Abstract:
A pen or pencil holder that can be mounted on many different surfaces and which can easily be re-located is shown. The holder has two main parts, a trumpet-shaped holder that has a resilient lining, and a base plate that attaches to a surface such as a table, desk, or wall. Six or more different types of base plates are shown, any of which can be selected to suit the desired location of the installation. The base plates shown include styles that can be affixed to the selected support surface with resilient rubber pads, magnets, spring clamps, suction cups, slip-on holders, and hook-and-loop fasteners.

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
   This invention relates generally, but not exclusively, to a holder for markers and writing instruments including pens and pencils. Embodiments according to this disclosure are related more particularly to a novel pen and pencil holder that may be attached to many different surfaces by selecting from a variety of base plates. 
   DISCLOSURE DOCUMENT REFERENCE 
   Reference is made to Disclosure Document No. 539110 filed on Sep. 24, 2003, which evidences conception of the invention disclosed and claimed herein. 
   BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   Many workers find that pens, pencils, or other marking instruments are required tools in their occupations. Other individuals need to use specific marking tools at certain locations from time to time. Although many people carry pens, pencils, or the like, upon their persons, in briefcases, purses, backpacks, others do not. It is more practical to locate a pen or pencil at some locations, such as at cashier locations, at bank courtesy desks, by telephones, close to lists, schedules, and near bulletin boards. In other situations, specialized marking tools may be required to properly carry out certain tasks. Some marking tools, special purpose markers, for example, may be very costly, or of little usefulness for tasks other than the procedures for which the instrument was designed. The marking tasks calling for a welder&#39;s soapstone, for instance, can seldom be carried out by other types of markers; a soapstone is rarely a good choice for any marking tasks other than those for which it was designed, marking work pieces undergoing metal fabrication. 
   Drafting pens and pencils may be needed at each drafting table, for example, and nowhere else. Drawing or drafting tables typically consist of a large slanted surface having few if any places to store or place the pens, pencils or other drawing tools. Because drawing or drafting tables are typically slanted, placing a pen, pencil or other implement on the table itself is impractical because the implement will frequently roll or slide off. Individuals often have accustomed themselves to particular arrangements of their drafting tables which makes it desirable to provide that a pen or pencil holder be easy to relocate. Some drawing tool organizers have been introduced, but with only limited acceptance that has developed into limited marketplace success. 
   Awards presentations are often made of handsome and desirable pen and pencil holders that are suited for decorative display. In other instances, they may be derived from the utmost of utilitarian origins with little or no regard paid to aesthetic considerations. In still other examples, the holder is intended to protect marking instruments from damage resulting from improper storage in addition to presenting the marker conveniently when an individual desires to put the particular object to use. 
   It may be of particular importance to have a certain type of marking product available at selected locations. Specific highlighter colors may be used to code interoffice mail or other documents. It may be useful to have a specific marking tool at certain locations because products that appear to be similar simply do not work. Marks made on stainless steel using a Sanford® permanent black chisel marker, for example, can remain easily discernable when exposed to temperatures exceeding 500 deg. F.; the marks (after cooling) may be removed using acetone. Many other brands of marker do not have that same combination of characteristics. When it is useful to have that (or any other special-purpose) type of marking tool easily available at the location, efficiency may be improved by providing workers with the particular devices required to apply marks having those characteristics. Doing so can reduce both worker frustration and the amount of time spent searching for the correct marking implement. Furthermore, the amount of rework may also be reduced in those instances where certain marking products are specified based on essential requirements learned through experience with other products which have been shown to be unsuitable. 
   One of the most common types of pen and pencil holders is a free-standing desk-type holder that is and has a slightly inclined opening into which the point of a pen or pencil may be inserted to hold the pen or pencil in readiness during periods of non-use. Ordinary desk-type pen and pencil holders require a flat horizontal surface upon which to rest. Another type of pen or pencil holder is designed for mounting only upon vertical surfaces. Still another type of pen or pencil holder has a cord to allow the holder to be suspended or hung around a user&#39;s neck. 
   Other workers have developed trays and receptacles adapted for resting on flat, horizontal surfaces such as desk and tabletops. Such devices may be unstable, especially if lightweight or inconveniently over-sized. In addition, they are prone to detachment from the support surface. 
