TEMPLATING TOOL AND METHOD

Abstract

A templating tool for templating the dimensions of a kitchen worktop includes a measurement target and an engagement formation for engaging a kitchen unit on which the worktop will be installed. The measurement target is spaced apart from the engagement formation by a predetermined distance such that upon engagement of the kitchen unit by the engagement formation, the measurement target defines a predetermined distance from the unit.

Claims

1. A templating tool for templating the dimensions of a kitchen worktop, the templating tool comprising: a measurement target; and an engagement formation for engaging a kitchen unit on which the worktop will be installed, wherein the measurement target is spaced apart from the engagement formation by a predetermined distance such that upon engagement of the kitchen unit by the engagement formation, the measurement target defines a predetermined distance from the unit.

2. The templating tool of claim 1, wherein the engagement formation includes an engagement surface configured to engage an external surface of the unit.

3. The templating tool of claim 1, wherein the measurement target defines a plane at a predetermined distance from the engagement formation.

4. The templating tool of claim 1, further including a body portion, wherein the measurement target and the engagement formation extend away from the body portion in opposite directions.

5. The templating tool of claim 4, wherein the body portion includes a spacing portion that defines the predetermined distance between the measurement target and the engagement formation.

6. The templating tool of claim 4, wherein the measurement target is provided at a distal end of the body portion.

7. The templating tool of claim 1, wherein the measurement surface includes: a distal face of the measurement target at a predetermined distance from the engagement formation; or a proximal face of the measurement target at a predetermined distance from the engagement formation.

8. The templating tool of claim 1, wherein the templating tool is configured to rest on an upper surface of an external panel or component of the unit.

9. The templating tool of claim 4, wherein the body portion includes a balancing portion configured to balance the tool on an upper surface of a panel or component of the unit by acting as a counterweight to the measurement target, the engagement formation, and the spacing portion.

10. The templating tool of claim 9, wherein the balancing portion includes a thickness dimension that is greater than that of the spacing portion.

11. The templating tool of claim 4, wherein the body portion includes a change in a thickness dimension.

12. The templating tool of claim 11, wherein the change in a thickness dimension is provided at a junction between the spacing portion and the balancing portion.

13. The templating tool of claim 11, wherein the change in a thickness dimension is provided in alignment with the engagement formation.

14. The templating tool of claim 1, wherein the predetermined distance is 0 mm, 10 mm, 35 mm, or 60 mm.

15. First and second templating tools according to claim 1, wherein: for the first tool, the predetermined distance is defined from the engagement formation to the measurement surface of the first tool, the measurement surface of the first tool including a distal or exterior face of the measurement target, and for the second tool, the predetermined distance is defined from the engagement formation to the measurement surface of the second tool, the measurement surface of the second tool including a proximal or interior face of the measurement target.

16. A method of templating a worktop comprising the steps of: engaging, by the engagement formation of the tool of claim 1, a unit on which the worktop will be installed; and taking a measurement to the measurement surface of the tool.

17. The method of claim 16, further including the steps of: engaging an external surface of the unit by the engagement surface of the tool; and/or balancing the tool on an upper surface of the unit.

18. The method of claim 16, further including the step of: engaging, by the engagement formation of a second tool according to claim 1, a unit on which the worktop will be installed.

19. The method of claim 18, further including the step of: taking a measurement from the measurement surface of each of the first and second tools from the same laser device location.

20. A templating tool for templating the dimensions of a kitchen worktop, the templating tool comprising: a measurement target; an engagement formation for engaging a kitchen unit on which the worktop will be installed; and a body portion, wherein: the measurement target and the engagement formation extend away from the body portion, and the measurement target is spaced apart from the engagement formation by a predetermined distance such that upon engagement of the kitchen unit by the engagement formation, the measurement target defines a predetermined distance from the unit.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0031] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a templating tool according to a first embodiment of this invention.

[0032] FIG. 2 is a side view of the templating tool of FIG. 1 shown during use.

[0033] FIG. 3 is a side view of a templating tool according to a second embodiment of this invention shown during use.

[0034] FIG. 4 is a flowchart of a method of this invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0035] Near Side Embodiment

[0036] With reference to FIGS. 1 and 2, a templating tool 1 according to a first embodiment includes a substantially planar body portion 30 having a substantially rectangular in-plane geometry. At a first end of the body portion 30, a measurement target 10 extends perpendicularly away from the body portion 30 in a first direction.

