US 2014/0109418 A1 · DIGITAL FEELER GAUGE AND METHOD OF USING SAME

Abstract

The present application provides for feeler gauges. The feeler gauges include a plurality of elongate measuring leaves rotatably coupled on a common axis of rotation with an elongate housing. The leaves may be manually, selectively rotatable between a “home” position wherein the leaves are substantially aligned with the housing and an “extended” position wherein the leaves are spaced from the housing. The leaves may be relatively flexible and substantially flat such that they define a substantially constant thickness. One or more extended leaves may be used to measure the thickness of a clearance or gap. The gauges may be configured to detect, determine or measure the thickness of the leaves that are in the “home” position and/or the “extended” position, and thereby determine the total thickness of a clearance or gap measured by the extended leaves.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A feeler gauge for measuring the thickness of a gap, the gauge comprising:

a plurality of measuring leaves rotatably coupled along a common axis of rotation and being selectively movable between a home position and an extended position, wherein each measuring leaf defines an elongate, substantially flat shape defining a leaf thickness, and wherein one or more extended leaves can be inserted into the gap such that the combined leaf thickness of the one or more extended leaves substantially corresponds to the thickness of the gap;
and
a measurement determination mechanism configured to determine the thickness of the gap by at least one of detecting which of the leaves are in the extended position and calculating the thickness, detecting which of the leaves are in the home position and calculating the thickness, measuring the total thickness of the leaves in the extended position, and measuring the total thickness of the leaves in the home position;
wherein the gauge is configured to perform at least one of display the thickness, transmit a signal representing the thickness to a computing device, store the thickness locally for later processing, and provide user notification.

1 more element

A feeler gauge for measuring the thickness of a gap, the gauge comprising:

a housing including a top member, a bottom member and a cavity between the top and bottom members;
a plurality of elongate, substantially flat measuring leaves each defining a thickness, wherein the leaves are rotatably coupled along a common axis of rotation within the cavity of the housing at a first portion proximate the leaves, wherein the leaves are selectively rotatable about the axis of rotation between a home position where a second portion of the leaves distal the first portion is positioned substantially within the cavity of the housing and an extended position where the first portion is substantially spaced from within the cavity of the housing, and wherein one or more extended leaves can be inserted into the gap such that the overall thickness of the one or more extended leaves substantially corresponds to the thickness of the gap;
and
a measurement determination mechanism configured either to measure the thickness of the gap by determining the thickness of the leaves in the extended position or home position, or to determine which of the leaves are in the extended position or home position, and
wherein the gauge is configured to at least one of display the thickness, transmit a signal representing the thickness to a computing device, store the thickness locally for later processing, and provide user notification.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Digital feeler gauge and method of using same

Life of this patent

Digital feeler gauge and method of using same

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20