   Likewise, organizer pouches designed for attachment to vertical surfaces such as walls have been introduced. Workers in the field have not been completely successful in the incorporation of features that yield pen and pencil holders that are both easy to relocate and also mount securely when installed at a desired location. 
   None of the above-mentioned pen or pencil holders is designed for ready mounting upon a wide variety of surfaces that includes most of the surfaces that are normally found in the working areas of the persons who use pens, pencils, scribes, styluses, crayons, chalk, soapstone, or other types of hand-held elongated markers. For the sake of convenience, the term “marker” will be used hereinafter to refer generally, and not by way of limitation, to marking instruments, pens, pencils, scribes, styluses, crayons, chalk, soapstone, liquid ink markers, and other examples of elongated hand-held devices for making marks. 
   A device that is simple to use, is of a low cost, is self-storing, requires a minimum amount of time to install, requires a minimum amount of time to remove and effectively holds a pen or pencil regardless of the orientation of the holder would be of considerable value to all individuals who use pens, pencils, or other marking instruments in their within their habitations, workplaces, and in other locations where they carry out their activities. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The multipurpose pen and pencil holder comprises a trumpet shaped cup, having a male snap-on element and a resilient insert. The trumpet shaped cup is open at the flared end of the cup and receives the resilient insert inside the cup. The resilient insert has a circular opening that is slightly smaller than the diameter of a standard pen or pencil to create an interference fit with the pen or pencil, when the pen or pencil is inserted into the holder, to hold onto the pen or pencil. The first connector portion is permanently attached to the side of the cup, half-way between the top and the bottom of the cup. The preferred embodiment of the base plate is a thin sheet of rectangular shaped material bent to form a J-shaped base plate. Resilient material is attached to the inside of the base plate to allow the base plate to be attached to a clipboard or other thin items. The base plate has a female snap-on element that is centered on the smaller of the two parts that make up the J-shaped base plate and is sized to allow it to receive the first connector portion to connect the multipurpose pen and pencil holder to the base plate. 
   It is the object of the invention to provide a pen and pencil holder that is effective and simple to use. Another object of the invention is to provide a pen and pencil holder that is easy to manufacture and can be manufactured at a low cost. Another object of the invention is provide a pen and pencil holder that can be attached to a variety of surfaces and effectively holds the pen or pencil regardless of the orientation of the holder. It is yet another object of the invention to provide a pen and pencil holder that can be made in a variety of colors and materials. 
   Still, another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved pen and pencil holder which provides some of the advantages found in the apparatuses and methods of the prior art thereof, while simultaneously overcoming some of the disadvantages normally associated therewith. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     These and other features, aspects, and advantages of the present invention will become better understood with respect to the following description and accompanying drawings where: 
       FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of the flared cup pen and pencil-retaining portion of an embodiment of the multipurpose pen and pencil holder. 
       FIG. 2  is an elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the flared cup of  FIG. 1  wherein the first connector portion is shown in an optional position. 
       FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the flared cup pen and pencil-retaining portion of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of an embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
       FIG. 7  is an elevation view of an alternative second embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 7 . 
       FIG. 10  is an elevation view of an alternative third embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 10 . 
       FIG. 13  is an elevation view of an alternative fourth embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 13 . 
       FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 13 . 
       FIG. 16  is an elevation view of an alternative fifth embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 16 . 
       FIG. 18  is a bottom plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 16 . 
       FIG. 19  is a side elevation view of the holder of  FIG. 1 . 
       FIG. 20  is a side elevation view of the holder of  FIG. 2 . 
       FIG. 21  is a perspective view of the pen or pencil holder of  FIG. 19 . 
       FIG. 22  depicts the holder of  FIG. 19  in use holding a typical marker. 
       FIG. 23  is an elevation view of an alternative fourth embodiment of the base plate. 
       FIG. 24  is a top plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 23 . 
       FIG. 25  is a bottom plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 23 . 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   Referring to the figures of the drawings, wherein like numbers of reference designate like elements throughout the several views, particularly to  FIG. 1 , there is shown a multiple purpose pen and pencil holder  30  for receiving a pen or a pencil or other marking device and holding the pen or the pencil until it is removed when desired by the user. 
