Why Do Pen Caps Have Holes?

It is one of the common questions of why pen caps have holes? Pen caps have a tiny hole to prevent choking if it is swallowed by mistake and to equalize the pressure inside the pen to prevent it from leaking.

What Is the Real Reason?

Shockingly, pen caps are one of the most common objects swallowed by children. If a person accidentally swallows pen caps, it prevents suffocation after swallowing it. We use pens every day but we never pay our attention to find why they have a hole at the end of the cap. It serves an important purpose that is decreasing the risk of choking deaths.

It is a heroic side of the story. You must know that these tiny holes are actually lifesavers. If a pen cap accidentally gets lodged in your throat. The hole leaves a pathway so that you can continually breathe at least for a short period. Some reports state that bodily secretion eventually clogs the tiny holes.

One Common Theory behind This Was for It to Dry the Ink Quickly.

It may look like a conspiracy theory that pens have holes to dry the ink on the pen nib. You find it slightly difficult to write every time. Some people believe that several companies did this on purpose to decrease the ink life and force a person to buy new pens frequently which seems unacceptable.

Another Theory Is That a Cap Helps Equalize Pressure When a Person opens and closes It.

The hole serves a major role by equalizing the pressure to make it easier to open or close the cap. Several pens have holes on the sides of the pen caps to equalize the pressure. While a few kinds of pens have screw caps for making air pressure.

Why Do BIC Pens Have a Hole?

The BIC pen has a cap hole. If someone accidentally inhales it prevents the cap from completely obstructing the airway.

BIC Company writes on its website,

“In addition to help prevent the pen from leaking, all our BIC caps comply with international safety standards that attempt to minimise the risk of children accidentally inhaling pen caps.” “Some of these vented caps, like that used for the BIC Cristal, has a little hole in the top to comply with the existing safety standards.”