Patent ID: 6846077

Claim:
A writing instrument comprising a substantially tubular element extending between a first end and a second end and designed to be held in a hand of a user, said tubular element comprising: a liquid reservoir; a liquid spray system comprising a liquid spray head coupled to said liquid reservoir, said spray head serving to spray liquid onto a medium from a distance; and a processor unit serving to activate said liquid spray system to enable said spray head to spray liquid onto the medium from a distance; said tubular element further comprising: measurement means coupled to said processor unit; and movement detector means coupled to said processor unit; wherein: said measurement means acts without physical contact between the writing instrument and the medium to measure the distance between the spray head and the medium; said movement detector means detects movement of the spray head; and said processor unit is adapted to cause said liquid spray system to be activated when both said measurement means determine that the distance between said spray head and the medium is less than a predetermined maximum value, and simultaneously said movement detector means detect movement of said spray head.