You’ve surely noticed that tiny hole at the top of your ballpoint pen’s cap. We see it, we walk over it without a second thought, and we put the pen in our bag. Yet, this seemingly insignificant detail—almost a manufacturing defect—hides a real purpose. And not just any purpose. Some of its functions might even surprise you.
A cap that can save the day
Let’s start with the basics. Every year, children—and even inattentive adults—put pen caps in their mouths. The risk of suffocation is very real. That’s precisely why international safety standards have mandated this small opening.
In case of accidental ingestion, the hole allows air to continue circulating. It acts as an emergency vent, giving emergency services time to intervene. BIC incorporated this standard as early as 1991, specifically to protect young children. Since then, it has become the standard for almost all manufacturers.
A tiny detail. A potentially enormous impact.
The technical trick that nobody sees
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