Patent Application
20180120081
The embodiments described herein relate to devices for taking measurements and/or dimensions and more particularly, to measuring and/or dimensioning devices with attachable accessories such as a writing utensil, stylus, and/or the like.
Many devices and/or methods for taking measurements and/or for dimensioning exist. In some instances, such measuring and/or dimensioning devices (referred to herein as “measuring device”) are tailored and/or otherwise designed for an intended use and may, in other instances, present challenges for taking accurate measurements. For example, tape measurers are known and commonly used. In general, tape measurers include a series of indicators such as tick marks that typically provide a user with an indication of a linear distance. Known tape measurers, however, may not be suitable and/or may otherwise provide inaccurate measurements in some instances such as, for example, when measuring along a curved or otherwise non-linear path.
As another example, measuring wheels (e.g., a surveyor's wheel or the like) have been used to measure distances along a surface. Some known measuring wheels include and/or employ optical and/or mechanical tracking to determine a number of rotations and/or a fraction thereof of the wheel, which in turn, can be used to provide a measurement associated with a distance traversed along a surface (e.g., a linear or curvilinear direction). More particularly, an optical sensor and/or mechanical gauge can determine a number or rotations of a wheel moving along a surface by detecting one or more indicators (e.g., tick marks, holes, protrusions, and/or any other suitable indicia). In some instances, by knowing the wheel's diameter and the number of rotations, the distance traversed along the surface can be determined as the product of the diameter, the number of rotations, and the constant, pi (Distance=diameter*rotation*π). Some known measuring wheels, however, may provide inaccurate measurements if, for example, the wheel is rotated in an opposite direction and/or loses adequate contact or traction with the surface.
Moreover, the use of some known measuring devices such as those described above may be inconvenient by requiring a user to employ a separate writing utensil (e.g., a pencil, a pen, a stylus, etc.) to, for example, mark location of measurement on a surface. Accordingly, a need exists for improved measuring and/or dimensioning devices with attachable accessories such as a writing utensil, stylus, and/or the like. Moreover, a need exists for devices and/or methods for digitizing and/or otherwise presenting such measurements for and/or to a user.
Devices and methods for taking measurements and/or dimensions are described herein. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first housing, an electronics assembly disposed within the first housing, and a wheel assembly rotatably coupled to a first end portion of the first housing. The wheel assembly includes a wheel configured to rotate in response to being moved along a surface and a magnetic member operably coupled to the wheel and configured to change a magnetic field in response to the rotation of the wheel. The electronics assembly configured to determine a measurement associated with the surface based on the change in the magnetic field. The second portion includes a second housing. A first end portion of the second housing is configured to removably couple to a second end portion of the first housing opposite the first end portion of the first housing. A second end portion of the second housing configured to at least partially house at least one of a writing instrument or an output instrument.
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a first housing, an electronics assembly disposed within the first housing, and a wheel assembly rotatably coupled to a first end portion of the first housing. The wheel assembly includes a wheel configured to rotate in response to being moved along a surface and a magnetic member operably coupled to the wheel and configured to change a magnetic field in response to the rotation of the wheel. The electronics assembly configured to determine a measurement associated with the surface based on the change in the magnetic field. The second portion includes a second housing. A first end portion of the second housing is configured to removably couple to a second end portion of the first housing opposite the first end portion of the first housing. A second end portion of the second housing configured to at least partially house at least one of a writing instrument or an output instrument.
In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a first housing, a second housing, a wheel assembly, an electronics assembly, and a writing instrument. The first housing has a first end portion and a second end portion and defines a cavity. The wheel assembly is coupled to the first end portion of the first housing and includes a wheel configured to rotate relative to the housing in response to being moved along a surface. The electronics assembly is disposed within the cavity of the first housing. The electronics assembly including an optical output device configured to project an output on the surface to provide a guide to a user as the user moves the wheel along a path on the surface. The electronics assembly is configured to determine a measurement associated with the path on the surface based on data associated with the rotation of the wheel relative to the housing. The second housing has a first end portion and a second end portion. The first end portion of the second housing is configured to removably couple to the second end portion of the first housing. The writing instrument is coupled to the second end portion of the second housing and is at least partially disposed therein.
