Field of the invention:

[0001]. The present disclosure generally relates to the technical field of eco-friendly pens and pencils, and in specific relates to a highly compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils with low cost.
Background of the invention:
[0002]. Writing accessories such as pen and pencil are considered as the basic necessity for all age groups. There is a huge demand for pens and pencils in educational institutions and business organizations for various purposes. A pencil is an implement for writing or drawing, constructed of a narrow, solid pigment core in a protective casing that prevents the core from being broken and/or marking the user's hand. Pencils create marks by physical abrasion, leaving a trail of solid core material that adheres to a sheet of paper or other surfaces. They are distinct from pens which dispense liquid or gel ink onto the marked surface. On the other hand, the industry involved in the making of pencil (usually made from wood) that contributes significantly to deforestation due to the cutting of trees.

[0003]. Yearly, almost 2 billion pencils are produced in a country with an average population. That represents about 82,000 trees cut for pencils, as each tree makes approximately 1,70,000 pencils. Conventional pencils, which are commonly found in any form, cause variety of problems, as most of them are made of wood material. This leads to a large amount of deforestation and reduces the number of trees. The problem is that in order to secure the wood material, logging must be carried out so that the global desertification and the environmental pollution caused by the logging are significant.

[0004]. Further, pens are made using plastic which is not biodegradable and is environmentally harmful. In some countries, nearly 1.6 billion pens are disposed annually. These plastic pens end up in landfills and as litter. Some of this plastic waste makes its way to the waterways, where it breaks down into micro-plastics, polluting the water and harming ocean life. Although plastic is a very convenient material that is used in wide range of different products, it results in environmental damage. Being non bio-degradable or rather it decomposes at an incredibly slow rate, plastic poses a threat to the wellbeing of animals, people, and the environment. It is predicted that by 2050 the ocean will contain more plastic than fish in terms of weight; the report was published by the World Economic Forum.

[0005]. In existing technology, the body of a pencil is made using conventional recycled paper that helps to weaken the global desertification and its environmental pollution caused by logging, and to ensure safety from the harmful effects of the human body due to the use of chemical adhesives. The recycle paper pencils improve the writing and feel of the hand, and furthermore, provide a sweat absorbing effect. The core is made of graphite and body is provided on the outer side of the shim, wherein the recycled paper absorbing the grass is combined with the shim and then dried and processed. However, the equipment occupies huge space, is of high cost.

[0006]. In updated technology, pencil and/or colour pencil is produced from recycled paper, which consists of a cylindrical body formed by at least one or a plurality of thin layers or sheets of recycled paper successively cut to pre-established sizes, rolled, compacted and joined by an adhesive to form a compact and rigid cylindrical body, housing in its centre a writing element that can be a graphite lead or a coloured wax lead, joined and glued with an adhesive to the first central rolled sheet. This cylindrical body comprises a conical recess that exposes the tip of the writing element formed by the graphite lead or coloured wax lead. The cylindrical body comprises a cavity generated by smoothing at the end opposite the conical recess in which a substance, material or product is accommodated and stored, and which is sealed by a cover made of recycled paper, producing a single-piece pencil and/or colour pencil. However, the manufacturing method involves various steps and corresponding machinery for each step. There is a need for a simple machine to produce eco-friendly pens and pencils.

[0007]. Conventional, eco-friendly pen and pencil making machines require huge space and high investments. The manufacturing methods involve various additional components for carrying out different steps and require frequent maintenance that makes the machine of larger size and overall process complex thereby being exposed to frequent maintenance need. More importantly, the operation of such setup requires 3-Phase AC (electric) connection to drive, which also leads to more power consumption.

[0008]. Therefore, there is a need for a highly compact paper pen and pencil making machine with a much simpler design to consume less power that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils. A paper pen and pencil making machine that is of low cost, occupies less space and portable enough to be carried by a single person is the need of the hour. A machine that makes the pencil and pen manufacturing simple and easier is required. There is a need to reduce carbon footprint of the stationary such as pens and pencils by utilizing waste paper.
Objectives of the Invention
[0009]. The primary objective of the invention is to design a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils.

[00010]. Further, objective of the invention is to provide a paper pen and pencil making machine with simple design that consumes less power and lower maintenance.

[00011]. The other objective of the invention is to make pencils or pens with easier and simple process that takes only few steps.

[00012]. The other objective of the invention is to provide a paper pen and pencil making machine that is lightweight, occupies less space, and is portable.

[00013]. Another objective of the invention is to roll around 3000 to 4000 units of paper pens and pencils for every hour.

[00014]. The other important objective of the invention is to provide a paper pen and pencil making machine that is of low cost, runs on domestic (single phase) power supply, thus enables individuals to start a home based business and entrepreneurship drive.
[00015]. Yet another objective of the invention is to reduce carbon footprint of the stationary such as pens and pencils by utilizing waste paper.
Summary of the invention:
[00016]. The present disclosure proposes a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine. The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the claimed subject matter. This summary is not an extensive overview. It is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope of the claimed subject matter. Its sole purpose is to present some concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.

[00017]. In order to overcome the above deficiencies of the prior art, the present disclosure is to solve the technical problem to provide a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils with low cost.

[00018]. According to an aspect, the invention provides a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine. The paper pen and pencil making machine comprises a mounting base, an idle axle fixed on one side of the mounting base, a driving axle fixed on the other side of the mounting base and connected to the idle axle through a conveyor belt, a DC motor coupled to the driving axle, a pressure plate arrangement fixed on top of the mounting base configured with an upper pressure plate above said conveyor belt having a rubber sheet annexed to the bottom surface and a lower pressure plate below said conveyor belt, plurality of screw and spring adjustment units configured on either side of the pressure plates to fasten them to the mounting base while flexibly releasing the required pressure.

[00019]. The mounting base houses the different components of the paper pen and pencil making machine. The mounting base is made up of mild steel (c-channel) material. The idle axle fixed on one side of the mounting base is configured to receive a glued paper stack. The glued paper stack is a folded design of paper in stacks sandwiched with either a refill or a graphite lead in between the folded paper template sheets to roll the paper stack into pens and pencils.

[00020]. The driving axle fixed on the other side of the mounting base and is connected to the idle axle through a conveyor belt to allow rotation of the idle axle in connection with the driving axle. In specific, the driving axle and the idle axle are mounted using plurality of bearings to enable rotation. The idle axle and the driving axle are made of fiber material in order to contribute to the light weight of the machine.

[00021]. The motor coupled to the driving axle is configured to provide rotary motion to the driving axle. The motor rotates the driving axle that rotates the conveyor belt and in turn, rotates the idle axle, which in synchronization to the pressure plate arrangement, guides the rolling of paper stack. In specific, the motor is a DC motor connected to the power supply through a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) driven by domestic (single phase) ac supply.

[00022]. The pressure plate arrangement is fixed on top of the mounting base above and below the conveyor belt to allow the glued paper stack to roll over the conveyor belt with the pressure force provided by the pressure plate from the idle axle side to the driving axle side to thereby form a rolled pen or pencil. The driving axle and the idle axle are strategically positioned to ensure top surface of the conveyor slides over the bottom pressure plate without any gap thereby allowing its hard surface to provide the desired pressure to tighten the rolling process along its length. The pressure plates are made of acrylic sheets to assure overall light weight of the machine. The rubber sheet is annexed to the bottom surface of the top pressure plate that ensures appropriate friction during the rolling process. The plurality of screw and spring adjustment units are configured on either side of the pressure plates to fasten them to the mounting base and enable the user to vary the gap between the conveyor belt and the pressure plate to cater pens and pencils of different diameters without any adjustments.

[00023]. According to another aspect, the invention provides a method of making paper pens and pencils using a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine. The method includes the steps comprising of selecting a suitable waste paper and cutting it as per a suitable template of a pen or pencil. Then, the required waste paper is folded and made into stacks. Next, a suitable refill or a graphite lead is sandwiched between the folded waste paper stack, and glue is applied to ensure the rolling gets tighter and firm. Later, the sandwiched waste paper stack is fed at one end of the machine to get rolled through the pressure plate and over the conveyor belt to get roll pressed.

[00024]. Then, the rolled up pen or pencil is collected at the other end of the machine. In specific, the sandwiched waste paper stack is fed at the idle axle, and the rolled up pen or pencil is collected at the driving axle of the machine. Next, the rolled pen or pencil is dried for a certain time. Finally, the surface layer of a pen or pencil is coated with an eco-friendly waterproof coating. Further, separate caps are made for pens using the waste paper through the rolling operation.

[00025]. Further, objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from a study of the following portion of the specification, the claims, and the attached drawings.
Detailed description of drawings:
[00026]. The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute a part of the specification, illustrate an embodiment of the invention, and, together with the description, explain the principles of the invention.

[00027]. FIG. 1A illustrates an isometric view of a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[00028]. FIG. 1B illustrates a top view of the compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.

[00029]. FIG. 2 illustrates an exemplary method of making paper pens and pencils using a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine in accordance to an exemplary embodiment of the invention.
Detailed invention disclosure:
[00030]. Various embodiments of the present invention will be described in reference to the accompanying drawings. Wherever possible, same or similar reference numerals are used in the drawings and the description to refer to the same or like parts or steps.

[00031]. The present disclosure has been made with a view towards solving the problem with the prior art described above, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils with low cost.

