Patent Publication Number: US-8528619-B1

Title: Highlighter tape pen assembly

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     Field of the Disclosure 
     The disclosure relates to highlighter devices and more particularly pertains to a new highlighter device for impermanently highlighting a selectable portion of a surface with removable tape. 
     SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE 
     An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a pen-like dispenser having a first portion releasably attachable to a second portion, a generally hemi-cylindrical trough removably insertable within the pen-like dispenser, the trough having an in-use tape reel of highlighting tape removably rotatably disposed on a spool pin, the in-use tape reel having a leading strand extended through a narrow guide channel disposed on a front end of the trough, said guide channel projecting through a tip section disposed on a first end of the first portion of the pen-like dispenser, with a cutting edge disposed endwise on the guide channel, whereby a section of relevant text, or other surface, may be easily impermanently highlighted with highlighting tape, and a plurality of tape reels are storable within an interior cavity disposed in the second portion, said plurality of tape reels useable to replace the in-use tape reel, the diameter of a reel portion of the in-use tape reel readily discernible through a transparent section disposed in the first portion of the pen-like dispenser. 
     There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto. 
     The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein: 
         FIG. 1  is a top front side perspective view of a highlighter tape pen assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 2  is an exploded top front side perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 3  is a partial cut-away top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 4  is an enlarged top view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
         FIG. 5  is a cross-sectional view of an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to  FIGS. 1 through 5  thereof, a new highlighter device embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral  10  will be described. 
     As best illustrated in  FIGS. 1 through 5 , the highlighter tape pen assembly  10  generally comprises a pen-like dispenser  20 , a generally hemi-cylindrical trough  22 , an in-use tape reel  24 , and a plurality of tape reels  26  of highlighting tape. The trough  22  is removably inserted into the pen-like dispenser  20 , as will de described subsequently, and the in-use tape reel  24  and the plurality of tape reels  26  are removably disposed within the pen-like dispenser  20 , as will also be described subsequently. 
     The pen-like dispenser  20  includes a first portion  28  and a second portion  30 . The first portion  28  includes a first end  32  and a second end  34 . An infundibular tip section  36  is disposed on the first end  32 . A first threaded section  38  is disposed on the second end  34 . A transparent section  40  is disposed on the first portion  28  proximal the second end  34 . 
     The second portion  30  is releasably attachable to the first portion  28 . The second portion  30  includes an open end  42 , a top end  44 , and a second threaded section  46  disposed on the open end  42 . The second threaded section  46  is releasably attachable to the first threaded section  38 . A collar  48  is circumferentially disposed interiorly within the open end  42 , the collar  48  disposed behind the second threaded section  46 . The collar  48  engages with the trough  22  when the trough  22  is inserted into the pen-like dispenser  20  and the second portion  30  is joined to the first portion  28 . The collar  48  thusly maintains the position of the trough  22  within the pen-like dispenser  20  and an interior cavity  50  is disposed between the open end  42  and the top end  44 . 
     The generally hemi-cylindrical trough  22  is removably insertable into the first portion  28  and the second portion  30 . The trough  22  includes a front end  52 , a rear end  54 , and a narrow guide channel  56  disposed forwards on the front end  52 . The guide channel  56  projects out of the tip section  36  of the first portion  28  when the trough  22  is inserted into the pen-like dispenser  20 . A cutting edge  58  is disposed endwise on the guide channel  56 , the cutting edge  58  configured to cut a leading strand  60  of the in-use tape reel  24  when desired. 
     A spool pin  62  is disposed proximal to the rear end  54 . The in-use tape reel  24  is removably, rotatably mounted to the spool pin  62 . The in-use tape reel  24  includes the leading strand  60  unspooled from a reel portion  64 . The reel portion  64  is rotatably mounted to the spool pin  62  and the leading strand  60  is unspooled from the reel portion  64  to the guide channel  56 . 
     A guide pin  66  is disposed in the trough  22  approximately midway between the front end  52  and the rear end  54 , the guide pin  66  disposed in a plane parallel with the spool pin  62 . This guide pin  66  engages with the leading strand  60  of the in-use tape reel  24  and provides an even feed of the leading strand  60  when the reel portion  64  unspools with use of the highlighter tape pen  10 . A cutaway section  68  is disposed in the trough  22  proximal to the rear end  54 , the cutaway section  68  disposed opposite the spool pin  62 . The cutaway section  68  enables easy access to the spool pin  62  for changing out the in-use tape reel  24 , as desired. 
     Thusly, an in-use tape reel  24  may be mounted on the spool pin  62 , with a leading strand  60  pulled down to the guide channel  56 , the trough  22  reinserted into the pen-like dispenser  20  when the second portion  30  is attached to the first portion  28  by means of the second  46  and first  38  threaded sections mating, and the in-use tape reel  24  dispensed onto a surface to impermanently highlight the surface with removable tape. The guide channel  56  projects out the tip section  36  of the first portion  28 , and the leading strand  60  may be easily attached to a surface and applied along a straight trajectory until the leading strand  60  is severed from the guide channel  56  by means of the cutting edge  58  disposed thereon. 
     The plurality of tape reels  26  includes at least two tape reels storable in the interior cavity  50  of the second portion  30  of the pen-like dispenser  20 . To replace the in-use tape reel  24 , the second portion  30  is separated from the first portion  28  and the plurality of tape reels  26  is accessed from the interior cavity  50 . The expended in-use tape reel  24  is replaced with one of the plurality of tape reels  26 , as desired. Tape reels include regular highlighting tape (a translucent, colored tape, suitable for overlying relevant text highlighted for future reference) and opaque tape used to delete, mask, or obscure relevant sections of text or diagrams, as preferred. 
     In use, the tape reel  24  is mounted to the spool pin  62  with the leading strand  60  extended out of the dispenser  20  to be dispensed onto the surface providing impermanent highlighting to the surface. 
     With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure. 
     Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure.