Alignment device utilizing components responsive to gravity

• US 6,694,631 B2
• Filed: 01/11/2002
• Issued: 02/24/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Ch Fung, George, Bone, Daniel
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Smith, R. Alexander
• Application Number:
  US09/958,701
• Publication Number:
  US 20020133959A1
• Time in Patent Office: 774 Days
• Field of Search: 333/33, 333/34, 333/65, 333/661.1, 333/661.2, 333/661.5, 333/661.6, 333/661.7, 333/662.3, 333/662.4, 333/662.7, 333/74, 333/75, 333/91, 333/95, 333/98, 334/02, 334/01, 332/86, 408/16, 408/124, 408/241.R, 200/332.1, 200/332.2, 200/293.1, 200/522, 200/61.85, 200/113, 310/68.A
• US Class Current: 33/333
• CPC Class Codes: B25F 5/022 with incorporated levels
• CPC Class Codes: B25H 1/0085 by means of levels
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/066 optical
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 2009/107 spheres
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/06 Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 9/10 by using rolling bodies , e.g. spheres, cylinders, mercury droplets
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/08 Casing of switch constituted by a handle serving a purpose other than the actuation of the switch
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 13/64 wherein the switch has more than two electrically distinguishable positions, e.g. multi-position push-button switches
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2009/065 Battery operated hand tools in which the battery and the switch are directly connected
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 408/21 with signal, indicator, illuminator or optical means

Abstract

A level indicator utilizing an alignment device, together with a power tool utilizing such a level indicator to determine when such a tool is held in a horizontal or vertical plane. An alignment device (10) has a first component part (12) with an arcuate track (14) with a track following member in the form of a ball bearing (28) to follow the track under the influence of gravity to seek an equilibrium position. The body has a signal input (18) and a signal output port (20) and the second component part has an alignment member axially mounted within the body in restraining engagement with the track following member (28) so as to be rotationally displaceable within the body in response to displacement of the track following member (28) whereby alignment between the alignment member and the input and output ports in response to displacement of the alignment member by the ball bearing, effects operation of an indicator means to provide an indication that such alignment between the alignment member and the alignment ports has been achieved.

Claims

1. An alignment device comprising:

a first component part comprising a main body having a concave track and a track following member restrained in engagement with and displaceable about said track to follow said track under the influence of gravity to seek an equilibrium position;

a second component part comprising an alignment member pivotally mounted within said body and restrained in engagement with said track following member so as to be directly pivotally displaceable in response to displacement of said track following member;

said device further comprising a first alignment port and a second alignment port in said body and indicator means for providing an indication when said alignment member is in a predetermined alignment with both first and second alignment ports.

2. An alignment device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the track is arcuate and disposed about an axis and said alignment member being mounted and rotatable about said track axis so as to be displaceable about said axis in response to displacement of said track following member.

3. An alignment device as claimed in claim 2 in which said arcuate track defines a complete circle about said axis.

4. An alignment device as claimed in claim 1 in which the track following member comprises a sphere.

5. An alignment device as claimed in claim 1 in which said track comprises a channel in which said track follower means is restrained by inner and outer walls of said channel.

6. An alignment device as claimed in claim 1 in which said first alignment port comprises a signal input port and said second alignment port comprises a signal output port and said alignment member comprises a signal carrying member to effect transfer of a signal from input port to output port when alignment is achieved.

7. An alignment device as claimed in claim 6 further comprising indicator means which is activated in response to a signal being transferred from said input port to said output port to provide an external detectable indication of alignment.

8. An alignment device as claimed in claim 7 in which said indicator means comprises a light-emitting terminal which provides said external indication.

9. An alignment device as claimed in claim 7 wherein said input port comprises a signal generating means and said output port comprises a signal detector means.

10. An alignment device as claimed in claim 9 in which said signal generator means comprises an electromagnetic radiation emitter and said signal detector means comprises an electromagnetic radiation detector.

11. An alignment device as claimed in claim 10 in which the signal-carrying member comprises an electromagnetic radiation-carrying member.

12. An alignment device as claimed in claim 10 further comprising an electronic control circuit which is activated in response to a signal received from the detector means to provide said external indication of alignment.

13. An alignment device as claimed in claim 6 in which said first and second alignment ports are diametrically opposed about the axis of the track and said alignment member comprises at least one substantially straight axially mounted alignment bar which, upon alignment, extends between said ports.

14. An alignment device as claimed in claim 13 comprising an additional alignment bar disposed at right angles to the other whereby alignment of the alignment members and ports occurs when either alignment bar extends between said ports.

15. An alignment device as claimed in claim 14 in which at least one alignment bar comprise said signal carrying member.

16. An alignment device as claimed in claim 14 wherein said track following member is restrained in engagement with both said alignment bars.

17. A level indicator comprising an alignment device as claimed in claim 14 wherein alignment between the component parts is indicative of the body substantially identifying a horizontal line.

18. A level indicator as claimed in claim 17 comprising a reference surface fixed relative to said body for said surface to substantially identify a horizontal line upon alignment between said component parts.

19. A level indicator as claimed in claim 18 which alignment between said alignment ports and said first alignment bar is indicative of the body identifying a horizontal line and alignment between said alignment ports and said second alignment bar is indicative of the body substantially identifying a vertical plane.

20. A level indicator as claimed in claim 19 in which said reference surface substantially identifies a horizontal line upon alignment between said alignment ports and first alignment bar and substantially identifies a vertical plane upon alignment between said alignment ports and said second alignment bar.

21. A power drill having a longitudinally extending rotary output and comprising a level indicator as claimed in claim 20 which said body of said alignment device is fixedly mounted in said drill in a predetermined orientation so that alignment between said alignment ports and said first alignment bar occurs when the longitudinally extending rotary output lies substantially in a horizontal line and alignment between said alignment ports and said second alignment bar occurs when the longitudinally extending rotary output lies substantially in a vertical plane.

22. A power drill having a longitudinally extending rotary output and comprising a level indicator as claimed in claim 17 in which said body of said alignment device is fixedly mounted in said drill in a predetermined orientation so that alignment of said component parts occurs when the longitudinally extending rotary output lies substantially in a horizontal line.

23. An alignment device as claimed in claim 1 in which said alignment member comprises a circular disc having a restraining notch formed in its circumference for co-operating engagement with said track following member.

24. An alignment member for use in an alignment device according to claim 23 comprising two substantially identical circular discs, said discs being moment free about an axis extending perpendicular to and through the centre of the discs when fitted together.

25. An alignment member as claimed in claim 24 which each disc includes at least one disc channel formed diametrically across a first surface whereby engagement between the first surface of each disc aligns the at least one disc channel of a first disc with that of the other disc to form a channel through said alignment member.

26. An alignment member as claimed in claim 25 in which each disc has a projection and rebate formed from said first surface whereby engagement of the first surfaces of each disc so as to align the disc channels also aligns the rebate of one disc with the projection of the other disc to provide an interference fit between the projection of one disc with the rebate of the other disc to restrain the two discs in engagement.

27. An alignment member as claimed in claim 26 in which said projection and rebate on each disc are equidistant from the centre of each disc.

28. An alignment member as claimed in claim 27 in which each disc has first and second identical disc notches diametrically opposed about the disc whereby alignment of the discs channels of said discs aligns the first disc notch of one disc with the second disc notch of said second disc.