[00032]. According to an exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 1A, and FIG. 1B refer to different views (isometric view, and top view) of a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine 100. The paper pen and pencil making machine 100 comprises a mounting base 101, an idle axle 102 fixed on one side of the mounting base 101, a driving axle 103 fixed on the other side of the mounting base 101 and connected to the idle axle 102 through a conveyor belt 104, a motor 105 coupled to the driving axle 103, a pressure plate arrangement fixed on top of the mounting base 101 configured with an upper pressure plate 106a above said conveyor belt 104 having a rubber sheet annexed to the bottom surface and a lower pressure plate 106b below said conveyor belt 104, and plurality of screw and spring adjustment units 107 configured on either side of the pressure plates 106a and 106b to fasten them to the mounting base 101. The paper pen and pencil making machine 100 is compact, portable and enables home based production using conventional power supply. The paper pen and pencil making machine 100 produces approximately 3000-4000 pens or pencils per hour.

[00033]. The mounting base 101 houses different components of the paper pen and pencil making machine 100. The mounting base 101 is made up of mild steel (c-channel) material. The idle axle 102 fixed on one side of the mounting base 101 is configured to receive a glued paper stack. The glued paper stack is a folded design of paper in stacks sandwiched with either a refill or a graphite lead in between the folded paper stack to roll the paper stack into pens and pencils.
[00034]. The glued paper stack is prepared manually in the pre-processing step which comprises preparation of paper cutting into required template using waste paper, stacking them and then gluing the prepared paper stack.

[00035]. The pressure plate arrangement is fixed on top of the mounting base 101 above and below the conveyor belt 104 to allow the glued paper stack to roll over the conveyor belt 104 with the pressure force provided by the pressure plates 106a and 106b from the idle axle side to the driving axle side to thereby form a rolled pen or pencil. The driving axle 103 is fixed on the other side of the mounting base 101 and is connected to the idle axle 102 through a conveyor belt 104 to allow rotation of the idle axle 102 in connection with the driving axle 103. In specific, the driving axle 103 and the idle axle 102 are mounted using plurality of bearings 108 to enable rotation. The idle axle 102 and the driving axle 103 are made of fibre material.

[00036]. The motor 105 coupled to the driving axle 103 is configured to provide rotary motion to the driving axle 103. The motor 105 rotates the driving axle 103 that rotates the conveyor belt 104 and in turn, rotates the idle axle 102 for rolling the paper stack. In specific, the motor 105 is a DC motor connected to the power supply through a switched-mode power supply (SMPS) driven by domestic (single phase) ac supply.

[00037]. The driving axle 103 and the idle axle 102 are strategically positioned to ensure top surface of the conveyor belt 104 slides over the bottom pressure plate 106b without any gap thereby allowing its hard surface to provide the desired pressure to tighten the rolling process along its length. The pressure plates 106a and 106b are made of acrylic sheets to assure overall light weight of the machine. The rubber sheet is annexed to the bottom surface of the top pressure plate 106a that ensures appropriate friction during the rolling process. The plurality of screw and spring adjustment units 107 are configured on either side of the pressure plates 106a and 106b to fasten them to the mounting base 101 and enable the user to vary the gap between the conveyor belt and the pressure plate to cater pens and pencils of different diameters without any adjustments. The plurality of screw and spring adjustment units 107 are configured at uniform distance over the pressure plates to enable the user to vary the gap according to the requirement. For instance, the plurality screw and spring adjustment units 107 on one side of the pressure plates 106a and 106b (i.e., along the length of the pressure plates) are adjusted to decrease the gap on one side which yields pens or pencils with a narrow end on one side and a broader end on the other side. For another instance, the plurality screw and spring adjustment units 107 on one side of the pressure plate 106a and 106b (i.e., along the breadth and length of the pressure plates) are adjusted to roll the pen or pencils with a larger diameter. The gap between the conveyor belt 104 and the upper pressure plate 106a aids the upper pressure plate 106a to provide pressure for rolling the paper stack and aids to obtain required diameter of the pen or pencil. The lower pressure plate provides support to the conveyor belt 104 to thereby roll the pen or pencil between the conveyor belt 104 and the upper pressure plate 106a.

[00038]. In a variant, the paper pen and pencil making machine 100 incorporates an additional roller positioned next to the pressure plates 106a and 106b on the driving axle side of the mounting base 101. The additional roller is connected using a belt to obtain rotary motion from the motor 105 and aids to dispense the rolled pens or pencils at the driving axle side.

[00039]. According to another exemplary embodiment of the invention, FIG. 2 refers to an exemplary method 200 of making paper pens and pencils using a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine. The method 200 includes the steps comprising of selecting a suitable waste paper and cutting it as per a suitable template of a pen or pencil at step 201. Then at step 202, the required waste paper is folded and made into stacks. Next, a suitable refill or a graphite lead is sandwiched between the folded waste paper stack, and glue is applied to ensure the rolling gets tighter and firm at step 203. The cutting, folding, applying glue are done manually without affecting the quality of the pens and pencils and since rolling is the dominating step of the method, it is performed on the machine to increase the production rate. Later at step 204, the sandwiched waste paper stack is fed at one end of the machine to get rolled through the pressure plate and over the conveyor belt to get roll pressed. The gap between the pressure plate and the conveyor belt aids to roll the waste paper stack.

