Pipe laser

• US 20080120853A1
• Filed: 11/09/2007
• Published: 05/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/13/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch Tool Corporation (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Davenport, John, Wilson, Duard, Munroe, Jay R.
• Granted Patent: US 7,861,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 33/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/26 for measuring angles or tapers; for testing the alignment of axes
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

The invention provides a pipe laser that automatically self levels an inner frame system in both cross-axis and on-axis directions to provide a completely level reference for grade and line control adjustments mechanisms of a reference line generating laser source. The invention also provides a pipe laser that is operable via a bidirectional remote control.

Claims

1. A remote-controlled pipe laser, comprising:

a laser unit including;

a laser unit housing;

a laser source within the laser unit housing that generates a reference laser beam;

a first transceiver within the laser unit housing that sends and receives data; and

a remote control unit including

a remote housing

a display carried by the remote housing;

a plurality of input mechanisms; and

a second transceiver within the remote housing that receives the data sent by the first transceiver and that sends data to the first transceiver.

2. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver and the second transceiver are both radio frequency transceivers.

3. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein data sent between the first transceiver and the second transceiver is sent via radio frequency transmission.

4. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver sends one or more of status data and laser source position data to the remote control unit when the laser unit is powered on.

5. The pipe laser of claim 4, wherein status data includes one or more of battery level of a battery power source of the laser unit, error information, temperature of air within the laser unit housing, and lock status of a set of input mechanisms carried by the laser unit housing.

6. The pipe laser of claim 4, wherein laser source position data includes one or more of an indication of a grade of the reference laser beam and an indication of a line position of the reference laser beam.

7. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein the laser unit further includes a display and at least one input mechanism carried by the laser unit housing.

8. The pipe laser of claim 7, wherein user input data is input using the at least one input mechanism of the laser unit and update data is sent from the first transceiver to the second transceiver, the update data relating to the user input data.

9. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein, the second transceiver sends a request to the first transceiver, and wherein the second transceiver returns a response to the request.

10. The pipe laser of claim 9, wherein the second transceiver sends the request at a predetermined time interval.

11. The pipe laser of claim 9, wherein the second transceiver sends the request when the remote control is powered on.

12. The pipe laser of claim 9, wherein the request includes one or more of a status request and a laser source position request, and wherein the response comprises one or more of status data and laser source position data.

13. The pipe laser of claim 10, wherein status data includes one or more of battery level of a battery power source of the laser unit, error information, temperature of air within the laser unit housing, and lock status of a set of input mechanisms located on the laser unit.

14. The pipe laser of claim 10, wherein laser source position data includes one or more of an indication of a grade of the reference laser beam and an indication of a line position of the reference laser beam.

15. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein the first transceiver is associated with an address chosen from a plurality of addresses, and wherein the second transceiver is associated with an address chosen from a plurality of addresses.

16. The pipe laser of claim 1, wherein the second transceiver sends a command to the first transceiver, wherein the laser unit executes the command, and wherein the first transceiver sends a response to the second transceiver.

17. The pipe laser of claim 16, wherein the command comprises a command to set the reference laser beam at a new grade, wherein execution of the command comprises moving the laser source so as to set the reference laser beam at the new grade and wherein the response comprises confirmation that the reference laser beam is set at the new grade.

18. The pipe laser of claim 17, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new grade further comprises a command to set the reference laser beam at a specific grade as measured by a specific unit of measure.

19. The pipe laser of claim 17, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new grade further comprises a command to increase or decrease a current grade of the reference laser beam by one or more increments.

20. The pipe laser of claim 16, wherein the command comprises a command to set the reference laser beam at a new line position, wherein execution of the command comprises moving the laser source so as to set the reference laser beam at the line position, and wherein the response comprises confirmation that the reference laser beam is set at the new line position.

21. The pipe laser of claim 20, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new line position further comprises a command to change a current line position of the reference laser beam by one or more increments.

22. The pipe laser of claim 16, wherein the command comprises one or more of a command to increase or decrease the power of the reference laser beam generated by the laser source, a command to change a unit of measurement in which a grade of the reference laser beam is displayed on the display from a plurality of units of measurement, a command to change an end of the housing from which a user operating the remote control unit is nearest to, and a command to change an address associated with the first transceiver.

