Abstract:
A level comprises a body, a body orientation detector, a laser beam source, a laser beam configuring lens, and a manually engageable lens switch. The body orientation indicator is carried by the body and constructed and arranged to indicate an orientation of the body. The laser beam source is carried by the body and constructed and arranged to emit a laser beam from the body to a location on a surface remote from the body, the laser beam being directed at a predetermined orientation with respect to the body to interrelate the orientation of the body with respect to the location on the surface remote from the body. The laser beam configuring lens assembly is carried by the body and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the laser beam source. The laser beam configuring lens assembly splits the laser beam emitted by the laser beam source into a cross-hair beam configuration when the laser beam configuring lens is in the first position, and enables the beam to be transmitted as a point beam that projects a point of illumination onto the remote surface when the laser beam configuring lens assembly is in the second position. The manually-engageable lens switch is carried by the body and coupled to the laser beam configuring lens assembly. The lens switch is manually movable to move the laser beam configuring lens assembly between the first and second positions thereof.

Description:
This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/096,646, filed Aug. 14, 1998. 
    
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is related to a level having a laser beam source which projects a selectively configurable beam onto a surface remote from the level for interrelating the orientation of the level with respect to a location on the remote surface. 
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     The prior art literature describes levels having a laser beam generator mounted therein for projecting a light beam to a surface remote from a reference surface on which the level is placed so as to interrelate the orientation or position of the reference surface with the remote surface. Levels with built-in lasers are also commercially available. A limitation of many such prior art levels with built-in lasers is that the laser emits a collimated beam that projects only a point of light onto the remote surface. A simple point of light projected onto a remote surface transfers relatively little information about the reference surface. For the most part, a point of light only transfers, or interrelates, the position of the reference surface onto the remote surface; it does not transfer, or interrelate, the orientation of the reference surface with respect to the remote surface. For example, a point of light will not provide a reference that indicates an orientation that is parallel or perpendicular with respect to the orientation of the reference surface engaged by the body of the level. 
     For example, U.S. Pat. No. 3,897,637 describes a level which carries a laser internally thereof and which includes a beam splitter which splits the beam from the laser into two or more beams oriented transversely (e.g., orthogonally) to each other to project a point of light onto different remote surfaces oriented transversely to each other. 
     U.S. Pat. No. 5,531,031 describes a level having a laser carried internally thereof in a rotatable mounting so that a laser beam can be emitted from the level at a user-selected, variable angle to project a point of light to a desired remote surface and at a selected angle with respect to the level. 
     While these levels may provide a point of light reference on a remote surface and may be capable of projecting that point of light at variable angles with respect to the level or to project multiple points of light simultaneously, they do not transfer the orientation of the level or the reference surface onto the remote surface. 
     It has been known that the orientation of the reference surface can be projected onto a remote surface by configuring the laser beam as a cross-hair beam with transversely intersecting lines of light being projected onto the remote surface. One line can, for example, be oriented so as to be parallel to the reference surface on which the level is resting and the intersecting line can be oriented so as to be perpendicular to the reference surface. The position of the level and reference surface on which the level rests is transferred by the point of intersection of the lines. 
     Although a laser beam configured as a cross-hair is desirable and advantageous in many instances, there are times when it is unnecessary and undesirable, and a simple point beam is preferable. For example, the more concentrated light of a point beam can be projected for greater distances in comparison with a split beam. 
     Heretofore, laser levels having cross-hair beam splitting capability have required disassembly in order to reconfigure the emitted laser beam as a point beam and vice versa. For example, to achieve a split beam from a point beam source, a laser lens housing assembly must be opened and a beam splitting lens inserted therein. To resume point beam projection, the housing must be again opened and the beam-splitting lens removed. Therefore, a need exists for not only a level having a laser projecting a beam that can be configured as a cross-hair beam, but also one that can also selectively project a point light beam if desired, without requiring disassembly of the laser lens assembly. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is an object of the invention to provide a level that includes a laser light source that can be easily converted between a point beam and a cross-hair beam. To achieve this object, the level of the present invention comprises a body having a body surface constructed and arranged to be engaged with a reference surface, a body orientation indicator, a laser beam source, a laser beam configuring lens, and a manually engageable lens switch. The body orientation indicator is carried by the body and is constructed and arranged to indicate an orientation of the body and hence an orientation of the reference surface when the body surface is engaged therewith. The laser beam source is carried by the body and is constructed and arranged to emit a laser beam from the body to a location on a surface remote from the body, the laser beam being directed at a predetermined orientation with respect to the body to interrelate the orientation of the body, and hence the orientation of the reference surface with which the body surface is engaged, with respect to the location on the surface remote from the body. The laser beam configuring lens assembly is carried by the body and movable between a first position and a second position with respect to the laser beam source. The laser beam configuring lens assembly splits the laser beam emitted by the laser beam source into a cross-hair beam configuration when the laser beam configuring lens is in the first position, and enables the beam to be transmitted as a point beam that projects a point of illumination onto the remote surface when the laser beam configuring lens assembly is in the second position. The manually-engageable lens switch is carried by the body and is coupled to the laser beam configuring lens assembly. The lens switch is manually movable to move the laser beam configuring lens assembly between the first and second positions thereof. 
