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US-12623327-B2 - Advanced strut marker device for precise marking on manufactured struts

US12623327B2US 12623327 B2US12623327 B2US 12623327B2US-12623327-B2

Abstract

This disclosure describes systems, methods, and devices for accurately locating the center mark for a center punch on a metal strut, which is commonly used to support cable trays and pipes in various industries. The device solves the problem of inaccurate center marking by using a center punch and a punch alignment guide. The guide sets the punch in a precise position, and by placing the device on the strut and pressing a button, a small indentation is made on the metal to mark the center point accurately. This ensures that drilling or cutting tools do not slip or wander and that holes or cuts are placed accurately.

Inventors

  • Jimmie Gatlin

Assignees

  • Jimmie Gatlin

Dates

Publication Date
20260512
Application Date
20230420

Claims (20)

  1. 1 . A device for marking a material, comprising: a punch alignment guide including: a plate having two folded flanges on each end, oriented in opposite directions, forming a symmetrical shape with two raised edges for positioning on a strut; and a centrally located hole with an affixed female thread cylinder; a center punch including: a punch handle; a metallic tubing; a cylinder; a washer bonded to the cylinder for distributing the force of the punch evenly; a threaded cylinder with male threads welded to a piston cylinder on one side and the washer on the other side, allowing the center punch to be locked or unscrewed from the punch alignment guide; and a steel tip attached to the piston cylinder for creating precise markings on a material, wherein, when placed on the strut, the opposing folded flanges engage opposite strut edges to prevent lateral movement, and wherein, when the center punch is tightened into the female thread cylinder, the center punch is held in a fixed vertical orientation relative to the plate during marking.
  2. 2 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the strut comprises a single or double strut.
  3. 3 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the strut is made of aluminum or galvanized materials.
  4. 4 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the punch alignment guide and center punch are made of aluminum.
  5. 5 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the threaded cylinder with male threads is replaceable with a non-threaded cylinder.
  6. 6 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the female thread cylinder affixed to the center of the plate is replaceable with a non-threaded cylinder.
  7. 7 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the punch alignment guide includes one or more markings or indicia for aligning the device with the material to be marked.
  8. 8 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plate of the punch alignment guide is made of a durable material resistant to deformation during repeated use.
  9. 9 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the metallic tubing of the center punch is made of a lightweight material.
  10. 10 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the steel tip of the center punch is replaceable to accommodate different tip sizes and shapes for marking various materials.
  11. 11 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a depth adjustment mechanism for controlling the depth of the marking made by the steel tip of the center punch.
  12. 12 . The device of claim 1 , further comprising a locking mechanism for preventing accidental removal of the center punch from the punch alignment guide during use.
  13. 13 . The device of claim 1 , wherein the plate of the punch alignment guide is detachable, allowing for different plates with various hole sizes or shapes to be used.
  14. 14 . The device of claim 13 , wherein the punch alignment guide is secured using a push pin as an alternative to the female thread cylinder.
  15. 15 . A system for creating precise markings on a material, comprising: a punch alignment guide, including: a plate having two folded flanges on each end of the plate which are oriented in opposite directions, creating a symmetrical shape with two raised edges to position on a strut, and a centrally located hole with a female thread cylinder that is affixed to this hole; and a center punch, including: a punch handle, a metallic tubing, a cylinder, a washer, a threaded cylinder with male threads, a piston cylinder, and a steel tip, wherein the punch handle is attached to the metallic tubing that is attached to the cylinder and the cylinder has a washer bonded to it to distribute the force of the punch evenly, and the threaded cylinder with male threads is welded to the piston cylinder on one side, and the washer on the other side to lock or unscrew the center punch from the punch alignment guide, and the steel tip is attached to the piston cylinder to create precise markings on a material, and wherein, when the punch alignment guide is positioned on the strut, the opposing folded flanges engage opposite edges of the strut to prevent lateral movement of the punch alignment guide, and wherein, when the threaded cylinder is tightened into the female thread cylinder, the center punch is secured in a fixed vertical orientation relative to the punch alignment guide during marking.
  16. 16 . The system of claim 15 , further comprising a depth stop, wherein the depth stop is configured to limit the depth of the marking created by the steel tip of the center punch.
  17. 17 . The system of claim 15 , wherein the punch alignment guide further comprises a pair of alignment pins, wherein the alignment pins are configured to align the punch alignment guide with the material.