In some embodiments, a method of using a measuring device having a wheel assembly included in a first portion of the measuring device, an electronics assembly disposed within the first portion of the measuring device, and a writing instrument included in a second portion of the measuring device includes placing a wheel of the wheel assembly in contact with a surface. The wheel is moved along at least a portion of the surface. The movement of the wheel results in a rotation of a portion of the wheel assembly. At least one dimension associated with at least the portion of the surface is determined. Information associated with the at least one dimension can then be written on a medium using the writing instrument.
In some embodiments, a device includes a first portion and a second portion. The first portion includes a housing, an electronics assembly disposed within the housing, and a wheel assembly rotatably coupled to a first end of the housing. The wheel assembly includes a contact wheel configured to rotate in response to being moved along a surface and a magnetic member configured to rotate in response to the rotation of the contact wheel. The electronics assembly is configured to determine a measurement associated with the surface based on at least one characteristic associated with the contact wheel and a rotation of the magnetic member. The second portion includes a housing having a first end and a second end. The first end of the housing included in the second portion is configured to removably couple to the second end of the housing included in the first portion. The housing of the second portion is configured to at least partially house at least one of a writing instrument or an input instrument.
As used in this specification, the singular forms “a,” “an” and “the” include plural referents unless the context clearly dictates otherwise. Thus, for example, the term “a member” is intended to mean a single member or a combination of members, “a material” is intended to mean one or more materials, or a combination thereof.
As used herein, the terms “about” and “approximately” generally mean plus or minus 10% of the value stated. For example, about 0.5 would include 0.45 and 0.55, about 10 would include 9 to 11, about 1000 would include 900 to 1100. Similarly, the term “substantially” when used in connection with geometric relationships (e.g., cylindrical, rectangular, linear, perpendicular, parallel, etc.) is intended to convey that the structure(s) so defined is/are nominally the desired geometric relationship. As one example, a portion of a body, housing, or wall that is described as being “substantially cylindrical” is intended to convey that, although a cylindrical shape of the portion is desirable, some variance can occur in a “substantially cylindrical” portion. Such variance can result from manufacturing tolerances or other practical considerations. Thus, as described above with reference to the terms “about” and “approximately” a geometric construction modified by the term “substantially” includes such geometric properties within a tolerance of plus or minus 10% of the stated geometric construction. In other instances, the terms “about,” “approximately,” and/or “substantially” can be associated with a variance from the stated value or geometric relationship that is less than 10% and/or that otherwise accords with industry standards, practices, expectations, and/or the like.
As used herein, the term “parallel” generally describes a relationship between two geometric constructions (e.g., two lines, two planes, two axes, a combination thereof, and/or the like) in which the two geometric constructions are substantially non-intersecting as they extend substantially to infinity. For example, as used herein, an axis is said to be parallel to another axis when the axes do not intersect as they extend to infinity. Similarly, when a planar surface (i.e., a two-dimensional surface) is said to be parallel to a line, every point along the line is spaced apart from the nearest portion of the surface by a substantially equal distance. Two geometric constructions are described herein as being “parallel” or “substantially parallel” to each other when they are nominally parallel to each other, such as for example, when they are parallel to each other within a tolerance. Such tolerances can include, for example, manufacturing tolerances, measurement tolerances or the like.
As used herein, the term “set” can refer to multiple features or a singular feature with multiple parts. For example, when referring to set of walls, the set of walls can be considered as one wall with multiple portions, or the set of walls can be considered as multiple, distinct walls. Thus, a monolithically constructed item can include a set of walls. Such a set of walls may include multiple portions that are either continuous or discontinuous from each other. For example, a monolithically constructed item can include a set of detents and/or protrusions that can be said to form a set of walls. A set of walls can also be fabricated from multiple items that are produced separately and are later joined together (e.g., via a weld, an adhesive, or any suitable method).
As used herein, the term “end” can refer to a point, a surface, and/or a portion of an object that is at, near, or that otherwise forms an extremity. For example, in some instances, the term “end” can refer to a point or surface that forms an extremity or outermost structure of the feature or object so described. In other instances, the term “end” can refer to an end portion or end region of a feature or object so described. In such instances, the “end” can include, for example, a point or surface that forms an extremity or outermost structure of the feature or object, as well as at least a portion or region of feature or object adjacent thereto. Accordingly, as used herein, the meaning of the term “end” is made clear by the context in which it is described and the scope thereof is not intended to be limited unless explicitly described.
