Rotary laser irradiating system and object reflector for the same

• US 6,483,106 B1
• Filed: 01/05/2000
• Issued: 11/19/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon
• Inventors: Ohtomo, Fumio, Kodaira, Jun-ichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, Que T.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Luu, Thanh X.
• Application Number:
  US09/477,657
• Time in Patent Office: 1,049 Days
• Field of Search: 250/231.13, 250/234-236, 250/206.1, 250/206.2, 250/559.38, 356/152--15, 356/141--14, 356/3.09, 356/139.07, 356/139.08, 356/139.1, 356/4.08, 356/11, 356/17, 356/253-255, 332/90--92, 334/04, 359/196
• US Class Current: 250/236
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 26/0816 by means of one or more reflecting elements

Abstract

The present invention provides a rotary laser irradiating system, which comprises a laser light source, a range-finding unit, a rotator for irradiating a laser beam from the laser light source and a range-finding light from the range-finding unit onto a reference plane by rotary irradiation, and scanning means for deflecting the laser beam from the laser light source on the reference plane.

Claims

1. A rotary laser irradiating system, comprising a laser light source, a range finding unit, a rotator for irradiating a laser beam from said laser light source and a range-finding light from said range-finding unit onto a reference plane by rotary irradiation, scanning means arranged on an optical path between said laser light source and said rotator which deflects said laser beam, and an image rotator which is arranged on an optical path between said scanning means and said rotator and which rotates said laser beam from said scanning means, wherein rotation of said image rotator is associated with rotation of said rotator.

2. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, wherein said system further comprises an encoder for detecting an irradiating direction of said rotator and a photodetection unit for receiving the laser beam reflected by an object reflector positioned on the reference plane, wherein the rotation of said rotator is controlled based on outputs of said photodetection unit and said encoder, and said range-finding light and said laser beam are directed to said object reflector.

3. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, wherein the laser beam from the laser light source is visible light, and the range-finding light from the range-finding unit is invisible light.

4. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, wherein said image rotator is interlocked in such manner that said image rotator is rotated by ½

turn while said rotator is rotated by one turn.

5. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, wherein a focusing optical system is provided on an optical path between said image rotator and said rotator in order that said laser beam is focused at a distance measured by said range-finding unit.

6. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 2, wherein the laser beam emitted is a polarized laser beam, said object reflector comprises a reflecting pattern consisting of a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam while maintaining a direction of polarization and a reflection surface for reflecting said laser beam while converting a direction of polarization, and said photodetection unit comprises a first detecting unit and a second detecting unit for receiving light beams with different directions of polarization respectively, wherein said first detecting unit and said second detecting unit recognize said pattern and the operating condition is controlled.

7. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, wherein said rotator comprises an encoder for detecting an irradiating direction of said rotator, and said object reflector is set on a first position and a second position, wherein each of said first position and said second position are measured by said range-finding unit, and a rotation angle from said first position to said second position is detected by said encoder, and a distance from the first position to the second position is calculated based on the result of the measurement.

8. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 7, wherein the distance from the first position to the second position is displayed on a display unit of said object relrector.

9. A rotary laser irradiating system according to claim 1, further comprising an object reflector, and wherein said laser beam can be scanned by said scanning means when said range-finding light is directed to said object reflector by said rotator.