FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a measuring device. More specifically, the invention relates to a measuring device for measurement of mouldings around windows and doors.

BACKGROUND

Measuring devices such as metre rules, tape measures or the like can be used to measure the length of mouldings around windows, doors etc. Fig. 1 shows a building structure 1 with a window 2 in a wall 3. Normally, the wall 3 comprises a sheet, for example, of plasterboard, chipboard or the like, or it may be made of panel or the like which is sawn or cut to fit around the window 2. To obtain a neat transition between the window 2 and the wall 3, a lining 4 from the window 2 is used, the lining 4 ending in the same plane as the wall 3. In such cases there will be a gap 5 between the lining 4 and the wall 3 that must be covered by mouldings 6 (only one of four mouldings is shown in Fig. 1). These mouldings must be sawn to the right length. Similarly, mouldings are used to cover gaps 5 between linings 4 of doors and surrounding wall 3.

In this connection, there are a number of challenges. First, the distance L between the end of lining 4 and the edge of each moulding 6 should be identical with one another. This will result in the mouldings also being centred around each window. Furthermore, there should be the same distance L between the edge of lining 4 and the edge of each moulding 6 for all windows and doors in the same room.

A measuring device for this purpose is available on the market. This device consists of a sheet in the form of a right-angled triangle with a scale (in mm) along each of the two sides that are perpendicular to each other. The device requires manual reading of the two scales for each corner that is to be measured, and is thus very cumbersome in use.

US 7743517 teaches another measuring device for this purpose. This device consists of two blocks that are displaceable relative to each other along a diagonal line. If this device is to be used to measure around doors, the door must first be removed from the door frame. Furthermore, it is difficult to adjust the device with accuracy.

The object of the invention is to provide a measuring device that is easy to use and which makes it possible to measure the necessary distance between the edge of the lining and the edge of each moulding such that the gap between lining and wall is hidden by the moulding. Furthermore, it is the object that the measuring device should be easy to use to measure the necessary moulding length for windows and doors in the same room, even though they have different dimensions. The object is further that when the measuring device is used to measure desired location of the mouldings, it should be easy to use for marking the position of the mouldings on other windows/doors in the same room. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a measuring device comprising:

- a base body comprising a first contact surface, a second contact surface arranged perpendicular to the first contact surface and a base guide surface arranged perpendicular to the first and the second contact surface;

- a measuring body comprising a first measuring surface, a second measuring surface arranged perpendicular to the first measuring surface and a measuring guide surface;

wherein the measuring body is releasably attached to the base body;

wherein the measuring body is linearly displaceable relative to the base body;

wherein the first contact surface is parallel to the first measuring surface and the second contact surface is parallel to the second measuring surface during a linear displacement of the measuring body relative to the base body.

In an aspect, the measuring body is linearly displaceable relative to the base body with the aid of a guide groove.

In an aspect, the guide groove has a dovetail profile.

In an aspect, the guide groove comprises a cutout in the measuring body, and the base body comprises a pin projecting from the base guide surface through the cutout, the pin being displaceable in the cutout.

In an aspect, a releasable fixing means is attached to the pin, the releasable fixing means being provided to be moved between a first state, in which linear

displacement of the measuring body relative to the base body is permitted, and a second state, in which linear displacement of the measuring body relative to the base body is prevented.

In an aspect, the base guide surface comprises a grooved area provided to cooperate with a grooved area on the measuring guide surface.

