Indicator

Abstract

A device to indicate the location of a site after a layer of flowable material has been applied includes a base and an indicator element operably transverse to the base. The base is attachable to a horizontal surface proximate the site to be identified. The indicator element is resilient to as to remain substantially vertical when the flowable material is applied. Embodiments of the indicator element include a plurality of resilient strands.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An indicator for indicating the location of a device beneath a layer of a substantially flowable material, the indicator comprising: 
 a base defining a generally central opening and a supportive geometry with a bottom surface, at least a portion of the bottom surface being generally planar; and    a plurality of generally resilient strands accommodated by the base opening in an operatively generally vertical orientation, said plurality of resilient strands returning to said generally vertical orientation when forced away therefrom by the substantially flowable material or by tools used to finish a surface of the substantially flowable material.    
     
     
         2 . A method of forming a substantially flowable material over a site, the method comprising: 
 positioning an indicator base atop a generally horizontal surface, the generally horizontal surface coincident to the site or proximate the site, the indicator base positioned such that a resilient indicator element is disposed generally transversely to the indicator base and in a generally vertical orientation;    adhering the indicator base to the horizontal surface;    applying a layer of the flowable material over the site; and    forming the layer of flowable material to a desired depth proximate the site.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising forming the layer of flowable material to a contour proximate the site.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the indicator base is integral to the indicator element, in which each of the indicator base and the indicator element includes at least three bundles of substantially resilient strands, the method further comprising equidistantly spacing portions of each of said bundles.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the indicator base defines an opening, the indicator element extending generally vertically through the opening.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the indicator base is adhered to the surface with tape.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the indicator base is adhered to the surface by contacting a base adhesive layer to the surface.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , further comprising removing a protective layer disposed over the base adhesive layer.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the indicator base and the indicator element comprise a plurality of bundles, each of said plurality of bundles bent to define a first portion and a second portion, the method further comprising separating the first portions of each of the bundles.  
     
     
         10 . An indicator conforming to a generally horizontal surface, comprising: 
 a horizontal element; and    a vertical element disposable generally transversely through an opening in the horizontal element and comprising a plurality of generally resilient strands.    
     
     
         11 . The indicator of  claim 10 , the horizontal element further comprising an adhesive.  
     
     
         12 . The indicator of  claim 11 , in which the adhesive is a length of tape.  
     
     
         13 . The indicator of  claim 11 , in which the adhesive is disposed in an adhesive layer, the adhesive layer affixed to a base of the horizontal element.  
     
     
         14 . The indicator of  claim 13 , the horizontal element further comprising a release layer disposed over the adhesive layer.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 10 , in which the horizontal element is formed separately from the vertical element.  
     
     
         16 . The indicator of  claim 10 , in which both the horizontal element and the vertical element integrally comprise said plurality of substantially resilient strands.  
     
     
         17 . A method of manufacturing an indicator, comprising: 
 bundling a plurality of generally resilient strands together thereby forming an indicator element; and    defining an opening in a base, the opening accommodating the bundled plurality of strands therethrough, the base having a lower side conformable to a generally horizontal surface.    
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , in which the bundled strands comprise polypropylene.  
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , in which the base comprises a plurality of legs extending from a center.