Marker and highlighter pen holder

Abstract

This invention relates to a simple pen holder that is convenient and functional for one handed use. The pen holder stores different sizes and styles of pens and accommodates storing the pen caps. The invention can be adjustably placed on any work surface such as a tilting printer lid, side of a computer, on a monitor, a pencil sharpener, on the work top and any other convenient surface. The invention can be fabricated from any suitable material. Further, the pen holder can have any number of cavities for holding pens. Upper cylindrical cavity wells hold the pen bodies and a lower cylindrical cavity traps the pen tip and thus minimizes the pen tip from drying out. The pen caps can be stored in a pen cap clip that is relative to the pen body to identify the cavity that the pen should be returned to after use, thus eliminating a cross contamination of different color inks from other cavities.

Description

FIELD OF INVENTION

The present invention relates to a pen holder and, more particularly, to a marker and highlighter pen holder that can mount in any plane from horizontal to vertical for convenient ergonomically access, accommodate a variety of pen styles and sizes, keeps the pen tips from drying out and holds the pen caps in relation to the position of the stored pens.

Further reference to a marker and highlighter pen holder will be referred to as a “pen holder”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

With the many different pens available in today's market there is a need to hold whichever type pen the consumer uses at a ergonomically convenient place for convenient access in the working environment, preferably off of the cluttered work surface. Pens with caps present a further problem, that of being misplaced, hidden under papers and other materials on the work surface. Highlighter and marker pens dry out when left with their caps off for extended periods of time. It is also important in storing pens with caps removed that they are not cross stored in different cavity wells where the colors of one pen can contaminate the color of another pen at its tip. Continually removing and resetting caps to keep the tips from drying out on some pens is annoying and sometimes difficult when one is marking multiple pages of documents and using different color pens.

There are numerous patents and prior art associated with pen holders where one-handed operation is desired. U.S. Pat. Nos. 1,620,529 to Ferris, No. 1,641,829 to Sheaffer, No. 1,641,846 to Fremon, No. 1,762,104 to Liddell, No. 1,789,439 to Horix, No. 1,804,120 to Sengbusch, No. 2,011,040 to Cuthbert, No. 2,082,831 to Hansen, No. 2,957,270 to Kennamer, No. 3,428,380 to Danjczek, No. 3,463,323 to Riepe, No. 3,476,257 to O'Connell, No. 3,866,992 to Katz, No. 4,415,092 to Boyer, No. 4,493,575 to Mutschler, No. 4,826,338 to Kilpatrick, No. 4,850,484 to Denman, No. 5,033,629 to Caine, No. 5,163,549 to Hayduchok, No. 5,337,906 to Digiulio, No. 5,405,024 to Sahf, No. 5,447,243 to Graber, No. 5,544,764 to Cima, No. 5,628,400 to Feder, No. 6,257,539 B1 to Pelaez and US 2004/0060952 to Perlman are examples of such pen holders. Some of the preceding discloses methods of keeping the pen tips from drying out. Most of these examples are limited to one pen size and style. It is apparent that most of these inventions are complex and would be relatively expensive to produce. Further, none of them address any means for storing the pen caps. US 2004/0060952 application to Perlman and No. 5,163,549 to Hayduchok discloses a complex means for holding a pen cap so that the pen is always inserted into the cap. This device requires awkward manipulations for installing and as pens snap into the cap this art requires exerted force to remove the pen. No. 6,202,862 B1 to Acquaviva also requires the device being held by a wall bracket or a second hand, further it is also relatively expensive to produce requiring foam type material inlayed in the cavity wells. U.S. Pat. No. 3,463,323 to Riepe discloses a complicated device for India ink pens with pen cap receptacles for holding the pens caps, however, this is limited to one type of pen and its specific cap. U.S. Pat. No. 6,257,539 B1 to Pelaez is a simple pen holder limited to one size and style pen and is designed for setting on a horizontal surface only. U.S. Pat. No. 5,880,713 to Belardinelli presents an ingenious device for storing pens and other desktop articles but does not address storing pen caps or any method to keep marker and highlighter pens from drying out.

Heretofore, no device has been created to fulfill the need for a pen holder that accommodates different size pens, different styles of pens, be placed or mounted on any plane surface from horizontal to vertical at any angle and reduces evaporation of liquid inks. Moreover, no current approach addresses the problem for storing a variety of different style pen caps, is simple and inexpensive to produce, and further does not require exerted force to remove the pen from the pen holder.

It is therefore an object of the invention to have a pen holder that mounts to any surface from horizontal to vertical.

