Manual leveling rotating laser with swivel head

• US 6,871,408 B2
• Filed: 02/28/2003
• Issued: 03/29/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Irwin Industrial Tool Company (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Malard, Fabrice J., Gamal, Albert, Loudenslager, John H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gutierrez, Diego
• Assistant Examiner(s): Guadalupe, Yaritza
• Application Number:
  US10/376,650
• Publication Number:
  US 20040004825A1
• Time in Patent Office: 760 Days
• Field of Search: 332/27, 332/91, 33281-283, 33285-286, 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 self-contained laser generator uses a laser diode and a mirror to generate a laser light beam, split it into two parts, and generate perpendicular beams of laser light. One of more mirrors are useful for receiving light and splitting it into two beams. An internal motor then rotates the mirrors and one of the beams becomes a rotating laser light, useful for aligning objects in a horizontal or vertical direction. The other beam may be used to locate and orient the rotating laser line generator in a different plane.

Claims

1. A rotating laser line generator, comprising:

a housing having at least one mounting feature;

a laser light source, at least one mirror receiving and transmitting the laser light, and a motor rotating the at least one mirror, so that the transmitted light rotates, and wherein the laser light is transmitted from the light source through a center of the motor to the at least one mirror; and

a controller connected to the motor to control a speed of the motor,

wherein the laser light source emits light at constant power whether the light is rotating or still.

2. The generator of claim 1, further comprising a pivot, wherein a user pivots a portion of the laser line generator to change a direction of the laser light.

3. The generator of claim 1, wherein the motor is oriented in a direction parallel to an axis of rotation of the laser light.

4. The generator of claim 1, further comprising a lens for transmitting a portion of the light in a direction perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the laser light.

5. The generator of claim 1, wherein the power supply is a battery mounted within the housing and switchably connected to the laser light source.

6. The generator of claim 1, further comprising at least one bubble level and manual means for adjusting the rotating laser line generator.

7. The generator of claim 1, further comprising the bubble levels oriented at right angles to each other and manual means for adjusting the bubble levels.

8. The generator of claim 1, further comprising a second mount for mounting at least one lens, the second mount mounted to the motor.

9. The generator of claim 1, further comprising a controller for controlling a speed of the motor.

10. The generator of claim 9, further comprising a circuit board mounted to the first mount, said circuit board mounting a power supply and the controller for the motor.

11. The generator of claim 1, further comprising an encoder for the motor.

12. The generator of claim 1, wherein the center of the motor comprises a shaft, and the laser light is transmitted through a center of the shaft.

13. A rotating laser line generator, comprising:

a housing having at least one mounting feature and a pivot;

a laser light source mounted to a chassis within the housing;

a motor mounted to the chassis;

a head casting rotatably mounted to the motor; and

at least one mirror mounted to the head casting and adapted to receive light from the laser light source and project light from said light source, wherein the laser light source projects light through a path in the motor to the at least one mirror, and the motor rotates the head casting and the at least one mirror.

14. The rotating laser line generator of claim 13, further comprising at least one bubble level and manual means for adjusting the at least one bubble level.

15. The rotating laser line generator of claim 13, further comprising at least one battery switchably connected to the motor and laser light source.

16. The rotating laser line generator of claim 13, further comprising a controller and an encoder for controlling a speed of the motor.

17. A rotating laser line generator, comprising:

a housing;

a laser light source mounted within the housing;

at least one mirror adapted to receive light from the source and project said light in a first direction and in a second direction of propagation; and

a power supply and motor connected to the at last one mirror, wherein the light travels a path through a center of the motor and the laser light source, the motor and the at least one mirror are mounted pivotally within the housing.

18. The rotating laser line generator of claim 17, wherein the first and second directions of propagation are perpendicular.

19. The rotating laser line generator of claim 17, further comprising a controller controllably connected to the power supply and motor for controlling a speed of the motor.

20. A method for projecting laser light, the method comprising:

providing a rotating laser line generator;

projecting laser light through a center of a motor rotating at least one mirror; and

rotating the at least one mirror to project a first laser light beam onto a first surface and to project a second laser light beam perpendicular to the first light beam onto a second surface perpendicular to the first surface.

21. The method of claim 20 further comprising pivoting the at least one mirror 90°

.

22. The method of claim 20 further comprising leveling the laser line generator with at least one manual means for adjusting at least one level indicator.

23. The method of claim 20 further comprising controlling a speed of the motor.

24. A rotating laser line generator, comprising:

a housing;

a laser light source and power source mounted within the housing;

at least one mirror for receiving and transmitting the laser light; and

a motor for rotating the at least one mirror, wherein the laser light source projects a laser light through a center of the motor, the mirror splits the light into two portions, and the motor rotates the at least one mirror to project a rotating laser light, the laser light source emitting light at constant power whether the laser light is rotating or still.

25. The rotating laser light generator of claim 24, further comprising a controller for controlling a speed of the motor.

26. The rotating laser light generator of claim 24, further comprising a pivot mechanism to rotate the at least one mirror, the motor and the laser light source 90°

.

27. The rotating laser light generator of claim 24, further comprising at least one level indicator and at least one means for manually adjusting a level of the rotating laser light generator.

28. The rotating laser light generator of claim 24, wherein a first mirror is oriented at 45°

from a laser light source and a second mirror is oriented at about 45°

from a source of reflected laser light.

29. A method for projecting laser light, the method comprising:

manually aligning a laser light generator;

projecting and rotating a laser light generated by the laser light generator in a horizontal orientation;

pivoting a portion of the laser light generator; and

projecting and rotating the laser light in a horizontal orientation wherein the laser light is rotated by a motor and the laser light shines through a center of the motor.

30. The method of claim 29, further comprising manually aligning the laser light generator after the step of pivoting the laser light generator.