Magnet mounting and retention system for tool

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10962365-B2
Application number	US-201916395470-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Apr 26, 2019
Priority date	Apr 12, 2018
Publication date	Mar 30, 2021
Grant date	Mar 30, 2021

Abstract

A tool, such as a level, with magnets embedded in a working surface is provided. For example, the magnets assist in coupling the level to magnetic workpieces. The magnets are placed in a chamber with a floor having a periphery and internal walls extending from the floor periphery. Flanges extend from internal wall of the chamber toward a central axis or point and partially further define the chamber volume. Flanges may be created by depressing surface of the level near the chamber, thus deforming the level body surface to create a channel and a flange from the material displaced from the channel.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A level comprising:
an orientation measuring component;
a planar base surface;
a top surface opposing the base surface;
a first chamber formed in the base surface, the first chamber comprising:
a chamber floor with a periphery;
an internal wall extending from the chamber floor periphery to the base surface;
a chamber volume defined by the internal wall and the chamber floor;
a compressible component adjacent to the chamber floor;
a magnet disposed in the chamber volume such that the compressible component is between the magnet and the chamber floor;
a flange protruding outwardly from the internal wall toward a middle of the first chamber, the flange partially protruding over the chamber volume and partially over the magnet such that the flange retains the magnet within the chamber volume.

2. The level of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is elongate with two arcuate-shaped end walls connected by two straight parallel sidewalls, and wherein the flange includes two flanges, each of which extend along one of the two sidewalls.

3. The level of claim 1 , wherein the flange includes two flanges, and wherein the internal wall has a first diameter at a first location between the two flanges, the first diameter being less than a second diameter that is directly below the two flanges.

4. The level of claim 1 , wherein the magnet comprises a first magnet and a second magnet, each of which have a north pole and a south pole, the north pole of the first magnet being disposed away from the chamber floor and the north pole of the second magnet being disposed towards the chamber floor.

5. The level of claim 1 , wherein the first chamber is disposed in the base surface proximate a first end of the level, the level further comprising:
a second chamber formed in the base surface near a second end of the level, the second chamber including:
a chamber floor with a periphery;
an internal wall extending from the chamber floor periphery to the base surface;
a chamber volume defined by the internal wall and the chamber floor;
a compressible component adjacent to the chamber floor;
a magnet disposed in the chamber volume such that the compressible component is between the magnet and the chamber floor;
a flange that protrudes outwardly from the internal wall toward a middle of the second chamber, the flange partially protruding over the chamber volume; and

a third chamber formed in the base surface near a middle of the level, the third chamber including:
a chamber floor with a periphery;
an internal wall extending from the chamber floor periphery to the base surface;
a chamber volume defined by the internal wall and the chamber floor;
a compressible component adjacent to the chamber floor;
a magnet disposed in the chamber volume such that the compressible component is between the magnet and the chamber floor;
a flange that protrudes outwardly from the internal wall toward a middle of the third chamber, the flange partially protruding over the chamber volume.

6. The level of claim 1 wherein the orientation measuring component is a level vial supported between the base surface and the top surface.

7. The level of claim 1 , the level further comprising a magnetic component between the magnet and the compressible component, wherein the compressible component comprises ribs that engage with the magnetic component.

8. The level of claim 7 , wherein the ribs are axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the compressible component.

9. The level of claim 8 , wherein the compressible component comprises rubber with a Shore durometer of 30 A and 85 A.

10. The level of claim 7 , wherein the ribs are axially aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the compressible component.

11. The level of claim 1 , wherein the flange is generally circular and peripherally surrounds the first chamber.

12. A level comprising:
a planar base surface;
a top surface opposing the base surface;
a level vial supported between the base surface and the top surface;
a first chamber formed in the base surface, the first chamber comprising:
a chamber floor with a periphery;
an internal wall extending from the chamber floor periphery to the base surface;
a chamber volume defined by the internal wall and the chamber floor;
a compressible component adjacent to the chamber floor;
a magnet disposed in the chamber volume such that the compressible component is between the magnet and the chamber floor;
a flange that protrudes outwardly from the internal wall toward a middle of the first chamber, the flange partially protruding over the chamber volume, wherein the flange includes two flanges, and wherein the internal wall has a first diameter at a first location between the two flanges, the first diameter being less than a second diameter that is directly below the two flanges.

13. The level of claim 12 , wherein the first chamber is elongate with two arcuate-shaped end walls connected by two straight parallel sidewalls.

14. The level of claim 13 , wherein the flange for the first chamber includes two flanges, each of which extend along one of the respective two sidewalls.

15. The level of claim 12 , wherein the magnet comprises a first magnet and a second magnet, each of which have a north pole and a south pole, the north pole of the first magnet being disposed away from the chamber floor and the north pole of the second magnet being disposed towards the chamber floor.

16. The level of claim 12 , the level further comprising a magnetic component between the magnet and the compressible component, wherein the compressible component comprises ribs that engage with the magnetic component.

17. The level of claim 16 , wherein the ribs are axially aligned with a longitudinal axis of the compressible component.

18. The level of claim 16 , wherein the ribs are axially aligned perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the compressible component.

19. A level comprising:
an orientation measuring component;
a planar base surface;
a top surface opposing the base surface;
a first chamber formed in the base surface, the first chamber comprising:
a chamber floor with a periphery;
an internal wall extending from the chamber floor periphery to the base surface;
a chamber volume defined by the internal wall and the chamber floor;
a compressible component adjacent to the chamber floor;
a magnet disposed in the chamber volume such that the compressible component is between the magnet and the chamber floor;
a flange that protrudes outwardly from the internal wall toward a middle of the first chamber, the flange partially protruding over the chamber volume.

20. The level of claim 19 , wherein the first chamber is disposed in the base surface proximate a first end of the level, wherein the magnet comprises a permanent magnet and a ferromagnetic sleeve located in the first chamber.

Assignees

• Milwaukee Electric Tool Corp

Inventors

• Hui Hongping
• Wang Xinglong

Classifications

• G01C9/02 Primary

  Details · CPC title

• G01C9/28 Primary

  Mountings · CPC title

• G01D11/24

  Housings {; Casings for instruments} · CPC title

• G01C9/24

  in closed containers partially filled with liquid so as to leave a gas bubble · CPC title

• G01D11/14

  using magnetic induction damping · CPC title