The devices and/or methods described herein can be used to accurately and conveniently measure and/or dimension drawings, objects, surfaces, spaces, and/or the like. By way of example, a user can manipulate any of the devices described herein to rotate a portion of a wheel assembly or the like along a surface. One or more characteristics associated with the portion of the wheel assembly and/or the rotation thereof, in turn, can be used to calculate and/or determine one or more dimensions associated with the surface along which the portion of the wheel assembly is rotated. In addition, any of the devices described herein can include and/or can be selectively coupled to any suitable device, accessory, instrument, utensil, and/or the like. For example, any of the devices described herein can include and/or can be coupled to a writing utensil (e.g., a pencil, pen, etc.), stylus, and/or the like.
As shown in
The first portion 110 of the device 100 includes a housing 111, an electronics assembly 120, and a wheel assembly 150. The housing 111 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the housing 111 can be a substantially cylindrical or annular tube configured to contain and/or house at least a portion of the electronics assembly 120 and/or wheel assembly 150. In other words, the housing 111 can define an inner volume or cavity in which at least a portion of the electronics assembly 120 and/or at least a portion of the wheel assembly 150 can be disposed. As described above, the housing 111 can have a size and/or shape that is suitable for single-handed operation and/or the like. As shown, the housing 111 includes a first end 112 and a second end 113 (e.g., a first end portion or region and a second end portion or region). The first end 112 of the housing 111 is coupled to the wheel assembly 150 such that a portion of the wheel assembly 150 can rotate relative thereto. The second end 113 of the housing 111 is configured to removably couple to the second portion 170 of the device 100, as described in further detail herein.
The electronics assembly 120 can be any suitable configuration. Although not shown in
The wheel assembly 150 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. As described above, the wheel assembly 150 is coupled to the first end 112 (e.g., a first end portion) of the housing 111 such that a portion of the wheel assembly 150 can rotate relative thereto. For example, although not shown in
As shown in
Although not shown in
In some embodiments, the use of the magnetic member 157 and magnetic sensor can allow for an accurate and/or precise measuring or dimensioning. For example, in some embodiments, the electronics assembly 120 (e.g., a processor or the like) can determine a measurement within about 1.0 millimeter (mm), about 0.9 mm, about 0.8 mm, about 0.7 mm, about 0.6 mm, about 0.5 mm, about 0.4 mm, about 0.3 mm, about 0.2 mm, about 0.1 mm, or less. Moreover, unlike some known measuring wheels using, for example, optical tracking or the like, the use of the magnetic member 157 and magnetic sensor can allow for bi-directional operation in which rotation of the contact wheel 151 in a first direction results in an increase in a value of a dimension or measurement and rotation of the contact wheel 151 in a second direction, opposite the first direction, results in a decrease in the value of the dimension or measurement. That is to say, in some instances, moving the contact wheel 151 along a surface in a first direction results in a positive or increasing measurement and moving the contact wheel 151 along the surface in a second direction, opposite the first direction, results in a negative or decreasing measurement. Thus, for example, if a user moves the contact wheel 151 beyond a desired point along a surface (thereby resulting in a measurement that is greater than the dimension of what is being measured), the user can move the contact wheel 151 in a substantially opposite direction (i.e., a reverse direction) to the desired point along the surface, which in turn, reduces the value of the measurement such that the measurement accurately reflects the dimension of what is being measured.
The second portion 170 of the device 100 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. In some embodiments, for example, the second portion 170 of the device 100 can have a size and/or shape that is substantially similar to at least a portion of some known writing utensils (e.g., pens, pencils, etc.). In the embodiment shown in
In the embodiment shown in
Although the writing instrument 190 is described above as being, for example, pencil lead, in other embodiments, the writing instrument 190 can be any suitable configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the second portion 170 can include a writing instrument 190 configured as, for example, a ballpoint pen or the like. In other embodiments, the writing instrument 190 can be configured as a marker, colored pencil, grease pencil, crayon, chalk, etc. In still other embodiment, the writing instrument 190 can be configured as a stylus configured to be placed in contact with a touch-sensitive display of a computing device or the like. As such, the user move the stylus (e.g., writing instrument 190) along the touch-sensitive display, which in turn, can result in writing being graphically represented on the display and/or can otherwise result in user-inputs into the computing device. In other words, the writing instrument 190, when configured as a stylus, can be substantially similar in at least function to known styluses.