     Other objects, features, and characteristics of the present invention, as well as the methods of operation of the invention and the function and interrelation of the elements of structure, will become more apparent upon consideration of the following description and the appended claims with reference to the accompanying drawings, all of which form a part of this disclosure, wherein like reference numerals designate corresponding parts in the various figures. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a level having a laser beam source in accordance with the principles of the present invention; 
     FIG. 2 is a front-elevation of the level; 
     FIG. 3 is a back-elevation of the level; 
     FIG. 4 is a top-plan view of the level; 
     FIG. 5 is a bottom-plan view of the level; 
     FIG. 6 is a right-side elevation of the level; 
     FIG. 7 is a partial cross-sectional view along line VII—VII in FIG. 4 illustrating a bull&#39;s eye level vial, a laser module, a moveable laser beam configuring lens assembly, and a bottom magnet of the level; 
     FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view along the line VIII—VIII in FIG. 2 illustrating a bull&#39;s eye level vial, a laser module and module hanger, and a magnet of the level; 
     FIG. 9A is a cross-sectional view along the line IX—IX of FIG. 2 showing a laser beam configuring lens assembly in a first, laser beam-altering position; 
     FIG. 9B is a cross-sectional view along the line IX—IX of FIG. 2 showing the laser beam configuring lens assembly in a second, non-laser beam-altering position; 
     FIG. 10 is a back-elevation of the level with a back cover of the body of the level removed to expose the interior components of the level; 
     FIG. 11A is a schematic perspective view showing a laser beam module and a laser beam configuring lens assembly in a non-laser beam-altering position; and 
     FIG. 11B is a schematic perspective view of the laser module and the laser beam configuring lens assembly in a beam-altering position in which a laser beam is split into a cross-hair pattern projected onto a surface. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     A level constructed in accordance with the concepts of the present invention is indicated generally by reference number  10  in the figures. In the illustrated embodiment, as shown, for example, in FIGS. 1-5 and  10 , the level  10  includes a body  20  with two fixed body orientation indicators  80 ,  82  positioned along a top edge of the body  20  and a variable-position body orientation indicator  100  positioned in a middle portion of the body  20 . A laser module  130  carried inside the body  20  (see FIG. 10) emits a laser beam through aperture  74 , is powered by batteries  33  housed inside the body  20 , and is turned ON and OFF by a switch provided in the end of a battery tube cover  34 . As shown in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a laser beam configuring lens assembly  160  is carried inside the body  20  so as to be protected from breakage and direct manual contact. The lens assembly is positioned forwardly of the laser module  130  between the module  130  and the aperture  74  to permit selective configuring of the beam emitted by the laser module  130  by means of a manually-engageable lens switch  180  coupled to the laser beam configuring lens assembly  160 . 
     The body  20  generally includes an inner block  24 , preferably composed of a strong and light-weight material, such as zinc or aluminum (see FIG.  10 ), which is covered by mating front and back covers  50 ,  60 , respectively. As shown in FIG. 10, in which front cover  60  is removed to expose inner block  24  of body  20 , inner block  24  functions as a main structural frame member to which all other components of the level  10  are attached. The body  20  presents a flat, elongated body surface  26  which, in the illustrated embodiment, is on the bottom of body  20  and which functions to engage a reference surface as will be described below. A threaded aperture  27  (see also FIG. 5) may be provided in the bottom central portion of the bottom surface  26 . The purpose of the threaded aperture is for attaching the level  10  to a tri-pod. Magnets  28  may be provided inside the inner block  24  so as to be generally flush with the body surface  26  for releasably securing the level  10  to a ferro-magnetic surface. The inner block  24  also provides a power-pack chamber  32  which, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a battery tube for accommodating batteries  33  disposed therein in end-to-end alignment. A battery tube cover  34  is threadedly engaged with the inner block  24  so as to selectively close off the power-pack chamber  32 . 
     The front and back covers  50 ,  60  are preferably formed of molded plastic and are connected to each other and the inner block  24  by means of fasteners  31  extending through the back cover  60 , through connector apertures  30  formed in the inner block  24 , and into fastener-receiving bosses (not shown) molded into the front cover  50 . 
     As shown in FIG. 2, the front cover  50  has a generally recessed middle portion  56  with a peripheral rib  52  having straight extents at portions of the periphery of the cover  50  and an arcuate extent below the fixed body orientation indicator  82 . A raised, elongated portion  54  having an arcuate transverse cross-sectional shape provides an interior cavity that accommodates the power-pack chamber  32  of the inner block  24 , and a raised portion  58  having an arcuate transverse cross-sectional shape that accommodates the laser module  130 . 