In an aspect, the base body comprises a first sheet-like body, a second sheet-like body projecting perpendicular out from the first sheet-like body and a third sheetlike body projecting perpendicular out from the first sheet-like body and

perpendicular from the second sheet-like body, where the outer surface of the first sheet-like body forms the base guide surface, the outer surface of the second sheet- like body forms the first contact surface and the outer surface of the third sheet-like body forms the second contact surface.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION Embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, wherein:

Fig. 1 illustrates how a moulding can be used to hide a gap between a window lining and a wall;

Fig. 2 illustrates a first embodiment of the measuring device seen from above in a first position, where the locking means has been removed;

Fig. 3 illustrates the second embodiment of the measuring device in a second position, where the locking means has been removed;

Fig. 4 illustrates a cross-section of the measuring device in Fig. 2 taken along the line A in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 illustrates a cross-section of the measuring device in Fig. 3 taken along the line A in Fig. 2;

Fig. 6 illustrates a perspective view of the base body in the first embodiment;

Fig. 7 illustrates an exploded view of the measuring device in Fig. 4;

Fig. 8a illustrates the underside of the measuring body in the first embodiment Fig. 8b illustrates the upper side of the measuring body in the first embodiment;

Fig. 9 illustrates a second embodiment of the invention seen from above;

Fig. 10a illustrates a perspective view of the measuring body in the first

embodiment;

Fig. 10b illustrates a perspective view of the measuring body in a third embodiment; Fig. 10c illustrates the measuring body in the third embodiment seen from below;

Fig. 1 1 illustrates the measuring body and the base body of a fourth embodiment;

Fig. 12 shows a photograph of the measuring device used to measure the distance to a moulding around a door. Reference is now made to Figs. 2 - 7. These figures show a measuring device indicated by the reference numeral 10. The measuring device 10 comprises a base body 1 1 and a measuring body 21. The base body 1 1 comprises a first contact surface 12 and a second contact surface 13 arranged perpendicular to the first contact surface 12. The contact surfaces 12, 13 are provided for being positioned against a corner of the linings 4a, 4b in Fig. 1, and this will be described in detail below. It is therefore advantageous that the contact surfaces 12, 13 have a certain extent in height H and width L, B (vectors for the base body's length L, height H and width B are indicated in Fig. 6). Fig. 6 shows that the contact surfaces 12, 13 meet in a corner H. However, this is not an essential feature, and the area where the contact surfaces 12, 13 meet may be bevelled, rounded, removed or shaped in another manner.

The base body further comprises a base guide surface 14 arranged perpendicular to the first and the second contact surface 12, 13. The base guide surface 14 forms a guide surface or sliding surface for contact with the measuring body 21.

Fig. 5 shows that the base body has rectangular contact surfaces 12, 13 and a square base guide surface 14, that is to say that the base body 1 1 has the shape of a cuboid or straight prism. However, the base guide surface 14 may be triangular, rectangular or of another suitable shape. The part of the base guide surface farthest from the corner H may also have a rounded shape.

Measuring body 21 comprises a first measuring surface 22 and a second measuring surface 23 arranged perpendicular to the first measuring surface 22. The measuring surfaces 22, 23 are provided for measuring the distance between the corner of the lining and the corner of an existing moulding, optionally for marking the position of new mouldings in a corner, and this will also be described in detail below.

Therefore, the measuring surfaces 21 , 22 need not have such a large extent in height.

The measuring body 21 further comprises a measuring guide surface 24. In the first embodiment, the measuring body is arranged perpendicular to the first and the second measuring surface 22, 23. The measuring guide surface 24 forms a guide surface or sliding surface for contact with the measuring body 21.

Figs. 4 and 5 show that the base body 1 1 and the measuring body 21 are

displaceable relative to each other. The base guide surface 24 rests against the measuring guide surface 14, and they can be displaced relative to each other from the position shown in Figs. 2 and 4 to the position shown in Figs. 3 and 5. It should be noted that the base guide surface 14 and the measuring guide surface 24 do not need to rest against each other to be displaceable relative to one another; it is possible to place an intermediate layer between the surfaces 14 and 24 without any detriment to their technical function.