While the second portion 170 is described above as including a writing instrument 190, in other embodiments, the second portion 170 can have any suitable configuration and/or arrangement. For example, in some embodiments, the second portion 170 can be a clip or the like configured to removably engage an article of clothing or the like worn by the user. In other embodiments, the second portion 170 can be coupled to and/or can include, for example, a hook, loop, carabiner, magnet, leash, clasp, keychain, knife, probe, screwdriver, bottle opener, corkscrew, laser pointer, laser-measuring device, can opener, and/or any other suitable attachment or device.
As shown in
The first portion 210 of the device 200 includes a housing 211, an electronics assembly 220, and a wheel assembly 250. In general, the first portion 210 of the device 200 can be used to measure and/or dimension any suitable surface, object, line, drawing, and/or the like, as described above with reference to the first portion 110 of the device 100 shown in
Expanding further, the housing 211 of the first portion 210 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. In the embodiment shown in
As shown in
The electronics assembly 220 included in the first portion 210 of the device 200 can be any suitable configuration. In addition, the electronics assembly 220 can include any suitable structure, compute device, and/or electric/electronic component. For example, as shown in
The housing 221 of the electronics assembly 220 is configured to be disposed and/or housed within the first cavity 215 of the housing 211 of the first portion 210 (see e.g.,
The PCB 230 of the electronics assembly 220 can be any suitable printed circuit board and/or printed circuit board assembly that includes and/or that is electrically coupled to any suitable electric and/or electronic component. For example, the PCB 230 can include at least a processor and a memory. The processor can be, for example, a general-purpose processor (GPP), a central processing unit (CPU), an accelerated processing unit (APU), and/or the like. The memory can be, for example, a random access memory (RAM), a memory buffer, a hard drive, a solid-state drive (SSD), a read-only memory (ROM), an erasable programmable read-only memory (EPROM), a flash memory, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the processor and/or memory can be included in an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC) and/or the like. In some embodiments, the memory stores instructions to cause the processor to execute modules, code, processes, and/or functions associated with detecting a rotation of a portion of the wheel assembly 250 and/or determining a measurement and/or dimension associated with the rotation of the portion of the wheel assembly 250, as described in further detail herein.
As shown in
The magnetic sensor 233 included in the PCB 230 is configured to produce an electric and/or electronic signal in response to an applied magnetic field and/or in response to a change in an applied magnetic field. Moreover, the bus 234 (e.g., an electric and/or electronic connector or the like) can be electrically connected to the magnetic sensor 233 and configured to send one or more signals between the magnetic sensor 233 and, for example, the processor or the like. The magnetic sensor 233 can be any suitable magnetic sensor such as, for example, a hall magnetic sensor, and/or the like. In some embodiments, the magnetic sensor 233 can be configured to detect and/or sense one or more changes in a magnetic field generated by a magnetic member 257 of the wheel assembly 250. As such, the processor can receive from the magnetic sensor 233 (e.g., via the bus 234 or the like) one or more signals indicative of data associated with the one or more changes, which in turn, can be used to determine an amount and/or characteristics of a rotation of at least a portion of the wheel assembly 250, as described in further detail herein.
The optical output device 235 and the lens 236 can be and suitable configuration. In some embodiments, the optical output device 235 can be a laser configured to project a beam of light, which in turn, is focused, filtered, directed, and/or otherwise passed through the lens 236. For example, in some embodiments, the lens 236 can be configured to focus and/or direct a beam of light produced by the optical output device 235 through a slit or opening 259 defined by an end cap 258 of the wheel assembly 250 (e.g., the lens 236 can be disposed within a recess or the like defined by the end cap 258). In some instances, the beam of light can be projected onto a surface to provide an indication associated with a point of contact between a portion of the wheel assembly 250 and the surface. In such instances, for example, a user can align the beam of light (e.g., the output of the optical output device 235) with a starting point of a line to be measured and can use the beam of light as a guide or the like to follow the line to an ending point thereof. In other embodiments, the optical output device 235 can produce a beam of light or the like which can be used to determine one or more measurements and/or dimensions (e.g., via a light sensor configured to sense and/or detect reflected light or the like).
In still other embodiments, the optical output device 235 can be used to project data or the like (e.g., via an illuminated graphical image) on a surface. For example, in some embodiments, the optical output device 235 can be configured to project (via a beam of light) a grid or a set of indicators at predetermined intervals (e.g., even intervals or gradients). In some embodiments, the optical output device 235 can be configured to project a measurement and/or dimension of an object dimensioned using the device 200. In other embodiments, the optical output device 235 can be configured to provide an indicator or the like indicative of a status of at least the first portion 210 of the device 200. Such a status can be associated with, for example, a powered on state, a powered off state, a battery charge level (e.g., low battery power indicator), an error state, and/or any other suitable status of at the first portion 210 of the device 200.
Although not shown herein, the PCB 230 and/or the electronics assembly 220 can include any suitable communication interface or the like (e.g., a network interface card) configured to send and/or receive data via, for example, a network. For example, the communication interface can include one or more wired and/or wireless interfaces, such as, for example, Ethernet interfaces, optical carrier (OC) interfaces, and/or asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) interfaces. In some embodiments, the communication interface can be, for example, a network interface card and/or the like that can include, for example, an Ethernet port and/or one or more wireless radios (e.g., a WiFi® radio, a Bluetooth® radio, a Near Field Communication (NFC) radio, etc.). In this manner, the PCB 230 and/or the electronics assembly 220 can be placed in electronic communication with one or more external electronic devices. For example, in some embodiments, the PCB 230 and/or the electronics assembly 220 can be in electronic communication with a personal computer (PC), a laptop, a mobile device, a smartphone, a wearable electronic device, a “smart” device or appliance, etc. via a wireless connection or network and an application running on the device.
The battery assembly 240 (or battery pack) can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. For example, as shown in
The arrangement of the batteries 246 within the casing 241 is such that the second electrical contact 232 of the PCB 230 extends through the second opening 244 of the end surface 242 of the casing 241 to contact the negative terminal of the battery 246 adjacent to the end surface 242. In this manner, the PCB 230 is electrically connected to the negative terminals 248 of the batteries 246. As shown in
The wheel assembly 250 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. For example, as shown in
The contact wheel 251 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. In some embodiments, for example, the contact wheel 251 can be formed of a relatively soft material configured to facilitate and/or otherwise enhance grip and/or traction with a surface along which the contact wheel 251 moves (e.g., rolls). For example, the contact wheel 251 can be formed of a relatively soft material such as a plastic, rubber, silicone, and/or the like. Likewise, the contact wheel 251 can have and/or can include any suitable surface finish, tread, etc. that can enhance a grip and/or contact between a surface and the contact wheel 251. In some embodiments, the contact wheel 251 and/or any other suitable portion of the wheel assembly 250 can be removable, interchangeable, swappable, etc. For example, in some embodiments, the contact wheel 251 can have a size and/or can be formed of a material based at least in part on a surface that the contact wheel 251 is configured to move (e.g., roll) along. For example, in some embodiments, a contact wheel can have a first diameter that is associated with and/or configured to move along a relatively rough surface, while in other embodiments, a contact wheel can have a second diameter, smaller than the first diameter, which is associated with and/or configured to move along a relatively smooth surface. By way of another example, a contact wheel can be formed of a relatively soft material and/or a material with a relatively high coefficient of friction when the contact wheel is moved (e.g., rolled) along a smooth or slick surface such as glass or the like.
The pinion 255 of the wheel assembly 250 can be any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. As shown in
The pinion 255 houses, includes, and/or is coupled to the magnetic member 257. For example, in some embodiments, the magnetic member 257 can be disposed within the opening 260 (
As shown in
As described above, the magnetic sensor 233 (e.g., a hall magnetic sensor or the like), is configured to sense, determine, and/or otherwise electrically interact with the magnetic field produced by the magnetic member 257. For example, in some embodiments, the magnetic sensor 233 can be configured to produce a signal or voltage in response to the magnetic field being within a predetermined distance from the magnetic sensor 233 and/or being in a predetermined orientation relative to the magnetic sensor 233. Accordingly, a point and/or portion of the magnetic member 257 can form and/or otherwise act as a reference point, which the magnetic sensor 233 can track and/or detect based on one or more characteristics associated with the magnetic field produced by the magnetic member 257. Moreover, when the one or more characteristics associated with the magnetic field satisfy a criterion (or a set of criteria), the magnetic sensor 233 can output a voltage or signal that is sent to the processor via the bus 234. Such criterion or criteria can be, for example, strength, orientation, polarity, proximity, and/or the like of the magnetic field and/or the magnetic member 257.