     As shown in FIG. 3, the back cover  60  also has a recessed middle portion  66  with a peripheral rib  62  having straight extents at portions of the periphery of the back cover  60  and an arcuate extent below the fixed body orientation indicator  82 . Back cover  60  also includes an elongated raised portion  64  having an arcuate transverse cross-sectional shape and defining an interior cavity which accommodates the power-pack chamber  32 . In addition, the back cover  60  also includes an elongated raised portion  68  having an arcuate transverse cross-sectional shape and providing an interior cavity which accommodates the laser module  130 . 
     The front and back covers  50  and  60  cooperate in a mating fashion to provide a decorative and functional cover for the body  20  of the level  10  and cover all surfaces of the inner block  24  except for the body surface  26 . As shown in FIG. 6, the mating covers  50  and  60  define a laser aperture  74  in one end of the body  20  and, as shown in FIGS. 1-3, also define a rectangular notch  70  in the opposite end of the body  20  which accommodates the battery tube cover  34 . The back cover  60  also presents an alternative body surface in the form of a flange  72  extending transversely from a side surface of the cover  60 . The bottom surface of flange  72  is parallel to body surface  26  of the body. In the preferred embodiment, the flange  72  is provided in two co-planar portions extending transversely from the raised portions  64  and  68 . The flange  72  can be placed on a reference surface, such as piping, tubing, or other structure, to enable the user to determine the orientation thereof. 
     The body orientation indicators  80 ,  82 , and  100  are constructed and arranged to indicate the orientation of the body  20 . More particularly, the body orientation indicators comprise liquid containing vials for indicating whether the body surface  26  or flange  72 , and hence a reference surface with which the body surface  26  or flange  72  is engaged, is in a level and/or plumb orientation with respect to a preferred orientation of one or more of the vials. In the preferred embodiment, the level  10  includes three bubble vials as will be described. 
     The fixed body orientation indicator  80  preferably comprises a bull&#39;s eye vial provided along the longitudinal center line of a top surface of the body  20 . The bull&#39;s eye vial  80  is housed within an integrally formed tubular housing  36  provided in the inner block  24  of the body  20  and is visible through an opening formed in the cooperating front and back covers  50 ,  60 . The top bull&#39;s eye vial  80  is constructed to indicate that the body surface  26  or flange  72  of the level  10  is in a horizontally level orientation when a gas bubble within the vial is centered within a circular bull&#39;s eye in the top lens of the vial. More particularly, the bull&#39;s eye vial  80  is oriented with respect to the body surface  26  and flange  72  of the body  20  so that the bubble within the vial will be centered within the bull&#39;s eye when the body surface  26  or flange  72  is placed on a reference surface that is horizontally level in all respects (360°) so that the body surface  26  or flange  72  is horizontally level. 
     The fixed body orientation indicator  82  preferably comprises a barrel vial provided in a top portion of the body  20 . As shown in FIG. 10, the fixed barrel vial  82  is disposed within a rectangular opening  40  formed in the inner block  24  and is secured in a cantilever fashion by rigidly mounting one end  84  of the vial into a holding structure  38  formed on the inner block  24 . A bracket structure  86  presenting a shelf extends from an opposite end of the vial  82  and provides a fastener hole through which a threaded fastener  88  may be inserted and turned into the inner block  24 . A spring  90  is provided on a lower portion of the fastener  88  between the inner block  24  and the bracket  86 . Accordingly, the orientation of the vial  82  can be adjusted by turning the fastener  88  in one direction or the other. As known in the art, in its properly adjusted orientation, the vial  82  provides a level indication when body surface  26  or flange  72  of body  20  is disposed in a level condition (e.g., resting on a level reference surface) in the longitudinal body direction. The front and back covers  50  and  60  define a rectangular opening so as to permit the fixed barrel vial  82  to be viewed from the top and the opposite sides of the body  20 . 
     As noted above, the barrel vial of the fixed body orientation indicator  82  is constructed and arranged to indicate when the body surface  26  or flange  72  is in a level orientation with respect to the longitudinal body direction when a gas bubble within the vial is centered between two spaced rings extending about the perimeter of the vial. More particularly, the barrel vial of the fixed body orientation indicator  82  is oriented with respect to the body surface  26  so that the bubble within the vial will be centered between the spaced rings when the body surface  26  or the flange  72  is placed on a reference surface that is horizontally level in the longitudinal body direction. The body surface  26  and the top and bottom surfaces of the flange  72  are flat body surfaces that can be engaged with a reference surface so that the emitted laser beam can project information about the reference surface onto a remote surface. The present invention contemplates that only one body surface need be provided (e.g., the flange  72  can be omitted). When properly adjusted with respect to body  20 , the vial  82  can also be used to indicate when a laser beam emitted from laser module  130  is level. 
