LEVEL

• US 20130091717A1
• Filed: 10/11/2012
• Published: 04/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation (Techtronic Industries Company Limited)
• Inventors: Steele, Michael S., Burch, Wade F.
• Granted Patent: US 8,910,390 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/382
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/18 by using liquids
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/28 Mountings
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/34 of the tubular type, i.e. for indicating the level in one direction only
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 1/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for installing, maintaining, repairing or dismantling electric cables or lines
• CPC Class Codes: H02G 2200/30 Tools for installing cables comprising a spirit level

Abstract

A level for indicating the orientation of a surface includes a first planar surface, a second planar surface, a web coupled to the first planar surface and the second planar surface such that the first planar surface is spaced apart from and is parallel to the second planar surface, and a vial having a long axis and containing a liquid and a gas bubble. The level also includes a first magnet coupled to the first planar surface, a second magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the first magnet by a first distance, and a third magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the second magnet by a second distance that is different than the first distance. The first, second, and third magnets are positioned along the first planar surface successively without any additional magnets positioned therebetween.

Claims

1. A level for indicating the orientation of a surface, the level comprising:

a first planar surface;

a second planar surface;

a web coupled to the first planar surface and the second planar surface such that the first planar surface is spaced apart from and is parallel to the second planar surface;

a vial having a long axis and containing a liquid and a gas bubble, the vial coupled to the web;

a first magnet coupled to the first planar surface;

a second magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the first magnet by a first distance; and

a third magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the second magnet by a second distance that is different than the first distance;

wherein the first, second, and third magnets are positioned along the first planar surface successively without any additional magnets positioned therebetween.

2. The level of claim 1, wherein the second distance is at least twice as long as the first distance.

3. The level of claim 2, wherein the second distance is three times as long as the first distance.

4. The level of claim 1, wherein the second distance is at least about one inch longer than the first distance.

5. The level of claim 4, wherein the second distance is about two inches longer than the first distance.

6. The level of claim 5, wherein the first distance is about one inch and the second distance is about three inches.

7. The level of claim 1, further comprising a fourth magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the third magnet by a third distance that is different than at least one of the first distance and the second distance, wherein the fourth magnet is positioned along the first planar surface successively with the first, second, and third magnets without any additional magnets positioned therebetween.

8. The level of claim 7, wherein the third distance is longer than the first distance, and wherein the second distance is longer than the third distance.

9. The level of claim 8, wherein the first distance is about one inch, the second distance is about three inches, and the third distance is about two inches.

10. The level of claim 1, wherein the first planar surface defines a first opening, a second opening, and a third opening, and wherein the first magnet, the second magnet, and the third magnet are positioned in the first opening, the second opening, and the third opening, respectively.

11. The level of claim 10, wherein each magnet does not extend beyond the first planar surface.

12. The level of claim 1, wherein each magnet is generally cylindrical.

13. The level of claim 1, wherein the long axis of the vial is one of substantially parallel to and substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface.

14. The level of claim 13, wherein the vial is a first vial, and further comprising a second vial having a long axis and containing a liquid and a gas, wherein the long axis of the first vial is substantially parallel to the first planar surface and the long axis of the second vial is substantially perpendicular to the first planar surface.

15. A level for indicating the orientation of a surface, the level comprising:

a first planar surface;

a second planar surface;

a web coupled to the first planar surface and the second planar surface such that the first planar surface is spaced apart from and is parallel to the second planar surface;

a vial having a long axis and containing a liquid and a gas bubble, the vial coupled to the web;

a first magnet coupled to the first planar surface;

a second magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the first magnet by a first distance;

a third magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the second magnet by a second distance that is different than the first distance; and

a fourth magnet coupled to the first planar surface and spaced apart from the third magnet by a third distance that is different than both the first distance and the second distance.

16. The level of claim 15, wherein the third distance is longer than the first distance, and wherein the second distance is longer than the third distance.

17. The level of claim 16, wherein the third distance is about twice as long as the first distance, and wherein the second distance is about three times as long as the first distance.

18. The level of claim 16, wherein the third distance is about one inch longer than the first distance, and wherein the second distance is about one inch longer than the third distance.

19. The level of claim 16, wherein the first distance is about one inch, the second distance is about three inches, and the third distance is about two inches.

20. The level of claim 15, wherein the first, second, third, and fourth magnets are positioned along the first planar surface successively without any additional magnets positioned therebetween.