[0037] Partially along the body portion 30, an engagement formation 20 extends perpendicularly away from the body portion 30 in a second direction. In particular, the engagement formation 20 extends away from a lower surface or underside of the body portion 30, while the measurement target 10 extends away from an upper surface of the body portion 30. In the illustrated arrangement, the measurement target 10 and the engagement formation 20 extend away from the body portion 30 in opposing but parallel directions such that the first and second directions oppose one another.

[0038] The body portion 30 includes a spacing portion 32 that defines a perpendicular separation between the measurement target 10 and the engagement formation 20. The body portion 30 further includes a balancing portion 34 that, as will be explained later, is configured to act as a counterweight to the spacing portion 32, the measurement target 10, and the engagement formation 20.

[0039] The spacing portion 32 and the balancing portion 34 are coplanar and arranged in series along the length of the body portion 30. The balancing portion 34 defines a thickness that is approximately twice that of the spacing portion 32 such that at the junction between the spacing portion 32 and the balancing portion 34, the body portion 30 includes a change in thickness 36. In the illustrated embodiment, the change in thickness 36 is provided adjacent (such as, for example, substantially aligned with) the engagement formation 20 and is defined by the interface between the spacing portion 32 and the balancing portion 34.

[0040] The engagement formation 20 includes a substantially planar protrusion, the plane of which is perpendicular to the plane of the body portion 30. The engagement formation 20 includes an engagement surface 22 (on the obscured major surface of the engagement formation 20 shown in FIG. 1) that is configured to engage a surface 52f (FIG. 2) of a kitchen cabinet 50 or other item of furniture, upon which the worktop will eventually be installed. In particular, and as will be described later, the engagement surface 22 is configured to abut an external front surface 52f (such as, for example, cabinet door, frontal, panel or support strut) of a kitchen cabinet 50.

[0041] The measurement target 10 is substantially planar, the plane of which is perpendicular to the plane of the body portion 30 and parallel with the plane of the engagement surface 22. The measurement target 10 includes a measurement surface 12 that forms an end face of the templating tool 1. The measurement surface 12 is configured to be used as a measurement target, such as a laser measurement target, from which laser distance measurements may be taken.

[0042] The measurement target 10 and the engagement formation 20 are spaced apart by a predetermined perpendicular distance that corresponds to the templating overhang that the tool 1 is configured to template. For example, when the templating tool 1 is configured to template an overhang of 60 mm between a front edge of a worktop and the front surface 52f of a cupboard beneath, the perpendicular distance between the measurement surface 12 and the engagement surface 22 is equal to 60 mm.

[0043] FIG. 2 shows the templating tool 1 during use. The templating tool 1 is placed on a top surface of a kitchen cabinet 50 (shown in dashed lines), specifically an external component or panel 54f thereof, such as a front panel, a door frontal, or a support strut. In a preferred example, the templating tool 1 is placed on top of the surface on which the templated worktop will eventually sit. The underside of the balancing portion 34 thereby rests upon the upper surface of the front panel 54f. The engagement surface 22 of the engagement formation 20 may abut the external front surface 52f of the same external front panel 54f or alternatively may abut an external front surface of a different component, such as a front surface of a cabinet door (the upper surface of the cabinet door would not bear the weight of the installed worktop). It will be noted that the small separation between the surfaces 22 and 52f in FIG. 2 is for ease of understanding, and that upon abutment, this gap will not exist in practice.

[0044] Accordingly, upon engagement (such as, for example, abutment) of a front surface 52f of a cupboard by the engagement surface 22, the measurement surface 12 defines a plane that is a predetermined perpendicular distance from the engagement surface 22 and thus from the front surface 52f of the kitchen cabinet 50.

[0045] A distance measurement (such as, for example, a laser distance measurement) may thereby be taken against the measurement surface 12, such as, for example, so as to determine a distance from a site datum to the front edge of the desired worktop. That is, with reference to the orientation shown in FIG. 2, a laser measurement may be taken from the left hand side to the measurement surface 12 of the templating tool. Accordingly, the templating tool 1 may be used to template a worktop overhang for the nearside or front side of a cabinet or bank of cabinets, such as, for example, relative to a site datum from which laser measurements are taken.

