1. A polymer comprising one or more monomeric units derived from a monomer compound according to structure (VI):
wherein:
R3 is H or CH3,
R4 is CH3,
M is an integer from about 10 to about 40; and
N is an integer having a value of 1 to M.
2. The polymer of claim 1, wherein the one or more monomeric units are derived from a monomer compound according to structure (XXII):
3. A pH responsive polymer comprising, based on the total weight of monomers,
(a) from about 25 to about 70 percent by weight acid monomeric units, each independently comprising a carboxylic acid-functional substituent group,
(b) from about 30 to about 70 percent by weight nonionic monomeric units, each independently comprising a nonionic substituent group, and
(c) from about 0.05 to about 20 percent by weight hydrophobic monomeric units, each independently derived from a monomer compound according to structure (VI):
wherein:
R3 is H or CH3,
R4 is CH3,
M is an integer from about 10 to about 40; and
N is an integer having a value of 1 to M.
4. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the hydrophobic monomeric units each independently are derived from a monomer compound according to structure (XXII):
5. The polymer of claim 1, wherein N is an integer having a value of 5 to M.
6. The polymer of claim 3, wherein N is an integer having a value of 5 to M.
7. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the carboxylic acid monomer units comprise monomeric units derived from a monomer selected from the group consisting of methacrylic acid, acrylic acid, and combinations thereof.
8. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the nonionic monomer units comprise monomeric units derived from a monomer selected from ethyl acrylate, ethyl methacrylate, methyl methacrylate, 2-ethylhexyl acrylate, butyl acrylate, butyl methacrylate, 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate, 2-hydroxybutyl methacrylate, styrene, vinyltoluene, t-butylstyrene, isopropylstyrene, and p-chlorostyrene, vinyl acetate, vinyl butyrate, vinyl caprolate; acrylonitrile, methacrylonitrile, butadiene, isoprene, vinyl chloride, vinylidene chloride, and combinations thereof.
9. The polymer of claim 1, wherein M is an integer from about 25 to about 40.
10. The polymer of claim 3, wherein M is an integer from about 25 to about 40.
11. The polymer of claim 3,
wherein said acid monomeric units (a), each independently comprising a carboxylic acid-functional substituent group, are at least one C3 -C8 alpha beta-ethylenically unsaturated carboxylic acid monomer of the structure (II):
RCH\u2550C(R\u2032)COOH (II)
wherein R is H, CH3, or \u2014CH2COOX; and wherein if R is H, then R\u2032 is H, C1-C4 alkyl , or \u2014CH2COOX; if R is \u2014CH2C(O)OX, then R\u2032 is H or \u2014CH2C(O)OX ; or if R is CH3, then R\u2032 is H; and X, if present, is H or C1-C4 alkyl;
wherein said nonionic monomeric units (b), each independently comprising a nonionic substituent group are selected from at least one copolymerizable non-ionic C2-C b12 alpha beta-ethylenically unsaturated monomer of the structure (III):
H2C\u2550CYZ (III)
wherein Y is H, CH3, or Cl ; Z is CN, Cl, \u2014COOR\u2032, \u2014C6H4R\u2032, \u2014COOR\u2033, or \u2014HC\u2550CH2; and wherein R is C1-C8 alkyl or C2-C8 hydroxy alkyl; and wherein R\u2032 is H, Cl, Br, or C1-C4 alkyl; and R\u2033 is C1 -C8 alkyl.
12. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the polymer comprises from about 30 to about 65 percent by weight acid monomeric units, from about 35 to about 70 percent by weight nonionic monomeric units, and from about 1 to about 15 percent by weight hydrophobic monomeric units.
13. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the polymer comprises from about 30 to about 60, percent by weight acid monomeric units, from about 40 to about 60 percent by weight nonionic monomeric units, and from about 2 to about 10 percent by weight hydrophobic monomeric units.
14. The polymer of claim 3, wherein the acid monomeric units are methacrylic acid and the nonionic monomer units are 2-ethylhexylacrylate.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A writing instrument comprising
a colorant dispensing tip;
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand-engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal end being joined to the proximal portion to form a display card receiving closed hoop, the hoop being disposed at a distal most portion of the writing instrument, and
a display card, capable of displaying a message, sized and configured for being received by the hoop.
2. A writing instrument comprising
a colorant dispensing tip;
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand-engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal end being joined to the proximal portion to form a display card receiving closed hoop,
a display card sized and configured for being received by the hoop, and
a solvent for joining the distal end to the proximal portion through solvent bonding.
