DE29613023U1 - Adjustable, divided pen holder - Google Patents

Description

Zsu-Hen TSAI, 2F. No. 12, Alley I, Lane 171, Kuen Yang Street, Nan Knag Chiu, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C.

Shape-changing, divided pen holder

There are currently many different types of pen holders on the market. However, these pen holders only have one function, namely to hold pens and the like. Fig. 2 shows an example of such a conventional pen holder.

In order to add further functions to the conventional pen holders, a divided pen holder has been developed in the prior art, as shown in Fig. 3. This type of pen holder includes a base part A, a number of building block elements B and a top cover C. The base part has a number of protruding rods Al along its circumference with which the building block elements B can be engaged.

2533

Bremen:

Hollerall« 32, D-28209 Bremen
POE IO 71 27, D-28071 Bremen

Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90
Fax (<H21) 349 !768
Telex 244 958 please

Munich:

Franz-Joseph-Strasse 38 D-80801 Munich

Telephone (0 89) 34 70 80 Fax (0 89J 54 70 IO Telex 524 282iortrod

Berlin-Brandenburg:

Helene-Lange-Stnilie D-14469 Potsdam

Telephone (03 31 (27 54 Fax (03 31)2 75 43

Dusseldorf:

Neßlcrstraße D-40593 Düsseldorf

Telephone (02 11)71 89 Fax (02 II) 7 18 27 Leipzig:

Philipp-Rosenthal-Straße 21 D-04103 Leipzig

Telephone (03 41) 9 60 29 77 Fax [03 41)3103 25

Kiel:

Niemannswcg

D-24105 Kiel

Telephone (04 31) 8 40 Fax (04 31) 3 40

Alicante:

Plaza Calvo Soteio 1-2 ES-03001 Alicante (Spain)

Telephone +34-6-598 0038 Fax *34-6-598 0\ß2

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BOEHMERT &&Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr;

The base part A has a predetermined fixed shape that determines the shape of the pen holder constructed from the building block elements B, resulting in, for example, a round, triangular, square or polygonal pen holder. The building block elements B are placed on the base part A and one above the other, one after the other.
to form a hollow container. The top cover C
is placed on the hollow, formed from the building block elements
Container placed on top to complete the divided pen holder.

However, such a divided pen holder has the
following disadvantages:

1. The pen holder consisting of the building block elements B
has a constant shape, which is determined by the base part A
and the protruding bars Al is specified.

2. Unused building block elements B are usually placed together with the pins in the pin holder and
cause a certain amount of disorder there.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a
to provide an improved shape-changing, compartmentalized pen holder having an octagonal base and a central plate. The base is supported on an upper
Edge provided with a number of protruding rods. The
middle plate is also on two sides with a
number of protruding bars and through holes.
Building block elements can be stacked on these protruding bars layer by layer up to a desired height.

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be assembled to form a pen holder, with at least three different shapes being available for the assembled pen holder.

Another aspect of the present invention is to provide the above improved shape-changing divided pen holder by forming the central plate with a number of protruding rods at central portions on two sides. On these central protruding rods, the building block elements can be freely stacked to form any shape, which can be used as a personalized desk ornament.

The invention is described in more detail below using exemplary embodiments with reference to a drawing, wherein

Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a compartmentalized pen holder according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a conventional pen holder;

Fig. 3 is an exploded view of another conventional pen holder;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of the multi-purpose central plate assembled with the base member according to the invention, with a first side of the central plate facing upward;

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Fig. 5 is a plan view of the multi-purpose central panel assembled with the base member of the invention, with a second side of the central panel facing upward;

Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing a building block element according to the invention;

Fig. 7A, 7B and 7C show three different arrangements of the building block elements available on the middle plate according to the invention;

Fig. 8 is a perspective view of a square pen holder according to the invention;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the central multi-purpose plate according to the invention;

Fig. 10 is another perspective view of a round pen holder according to the invention; and

Fig. 11, 12, 13 and 14 show further embodiments of the divided pen holder according to the invention.

The present invention relates to an improved, shape-changing, divided pen holder, which essentially consists of a base part 1, a central multi-purpose plate 2, a number of building block elements 3, a round cover 4 and a square cover 41.

