Building surface area measurement system

A building surface area measurement system for efficiently measuring the surface area for a room. The building surface area measurement system generally includes a housing having a triangular shaped base, wherein the housing includes a first side positionable adjacent to a first wall and a second side positionable adjacent to a second wall in a corner, a first measuring unit within the housing directed parallel to the first wall to measure the width of the first wall, a second measuring unit within the housing directed parallel to the second wall to measure the width of the second wall, and an upper measuring unit directed upwardly parallel to the height of the walls. A control unit within the housing is in communication with the measuring units and utilizes the measurement data to calculate the total surface area of the room or the two walls. A display unit within the housing displays the calculated information.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not applicable to this application.

Not applicable to this application.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to a laser measurement device and more specifically it relates to a building surface area measurement system for efficiently measuring the surface area for a room.

2. Description of the Related Art

Conventional measuring devices are comprised of squares, tape measures and laser tape measures that are only capable of measuring the distance between two locations. While conventional measuring devices are suitable for task they are intended for (i.e. measuring distance), they are not designed to calculate the surface area of a wall or an entire room to help a contractor determine the amount of materials needed to finish the room.

Because of the inherent problems with the related art, there is a need for a new and improved building surface area measurement system for efficiently measuring the surface area for a room.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to a laser measurement device which includes a housing having a triangular shaped base, wherein the housing includes a first side positionable adjacent to a first wall and a second side positionable adjacent to a second wall in a corner, a first measuring unit within the housing directed parallel to the first wall to measure the width of the first wall, a second measuring unit within the housing directed parallel to the second wall to measure the width of the second wall, and an upper measuring unit directed upwardly parallel to the height of the walls. A control unit within the housing is in communication with the measuring units and utilizes the measurement data to calculate the total surface area of the room or the two walls. A display unit within the housing displays the calculated information.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

A. Overview of Invention

FIGS. 1 through 11illustrate the present invention. The building surface area measurement system10generally includes a housing20having a triangular shaped base, wherein the housing20includes a first side24positionable adjacent to a first wall12and a second side26positionable adjacent to a second wall14in a corner, a first measuring unit within the housing20directed parallel to the first wall12to measure the width of the first wall12, a second measuring unit within the housing20directed parallel to the second wall14to measure the width of the second wall14, and an upper measuring unit directed upwardly parallel to the height of the walls. A control unit70within the housing20is in communication with the measuring units and utilizes the measurement data to calculate the total surface area of the room or the two walls. A display unit within the housing20displays the calculated information.

FIG. 2illustrates an exemplary room comprised of four walls with four interior corners, a floor16at the lower end of the walls and a ceiling at the upper end of the walls. The room is comprised of a rectangular shape with the opposing walls having a similar shape, size and surface area.

FIG. 2further illustrates a first wall12and a second wall14within the room. The first wall12is orthogonal with respect to and meets the second wall14forming an interior corner within an interior of the room. A first opposing wall13is positioned opposite of and parallel to the second wall14as illustrated inFIG. 2of the drawings. The first opposing wall13is connected to the first wall12in an orthogonal manner. A second opposing wall15is positioned opposite of and parallel to the first wall12as illustrated inFIG. 2of the drawings.

FIGS. 1 through 11illustrate the housing20of the present invention. As illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3of the drawings, the housing20is formed to allow for the housing20to be positioned within an interior corner of the room and upon the floor16to measure the adjacent walls (e.g. the first wall12and the second wall14). The housing20is formed to allow for positioning within an interior corner of a room, and particularly formed to allow for positioning adjacent both a first wall12and a second wall14as illustrated inFIGS. 2 and 3of the drawings.

The housing20is preferably comprised of four sides forming a triangular shaped structure. In particular, the housing20is preferably comprised of a bottom side28, a first side24positionable adjacent to the first wall12and extending upwardly from the bottom side28, a second side26positionable adjacent to the second wall14and extending upwardly from the bottom side28and a front side22extending upwardly from the bottom side28. The bottom side28of the housing20is preferably triangular shaped so that the exterior corner of the housing20formed by the first side24and the second side26fits within the interior corner of the room. The first side24is orthogonal with respect to the second side26of the housing20. The first side24and the second side26are preferably triangular shaped as best illustrated inFIGS. 7 and 8of the drawings. The front side22preferably is triangular shaped and slopes upwardly so that the display unit and keypad are facing at an upward angle.

The housing20further preferably includes an upper pad30at an upper corner, a first pad32at a first corner, a second pad34at a second corner and a third pad36at a third corner of the housing20. The pads30,32,34,36are preferably comprised of a resilient material to protect the housing20and to protect the interior of the room.