  18. 18 . A method for creating precise markings on a material, the method comprising the steps of: positioning a punch alignment guide on the material to be marked, wherein the punch alignment guide includes a plate with two folded flanges oriented in opposite directions, forming a symmetrical shape with two raised edges for positioning on a strut, and a centrally located hole with an affixed female thread cylinder; inserting a center punch into the punch alignment guide, wherein the center punch includes a punch handle, a metallic tubing, a cylinder, a washer bonded to the cylinder for distributing the force of the punch evenly, a threaded cylinder with male threads welded to a piston cylinder on one side and the washer on the other side, allowing the center punch to be locked or unscrewed from the punch alignment guide, and a steel tip attached to the piston cylinder for creating precise markings on the material; aligning the steel tip of the center punch at a desired marking location on the material; applying force to the punch handle of the center punch, causing the steel tip to create a precise marking on the material; and removing the center punch from the punch alignment guide, wherein, when the punch alignment guide is positioned on the strut, the opposing folded flanges engage opposite edges of the strut to prevent lateral movement of the punch alignment guide, and wherein, when the threaded cylinder is tightened into the female thread cylinder, the center punch is secured in a fixed vertical orientation relative to the punch alignment guide during marking.
  19. 19 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of adjusting the depth of the marking created by the steel tip by using a depth stop.
  20. 20 . The method of claim 18 , further comprising the step of limiting the lateral movement of the material during the marking process by using a pair of adjustable stops on the punch alignment guide.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATION(S) This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/435,487, filed Dec. 27, 2022, the disclosure of which is incorporated by reference as set forth in full. TECHNICAL FIELD This disclosure pertains to the field of metalworking, structural components, and mechanical tools. More specifically, it addresses the challenge of locating the precise position on metal struts before performing drilling, cutting, or other machining operations by creating a small indentation or starting point on the metal or other materials. BACKGROUND Specialized center punches are available in the market for various applications or materials, such as leatherworking or glass etching. However, there are limited options for center punches specifically designed for metal surfaces. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In order to fully understand the embodiments in this disclosure, reference is made to the accompanying drawings. The disclosure describes aspects and embodiments in the following description, with reference to the drawings or figures (FIG.) in which numbers represent the same or similar elements. It is understood that these drawings are not intended to be limiting, but rather to describe the various embodiments with additional detail through the use of accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows a device assembly, comprising a center punch and punch alignment guide, in an upright position on a single strut, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 2 shows a device assembly including the punch alignment guide without the center punch described herein, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 3 shows a device assembly including the center punch in an upright position, without the punch alignment guide described herein, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. FIG. 4 shows a device assembly including the punch alignment guide in a reverse position on the back of a single strut without the center punch described herein, in accordance with one or more example embodiments of the present disclosure. DETAILED DESCRIPTION In the following description, numerous specific details are set forth to provide a thorough understanding of various embodiments. However, one skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the embodiments described herein can be practiced without one or more specific details or with other methods, components, materials, etc. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring certain aspects. The two most common types of metal center punches are the Standard Center Punch and Automatic Center Punch. The former is a basic punch used for making small marks on metal surfaces with a hammer, while the latter has a spring-loaded mechanism that creates an indentation automatically. However, both types of punches require a measuring tape to locate the center mark, resulting in less precise results. Thus, there is a need for a device that creates consistent marks and reduces the risk of injury or fatigue from hammering, without the need for a measuring tape. Such a device ensures accurate and precise results before using any cutting or drilling tools. In accordance with various embodiments, this disclosure presents a device and method that can effectively and accurately locate the center mark for a center punch on struts, whether single or double strut. Struts find widespread use in various industries, including construction, manufacturing, and utilities, to support cable trays and pipes. They can be made of different materials, such as steel, aluminum, and fiberglass. The metal strut marker device and method can solve the challenges mentioned above by carefully measuring and marking the metal before using cutting or drilling tools, resulting in precise and accurate results. The various embodiments cover at least two parts-a center punch and a punch alignment guide. The punch alignment guide sets the punch in a precise position for making indentations. For instance, by placing the metal strut marker device on the strut and sliding it left or right and pressing the button, the center mark and precise punch location can be marked on the metal by creating a small indentation or starting point. This indentation helps prevent the drill or cutting tool from slipping or wandering and ensures accurate placement of the hole or cut. The following describes various embodiments of the present technology that illustrate interesting aspects. Generally, embodiments can combine the described aspects in any way. All statements herein relating to principles, aspects, and embodiments are intended to include both structural and functional equivalents. Additionally, such equivalents are intended to include both currently known equivalents and equivalents developed in the future, i.e. any elements