Bump & Flash St. Patrick's Day Pen, retail $1.99 (www.partycity.com...)
Manufactured by (Unknown) for Party City
Last updated 01-30-13
The Bump & Flash St. Patrick's Day Pen is a seasonal-use (St. Patrick's Day of course in this case!) ballpoint pen that has a shamrock-shaped rubbery top and a medium-point ballpoint pen at the bottom (well, it's a PEN, duuuuhhhh!!!), But the reason that this pen ended up on this website are the two blue LEDs under the shamrock-shaped top that flash when the pen is "bumped" {or in this case, SLAMMED} against a hard surface such as a desk, table, countertop, etc.
The LEDs don't just emit blue flashes; no, the shamrock-shaped top fluoresces (glows) green at the same time so that you see both blue AND green.
The ballpoint pen writes in black ink, and the writing quality is similar to or slightly better than ordinary disposable Bic® pens. I'm not a pen expert though, and I do not play one on TV or on the internet, so I'm not really qualified to rate this part of the instrument.
SIZE
To use the pen, just remove the cap.
Write.
Write some more.
Write yet some more.
Replace the cap when you are finished.
To activate the flashing top, strike the pen, point-down, onto any convenient hard surface such as a a desk, table, countertop, etc.
You may also "bump" the shamrock-end against the same surface; striking it against one of its sides -- actually this bumping method may be preferable!
The end with the shamrock on it will flash when this is done; the lights are self-terminating after 15 seconds (timed on a clock with a second hand on it) so there are no switches to fuss with or forget.
This product appears to be disposable; e.g. there appears to be no way inside the unit without damaging or even destroying it.
Therefore, I don't have to tell you which part to remove, discreetly drop into any handy punchbowl at a St. Patrick's Day party, and then rather emphatically tell you not to.
This instrument is reasonably durable, but because it is a writing instrument and not a flashlight, I won't do the smack test on it. I know you love to see me break things, but ain't gonna happen today, folks.
The LED appears to have a dominant wavelength (where you would point to on a color chart) of approximately 445nm, which is somewhat shorter (bluer) than a typical 470nm blue LED might be.
Photo of the "shamrock"-shaped end of this pen when illuminated by the inbuilt LED.
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this pen.
Spectrographic analysis of the LEDs in this pen; spectrometer's response narrowed to a band between 440nm and 460nm to pinpoint peak wavelength, which is 447.555nm.
Spectrographic analysis of the "shamrock"-shaped cover
of this pen when irradiated with the inbuilt LEDs.
This brief video shows the Bump & Flash St. Patrick's Day Pen in action.
O BOY, a blinking light!
So thrilling!!
So pulse-pounding!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to kick over one of those Penal-Ware® suicide-resistant prison combys and then proceed to "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "uh" "noo "plasstik" "harebrusch" doesn't it?
This video is approximately 28.5555532450 megabytes (28,985,802 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than one hundred forty three minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
This brief video shows the Bump & Flash St. Patrick's Day Pen in action.
It shows an alternate activation method -- actually this way of activating it may be preferable to "bumping" (actually, SLAMMING") the end against your desk!!!
O BOY, a blinking light!
So thrilling!!
So pulse-pounding!!!
Actually, it kinda makes you want to kick one of those wall-mounted porcelain uranators off the wall and then proceed to "bete" "thuh" "livengg" "tweadle" "owt" "uv" "itt" "withh" "uh" "noo" "toliet" "brusch" doesn't it?
That kitty you occasionally see (and hear purring) is my special little fuzzbomb Nikki.
This video is approximately 59.5553457278 megabytes (59,947,810 bytes) in length; dial-up users please be aware.
It will take no less than two hundred ninety seven minutes to load at 48.0Kbps.
TEST NOTES:
Test unit was purchased at the Party City store in Federal Way WA. USA on 01-19-13 {or "19 Jan. 2013", or even "Jan. 19, Twenty Stick-Tits" if you prefer}.
UPDATE: 00-00-00
PROS:
Cool-looking -- especially when flashing
NEUTRAL:
CONS:
When bumped as you might expect to do, it need to be slammed awfully hard to get the lights flashing!
MANUFACTURER: Unknown
PRODUCT TYPE: Ballpoint pen with seasonal (St. Patrick's Day) flashing top
LAMP TYPE: 3mm blue LED
No. OF LAMPS: 2
BEAM TYPE: N/A
SWITCH TYPE: Impact-type "on", auto-off
CASE MATERIAL: Plastic
BEZEL: N/A
BATTERY: Unknown type & quantity of button cells (presumably three cells)
CURRENT CONSUMPTION: Unknown/unable to measure
WATER- AND URANATION-RESISTANT: Light splatter-resistance at maximum
SUBMERSIBLE: ¡¡¡HUSOOS CRISTO EN UN SILLÓN DE RUEDAS, NO!!!
ACCESSORIES: Batteries (already installed)
SIZE:
WEIGHT:
COUNTRY OF MANUFACTURE: China
WARRANTY: Unknown/not stated (presumably guranteed against DOA)
PRODUCT RATING:
This is a seasonal novelty item (St. Patrick's Day), so it will not receive the usual "star" rating for that reason.
Bump & Flash St. Patrick's Day Pen *
Do you manufacture or sell an LED flashlight, task light, utility light, or module of some kind?
Want to see it tested by a real person, under real working conditions? Do you then want to see how your light did? If you have a sample available for this type of
real-world, real-time testing, please contact me at ledmuseum@gmail.com.
Unsolicited flashlights, LEDs, and other products appearing in the mail are welcome, and it will automatically be assumed that you sent it in order to have it tested and evaluated for this site.
Be sure to include contact info or your company website's URL so visitors here will know where to purchase your product.
This page is a frame from a website. If you arrived on this page through an outside link,you can get the "full meal deal" by clicking here.
), But the reason that this pen ended up on this website are the two blue LEDs under the shamrock-shaped top that flash when the pen is "bumped" {or in this case, SLAMMED} against a hard surface such as a desk, table, countertop, etc.
SIZE