[00040]. Then at step 205, the rolled up pen or pencil is collected at the other end of the machine. In specific, the sandwiched waste paper stack is fed at the idle axle side of the machine, and the rolled up pen or pencil is collected at the driving axle side of the machine. Next at step 206, the rolled pen or pencil is dried for a certain time to ensure the glue dries up. Finally at step 207, the surface layer of a pen or pencil is coated with an eco-friendly waterproof coating. In specific, separate caps are made for pens using the waste paper through the rolling operation.

[00041]. Numerous advantages of the present disclosure may be apparent from the discussion above. In accordance with the present disclosure, a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine is disclosed that reuses waste paper to roll and produce eco-friendly pens and pencils. The machine is of simple design that consumes less power and lower maintenance. The machine aids to make pencils or pens with easier and simple process that takes only few steps. The proposed paper pen and pencil making machine is lightweight, occupies less space, and is portable. The machine rolls around 3000 to 4000 units of paper pens and pencils for every hour thereby providing higher production rate. The machine is of low cost, use domestic power supply and enables individuals to start a home based business and entrepreneurship drive. The proposed machine reduces carbon footprint of the stationary such as pens and pencils by utilizing waste paper.

[00042]. The driving axle and the idle axle may utilize plurality of gear arrangements to obtain varied speeds based on the requirement of the number of units of pens and pencils. The machine may be enclosed in a sheet metal casing to improve the aesthetics of the machine. Some components of the machine may be printed using 3D printing to make the machine further lightweight. The machine may further incorporate a detachable bin to collect rolled pens and pencils for drying. Also, a modular compartment for gluing operation can be attached at the input to further fasten the production process.

[00043]. It will readily be apparent that numerous modifications and alterations can be made to the processes described in the foregoing examples without departing from the principles underlying the invention, and all such modifications and alterations are intended to be embraced by this application.

I / We Claim:

1. A compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine, comprising:
a mounting base;
an idle axle fixed on one side of said mounting base configured to receive glued paper stack;
a driving axle fixed on the other side of said mounting base and connected to said idle axle through a conveyor belt to allow rotation of the idle axle in connection with the driving axle;
a motor coupled to said driving axle configured to provide rotary motion to said driving axle;
a pressure plate arrangement fixed on top of said mounting base configured with an upper pressure plate above said conveyor belt having a rubber sheet annexed to the bottom surface and a lower pressure plate below said conveyor belt to allow said glued paper stack to roll over the conveyor belt with the pressure force provided by the pressure plates from said idle axle side to said driving axle side to thereby form a rolled pen or pencil; and
plurality of screw and spring adjustment units configured on either side of said pressure plate arrangement to fasten it to said mounting base and enable the user to vary the gap between said conveyor belt and said upper pressure plate based on the size of said paper stack.
2. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said mounting base is made up of mild steel material.
3. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said motor rotates said driving axle that rotates said conveyor belt and in turn rotates said idle axle for rolling said paper stack.
4. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said motor is a DC motor connected to power supply through a switched mode power supply (SMPS) driven by domestic (single phase) ac supply.
5. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said idle axle and said driving axle are made of fibre material.
6. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said driving axle and said idle axle are mounted using plurality of bearings to enable rotation.
7. The compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine as recited in claim 1, wherein said glued paper stack is a folded design of paper in stacks sandwiched with either a refill or a graphite lead in between the folded paper stack to roll said paper stack into pens and pencils.
8. A method of making paper pens and pencils using a compact semi-automatic paper pen and pencil making machine, comprising:
selecting a suitable waste paper and cutting it as per suitable template of a pen or pencil;
folding the required waste paper and making them in stacks;
sandwiching a suitable refill or a graphite lead between the folded waste paper stack and applying glue to ensure the rolling gets tighter and firm;
feeding said sandwiched waste paper stack at one end of the machine to get rolled through the pressure plate and over the conveyor belt to get roll pressed;
collecting the rolled up pen or pencil at the other end of the machine;
drying said rolled pen or pencil for a certain time; and
coating the surface layer of a pen or pencil with an eco-friendly waterproof coating.
9. The method of making paper pens and pencils as recited in claim 8, wherein said sandwiched waste paper stack is fed at the idle axle and the rolled up pen or pencil is collected at the driving axle of the machine.
10. The method of making paper pens and pencils as recited in claim 8, wherein separate caps are made for pens using the waste paper through the rolling operation.