.

 

Glad I could help.

 

[rpsyed]

Using the website is relatively easy. Knowing whether your product infringes is not. As could probably be surmised from the fact that patent attorneys must be engineers or have similarly rigorous technical training in addition to being admitted to the practice of law.

 

Firstly, because just because a technology is old doesn't mean you can't develop a novel and non-obvious improvement or an improvement that appears vaguely novel and sorta non-obvious to the patent examiner. Secondly, just because a patent doesn't apply to you doesn't mean there isn't a non-practicing entity out there willing to threaten you with legal action if you don't pay up. Until fairly recently you were on the hook for your attorney fees even if you won a frivolous patent lawsuit. In such a case it is actually cheaper to pay off your blackmailer than defeat them in court.

----

 

 

Back to the issue at hand. Hmm... should I wait to get my first Edison until whatever new coolness is revealed or order now and have to come up with an explanation for why I have not one but two expensive custom thesis writing pens. Decisions... Decisions.....

But how likely is that really? I mean Bexley is a small company - they make piston fillers. Ancora is a small company - they make piston-fillers. Has anyone been sued for a filling system patent violation in the US over the last 40 years? I know that you can make little improvements and get an extension of a patent, but I don't see the fp market as being big enough to really have lawsuits over it at this point in time. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't see a single example of it happening any time recently. Montblanc lawsuits have been over trademark infringement.

[Orioes]

But how likely is that really? I mean Bexley is a small company - they make piston fillers. Ancora is a small company - they make piston-fillers. Has anyone been sued for a filling system patent violation in the US over the last 40 years? I know that you can make little improvements and get an extension of a patent, but I don't see the fp market as being big enough to really have lawsuits over it at this point in time. Perhaps I'm wrong, but I don't see a single example of it happening any time recently. Montblanc lawsuits have been over trademark infringement.

Likelihood? Vanishingly unlikely. If there was going to be a significant patent dispute in the FP world my money would be on whatever IP is behind Sailor and Platinum's nano-ground inks. And Mr. Gray has alluded to this being a matter of time and technical issues not legalities. Still, this has given me reason to check the USPTO website for FP patents and as late as 2014 there are new US patents for an improved nib and an improved pneumatic filler. Indeed there are quite a few recent FP patents. Pilot evidently is big on patenting the shape of its pens.

[rpsyed]

Likelihood? Vanishingly unlikely. If there was going to be a significant patent dispute in the FP world my money would be on whatever IP is behind Sailor and Platinum's nano-ground inks. And Mr. Gray has alluded to this being a matter of time and technical issues not legalities. Still, this has given me reason to check the USPTO website for FP patents and as late as 2014 there are new US patents for an improved nib and an improved pneumatic filler. Indeed there are quite a few recent FP patents. Pilot evidently is big on patenting the shape of its pens.

I see. That's what I was thinking as well. https://www.google.com/?tbm=pts&gws_rd=ssl <--- Google Patents, seems to be a much easier way of searching through US Patents than the USPTO search function. The website, and info, is presented much more cleanly.

[Brian C]

No updates?

[danielpi]

I too am waiting on updates... I was gonna get a Huron Grande, but put plans on hold. Especially if what's coming is some sort of a vac filler, this could be worth holding off.

[alaskazimm]

He's already has a vacuum filler like the Parker vacs available,unless there's another style I'm not aware of?

[danielpi]

He's already has a vacuum filler like the Parker vacs available,unless there's another style I'm not aware of?

 

Yeah, it never occurred to me before, but "vacuum" is a bit ambiguous, since pretty much everything except eyedroppers technically requires some sort of vacuum to suck the ink into the pen. I think what you're thinking of, which Edison currently offers, is the pneumatic filler (which I was very nearly ready to pull the trigger on and buy). What I meant by "vacuum filler" was the system used in the Pilot Custom 832, TWSBI Vac 700, and Visconti's "Power Filler."

 

There are some videos on Youtube where people fill these pens using demonstrators. It is really something cool to behold. In fact, I suspect it is for this reason that most pens with vacuum fillers now are demonstrators (only some models of Visconti don't have visible filling, e.g., the HS Bronze).

