Marker holding assembly

Abstract

A marker holding assembly having a housing with an open top, four side walls and a bottom wall. A tray is mounted within the housing so as to be at a distance from the bottom wall. The tray has a plurality of openings therein into each of which a cap of a marker is securable by a snap fit.

1 . A marker holding assembly, comprising: 
 a housing having an open top, four side walls and a bottom wall fixed to one another;    a tray mounted entirely within the housing so as to be at a distance from the bottom wall, the tray having a plurality of openings therein into each of which a cap of a marker is securable by a snap fit, and further comprising:    at least one marker having a front end with a nib, and a rear end; and a cap removably mounted to the front end of the marker so as to cover the nib, the openings in the tray being configured to fixedly hold the cap with a snap fit when the marker is initially inserted into the housing so that the cap remains in the housing when the marker is later removed.    
   
   
       2 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 1 , and further comprising a cover hinged to an upper edge of one of the side walls of the housing so that the cover is movable between a closed position in which the cover closes the open top of the housing and an open position in which there is free access to the open top.  
   
   
       3 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein a detent is arranged on an inner surface of the cover and on an outer surface of the housing so that when the cover is in the closed position the detents engage to hold the cover in the closed position.  
   
   
       4 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 2 , wherein a ridge member is arranged on an liner top surface of the cover so as to be contactable with a back end of a marker in the housing when the cover is in the closed position.  
   
   
       5 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 1 , wherein vertical braces are provided on inner surfaces of the side walls, the braces having an upper end arranged to support a laterally extending surface of the tray, the tray having a vertical wall extending from the lateral surface up to a top edge of the tray, a lip being arranged on an inner surface of two of the side walls of the housing at a distance from the upper end of the braces so that the vertical wall of the tray is held between the lips and the upper end of the braces.  
   
   
       6 . (canceled)  
   
   
       7 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 6 , and further comprising a cover hinged to an upper edge of one of the side walls of the housing so that the cover is movable between a closed position in which the cover closes the open top of the housing and an open position in which there is free access to the open top.  
   
   
       8 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein the marker has a length and the side walls of the housing have a length shorter than the length of the marker.  
   
   
       9 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 7 , wherein a ridge member is arranged on an inner top surface of the cover so as to be contactable with a back end of a marker in the housing when the cover is in the closed position.  
   
   
       10 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 6 , wherein the tray has four openings.  
   
   
       11 . A marker holding assembly as in  claim 5 , wherein the braces and the lips are integral with the side walls of the housing.