C. Measuring Units

The present invention includes three measuring units61,65,67to measure the width of the first wall12, the width of the second wall14and the height of the walls12,14. A first measuring unit65is positioned within the housing20and is adapted to be directed parallel to the first wall12of a room to measure a first width of the first wall12. A second measuring unit67is positioned within the housing20and is adapted to be directed parallel to the second wall14of the room to measure a second width of the second wall14. An upper measuring unit61is positioned within the housing20and is adapted to be directed upwardly parallel to the first wall12and the second wall14of the room to measure a height of the walls.

The first measuring unit65is preferably comprised of a first transmitter64that transmits a first signal and a first receiver66that receives a first reflected signal that is reflected from the first opposing wall13. The second measuring unit67is preferably comprised of a second transmitter68that transmits a second signal and a second receiver69that receives a second reflected signal that is reflected from the second opposing wall15. The upper measuring unit61is preferably comprised of an upper transmitter60that transmits an upper signal and an upper receiver62that receives an upper reflected signal reflected by the ceiling of the room. The first measuring unit65, the second measuring unit67and the upper measuring unit61are preferably comprised of laser measuring devices that utilize a laser to calculate a distance. The measurement of distance utilizing laser tape measures is well-known in the art and similar technologies may be utilized within the present invention for measuring the width and height of the walls.

D. Control Unit

The control unit70is in communication with the first measuring unit65, the second measuring unit67and the upper measuring unit61as illustrated inFIG. 9of the drawings. The control unit70is programmed to calculate a total surface area of the first wall12and the second wall14utilizing measurement data from the measuring units. The control unit70is preferably programmed to calculate a total room surface area representing the entire surface rear of the walls within the room. Various other items may be calculated by the control unit70. A power source72(e.g. battery) is electrically connected to the control unit70to provide electrical power to the control unit70and the measuring units. The control unit70is also preferably capable of calculating the total number of sheets of sheetrock required based on the size of the sheetrock and the total surface area calculated. The control unit70may also calculate the total gallons of paint required to paint the walls and/or ceiling of the room.

E. Display Unit

A display unit is positioned within the housing20and is in communication with the control unit70to display various types of information including the surface area of the first wall12and the second wall14, or the total surface area of all the walls in the room. The display unit may also display various other types of information including individual measurements for each wall (e.g. width, height). The display unit may be comprised of any type of display capable of displaying visual information (e.g. LCD screen, LED screen, etc.).

A keypad is positioned within the housing20and is in communication with the control unit70as illustrated inFIGS. 1 through 5and9of the drawings. The keypad allows for the manual entry of data and selecting the type of measurement to be performed (e.g. total surface area of the walls, total surface area of the ceiling, total surface area of the floor16, total surface area of the first wall12and the second wall14, etc.). The keypad can also be utilized to enter the material type to be calculated (e.g. sheetrock, paint) that will be needed to finish the room utilizing standard assumptions (e.g. the amount of paint required per square foot, the standard size of sheetrock).

G. Support Base

In an alternative embodiment shown inFIGS. 10 and 11of the drawings, a support base50is provided that allows for providing a level surface for the housing20to ensure accurate measurements of the walls. The support base50preferably has a triangular shape as illustrated inFIG. 10that includes a first level51along a first portion, a second level52along a second portion, and a third level53along a third portion to visually indicate the levelness of the upper surface of the support base50. A plurality of adjustable legs54are attached to the bottom of the support base50that allow for manual leveling of the support base50. The housing20is positioned upon the upper surface of the support base50after the support base50is level as illustrated inFIG. 11of the drawings.

H. Operation of Preferred Embodiment

In use, the user positions the housing20within an interior corner of a room to be measured. The user selects a power button on the keypad which activates the present invention. The user then selects the type of measurement they desire (e.g. total surface area of the walls in the room). Once the measurement is selected, the first measuring unit65measures the width of the first wall12, the second measuring unit67measures the width of the second wall14and the upper measuring unit61measures the height of the walls12,14. The control unit70receives the measurement data from the measuring units61,65,67and calculates the desired measurement such as the total surface area of the walls in the room. The control unit70adjusts for the distance the measuring units61,65,67are positioned away from the apex of the interior corner of the room (e.g. if the first side24of the housing20has a width of 6 inches, the control unit70adds 6 inches to the measured distance of the first wall12to compensate for the first measuring unit65being positioned 6 inches away from the second wall14. The measurement is displayed on the display unit. If the user selected that they wanted the number of sheets of sheetrock, the control unit70calculates the total number of sheets required based on the standard size of 4′×8′. The user may record and store the calculated data within the control unit70for later usage when ordering materials.