Articulated Two-Piece Screeding Level with Dust-Resistant Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing builder's screeding levels and squares are cumbersome and prone to clogging due to dust and debris, making precise measurements and angle adjustments difficult, especially in dusty construction environments, and often fail to maintain the required precision of 0.5 to 1 mm/m.
Innovation Solution
An articulated two-piece builder's screeding level with a rectangular cross-section, featuring rotating arms connected by pins with tightening nuts and snap elements, allowing for easy folding and precise positioning at 90° and 180° angles, preventing dirt accumulation by securing arms within plates, and using ball snaps or retaining pins for stable locking mechanisms.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If the screeding level is made as a single large tool to ensure measurement precision, then measurement precision is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates due to cumbersome handling
Solution Approach 1:
The screeding level is divided into two separate arms (first arm and second arm) that can be used independently for precise measurements, yet connected through a locking mechanism to form a compact folded configuration for easy handling and storage. Each arm maintains the required measurement precision while the segmented design improves portability.
2Ease of operation
If the tool is made foldable to improve ease of operation, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential mechanical dysregulation from dust and debris
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed with external accessibility, allowing the user to unlock and open the arms for folding without disassembling any components. This extraction of the locking function from the joint structure prevents dust and debris from entering the mechanical connections, maintaining reliability while enabling foldability for ease of operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The locking mechanism prevents the arms from moving relative to each other when locked, creating a sealed configuration that proactively prevents dust and debris from entering the joint areas. This preliminary protective action ensures the mechanism remains free from contaminants that could cause dysregulation.
3Ease of operation
If the arms are left exposed for easy access, then ease of operation is improved, but object-affected harmful factors worsen due to dust and debris accumulation
Solution Approach 1:
When folded, one arm is positioned inside or alongside the other arm, creating a nested configuration. This nesting protects the surfaces and mechanical interfaces from dust and debris accumulation, while the arms remain easily accessible when unfolded for operation.
4Measurement precision
If the locking mechanism is made complex to ensure precise positioning, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity worsens
Solution Approach 1:
The locking mechanism is designed to automatically engage and lock the arms at precise positions (such as 90-degree angles for square formation) without requiring complex adjustments or multiple components. The mechanism self-locks when the arms reach the desired configuration, providing precise positioning while maintaining simple device structure.
Data Source
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AI summary
According to the invention, an articulated two-piece builder's screeding level, with a functionality of a builder's square, has two arms of a rectangular cross-section that are joined rotationally, the axis of rotation of the arms being parallel to the longer side of this rectangle or to the shorter side of this rectangle, is characterized in that the mutual position of the left and right arms in the horizontal position or in angular position is realized by mechanisms that make it possible to rotate the end of the left arm relative to the end of the right arm and by blocking a given position of the left arm relative to the right arm.