     FIG. 1  is a side elevation view of a pen and pencil retaining, trumpet-shaped, or tapered, cup  32  having a flared end  34  at the top of the cup  32  which circumscribes an opening  36 . The view provides an illustrative embodiment of the pen and pencil holder adapted for holding a single writing instrument. An embodiment of the pen and pencil holder  30  may be fashioned with the cup  32  approximately 1″ in height, the flared end  34 , or top, approximately ½″ in diameter, and the bottom of the cup  32  approximately _″ in diameter. The cup  32  can be made of plastic, wood, metal, glass, stone, or other materials as desired. 
     FIG. 1  shows a first connector portion  38  affixed to the outside of the cup  32  approximately half way between the top and the bottom of the cup  32 . The first connector portion is adapted to fit with a mating second connector portion affixed to any of the various base plates. In some configurations the first connector portion  38  affixed to the cup  32  could be made using an L-shaped rectangular member where the top  40  of the L-shape is attached to the cup  32  and the bottom  42  of the L-shape is _″ square. The first connector portion  38  could be in the form of a first connector portion having a lip  44  that is perpendicular to the bottom  42  of the L-shape. The lip  44  is 1/32″ long. 
   The first connector portion  38  can be made from plastic, wood or metal or other materials. In such a configuration, the second connector portion would be a female element adapted to retain the first connector portion  38 . It is to be understood that there is no practical difference whether the connector portion, male portion, connector receiving portion, female portion, mating element, components are mounted on the support surface or on the cup  32 . It is further to be understood that some mating connectors are designed so that all connector linking and mating assembly portions are identical; new connector pairs and assemblies are introduced into the marketplace regularly. Accordingly, the connector element attached to the cup  32  will be referred to as a first connector portion or the male connector portion, and the connector portion that mates with it will be denominated the second connector portion or the female connector portion. 
     FIG. 2  shows an elevation view of an alternative embodiment of the flared cup  32  of  FIG. 1  wherein the first connector portion  38  is shown in an optional position affixed to the bottom of the cup instead of the side of the cup  32 . This configuration may be convenient in situations where the marker holder would be mounted on a wall or an article of furniture. 
     FIG. 3  is a top plan view of the flared cup pen and pencil retaining portion of  FIG. 1  wherein a cylindrical resilient insert  46  is fitted within, and affixed to, the inside of the cup  32 . The resilient insert  46  is a tubular cylinder made from a resilient material such as rubber, silicone, urethane, or other elastic polymer or mixture of polymers. The outside diameter of the resilient insert  46  is slightly less than the inside diameter of the cup  32  and is slightly less than 1″ long for ready assembly. The inside diameter of the resilient insert  46  is approximately ¼″ less than the outside diameter to create a wall thickness of approximately _″. The resilient insert  46  is smooth on the outside and ribbed on the inside. The ribs in the interior of the resilient insert  46  allow an interference fit between the resilient insert  46  and the pen, pencil or other marker upon insertion into the holder  30  to effect secure retention of the marker within the holder  30 . 
     FIG. 4  is a side elevation view of a typical embodiment of the base plate  48  although other embodiments, three representative examples of which follow in this disclosure, are adapted to function optimally in specific installations. It may be manufactured from any convenient material without departing from this disclosure because the selection of materials may be varied to suit the intended application. Steel, aluminum, other metals, sheet polymer resin, molded polymer resin, extruded metal or polymer resin, wood, ceramic, or other materials without limitation may be selected and incorporated into the base plate  48 . 
   It is anticipated that one ordinarily desirable method of manufacturing the base plate  48  will be to form it from a _″ thick sheet of rectangle of the selected material, such as plastic or metal, that is formed into the shape of a “J”. Vacuum forming, injection molding, and extrusion may be suitable techniques for making the base plate  48  from various polymer compounds. Brake press, extrusion, roll forming, or die-casting may be useful in making the base plate  48  from metals. Sonic welding of polymer resin sheet stock and spot, resistance, e-beam, or any of the other commercially available procedures for welding or joining metal and other sheet stock materials may be employed to make the apparatus  30  by assembly of discrete components that may have differing thickness, resiliency, or other properties. It is probable that practical fabrication using metal stock would require use of material substantially thinner than _″. 
