Method and apparatus for distance measurement

• US 7,086,162 B2
• Filed: 12/23/2004
• Issued: 08/08/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Dan Tyroler
• Original Assignee: Dan Tyroler
• Inventors: Tyroler, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Fulton, Christopher W.
• Application Number:
  US11/021,776
• Publication Number:
  US 20060137194A1
• Time in Patent Office: 593 Days
• Field of Search: 332/77, 33/1.G, 33/1.CC, 332/76, 332/78, 332/79, 332/80, 334/65, 334/71
• US Class Current: 33/277
• CPC Class Codes: G01B 11/14 for measuring distance or clearance between spaced objects or spaced apertures G01B11/26 takes precedence; rangefinders G01C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/002 Active optical surveying means optical plumbing G01C15/105

Abstract

A device for measuring physical characteristics includes a beam generator component generating first and second beams at two points. The device further includes a protractor that measures the angle between the beams. The device measures the distances to the two points and with the angle between the two beams, determines a predetermined characteristic, such as the distance between the two points.

Claims

1. A device for measuring the distance between two arbitrary points comprising:

means for determining two reference distances between a reference point and the two arbitrary points, said means for determining including a first beam generator generating an invisible beam selectively directed from said reference point to one of said arbitary points and a second beam generator generating a visible beam corresponding to said invisible beam to enable a user to target said invisible beam;

means for determining a corresponding angle; and

means for calculating the distance between the points from said reference distances and said corresponding angle.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said means for determining two distances includes a first source generating said first invisible beam for targeting one of the arbitrary points and a second source generating a second beam for targeting the other of the arbitrary points.

3. The device of claim 1 further comprising a pivoting member for pivoting said beams to said arbitrary points.

4. The device of claim 1 wherein said invisible beam is one of a laser and an ultrasonic beam.

5. The device of claim 1 wherein said visible and invisible beams are coincident.

6. The device of claim 1 wherein said visible and non-visible beans are parallel to each other.

7. A measuring device comprising:

a beam generator that generates a beam;

a pivoting mirror selectively directing said beam at a first and a second arbitrary point;

an angle sensor that provides the angle between the first and a second arbitrary point; and

a calculator using at least a distance associated with said beam and said angle to determine a physical characteristic associated with said arbitrary points.

8. The device of claim 7 further comprising a pivoting member to pivot said beam by said angle.

9. The device of claim 7 further comprising a rotating member that selectively rotates said mirror.

10. The device of claim 9 wherein said mirror is moved back and forth between two positions to generate an apparent line on a target.

11. The device of claim 7 further comprising a housing holding said beam generator and said calculator, said housing being sized and shaped to be hand-held by a user.

12. The device of claim 7 further comprising a first component holding said beam generator and a second component holding said calculator.

13. The device of claim 12 further comprising a connection between said first and second components.

14. The device of claim 12 wherein said connection is a wired connection.

15. The device of claim 12 wherein said connection is a wireless connection.

16. The device of claim 7 wherein said beam generator generates a laser beam.

17. The device of claim 7 wherein said device is imbedded into an apparatus.

18. The device of claim 7 further comprising a distance detector that detects a first distance to said first point and a second distance to the second point using said beam, and wherein said calculator further determines a third distance between said points based on said first distance, second distance and said angle.

19. A device for measuring the distance between a first point and a second point comprising:

an image generator disposed at a reference point generating an image of a line having a first end and a second end, said line having a variable length;

a distance detector that determines a first distance between the reference point and the first end, and a second distance between the reference point and the second end;

an angle detector that determines an angle between said ends as defined from said reference point; and

a calculator that calculates the distance between said first and second ends from said first distance, said second distance and said angle.

20. The device of claim 19 wherein said device includes a controller used to select the length of said line.

21. The device of claim 19 further comprising a housing containing the elements of said device.

22. The device of claim 19 further comprising a display showing the distance between said ends.