Carpenter's pencil retracting device

• US 6,499,899 B2
• Filed: 07/05/2001
• Issued: 12/31/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dennis Sawyer
• Original Assignee: Dennis Sawyer
• Inventors: Sawyer, Dennis
• Primary Examiner(s): Walczak, David J.
• Application Number:
  US09/899,389
• Publication Number:
  US 20020005163A1
• Time in Patent Office: 544 Days
• Field of Search: 401/131, 401/195, 401/52, 401/48, 24/10.R, 24/11.R, 24/11.FE, 24/11.F, 24/11.HC, 224/254, 224/269
• US Class Current: 401/131
• CPC Class Codes: B43K 23/002 with a fixed base
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/1321 Pencil

Abstract

A belt held retractor has a wire connected to a tubing that holds a carpenter'"'"'s pencil.

Claims

1. A retractable device for retaining a writing instrument to a person'"'"'s body such that the writing instrument does not drop to the ground if released, comprising:

a flexible member holding device which includes a housing and an elongate flexible member having a first end connected to said housing and a second end which is extendible from and retractable to said housing;

a retaining device connected to said housing for releasibly retaining said housing to the person'"'"'s body;

a holder connected to said second end of said flexible member for firmly, but releasable attaching the writing instrument to said second end;

the flexible member holding device comprising a reel type retractor, the second end of said flexible member being outwardly extendible from said housing to a desired length upon application of a force sufficient to overcome the rotational bias of said reel, and retractable back to said housing upon the release of said second end;

the holder comprising an elongate holder member having an attachment end and an insertion end, said attachment end being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member, and said insertion end having an insertion bore into which a portion of the writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the writing instrument and said holder member; and

the attachment end of the holder member being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member using a ring which extends through a transverse hole through said attachment end, and through a transverse hole of a plug connected to said;

second end of said flexible member.

2. The retractable device of claim 1, wherein the insertion bore extends completely longitudinally through the holder member such that said holder member comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube, said tube which includes the respective attachment and insertion ends.

3. The retractable device of claim 2, wherein laterally opposite portions of a wall of the tube at the attachment end of said tube are pinched together so as to be more closely disposed, and the hole through the respective wall portions are each reinforced using a respective grommet through which the ring extends.

4. A retractable device for retaining a writing instrument to a person'"'"'s body such that the writing instrument does not drop to the ground if released, comprising:

a flexible member holding device which includes a housing and an elongate flexible member having a first end connected to said housing and a second end which is extendible from and retractable to said housing;

a retaining device connected to said housing for releasibly retaining said housing to the person'"'"'s body;

a holder connected to said second end of said flexible member for firmly, but releasibly attaching the writing instrument to said second end;

the flexible member holding device comprising a reel type retractor, the second end of said flexible member being outwardly extendible from said housing to a desired length upon application of a force sufficient to overcome the rotational bias of said retractor, and retractable back to said housing upon the release of said second end;

the holder comprising an elongate holder member having an attachment end and an insertion end, said attachment end being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member, and said insertion end having an insertion bore into which a portion of the writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the writing instrument and said holder member; and

the insertion bore extending completely longitudinally through the holder member such that said holder member comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube, said tube including the respective attachment and insertion ends.

5. The retractable device of claim 4, wherein the attachment end of the holder member is operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member using a ring which extends through a transverse hole through a plug which is affixed within the insertion bore of the tube at the attachment end, and through a transverse hole of a second plug connected to said second end of said flexible member.

6. The retractable device of claim 5, further comprising an adapter which is affixed within the insertion bore at the insertion end of the holder member, said adapter having a smaller insertion bore into which a portion of a smaller writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the smaller writing instrument and said adapter.

7. The retractable device of claim 6, wherein the smaller insertion bore extends completely longitudinally through the adapter such that said adapter comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube.

8. A retractable device for retaining a writing instrument to a person'"'"'s body such that the writing instrument does not drop to the ground if released, comprising:

a flexible member holding device which includes a housing and an elongate flexible member having a first end connected to said housing and a second end which is extendible from and retractable to said housing;

a retaining device connected to said housing for releasibly retaining said housing to the person'"'"'s body;

a holder connected to said second end of said flexible member for firmly, but releasibly attaching the writing instrument to said second end;

the holder comprising an elongate holder member having an attachment end and an insertion end, said attachment end being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member, and said insertion end having an insertion bore into which a portion of the writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the writing instrument and said holder member; and

the attachment end of the holder member being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member using a ring which extends through a transverse hole through said attachment end, and through a transverse hole of a plug connected to said second end of said flexible member.

9. The retractable device of claim 8, wherein the insertion bore extends completely longitudinally through the holder member such that said holder member comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube, said tube which includes the respective attachment and insertion ends.

10. The retractable device of claim 9, wherein laterally opposite portions of a wall of the tube at the attachment end of said tube are pinched together so as to be more closely disposed, and the hole through the respective wall portions are each reinforced using a respective grommet through which the ring extends.

11. The retractable device of claim 8, wherein the insertion bore extends completely longitudinally through the holder member such that said holder member comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube, said tube which includes the respective attachment and insertion ends.

12. The retractable device of claim 11, wherein the attachment end of the holder member is operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member using a ring which extends through a transverse hole through a plug which is affixed within the insertion bore of the tube at the attachment end, and through a transverse hole of a second plug connected to said second end of said flexible member.

13. The retractable device of claim 12, further comprising an adapter which is affixed within the insertion bore at the insertion end of the holder member, said adapter having a smaller insertion bore into which a portion of a smaller writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the smaller writing instrument and said adapter.

14. A retractable device for retaining a writing instrument to a person'"'"'s body such that the writing instrument does not drop to the ground if released, comprising:

a flexible member holding device which includes a housing and an elongate flexible member having a first end connected to said housing and a second end which is extendible from and retractable to said housing;

a retaining device connected to said housing for releasibly retaining said housing to the person'"'"'s body;

a holder connected to said second end of said flexible member for firmly, but releasibly attaching the writing instrument to said second end;

the holder comprising an elongate holder member having an attachment end and an insertion end, said attachment end being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member, and said insertion end having an insertion bore into which a portion of the writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the writing instrument and said holder member; and

the insertion bore extending completely longitudinally through the holder member such that said holder member comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube, said tube including the respective attachment and insertion ends.

15. A retractable device for retaining a writing instrument to a person'"'"'s body such that the writing instrument does not drop to the ground if released, comprising:

a flexible member holding device which includes a housing and an elongate flexible member having a first end connected to said housing and a second end which is extendible from and retractable to said housing;

a retaining device connected to said housing for releasibly retaining said housing to the person'"'"'s body;

a holder connected to said second end of said flexible member for firmly, but releasibly attaching the writing instrument to said second end;

the holder comprising an elongate holder member having an attachment end and an insertion end, said attachment end being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member, and said insertion end having an insertion bore into which a portion of the writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the writing instrument and said holder member;

the attachment end of the holder member being operatively connected to the second end of the flexible member using a ring which extends through a transverse hole through a plug which is affixed within the insertion bore of the tube at the attachment end, and through a transverse hole of a second plug connected to said second end of said flexible member; and

an adapter which is affixed within the insertion bore at the insertion end of the holder member, said adapter having a smaller insertion bore into which a portion of a smaller writing instrument is insertable to form a tight frictional engagement between the smaller writing instrument and said adapter.

16. The retractable device of claim 15, wherein the smaller insertion bore extends completely longitudinally through the adapter such that said adapter comprises a relatively stiff expandable section of tube.