23. The pipe laser of claim 22, wherein the plurality of units of measurement include percent grade and per mil grade.

24. A method for operating a remote-controlled pipe laser, wherein the remote-controlled pipe laser includes a laser unit and a remote control unit, the method comprising:

receiving, at the laser unit, a command from the remote control unit;

acting on the command at the laser unit;

sending a response from the laser unit to the remote control unit; and

updating a display on the remote control unit based on the response.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein receiving a command from the remote control unit further comprises validating, at the laser unit, that the command is able to be performed by the laser unit.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein one or more of the command and the response are sent via a radio frequency transmission.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein receiving a command from the remote control further comprises receiving the command at a first transceiver included in the laser unit and wherein sending a response from the laser unit further comprises sending the response from the first transceiver.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the response sent from the laser unit comprises an indication that the command was received.

29. The method of claim 24, wherein the response sent from the laser unit comprises information relating to the laser unit acting on the command.

30. The method of claim 24, wherein the remote control unit includes a display screen.

31. The method of claim 30, further comprising updating the display based on the response.

32. The method of claim 24, wherein the command comprises a command to set a reference laser beam at a new grade, wherein acting on the command comprises moving the laser source so as to set the reference laser beam at the new grade and wherein the response comprises confirmation that the reference laser beam is set at the new grade.

33. The method of claim 32, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new grade further comprises a command to set the reference laser beam at a specific grade as measured by a specific unit of measure.

34. The pipe laser of claim 32, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new grade further comprises a command to increase or decrease a current grade of the reference laser beam by one or more increments.

35. The pipe laser of claim 24, wherein the command comprises a command to set the reference laser beam at a new line position, wherein acting on the command comprises moving the laser source so as to set the reference laser beam at the line position, and wherein the response comprises confirmation that the reference laser beam is set at the new line position.

36. The pipe laser of claim 35, wherein the command to set the reference laser beam at a new line position further comprises a command to change a current line position of the reference laser beam by one or more increments.

37. The pipe laser of claim 24, wherein the command comprises one or more of a command to increase or decrease the power of a reference laser beam generated by the laser source, a command to change a unit of measurement in which a grade of the reference laser beam is displayed on the display from a plurality of units of measurement, a command to change an end of the housing from which a user operating the remote control unit is nearest to, and a command to change an address associated with the first transceiver.

38. The pipe laser of claim 37, wherein the plurality of units of measurement include percent grade and per mil grade.

39. A pipe laser, comprising:

a housing;

a frame system movable with respect to the housing;

a laser source mounted to the frame system and that generates a reference laser beam;

a grade adjustment system that adjusts a grade of the reference laser beam generally along a plane a level sensor that senses a roll angle of the frame system; and

a drive system that adjusts the roll angle of at least part of the frame system to level when the level sensor indicates that the roll angle is in an out-of-level position, such that the plane along which the grade adjustment system adjusts the grade of the reference laser beam is plumb.

40. The pipe laser of claim 39, further comprising:

a second level sensor that senses a pivot angle of the frame system about an axis perpendicular to the reference laser beam; and

a second drive system that adjusts the pivot angle of at least part of the frame system to level when the second level sensor indicates that the pivot angle is in an out-of-level position.

41. The pipe laser of claim 39, further comprising an outer frame rigidly connected to the housing, wherein the frame system is connected to the outer frame and is movable around the axis coincident to the reference laser beam relative to the outer frame.

42. The pipe laser of claim 39, further comprising a line control adjustment system that adjusts the angle of the reference laser beam along a horizontal plane when the roll angle of the inner frame system is adjusted to level.

43. A method for leveling a pipe laser having a housing, a frame system movable with respect to the housing, a laser source mounted to the frame system that generates a reference laser beam, and a grade adjustment system that adjusts the grade of the reference laser beam generally along a plane, comprising:

sensing a roll angle of the frame system; and

adjusting the roll angle of at least part of the frame system to level when the sensed roll angle is in an out of level position, the adjustment ensuring that the plane along which the grade adjustment system adjusts the grade of the reference laser beam is plumb.

44. The pipe laser of claim 43, further comprising:

sensing a pivot angle of the frame system about an axis perpendicular to the reference laser beam; and

adjusting the pivot angle of at least part of the frame system to level when the sensed pivot angle is in an out-of-level position.