Abstract:
A device for marking and tagging locations in a book comprises an instrument having a tip to mark a surface, a body, a cap to cover the tip and a strap a strap forming a closed loop. The body includes a shell having a cavity to receive the instrument so that the tip extends past the shell, a bookmark extending away from the shell asymmetrically, the bookmark having a generally flat surface for removably connecting one or more tags, and a latch. The cap includes a bore for receiving the instrument, and a catch received by the latch so that the cap is selectably positionable in two positions. In a first position the tip extends through the bore and past the cap. In a second position the tip is covered by the cap.

Description:
PRIORITY 
       [0001]    This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/150,525, entitled “Thin Writing Instrument,” filed Feb. 6, 2009, which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    Embodiments of the present invention relate to devices for tagging and marking books and writing surfaces, bookmarking locations within books and holding books closed. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Students often take notes and tag pages with scrap paper or temporary adhesive flags while they&#39;re reading textbooks or literary books. However, students are sometimes not prepared and don&#39;t have a writing instrument and/or flags handy with their book. 
         [0004]    It would be useful if a tool were available that made it easier for students and other persons to be more prepared to take notes and/or flag pages. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0005]    An embodiment of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book in accordance with the present invention comprises an instrument having a tip to mark a surface, a bookmark, a cap to shield the tip, and a strap connected with the bookmark for securing the device to a book and/or surrounding the book and urging the book closed. The device comprises a body including a shell having a cavity to receive the instrument so that the tip extends past the shell. The bookmark is part of the body and extends away from the shell asymmetrically and has a generally flat surface for removably connecting one or more tags. The bookmark can be tapered along at least a portion of the shell so that a width of the bookmark at an end closest to the tip approximately matches a width of the cap so that the bookmark does not interfere with a user&#39;s grip of the device. The body also includes a latch to which a catch of the cap connects. 
         [0006]    The cap can be selectably positioned in an open position or a closed position, wherein in the open position the tip extends past the cap, and wherein in the closed position the tip is covered by the cap. Optionally, a surface of the cap opposite the instrument is contoured to receive a finger of a writing hand when the device is in use and the cap is textured to reduce slippage when grasping between fingers. The contour and/or texture may provide a more ergonomic grip. 
         [0007]    In some embodiments, the device further comprises one or more pads each including a plurality of flags, or alternatively a plurality of repositionable pads. The one or more pads are removably connected with the bookmark as tags and a combined thickness of the bookmark and the one or more pads removably connected with the bookmark is less than a diameter of the shell. The bookmark of the device can optionally include a cut-out so that at least a portion of the one or more pads extends over a portion of the cut-out to improve accessibility of the one or more pads when a user detaches a flag or note. 
         [0008]    In some embodiments, the instrument of the device can be one of a ball-point pen, a rollerball pen, a felt-tip pen, a pencil, a highlighter, and a stylus. The shell includes a first portion and a second portion that can be separated to access the instrument. Optionally, a holder can be connected with the instrument with the holder being captured within the shell when the first portion and second portion are attached to resist movement of the instrument within the cavity. Where the shell includes a first portion detachably connected with a second portion to access the cavity, the instrument may be replaceable, for example when the instrument is an ink cartridge that has been expended. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0009]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of an embodiment of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate selected uses of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0011]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of the device of  FIG. 1 ;  FIG. 3B  is a partial cross-section of a slidable cap for shielding or exposing a writing tool of the device of  FIG. 1 . 
           [0012]      FIGS. 4A-4C  are perspective views of alternative embodiments of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention. 
           [0013]      FIG. 5A  is a perspective view of a further embodiment of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention;  FIG. 5B  is a side view and partial exploded view of the device of  FIG. 5A . 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    The following description is of the best modes presently contemplated for practicing various embodiments of the present invention. The description is not to be taken in a limiting sense but is made merely for the purpose of describing the general principles of the invention. The scope of the invention should be ascertained with reference to the claims. In the description of the invention that follows, like numerals or reference designators will be used to refer to like parts or elements throughout. 