[Brian C]

Wondering if this project ran into a brick wall.

[alaskazimm]

Yeah, it never occurred to me before, but "vacuum" is a bit ambiguous, since pretty much everything except eyedroppers technically requires some sort of vacuum to suck the ink into the pen. I think what you're thinking of, which Edison currently offers, is the pneumatic filler (which I was very nearly ready to pull the trigger on and buy). What I meant by "vacuum filler" was the system used in the Pilot Custom 832, TWSBI Vac 700, and Visconti's "Power Filler."

Doh! I can't believe I overlooked those type of vacuum fillers. The Menlo pump filler is what I was equating with the Parker vacuum fillers.

[Bill Wood]

Wondering if this project ran into a brick wall.

Doubt it. If I know Brian his wheels are always turning. He's an inventor.

[bgray]

Sorry everyone! We've been very very busy. The DC Pen Show was crazy busy, and takes a long time to prepare for and recover from. We also have some new items to announce this week and early next month.

 

The new filler is coming! I would say by the end of this year, for sure. Hopefully within a few months!

 

Sorry! Knowing how my schedule is so unpredictable, I probably shouldn't mention these things until they are actually ready to go!

[GardenWeasel]

New items this week? Ears are perking up!

[danielpi]

Sorry everyone! We've been very very busy. The DC Pen Show was crazy busy, and takes a long time to prepare for and recover from. We also have some new items to announce this week and early next month.

 

The new filler is coming! I would say by the end of this year, for sure. Hopefully within a few months!

 

Sorry! Knowing how my schedule is so unpredictable, I probably shouldn't mention these things until they are actually ready to go!

 

Brian--

 

No need to apologize. Though I hesitate to speak for the mob, I'd venture to say that we all greatly appreciate your efforts at innovation. Whether or not you ultimately release the new filling system or encounter insurmountable obstacles, the effort alone is something to admire.

 

Hope you will continue to give us "sneak peeks" at your upcoming work. The excitement of knowing you're cooking up something new far outweighs the disappointment of missed "release dates." Mention them well before they're ready to go. It generates excitement about your company.

 

Cheers,

--Daniel

[bgray]

New items this week? Ears are perking up!

 

Yep, something will be announced tomorrow morning, so stay tuned!

[bgray]

 

Brian--

 

No need to apologize. Though I hesitate to speak for the mob, I'd venture to say that we all greatly appreciate your efforts at innovation. Whether or not you ultimately release the new filling system or encounter insurmountable obstacles, the effort alone is something to admire.

 

Hope you will continue to give us "sneak peeks" at your upcoming work. The excitement of knowing you're cooking up something new far outweighs the disappointment of missed "release dates." Mention them well before they're ready to go. It generates excitement about your company.

 

Cheers,

--Daniel

 

Thanks for the comments!

[Canopus]

Well I've been waiting for a new filler system for a long time and as an engineer and aspirant to pen designer I have to say that I'm itching myself trying to figure out what it will be. It will not be a plunger, nor a Ford, may be a piston with some variation like you mentioned a few years back, Dunn is out, blow-filler wouldn't need that much testing, any variation of a pump mechanism involving a valve is out because... because it's silly, just look at the dozens of old patents, button, lever and twist fillers are superfluous because of the pump filler, capillarity is out, if it involves toggle-links you've just used your psych powers to steal one of my ideas... I'm 100% sure that it will NOT be something like this https://www.google.com/patents/US1571477?dq=fountain+pen+chain&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBGoVChMI5u2g2-zdxwIVAwyQCh2cQQVT which is so brilliantly stupid I just have to have one, would call it a "Hashi-filler"

 

I've run out of ideas... but the surprise ought to make things more interesting. Kinda like When Koenigsegg released the Regera after playing "guess-what?" with the fans, which is not an ideal power-train set-up but certainly ingenious and unique.