[0046] The balancing portion 34 is configured (such as, for example, provided with a thickness dimension, a length dimension, and/or weighted) to act as a counterweight to the spacing portion 32, the measurement target 10, and the engagement formation 20 such that the templating tool 1 is able to balance on the relatively narrow top surface of the external panel 54f of the kitchen cabinet 50. In particular, the balancing portion 34 may be configured to maintain the engagement surface 22 and the underside of the balancing portion 34 in abutment with external panel 54f and thereby prevent the tool 1 from rotating or sliding relative to the external panel 54f when a user leaves the tool 1 in position.

[0047] Far Side Embodiment

[0048] With reference to FIG. 3, a templating tool 100 according to a second embodiment is described. The templating tool 100 is identical to the templating tool 1 of the first embodiment, with the exceptions set out below. The templating tool 100 may be used to template a worktop overhang on the far side or rear side of a cabinet or bank of cabinets, such as, for example, relative to a site datum form which laser measurements are taken. In relation to FIGS. 1 and 2, like reference numerals are used to refer to like features in FIG. 3.

[0049] The templating tool 100 includes a measurement target 110 provided at a predetermined distance from the engagement formation 120. As with the templating tool 1, the measurement target 110 is provided at a predetermined distance from the engagement surface 122 that is configured to abut an external back surface 52b of an external back panel 54b or other component of a cupboard 50. As is shown by the reflected orientation of the cabinet 50 in FIG. 3 relative to the cabinet 50 of FIG. 2, the external back panel 54b may be provided on an opposite aspect to that of the external front panel 54f of the same cupboard 50 of FIG. 2.

[0050] The measurement surface 112 defines a predetermined distance from the engagement surface 122 such that when the engagement formation 120 engages the external panel 54b in the same manner as the external panel 54f, the measurement surface 112 defines a predetermined distance to the external surface 52b of the external panel 54b.

[0051] However, the templating tool 100 differs from the templating tool 1 in that the measurement target 110 includes a measurement surface 112 on an interior or proximal face, rather than the exterior or distal end face of the target 10 as shown in FIG. 2. Accordingly, when templating a far side worktop overhang of 60 mm, the distance between the engagement surface 122 and the interior measurement surface 112 is 60 mm, whereas when templating a nearside worktop overhang of 60 mm, the distance between the engagement surface 22 and the measurement surface 12 provided on a distal end face of the tool 1 is 60 mm. In other words, the perpendicular distance between the measurement surfaces 112, 122 and the engagement surfaces 12, 22 may differ by the thickness dimension of the measurement target 10, 110 when a pair of tools 1, 100 is used to template the same overhang.

[0052] In order to template the far edge of a worktop overhang, a distance measurement (such as, for example, a laser measurement) may thereby be taken from the site datum to the measurement surface 112 in order to determine the distance from the site datum to the far edge of the desired worktop overhang. In relation to the orientation shown in FIG. 3, the site datum may be to the left of the figure, and a laser measurement may be taken from the left hand side of the drawing to the leftward-facing measurement surface 112.

[0053] Accordingly, when templating two edges of a worktop for a kitchen cabinet 50 (such as, for example, a bank or an array of kitchen cabinets), a user may place the tool 1 on the near side of the cabinet 50 (such as, for example, on external front panel 52f) and the tool 100 on the far side of the cabinet 50 (such as, for example, on external back panel 52b). The measurement surface 12 and the measurement surface 112 will then both be facing the same direction such that distance measurements to each desired overhang (such as, for example, from the left hand side towards the right hand side in each of FIGS. 2 and 3) may be taken from the same site datum, such as, for example, without requiring repositioning of the measurement origin.

[0054] Put differently, a pair of templating tools 1, 100 may include a first tool 1 that defines a predetermined distance from an engagement surface 22 to the measurement surface 12, and a second tool 100 that defines the same predetermined distance from an engagement surface 122 to the measurement surface 112, the difference between the tools 1, 100 being that the same distance is defined by different faces of the measurement target 10, 110.

[0055] With reference to FIG. 4, a method 400 of the present invention is described. The method 400 includes the step 402 of placing a templating tool 1, 100 on an upper surface of an external panel or component 54f, 54b of a kitchen cabinet, and the step 404 of taking a distance measurement to the measurement surface 12, 112 of the tool 1, 100.

