Laser system for generating a reference plane

• US 6,314,650 B1
• Filed: 02/11/2000
• Issued: 11/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hexagon Holdings Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Laser Alignment, Inc. (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Falb, David M.
• Primary Examiner(s): BENNETT, GEORGE B
• Application Number:
  US09/502,353
• Time in Patent Office: 641 Days
• Field of Search: 332/86, 332/90, 332/91, 332/93, 332/94, 332/95, 33D/IG.21
• US Class Current: 33/286
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A laser system comprising a laser transmitter and a laser receiver is operable to adjust the laser beam or the laser plane generated by the laser transmitter in response to one or more inputs by a user of the system. The system is operable in one or more modes, such that communication from the laser receiver to the laser transmitter results in various adjustments to the laser beam or tilt or slope of the plane generated by the beam. The present invention is preferably operable to automatically account for any drift in the system, or to adjust the slope of the plane generated by the transmitter in response to a detected location of the laser receiver. Additionally, the laser transmitter may be operable to automatically oscillate the beam in a given area in response to detection of the laser receiver in that area. Each of these modes may be actuated via a simple user input at the laser receiver and/or the laser transmitter. The present invention thus provides a simplified process for implementing a laser leveling system, which may be set up and operated by a single user.

Claims

1. A laser system comprising:

a laser transmitter which is operable to generate a laser plane, said laser transmitter comprising a signal receiver and a transmitter control; and

a laser receiver comprising at least one laser sensor which is operable to detect a laser beam from said laser transmitter, said laser receiver comprising an electrical signal transmitter and a receiver control, said laser receiver being selectably operable to transmit at least one electrical signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam from said laser transmitter, said laser transmitter being selectably operable to adjust the laser beam in response to the at least one electrical signal transmitted by said laser receiver.

2. The laser system of claim 1, wherein the at least one electrical signal comprises a radio frequency signal.

3. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a plane adjust mode, where said laser system is operable to adjust an orientation of the laser beam with respect to said laser receiver, in response to said laser receiver and a user input.

4. The laser system of claim 3, wherein said laser sensor comprises at least two regions, said laser receiver is selectably operable to transmit a first signal in response to the laser beam being received at a first region of said laser sensor and a second signal in response to the laser beam being received at a second region of said laser sensor, said laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser plane in response to at least one of said first and second signals.

5. The laser system of claim 4, wherein said first region is a center region of said laser sensor and said second region is at least one of an upper and lower region of said laser sensor, said laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser plane in response to said second signal.

6. The laser system of claim 4, wherein said laser receiver is further operable to transmit a third signal in response to the laser beam being received at a third region of said laser sensor.

7. The laser system of claim 6, wherein said first region is a center region of said laser sensor, said second region is an upper region of said laser sensor, and said third region is a lower region of said laser sensor, said laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser plane upwardly in response to said third signal and to adjust the laser plane downwardly in response to said second signal.

8. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a target detection mode.

9. The laser system of claim 8, wherein said laser transmitter is selectably operable to one of hold the laser beam and oscillate the laser beam through an angle in response to a first signal from said laser receiver, the angle of oscillation being associated with an initial position of said laser receiver when said laser receiver transmits the first signal.

10. The laser system of claim 9, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to continue 360 degree rotation in response to a second signal from said laser receiver.

11. The laser system of claim 9, wherein said laser receiver is operable to transmit the first signal in response to a user input to said laser receiver.

12. The laser system of claim 9, wherein said laser receiver is removable from the initial position after said laser receiver transmits the first signal.

13. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser transmitter comprises a grade laser transmitter, said grade laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser plane about at least two distinct axes.

14. The laser system of claim 13, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a grade axis alignment mode in response to a user input.

15. The laser system of claim 14, wherein said transmitter control is operable to receive a grade input from a user, said laser transmitter being further operable to orient a laser plane corresponding to the grade input in response to said laser receiver and said transmitter control.

16. The laser system of claim 15, wherein said transmitter control is operable to calculate a position of said laser receiver in response to a time delay between an initial laser beam position and the signal from said laser receiver, the signal being transmitted to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensors detecting the laser beam.

17. The laser system of claim 16, wherein said transmitter control is operable to calculate the orientation of the plane corresponding to the grade input in response to the position of said laser receiver and the grade input, said laser transmitter being further operable to adjust the plane in response to the orientation calculation.

18. The laser system of claim 17, wherein said at least two distinct axes comprise a first axis and a second axis, said transmitter control being operable to calculate a first axis orientation and a second axis orientation of the laser plane corresponding to the grade input and being further operable to adjust said first axis and said second axis of the laser plane in response to the orientation calculation.

19. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in at least one of a plane adjustment mode, a target detection mode, a slope matching mode and a grade axis alignment mode.

20. The laser system of claim 19, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to adjust the laser plane about at least two distinct axes, said laser transmitter comprising a first axis leveling, mechanism and a second axis leveling mechanism.

21. The laser system of claim 20, wherein said first axis and second axis leveling mechanisms comprise electrical servo motors.

22. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a plane adjustment mode, a target detection mode, a slope matching mode and a grade axis alignment mode.

23. The laser system of claim 1, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to generate the laser plane via rotational projection of the laser beam.

24. A laser system comprising:

a laser transmitter which is operable to generate a laser plane, said laser transmitter comprising a signal receiver and a transmitter control; and

a laser receiver comprising at least one laser sensor comprising a plurality of sensing regions, each of said sensing regions being operable to detect a laser beam from said laser transmitter, said laser receiver comprising an electrical signal transmitter and a receiver control, said laser receiver being operable to transmit a first electrical signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam at a first region of said laser sensor, said laser receiver being further operable to transmit a second electrical signal in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam at a second region of said laser sensor, said laser receiver being further operable to transmit a third electrical signal in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam at a third region of said laser sensor, said laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser beam in response to at least one of the first, second and third electrical signals.