Based on receiving the signals and/or voltage output from the magnetic sensor 233, the processor of the electronics assembly 220 can determine, for example, a number of rotations of the magnetic member 257 and in turn, a number of rotations of the pinion 255. Furthermore, with the gears 256 of the pinion 255 engaging the gears 254 of the rotation ring 253, the processor can determine a number of rotations associated with the gear ring 253, and thus, the contact wheel 251 based on, for example, a diameter of the pinion 255, the gear ring 253, and/or the contact wheel 251; a gear ratio between the pinion 255 and the gear ring 253; a determined rotational velocity of the pinion 255 and/or magnetic member 257; and/or any other suitable characteristic, relationship, data, etc. Said another way, the processor and/or the electronics assembly 220 can determine, for example, a number of rotations of the contact wheel 251 (indicated by the arrow AA in
In some embodiments, the use of the magnetic member 257 and magnetic sensor can allow for an accurate and/or precise measuring or dimensioning. For example, in some embodiments, the electronics assembly 220 (e.g., a processor or the like) can determine a measurement within about 1.0 millimeter (mm), about 0.9 mm, about 0.8 mm, about 0.7 mm, about 0.6 mm, about 0.5 mm, about 0.4 mm, about 0.3 mm about 0.2 mm, about 0.1 mm, or less. Moreover, unlike some known measuring wheels using, for example, optical tracking or the like, the use of the magnetic member 257 and magnetic sensor can allow for bi-directional operation in which rotation of the contact wheel 251 in a first direction results in an increase in a value of a dimension or measurement and rotation of the contact wheel 251 in a second direction, opposite the first direction, results in a decrease in the value of the dimension or measurement. That is to say, in some instances, moving the contact wheel 251 along a surface in a first direction results in a positive or increasing measurement and moving the contact wheel 251 along the surface in a second direction, opposite the first direction, results in a negative or decreasing measurement. Thus, for example, if a user moves the contact wheel 251 beyond a desired point along a surface (thereby resulting in a measurement that is greater than the dimension of what is being measured), the user can move the contact wheel 251 in a substantially opposite direction (i.e., a reverse direction) to the desired point along the surface, which in turn, reduces the value of the measurement such that the measurement accurately reflects the dimension of what is being measured.
Although not shown in
Although not shown in
Although not shown herein, the electronics assembly 220 can be in electronic communication with one or more output devices and/or one or more external electronic devices. For example, although not shown, the electronics assembly 220 and/or any suitable portion of the device 200 can include an output such as a display or the like. In such embodiments, the processor or the like of the electronics assembly 220 can calculate and/or determine a measurement and/or dimension and can send one or more signals to the display indicative of an instruction to graphically represent data indicating the measurement and/or dimension. In other embodiments, the processor can send one or more signals to a communication interface such as a network interface card or the like and in response, the communication interface can send data associated with the measurement and/or dimension to one or more external electronic devices (e.g., a PC, laptop, smartphone, wearable electronic device, etc.). Furthermore, a user can access the data on the external electronic device(s) via a PC or mobile application, a web browser and the Internet, and/or the like. In some instances, such external electronic devices (e.g., a smartphone) can be configured to present any suitable data associated with the device 200 and/or a status thereof (e.g., a measurement or dimension, an operational state such as “powered on” or “powered off,” a battery charge level, etc.). In some instances, such external electronic devices can provide and/or can be configured to present to a user an interface allowing the user to order and/or purchase parts and/or supplies associated with the device (e.g., batteries, pencil lead, ink cartridges, attachment accessories (second portions 270 of any suitable configuration), and/or the like).
