Toshi Fukaya, an industrial designer at Humanscale, has recently come up with a new Drawing Pins Concept. With its sharp point covered when not in use, this silicone-capped drawing pin guards against pin pricks and scratches, and feels like a pebble in the hand.
This idea first struck the designer when he was studying his cat’s claws. A cat’s claws are extended and exposed only in times of need. When drawn back, the claws are enclosed by the fur and paw pads. The Designer was inspired by this magnificent ability of cats to do so, and hence, mimicked this mechanism when designing the drawing pins.
The sharp pin is protected by a hollow pad of malleable silicone. The pin is revealed only when the drawing pin is pressed into the pin-up surface and the silicone undergoes compression. It regains its natural shape when the pin is pulled out. The ‘push’ side is composed of solid silicone that encloses the drawing pin’s plastic handle. Even though a small invention, this pin can prove to be useful and cause less injuries.
References
Retrieved from https://www.pinterest.com/pin/18929260907120801/
Seth, R. (2012). Biomimicry Pin. Retrieved from http://www.yankodesign.com/2012/03/28/biomimicry-pin/