Patent Application
20240402375
The present invention generally relates to the field of stud locator devices. More specifically, the present invention relates to a stud locator with the added feature to mark the wall where the center of the stud exists. The stud finder works using magnetic detection and LED lighting to visually identify the center of the stud and has the added feature of a two-pronged trigger activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly to mark the wall with the same hand that holds the stud finder. The trigger attachment can attach or detach from the device. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, locating studs behind the walls is a fundamental part of many home improvement projects. For example, individuals may look for studs while installing baseboards, crown moulding, and flooring; anchoring wall cabinets; and/or mounting shelving units. Also, individuals may locate studs when they want to hang some heavy item on the wall, as the item is to be hung on the center of the stud. Additionally, individuals may find studs while running plumbing pipes or electrical cables as individuals may avoid drilling into the stud to prevent damage to structural integrity of the wall. Once the wall structure is weakened due to unnecessary and inappropriate drilling, it cannot be reversed. Therefore, individuals make it a priority to find studs before starting on any home improvement tasks.
Various kinds of stud detection devices such as Magnetic stud finders, electronic stud finders, radio frequency (RF) imagers, ultra-wide-band (UWB) wall scanners, etc. are available in the market, that are widely used by individuals to get an accurate view into the wall and find the exact location of the studs behind the walls.
Once a stud is located, it needs to be manually marked using a pencil or a marker to subsequently use the exact stud position for hanging items, installing cables/flooring/baseboards/crown moulding, or the like. Manual stud marking can be a tedious and exhausting task even for professional contractors. Individuals may find it too difficult to mark the stud location with pencil/marker using one hand while holding the stud detector in another hand. Since both the hands are utilized while locating and marking studs behind drywalls, individuals may require assistance from others in case they need to perform some other tasks at the same time.
Further, during floor and baseboard installation, individuals may have to go onto their hands and knees to locate the studs and mark it close to the ground, that leads to severe aches and pains in back, knees, and neck. Also, individuals with limited physical dexterity may be unable to mark the studs using traditional methods. Furthermore, since the stud location marking process is manual, there is a huge chance of making errors due to lack of focus as individuals are busy locating studs and marking studs at the same time, that can lead to drilling at wrong stud position and therefore weakening the wall structure.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for a device that enables the individuals to precisely locate the studs behind the drywall and use its location while installing flooring and baseboards, crown moulding, running plumbing pipes, electrical cables, hanging items, installing shelves or while performing any other home improvement tasks. There is also a long felt need in the art for a stud marker device that enables the users to easily and accurately mark the stud location. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud locator and marker device that enables easy marking of exact stud location without going onto knees or hands and therefore prevents any injuries/pain in hands, knees, or neck. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud marker device that can be easily used by individuals with limited physical dexterity. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud locator device that ensures only one hand is used while detecting stud location and marking their position and enables the users to use their other hand for any other tasks to be done at the same time. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a simple and convenient stud locator and marker device for contractors, homeowners, or more.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a stud finder device with integrated pencil markers. The device comprises a main body that is substantially planar and configured for adherence to a wall surface, the main body having a front surface, a rear surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges. A plurality of stud indication markers are arrayed equidistantly along the top edge and across both the front and rear surfaces of the main body and are designed to be visible from both sides to indicate the presence of a stud. A magnetic sensor is integrated within the main body for detecting metal fasteners within the wall, thereby locating studs behind the drywall. A two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly is incorporated into the rear surface of the main body for marking the wall upon detection of a stud, comprising a first and a second movable graphite pencil assembly marker, each capable of extending a graphite pencil for marking when a trigger disposed on a handle is pressed by a user.
