GB2158241A - Detector for detecting filler in vehicle bodies - Google Patents

Abstract

A vehicle body filler detector, working in a similar manner to an electronic metal detector, is of pistol shape. Trigger 5 operates the detector and when a break in the metal surface of a vehicle body is found an LED on the top surface of the detector lights and a buzzer sounds. The width of the detector beam from end 16 is adjustable at 6 and indicated by an LED array on the top surface. The detector includes rechargeable storage batteries and is provided with sockets 11a, 11b which co- operate with recharging pins on a storage rack. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Filler detector This invention relates to a filler detector.

Most U.K. testing stations use the laborious often inaccurate method of a magnet to detect filler in sills and bodywork. The above invention is designed to eliminate errors and consume less time.

The above invention of a filler detector comprises of a pistol shape, designed electronically to detect filler in a similar fashion to the way a metal detector detects metal. The detector is held neatly and compactly in a wall fitting storage rack which can be fitted near any 240v appliance. The storage rack contains a reducer which converts the 240v current down to 1 2v.

A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows, in perspective, the filler detector from a side view.

Figure 2 shows the top view of the filler detector.

Figure 3 shows the storage rack for the filler detector.

Referring to the drawings the filler detector comprises of a detector in pistol form as shown in Fig. 1.

The trigger (5) enables the scanner beam (1 6) to be operated as the variable scanner (6) increases or decreases the width of the beam emitted from (16) which is indicated by the L.E.D. lights (7) (see Fig. 2.) When a break in the metal surface is found a light (8) comes on and a buzzer (9) will sound. The battery check (10) indicates the amount of charge in the built-in batteries. When recharging is necessary the detector can be replaced in the storage rack (Fig. 3) where the recharging pins (1 5a + 1 5b) can slot into the recharge points on the detector (1 1 a + 1 1 b) (see Fig.

1.) The slot (12) in Fig. 3 enables the filler detector handle to fit neatly and securely into the rack. The box (13) contains a reducer to decrease the 240v down to 1 2v. The storage rack can be screwed to any wall by the back panel (14.)

CLAIMS 1. A filler detector comprising of a pistol shape which works similarly to a metal detector but detects filler in vehicle bodywork.

2. A filler detector containing a built-in battery which can be recharged cordlessly in its own rack and can be used anywhere to detect filler in vehicles, e.g., Auctions, M.O.T.'s. Amount of charge in battery is indicated by a battery check gauge.

3. A filler detector as above containing a variable scanner which can vary the scan from approximately 0.5cm. up to 10cm., with L.E.D. lights to indicate this scan distance.

The scan is operated by a trigger on the handle of the filler detector.

4. A filler detector as previous containing a buzzer and a light to indicate when filler is detected.

5. A filler detector which is stored in its own storage unit to enable recharging from any 240v appliance.

CLAIMS New claims or amendments to claims filed on 1 8 September 1 984.

Superseded claims 1 to 5 1. An apparatus of the electronic scanning beam kind for detecting the presence of nonmetallic filler in a selected region of a metalbodied vehicle's bodywork, characterised by the presence in the apparatus of means -known per s--for a user of the apparatus to vary the effective operating width of the scanning beam.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 and characterised in that the beam is switched on and off, in use, by a finger trigger.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 and characterised by the user of a linear array of light-emitting diodes to indicate the relative width of the beam whenever the beam is switched on.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 4 and characterised in that the diodes are housed on a surface of the apparatus which, when the apparatus is in its normal attitude of use, faces the user.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 and characterised in that the visible width of each diode increases progressively from the diode at the centre of the array in each of the opposite directions away from the central diode.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims and of the battery powered cordless kind, in combination with an electric battery charger, characterised in that the charger is a wall-mountable charger and, when so mounted, has provision positively to retain the apparatus securely albeit removably on the wall.

7. The combination defined in Claim 6, characterised in that the apparatus is of a pistol-style appearance-known per send in that the retaining means comprises a slot in which the pistol grip sits and a shelf, normally substantially horizontal, which cradles the pistol barrel.

8. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8 in combination with an electrical battery charger substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (9)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Filler detector This invention relates to a filler detector. Most U.K. testing stations use the laborious often inaccurate method of a magnet to detect filler in sills and bodywork. The above invention is designed to eliminate errors and consume less time. The above invention of a filler detector comprises of a pistol shape, designed electronically to detect filler in a similar fashion to the way a metal detector detects metal. The detector is held neatly and compactly in a wall fitting storage rack which can be fitted near any 240v appliance. The storage rack contains a reducer which converts the 240v current down to 1 2v. A specific embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 shows, in perspective, the filler detector from a side view. Figure 2 shows the top view of the filler detector. Figure 3 shows the storage rack for the filler detector. Referring to the drawings the filler detector comprises of a detector in pistol form as shown in Fig. 1. The trigger (5) enables the scanner beam (1 6) to be operated as the variable scanner (6) increases or decreases the width of the beam emitted from (16) which is indicated by the L.E.D. lights (7) (see Fig. 2.) When a break in the metal surface is found a light (8) comes on and a buzzer (9) will sound. The battery check (10) indicates the amount of charge in the built-in batteries. When recharging is necessary the detector can be replaced in the storage rack (Fig. 3) where the recharging pins (1 5a + 1 5b) can slot into the recharge points on the detector (1 1 a + 1 1 b) (see Fig.

1.) The slot (12) in Fig. 3 enables the filler detector handle to fit neatly and securely into the rack. The box (13) contains a reducer to decrease the 240v down to 1 2v. The storage rack can be screwed to any wall by the back panel (14.)

CLAIMS 1. A filler detector comprising of a pistol shape which works similarly to a metal detector but detects filler in vehicle bodywork.

2. A filler detector containing a built-in battery which can be recharged cordlessly in its own rack and can be used anywhere to detect filler in vehicles, e.g., Auctions, M.O.T.'s. Amount of charge in battery is indicated by a battery check gauge.

3. A filler detector as above containing a variable scanner which can vary the scan from approximately 0.5cm. up to 10cm., with L.E.D. lights to indicate this scan distance.

The scan is operated by a trigger on the handle of the filler detector.

4. A filler detector as previous containing a buzzer and a light to indicate when filler is detected.

5. A filler detector which is stored in its own storage unit to enable recharging from any 240v appliance.

CLAIMS New claims or amendments to claims filed on 1 8 September 1 984.

Superseded claims 1 to 5 1. An apparatus of the electronic scanning beam kind for detecting the presence of nonmetallic filler in a selected region of a metalbodied vehicle's bodywork, characterised by the presence in the apparatus of means -known per s--for a user of the apparatus to vary the effective operating width of the scanning beam.

2. Apparatus according to Claim 1 and characterised in that the beam is switched on and off, in use, by a finger trigger.

3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or Claim 2 and characterised by the user of a linear array of light-emitting diodes to indicate the relative width of the beam whenever the beam is switched on.

4. Apparatus according to Claim 4 and characterised in that the diodes are housed on a surface of the apparatus which, when the apparatus is in its normal attitude of use, faces the user.

5. Apparatus according to Claim 3 or Claim 4 and characterised in that the visible width of each diode increases progressively from the diode at the centre of the array in each of the opposite directions away from the central diode.

6. Apparatus according to any one of the preceding Claims and of the battery powered cordless kind, in combination with an electric battery charger, characterised in that the charger is a wall-mountable charger and, when so mounted, has provision positively to retain the apparatus securely albeit removably on the wall.

7. The combination defined in Claim 6, characterised in that the apparatus is of a pistol-style appearance-known per send in that the retaining means comprises a slot in which the pistol grip sits and a shelf, normally substantially horizontal, which cradles the pistol barrel.

8. Apparatus substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawings.

9. Apparatus according to Claim 8 in combination with an electrical battery charger substantially as described herein with reference to and as illustrated in Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings.