NO20210420A1 - Accessory for the folding meter stick - Google Patents

Description

Background

Present invention generally relates to a device meant to be used together with a folding meter stick, for providing higher accuracy and easier management while measuring internal or external distance between two objects and for the marking required distance as well.

Measuring the internal distance with a folding meter stick in closed space is followed by inconvenience, because it has to be measured in two steps. First measured the distance with a fitting into space members from one side, - marking, after measuring what is rest from the other side to the mark, and then by adding two distances,- getting it.

For doing it in one step an additional device for meter stick is needed to be used.

There are several inventions which relate to the additional device for the folding meter stick for the internal distance to measure, where I believe in the documents EP1020701B1 and CH186307A are the closest to the one I want to disclose.

EP1020701B1 consists of two parts, where one is kind of holder for the rod, slidably mounted on a meter stick and another - measuring rod, is sliding in the first one. Seems to be functionable, but quite complicated construction. It can be adjusted for the meter sticks of different models.

CH186307A seems to be not the simplest construction and can be too fragile for some industries, because it consists of tiny edges which are sliding on other tiny edges on the meter stick, but is usable. It is meant to be used with a meter stick specially made for that.

Summary

Embodiments for the internal distance to measure what is described lower has major difference from above mentioned embodiments because it is moving freely on the meter stick, has the minimum and the maximum travel limit buffers which limiting travel of the device on the current member, by contacting a neighbour members - the previous or the next, and for providing needed stability, free members of meter stick is used.

Brief description of drawings

Fig.1a. The embodiment on the meter stick in minimum travel position, under construction, Fig.1b. under side perspective view of the same embodiment where there is visible the face of the minimum buffer and the reading hairline index line. Fig1.c. under side perspective view of the same embodiment, visible the face of maximum travel buffer, and the L3. Fig.1d. Embodiment with the minimum travel buffers on the measuring rod.

Fig.2 The embodiment where part (202) is made of clear material and has the reading hairline index drawn on the underside of said part and a cross section (a) plan view of it, where is shown an elevated area with the reading hairline index.

Fig.3 The embodiment, where the reading hairline index is realized beside a member of the meter stick on part (301), one side (314) is higher as height of the member of the meter.

Fig.4.a. top perspective view and Fig4.b.bottom perspective view of the embodiment which comprise the marking blade, the markin gap, the marking edges which are serving as measuring tips as well.

Fig.5.a bottom perspective view of another embodiment. Fig.5.b zoomed perspective partial view of said embodiment.

Fig.6 One of the possible configurations of free members of the meter stick in the measuring procedure.

Detailed description

The embodiments of present invention are meant to be used with the classical folding meter stick. The classical folding meter stick is made of plurality flat elongated members, which when folded overlapping each other in the height direction, when it is folded out, the neighbor members overlapping each other by a distance, where in the middle of the overlap are hinges, which allows members pivot on each other. Inner members have the same dimensions, outer ones are shorter by a half of the overlapping distance . Members have a width where in the middle of it are said hinges. Modification can be done to the classical meter stick for easier managing some embodiment.

The simplest variant of embodiment in Fig1, is made of two longer ones (101) and two shorter ones (102) and (103) elongated cuboidal pieces. The longer one pieces are the same height as the member of the meter stick, said pieces are laying tight on both sides of said member, free ends (106) are aligned with the end of said member. The longer one pieces are connected together by the shorter ones, (102) on top and (103) on bottom, said pieces are parallel to each other and perpendicular to the long ones.The construction rests on four faces of the current member - guiding points of the device, supporting faces of the current member. Said construction can slide along and be moved on to neighboring members - the primary or the next. Part (103) rests on the under surface of the current member, the right face (104) of it is the maximum travel buffer which contacting the next member when the maximum travel limit is reached. Part (101) continues as the measuring rod (105) which has the measuring tip (106). Part (102) rests on the upper face of the current member, it's left face (107) is the minimum travel buffer which contacting the primary member when the minimum travel limit is reached , the intersection of the face (107) and the lower face (108) which rests on the upper face of the member is a reading hairline index (109) for the indicating measure value. In the embodiment of present invention, where the buffers are parallel to each other and coinciding with the guiding points, the distance (L3) between the parts (102) and (103) have to be equal or bigger than the sum of half of the overlap between members distance and of half of the width of the member. If said distance is in such length range, then the buffers operating range will at least cover the distance of one member`s period length, what means that the reading hairline index (109), reaching from the end of the previous member to the end of current member and/or more. In said embodiment of the present invention the distance(L3), might be limited to being shorter then the overlap distance between the members. If said distance is in such the length range, then the buffers operating range will at least cover the distance of one member's period, and the device gonna be stopped at the minimum travel limit by the buffer, before guiding point of device have lost contact with the underface of current member.That might reasonable setting in some of the embodiments. The above described L3 values and how it is resulting in the functioning of the device, works unconditionally just with buffers which are parallel and coinciding with the guiding points.

