Packaging including pitch determination for saw chain

Abstract

Embodiments provide for a saw chain packaging that includes one or more features integral to the packaging that enable a customer to determine whether a chain not included in the saw chain packaging has one or more attributes that are the same as a saw chain included in the saw chain packaging. As one example, the one or more features include a pitch measurement section and a gauge measurement section, and the one or more attributes include saw chain pitch and saw chain gauge. In this way, customers may readily appreciate whether a particular saw chain will be appropriate for their particular saw, without having to purchase any tool or rely on any product material other than the saw chain (or portion thereof) the customer is seeking to replace.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A packaging for a first saw chain, comprising:
 a receptacle that houses the first saw chain within the packaging; and   one or more chain comparison sections integral to the packaging that can be used to determine whether a second saw chain not included within the receptacle has one or more attributes that are the same as those of the first saw chain.   
     
     
         2 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes further comprises a pitch of the second saw chain; and
 wherein the one or more comparison sections is comprised of a pitch measurement section for determining the pitch of the second saw chain.   
     
     
         3 . The packaging of  claim 2 , wherein the pitch measurement section includes two or more rivet alignment features for physically aligning two or more rivets associated with the second chain with the two or more rivet alignment features. 
     
     
         4 . The packaging of  claim 3 , wherein the pitch measurement section includes two rivet alignment features;
 wherein the two rivet alignment features correspond to a first rivet that couples a first drive link of the saw chain to a cutter link, and a third rivet that couples a second drive link to a tie strap; and   wherein the first drive link and the second drive link comprise consecutive drive links, and wherein there is just one rivet between the first rivet and third rivet of the second saw chain.   
     
     
         5 . The packaging of  claim 3 , wherein the pitch measurement section includes three rivet alignment features that correspond to three consecutive rivets of the second saw chain. 
     
     
         6 . The packaging of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more rivet alignment features comprise notches in an edge of the packaging, where the notches do not impinge on the receptacle. 
     
     
         7 . The packaging of  claim 3 , wherein the two or more rivet alignment features comprise holes in a portion of the packaging separate from that of the receptacle. 
     
     
         8 . The packaging of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more attributes further comprises a gauge of the second saw chain; and
 wherein the one or more comparison sections is comprised of a gauge measurement section for determining the gauge of the second saw chain.   
     
     
         9 . The packaging of  claim 8 , wherein the gauge measurement section is comprised of a notch or a void in the packaging into which a lower section of a drive link of the second saw chain can be inserted thereto, the notch or void in no way breaching the receptacle; and
 wherein the gauge of the second saw chain is the same as that of the first saw chain when a thickness of the lower section of the drive link substantially matches a distance between two opposing walls of the notch or the void in the packaging.   
     
     
         10 . The packaging of  claim 1 , further comprising a visual image included as part of the packaging for instructing a customer how to properly use the one or more chain comparison sections in conjunction with the second saw chain. 
     
     
         11 . The packaging of  claim 10 , wherein the visual image is comprised of at least a portion of a representative saw chain. 
     
     
         12 . A packaging for a first saw chain, comprising:
 a cavity that houses the first saw chain, the cavity enclosed by physically coupling a first portion of the packaging to a second portion of the packaging, the packaging further comprised of a border region that defines an outer perimeter of the packaging; and   wherein the border region includes two or more rivet alignment features for physically aligning two or more rivets associated with a second chain with the two or more rivet alignment features.   
     
     
         13 . The packaging of  claim 12 , wherein the border region includes two rivet alignment features, wherein the two rivet alignment features correspond to a first rivet that couples a first drive link of the saw chain to a cutter link, and a third rivet that couples a second drive link to a tie strap;
 wherein the first drive link and the second drive link comprise consecutive drive links; and   wherein there is just one rivet between the first rivet and third rivet of the second saw chain.   
     
     
         14 . The packaging of  claim 12 , wherein the border region includes three rivet alignment features that correspond to three consecutive rivets of the second saw chain. 
     
     
         15 . The packaging of  claim 12 , wherein the two or more rivet alignment features comprise two or more notches in the border region that are continuous with the outer perimeter of the packaging. 
     
     
         16 . The packaging of  claim 15 , wherein the two or more notches each correspond to at least half of a circumference of each of the two or more rivets associated with the second saw chain. 
     
     
         17 . The packaging of  claim 12 , wherein the two or more rivet alignment features comprise two or more voids in the border region, the two or more voids being separate and non-continuous with any portion of the outer perimeter of the packaging. 
     
     
         18 . The packaging of  claim 17 , wherein each of the two or more voids have dimensions corresponding to at least a circumference of each of the two or more rivets associated with the second saw chain. 
     
     
         19 . The packaging of  claim 12 , wherein the packaging further comprises a visual image for instructing a customer how to align the two or more rivets associated with the second chain with the two or more rivet alignment features. 
     
     
         20 . The packaging of  claim 19 , wherein the visual image is comprised of at least a portion of a representative saw chain; and
 wherein the visual image includes two or more lines and/or arrows stemming from corresponding rivets of the representative saw chain and pointing to the two or more rivet alignment features.   
     
     
         21 . A packaging for a saw chain, comprising:
 a pitch determining section and a gauge determining section, each of the pitch determining section and the gauge determining section integral to the packaging; and   one or more visual images included as part of the packaging that alert a customer how to use each of the pitch determining section and the gauge determining section with a separate saw chain not included in the packaging.   
     
     
         22 . The packaging of  claim 21 , wherein the pitch determining section includes two or more rivet alignment features for measuring a saw chain pitch; and
 wherein the gauge determining section includes a notch or a void for measuring a saw chain gauge.   
     
     
         23 . The packaging of  claim 21 , wherein the one or more visual images include at least a portion of a representative saw chain.