HOUSING ELEMENT FOR A WRITING INSTRUMENT AND WRITING INSTRUMENT

Abstract

A housing element for a writing instrument includes a hollow, sleeve-shaped, elongated base body having an opening for receiving the writing instrument or a pencil lead of the writing instrument at a first longitudinal end. The base body has a second longitudinal end, which is opposite the first longitudinal end, and has a retaining recess that is formed with a polygonal cross section for directly or indirectly retaining a bit in a rotationally fixed manner. A writing instrument including the housing element is also provided.

Claims

1. A housing element for a writing instrument, the housing element comprising: a hollow, sleeve-shaped, elongated base body having mutually opposite first and second longitudinal ends; said base body having an opening at said first longitudinal end for receiving the writing instrument or a pencil lead of the writing instrument; and said base body having a retaining recess formed with a polygonal cross section at said second longitudinal end for directly or indirectly retaining a bit in a rotationally fixed manner.

2. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said polygonal cross section of said retaining recess is a hexagonal cross section.

3. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein the housing element is a holder for the writing instrument.

4. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said base body encircles an elongated inner space, said retaining recess has a shoulder forming a bottom for said retaining recess, and said shoulder connects said retaining recess to said elongated inner space.

5. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said retaining recess has side walls and a locking catch protruding from at least one of said side walls for at least one of form-lockingly or force-lockingly retaining the bit or a bit holder carrying the bit.

6. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said locking catch protrudes from a corner formed between an adjoining two of said side walls toward an inner side of said retaining recess.

7. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said retaining recess has a bottom and magnetic material disposed in a region of said bottom for magnetically retaining the bit or a bit holder carrying the bit.

8. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said base body is an injection-molded plastic body.

9. The housing element according to claim 1, wherein said base body has an exterior with a grip structure.

10. The housing element according to claim 1, which further comprises a mounting bracket connected to said base body, said mounting bracket having a fixed end in a vicinity of said first longitudinal end of said base body and a free end oriented toward said second longitudinal end of said base body.

11. A writing instrument, comprising a housing element according to claim 1.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

[0025] FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic, side-elevational view of a housing element for a writing instrument;

[0026] FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic, front-elevational view of the housing element; and

[0027] FIG. 3 is a fragmentary, partly sectional view, taken along a line III-III of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrows, showing the housing element together with a bit to be held thereon.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0028] Referring now in detail to the figures of the drawings, in which corresponding parts and sizes are always assigned the same reference numerals, and first, particularly, to FIGS. 1-3 thereof, there is seen a diagrammatic depiction of a housing element for a writing instrument, specifically a holder 1 for a carpenter's mechanical pencil (not shown in detail). The holder 1 includes a hollow, sleeve-shaped and elongated base body 2. The base body 2 encircles an inner space 4 (indicated in FIG. 1 by hidden edges). The inner space 4 is open to the environment at a first end of the base body 2, hereinafter referred to as the insertion end 6, through an opening hereinafter referred to as the insertion opening 8. The insertion opening 8 serves to receive the writing instrument into the holder 1. In the region of the insertion end 6, the holder 1 has a mounting bracket 10 that is fastened to the base body 2 at a distance from the insertion end 6 that is slight compared to the total length of the holder 1, and specifically compared to the total length of the base body 1. Specifically, the mounting bracket 10 is formed integrally with the base body 2. The mounting bracket 10 is oriented with its free end 12 (or clamping end) toward the insertion end 6 opposite the second end of the base body 2, hereinafter referred to as the tip end 14. At the tip end 14, the base body 2 of the holder 1 is constructed with reduced outer dimensions relative to the insertion end 6. In addition, a retaining recess 16 is introduced into the base body 2 at the tip end 14, and this retaining recess has a profile in the form of a regular hexagon (see FIG. 2). The retaining recess 16 is specifically constructed for receiving a bit 18 (see FIG. 3) or a bit holder.

[0029] As may be seen in FIGS. 2 and 3, the retaining recess 16 is bounded on the bottom side, i.e. in the direction of the insertion end 6, by a shoulder 20 that projects toward the inside of the recess, i.e. toward a longitudinal axis of the retaining recess 16. The shoulder 20 does not completely close off the retaining recess 16 on the bottom side; rather, it keeps an opening 22 open between the retaining recess 16 and the inner space 4.

[0030] In order to allow the bit 18 or bit holder to be sufficiently securely retained in the withdrawal direction of the bit 18 or bit holder, a locking catch 26 is formed in a corner between two side walls 24 of the retaining recess 16. This locking catch 26 is constructed in a manner corresponding to a notch 28 that is often present in bits 18. Such a notch 28 is commonly formed on a (drive-side) coupling section 30 of the bit 18. This coupling section 30 has a hexagonal outer profile for coupling with a bit holder, a chuck of a cordless screwdriver or the like, in such a manner as to transmit force. The notch 28 in this case is commonly formed at least in the corners of the coupling section 30 or as a ring encircling that section. When the bit 18 is inserted inside a bit holder, C-rings or the like are often present in this notch 28 for form-lockingly retaining the bit 18a. In the illustrated example of the holder 1, when normally coupled, the locking catch 26 engages in the notch 28 and thus form-lockingly retains the bit 18 in the retaining recess 16.

[0031] In the illustrated exemplary embodiment, the bit 18 is formed in longitudinal slot shape, for coupling with a screw head. In other words, the illustrated bit 18 serves as a slot screwdriver.

[0032] It may also be seen from FIG. 2 that the base body 2 has a polygonal outer profile, and specifically a rounded quadrangular outer profile. This outer profile forms a grip structure that makes it possible to securely grip the holder 1 when using the holder 1 as a screwdriver.

[0033] The subject matter of the invention is not limited to the exemplary embodiment described above. A person of ordinary skill in the art will be able to derive additional embodiments of the invention from the foregoing description.

[0034] The following is a summary list of reference numerals and the corresponding structure used in the above description of the invention: [0035] 1 Holder [0036] 2 Base body [0037] 4 Inner space [0038] 6 First end [0039] 8 Insertion opening [0040] 10 Mounting bracket [0041] 12 Free end [0042] 14 Tip end [0043] 16 Retaining recess [0044] 18 Bit [0045] 20 Shoulder [0046] 22 Opening [0047] 24 Side wall [0048] 26 Locking catch [0049] 28 Notch [0050] 30 Coupling section