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First, reference is made to Fig. 1. The base part 1 is an octagonal part with a closed bottom and eight side walls, which together form an interior space 12 and an upwardly facing opening. A number of upwardly projecting rods or pins 11 are arranged at a mutual distance on the upper edges of each side wall of the base part 1.

The central multi-purpose plate 2 is formed on two sides with a number of vertically projecting rods 21. The rods 21 on a first side of the plate 2 are arranged in a circle, while the rods 21 on a second side of the plate 2 are arranged in a square. A number of through holes 22 are formed on the plate 2 in a number and at positions corresponding to those of the rods 11 projecting from the base part 1, so that the rods 11 can pass through the holes.

Each building block element 3 has more than one protruding rod 32 formed on a top surface. In a preferred embodiment, shown in Fig. 1, two protruding rods 32 are formed on one building block element 3. The building block element 3 further has a flat outer surface extending between two sides of the building block element, with two edges on the flat outer surface being beveled. Each building block element is designed to be engaged with the protruding rods 21 of the central multi-purpose plate 2 so that the protruding rods 11 extend through the through openings 22.

&Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr; & BOEHMEßT

The round cover 4 and the square cover 41 (not shown in Fig. 1) are designed to fit with the first and second sides of the middle plate 2, respectively.

When the pen holder according to the invention is assembled so that the first side of the middle plate 2 faces upwards, the protruding rods 21 on the first side forming a circle enable a round side wall to be formed. A round side wall is constructed by inserting the building block elements 3 with the rods 21 into the plate 2, thereby forming a first layer of the side wall. Subsequently, further building block elements 3 can be placed on top of the first layer of building block elements 3, interacting with their rods 32. In the same way, further layers of interlocking building block elements 3 can be formed until a desired or suitable height is reached. The round cover 4 is then placed on top of the round side wall thus formed. Unused building block elements 3 can be placed in the gap 12 formed by the base part 1 for future use before the base part 1 is connected to the round side wall by inserting the rods 11 of the base part 1 into the through holes 22 of the middle plate 2. Finally, the square cover 41 is arranged below the base part 1. A round, divided pen holder is thus ready.

Next, reference is made to Fig. 4. Since the number and positions of the bars 11 of the base part 1 correspond to those of the

BOEHMERT & BOEHMERT

access openings 22 of the middle plate 2, and since the base part 1 must be able to form a firm connection with the plate 2 both within the circle formed by the rods and within the square on the first and second sides of the middle plate 2, respectively, the circumference formed by the side walls of the base part must be smaller than the circle formed by the rods 21 on the first side of the plate 2.

Fig. 5 shows the middle plate 2 in the assembled state with the base part 1, with its second side with the square formed from rods facing upwards. In the same way as the building block elements 3 are placed on the pins 21 of the plate 2 and on top of each other, as described with reference to Fig. 4, a divided pin holder with a square side wall can be constructed. Since the rods 21 are arranged on both sides of the middle panel 2, a round or a square divided pin holder can be formed as desired. The surplus building block elements 3 that are not used can be conveniently accommodated in the intermediate space 12 of the base part 1.

As shown in Fig. 6, the building block element 3 has more than one rod 32 protruding therefrom and a flat outer side 31 that extends on two sides of the element. The flat outer side 31 of the building block element 3 enables the formation of a large, substantially smooth surface when several building block elements 3 are assembled, thereby preventing dirt from settling in the small gaps between building block elements 3 placed on top of one another.

BOEHMERT & BOEHMEBT

To avoid the formation of sharp edges on the pin holder, the building block element 3 can be slightly bevelled at the two edges where the flat outer surface 31 meets the two side surfaces of the building block element.

Referring now to Fig. 7A, when a rectangular pen holder is to be formed, the second surface of the middle plate 2 is turned upwards and the building block elements 3 are placed one on top of the other in the manner described above to form four side walls of the pen holder. The side walls thus formed have, as can be seen, substantially flat and smooth surfaces.

If a round pen holder is desired, the first surface of the middle plate 2 is turned upwards, the building block elements 3 are placed on top of one another in a similar manner, and a substantially round side wall is formed, as shown in Fig. 7B.