25. The laser system of claim 24, wherein said first region is a center region of said laser sensor and said second and third regions are opposite one another from said center region, said laser transmitter being operable to adjust the laser beam in response to the second and third electrical signals.

26. The laser system of claim 24, wherein said laser receiver is stationary mounted at a position relative to said laser transmitter, said laser system being operable to adjust a misalignment of the laser beam with respect to at least one of said first, second and third regions of said laser sensor.

27. The laser system of claim 24, wherein said laser receiver is movably mounted at a first position relative to said laser transmitter, said laser system being operable to adjust the laser beam in response to a movement of said laser receiver toward a second position relative to said laser transmitter.

28. The laser system of claim 24, wherein said laser system is further selectably operable in at least one of a grade axis alignment mode and a target detection mode.

29. The laser system of claim 24, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to generate the laser plane via rotational projection of the laser beam.

30. A laser system comprising:

a laser transmitter which is operable to generate a laser plane, said laser transmitter comprising a signal receiver and a transmitter control; and

a laser receiver comprising at least one laser sensor which is operable to detect a laser beam from said laser transmitter, a signal transmitter and a receiver control, said signal transmitter being operable to transmit an electrical signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam, said laser transmitter being operable to one of holding the laser beam at a hold point and oscillating the laser beam within an angle range, the hold point or angle range being a function of an initial location of said laser receiver when detecting the laser beam from said laser transmitter.

31. The laser system of claim 30, wherein said laser receiver is movable from the initial location after transmitting the electrical signal, said laser transmitter being operable to continue holding or oscillating the laser beam after said laser receiver has been moved.

32. The laser system of claim 30, wherein said laser receiver is operable to selectively transmit a second electrical signal, said laser transmitter being operable to generate the laser plane via 360 degree rotational projection of the laser beam in response to the second electrical signal.

33. The laser system of claim 30, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a slope matching mode, a beam adjust mode and a,grade axis alignment mode.

34. The laser system of claim 30, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to generate the laser plane via rotational projection of the laser beam.

35. A laser system comprising:

a laser transmitter which is operable to generate a laser plane, the laser plane being adjustable about at least two distinct axes of said laser transmitter to generate a sloped plane at a grade angle with respect to an earth reference in response to a selected grade input, said laser transmitter comprising a signal receiver and a transmitter control; and

a laser receiver comprising at least one laser sensor which is operable to detect a laser beam from said laser transmitter, said laser receiver comprising a signal transmitter and a receiver control, said laser receiver being operable to transmit an electrical signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam, said transmitter control being operable to calculate an appropriate orientation of the sloped plane in response to said laser receiver and adjust the laser plane about said at least two distinct axes to generate the sloped plane at the calculated orientation.

36. The laser system of claim 35, wherein said transmitter control is operable to calculate a position of said laser receiver via a time delay between the laser beam being projected in a known direction and being projected at said laser receiver.

37. The laser system of claim 35, wherein said laser transmitter is operable to generate the laser plane via a rotating laser beam.

38. The laser system of claim 37, wherein said laser transmitter further comprises a pick off device which is operable to monitor a rotational orientation of the rotating laser beam.

39. The laser system of claim 38, wherein said pick off device comprises a rotatable disc having at least one notch or tooth thereon and a sensor which is operable to detect said at least one notch or tooth.

40. The laser system of claim 38, wherein said transmitter control is operable to calculate a position of said laser receiver via an output of said pick off device.

41. The laser system of claim 35, wherein said at least two distinct axes comprise a first and second axis which are mutually perpendicular to one another.

42. The laser system of claim 41, wherein said transmitter control is further operable to calculate a first tilt angle for said first axis and a second tilt angle for said second axis in response to the selected grade input and the position of said laser receiver.

43. The laser system of claim 35, wherein said laser system is selectably operable in a slope matching mode, a beam adjust mode and a target detection mode.

44. A method of aligning and orienting a sloped plane of a laser transmitter comprising the steps of:

providing a laser transmitter which is operable to generate a laser plane, the laser plane being adjustable about at least two distinct axes of said laser transmitter to generate a sloped plane at a grade angle with respect to an earth reference in response to a selected grade input;

providing a laser receiver which is operable to detect a laser beam from said laser transmitter and to transmit a signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser sensor detecting the laser beam;

providing a grade input to said laser transmitter;

placing said laser receiver at a target position such that the sloped plane will intersect said laser receiver;

transmitting a signal to said laser transmitter in response to said laser receiver detecting the laser plane;

determining an orientation of said laser receiver relative to said laser transmitter;

calculating the grade angle for each of the at least two distinct axes as a function of the grade input and the orientation of said laser receiver; and

adjusting the laser plane in response to the calculated grade angle.

45. The laser system of claim 44, wherein said at least two distinct axes comprise a first axis and a second axis which are mutually perpendicular to one another.

46. The laser system of claim 45, wherein said transmitter control is further operable to calculate a first grade angle for said first axis and a second grade angle for said second axis as a function of the grade input and the orientation of said laser receiver relative to said laser transmitter.

47. The method of claim 44, wherein the orientation of said laser receiver relative to said laser transmitter is determined via rotational movement of the laser beam.

48. The method of claim 47, wherein said laser transmitter comprises a pick off device, the rotational movement of the laser beam being monitored by said pick off device.