In the another embodiment of present invention the measuring rods (105) may have the minimum travel buffers (110), which is contacting the next member at the minimum travel limit. Same rods can be longer and have the minimum travel buffer, which is contacting the current member when the minimum limit is reached (not shown in drawing).

Another embodiment in Fig.4 has no measuring rod. As a measuring tips and as the reading hairline indexes is meant front and back edges of it (408) and (409). It comprises a marking gap (411) and a marking blade (407), which has a corresponding reading hairline indexes (410) and (412).

Another embodiment comprising reading hairline index (309) realized on parts (301), beside the current member Fig.3, one side (314) is higher as the height of the member for cases where the measurement readings take place in the members overlap area.

Another embodiment in Fig.2 where the part (202) reproduces the contour of the end of the primary member, said part is transparent and the reading hairline index is drawn as a crossline (209) on the underside of it. An area of a surface which comprises the reading hairline index is elevated for not touching the members surface for not getting exhausted from friction.

In the other embodiment the measuring rod (512) is located on the upper face of the current member as on Fig.5. Said rod might be comprising minimum travel buffers where (513) contacting the current, (514)the next member when minimum travel limit is reached. The embodiment over the reading hairline index (509) comprising curved transparent surface (517) to perform the function of a magnifying glass. The embodiment of present invention comprising a light source (518) for illuminating measured value and screen to avoid blinding the observing eye (not shown). As it would be easier to place the device on a member, it can be made a notch in the(501),(502),(503) parts. Fig.5 showing embodiment with it (516) realized on part (501). The device can then be placed and removed directly on and off the required member. It is possible the embodiment where the both parts (501) performs a locking brake function via the reason of the friction/pressure by increasing the tension between them (not shown in drawing).

The features of all higher mentioned embodiments may function separately or may be realized several of it in a single embodiment. Measuring rod can be any length and configuration in respect to the current member.

Support function on to the faces or/and edges of the current member, in the above described embodiments is realized flat and continuing between the buffers, but it might be realized in the separate points - the guiding points, as well as rolling guiding points might be in some cases. The buffers do not necessarily have to be perpendicular to the face of the member and flat. Fig.5 shows a variant of the round buffer (504). Shape of buffers is not important. What is important in the embodiments of present invention is where the buffers are stopping the device and more particularly is how buffers are configured with each other and the guiding points.

All embodiments of present invention have to fulfill the condition of the coverage of the whole length of members period or more. If to say in another way, travel distance of the device from one contact of the buffer to another have to be equal or longer then the distance between the centers of the neighbor hinges. Some embodiments might have to fulfill the condition of remaining contact of the guiding point to the under face of the present member, when the device has reached the minimum travel limit and stopped by buffer.

The embodiment with the measuring rod, might be convenient to use with the modified meter stick, the modification is that the meter stick is shortened by a distance equal to the distance from the tip (106) of the part (105) to the reading hairline index (109). Removed part can be used with the same device for a shorter distance to measure.

It is possible to use the device with the original meter stick, but then to the value what is displayed by the reading hairline index have to be added the value that is equal to the distance from the reading hairline index (109) to the tip (106) of the part (105), said distance might be marked on device in comfortable location, but anyway it causes additional inconvenience, cause it can be forgotten to do so.

The measuring is performed in the following steps- folding out as many members as fit into the measured distance, other members pivoted to the side remain folded in the package or unfolded so that with their help-interaction manipulation with the device is performed.

The beginning of the first extended member is supported-placed at the start of the measured distance (620), the device is placed on the current member and slided towards the end of it until the tip (606) reaches the end-point (621) of the measured distance. The reading hairline index (609) on the member showing the value.

All edges, protrusions, and dents in this device are for manipulation using free members. There are several combination- configuration options for this. It can work as a holding-support function, a displacement function, a locking function. Fig.8 shows the possible holding-locking option. Users can develop their own configurations for managing the device.

Embodiment of Fig.4 is used for measuring and/or marking measures of corresponding reading hairline indexes of blade, gap or edges the same way and it is comfortable to use with the original meter stick.

Devices as embodiments of present invention can be manufactured from sheet material by stamping, by milling from a fully or partially solid piece, as well as by injection molding.

Claims (7)

1. Claims

   A device meant to be used with a folding meter stick, comprising:

   -a minimum travel buffer;

   -a maximum travel buffer;

   -guiding points;

   -said buffers are configured in such a way that a range of coverage of the buffers are covering a distance of at least of one member`s period length.
2. 2. The device of claim 1, comprising a measuring rod.
3. 3. The device of claim 1 and 2, wherein minimum travel buffer is on the end of measuring rod.
4. 4.The device of claim 1,2,3, wherein at least one guiding point which rests on the underface of the current member, is remaining to be in contact with said face, when the device have reached minimum travel limit.
5. 5. The device of claim 1,2,3,4, wherein device comprising reading hairline index.
6. 6. The device of claim 5 wherein device comprising magnifying glass above reading hairline index.
7. 7. The device of claim 1,2,3,4,5,6 wherein device comprising light source.