Abstract:
A combination pen and highlighter is provided. The combination includes a body, at least one anchor which connects the body to an extendable highlighter and a button for manipulating the highlighter. The combination uses two separate springs to lock the highlighter in either a closed position or a highlighter extended position.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    The present application claims priority under 35 USC §119 to provisional patent application Ser. No. 61/145,151 filed Jan. 16, 2009, and is herein incorporated by reference. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    The present invention relates to a more efficient writing instrument which can be adapted to be used as either an ink pen or a highlighter. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0003]    Both ink pens and highlighters are well known. Pens and highlighters are extensively used in almost every field, from students to contractors and everyone in between. In many circumstances, such as when an individual is using the highlighter and simultaneously making notes in the margin, having both a pen and a highlighter available is very useful. One method of solving this problem is to switch between two separate writing instruments. 
         [0004]    A second method of solving this problem is to create a writing instrument which incorporates both a pen and a highlighter. A combination pen and highlighter is advantageous because the user always has both pen and highlighter without having to carry multiple instruments and the user can switch between pen and highlighter without having to place one down and retrieve the other. 
         [0005]    Two prior art highlighter and pen combinations are the Paper Mate® 2-in-1™ and the Uni-ball® Combi. These two devices both contain a ball point pen in combination with a highlighter, but the highlighter and pen are located on opposite sides of the device. While this design ensures a user has both a highlighter and a pen nearby, the design does not provide for an easy and comfortable transition between pen use and highlighter use. 
         [0006]    The Bic® Duo is another pen and highlighter combination device. Unlike the Paper Mate® 2-in-1™ or the Uni-ball® Combi, the Duo provides both the highlighter and the pen on a single side of the device. The Duo includes a ball point pen in the middle of the construction and a donut cross-sectioned highlighter. The donut cross-sectioned highlighter surrounds the pen. 
         [0007]    The Duo has two distinct limitations. First, the Duo relies on a twisting motion to extend and retract the highlighter. This twisting motion requires the use of a second hand. Thus the user&#39;s efficiency is limited. Second, the shape and position of the highlighter requires that the Duo&#39;s highlighter reservoir surrounds the pen reservoir. Therefore, the volume of the highlighter reservoir becomes limited. Highlighter fluid can be used very quickly during normal use of a highlighter. In addition, highlighter fluid is prone to drying out, even when a top is used. It has been found that the highlighter of the Duo requires additional motion to transition between highlighter and pen, and the Duo highlighter dries out much quicker than standard highlighters. 
         [0008]    The present invention is advantageous over these prior art pens because it provides an ergonomic mechanism for transitioning between pen and highlighter and it provides a large highlighter fluid reservoir (highlighter wick  300 ). 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0009]    A highlighter and pen combination provides one writing instrument with the functionality of both an ink pen and a highlighter. Both the ink pen and the highlighter are included in the body of the instrument. The ink pen is fixed with respect to the body, but the highlighter can be extended and retracted through the use of a button and spring assembly. 
         [0010]    The button and spring assembly includes two anchors which are attached by a highlighter chamber and a first spring. A second spring applies pressure to the front anchor, biasing the highlighter to a closed position. The second spring is located between the front anchor and the body. A user can push down and forward on the button to move the button and spring assembly forward compressing the second spring. This action extends the highlighter into an extended position. 
         [0011]    To lock the highlighter in the extended position, the user allows the first spring to raise the button bringing a lock located on the rear anchor above the body. Then the button is gently released and the lock holds the button and spring assembly in place against the force of the second spring. 
