Patent ID: 7128487

Claim:
A mechanical pencil comprising: a tubular member; a tubular lead holding member disposed in the tubular member near a tip of the tubular member, the lead holding member having one or more longitudinal ribs extending lengthwise on the interior surface thereof so that a sectional shape of the interior surface of the lead holding member has a variant shape, the lead holding member having a first inner diameter at diametrical portions thereof where there are no longitudinal ribs and a second inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter at diametrical portions thereof where there are one or more longitudinal ribs, the exterior shape of the lead holding member being slightly smaller than the interior shape of the tubular member; and an inner step portion disposed at a front portion of the tubular member for preventing dropping of the lead holding member from the tubular member, the inner step portion having an inner diameter smaller than the first inner diameter and larger than the second inner diameter of the lead holding member.