US 2012/0266471 A1Published application

Square and Ruler

OwnerAlbert Chaoinventor

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Abstract

A combination ruler and square has first and second elongated straight ruler members with first and second recesses in the upper surface near opposite ends of the first ruler member that receive a tongue extending from an end of the second ruler member to form first and second configurations of the combination that respectively create a square and an elongated ruler. Magnets and detents in the tongue and recesses retain the tongue in a respective recess in the first and second configurations and an extra pair of alignable magnets in the first and second ruler members cause the rule members to be attracted to each other in an aligned storage configuration of the combination where the second ruler member overlays the first ruler member.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A combination ruler and square comprising:

a first elongated straight ruler member (12) having first and second opposite straight ends (14, 16), opposite straight edges (18, 20) extending between the opposite ends and upper and lower flat surfaces (22, 24) between the ends and edges of the first ruler member (12);
a second elongated straight ruler member (32) having first and second opposite straight ends (34, 36), opposite straight edges (38, 40) extending between the opposite ends and upper and lower flat surfaces (42, 44) between the ends and edges of the second ruler member;
the first and second ruler members (12, 32) having equal thicknesses between the upper and lower surfaces thereof;
the first ruler member having a first recess (52) in its upper surface (22), the first recess (52) having a first flat bottom and a selected shape, a depth from the upper surface of the first ruler member to the first flat bottom being part of the thickness of the first rule member (12), and the first recess (52) being open into one of the straight edges of the first ruler member;
the first ruler member (12) also having a second recess (62) in its upper surface (22) near its second end (16), the second recess (62) having a second flat bottom and having said selected shape, a depth from the upper surface of the first ruler member to the second flat bottom being equal to said depth of the first recess (52), and the second recess (62) being open into the second end (16) of the first ruler member (12);
the second ruler member (32) having a tongue (72) extending from the first end (34) of the second ruler member, the tongue having substantially said selected shape and having a thickness substantially equal to said depth so that the tongue closely fits into both of said first and second recesses in respective first and second configurations of the combination, the tongue having an upper surface that is coplanar with the upper surface (42) of the second ruler member (32) and the upper surface of the second ruler member (32) being coplanar with the upper surface of the first ruler member (12) in the first and second configurations of the combination, the tongue (72) having a width that is offset inwardly of both of the opposite straight edges (38, 40) of the second ruler member, the tongue (72) having a lower surface (74) that is offset from a plane on the lower surface (44) of the second ruler member (32) by a selected amount so that in the first and second configurations of the combination, the lower surfaces of the first and second ruler members are also coplanar, both of the opposite straight edges (38, 40) of the second ruler member (32) being coplanar the respective opposite straight edges (18, 24) of the first ruler member (12) in the second configuration (90) of the combination to form an elongated straight ruler;
at least one magnet (87) in the tongue and at least one magnet (85, 86) in the first ruler member in each of the first and second recesses (52, 62), that respectively align with and attract the magnet (87) in the tongue (72) in the respective first and second configurations of the combination (80, 90);
a first detent (83, 84) in the flat bottom of each of the recesses;
and
a second detent (82) in the flat bottom of the tongue that is engaged with the first detect in the respective recesses in the first and second configurations of the combination for keeping the tongue from sliding out of the respective recess (52, 62).

7 more elements

A combination ruler and square comprising:

first and second elongated straight ruler members;
the first ruler member have first and second recesses in an upper surface thereof, the first recess opening at a side of the first ruler member and the second recess opening at one end of the first ruler member;
the second ruler member having a tongue extending from an end of the second ruler member that is received in the respective first and second recesses to form first and second configurations of the combination that respectively create a square and an elongated ruler;
respective alignable and attracting magnets in the tongue and in the recesses for attracting the tongue in the respective recesses in the first and second configurations;
and
respective engageable detents in the tongue and in the recesses for retain the tongue in the respective recesses in the first and second configurations.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

patentgrep

Loading patent…

Abstract

A combination ruler and square comprising:

a first elongated straight ruler member (12) having first and second opposite straight ends (14, 16), opposite straight edges (18, 20) extending between the opposite ends and upper and lower flat surfaces (22, 24) between the ends and edges of the first ruler member (12);
a second elongated straight ruler member (32) having first and second opposite straight ends (34, 36), opposite straight edges (38, 40) extending between the opposite ends and upper and lower flat surfaces (42, 44) between the ends and edges of the second ruler member;
the first and second ruler members (12, 32) having equal thicknesses between the upper and lower surfaces thereof;
the first ruler member having a first recess (52) in its upper surface (22), the first recess (52) having a first flat bottom and a selected shape, a depth from the upper surface of the first ruler member to the first flat bottom being part of the thickness of the first rule member (12), and the first recess (52) being open into one of the straight edges of the first ruler member;
the first ruler member (12) also having a second recess (62) in its upper surface (22) near its second end (16), the second recess (62) having a second flat bottom and having said selected shape, a depth from the upper surface of the first ruler member to the second flat bottom being equal to said depth of the first recess (52), and the second recess (62) being open into the second end (16) of the first ruler member (12);
the second ruler member (32) having a tongue (72) extending from the first end (34) of the second ruler member, the tongue having substantially said selected shape and having a thickness substantially equal to said depth so that the tongue closely fits into both of said first and second recesses in respective first and second configurations of the combination, the tongue having an upper surface that is coplanar with the upper surface (42) of the second ruler member (32) and the upper surface of the second ruler member (32) being coplanar with the upper surface of the first ruler member (12) in the first and second configurations of the combination, the tongue (72) having a width that is offset inwardly of both of the opposite straight edges (38, 40) of the second ruler member, the tongue (72) having a lower surface (74) that is offset from a plane on the lower surface (44) of the second ruler member (32) by a selected amount so that in the first and second configurations of the combination, the lower surfaces of the first and second ruler members are also coplanar, both of the opposite straight edges (38, 40) of the second ruler member (32) being coplanar the respective opposite straight edges (18, 24) of the first ruler member (12) in the second configuration (90) of the combination to form an elongated straight ruler;
at least one magnet (87) in the tongue and at least one magnet (85, 86) in the first ruler member in each of the first and second recesses (52, 62), that respectively align with and attract the magnet (87) in the tongue (72) in the respective first and second configurations of the combination (80, 90);
a first detent (83, 84) in the flat bottom of each of the recesses;
and
a second detent (82) in the flat bottom of the tongue that is engaged with the first detect in the respective recesses in the first and second configurations of the combination for keeping the tongue from sliding out of the respective recess (52, 62).

7 more elements