In this manner, the stud locator device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with an enhanced device of locating and marking studs within walls. The device has integrated magnetic sensor which precisely detects the metal fasteners used in securing drywall to studs. The two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly eliminates the need for a separate pencil or marking tool. The device includes a pivotable handle and a pair of wheels for easy maneuverability along a wall, thereby enabling operation from a comfortable standing position. The device enables users to operate the device from a standing position and eliminates the need for additional tools while marking.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises a stud finder device. The stud finder device includes a main body that is substantially planar, having a front surface, a rear surface, a top edge, a bottom edge, and a pair of side edges. A pair of wheels are disposed on the bottom edge of the main body, facilitating lateral movement along a wall. A magnetic sensor is disposed within the main body for detecting metal fasteners, indicating the presence of a stud. A plurality of stud indication markers are positioned equidistant along the top edge and across the front and rear surfaces of the main body, wherein the indication of a stud by the magnetic sensor is conveyed by the stud indication markers, and a two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly is embedded to the rear surface of the main body for marking on a wall upon identification of a stud. The two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly includes first and second movable graphite pencil assembly markers, each adapted to accommodate a graphite pencil for marking on a wall, wherein the markers are operatively connected to the trigger mechanism enabling for selective marking based on the detection of studs.
In yet another embodiment, a pivotable extended and telescoping handle is secured to the main body for facilitating easy maneuvering of the device along a wall, wherein the handle includes a hand member for gripping the handle and a trigger is adapted to activate the pencil assembly for marking the position of a stud on a wall.
In another aspect, the two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly is embedded within the device and includes a first movable graphite pencil assembly marker and a second movable graphite pencil assembly marker, each designed to accommodate a graphite pencil for marking on a wall. A trigger mechanism is operatively connected to the pencil assembly markers, wherein the trigger mechanism is configured to selectively extend or retract the graphite pencils from their respective assembly markers. A pneumatic rod is coupled to the trigger, wherein the rod actuates a spring and lever combination upon the trigger's activation, the spring and lever combination is operatively connected to both the first and second movable graphite pencil assembly markers to facilitate the extension and retraction of the graphite pencils.
In yet another embodiment, pressing the trigger extends the graphite pencils from the assembly markers to mark on a wall, and upon release, retracts the pencils into the assembly markers, facilitating clean and precise marking without manual adjustment.
In a further embodiment, the magnetic sensor can display the center and edges of studs simultaneously on the stud indication markers, accommodating for single studs, double studs, and irregular configurations of studs within a wall.
Numerous benefits and advantages of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which it pertains upon reading and understanding of the following detailed specification.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It may be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments may be combined.
As noted above, there is a long felt need in the art for a device that enables the individuals to precisely locate the studs behind the drywalls and use its location while installing flooring and baseboards, crown moulding, running plumbing pipes, electrical cables, hanging items, installing shelves, and/or while performing any other home improvement tasks. There is also a long felt need in the art for a stud marker device that enables the users to easily and accurately mark the stud location. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud locator and marker device that enables easy marking of exact stud location without going onto knees or hands and therefore prevents any injuries/pain to the hands, knees, or neck. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud marker device that can be easily used by individuals with limited physical dexterity. Further, there is a long felt need in the art for a stud locator device that ensures only one hand is used while detecting stud location and marking their position and enables the users to use their other hand for any other tasks to be done at the same time. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for a simple and convenient stud locator and marker device for contractors, homeowners, or more.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a stud finder device. The stud finder device includes a main body. A pair of wheels are disposed on the bottom edge of the main body, facilitating lateral movement along a wall. A magnetic sensor is disposed within the main body for detecting metal fasteners, indicating the presence of a stud. A plurality of stud indication markers are positioned equidistant along the top edge and across the front and rear surfaces of the main body, wherein the indication of a stud by the magnetic sensor is conveyed by the stud indication markers. A two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly is embedded to the rear surface of the main body for marking on a wall upon identification of a stud. The two-pronged trigger-activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly includes first and second movable graphite pencil assembly markers, each adapted to accommodate a graphite pencil for marking on a wall, wherein the markers are operatively connected to the trigger mechanism enabling for selective marking based on the detection of studs.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The main body 102 is defined by a top edge 108, a bottom edge 110, and a pair of side edges 112, 114. A pair of wheels 116, 118 are disposed on the bottom edge 110 and the pair of wheels 116, 118 are configured to laterally move along the length of the bottom edge 110 facilitating movement of the stud finder device 100 along a wall. The main body 102 includes a plurality of stud indication markers 120 (only some are marked for clarity), wherein the stud indication markers 120 are positioned equidistant along the top edge 108 and across the front surface 104 and the rear surface 106. The stud indication markers 120 are visible from both the front surface 104 and the rear surface 106 of the main body 102.
