Patent Publication Number: US-2005142308-A1

Title: Highlighter strips

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
      This invention relates to improved methods and apparatus concerning highlighting printed material.  
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      Typically in the prior art markers are used to highlight printed material.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      The present invention, in one or more embodiments, provides an apparatus comprising a first strip of material, for use as a text highlighter, having a front surface and a rear surface, with an adhesive located on the rear surface. The first strip of material is typically transparent, elongated, and colored. The first strip of material can be placed over printed text, wherein the printed text is printed on a tangible medium, so that the printed text can be seen through the first strip of material, and the rear surface of the first strip of material adheres to the tangible medium. The first strip of material may have dimensions of one to two inches in length and ⅛ to {fraction (1/4)} inch in width.  
      A second strip of material may be provided, having a front surface and a rear surface, with an adhesive located on the rear surface. The second strip of material may also be transparent, elongated, and colored. The second strip of material can also be placed over the printed text, so that the printed text can be seen through the second strip of material, and the rear surface of the second strip of material adheres to the tangible medium. The second strip of material may be connected to the first strip of material and the first strip of material can be separated from the second strip of material. The first strip of material may be about the same size as the second strip of material. The first strip of material may be connected to the second strip of material by a perforated portion.  
      A container for storing and distributing the first strip of material, is also provided. The container has a top surface, which includes a first slot through which the first strip of material can be pulled. The first slot has a sharp or serrated edge, which allows the first strip of material to be separated from a second strip of material. The container may include a plurality of compartments each containing strips of material of a different color.  
      The present invention also includes a method comprising the steps of providing a first strip of material as specified and placing the first strip of material over printed text in a tangible medium, so that the printed text can be seen through the first strip of material, and the rear surface of the first strip of material adheres to the tangible medium. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1A  shows a front view of a strip of material for use in highlighting printed text;  
       FIG. 1B  shows a rear view of the strip of material of  FIG. 1A ;  
       FIG. 2A  shows a front view of a paper with printed text;  
       FIG. 2B  shows a front view of the strip of material of  FIG. 1A  placed over some of the printed text on the paper of  FIG. 2A ;  
       FIG. 3  shows a front view of a plurality of strips of material of equal size, connected together by perforated portions;  
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of a continuous strip of material for use in highlighting printed text;  
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an apparatus for storing and distributing strips of pieces of material for use in highlighting printed text; and  
       FIG. 6  shows a perspective view of the apparatus of  FIG. 5  with various pieces of material shown protruding through appropriate slots in the apparatus. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1A  shows a front view of a strip  10  of material for use in highlighting printed text. The strip  10  may be a transparent material such as a transparent plastic or cellophane. The strip  10  may have a front surface  12  shown in  FIG. 1A . The strip  10  may be a color typically used for marker highlighters. For example, the strip  10  may be colored entirely yellow, green, blue, purple, pink, or orange.  
       FIG. 1B  shows a rear view of the strip  10  of material of  FIG. 1A . The strip  10  includes a rear surface  14 . The rear surface  14  may include an adhesive. A weak clear adhesive may be used on rear surface  14 , such as is used on Postit (trademarked) Notes.  
       FIG. 2A  shows a front view of a paper  100 . The paper  100  has a front surface  102  on which is located printed text, which states “THIS IS AN EXAMPLE OF PRINTED WORDS”.  FIG. 2B  shows a front view of the strip  10  of material of  FIG. 1A  placed over some of the printed text  104  on the paper  100  of  FIG. 2A . The strip  10  is placed so that the adhesive on the rear surface  14  adheres to the front surface  102  of the paper  100 . In  FIG. 2B , the strip  10  has been placed over the words or phrase “OF PRINTED”. The words or phrase “OF PRINTED” can be seen through the transparent strip  10 .  
       FIG. 3  shows a front view of a plurality  200  of strips of material of equal size, connected together by perforated portions. The plurality  200  includes strips  202 ,  204 , and  206 . Strip  202  is connected to strip  204  by perforated portion  202   a . Strip  204  is connected to strip  206  by perforated portion  204   a . The perforated portion  202   a  allows the strip  202  to be easily pulled apart and separated from the strip  204 . The perforated portion  204   a  allows the strip  206  to be easily pulled apart and separated from the strip  204 .  
       FIG. 4  shows a front view of a continuous strip  300  of material for use in highlighting printed text.  
       FIG. 5  shows a perspective view of an apparatus  400  for storing and distributing strips or pieces of material for use in highlighting printed text. The apparatus  400  includes sections  402 ,  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 , and  412 . Different colored strips of material are stored in each of sections  402 ,  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 , and  412 . For example section  402  may contain green strips only, section  404  may contain light blue strips only, section  406  may contain purple strips only, section  408  may contain pink strips only, section  410  may contain yellow strips only, and section  412  may contain dark blue strips only.  
      Each of sections  402 ,  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 , and  412  may be a closed compartment or chamber, with the exception of slots located at the top of the section. Section  402  may have a top surface  402   c  in which are located slots  402   a  and  402   b . A continuous strip  403   a  of green material, similar to  300  in  FIG. 4 , may be pulled through the slot  402   a  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The slot  402   a  may have at least one sharp or serrated edge so that the strip  403   a  can be cut on the sharp edge of the slot  402   a . A plurality of strips  403   b  of green material, similar to  200  in  FIG. 3 , may be pulled through the slot  402   b  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The slot  402   b  may have a sharp or serrated edge, which aids in the separation of one strip from the plurality of strips  403   b.    
      Similarly, sections  404 ,  406 ,  408 ,  410 , and  412  may have slots  404   a - b ,  406   a - b ,  408   a - b ,  410   a - b , and  412   a - b  respectively, located in top surfaces  404   c ,  406   c ,  408   c ,  410   c , and  412   c , respectively. Continuous strips  405   a ,  407   a ,  409   a ,  411   a , and  413   a  of light blue, purple, pink, yellow, and dark blue, respectively, of material similar to  300  in  FIG. 4 , may be pulled through slots  404   a ,  406   a ,  408   a ,  410   a , and  412   a  as shown in  FIG. 6 . The slots  404   a ,  406   a ,  408   a ,  410   a , and  412   a  may have at least one sharp or serrated edge so that the strips can be cut on the sharp or serrated edge of the appropriate slot. A plurality  405   b ,  407   b ,  409   b ,  411   b , and  413   b  of strips of light blue, purple, pink, yellow, and dark blue, respectively, of material, similar to  200  in  FIG. 3 , may be pulled through the slots  404   b ,  406   b ,  408   b ,  410   b , and  412   b , respectively, as shown in  FIG. 6 . The slots  404   b ,  406   b ,  408   b ,  410   b , and  412   b  may have at least one sharp or serrated edge, which aids in the separation of one strip from the plurality of strips  405   b ,  407   b ,  409   b ,  411   b , and  413   b , respectively.  
      The strips of material  200  and  300  work best when used to highlight black or dark text ink. The strips  202 ,  204 , and  206  each may be elongated and each may have the same length, which may be one to two inches. The strips  202 ,  204 , and  206  may each have the same width, which may be ⅛ to ¼ of an inch.  
      Although the invention has been described by reference to particular illustrative embodiments thereof, many changes and modifications of the invention may become apparent to those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. It is therefore intended to include within this patent all such changes and modifications as may reasonably and properly be included within the scope of the present invention&#39;s contribution to the art.