Measuring device with housing orientation indicator and position transferring focused light-beam source

• US 6,209,219 B1
• Filed: 07/29/1999
• Issued: 04/03/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Stanley Works Limited (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Bijawat, Viresh, Wakefield, David L.
• Primary Examiner(s): GUTIERREZ, DIEGO F
• Application Number:
  US09/363,394
• Time in Patent Office: 614 Days
• Field of Search: 33/DIG. 21, 33/768, 33/769, 33/770, 33/263, 33/227, 33/275 R, 33/390, 33/761, 33/760
• US Class Current: 33/761
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 2003/1087 for illuminating
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/00 Measuring instruments characterised by the use of mechanical techniques
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/1084 Tapes combined with arrangements for functions other than measuring lengths
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/1092 for performing length measurements and at least one other measurement of a different nature, e.g. bubble-type level
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 3/1094 for recording information or for performing calculations
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/008 combined with inclination sensor
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A measuring device includes a housing, a distance measuring apparatus carried on the housing, one or more housing orientation indicators, and a focused light beam source. Using the housing orientation indicators, the housing can be properly oriented so that a focused light beam emitted by the focused light beam source will illuminate a point on a remote surface to accurately transfer the position of the housing to the remote surface.

Claims

1. A measuring device comprising:

a housing comprising two separate mating halves that cooperate to define an interior chamber;

a distance measuring apparatus mounted within said interior chamber and constructed and arranged to measure a distance between a reference point on a reference plane and said housing along a measuring axis that is perpendicular to the reference plane;

a focused light-beam source mounted to at least one of said two mating halves of said housing and constructed and arranged to emit a focused light-beam from said housing; and

a housing orientation indicator carried by said housing and oriented with respect to said focused light-beam source so as to indicate whether said focused light-beam source is in a level or plumb orientation, so that when said housing orientation indicator provides said level or plumb indication, said focused light-beam is projected from said housing onto a remote surface at a point on the remote surface that is spaced from the reference plane, along an axis that is parallel to the measuring axis, by a distance that is the same as the distance, along the measuring axis, between the reference point on the reference plane and said housing,

said housing orientation indicator also being oriented with respect to a housing surface so as to indicate whether a surface upon which said housing surface rests is in a plumb or level orientation.

2. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein said distance measuring apparatus comprises:

an elongated flexible rule blade; and

a controllable spring-biased reel assembly mounted within a chamber defined by said housing having one end of said rule blade connected thereto, said controllable spring-biased reel assembly being constructed and arranged to wind said rule blade into a coiled state within said chamber and to allow said rule blade to be extended outwardly of said chamber through an opening formed in said housing into an uncoiled state.

3. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein said focused light beam source comprises a laser constructed and arranged to generate a laser beam.

4. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein said housing orientation indicator comprises a bull'"'"'s eye vial mounted on said housing so as to be viewable by a user.

5. The measuring device of claim 4, wherein said housing includes a flat reference surface and said bull'"'"'s eye vial is constructed and arranged to indicate when said reference surface is in a level orientation.

6. The measuring device according to claim 5, wherein said housing orientation indicator further comprises a barrel level vial mounted on a side surface of said housing and constructed and arranged to indicate if said reference surface is in a plumb orientation.

7. The measuring device according to claim 6, wherein said housing further includes a second reference surface and said housing orientation indicator further includes a second bull'"'"'s eye vial mounted on said housing so as to be viewable by a user and constructed and arranged to indicate when said second reference surface is in a level orientation.

8. The measuring device of claim 1, wherein said focused light beam source is constructed and arranged so that the focused light beam emitted thereby is aligned with a portion of the distance measuring apparatus corresponding to a terminus of a distance measured with said distance measuring apparatus.

9. A measuring device according to claim 1, wherein said distance between said reference point on the reference plane and said housing is the distance between the reference point and a surface of the housing aligned with the focused light-beam.

10. A coilable rule assembly comprising:

a housing comprising two separate mating halves that cooperate to define an interior chamber having an opening;

an elongated, coilable flexible rule blade;

a controllable spring-biased reel assembly mounted within said interior chamber having one end of said rule blade connected thereto,

said controllable spring biased reel assembly being constructed and arranged to wind said rule blade into a coiled state within said interior chamber and to allow said rule blade to be extended outwardly of said chamber opening into an uncoiled state;

a housing orientation indicator carried by said housing and constructed and arranged to indicate when said housing is in a preferred orientation; and

a focused light-beam source mounted to at least one of said two mating halves of said housing and constructed and arranged to emit a focused light-beam from said housing to a point on a surface remote from said housing to indicate a location on said surface corresponding to a location of said housing when said housing is in said preferred orientation.

11. A coilable rule assembly according to claim 10, wherein said focused light beam source comprises a laser constructed and arranged to generate a laser beam.

12. The coilable rule assembly according to claim 10, wherein said housing orientation indicator comprises a bull'"'"'s eye vial mounted on said housing so as to be viewable by a user.

13. The coilable rule assembly according to claim 12, wherein said housing includes a flat reference surface and said bull'"'"'s eye vial is constructed and arranged to indicate when said reference surface is in a level orientation.

14. The coilable rule assembly according to claim 13, wherein said housing orientation indicator further comprises a barrel level vial mounted on a side surface of said housing and constructed and arranged to indicate if said reference surface is in a plumb orientation.

15. The coilable rule assembly according to claim 14, wherein said housing further includes a second reference surface and said housing orientation indicator further includes a second bull'"'"'s eye vial mounted on said housing so as to be viewable by a user and constructed and arranged to indicate when said second reference surface is in a level orientation.

16. The coilable rule assembly of claim 10, wherein said focused light beam source is constructed and arranged so that the focused light beam emitted thereby is aligned with a portion of said rule blade corresponding to a terminus of a distance measured with said distance measuring apparatus.

17. A measuring device according to claim 10, wherein said distance between said reference point on the reference plane and said housing is the distance between the reference point and a surface of the housing aligned with the focused light-beam.

18. A measuring device comprising:

a housing comprising two separate mating halves that cooperate to define an interior chamber having an opening;

an elongated flexible rule blade;

a controllable spring-biased reel assembly mounted within said interior chamber having one end of said rule blade connected thereto,

said controllable spring biased reel assembly being constructed and arranged to wind said rule blade into a coiled state within said interior chamber and to allow said rule blade to be extended outwardly of said chamber opening into an uncoiled state;

a housing orientation indicator carried by said housing and constructed and arranged to indicate when said housing is in a preferred orientation;

a focused light-beam source mounted to at least one of said two mating halves of said housing and constructed and arranged to emit a focused light beam from said housing to a point on a surface remote from said housing to indicate a location on said surface corresponding to a location of said housing when said housing is in said preferred orientation; and

wherein said focused light-beam source is constructed and arranged so that the focused light-beam emitted thereby is generally perpendicular to said elongated flexible rule blade at a portion thereof corresponding to a terminus of a distance measured with said rule blade.