[Brian C]

Well I've been waiting for a new filler system for a long time and as an engineer and aspirant to pen designer I have to say that I'm itching myself trying to figure out what it will be. It will not be a plunger, nor a Ford, may be a piston with some variation like you mentioned a few years back, Dunn is out, blow-filler wouldn't need that much testing, any variation of a pump mechanism involving a valve is out because... because it's silly, just look at the dozens of old patents, button, lever and twist fillers are superfluous because of the pump filler, capillarity is out, if it involves toggle-links you've just used your psych powers to steal one of my ideas... I'm 100% sure that it will NOT be something like this https://www.google.com/patents/US1571477?dq=fountain+pen+chain&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0CD4Q6AEwBGoVChMI5u2g2-zdxwIVAwyQCh2cQQVT which is so brilliantly stupid I just have to have one, would call it a "Hashi-filler"

 

I've run out of ideas... but the surprise ought to make things more interesting. Kinda like When Koenigsegg released the Regera after playing "guess-what?" with the fans, which is not an ideal power-train set-up but certainly ingenious and unique.

I think you're trying to hard. I think it will be more mundane. A piston or maybe a lever.

[Canopus]

That's why most of those are out, they are a bit too complex. I actually had spoken with Brian about it a while ago, he categorically said it wouldn't be a plunger filler, not a piston and neither a Ford patent filler, albeit the liked the idea. Even further back I tried to commission a Dunn filler but gave up on the idea, he also didn't showed much interest in that, and frankly speaking it's not the best nor most interesting filling system unless you're a die-hard OMAS or Dunn fan.

 

The piston rumors are old, as well as the lever, he public spoke about those years ago but they never came to fruition. The public might like them, but from an engineer perspective they are too mundane. Albeit the piston filler was supposed to house ink on the shaft too, I tried to design one myself and run into several issues, the end result didn't bring anything new to the table, I guess the same occurred to his project. A lever filler don't take that much testing, it's a well understood and simple system, the only real issue is structural integrity, assembly and parts making.

 

From my own experience it will probably not a lead-screw piston like the Swan Capacity Filler. Even with modern materials sealing and durability are an issue. You have to start meddling with high precision machining and exotic polymers... made a few of my engineering teachers grimace at how expensive just the screw would be. Filling systems are a fascinating subject. My two favorites are the Bulkfiller and earlier patents and the Watanabe style plunger filler. Efficient and not too overly complicated. The telescopic piston MB used is also nice, but rather too fragile and frankly would need to be resigned from the ground up to be easily serviceable.

 

I expect something new from Edison, it is sounding good, or at least interesting.

[Brian C]

That's why most of those are out, they are a bit too complex. I actually had spoken with Brian about it a while ago, he categorically said it wouldn't be a plunger filler, not a piston and neither a Ford patent filler, albeit the liked the idea. Even further back I tried to commission a Dunn filler but gave up on the idea, he also didn't showed much interest in that, and frankly speaking it's not the best nor most interesting filling system unless you're a die-hard OMAS or Dunn fan.

 

The piston rumors are old, as well as the lever, he public spoke about those years ago but they never came to fruition. The public might like them, but from an engineer perspective they are too mundane. Albeit the piston filler was supposed to house ink on the shaft too, I tried to design one myself and run into several issues, the end result didn't bring anything new to the table, I guess the same occurred to his project. A lever filler don't take that much testing, it's a well understood and simple system, the only real issue is structural integrity, assembly and parts making.

 

From my own experience it will probably not a lead-screw piston like the Swan Capacity Filler. Even with modern materials sealing and durability are an issue. You have to start meddling with high precision machining and exotic polymers... made a few of my engineering teachers grimace at how expensive just the screw would be. Filling systems are a fascinating subject. My two favorites are the Bulkfiller and earlier patents and the Watanabe style plunger filler. Efficient and not too overly complicated. The telescopic piston MB used is also nice, but rather too fragile and frankly would need to be resigned from the ground up to be easily serviceable.

 

I expect something new from Edison, it is sounding good, or at least interesting.

While I hope you are correct and Brian gives us something new or at least exotic, I just don't see that from him.