It is another object of the invention to have a pen holder that accepts different size pens.

It is another object of the invention to have a pen holder that accepts different styles and configurations of pens.

It is another object of the invention to have a pen holder that accepts the attachment of pen caps.

It is another object of the invention to have a pen holder that minimizes the evaporation of the pen's ink.

It is another object of the invention to have a pen holder that is simple and inexpensive to fabricate.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a pen holder that conveniently stores different sizes and styles of pens and provides a means for holding the pen caps. The invention can be adjustably placed on any surface from horizontal to vertical at any angle such as a work surface, tilting printer lid, side of a computer, on a monitor, a pencil sharpener and any other convenient surface by means of a mounting pad or other attaching means. The invention can be fabricated from any suitable material such as wood, plastic, and metal. Further, the pen holder can have multiple cavity wells. The cylindrical pen cavity well openings hold the body of the pen. At the bottom of the cavity is a lower cylindrical hole of a diameter and depth that will accept a variety of pen configurations so that some portion of the pen's neck that holds the pen tip will engage at the top edge of the lower cylindrical cavity so as to form a seal at the neck of the pen to minimize the circulation of air at the tip, thus preventing the tip from drying out. Each cavity well has its dedicated pen cap clip for attaching the relative pen cap. As pen caps are identified with the color of the pen's ink, having that pen cap attached to a particular cavity well insures that the user always replaces the pen in that cavity well thus eliminating contamination of ink colors from other cavities. The pen cap clip further eliminates the potential for misplacing the pen cap.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

A complete understanding of the present invention may be obtained by reference to the accompanying drawings, when considered in conjunction with the subsequent, detailed description, in which:

FIG. 1 is an isometric front view of a pen holder of this invention;

FIG. 2 is an isometric back view of a pen holder of this invention with mounting pad positioned for angled and vertical mounting;

FIG. 3 is a cross section view of a pen holder of this invention front view plane A-A in FIG. 1. illustrating different pen styles in the pen holder;

FIG. 4 is a top plan view of a pen holder of this invention;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a pen holder of this invention through plane B-B showing pen stored in cavity well and associated pen cap stored in pen cap clip; and

FIG. 6 is an isometric view of an alternate design pen holder fabricated from a solid block of material.

For purposes of clarity and brevity, like elements and components will bear the same designations and numbering throughout the FIGURES.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Generally speaking, the invention comprises a pen storage unit for different types and styles of marker and highlighter pens. The invention comprises a plurality of adjacent cylindrical cavity wells. Each cavity well is of the same size and shape of a size to accept receiving different sizes and styles of pens. Each cavity well has an associated pen cap clip rigidly attached for storing the pen cap of each pen.

Now referring to FIG. 1, an isometric front view of a pen holder 10 illustrating the vertical base plate 12, horizontal base plate 14, cylindrical pen cavity wells 16 with cavities 20. Each of the pen cavity wells 16 are space ergonomically apart to facilitate ease of withdrawing a pen without disturbing adjacent pens. Each pen cavity well 16 has an associated pen cap clip 18 for receiving a pen cap C. The pen holder 10 illustrated has four pen cavities 16, but it is evident that a single or any multiple arrangement of pen cavities 16 may be produced in different configurations. Further, provided are holes 42 in the vertical base plate 12 and the horizontal base plate 14 for mounting the pen holder 10.

Referring to FIG. 2, an isometric back view of a pen holder 10 illustrating a mounting pad 24 connected to the vertical base plate 12. The mounting pad 24 is of a size that it can be placed on either the vertical base plate 12 or the horizontal base plate 14 so as to mount the pen holder 10 at the user's most convenient position. The pen holder 10 can also be placed on a horizontal work surface without using the mounting pad 24. Other means of attaching or mounting the pen holder includes the use of screws.

Referring to FIG. 3, which is a cross sectional view of a pen holder 10 through the dashed line plane A-A shown in FIG. 1, illustrating four different current style pens P1, P2, P3 and P4 held in the cavity wells 20. It would be apparent to anyone skilled in the art to see that other instruments can also be held, such as ball point pens, pencils and other elongate instruments. When placing pens in the pen cavity wells 20, the pen necks 32 fit into the pen tip cavity 26, resting on the pen tip cavity edge 28, thus making a seal for restricting circulating air from drying out the pen tip 34. The pen body 30 easily fits into the pen cavity well 20 for effortless withdrawal. When the pen holder 10 is mounted at an angle less than vertical the pen body 30 will lean to the downside edge of the pen cavity well 20 a distance relative to the diameter of the pen body 30 and the cavity well 16. This does not affect the effectiveness of the pen tip cavity edge 28 from restricting circulating air in the pen tip cavity 26.

