# US 2019/0056225 A1 · Level with quick-disconnect end cap

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- Number: US 2019/0056225 A1
- Document ID: US20190056225A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 15/678,835
- Filed: 2017-08-16
- Published: 2019-02-21
- Earliest claimed: 2017-08-16
- Assignees: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
- Applicants: Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.
- Inventors: Jarrett J. Guma; Vincent Cook
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20190056225A1

## CPC

- G01C 9/26: Details
- 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)

## 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 The end cap is configured to be inserted in, and withdrawn from, the level body with a sliding fit. Accordingly, the end cap can be withdrawn from the level body simply by squeezing with the fingers of one hand two opposing actuators formed in the end cap against the bias of respective living hinges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

### Claim 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.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

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

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

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

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

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.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

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.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

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.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

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.

### Claim 8 (depends on 7)

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.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

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.

### Claim 10 (depends on 9)

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.

### Claim 11 (depends on 9)

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.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

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.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

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.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

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.

### Claim 15 (depends on 14)

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.

### Claim 16 (depends on 14)

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.

### Claim 17 (depends on 14)

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

### Claim 18 (depends on 14)

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.

### Claim 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.

### Claim 20 (depends on 19)

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.