   The base plate  48  has a base plate top  50 , a base plate bottom  52 , a second connector portion (female snap-on element)  54  positioned on the base plate top  50 . An optional anti-skid layer  55  may be affixed to the inner faces of the base plate top  50  and bottom  52 . The base plate  48  may be described as having the shape of a “J” channel in cross-section which has a throat  56  for receiving a generally planar mounting surface at the location where it is desired to install, or mount, 1 the multiple purpose pen and pencil holder  30 . A first leg  57  of the “J” bend may be shorter, longer, or equal to the length of the opposite leg of the “J” channel that forms the body of the base plate  48 . Embodiments having both legs of equal length, the cross-section would have the shape of a “C” channel. It is equivalent, however for the anti-skid layer to be applied to neither, one, or both legs of the channel. It may also be possible to make the base plate  48  or portions of it from resilient materials or from materials having properties that render an anti-skid layer  55  unnecessary. 
     FIG. 4 , may be used to appreciate an illustrative example of the making of the base plate  48 . shows that a rectangular piece of _″ thick polymer sheet stock in a size of approximately 2¾″ by 1¼″ may be used to make a base plate top  50  approximately 1″ by 1¼″ that forms a first, shorter leg of a resilient “J” bend  57  by being affixed to one edge of a web  58 , that is approximately ¼ in length. To the other edge of the web  58  there is affixed a second leg  59  which is formed by a base plate bottom  52  that is approximately 1½ by 1¼″. In this configuration, the height of the web  58  determines the thickness of the mounting surface that may be retained within the throat  56 . The web  58  may be made of a resilient material so that it functions as a biasing element  60 . A mounting surface such as a clipboard may be received within the throat  56  so that the base plate  48  may be held securely by operation of the biasing element  60  which urges the base plate top  50  and bottom  52  each toward the other to retain the mounting surface within the base plate  48 . 
   The dimensions given above and elsewhere in this disclosure are provided only to facilitate understanding of the making of what is believed to be practical and elegant embodiment and are not to be construed as limiting the scope of the claims. It is to be understood that larger or smaller pen and pencil holders  30  may be made from this disclosure whenever desired for applications such as holding larger pens and pencils, holding a multiplicity of markers, or for holding smaller marking instruments. 
   The bottom of the J shape where the base plate top  50  is connected to the base plate bottom  52  may be ½ long. As shown in  FIG. 7 , the second connector portion  54  is made from a thin sheet of material, such as wood, plastic or metal, having a rectilinear shape with the outside sides being ¼″ long and the inside sides being 5/32″ long. 
     FIG. 4  illustrates the thickness of the second connector portion  54  is 3/16″. These dimensions allow the second connector portion  54  to receive the first connector portion  38 . This allows the base plate  48  to support the cup  32 . A base plate anti-skid layer  55  may be attached to the inside of the J-shape base plate  48 . The base plate anti-skid gripping layer  55  may be fashioned from sheet stock of resilient elastomer material, such as rubber, vinyl, urethane, silicone or gel cut to shapes that correspond to the opposed, inner faces of the base plate top  50  and the base plate bottom  52 . The base plate anti-skid gripping layer  55  may be made so that it smooth on one side and ribbed on the other side as an option. The smooth side of the base plate anti-skid gripping layer  55  is attached to the base plate  48 . The ribbed side of the base plate anti-skid gripping layer  55  could be used to create an interference fit with a clip board or other such thin surface in order to hold the multiple purpose pen and pencil holder  30  to the desired object. 
     FIG. 5  is a top plan view of the standard base plate depicted in  FIG. 4 . A second connector portion  54  is affixed to the top surface  50  of the base plate  48 . 
     FIG. 6  is a bottom plan view of the base plate  48  depicted in  FIG. 4 . 
