Shim having a plurality of snap lines

Abstract

A shim is described that includes a plurality of snap lines extending along a length and/or width of the shim.

1 . A shim, comprising:
 an elongated body having a first major surface, a second major surface opposite from the first major surface, a width, a length and a thickness; and   a plurality of snap lines positioned on the first major surface and extending along the length of the elongated body so as to allow manual adjustment of the width of the elongated body at one of said plurality of snap lines.   
     
     
         2 . The shim of  claim 1  and further comprising a second plurality of snap lines positioned on the second major surface and extending along the width of the elongated body. 
     
     
         3 . The shim of  claim 2 , wherein each of the first-mentioned plurality of snap lines and the second plurality of snap lines include a plurality of holes. 
     
     
         4 . The shim of  claim 3 , wherein the first-mentioned plurality of snap lines and the second plurality of snap lines both include lateral snap lines, extending along a width of the shim, and longitudinal snap lines, extending along a length of the shim. 
     
     
         5 . The shim of  claim 4 , wherein the lateral snap lines are spaced apart a distance approximately in a range of approximately 0.0625 inch to 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         6 . The shim of  claim 5 , wherein the lateral snap lines extend along a portion of the width of the shim, the portion being approximately 60-90% of the width of the shim. 
     
     
         7 . The shim of  claim 4 , wherein the longitudinal snap lines are spaced apart a distance in a range of approximately 0.0625 inch to 0.5 inch. 
     
     
         8 . The shim of  claim 7 , wherein the longitudinal snap lines are extend along a portion of the length of the shim, the portion being approximately 60-90% of the length of the shim. 
     
     
         9 . The shim of  claim 4 , wherein the lateral snap lines include more than twenty lateral snap lines and wherein the longitudinal snap lines include more than five longitudinal snap lines. 
     
     
         10 . The shim of  claim 4 , wherein the lateral snap lines are substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal snap lines. 
     
     
         11 . A method of installing a shim, comprising:
 positioning the shim between two objects, the shim including a plurality of lateral snap lines extending along a width of the shim and a plurality of longitudinal snap lines extending along a length of the shim; and   manually adjusting at least one of the length of the shim and the width of the shim along one of the plurality of lateral snap lines and the plurality of longitudinal snap lines.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a number of lateral snap lines in the plurality of lateral snap lines is greater than twenty. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein a number of longitudinal snap lines in the plurality of longitudinal snap lines is greater than five. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of lateral snap lines are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of longitudinal snap lines. 
     
     
         15 . A method of forming a shim, comprising:
 providing a shim blank having a length and a width;   forming a plurality of lateral snap lines extending along the width of the shim blank; and   forming a plurality of longitudinal snap lines extending along the length of the shim blank.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  wherein forming comprises one of rolling, pressing and cutting. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  and further comprising:
 cutting the shim blank along a cut line two form two shims.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a number of lateral snap lines in the plurality of lateral snap lines is greater than twenty. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein a number of longitudinal snap lines in the plurality of longitudinal snap lines is greater than five. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the plurality of lateral snap lines are substantially perpendicular to the plurality of longitudinal snap lines.