However, the base body 1 1 and the measuring body 21 cannot be displaced freely relative to one another in all directions. In Figs. 2 and 3 it is shown that the measuring body 21 is linearly displaceable relative to the base body 1 1 along a line D. In Fig. 3 the base body 1 1 and the measuring body 21 are square seen from above, and the line D here represents a diagonal line. The line D can be defined as being provided in the plane of the base guide surface 14 and/or in the measuring guide surface 24 and has an angle of 45° relative to the first contact surface 12, and an angle of 45° relative to the second contact surface 13. Furthermore, the line D intersects the points at which the contact surfaces 12 and 13 meet (corresponding to corner H in Fig. 2). If the base body and the measuring body have a rectangular shape, or another shape, the line D will not represent a diagonal line.

In other words, the base body 1 1 and the measuring body 21 can be displaced linearly relative to one another such that during linear displacement the first contact surface 12 is parallel to the first measuring surface 22 and the second contact surface 13 is parallel to the second measuring surface 23.

The measuring body 21 is releasably attached to the base body 1 1.

In the first embodiment, the measuring body 21 is linearly displaceable relative to the base body 1 1 with the aid of a guide groove. The guide groove here comprises an elongate cutout 25 in the measuring body 21. Furthermore, the base body 1 1 comprises a pin 15 that projects up from the base guide surface 14. The pin 15 projects up through the cutout 25.

In the first embodiment, the pin 15 is essentially cylindrical, with an outer diameter equal to the width of the groove 25. The pin 15 is thus displaceable in the longitudinal direction of the cutout 25. The cutout 25 has a direction of extent that is parallel to or coincident with the line D, as shown in Figs. 2, 3, 8a and 8b.

In the first embodiment, the base body 1 1 and the measuring body 21 further comprise additional guide grooves 17 and 27. Fig. 8b shows that the base body comprises two guide grooves 17 in its measuring guide surface 14 which are parallel to the line D. Fig. 8a shows that the measuring body comprises two guide grooves 27 in its base guide surface 24 which are parallel to the line D, and which have a position that allows them to cooperate with the guide grooves 17. For example, the guide grooves 17 may comprise a profile projecting outwardly from the base guide surface 14 and the guide grooves 27 may comprise a cutout in the base guide surface 24, the grooves 17 and 27 being capable of guiding the movement of the base body 1 1 relative to the measuring body 21 such that only a linear movement is permitted.

It is further shown in Figs. 8a and 8b that the base guide surface 14 comprises one or two grooved areas 16 provided to cooperate with one or two grooved areas 26 on the measuring guide surface 24. These grooved areas 16, 26 ensure that movement of the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 1 1 is prevented when the base guide surface 14 is pressed against the measuring guide surface 24. In a preferred embodiment, the distance between each crest in the grooved areas 16 on the base guide surface 14 is 1 mm. This means that it is easy to adjust the base body 1 1 relative to the measuring body 21 and at the same time know the exact distance that is measured by counting the number of "clicks" that are heard as the grooved areas move relative to one another. Alternatively, the distance between each crest in the grooved area 26 on the measuring guide surface 25 may be 1 mm. In the embodiments shown in the figures, the distance between the crests in both the grooved area 26 and the grooved area 16 is 1 mm.

It should be noted that guide grooves 17, 27 and grooved areas 16, 26 have been omitted from Figs. 2 - 6 for simplicity.

The pin 15 is also used for the releasable attachment of the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 1 1 in the first embodiment. Here, the measuring device 10 comprises a releasable fixing means 31 that is attached to the pin 15. In Fig. 7 it is show that the fixing means 31 comprises an aperture 32 and that the pin 15 comprises an aperture 15a, where a fastening device 33 can be positioned between the apertures 32 and 15a and thereby secure the fixing means 31 to the pin 15.

The releasable fixing means 31 is provided to be moved between a first state (shown in Fig. 5), in which linear displacement of the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 1 1 is permitted, and a second state (shown in Fig. 4), in which linear displacement of the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 1 1 is prevented.