3. The writing instrument of claim 2 wherein includes a perimetral edge and the hoop includes a radially inwardly facing surface for receiving the perimetral edge of the display card.
4. The writing instrument of claim 3 wherein the hoop includes
a relatively thicker portion having a first relatively smaller diameter, a relatively thinner portion having a second, relatively larger diameter, and a lip portion extending between the thicker portion and the thinner portion.
5. The writing instrument of claim 4 wherein the display card includes a first face and a second face, and the lip portion includes an axially facing surface for engaging one of the first and second faces of the display card for positioning the display card in the closed hoop.
6. The writing instrument of claim 5 wherein the barrel includes a hollow interior passageway extending substantially throughout the length of the barrel, the passageway being substantially uncompressed in the proximal portion for interiorly receiving an ink cartridge, and being substantially compressed in the distal portion for permitting the distal portion to assume a elatively flattened configuration.
7. The writing instrument of claim 6 wherein the proximal portion is generally linear and the hand-engaging surface comprises a generally cylindrical radially outwardly facing surface.
8. The writing instrument of claim 1 wherein the display card includes a perimetral edge and the hoop includes a radially inwardly facing surface for receiving the perimetral edge of the display card.
9. A writing instrument comprising:
a colorant dispensing tip;
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal end being joined to the proximal portion to form a display card receiving closed hoop
a display card sized and configured for being received by the hoop, wherein the hoop includes a relatively thicker portion having a relatively smaller diameter, a relatively thinner portion having a relatively larger diameter, and a lip portion extending between the thicker portion and the thinner portion.
10. The writing instrument of claim 9 wherein the thicker portion includes a first radially inwardly facing surface, the thinner portion including a second radially inwardly facing surface, and the lip portion includes an axially facing surface.
11. The writing instrument of claim 10 wherein the display card includes a first face and a second face, and wherein the axially facing surface of the lip portion engages one of the first and second faces of the display card for positioning the display card interiorly within the hoop.
12. A writing instrument comprising
a colorant dispensing tip,
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal end being joined to the proximal portion to form a display card receiving closed loop,
a display card sized and configured for being received by the loop
wherein the barrel includes a hollow interior passageway extending substantially along the length of the barrel, the passageway being substantially uncompressed in the proximal portion for interiorly receiving an ink cartridge, and being substantially compressed in the distal portion to permit the distal portion to assume a relatively flattened configuration.
13. A writing instrument comprising
a colorant dispensing tip,
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal end being joined to the proximal portion to form a display card receiving closed loop,
a display card sized and configured for being received by the loop wherein the display card is disposed at a distal most portion of the writing instrument and includes a non-porous substrate member having a first side surface and a second side surface, a first message printed on the first side surface, a second message printed on the second side surface, a first plastic overlay for overlaying the first message and a second plastic overlay for overlaying the second message.
14. A writing instrument comprising
a colorant dispensing tip,
a display card; and
a barrel having a proximal portion and a distal portion, the proximal portion including a hand-engaging surface and a proximal end coupled to the colorant dispensing tip, the distal portion being unitarily formed with the proximal portion and including a distal end, the distal portion forming a hoop sized and configured for receiving the display card, the hoop including a relatively smaller diameter portion, a relatively larger diameter portion, and a lip portion extending between the smaller diameter portion and the larger diameter portion.
15. The writing instrument of claim 14 wherein the smaller diameter portion comprises a relatively thicker portion, and the larger diameter portion comprises a relatively thinner portion.
16. The writing instrument of claim 15 wherein the thicker portion includes a first radially inwardly facing surface, the thinner portion includes a second radially inwardly facing surface, and the lip portion includes an axially facing surface.
17. The writing instrument of claim 16 wherein the display card includes a first face and a second face, and wherein the axially facing surface of the lip portion engages one of the first and second faces of the display card for positioning the display card interiorly within the hoop.
18. The writing instrument of claim 17 wherein the distal end is bonded to the proximal portion to form a closed hoop.
19. The writing instrument of claim 14 wherein the barrel includes a hollow interior passageway extending substantially along the length of the barrel, the passageway being relatively uncompressed in the proximal portion for interiorly receiving an ink cartridge, and being relatively compressed in the distal portion to permit the distal portion to assure a flattened configuration.
20. The writing instrument of claim 14 wherein the distal end is bonded to the proximal portion to form a closed loop.