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MontBlanc Decom Shuttle

pocket decompression chamber
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There's nothing new in the idea of a decompression chamber, but this one's really small. In fact it's only big enough to hold a pen, because that's what it's for.

MontBlanc Decom Shuttle solves the problem of leaking pens on planes, caused by the lower cabin pressure at altitude. It's designed to appeal to the intrepid passenger who insists (like me) on using certain types of pens, which inevitably leak ink during the flight.

It looks like a little coffin, with a viewing lid allowing for easy inspection by security staff, and here's how it works:

A few days before any anticipated flight, one simple places the precious pen inside the Shuttle, and gradually the pressure will be lowered (by a tiny pump) to that simulating the inside of a high flying plane ie equivalent to 8,000 ft above sea level.

Gradually reducing the pressure over a few days should minimise ink leakage, but any that does occur will be collected on special absorbent pads inside the shuttle.

Once the plane has reached its optimum cruising altitude, one simply releases the pen from the shuttle chamber with no risk of any pesky leaking ink.

xenzag, Jul 18 2011

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       What's wrong with just using a cheap ball-point while flying? I mean, the idea's complicated and esoteric and I like it, I'm just questioning whether there enough people who refuse to jot down mid-flight musings with anything other than thier expensive pressure-sensitive designer pens to make this halfbakable. Then again, I am a backwoods hickular dirt-person who doesn't understand about fancy pens and does a strange little circular dance to appease the gods everytime thier magical flying machines go overhead, so perhaps I'm not the best one to judge.
Alterother, Jul 18 2011
  

       I've always found it simpler to have my pens sent on ahead by steamer.
MaxwellBuchanan, Jul 18 2011
  

       //What's wrong with just using a cheap ball-point while flying?//   

       Same thing that's wrong with using a cheap ball-point pen when not flying.
mouseposture, Jul 18 2011
  

       Well, since all I can manage is crude pictograms made with charred sticks, explain what's wrong with ball-points?
Alterother, Jul 18 2011
  

       They're no fun, that's what.
mouseposture, Jul 18 2011
  

       There are certain pens that I like to use for various reasons, largely to do with drawing and how they interact with the paper. Most of them are not that expensive, but their common characteristic is that they emit a large bubble of ink at some point during a flight. This is really irritating.   

       Those who really do have expensive pens should welcome this device - who wants to resort to a ball-pen when they have a £300 MontBlanc?
xenzag, Jul 19 2011
  

       Drawing pens I definitely appreciate; I was just unaware that they did this. I guess, though I've taken mine overseas a few times, I must never have actually used them on the plane.
Alterother, Jul 21 2011
  
      
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