The fixing means 31 has a configuration that allows the measuring guide surface 24 to be pressed against the base guide surface 14 when it assumes the position in Fig. 4, whilst it does not press the measuring guide surface 24 against the base guide surface 14 in the position in Fig. 5. Of course, other fixing means are also possible, for example, the pin 15 may have an external threaded portion adapted to a fixing means having an internal threaded portion.

Reference is now made to Fig. 9, which shows a second embodiment. Here the pin 15 has a square or rectangular cross-section, which allows the guide grooves 17, 27 to be omitted, the square or rectangular pin 15 alone being able to secure a linear movement of the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 22. However, in such an embodiment it is also preferable to have guide grooves 17, 27 in the base guide surface 14 and the measuring guide surface 24, respectively.

Reference is now made to Figs. 10a, 10b and 10c. Fig. 10a shows the first embodiment and corresponds to Fig. 6, but seen from another angle. In this figure, it is shown that the base body 1 1 has the form of a straight prism. The third

embodiment of the measuring device 10 has a measuring body 1 1 which comprises a first sheet-like body 1 la, a second sheet-like body 1 lb which projects

perpendicular out from the first sheet-like body 1 la, and a third sheet-like body 1 l c which projects perpendicular out from the first sheet-like body 1 l a and

perpendicular out from the second sheet-like body 1 lb. The outer surface of the first sheet-like body 1 1 a forms the base guide surface 14, the outer surface of the second sheet-like body l ib forms the first contact surface 12 and the outer surface of the third sheet-like body 1 lc forms the second contact surface 13.

The third embodiment of the measuring device 10 ensures that it is also possible to measure correct distance to mouldings around doors, the second sheet-like body l ib and the third sheet-like body 1 1c forming a corner that can be inserted between a door and its door frame. The first and the second contact surface 12, 13 will thus lie against the door frame in the corner thereof and correct measurement for

positioning a moulding can be obtained. Thus, it is possible in a simple manner to obtain the same distance between door frame and moulding as the distance between lining and mouldings around windows, between lining and mouldings around doors (normally one side of a door is flush with the wall, and needs no lining, whilst lining must be used on the other side of the door). Here, there will thus be a need for the present invention. Fig. 12 shows a photograph of the device 10 inserted in a space 62 between a door 61 and the door frame/lining 60. Here, it is thus shown that the distance to moulding 6 can be measured without removing the door 61.

Reference is now made to Fig. 1 1. Here, the measuring device 10 comprises a guide groove in the form of a dovetail profile 50. The dovetail profile 50 may, for example, comprise a dovetail body projecting from the measuring guide surface 24 of the measuring body 21 and a corresponding dovetail cutout in the base guide surface 14 of the base body 1 1. The dovetail profile 50 ensures that the measuring body 21 is releasably secured to the base body 1 1 , whilst ensuring that the measuring body 21 is linearly displaceable relative to the base body 1 1. In this embodiment there is thus no need for a locking means as this function is performed by the dovetail profile. The dovetail profile has a direction corresponding to or parallel to the line D, as described in connection with the embodiments above. The dovetail profile 50 may further comprises grooves or the like, which mean that a certain force is required to push the measuring body 21 relative to the base body 1 1.

In a first example, the measuring device will be used to measure the position of mouldings in a room where one or more mouldings have already been mounted. The measuring device is used by placing first and second contact surfaces 12, 13 against first and second linings 4a, 4b, respectively. The fixing means 31 is then released and the measuring body is pushed over the lining until it meets a present moulding. The locking means can now be locked. A control check can be carried out on other windows to check that other mouldings have the same distance to the lining. The measuring device can now be placed in a similar way in the corners of windows that have no moulding, and a pencil can be used to mark a line along first and second measuring surfaces 22, 23 to indicate the position where new mouldings are to meet. In a room with no mouldings whatsoever, the measuring device is used in the same way by measuring the required distance between lining and the point at which a moulding should be fixed so that the gap will be covered by the mouldings. A similar marking may subsequently be made for corners in all windows in the room.