IN PARTICULAR PENS

The invention relates to an apparatus for holding at least two oblong objects, in particular pens, the longitudinal axes of both of the objects held by the apparatus enclosing a first angle in a first operating state of the apparatus.

Apparatuses of the type specified above are known. In the case, for example, of hole ing apparatuses for pens, these are pot- or cup-like receptacles which are covered by a perforated plate, the objects or pens extending through the holes of the perforated plate. These conventional apparatuses are not adjustable, i.e. they can only adopt a single operating state in which, for example, all of the objects (pens) are aligned parallel to one another. In particular when said holes lie very close to one another or a number of the objects (pens) extend through one and the same hole, it is sometimes difficult, in particular when the objects or pens are aligned in parallel, to remove one of the objects or pens. If, however, the holding apparatus is' designed such that the distance between the individual objects or pens is greater, on the onf? hand the overall arrangement takes up more space. On the other hand, this type of arrange- ment with greater distances is often less aesthetically appealing. The object forming the basis of the invention is to further develop the apparatus of the type specified at the start such that the space requirement is reduced, the aesthetic standards are improved, and nevertheless the manageability, in particular the removeability of individual objects (pens) is improved.

According to the invention, the object set for an apparatus of the type specified at the start is achieved in that the apparatus can adopt a second operating state in which the longitudinal axes of both of the objects held by it enclose a second angle different from the first angle.

With the apparatus according to the invention it is possible to design it in its first operat- ing state such that the objects (pens) are held a small distance apart from one another, by means of which the space requirement is minimised and an aesthetically appealing overall appearance is guaranteed. In contrast, the holding apparatus according to the invention can be designed in the second operating state such that optimal manageability (removeability of the objects) is guaranteed.

In other words, the invention achieves the object set in that two operating states, which meet the conflicting requirements mentioned above, are provided. That is to say, in the first operating state the requirement of a small space requirement and an aesthetically appealing appearance is fulfilled, whereas in the second operating state the main feature is manageabil- ity.

According to the invention the holding apparatus preferably has a first and a second holding device for holding the first object in at least one direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the latter. One has thus found a solution which is particularly simple mechanically.

In the same way, the invention preferably further makes provision for a third and ε ^* fourth holding device for holding the second object in at least one direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the latter.

According to the invention it is also preferred if the first holding device can be adjusted in relation to the second holding device, and/or the third holding device can be adjusted in relation to the fourth holding device in the direction transverse to the longitudinal axis of the object held by the latter.

This adjustability allows adjustment of the holding apparatus from the first into the sec- ond operating state (and vice versa) in a way that is particularly simple mechanically.

For further simplification, provision is preferably made according to the invention such that the holding apparatus has a first component and a second component rotatable in relation to the first component, and the first holding device and/or the third holding device is rotatably coupled to the first component and the second and/or fourth holding device is rotatably coupled to the second component and hold the respectively held object in the direction of rotation.

With this embodiment turning of the first component in relation to the second component leads to a crossover from the first operating state into the second operating state (and vice versa).

Preferably, provision is made here such that the apparatus according to the invention has a longitudinal axis, and the second component can be turned in relation to the first component about the longitudinal axis or an axis lying parallel to the latter. By means of this design the adjustment of the two components in relation to one another is particularly simple.

The longitudinal axis of the apparatus also preferably lies parallel here to the longitudinal axes of the two objects held by the apparatus when the longitudinal axes of the two objects lie parallel to one another.

In other words, there is at least one operating state in which the longitudinal axes of the two objects lie parallel to one another and to the longitudinal axis of the holding apparatus according to the invention. It is also preferred if the first component is a foot part and/or the second component is a swivel.

According to a further preferred embodiment of the invention provision is made such that the first, the second, the third and/or the fourth holding device at least partially surround/s the object held by it/them in order to hold in the circumferential direction about its longitudinal axis.

It is thus possible to adjust the respectively held object in more than one direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the latter.

It is also preferred if provision is made according to the invention such that the inner contour of the first, the second, the third and/or the fourth holding device is/are matched to the outer contour of the respective object to be held.

This in turn makes it achievable for the object to be adjustable by adjusting the respective holding device in more than one direction at right angles to its longitudinal axis.

According to the invention, it is also preferable for the first, the second, the third and/or the fourth holding device to exert an elastic reset force upon the object to be held in order to hold.

In this way particularly reliable holding of the object is guaranteed without the manageability, in particular insertability into the apparatus and removeability from the apparatus, being affected.

