Level apparatus

• US 7,073,268 B1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Issued: 07/11/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chang Yue Industrial Corporation
• Original Assignee: Black & Decker Incorporated (Stanley Black & Decker, Inc.)
• Inventors: Philips, Alan, Etter, Mark A., Weston, Jeffrey D., Garcia, Jaime E., Burkholder, Robert F., Hearn, Melinda J., DeKeyser, Kathy
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US10/744,907
• Time in Patent Office: 931 Days
• Field of Search: 332/86, 336/40, 33D/IG.21, 334/51, 334/71, 334/65, 332/27, 332/28, 336/26, 336/28, 336/33, 336/38
• US Class Current: 33/286
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/002 for the position of the saw blade B27B5/36 and B27B9/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B23D 59/003 Indicating the cutting plane on the workpiece, e.g. by projecting a laser beam
• CPC Class Codes: B27B 27/02 arranged laterally and parallel with respect to the plane of the saw blade
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 33/21 with laser

Abstract

A level includes a laser source for establishing one or more visually identifiable measurement and reading in a work environment or in combination with the use of a power tool. A power tool control system includes a non-contact measurement and alignment device operative with the power tool and enabled to establish various readings, such as power tool settings. A graphical user interface communicatively coupled with the level and/or the non-contact measurement and alignment device enables user control over and display of the readings from the level and/or the non-contact measurement and alignment device.

Claims

1. A level, comprising:

a housing;

a non-contact measurement and alignment device for establishing measurement and alignment readings;

a graphical user interface communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device, the graphical user interface including a display screen for displaying graphical and textual representations of information, wherein a first category of the information displayed on the display screen is at least one of a different font, different size or different color from a second category of the information displayed on the display screen; and

a computing system communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device and the graphical user interface,

wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device allows user manipulation of the measurement and alignment information provided, and

wherein the housing further comprises a removable media receiving assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system.

2. The level of claim 1, wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device further comprises a laser source which emits a laser beam.

3. The level of claim 2, wherein the laser source is a laser light indicia and reading assembly.

4. The level of claim 2, wherein the laser source emits a plurality of laser beams.

5. The level of claim 4, wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device establishes multiple axis of measurements.

6. The level of claim 1, wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device is a modular non-contact measurement and alignment device.

7. The level of claim 1, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

8. The level of claim 1, wherein the display screen is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a back-lit screen, a pixel based screen, and a plasma screen.

9. The level of claim 1, wherein the housing is further disposed with a selector assembly coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device.

10. The level of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a power receiving assembly.

11. The level of claim 10, wherein the power receiving assembly is selected from the group consisting of an AC adapter assembly, a battery receiving assembly, and a fuel cell receiving assembly.

12. The level of claim 1, wherein the removable media receiving assembly is configured to accept a removable media selected from the group consisting of a magnetic tape, a diskette, a DVD, a CD-ROM, and a flash media.

13. The level of claim 1, wherein the housing further comprises a port assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system.

14. The level of claim 13, wherein the port assembly is selected from the group consisting of a serial cable port, a modem port, a USB port, an infrared port, an RF port, and a Bluetooth port.

15. A level, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of lenses;

a non-contact measurement and alignment device including a laser source disposed within the housing, the non-contact measurement and alignment device for emitting a laser beam through the plurality of lenses and establishing measurement and alignment readings;

a graphical user interface communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device, the graphical user interface including a display screen for displaying graphical and textual representations of information, wherein a first category of the information displayed on the display screen is at least one of a different font, different size or different color from a second category of the information displayed on the display screen; and

a computing system communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device and the graphical user interface,

wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device establishes measurement and alignment readings on multiple axis of orientation, and

wherein the housing further comprises a removable media receiving assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system.

16. The level of claim 15, wherein the laser source is a laser light indicia and reading assembly.

17. The level of claim 15, wherein the laser source emits a plurality of laser beams.

18. The level of claim 15, wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device is a modular non-contact measurement and alignment device.

19. The level of claim 15, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

20. The level of claim 15, wherein the display screen is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a back-lit screen, a pixel based screen, and a plasma screen.

21. The level of claim 15, wherein the housing is further disposed with a selector assembly coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device.

22. The level of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a power receiving assembly.

23. The level of claim 22, wherein the power receiving assembly is selected from the group consisting of an AC adapter assembly, a battery receiving assembly, and a fuel cell receiving assembly.

24. The level of claim 15, wherein the removable media receiving assembly is configured to accept a removable media selected from the group consisting of a magnetic tape, a diskette, a DVD, a CD-ROM, and a flash media.

25. The level of claim 15, wherein the housing further comprises a port assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system.

26. The level of claim 25, wherein the port assembly is selected from the group consisting of a serial cable port, a modem port, a USB port, an infrared port, an RF port, and a Bluetooth port.

27. A level, comprising:

a housing including a plurality of lenses;

a non-contact measurement and alignment device including a laser source disposed within the housing, the non-contact measurement and alignment device for emitting a laser beam through the plurality of lenses and establishing measurement and alignment readings;

a graphical user interface communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device, the graphical user interface for displaying information to a user of the level; and

a computing system communicatively coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device and the graphical user interface,

wherein the housing further comprises a removable media receiving assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system, and

wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device establishes measurement and alignment readings on multiple axis of orientation.

28. The level of claim 27, wherein the laser source is a laser light indicia and reading assembly.

29. The level of claim 27, wherein the laser source emits a plurality of laser beams.

30. The level of claim 27, wherein the non-contact measurement and alignment device is a modular non-contact measurement and alignment device.

31. The level of claim 27, wherein the graphical user interface includes a display screen including graphical and textual representations of information.

32. The level of claim 31, wherein the display screen is a touch screen.

33. The level of claim 31, wherein the display screen is selected from the group consisting of a liquid crystal display (LCD), a back-lit screen, a pixel based screen, and a plasma screen.

34. The level of claim 27, wherein the housing is further disposed with a selector assembly coupled with the non-contact measurement and alignment device.

35. The level of claim 27, wherein the housing further comprises a power receiving assembly.

36. The level of claim 35, wherein the power receiving assembly is selected from the group consisting of an AC adapter assembly, a battery receiving assembly, and a fuel cell receiving assembly.

37. The level of claim 27, wherein the removable media receiving assembly is configured to accept a removable media selected from the group consisting of a magnetic tape, a diskette, a DVD, a CD-ROM, and a flash media.

38. The level of claim 27, wherein the housing further comprises a port assembly communicatively coupled with the computing system.

39. The level of claim 38, wherein the port assembly is selected from the group consisting of a serial cable port, a modem port, a USB port, an infrared port, an RF port, and a Bluetooth port.