Laser reference device

• US 20070028470A1
• Filed: 08/02/2006
• Published: 02/08/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 08/04/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Irwin Industrial Tool Company (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Smith, John, Nash, Derek
• Granted Patent: US 7,497,019 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/008 combined with inclination sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A chassis can be electro-mechanically rotated about an axis. The chassis contains a laser module and an inclination sensor. A laser beam and/or a laser line or plane can be emitted from chassis using a lens or reflector to focus the light in the desired beam or plane shape. The inclinometer/accelerometer senses the spatial orientation of the chassis and a microprocessor drives a motor through a motor control to adjust the angular orientation of the chassis. Preset angular orientations may be programmed into microprocessor that define predetermined angular orientations of the chassis.

Claims

1. A laser reference device comprising:

a housing;

a chassis that can rotate relative to the housing;

a collimated light source on the chassis;

an inclination sensor; and

a leveling mechanism for rotating the chassis.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein the housing includes a reference surface adapted to be mounted to a surface.

3. The device of claim 2 wherein the surface is substantially vertical.

4. The device of claim 2 further including adhesive for mounting the housing to the surface.

5. The device of claim 2 further including pins for mounting the housing to the surface.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein the light source projects a beam of light from the device.

7. The device of claim 1 wherein the light source projects a plane of light from the device.

8. The device of claim 7 wherein the plane of light is perpendicular to the reference surface.

9. The device of claim 1 wherein the inclination sensor senses the angular orientation of the chassis.

10. The device of claim 1 wherein the leveling mechanism rotates the chassis from a first position to a second position.

11. The device of claim 10 wherein the second position is preset.

12. The device of claim 11 further including a plurality of preset positions.

13. The device of claim 1 wherein the leveling mechanism includes a motor for rotating the chassis.

14. The device of claim 13 wherein the motor is controlled by a microprocessor.

15. The device of claim 14 wherein the microprocessor controls the motor based on signals received from the inclination sensor.

16. The device of claim 10 wherein the second position is input by a user.

17. The device of claim 16 wherein the device includes a user input device for enabling user input of the second position.

18. The device of claim 1 further including a limit switch for limiting the rotation of the chassis.

19. The device of claim 1 further including a display for displaying information to a user.

20. A method of operating a laser reference device comprising:

positioning a chassis on a surface said chassis including means for generating a line of light on a reference surface;

sensing the actual position of a line of light generated by said means for generating a line of light;

automatically reorienting said position of a line of light generated by said means for generating a line of light to a preset second position; and

projecting a line of light at said preset second position.