Patent Publication Number: US-6039492-A

Title: Pen

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention relates to writing apparatus, and more particularly to a pen which has a head member covered with a hinged cover for holding a picture or mirror on the inside. 
     A variety of writing tools including pens, crayons, pastels, charcoals, oil paints, felt tip pens, marking crayons, marker pens, ball-point pens, pencils, automatic pencils, color pens, etc., have been developed for use in different conditions or for different purposes. These writing tools may be marked or printed with advertising words. There are also writing tools with added functions, for example, a light pen has an illuminator attached thereto, a laser pointer pen has a laser point attached thereof. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     According to one aspect of the present invention, the pen comprises a pen body, a head member connected to the pen body at one end remote from the writing tip of the pen body, the head member having a recessed receiving chamber and locating means for securing a picture or mirror in the recessed receiving chamber, and 
     a cover hinged to one lateral side of the head member for covering the recessed receiving chamber. According to another aspect of the present invention, the head member is detachably connected to the pen body by a screw joint. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1A illustrates a pen according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 1B is a side view of the pen shown in FIG. 1A. 
     FIG. 1C illustrates the cover opened from the head member of the pen according to the present invention. 
     FIG. 2A is a sectional view taken along line IIA--IIA of FIG. 1A. 
     FIG. 2B is similar to FIG. 2A but showing the cover opened. 
     FIG. 3 is a sectional view of an alternate form of the present invention, showing a retaining flange provided in the recessed receiving chamber of the head member. 
     FIG. 4 illustrates the screw rod of the head member disconnected from the screw hole at the pen body according to the present invention. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     Referring to FIGS. 1A, 1B and 1C, a writing apparatus for example a pen 1 is shown comprised of a pen body 11, and a head member 12 connected to the pen body 11 at one end (namely, the top end remote from the writing tip). 
     Referring to FIG. 4 and FIG. 1A again, the pen body 11 has a female coupling means for example a screw hole 111 at one end, and the head member 12 has a male coupling means for example a screw rod 121 at one end, which is threaded into the screw hole 111 at the pen body 11, enabling the pen body 11 and the head member 12 to be connected together. 
     Referring to FIGS. 2A and 2B and FIGS. 1A, 1B, 1C and 4 again, the head member 12 comprises a recessed receiving chamber 122, a locating means for example a locating groove 123 on the inside around the recessed receiving chamber 122 for holding a flat item for example a picture (or mirror) 15 in the recessed receiving chamber 122 and a protective glass 16 above the picture 15, and a plurality of ribs 124 inside the recessed receiving chamber 122 for supporting the inserted item 15. Because the inserted picture 15 is retained between the ribs 124 and the glass 16, it is maintained in a flat manner and well protected. 
     A cover 14 is hinged to one lateral side of the head member 12 by hinge means 13, which can be a hinge or a flexible strip connected between the cover 14 and the head member 12, and covered on the head member 12 to keep the recessed receiving chamber 122 from sight. The head member 12 has a retaining hole 125 at one lateral side opposite to the hinge means 13. The cover 14 has a springy hook 141 at one lateral side. When the cover 14 is closed on the head member 12 as shown in FIG. 2A, the springy hook 141 is forced into engagement with the retaining hole 125 to hold the cover 14 in the closed position. When the cover 14 is opened (pulling the cover 14 with force can easily disengage the springy hook 141 from the retaining hole 125), the user can see the picture 15. If the inserted item is a mirror, the user can see oneself in the mirror when the cover 14 is opened. 
     Referring to FIGS. 1B, 2A and 2B again, a clip 17 is mounted on the cover 14 for fastening. The clip 17 can be integral with the cover 14. Alternatively, the clip 17 can be separately made, and then fixedly fastened to the cover 14. Further, an ornamental plate 171 is provided at the clip 17 at an outer side. The ornamental plate 171 can have any of a variety of designs. A stick with printed advertising words may be adhered to the ornamental plate 171. 
     Referring to FIG. 3, a retaining flange 126 may be provided in the recessed receiving chamber 122 of the head member 12 to hold down the inserted item 15 and the protective glass 16 in the locating groove 123 within the recessed receiving chamber 122.