[0056] The method 400 may additionally include the steps of placing a second templating tool 1, 100 (such as, for example, the other of tools 1, 100) on top of a surface 54f, 54b (such as, for example, a surface opposing the surface 54f, 54b) of a kitchen cabinet and taking a distance measurement to the measurement surface 12, 112 of the second templating tool 1, 100. The method may further include the step of templating the worktop (such as, for example, determining a dimension thereof) by determining a difference between the two distances to the measurement surfaces 12, 112.

[0057] 10 mm Example

[0058] In an example of near side embodiment, the tool 1 includes a total length of 85 mm, the body portion 30 includes a width of 30 mm, the spacing portion 32 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a length of 6 mm, the balancing portion 34 includes a length of 75 mm and a thickness of 4 mm, the measurement target 10 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a height of 25 mm, the engagement formation 20 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a height of 25 mm, and the change in thickness 36 includes a 45° incline in alignment with and spanning the 2 mm engagement formation 20. The measurement surface 12 is therefore provided 10 mm from the engagement surface 22.

[0059] In an example corresponding with the far side embodiment, the tool 100 includes a total length of 87 mm, the body portion 130 includes a width of 30 mm, the spacing portion 132 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a length of 8 mm, the balancing portion 134 includes a length of 75 mm and a thickness of 4 mm, the measurement target 110 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a height of 25 mm, the engagement formation 120 includes a thickness of 2 mm and a height of 25 mm, and the change in thickness 136 includes a 45° incline in alignment with and spanning the 2 mm engagement formation 120. The measurement surface 112 is therefore provided 10 mm from the engagement surface 122.

[0060] 35 mm Example

[0061] The 35 mm example near side embodiment may have the same dimensions as the 10 mm example near side embodiment, with the exceptions that the tool 1 includes a total length of 110 mm, and the spacing portion 32 includes a length of 31 mm. Accordingly, the measurement surface 12 is provided 35 mm from the engagement surface 22.

[0062] The 35 mm example far side embodiment may have the same dimensions as to the 10 mm example far side embodiment, with the exceptions that the tool 100 includes a total length of 112 mm, and the spacing portion 132 includes a length of 33 mm. Accordingly, the measurement surface 112 is provided 35 mm from the engagement surface 122.

[0063] 60 mm Example

[0064] The 60 mm example near side embodiment may have the same dimensions as the 10 mm example near side embodiment, with the exceptions that the tool 1 includes a total length of 135 mm, and the spacing portion 32 includes a length of 56 mm. Accordingly, the measurement surface 12 is provided 60 mm from the engagement surface 22.

[0065] The 60 mm example far side embodiment may have the same dimensions as the 10 mm example far side embodiment, with the exceptions that the tool 100 includes a total length of 137 mm, and the spacing portion 132 includes a length of 58 mm. Accordingly, the measurement surface 112 is provided 60 mm from the engagement surface 122.

Advantages

[0066] The tools 1, 100 and the method 400 of this invention may obviate the requirement to laser measure against the front surface of the kitchen cabinet itself, which can return erroneous results due to the surface finish of the cabinet and/or the large surface area of the cupboard allowing a vast number of potential measurement locations.

[0067] Further, this invention may reduce the errors associated with worktop templating by reducing the number of measurements to be taken and/or by reducing the number of subsequent calculations to be performed.

[0068] This invention may also permit a user to template a worktop from only a single location. For example, the surface constituting the far side of a cabinet is not ordinarily visible from the near side of the cabinet such that a user might need to take a first measurement to the near side, then relocate to the far side so as to take a second measurement to the far side, and then perform a subsequent calculation. The tool 100 of this invention permits the far edge of a worktop to be templated from the near side.

[0069] Although this invention has been described largely in relation to kitchen cabinets, it will be appreciated by the skilled person that this invention may equally be applied to worktops for other uses and similarly to templating for other purposes, such as worktops for workbenches, templating for carpentry, etc.

[0070] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that although the invention has been described by way of example, with reference to one or more exemplary examples, it is not limited to the disclosed examples and that alternative examples could be constructed without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention. The scope of this invention is defined by the appended claims.