US 2025/0109930 A1Published application

Foam depth inspection gauge

AssigneeLouisiana-Pacific Corp.

InventorsNEIL FREIDBERG, PHILIP J VACCA, Jr., RYLIE BARLING

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Abstract

A gauge device for use in measuring and determining the depth and proper installation of a nail, screw, or similar fastener into a thick, relatively soft material, including but not limited to foam or a foam panel or board. The gauge has a linear casing or body with a needle extending from the base. The needle may be screwed into the base, or a friction/snug fit. The end of the needle is magnetized, or the needle is seated against an internal magnet in the casing, so the tip of the needle will attach to the head of the nail or screw when the needle is inserted into the fastener insertion point in the foam for testing. A gauge rod extends from the opposite end of the casing, indicating whether the fastener head is properly attached based on the depth or thickness of the foam.

Claims13

Dependent claims

A device to determine proper installation of a fastener under a foam or soft material layer, comprising:

a gauge housing with a proximal end and distal end and wholly or partially hollow interior;
a gauge depth indicator with a proximal end and a distal end and a length, wherein the gauge depth indicator is slidingly engaged with the interior of the gauge housing, and configured to extend for a portion of its length out of the proximal end of the gauge housing;
a magnet disposed in the interior of the gauge depth indicator, with a hole extending from the magnet to the distal end of the gauge depth indicator;
a gauge needle with a proximal end and a distal end and a length, wherein the proximal end of the gauge needle is configured to engage the magnet and the length of the gauge needle extends outward through said hole;
wherein when the gauge housing is moved in a distal end direction to an extent that the distal end of the gauge needle cannot move any further in that direction, the gauge needle applies pressure to the magnet thereby causing movement of the gauge depth indicator in a proximate end direction, said movement ceasing when the distal end of the gauge housing contacts a surface of a a foam or soft material layer.

2 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.