Referring to
As shown, the second portion 270 of the device 200 includes a housing 271, a first end cap 276, a second end cap 285, a holder 280, and a writing instrument 290. The housing 271 of the second portion 270 has a first end 272 (e.g., a first end portion) and a second end 273 (e.g., a second end portion). As described above with reference to the first portion 210 of the device 200, the second portion 270 of the device 200 can have a size and/or shape that is suitable for single-handed operation and/or the like. The first end 272 of the housing 271 included in the second portion 270 is configured to removably couple to the second end 213 of the housing 211 included in the first portion 210. For example, the first end 272 of the housing 271 includes and/or is coupled to the first end cap 276 (see e.g.,
The second end 273 of the housing 271 can any suitable shape, size, and/or configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the second end 273 of the housing 271 can have a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the first end 272 such that the housing 271 forms a taper or the like. The second end 273 is removably coupled to a second end cap 285. For example, in some embodiments, the second cap 285 and the second end 273 of the housing 271 can form a threaded coupling or the like to at least temporarily couple the second end cap 285 to the second end 273 of the housing 271. The second end cap 285 can be any suitable configuration. For example, as shown in
The holder 280 is coupled to an inner portion of the housing 271 via any suitable coupling. For example, as shown in
As shown in
Conversely, when a portion of the writing instrument 290 is disposed within the passageway 284, the writing instrument 290 can reduce and/or substantially prevent movement of the first arm 281 toward the second arm 282. In some embodiments the writing instrument 290 can exert a constant force or pressure on an inner portion of the first arm 281 and the second arm 282 that is operable in biasing and/or pushing the first arm 281 and the second arm 282 outwardly (e.g., increasing a distance between the first arm 281 and the second arm 282). Thus, in some embodiments, when the writing instrument 290 is disposed within the passageway 284, the flared ends 281A and 282A can be maintained within the space between the protrusion 288 and the tapered surface 287, as shown in
In some embodiments, the threaded coupling of the second end cap 285 to the second end 273 of the housing 271 can allow, for example, the second end cap 285 to be advanced along the threads of the second end 273 of the housing 271 such that the second end cap 285 is moved in an axial direction closer to or further from an end surface of the housing 271 (the second end 273). As shown in
Although the writing instrument 290 is described above a being, for example, pencil lead, in other embodiments, the writing instrument 290 can be any suitable configuration. For example, in some embodiments, the second portion 270 can include a writing instrument 290 configured as, for example, a ballpoint pen, fountain pen, marker, colored pencil, crayon, chalk, and/or any other suitable writing instrument and/or utensil. In such embodiments, a user can manipulate the device 200 by placing the writing instrument 290 in contact with a medium and moving the device to write and/or otherwise mark the medium. For example, in some instances, a user can manipulate the device 200 to write, using the writing instrument 290, information associated with one or more dimensions determined by the device 200. In other instances, the user can manipulate the device 200 to make any suitable mark on a medium using the writing instrument 290 (e.g., the writing is not limited to writing information associated with the one or more dimensioned determined by the device 200). In this context, a medium can include any suitable surface on which a person can write. A non-exhaustive list of examples of a medium can include, for example, paper or other article commonly used for writing or printing, wood, cardboard, drywall, plaster, glass, cloth, a portion of the user's body such as the user's hand, the surface being measured, and/or any other suitable surface.
While the writing instrument 290 is described above as being used for writing and/or otherwise making a mark(s) on a medium, in other embodiments, a device can include a writing instrument configuration as a stylus or the like, which can be placed in contact with a touch-sensitive display of a computing device or the like. As such, the user can move the stylus (e.g., writing instrument 290) along the touch-sensitive display, which in turn, can result in writing being graphically represented on the display and/or can otherwise result in user-inputs into the computing device. In other words, the writing instrument 290, when configured as a stylus, can be substantially similar in at least function to known styluses.
While various embodiments have been described above, it should be understood that they have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Where schematics and/or embodiments described above indicate certain components arranged in certain orientations or positions, the arrangement of components may be modified. While the embodiments have been particularly shown and described, it will be understood that various changes in form and details may be made. Although various embodiments have been described as having particular features and/or combinations of components, other embodiments are possible having a combination of any features and/or components from any of embodiments as discussed above.
Although not shown herein, the embodiments described above can be used with any suitable external device. For example, in some instances, the device 200 can be used with an external electronic device (e.g., a computing device such as a personal computer, a laptop, a tablet, a workstation, etc.) and configured to send data to and/or receive data from the external electronic device. In some instances, such an external device can be used to create, calculate, and/or produce digital and/or virtual maps of any suitable surface based on measurements and/or dimensions (and or any suitable data) received from the electronics assembly 220. In some embodiments, one or more sensor(s) (e.g., a three-axis, a six-axis, or a nine-axis motion sensor) can provide the electronics assembly 220 with data associated with the movement of the device 200 that captures the path of the movement at predetermined intervals. This data can be synchronized with the distance measurement (associated with movement of the contact wheel 251 along the surface) calculated and/or determined by the electronics assembly 220 and can be cross-referenced with data associated with an accurate distance and direction measurement (e.g., based on known or predetermined information and/or data). The synchronized data can be used to create a point trail in two-dimensional space or in three-dimensional space which can be extrapolated to obtain a curved path that filters noise (e.g., Bézier curve). The two-dimensional and three-dimensional path (e.g., point trail) can be visualized, saved, and converted to any suitable format (e.g., a format compatible with one or more Computer Aided Design program(s)). In some embodiments, the synchronized data enables the electronics assembly 220 to preform error corrections due to unlevelled and/or wobbly movement of the contact wheel 251.
