Gravity oriented laser scanner

• US 5,680,208 A
• Filed: 03/01/1996
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch LLC (Robert Bosch GmbH)
• Original Assignee: Dwbh Ventures Ltd
• Inventors: Richards, Gregory L., Barham, Mitchell C., Shafer, David C., Duval, Eugene F., Adams, Daniel T., Butler, Andrew G., Scott, William A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Font, Frank G.
• Assistant Examiner(s): STAFIRA, MICHAEL PATRICK
• Application Number:
  US08/609,552
• Time in Patent Office: 599 Days
• Field of Search: 356/138, 356/139, 356/140, 356/141.1-141.3, 356/142, 356/143, 356/145-147, 356/148-151, 356/248-250, 356/253, 356/254, 33/273, 33/274, 33/278, 33/280-286, 33/290-298
• US Class Current: 356/250
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/004 Reference lines, planes or sectors
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/105 Optical plumbing

Abstract

A laser scanner 50 includes a laser 76 affixed to a pendulum 66 with a damper 80 for damping the movement of the pendulum 66. The laser scanner 50 is controllable through a remote control 62 for positioning the laser beam as desired. Both horizontal and vertical laser beams can be projected in order to orient the laser scanner 50 with respect to gravity and simultaneously elevation.

Claims

1. A laser leveling system comprising:

a housing;

a pendulum mounted in said housing;

a laser mounted to said pendulum so that said laser can move relative to said housing;

a damper mechanism that can dampen the motion of said pendulum;

a base to which said housing is mounted;

said base adapted to be positioned upon a supporting surface;

said housing tiltably mounted relative to said base so that said housing can be adjustably tilted relative to said base;

said housing rotatably mounted relative to said base so that said housing can be rotated relative to said base and thus so that the laser can be panned from a first target to a second target in order to transfer an elevation from the first target to the second target;

a motor that can cause the housing to rotate relative to said base;

a motor controller that can be remotely controlled in order to cause the motor to pan the laser from the first target to the second target, said motor controller responsible to a remote signal;

a remote control device which is located remotely from said housing and which can generate said remote signs in order to cause said laser to pan; and

wherein remote control device can cause the laser to pan from the first target to the second target in order to transfer the elevation of the first target to the second target with the locations of he remote control device, and at least one of the first target and the second target being different.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein said motor and said motor controller are located in said housing;

said housing has a first spherical surface;

said base has a second spherical surface;

said first spherical surface is located adjacent to said second spherical surface and movable relative thereto to allow said housing to tilt relative to said base.

3. The system of claim 2 wherein said motor can cause the remainder of the housing to rotate relative to said first spherical surface.

4. A laser leveling system comprising:

a housing;

a laser mounted in said housing;

a positioning device that can position said laser relative to said housing;

a controller mechanism which can be remotely controlled in order to direct said positioning device to position said laser so that the laser can be panned from a first target to a second target in order to transfer an elevation of the first target to the second target;

a remote control which can be located remotely from said housing and which can control said controller mechanism in order to cause said laser to pan; and

wherein remote control can cause the laser to pan from the first target to the second target in order to transfer the elevation of the first target to the second target with the locations of the remote control, and at least one of the first target and the second target being different.

5. The system of claim 4 including:

splitter optics which can split beam from said laser into two beams.

6. The system of claim 4 including:

optics which can split a beam from said laser into a horizontal beam and a vertical beam.

7. The system of claim 4 wherein:

said housing is in the shape of plumb bob.

8. The system of claim 4 including:

said housing having a mount so that said housing can be mounted below a platform.

9. The system of claim 4 including:

said housing having a mount so that said housing can be hung from a platform.

10. The system of claim 4 including;

said housing having a mount so that said housing can be mounted on top of a platform.

11. The system of claim 4 wherein:

said housing has a base and a portion rotatably mounted to said base, which rotatable portion houses said laser; and

said base has a mechanism that can adjust the orientation of said rotatable portion relative to said base.

12. The system of claim 4 including:

a light source that can be used approximately identify the orientation of the laser.

13. The system of claim 4 including:

a pendulum for mounting said laser in said housing.

14. The system of claim 13 including:

a damper mechanism that can dampen the motion of said pendulum.

15. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said damper mechanism uses eddy currents to dampen the motion of said pendulum.

16. The system of claim 14 wherein:

said damper mechanism uses a liquid to dampen the motion of said pendulum.

17. The system of claim 4 including:

a flexure for allowing the laser to hang from the housing.

18. The system of claim 4 wherein:

said flexure is comprised of polyimide.

19. The system of claim 17 wherein:

said flexure is pivotally mounted to said housing in order to allow the laser to have two degrees of freedom.

20. The system of claim 4 including:

a base;

said housing being rotatable relative to said base, said housing also being tiltably positionble relative to said base in another degree of freedom.

21. The system of claim 17 wherein:

said flexure is comprised of Mylar.

22. The system of claim 4 comprising:

a base to which said housing is mounted;

said base adapted to be position upon a support surface; and

said housing moveable relative to said base, with said base having a spherical portion, and said housing having a portion that mates to and is moveable relative to said the spherical portion of said base in order to position said housing relative to said base.

23. The system of claim 22 wherein:

said housing is rotatably secured to said base; and

said housing rotates relative to said base about an axis that is upstanding from said base.

24. The system of claim 22 wherein:

said housing can move relative to the spherical portion of said base so the housing can move from a first angle to a second angle relative to an axis upstanding from said base.

25. The system of claim 22 wherein:

said portion of said housing that mates to the spherical portion of said base allows the housing to move from a first angle to a second angle relative to an axis upstanding from said base;

said housing is rotatably secured to said base; and

said housing rotates relative to said base about one of (1) said axis upstanding from said base and (2) a second axis upstanding from said base.

26. The system of claim 4 including:

said remote control having a control that controls the speed of pan of the housing and the laser.

27. The system of claim 4 including:

said remote control having a control that allows the housing and the laser to continuously pan.

28. The of claim 4 including:

said remote control having a control that stores in a memory the location of the housing and the laser.

29. The system of claim 28 including:

said remote control having a control that allows the housing and the laser to return to a stored position.