         [0012]    The highlighter and pen combination is operated by toggling between the closed position and the highlighter extended position as described above. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, including a cap; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a side cross-sectional view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, in the closed position and including a cap; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a side cross-sectional view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, in the highlighter extended position; 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the core of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention; 
           [0017]      FIG. 5  is an exploded view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention; 
           [0018]      FIG. 6A  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being used as a pen; 
           [0019]      FIG. 6B  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, with the highlighter tip being extended; 
           [0020]      FIG. 6C  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being used as a highlighter; 
           [0021]      FIG. 6D  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, with the highlighter tip being retracted; 
           [0022]      FIG. 7A  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being used as a highlighter; 
           [0023]      FIG. 7B  is a front view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being rotated to bring the pen tip to the bottom position; 
           [0024]      FIG. 7C  is a side view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being used as a pen, with the highlighter still extended; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 7D  is a front view of the highlighter-pen combination of the present invention, being rotated to bring the highlighter tip to the bottom position. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0026]    As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , core  100  of the highlighter pen includes front anchor  400 , rear anchor  200 , highlighter tip  720 , highlighter chamber  350 , steel spring  510 , coil spring  500  and button  600 . 
         [0027]    The highlighter pen is preferably constructed as follows. Referring to  FIG. 5 , back end  504  of coil spring  500  is secured to front anchor spring connector  440 . Ink nib  700  is secured to front anchor spring connector  440 . Highlighter chamber  350  is filled with highlighter wick  300 . Highlighter chamber  350  is connected to front anchor-chamber connector  430  of front anchor  400 . 
         [0028]    Steel spring rear legs  520  are inserted into rear connection channels  240 . Steel spring front legs  530  are inserted into front connection channels  450  and wick support  220  is fixed to chamber rear end  360 . At this point in the assembly, it is preferable to glue or otherwise bond the assembled parts, other than steel spring  510 , together in a more permanent manner. This combination of elements comprises core  100  of the highlighter pen. 
         [0029]    After the bonding, ball point pen  410  is passed through front anchor pen support  420  and back anchor pen support  230 . To complete the assembly of the highlight pen, rear anchor  200  is inserted into opening  880  of body  850 . Rear end  412  of ball point pen  410  fits into rear molded ribs  870  within body  850 . Rear molded ribs  870  secure ball point pen  410  in a fixed position with respect to body  850 . Front piece  800  is placed over highlighter tip  720  and ball point pen tip  414 . Ball point pen tip  414  fits securely to front piece  800  by internal ribs (not shown) at tip of  800 . Front piece  800  connects with body  850  and encloses the previously discussed assembly. 
         [0030]    As illustrated in  FIG. 3 , front piece  800  includes pen opening  810  for pen tip  414  to extend through, and highlighter opening  820  for highlighter tip  720  to extend through. Front piece  800  and body  850  can be secured together by glue. Lastly, button  600  is secured to rear anchor  200 . Specifically, button post  610  attaches to button seat  260 . Preferably, button post  610  is glued in place. 
         [0031]    As illustrated in  FIGS. 2 and 3 , the highlighter pen has two positions, the closed position of  FIG. 2  and the highlighter extended position of  FIG. 3 . In both positions, ball point pen  410  is secured to body  850  and front piece  800 . In the closed position, highlighter tip  720  is stored inside front piece  800  and coil spring  500  is expanded and not under significant tension. Also characteristic of the close position is that button  600  is positioned in the rear of button opening  860 . In this position, button seat  260  is touching or very close to touching body  850  at edge  862 . To switch from closed position to highlighter extended position, a user presses down on steel spring  510  causing both steel spring front legs  530  and steel spring rear legs  520  to extend deeper into front spring connection channels  450  and rear spring connection channels  240 , respectively. Since button post  610  is connected to rear anchor  200  at button seat  260 , once both set of legs,  520  and  530 , are extended, forward pressure on button  600  will move core  100  forward. 
         [0032]    Both anchors are connected to highlighter chamber  350 . Front anchor  400  is connected to ink nib  700 . Ink nib  700  protrudes through front anchor  400  and connects with highlighter wick  300 . As front anchor  400  moves forward, it compresses coil spring  500 , which is fixed between front anchor  400  and front piece  800 . Thus, coil spring  500  creates a rearward force against core  100 . 
         [0033]    Looking at  FIG. 3 , in order to fix core  100  in the highlighter extended position, the user should allow steel spring  510  to force button  600  upward by pushing forward on button grip  620 . This will cause back anchor arm  250 , button seat  260  and lock  270  also extend upward. Back anchor  200  should be constructed of a flexible yet strong material to allow back anchor arm  250  to bend. Once lock  270  is raised to the level of edge  862 , the user can gently release button  600  and the force exerted on core  100  by coil spring  500  will cause lock  270  to fit against edge  862 . This fit will secure core  100  in the highlighter extended position. The length of lock  270  should be approximately the same as the length traveled by ink nib  700   
         [0034]    In order to switch back to closed position, a user presses down on button  600  to break the fit between lock  270  and edge  862 . Then the user presses downward on button  600  to extend steel spring front legs  530  and steel spring rear legs  520 . This will lower lock  270  below edge  862 . With lock  270  disengaged, the force from coil spring  500  will push core  100  rearward, driving ink nib  700  back to the closed position. 
         [0035]    Preferably, the highlighter pen is held in the user&#39;s hand and is operated as a conventional highlighter or pen. To switch from pen operation to highlighter operation, button  600  is toggled as discussed above and illustrated in  FIGS. 6A-6D .  FIG. 6A  shows the pen with highlighter tip  720  retracted and the user writing with pen tip  414 . In FIG.  6 B, the user has applied a force to button  600  to extend highlighter tip  720 . In  FIG. 6C , the user is writing with highlighter tip  720 , while pen tip  414  remains above the writing surface. In  FIG. 6D , the user is retracting highlighter tip  720 . 
         [0036]    In a second embodiment, illustrated in  FIGS. 7A-7D , the highlighter pen is operated without the use of button  600 . In this embodiment, the highlighter pen remains in highlighter extended position at all times.  FIG. 7A  illustrates the user writing with highlighter tip  720 , as with the previous embodiment.  FIG. 7B  then illustrates the user rotating the pen to bring the pen tip  414  below highlighter tip  720 . The user can now write using pen tip  414  while highlighter tip  720  is extended, as shown in  FIG. 7C . Lastly,  FIG. 7D  illustrates the user rotating the pen back to the position of  FIG. 7A . 
         [0037]    In designing a highlighter and pen combination that provides a comfortable transition from pen to highlighter or highlighter to pen, many difficulties were encountered and overcome. 
         [0038]    A first design included two identical length members, one having a highlighter and the second having a pen. The two members were connected with a pivot joint. The joint allowed the pen and the highlighter to be fully collapsed, partially opened or fully opened. Both the pen and the highlighter could be operated in any of the positions. This design was abandoned because transitioning from one instrument to the other proved uncomfortable for users and lacked the ergonomic advantages of the preferred embodiment. 
         [0039]    A second design comprised a main body having a pen, with a separate highlighter stored inside the body and attached to the body by a pivot joint. The highlighter faced the rear of the pen when stored and included its own grip. The user could flip the highlighter out when transitioning from pen to highlighter. A third design also included a highlighter with its own grip stored inside the pen and attached by a pivot joint except the highlighter faced forward while in storage. Both of these designs proved uncomfortable for users and lacked the ergonomic advantages of the preferred embodiment. 
         [0040]    A fourth design built upon the pivot concept of the first three. The third design stored the highlighter inside the pen, but the highlighter was much smaller and lacked a separate grip. The pen included a button mechanism that could be toggled to pivot the highlighter into a usable position and pivot the highlighter back inside the pen for storage. During both highlighter operation and pen operation, the same grip was used. Again, this design proved uncomfortable for users. Additionally, the design failed to provide for the inclusion of a large highlighter fluid reservoir. 
         [0041]    A fifth design incorporated the single grip from the fourth design but replaced the pivot with a button mechanism. The fifth design stacked a pen on top of a highlighter and provided a top button for extending and retracting the highlighter. The button operated using a single spring a locking notches within the plastic frame. While the device had ergonomic merit, the button mechanism did not operate consistently. 
         [0042]    Although the invention has been described in terms of particular embodiments, the embodiments are merely illustrative of an application of the principles of the invention. Numerous modifications may be made and other arrangements may be devised without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.