Level with quick-disconnect end cap

• US 10,458,791 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2017
• Issued: 10/29/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 08/16/2017
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
• Inventors: Guma, Jarrett J., Cook, Vincent
• Primary Examiner(s): Bennett, George B
• Application Number:
  US15/678,835
• Publication Number:
  US 20190056225A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 33379, 33381
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/26 Details

Abstract

A level includes an end cap releasably attached to a level body. The end cap is configured to be inserted in, and withdrawn from, the level body with a sliding fit. Accordingly, the end cap can be withdrawn from the level body simply by squeezing with the fingers of one hand two opposing actuators formed in the end cap against the bias of respective living hinges to release detents from detent apertures formed in opposing side walls of the level body, and then using the same hand to slide the end cap out of the level body without having to touch the level body with either hand.

Claims

1. A level, comprising:

a level body supporting a level vial; and

an end cap releasably connected to the level body;

wherein the end cap includes an actuator and a detent;

the detent is operatively associated with the level body to releasably retain the end cap on the level body;

the level body defines a level volume; and

wherein the actuator is disposed outside the level volume.

2. The level claimed in claim 1, wherein the detent is laterally spaced from the actuator.

3. The level claimed in claim 2, wherein the detent and actuator are connected via a living hinge.

4. The level claimed in claim 3, wherein:

the end cap includes an end cap body;

the end cap body defines the actuator, the living hinge and the detent; and

wherein the end cap body is formed as a single unitary structure.

5. The level claimed in claim 4, wherein:

the level body includes a detent-retaining portion; and

wherein the living hinge biases the detent into engagement with the detent-retaining portion to releasably retain the end cap on the level body.

6. The level claimed in claim 5, wherein the actuator is operative to cause the living hinge to withdraw the detent from engagement with the detent-retaining portion.

7. The level claimed in claim 6, wherein:

the detent-retaining portion includes a detent aperture formed in the level body; and

wherein the detent cooperates with the detent aperture to releasably retain the end cap on the level body.

8. The level claimed in claim 7, wherein:

the end cap body defines a cavity; and

wherein, when an operator presses the actuator against the bias of the living hinge, the detent is forced inwardly into the cavity and out of engagement with an edge of the detent aperture to allow the end cap to be withdrawn from the level body.

9. The level claimed in claim 8, wherein:

the end cap defines two opposing living hinge sets of actuators and detents, each living hinge set including a living hinge connecting an actuator to a corresponding detent; and

wherein the level body defines two opposing detent apertures configured for engagement by respective detents.

10. The level claimed in claim 9, further comprising:

a shock-absorbing member disposed on an end of the end cap body; and

wherein the level body is formed from an extruded metal.

11. The level claimed in claim 9, wherein:

the level body includes two opposing parallel side walls;

each side wall defines one or more detent apertures;

each living hinge set includes one or more detents configured for engagement with respective detent apertures; and

wherein the actuator of each living hinge set is operative to release all of the detents of said living hinge set from their respective detent apertures upon actuation by an operator against the bias of the living hinge of said living hinge set.

12. The level claimed in claim 11, wherein, when all of the detents have been released from their respective detent apertures, an operator may withdraw the end cap from the level body with one hand.

13. The level claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the level body defines an end aperture; and

further comprising;

an interface disposed within the level body and defining an interface end aperture configured to be aligned with the level body end aperture;

wherein the interface includes two opposing parallel interface side walls operatively associated with the level body side walls, each interface side wall defining at least one detent aperture; and

wherein the end cap includes one or more actuators, each actuator operatively associated with a respective detent, and each detent engageable with a respective detent aperture.

14. The level claimed in claim 13, wherein:

the end cap is configured to be inserted into the interface via the interface end aperture with a sliding fit; and

wherein, when all of the detents have been released from their respective detent apertures, an operator may withdraw the end cap from the interface with one hand.

15. The level claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the level body further defines a hang hole;

the interface defines at least one through-hole in registration with the hang hole when the interface is inserted in the level body; and

further comprising;

a connector including a hollow rivet fixedly connecting the interface to the level body via the hang hole and the at least one through-hole.

16. The level claimed in claim 14, further comprising a connector including a plurality of mating connector detents and connector detent receptors formed on the interface and level body.

17. The level claimed in claim 14, further comprising a connector including a plurality of fasteners fastening the interface to the level body.

18. The level claimed in claim 14, wherein:

the level body has an end portion with a hollow, generally rectangular cross-section;

the level body end aperture is formed in the level body end portion;

the interface is substantially hollow and has a generally rectangular cross-section conforming to the generally rectangular cross-section of the level body end portion;

the end cap body has a generally rectangular cross-section conforming to the generally rectangular cross-section of the interface, and includes two opposing end cap parallel side walls operatively associated with respective interface side walls; and

wherein each living hinge set is formed in a respective end cap side wall.

19. A method of removing an end cap from a level including a level body, comprising:

squeezing with the fingers of one hand two opposing actuators formed in the end cap against the bias of respective living hinges to release detents from the edges of detent apertures formed in opposing side walls of the level body, the level body supporting a level vial, and the end cap being configured so that the actuators are disposed outside of a volume defined by the level body; and

using the same hand to slide the end cap out of the level body without having to touch the level body with either hand.

20. The method claimed in claim 19, wherein:

the level body includes an interface;

the interface includes two opposing side walls operatively associated with the opposing side walls of the level body;

the detent apertures are formed in the opposing interface side walls and are configured to be engaged by respective detents of the end cap;

wherein the end cap is configured to be inserted into, and removed from, the interface with a sliding fit.