         [0015]      FIGS. 1A and 1B  are perspective views of an embodiment of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention. The device  100  includes an ink cartridge  103  that extends along a portion of the length of the device  100  terminating in a pen tip  102  exposable for writing on a surface. As shown, the ink cartridge  103  is a standard mini ballpoint pen refill housed within a cavity of a body of the device  100 . Alternatively, the device can include an ink reservoir made from metal or plastic connected with a pen tip, rather than a self contained ink cartridge. Further, the pen tip need not be a ball-point pen tip, but can be of a different type, such as rollerball or felt-tip. Preferably, the thickness of the body along the axis of the ink cartridge  103  is reduced as much as can be practically achieved while securely holding the ink cartridge  103  in a generally rigid or semi-rigid fashion to prevent damaging a book&#39;s binding or otherwise transferring unacceptable force to the binding when the pages of a book are closed around the device  100  and the book is urged closed. Typically, a maximum thickness of the device  100  is approximately two to three diameters of a standard mini ballpoint pen refill. For example, in one embodiment a 1/16″ diameter standard mini ballpoint pen refill is held within a body having a thickness of less than about 3/16″ at its thickest point. However, in other embodiments the ink cartridge diameter and relative thickness of the body compared with the diameter of the ink cartridge  103  can be different. 
         [0016]    The body of the device  100  forms a bookmark  106  that extends away from the ink cartridge  103  asymmetrically while tapering along the length of the ink cartridge  103  toward the pen tip  102  so as not to obstruct the index finger of a user holding the device  100  in hand with a grip typically used with an ordinary pen or pencil. The bookmark  106  is sufficiently wide near the end of the ink cartridge  103  distal from the pen tip  102  to accommodate tags. As shown, the tags include one or more pads  110 ,  112  of repositionable, adhesive flags attachable to pages of a book, other writable surfaces such as loose sheets of paper, or any other surface that a user desires to tag. Alternatively, the tags can include repositionable notes, such as sold by 3M under the trademark POST-IT®. While the pen tip allows a user to write directly on surfaces, the user can also place an adhesive flag or note on a page, and use the writing instrument to write on the flag or note, for example if the user does not own a book and does not want to write directly on a page of the book. As shown, the bookmark has a length of 4⅝″ and a width of 1½″ and can accommodate two pads  110 ,  112  of standard flags refills having standard industry dimensions of 0.47″×1.7″; however, the device need not be limited to the physical dimensions shown. The two pads  100 ,  112  include flags of different colors to enable tagging for multiple purposes. The bookmark  106  is preferably sufficiently thin so that the combined thickness of the bookmark  106  and pads  110 ,  112  is not thicker than the maximum thickness of the body along the ink cartridge  103 . As shown, each pad  110 ,  112  includes twenty-five flags and is removably connected with the bookmark  106  so that the flags are conveniently located. The bookmark  106  optionally includes a cut-out  116  over which a portion of the pads extends. The cut-out  116  allows a finger tip to pass through at least partially. The cut-out  116  can substantially improve the ability to urge the end of the pad  10 ,  12  or the ends of one or more flags away from the bookmark so that a flag can be easily grasped and detached from the pad  10 ,  12 . It also allows the pad  110 ,  112  to flex downward slightly, which can also reduce a tendency of the pad  10 ,  12  or flags of the pad to slip from a user&#39;s finger while attempting to detach a flag. 
         [0017]    The bookmark  106  terminates so that the pen tip  102  extends from the body of the device  100 . A cap  104  is movably connected with the body so that the cap  104  can slide along the axis of the ink cartridge  103 . An example of one technique for movably connecting the cap  104  with the body is illustrated in  FIG. 3B  and described in further detail below. When the cap  104  is slid toward the bookmark  106  so that the cap  104  locks in place at a first position abutting or nearly abutting the bookmark  106 , as shown in  FIG. 1A , the pen tip  102  is exposed and can be used for writing or otherwise marking a book or other surface. The first position is hereinafter referred to as the open position. When the cap  104  is slid away from bookmark  106  to a second position, as shown in  FIG. 1B , the cap  104  covers the pen tip  102  to prevent the pen tip  102  from contacting and unintentionally marking surfaces. The second position is hereinafter referred to as the closed position. In the embodiment shown, the cap  104  is detachable from the device  100  when further urged with sufficient force away from the bookmark  106  to move the cap  104  from the closed position. In some embodiments, when the cap  104  is detached from the device  100  the ink cartridge can be removed from the device  100 , for example when empty of ink, and replaced with a refill. The cap  104  preferably has a thickness that does not exceed the maximum thickness of the body. The cap  104  is further shaped so that a surface furthest from the ink cartridge forms a gently curved groove for receiving the end of a finger of the user&#39;s hand for urging the body of the device against the hand between the thumb and index finger and for steadying the device  100  when writing. 