     FIG. 7  is an elevation view of an alternative second embodiment, or second style, of the base plate  61  for receiving first connector portion  38  instead of the standard base plate  48 . This second style of base plate  61  comprises a base plate top  50 , a base plate bottom  52  and a second connector portion  54 . This embodiment of the base plate top  50  is made from a 1/16″ thick sheet of flexible material, such as wood, plastic or metal, that is 3½″ long, ½″ wide at one end and _″ wide at the opposite end. The base plate bottom  52  is made from a 1/16″ thick sheet of flexible material, such as wood, plastic or metal, approximately 3″ long, ¼′ wide at one end and 3/16″ wide at the opposite end. The bottom of the base plate top  50 , at the ½″ wide end, is attached to the top of the base plate bottom  52 , at the ¼″ wide end, to form a slide-on clip. This second style of base plate  61  is to slide on to thin items such as clipboards. 
     FIG. 8  is a top plan view of the alternative base plate depicted in  FIG. 7  which shows a second connector portion  54  attached to the base plate top  50  so that the second connector portion  54  receives the first connector portion  36  to connect the second style of base plate  61  to the cup  32 . This second style of base plate  61  embodiment can also include a base plate anti-skid gripping layer  55 , not shown, to help prevent this second style of base plate  61  from slipping off the support surface. 
     FIG. 9  is a bottom plan view of the alternative base plate embodiment depicted in  FIG. 7  that shows the relative positions of the base plate top  50  and base plate bottom  52  in this alternative configuration. 
     FIG. 10  is an elevation view of a suction cup  62  mounted alternative third embodiment, or third style, of base plate  63  that may, in some installations, be selected in place of the standard base plate  48 . It may be made from sheet material, such as wood, plastic or metal that is approximately _″ thick. It may be made with a square plan view, or in another shape, such as circular to match a suction cup  62  affixed to the base plate bottom  52 . This third style of base plate  63  allows for easy connection and removal of the holder  30  from a wide variety of surfaces, especially smooth surfaces such as glass, without harming these surfaces. 
     FIG. 11  is a top plan view of the alternative base plate depicted in  FIG. 10 . In this configuration, the second connector portion  54  is visible and centered on the base plate top  50 .  FIG. 12  is a bottom plan view of the embodiment of the base plate depicted in  FIG. 10 . The suction cup  62  affixed to the base plate bottom  52  is visible in this figure.  FIGS. 11 and 12  show a third embodiment of the base plate  28 . As shown in  FIG. 11 , this embodiment of the base plate  28  is made from two ⅛″ thick sheets of material, such as wood, plastic or metal, that are square shaped, one sheet comprising a base plate top  30  and the other sheet comprising a base plate bottom  32 . As shown in  FIGS. 11 and 12 , a female snap-on element  34  is attached to the base plate top  30 . 
   As indicated above, the female snap-on element  34  receives the male snap-on element  16  to connect the base plate to the cup  12 . The base plate top  30  and the base plate bottom  32  are attached to a bias element  40 , such as a spring, such that the bias element  40  cause one end of the base plate top  30  to come in contact with one end of the base plate bottom  32  to create a clothespin type clip. This embodiment of the base plate  28  attaches the holder to large variety of surfaces by clipping the base plate  28  to the surfaces. This embodiment of the base plate  28  can also include a base plate resilient element  36 , not shown, to help prevent this base plate  28  from slipping off the surface. 
     FIG. 13  is an elevation view of the alternative fourth embodiment, secured in position on the mounting surface by a magnet  64 , affixed to the base plate  66 . Unlike the standard base plate  48 , this embodiment is readily mounted on thick surfaces or at a position removed from the edge of the mounting surface. 
     FIG. 14  is a top plan view of the embodiment of the base plate of  FIG. 13 . 
     FIG. 15  is a bottom plan view of the base plate  66  of  FIG. 13 . This fourth style of base plate  66  may be made from _″ thick sheet material such as woods, plastic, or metal, to provide a base plate top  50  and a base plate bottom  52 . A second connector portion  54  is attached to the base plate top  50  to receive the first connector portion  38  so as to unite the base plate  66  and the cup  32  to complete the pen and pencil holder  30 . The magnet  64  may be attached to the base plate bottom  52  using adhesive, thermal welding, integral inclusion of magnetic material within the sheet stock from which the base plate  66  is made. This fourth style of base plate  66  allows for easy connection and removal of the holder  30  from a wide variety of metal surfaces, such as a metal desk, refrigerator, golf cart, building structural components, or metal storage cabinet with little risk that mounting surface would be damaged. 
