Laser level with electronic tilt sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11512954-B2
Application number	US-201817281294-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2018
Priority date	Oct 10, 2018
Publication date	Nov 29, 2022
Grant date	Nov 29, 2022

Abstract

A laser level containing a housing, an electronic tilt sensor located in the housing; a controller to which the electronic tilt sensor is connected, and a laser module. The controller is communicable with a first display device and a second display device. The laser line is adapted to project a straight ground laser line on a flat surface. The electronic tilt sensor is adapted to detect a tilt of the laser level and provide a measurement signal to the controller. The controller is adapted to provide a display signal to the first and second display devices to display information about the tilt. By using an electronic tilt sensor, the laser level can provide accurate indicate of the tilt of the device and also allows such tilt information to be processed further.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A laser level comprising
a) a housing,
b) an electronic tilt sensor located in the housing;
c) a controller to which the electronic tilt sensor is connected; the controller communicable with a first display device and a second display device; and
d) a laser module which is adapted to project a straight ground laser line on a flat surface;
wherein the electronic tilt sensor is adapted to detect a tilt of the laser level, and provide a measurement signal to the controller; the controller adapted to provide a display signal to the first and second display devices to display information about the tilt.

2. The laser level according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second display devices are mounted on the housing and connected to the controller wirely.

3. The laser level according to claim 2 , the first and second display devices are configured to display levelness of a tilt angle for the ground laser line with respect to a vertical axis, in two planes respectively.

4. The laser level according to claim 3 , wherein the vertical axis is perpendicular to the earth; the two planes being perpendicular to each other, as well as being both perpendicular to the earth.

5. The laser level according to claim 1 , wherein the first and second display devices each further comprises a plurality of lighting elements; the plurality of lighting elements adapted to provide a varying light pattern to indicate information about the tilt angle.

6. The laser level according to claim 5 , wherein the plurality of lighting elements is aligned in a row and comprises a middle lighting element and two side lighting elements.

7. The laser level according to claim 6 , wherein the middle lighting element is configured to be activated when the laser level is at substantially at a predetermined tilt angle; one said side lighting elements configured to be activated when the laser level is deviated from the predetermined tilt angle.

8. The laser level according to claim 7 ; wherein the predetermined tilt angles are 0°, 180° or 90° with respect to a vertical axis.

9. The laser level according to claim 1 , further comprises a user switch which is adapted to power on/off of the laser level, and a mode switch which is adapted to switch between a normal measuring mode and an angle-lock mode.

10. The laser level according to claim 1 , wherein the first display device is adapted to indicate a low battery status of the laser level.

11. The laser level according to claim 6 , wherein the laser level is adapted to work in an angle-lock mode in which the controller saves the tilt information into a memory which is connected to the controller.

12. The laser level according to claim 11 , wherein when the laser level is substantially at a saved tilt angle, only the middle lighting element is configured to be turned on; when the laser level is deviated from the saved tilt angle, only a side lighting element configured to be turned on.

13. The laser level according to claim 1 , further comprises a wireless module connected to the controller; the first and second display devices being implemented on a screen of a portable computing device.

14. The laser level according to claim 13 , wherein the wireless module is adapted to transfer the information of the tilt to the portable computing device wirelessly connected with the laser level.

15. A method of calibrating a laser level, comprising:
a) placing a laser module of the laser level on a fixture of which a levelness is known;
b) attaching an electronic tilt sensor module to the laser module;
c) using the electronic tilt sensor module to measure an angle difference between the levelness and a tilt of the electronic tilt sensor module;
d) computing a compensation value for the laser module for the angle difference; and
e) storing the compensation value into a memory of the electronic tilt sensor module.

16. A method of extending a line measurement by a laser level, comprising:
a) placing the laser level in front of a workpiece having a surface;
b) pointing the laser level at a predetermined angle; the laser level emitting a laser line along the predetermined angle; marking a physical line on the surface which substantially follows the laser line;
c) saving the predetermined angle into a memory of laser level;
d) moving the laser level to an end of the physical line; and
e) adjusting the laser level to be at the predetermined angle, so that the line measurement is extended.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein the predetermined angle is inputted to the laser level through a portable device external to the laser level.

18. A method of making a parallel line measurement by a laser level, comprising:
a) placing the laser level in front of a workpiece having a surface;
b) pointing the laser level at a predetermined angle; the laser level emitting a laser line along the predetermined angle;
c) marking a physical line on the surface which substantially follows the laser line;
d) saving the predetermined angle into a memory of laser level;
e) moving the laser level in an offset direction from the physical line; and
f) adjusting the laser level to be at the predetermined angle, so that the laser line becomes parallel to the physical line.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the predetermined angle is inputted to the laser level through a portable device external to the laser level.

20. A method of measure the height of a target, comprising the steps:
a) measuring the horizontal distance between the target and a reference point;
b) using a laser level to measure a first angle through the reference point to the lower corner at which the target intersects with a ground;
c) transmitting a value of the first angle by the laser level to an external device;
d) saving the value of the first angle in the external device and the laser level;
e) using the laser level measure a second angle though the reference point to the upper corner at which the target intersects with a ceiling;
f) transmitting a value of the second angle by the laser level to the external device;
g) saving the value of the second angle in the external device and the laser level; and
h) calculating the height of target using the following equation:
Height of target=(tan(first angle)+tan(second angle))*distance from the reference point to the target.

Assignees

• Techtronic Cordless Gp

Inventors

• Loebig Jeffrey Carl
• Ho Man Kit
• Zhang Shuai

Classifications

• G01C9/06 Primary

  Electric or photoelectric indication or reading means · CPC title

• G01C15/008

  combined with inclination sensor · CPC title

• G01C15/004 Primary

  Reference lines, planes or sectors · CPC title

• G01C9/08

  Means for compensating acceleration forces due to movement of instrument · CPC title

• G01C2009/066

  optical · CPC title