         [0018]      FIGS. 2A-2C  illustrate use of a device as shown in  FIGS. 1A and 1B . The device  100  can be seen in use in  FIG. 2A , with the index figure placed in the groove of the cap  100 , which is in a open position, the thumb resting against the side of the cap  104  and the body of the device  100  cradled against the hand. The pen tip is exposed and is shown being used to write on a flag placed in a book  2 . Referring again to  FIG. 1A , the bookmark  106  further includes a hole  114  for attaching a strap  108  which forms a loop, which is preferably but not exclusively elastic. When a user is finished marking and tagging, the device  100  can be left in a book  2  or collection of papers with the device  100  extending from an edge, as shown in  FIG. 2B . The book  2  or collection of papers can then be closed around the device  100  and the strap  108  extending from edge can be stretched from end to end so that the book  2  or collection of papers is held between the elastic loop of the strap  108 . The strap  108  functions to both hold the device  100  in place, preventing it from slipping out, and also to keep the book  2  closed, or the collection of papers bound together. 
         [0019]      FIG. 3A  is an exploded view of the device  100  of  FIGS. 1A-2C . In the embodiment shown, the body includes the bookmark  106  and a first part of a shell that defines a cavity for receiving an ink cartridge  103 . A second part of the shell  118  is mateable with the first part to enclose the ink cartridge  103 . A retaining piece (also referred to herein as a holder)  120  is affixed to the ink cartridge  103  and secures the ink cartridge  103  in place within the shell. As mentioned above, in an embodiment the ink cartridge  103  can be a standard mini ballpoint pen refill. Optionally, the shell can be made detachable into the first and second parts to allow the ink cartridge to be replaced. Alternatively, the ink cartridge can be non-replaceable. 
         [0020]    The body is preferably formed from a commercial plastic, for example high density polyethylene (HDPE), using conventional manufacturing techniques (e.g., injection molding, compression molding, etc.). Alternatively, the body can be formed of some other material (or combination of materials) using the same or different manufacturing techniques, for example the body can be formed by die-cast metal. In still further embodiments, a cavity for receiving the ink cartridge can be formed in the body as a single integral piece rather than as a two-piece shell. In such embodiments the ink cartridge can be seated within the cavity using a technique other than a retaining piece, for example the ink cartridge can be press fit into the cavity. One of ordinary skill in the art, upon reflecting on the teachings provided herein, will appreciate the myriad different materials and manufacturing techniques with which embodiments of devices in accordance with the present invention can be formed. Fabrication of the device need not be limited to that described herein or inferred from the exploded view of  FIG. 3A . 
         [0021]      FIG. 3A  further shows the pads  110 ,  112  which can be adhesively affixed to the bookmark  106 . As shown, the bookmark  106  includes a slight depression or scoring outlining where the pads  110 ,  112  are preferably received, for example to take advantage of the cut-out  116  when detaching flags. The strap  108  can be attached to the hole  114  by looping the strap through the hole and passing the loop of the strap  108  through itself. Alternatively, the strap  108  can be fixed in place using other techniques, for example the strap can be past through the hole  114  and sewn closed or adhesively bonded around the body. In still other embodiments, the hole  114  need not be closed. For example, the hole can include an opening in which the strap can be positioned by folding or pinching the strap, the opening being sufficiently small as to resist the strap from slipping out of the hole when not folded or pinched. Alternatively, a strap can be secured to the device without a hole, for example by insert molding the body over the ends of the strap or pinching ends of the strap with crushable portions of the body. There are myriad different techniques for attaching a strap  108  to the body of the device  100  so that the strap  108  remains sufficiently secure to the device  100  without undesirably reducing the ability of the strap to expand to hold a book closed or a collection of pages together. 
         [0022]      FIG. 3A  also shows the cap  104  separated from the body. The partial cross-section of  FIG. 3B  illustrates one technique for movably attaching the cap  104  to the body. The cap  104  can include protuberances  122 ,  124  that interfere with complementary protuberances  126 ,  128  of the body. The protuberances  122 ,  124  of the cap  104  can be considered latches and are positioned between the protuberances  126 ,  128  of the body which act as catches when the cap is in the closed position (i.e., covering the pen tip), while the trailing protuberance  128  of the body is positioned between the protuberances  122 ,  124  of the cap  104  when the cap  104  is in the open position (i.e., against the bookmark  106  with the pen tip  102  exposed). In both positions, the complementary protuberances hold the cap  104  in position unless sufficient force is applied to the cap  104  to cause the complementary protuberances to pass over each other. As shown, the protuberances have leading and trailing edges that are ramped. When a protuberance  122 ,  124  of the cap  104  is urged with sufficient force against a protuberance  126 ,  128  of the body, the sides of the cap  104  are urged apart so that the protuberance  122 ,  124  passes over the protuberance  126 ,  128  of the body to the desired position. 
