Guide bar coding system
AssigneeWCI Outdoor Products, Inc.
InventorRobert L. Morrison
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guide bar coding system which permits a user to easily and correctly match a saw chain to a saw guide bar. The guide bar has a laminate or multi-layer structure, and includes a recessed surface that is colored or painted to define guide bar indicia which is indicative of characteristics of the guide bar. Replacement saw chains have saw chain indicia which indicate characteristics of the saw chain. A user selects an appropriate replacement saw chain by matching the saw chain indicia to the guide bar indicia.
Claims23
A chain saw, comprising:
- a housing;
- a guide bar extending from said housing, said guide bar including guide bar indicia indicative of characteristics of said guide bar;
- and,
- a saw chain extending around said guide bar, said saw chain including saw chain indicia indicative of characteristics of said saw chain, wherein said guide bar indicia and said saw chain indicia are identical to one another.
A guide bar for a chain saw, comprising:
- an inner layer sandwiched between a pair of outer layers, at least one of said outer layers having an opening therein, a guide bar indicia being observable via said opening, said guide bar indicia being indicative of characteristics of said guide bar.
A method for selecting a correct replacement saw chain for a chain saw from a plurality of replacement saw chains, said chain saw including a guide bar having indicia thereon indicative of characteristics of said guide bar, each of said plurality of replacement saw chains having indicia associated therewith indicative of characteristics of said replacement saw chain, comprising the steps of:
- viewing the guide bar indicia;
- viewing said plurality of replacement saw chain indicia;
- selecting a replacement saw chain having indicia which matches said guide bar indicia.
A method of making a chain saw guide bar, said guide bar comprising a pair of outer plates and an inner plate, comprising the steps of:
- forming an opening through one of said pair of outer plates;
- positioning said inner plate between said outer plates;
- attaching said inner plate to said outer plates;
- and,
- placing indicia within said opening, said indicia being indicative of characteristics of said guide bar.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.