     FIG. 16  shows a elevation view of an alternative fifth embodiment of the base plate  68  which includes spring clips or clamps  70  that may be comparable to spring clothes pins or spring binder clips used in offices to secure loose document pages. Many clamp configurations will allow for convenient connection and removal of the marker holder  30  from a wide variety of surfaces. An elastic biasing element  72 , such as a metal, wood, or polymer spring may be manually flexed using a clamp handle  74  to separate the clamp leg  76  from the base plate bottom. 
   The biasing element  72  may readily comprised of a torsion coil spring or a leaf spring. The base plate  68  may be affixed to a support surface by positioning the support surface between the base plate bottom  52  and the clamp leg  76  and releasing the clamp handle  74 . 
   This holder  30  is secured in position on the mounting surface by a spring clamp  70 , affixed to the base plate  68 . Unlike the standard base plate  48 , this embodiment is readily mounted on thick surfaces or at a position removed from the edge of the mounting surface. Such an alternative embodiment modifying the standard style of base plate  48  could readily attach the holder  30  to an extensive variety of surfaces including drafting tables, desks, and the like. Such an embodiment of the base plate  68  can also include a base plate anti-skid gripping layer, coating, film, foam, gel, to reduce any propensity of the assembly to slip. 
     FIG. 17  is a top plan view of the base plate  68  of  FIG. 16 . 
     FIG. 18  is a bottom plan view of the base plate  68  of  FIG. 16 . 
     FIG. 19  and  FIG. 20  depict side elevation views of the entire holder  30  using the cup of  FIG. 1  and  FIG. 2 , respectively. 
     FIG. 21  is an isometric perspective view of the pen or pencil holder  30  of  FIG. 19 . 
     FIG. 22  depicts the pen or pencil holder  30  of  FIG. 19  in use holding a marker typical of the devices the holder  30  is designed to receive, a ballpoint pen. 
   Another specific equivalent technique for securing the base plate  48  to a support surface may be implemented by affixing one part of a hook-and-loop fastener such as Velcro® to the base plate bottom  52 , and affixing the corresponding component of the hook-and-loop fastener to the selected support surface. This method is convenient because hook and loop fasteners are commercially available with pressure sensitive adhesive for use in such a configuration. 
   Other provisions for securing the base plate  48  to a support surface may be implemented without departing from the scope of the disclosure. For example, adhesives, mechanical fasteners such as nails, screws, and rivets, spring clamps, screw clamps, and other commercially available fasteners, and their equivalents may be used to support, mount, secure, or affix a base plate that is similar to the base plate  48 . By being adapted for accepting any such particular fastener or other means for affixing the base plate, such base plate embodiments are equivalent to those described in greater detail in this disclosure. 
   Referring now to  FIGS. 23-25 ,  FIG. 23  is an elevation view of an alternative fourth embodiment of the base plate;  FIG. 24  is a top plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 23 ; and  FIG. 25  is a bottom plan view of the base plate of  FIG. 23 . A second embodiment of the base plate  128  is shown in  FIGS. 23-25 . As shown in  FIG. 23 , this embodiment of the base plate  128  is made from a ⅛″ thick sheet of material, such as wood, plastic or metal, that is square shaped having a base plate top  130  and a base plate bottom  132 . As shown in  FIGS. 23 and 24 , a female snap-on element  134  is attached to the base plate top  130 . As indicated above, the female snap-on element  134  receives the male snap-on element  38  to connect the base plate to the cup  32 . As shown in  FIGS. 23 and 25  one part of a Velcro® fastener  138  is attached to the base plate bottom  132 . The second part of the Velcro® fastener  138  is attached to the surface where the multiple purpose pen and pencil holder  30  will be attached thereto. This embodiment of the base plate  128  allows for easy connection and removal of the holder  30  from a wide variety of surfaces. 
   Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments can be carried out without departing from the scope of the invention, which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appended claims.