# US 11,441,898 B2 · Level with removable end cap

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- Number: US 11,441,898 B2
- Document ID: US11441898B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/084,344
- Filed: 2020-10-29
- Published: 2021-02-18
- Granted: 2022-09-13
- Earliest claimed: 2016-12-21
- Assignees: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
- Applicants: Milwaukee Electric Tool Corporation
- Inventors: Matthew Doyle; Fraizier Reiland; Lauren Weigel
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11441898B2

## CPC

- G01C 9/02: Details
- G01C 9/26: Details
- G01C 9/34: of the tubular type, i.e. for indicating the level in one direction only
- G01D 11/24: Housings {; Casings for instruments}
- G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S)
- G01D: MEASURING NOT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR A SPECIFIC VARIABLE; ARRANGEMENTS FOR MEASURING TWO OR MORE VARIABLES NOT COVERED IN A SINGLE OTHER SUBCLASS; TARIFF METERING APPARATUS; MEASURING OR TESTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A level with a removable end cap is provided. The level includes a hollow level body. The end cap includes an outer member and locking member received within the outer member. The locking member is inserted into the outer member pushing a moveable portion of the outer member into a frictional engagement that holds the end cap assembly in place relative to the level body.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A level comprising:
a level body comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and two sidewalls extending therebetween, wherein inner surfaces of each of the upper wall, of the lower wall and of the two sidewalls define a hollow open area;
a device coupled to the level body that measures an orientation of a surface of the level body;
an end cap assembly removably coupled to an end of the level body, the end cap assembly comprising:
a clip received within the hollow open area of the level body and coupled to the level body, the clip comprising an aperture; and
an outer member comprising a movable wall received within the clip and a projection extending from the movable wall, wherein the projection engages the aperture of the clip coupling the outer member in a fixed position relative to the level body.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The level of claim 1, the clip comprising a pair of opposing clip sidewalls that extend from a clip end wall, wherein the aperture of the clip is defined in one of the clip sidewalls.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The level of claim 2, the clip comprising a second aperture, wherein one of the apertures is defined in each of the clip sidewalls.

### Claim 4 (depends on 2)

The level of claim 2, the clip comprising a boss extending outward from an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, and wherein each sidewall of the level body comprises an opening that receives the bosses of the clip.

### Claim 5 (depends on 2)

The level of claim 2, the clip comprising a rib slot defined along an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, wherein the inner surfaces of each of the level body sidewalls define a rib that is received in one of the rib slots of the clip.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The level of claim 1, further comprising a locking member received within the outer member.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The level of claim 6, the outer member comprising a sidearm, and wherein the locking member pushes the sidearm to create a frictional coupling that secures the end cap assembly to the level body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The level of claim 6, wherein the locking member is formed from a material that is more rigid than a material of the outer member.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The level of claim 6, the locking member comprising a stop structure that engages a cooperating surface of the outer member such that full removal of the locking member from the outer member is prevented when the locking member is in an unlocked position.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The level of claim 1, the outer member comprising a cap portion, a first sidearm extending outward from an upper end of the cap portion and a second sidearm extending outward from a lower end of the cap portion.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The level of claim 10, wherein the first sidearm extends along the inner surface of the upper wall of the level body and the second sidearm extends along the inner surface of the lower wall of the level body when the outer member is received within the clip.

### Claim 12

A level comprising:
a level body comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and two sidewalls extending therebetween, wherein inner surfaces of each of the upper wall, of the lower wall and of the two sidewalls define a hollow open area;
a device coupled to the level body that measures an orientation of a surface of the level body;
an end cap assembly removably coupled to an end of the level body, the end cap assembly comprising:
a clip received within the hollow open area of the level body and coupled to the level body;
an outer member received within the clip; and
a locking member received within the outer member, wherein the locking member is moveable within the outer member between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, the end cap assembly is engaged in a fixed position relative to the level body.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The level of claim 12, the outer member comprising a sidearm, and wherein the locking member pushes the sidearm to create a frictional coupling that secures the end cap assembly to the level body.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The level of claim 12, the clip comprising:
a pair of opposing clip sidewalls that extend from a clip end wall; and
an aperture defined in one of the sidewalls;
wherein the device coupled to the level body that measures an orientation of a surface of the level body comprises a spirit level vial, a digital level and an accelerometer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

The level of claim 14, the clip comprising a boss extending outward from an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, and wherein each sidewall of the level body comprises an opening that receives the bosses of the clip.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

The level of claim 14, the clip comprising a rib slot defined along an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, wherein the inner surfaces of each of the level body sidewalls define a rib that is received in one of the rib slots of the clip.

### Claim 17

A level comprising:
a level body comprising an upper wall, a lower wall and two sidewalls extending therebetween, wherein inner surfaces of each of the upper wall, of the lower wall and of the two sidewalls define a hollow open area;
a device coupled to the level body that measures an orientation of a surface of the level body; and
an end cap assembly removably coupled to an end of the level body, the end cap assembly comprising:
a clip received within the hollow open area of the level body and coupled to the level body, the clip comprises:
a pair of opposing clip sidewalls that extend from a clip endwall, wherein the pair of clip sidewalls each extend along the inner surface of one of the sidewalls of the level body; and
a rib slot defined along an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, wherein inner surfaces of each of the level body sidewalls define a rib that is received in one of the rib slots of the clip; and
a locking member received within the clip.

### Claim 18 (depends on 17)

The level of claim 17, the clip comprising a boss extending outward from an outer surface of each of the clip sidewalls, and wherein each sidewall of the level body comprises an opening that receives the bosses of the clip.

### Claim 19 (depends on 17)

The level of claim 17, further comprising an outer member received within the clip, wherein the locking member is received within the outer member and the clip, and wherein the locking member is moveable within the outer member between a locked position and an unlocked position, wherein, in the locked position, the end cap assembly is engaged in a fixed position relative to the level body.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

The level of claim 19, the clip comprising an aperture and the outer member comprises a movable wall and a projection extending from the movable wall, wherein the projection engages the aperture of the clip thereby coupling the outer member in a fixed position relative to the level body.