For example,
While various embodiments have been described above as being used to perform particular tasks and/or otherwise being used a particular ways, it should be understood that such uses have been presented by way of example only, and not limitation. Where methods and/or events described herein indicate certain events and/or procedures occurring in certain order, the ordering of certain events and/or procedures may be modified. Additionally, certain events and/or procedures may be performed concurrently in a parallel process when possible, as well as performed sequentially as described above.
As shown in
At least one dimension associated with at least the portion of the surface is determined, at 13. In some embodiments, for example, the electronics assembly included in the first portion of the measuring device can be configured to determine the at least one dimension based at least in part on rotation of the wheel along the surface (or portion thereof). In some embodiments, the electronics assembly can be configured to determine the at least one dimension based at least in part on one or more changes in the magnetic field associated with the magnetic member as a result of the magnetic member being rotated as the wheel is rotated, as in described above with reference to the measuring device 200.
Information associated with the at least one dimension is written on a medium using the writing instrument, at 14. For example, in some embodiments, the writing instrument can be a pencil or pencil lead, a pen or the like configured to release ink, chalk, and/or any other suitable device configured to produce a mark on the medium (e.g., paper or other article commonly used for writing or printing, wood, cardboard, drywall, plaster, glass, cloth, a portion of the user's body such as the user's hand, the surface being measured, and/or any other suitable surface). In other embodiments, the writing instrument can be a stylus or the like configured to provide an input to an external electronic device when placed in contact with a touch-sensitive display of the external electronic device (e.g., the touch-sensitive display can be the medium on which the information is written using the writing instrument (stylus)). As such, the user can manipulate the measuring device to write information associated with the at least one dimension on the medium.
Some embodiments described herein relate to a computer storage product with a non-transitory computer-readable medium (also can be referred to as a non-transitory processor-readable medium) having instructions or computer code thereon for performing various computer-implemented operations. The computer-readable medium (or processor-readable medium) is non-transitory in the sense that it does not include transitory propagating signals (e.g., propagating electromagnetic wave carrying information on a transmission medium such as space or a cable). The media and computer code (also referred to herein as code) may be those designed and constructed for the specific purpose or purposes. Examples of non-transitory computer-readable media include, but are not limited to: magnetic storage media such as hard disks, optical storage media such as Compact Disc/Digital Video Discs (CD/DVDs), Compact Disc-Read Only Memories (CD-ROMs), magneto-optical storage media such as optical disks, carrier wave signal processing modules, and hardware devices that are specially configured to store and execute program code, such as Application-Specific Integrated Circuits (ASICs), Programmable Logic Devices (PLDs), Read-Only Memory (ROM) and Random-Access Memory (RAM) devices. Other embodiments described herein relate to a computer program product, which can include, for example, the instructions and/or computer code discussed herein.
Examples of computer code include, but are not limited to, micro-code or micro-instructions, machine instructions, such as produced by a compiler, code used to produce a web service, and files containing higher-level instructions that are executed by a computer using an interpreter. For example, embodiments may be implemented using imperative programming languages (e.g., C, FORTRAN, etc.), functional programming languages (Haskell, Erlang, etc.), logical programming languages (e.g., Prolog), object-oriented programming languages (e.g., Java, C++, etc.), or other programming languages and/or other development tools. Additional examples of computer code include, but are not limited to, control signals, encrypted code, and compressed code.
This application claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/413,581 entitled, “Measuring Devices with Attachable Accessories and Methods of Using the Same,” filed Oct. 27, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This application also claims priority to and the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 62/430,683 entitled, “Measuring Devices with Attachable Accessories and Methods of Using the Same,” filed Dec. 6, 2016, the disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 62413581 | Oct 2016 | US | |
| 62430683 | Dec 2016 | US |