The main body 102 includes a magnetic sensor disposed therein to locate nails or screws used to secure the drywall to the studs. The magnetic sensor is adapted to detect the pull of the magnet on the metal fasteners, indicating the location of a stud and the location of the stud is indicated by the stud indication markers 120. The device 100 can display the center and edges of studs simultaneously, showing single studs, double studs, and irregular configurations.
A protruding wall 122 is embedded to the rear surface 106 of the main body 102 and is adapted to accommodate a trigger mechanism as described later in the disclosure for triggering a two-pronged trigger activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly 124. The two-pronged trigger activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly 124 includes a first movable graphite pencil assembly marker 126 and a second movable graphite pencil assembly marker 128. The markers 126, 128 are adapted to accommodate a graphite pencil 127, 129 each for marking on the wall when a stud is identified by the device 100, thereby eliminating holding a pencil in hand for marking a stud.
A pivotable extended and telescoping handle 130 is secured to the protruding wall 122 using an attachment assembly 132. The attachment assembly 132 can be detachably attached to the main housing 102 and has a first groove member 134 and an opposite (i.e., opposing) second groove member 136, the groove members 134, 136 are secured to the protruding wall 122. The structure and design of the groove members 134, 136 are symmetrical and the first groove member 134 includes a first transversal member 138 adhering (i.e., affixing) to the top edge 140 of the protruding wall 122, a second transversal member 142 adhering (i.e., affixing) to the bottom edge 144 of the protruding wall 122 and a connecting member 146 connected to the transversal members 138, 142 adheres to the planar surface 148 of the protruding wall 122. The other groove member 136 has the similar transversal members 150, 152 and the connecting member 154. An elongated securing arm 156 extends between the groove members 134, 136 and through a hollow attachment member 158. The handle 130 is integrated to the hollow attachment member 158 for providing movement of the device 100 laterally along a wall.
The top end 131 of the handle 130 includes a hand member 160 for enabling a user to grip the handle 130 easily and securely. The hand member 160 includes a trigger 162 which is adapted to activate the two-pronged trigger activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly 124 for marking the position of a stud on a wall using the accommodated graphite pencils. The handle 130 with the integrated trigger 162 for the pencil markers 126, 128 enables users to comfortably operate the device 100 from a standing position, making it easier to mark spots on the wall without the need for step stools or ladders for crown moulding installation and without bending or kneeling for the baseboard installation.
The stud indication markers 120 provide a visual indication of presence of a stud and accordingly, the trigger 162 can be manually triggered by a user to actuate the two-pronged trigger activated (i.e., actuated) pencil assembly 124 to mark points on a wall. The handle 130 enables the user to easily maneuver the device 100 along the bottom of a wall and at any height to locate points for location of a stud easily and safely.
It is to be appreciated that for marking stud locations for installing crown moulding, the user first needs to climb a ladder to mark an initial stud, the user then needs to climb down the ladder, move the ladder to the proximate location for the adjacent stud, and repeat this process for each and every stud, which can be time consuming, tiring, and unsafe. When installing crown moulding, the user repeats the above process, albeit with a nail gun, to mount the crown moulding to the wall and/or ceiling, thereby duplicating the movements and handling of the ladder.
Referring now to
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons may refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “stud wall marker integrated stud finder device”, “stud finder device”, “adjustable stud finder device”, “stud finder with integrated pencil markers”, and “device” are interchangeable and refer to the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 are important design parameters for user convenience, the stud wall marker integrated stud finder device 100, 600 may be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments having different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art may recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/505,187, which was filed on May 31, 2023 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63505187 | May 2023 | US |