         [0023]    The amount of effort or force required to urge the cap  104  from the open to closed position or vice-versa can be determined, in part, by the profiles of the protuberances. For example, if the slope of the ramped portion of the protuberance is steeper, more force may be required to pass the protuberance of the cap  104  over that of the body, while a shallower slope can reduce the force required to pass the protuberance of the cap  104  over that of the body. While shown as ramped features, the protuberances can have other profiles, such as rounded profiles. Further, while the term “complementary” is used to described protuberances the engage one another, the protuberances need not have the same profile. 
         [0024]    The amount of effort or force required to urge the cap  104  from the open to closed position or vice-versa can also be determined by the number of protuberances. As shown, a single protuberance  124  controls how much force need be applied to the cap  104  to move between the open and closed positions. However the force required to separate the cap  104  from the body is larger than the force required to move between open and closed positions because the cap  104  includes a pair of protuberances  122  that must be urged past complementary protuberances  126  of the body. 
         [0025]    Further, as can be seen in  FIGS. 1A-3A  and more clearly in partial cross-section of  FIG. 3B , the cap  104  includes fins  130  that can improve the ability of a user to grip the cap  104 . In other embodiments, for example as shown in  FIG. 4C , the cap  104  need not includes such fins  130 . 
         [0026]    One of ordinary skill in the art, upon reflecting on the teachings provided herein, will appreciate the myriad different modifications that can be made to the device of the previously described embodiment of  FIGS. 1A-3B .  FIGS. 4A-4C  illustrate alternative embodiments of a device for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention. The device  200  shown in  FIG. 4A  resembles the device  100  of  FIG. 1A ; however, the device includes a magnet  208  in place of a strap and hole for receiving the strap allowing the device  200  to be attached to a metal surface, such as a refrigerator or filing cabinet. The device  300  shown in  FIG. 4B  resembles the device  100  of  FIG. 1A ; however, the device includes a clip  308  in place of a strap and hole for receiving the strap allowing the device  300  to be held within a book, for example, without the use of a strap. The device  400  shown in  FIG. 4C  resembles the device  100  of  FIG. 1A ; however, the device includes a cap  404  having a smooth surface free of fins. 
         [0027]    While the embodiments shown in  FIGS. 1A-4C  and described above include devices that use ink cartridges for marking a book or other surface, in still further embodiments, the device can include some other instrument. For example the device can include pencil lead, permanent marker, crayon, or a stylus, such as used with a personal data assistance (PDA). Embodiments of the invention are not intended to be limited to the instruments described herein. 
         [0028]    Referring to  FIGS. 5A and 5B , further embodiment of a device  500  for marking and tagging locations in a book or other writing surface in accordance with the present invention is shown. The device includes an extendable felt-tip marker (also referred to herein as a highlighter)  503  which is used to draw attention to sections of documents by marking them with a vivid, translucent color. As shown, the device  500  includes a single pad  510  of flags adhesively connected with a bookmark  506  of the device and a strap  108  similar to the strap of  FIG. 1A  and similarly connected with the body of the device  500 . The device  500  does not include a movable cap, although the bookmark  506  tapers in a similar fashion as previous embodiments. A contoured groove extends from the bookmark  506  as part of the body of the device  500  and resembles the contoured shape of the cap of previous embodiments. A book or other surface is shielded from a tip  502  of the highlighter  503  by a mechanism that allows the highlighter  503  to be moved along its axis so that the tip  502  can be retracted into the body of the device  500 . The partial cut-away view of  FIG. 5B  shows the mechanism including a slider  534  with teeth  536  that mate with teeth  532  of the body to resist movement. When a button  530  connected with the slider  534  is pressed, the teeth  536  of the slider  534  no longer engage the teeth  532  of the body, and the slider  534  can be moved. The highlighter  503  is connected with the slider  534  so that the highlighter  503  moves with the slider  534 . A leaf spring  538  helps guide the highlighter  503 . As will be appreciated, pencil lead could be dispensed using a similar mechanism, or alternatively using a ratchet as used in typical mechanical pencils. 
         [0029]    The previous description of the preferred embodiments is provided to enable any person skilled in the art to make or use the embodiments of the present invention. While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.