The protruding rod 11 is so long that after passing through the through hole 22 it protrudes as far as the protruding rod 21. With this arrangement, an octagonal pin holder can be formed if the through holes 22 are used to place the building block elements 3 on either the first or second side of the middle plate 2, as shown in Fig. 7C.

As can be seen from the above description, at least three different shapes of pen holders can be obtained from the arrangement of the base part 1 and the middle

&Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr; & BOEHMEET

- 9

Plate 2 can be constructed as a round, square or octagonal pen holder.

In another embodiment, the above
Rods 21 may also be formed on both sides of the middle plate 2 at central areas of the plate, as shown in Fig. 9. These central rods 21 allow pins or other objects to be firmly inserted into the spaces between them and thereby firmly positioned in the pin holder. Alternatively, other building block elements
3 can be placed on top of each other in any way in this central area to create a new and individual desk decoration.

Fig. 8, 10, 11, 12, 13 and 14 show further embodiments of the divided pen holder according to the invention.

Claims (3)

Zsu-Hen TSAI, 2F. No. 12, Alley I, Lane 171, Kuen Yang Street, Nan Knag Chiu, Taipei, Taiwan, R.O.C. Shape-changing, divided pen holder Claims 1. Shape-changing, divided pen holder with: a base member consisting of an octagonal member having a closed bottom and eight side walls which together define an interior space and an upwardly facing opening, a number of upwardly projecting rods being arranged at a distance on the upper edges of each of said side walls of the base member; a central multi-purpose plate, on both sides of which a number of vertically projecting bars are formed 2533 Bremen: Hollcrallcc 32, D-28209 Bremen
POB 10 71 27. D-28071 Bremen Telephone (04 21) 3 40 90
Tefeie* tOt 21) 3 49 1 1 68
Telex 2W958bopata Munich: Franz-Joseph-Straße 38 D-B0801 Munich Telephone (0 89) 34 70 80 Fax [0 S9) 34 70 10 Telex 524 2S2forbod Berlin-Brandenburg: Heiere-Lange-Slraße D-i-"«9 Puudam lOj 31» 2 75 4j Düsseldorf: NcSlerslraße 5
D-40593 Dusseldorf Telephone (02 11) 71 89 83
Fax (02 11 i 7 18 2T 50 Leipzig: Philipp-Rosenthal-Strasse 2! D-04I03 Leipzig
Telephone (05 41) 9 60 29 77 Fax (03 41) 5103 25 Kiel: Niemannsweg D-24105 Kiel Telephone (04 31)840 Fax (04 31)0 40 Alicante: Plaza Calra Soielo 1-2 ES-03001 Alicanle (Frames) Telephone +34-6-598 003S Fax »S4-6-M8 018I BOEHMERT & BOEHJVIEST « 2 - which are distributed on an outer region and on a central region of the sides, the bars in the outer region of a first side of the plate being arranged in a circle, while the bars on the second side of the plate are arranged in a square, furthermore a number of through holes are formed in the central plate in a number and at positions corresponding to those of the bars projecting upwards from the base part, in order to enable the passage of said bars on the base part through the through holes; a number of building block elements, each of which has more than one protruding bar formed on its upper side and which have a side wall with a flat outer surface; and a round cover and a square cover, each having a configuration corresponding to the circle and square formed by the projecting bars on the first and second sides of the central plate; whereby a pin holder is formed by stacking the building block elements on the protruding rods on one side of the middle plate with a side wall at the desired or appropriate height, the round or square cover is placed on top of the side wall depending on the cross-sectional shape of the side wall and the base part is connected to the middle plate by inserting the protruding rods on the base part through the through holes in the middle plate. &Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr; &&Bgr;&Ogr;&Egr;&EEgr;&Mgr;&Egr;&Kgr;&Ggr; 2. A shape-changing, divided pen holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the projecting rods of the base part are so long that they project from the middle plate to the same height as the projecting rods of the middle plate when they are inserted through the through holes of the middle plate, so that an octagonal side wall can be formed when the through holes and a part of the projecting rods on one side of the middle plate are used to place the building block elements on top of one another. 3. Shape-changing, divided pen holder according to claim 1, characterized in that the building block elements can be freely placed on top of one another on the protruding rods in the middle area of the middle multi-purpose plate in order to form any shape as an individual desk decoration.