Referring to FIG. 4, which is a top plan view of the pen holder 10 further illustrating the position of the pen tip cavity 26 in relation with the pen cavity well 20 and the pen cap clip cavity 22 in relation with the pen cap clip 18.

Referring to FIG. 5, which is a cross sectional view of a pen holder 10 through the dashed line plane B-B illustrating how the pen cap pocket clip 36 of pen cap C is positioned when attached to the pen cap clip 18. The dimensions and the position on the pen cap clip 18 are designed to accommodate a variety of different style pen caps. The pen cap C is placed in the pen cap clip 18 by snapping the cap pocket clip 36 over the pen cap clip 18 into the pen clip cavity 22 in the position as shown.

Referring to FIG. 6, there is shown an alternate embodiment of the pen holder 10 shown in FIG. 1. The alternate pen holder 100 is fabricated from a solid block of material 38 such as an exotic wood, for designer conscious users. The opening 40 provided accommodates the small tab 44 on the end of the pocket clip 36.

Since other modifications and changes varied to fit particular operating requirements and environments will be apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention is not considered limited to the example chosen for purposes of disclosure, and covers all changes and modifications which do not constitute departures from the true spirit and scope of this invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is desired to be protected by Letters Patent is presented in the subsequently appended claims.

Claims

1. A pen holder for holding various types of pens and pen caps comprising: means for supporting cylindrical pen cavity wells and for mounting pen holder to vertical and angled surfaces; means for placing pen holder on a horizontal surface, rigidly connected to said means for supporting cylindrical pen cavity wells and for mounting pen holder to vertical and angled surfaces; means for holding pens, rigidly connected to said means for supporting cylindrical pen cavity wells and for mounting pen holder to vertical and angle surfaces; means for receiving a pen tip; means for trapping the pen's neck to seal out circulating air around pen's tip; means for holding pen caps; and means for mounting pen holder to various surfaces;

2. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for supporting cylindrical pen cavity wells and for mounting pen holder to vertical and angled surfaces comprises a rigid vertical base plate.

3. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for placing pen holder on a horizontal surface comprises a rigid horizontal base plate rigidly connected to vertical base plate.

4. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for holding pens comprises cylindrical cavity wells.

5. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for receiving the pen tip comprises a bottom cylindrical cavity at the bottom of the upper cylindrical cavity well.

6. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for trapping the pen neck to seal out circulating air around the pen tip is the edge at the top of the bottom cylindrical cavity.

7. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for holding pen caps comprises a rigid pen cap clip rigidly connected to cylindrical cavity wells.

8. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for mounting the pen holder to vertical, angled and horizontal surfaces comprises a mounting pad.

9. The pen holder in accordance with claim 1, wherein said means for mounting the pen holder to vertical, angled and horizontal surfaces comprises screws.

10. A pen holder for holding various types of pens and pen caps comprising: a rigid vertical base plate for supporting cavity wells and for mounting pen holder to vertical and angle surfaces. a rigid horizontal base plate, for placing or mounting pen holder on a horizontal surface, rigidly connected to said vertical base plate; rigid cylindrical cavity wells, for holding pens, rigidly connected to said vertical base plate and horizontal base plate; a rigid pen cap clip, for holding pen caps, rigidly connected to said cylindrical cavity wells; a pen tip cavity, for capturing pen tips; a pen tip cavity edge, for trapping the pen's neck to seal out circulating air; and a mounting pad for holding pen holder to vertical, angled and horizontal surfaces.

11. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pen holder is fabricated from plastic.

12. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pen holder is fabricated from wood.

13. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pen holder is fabricated from metal.

14. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said means for mounting said pen holder comprises adhesive.

15. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said means for mounting said pen holder comprises tape.

16. The pen holder in accordance with claim 8, wherein said mounting pad for mounting said pen holder comprises adhesive material.

17. The pen holder in accordance with claim 8, wherein said mounting pad for mounting said pen holder comprises screws.

18. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said cylindrical cavity wells, vertical base plate and horizontal base plate are formed from a solid block of material.

19. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said pen cap clip is formed from a solid block of material and rigidly attached to said cylindrical cavity wells formed from a solid block of material in accordance with claim 18.

20. The pen holder in accordance with claim 10, wherein said vertical and horizontal base plates, cylindrical cavity well and pen cap clip are all formed from the same solid block of material.