RETRACTABLE WRITING UTENSIL HAVING AN AIRTIGHT VALVE

A writing utensil having a distal end and a proximal end and extending generally along a longitudinal axis includes a casing having a slot extending generally along the longitudinal axis adjacent the proximal end, an eraser disposed on the proximal end of the casing, a valve coupled to the casing adjacent the distal end and including a valve door, a writing tip movable between a stored position in which the tip is stored within the valve and a writing position in which the tip extends out of the valve, and an actuator disposed in and slidable in the slot and operatively coupled to the writing tip such that movement of the actuator in the slot moves the writing tip between the stored position and the writing position.