Patent ID: 6837638

Claim:
A capless holding device comprising a cylinder for holding a medium that is movable between a projected position and a housed position, the cylinder comprising a tip opening out of which a tip of the medium located at the projected position to be projected and a housing section for sealing the tip of the medium located at the housed position, the capless holding device comprising: a rotor connected to the cylinder so as to relatively rotatively movable; an engaging projection provided on the medium; and, a cam groove formed on the rotor to guide the engaging projection forward and backward in unison with rotation of the rotor, wherein a guide groove is formed on the cylinder to guide the engaging projection in a rotating direction, and the cam groove, the guide groove and the engaging projection cooperate with one another in retracting the medium from the projected position, rotating the medium, and then advancing the medium to the housed position and in retracting the medium from the housed position, rotating the medium, and then advancing the medium to the projected position.