The number of holding devices must not correspond to that of the objects to be held. In fact, according to the invention provision can also be made such that the first object is held such that it serves to hold the second object in at least one direction at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the latter.

In other words, the holding apparatus according to the invention can be designed such that the pens hold one another, by means of which the overall structure of the apparatus according to the invention is simplified. Preferably, the longitudinal axes of the two objects enclose an angle of 0° in the first operating position.

As already mentioned above, this alignment of the objects in relation to one another is a particularly space-saving arrangement. On the other hand, it is particularly aesthetically pleasing.

Finally, according to the invention an indicator device can preferably be provided which indicates at least the first operating state.

This type of indicator device simplifies the handling of the holding apparatus because one can in this way indicate, for example, attainment of the optimal operating state (for example parallel alignment of the objects with minimum space requirement).

In the following the invention is described in greater detail by means of a preferred ex- emplary embodiment with reference to the attached drawings showing further details.

Figure 1 a diagrammatic side view of an exemplary embodiment of the holding apparatus according to the invention,

Figure 2 a view from below,

Figure 3 a view from above,

Figure 4 a perspective view,

Figure 5 a longitudinal sectional view,

Figure 6 a top view onto the open holding apparatus in a first operating state,

Figure 7 a bottom view of a swivel of the holding apparatus,

Figure 8 a top view of a foot part of the holding apparatus,

Figure 9 a side view of the holding apparatus in a second operating state,

FFiigguurree 1100 a top view of the holding apparatus in the second operating state, and Figure 11 a perspective side view of the holding- apparatus in the second operating state.

The holding apparatus shown in the drawing includes a foot part 10, a swivel 12 and a hood 14. The hood can be detached. The holding apparatus is designed to hold a total of 19 pens, three of which are identified by reference numbers 16, 18 and 20. On the foot part numerous holding devices are formed, two of which are identified by reference numbers 22 and 24. The swivel also has holding devices. Two of these are identified by reference numbers 26 and 28. The holding devices 26 and 28 have elastic tongues. A tongue forming part of the holding device 26 is identified by reference number 30.

The pens shown in the drawing have an octagonal outer contour. The inner contour of the holding devices 22, 24, 26, 28 corresponds to a section of the octagonal outer contour so that they partially surround the respectively held pen. The longitudinal axes of the pens 16 and 18 are identified by reference numbers 32 and 34. Due to the fact that they partially surround the respectively held pens in the circumferential direction, the holding devices 22, 24, 26, 28 are able to hold the pens in the direction transverse, particularly at right angles to their longitudinal axis, or in the event of an adjustment, to displace them.

The longitudinal axis of the holding apparatus shown in the drawing is identified by ref- erence number 36.

However, the pens are not only held by the holding devices 22, 24, 26, 28, but also partially by adjacent pens. Thus, for example, the pen 16 holds the pen 18 on one of the sides of the latter.

Figure 5 shows a first operating state of the holding apparatus. In this operating state all of the pens are aligned parallel to one another. In this operating state, according to Figure 4 two parts 38, 40 of an indicator device lie covered such that a triangle is produced.

If the swivel 12 is now turned in relation to the foot part 10 about the longitudinal axis

36 of the holding apparatus, the two holding devices 26 and 28 therefore turn in relation to the two holding devices 22 and 24. Consequently, the longitudinal axes of the pens are displaced in relation to one another so that they no longer lie parallel, but in fact enclose an acute angle. The bundle of pens fans out and takes the appearance of a bunch of flowers. This second op- erating state is shown in Figures 9 to 11. As can be gathered in particular from Figures 9 and 11 , in this second operating state the two indicator parts 38 and 40 are also moved towards one another so that the triangle to be seen in the first operating state (parallel pens) is no longer there.

In the first operating state (parallel pens) it is difficult, or even impossible, to remove pens lying on the inside, such as for example the pen 18, from the apparatus. That is to say, the pens lie next to one another so that the pens lying on the inside can not be grasped. Or; the other hand, this operating state is particularly space-saving because the pens lie close to one another. Moreover, it is aesthetically appealing because the pens are in an orderly bundle.

In the second operating state according to Figures 9 to 11 the pens lying on the inside are also easy to remove because the relative position of the pens in relation to one another that deviates from parallelism means that there are greater distances, and so one can grasp with the fingers between the pens and easily remove each pen individually.

The features of the invention disclosed in the above description, the claims and the drawings can be of significance both individually and in any combination for realisation of the invention in its various embodiments.