     The level  10  also preferably includes a variable-position body orientation indicator  100 , which, in the preferred embodiment, comprises a rotating vial assembly. In accordance with the preferred embodiment, the variable-position body orientation indicator  100  includes a circular housing  102  disposed within a circular opening  42  formed within the inner block  24  of the body  20 . A plurality of teeth  104  are formed about the outer periphery of the circular housing  102 . Spring-biased detent mechanisms  107  are provided about the outer periphery of the opening  42 . In a preferred embodiment, three 120°-spaced mechanisms  107  are provided. The spring-biased detent mechanisms  107  include a protruding detent  106  that is urged outwardly by a spring  108 . The detents  106  engage the teeth  104  of the circular housing  102  to releasably hold the housing  102  in a preferred angular position. 
     A pair of laterally extending gripping portions  110  extend outwardly from the housing  102  to permit manual gripping and rotating of the housing  102 . A centrally located elongated opening  112  provided in the housing  102  accommodates a barrel vial  114  securely mounted therein. An angular scale  116  may be applied to the outer surface of one of the covers  50  or  60 , and pointers/indicators  117 ,  119  aligned with the opposite ends of vial  114  may be provided on the housing  102 . In the illustrated embodiment, the scale  116  is provided on the front cover  50 . The angle of a surface can be determined or verified by placing the bottom surface  26  or the leveling flange  72  onto the surface and rotating the housing  102  of vial assembly until the gas bubble within the barrel  114  is centered and reading the indicated angle off of the scale  116 . In the embodiment shown, the scale  116  varies from between 0° to 90° and back to 0° as shown, enabling the vial  114  to be rotated in either direction and still provide the angular indication. 
     Although the preferred embodiment of the level  10  shown in the drawings includes two fixed body orientation indicators  80 ,  82  and a variable position orientation indicator  100 , it is within the contemplated scope of the present invention to provide more or less than three body orientation indicators in any combination of fixed and/or variable-position indicators. 
     The laser module  130  is disposed within an opening  48  formed in the inner block  24 . One end of the laser module  130  is supported in a mounting structure  44  integrally formed in the inner block  24  and is secured within mounting structure  44  by an elastic band  49  (e.g., rubber) wrapped around the mounting structure  44  and the end of the module  130 . An aperture  46  is provided in the end of the inner block  24  (see FIGS. 7 and 9B) through which a laser beam is emitted by the laser module  130 . The opposite end of the laser module  130  is supported by a module hanger  132 . The module hanger  132  includes a lower transverse shelf  134 , an upper transverse shelf  136 , and a connecting sidewall  138 . An opening  45  is provided in the inner block  24  below the circular vial mounting structure  36 . A threaded fastener  140  extends through an aperture formed at the bottom of the opening  45  into the upper transverse shelf  136  of the hanger  132  to support the hanger  132  within the opening  48 . A leaf-spring  146  is provided between the top of the upper transverse shelf  136  and the inner wall defining the opening  48 . The laser module  130  is secured within the hanger  132  by means of a threaded fastener  142  extending through the connecting sidewall  138  into the module  130  with a leaf-spring  148  disposed between the sidewall  138  and the module  130 . The orientation of the laser module  130  can be adjusted by turning one or both fasteners  140 ,  142 . The laser module  130  is connected to the power-pack chamber  32  by wires  158  extending from the power-pack chamber  32  to the module  130 . In the preferred embodiment, the end of the battery tube cover  34  provides a push-button switch for completing a circuit from the power-pack chamber  32  to the laser module  130  to energize the laser. The laser housed within the laser module  130  is preferably a conventional diode laser. 
     As shown primarily in FIGS. 9A and 9B, a laser beam configuring lens assembly  160  is disposed in front of the laser module  130  between an end-wall  47  of the inner block  24  and an end-wall  75  defined by the front and back covers  50 ,  60 . The laser beam configuring lens assembly  160  comprises a lens holder  162  in which is mounted a cross-hair lens  164 . The lens holder  162  is slidably disposed in a slot defined between walls  41  and  47  of the inner block  24  and is maintained in a transversely centered position by dimples  166  which contact an outer wall  39  of the inner block  24  and a pair of flexible tangs  168  which bear against an interior wall of the front cover  50 . 
     A manually-engageable lens switch  180  extends through a slot  55  formed in the front cover  50  and is connected to the laser beam configuring lens assembly  160  so as to permit the lens assembly  160  to be moved between a first position shown in FIG. 9A in which cross-hair lens  164  is disposed in front of laser aperture  46  and a second position shown in FIG. 9B in which the cross-hair lens  164  is moved away from laser aperture  46  and out of the path traveled by a beam emitted by the laser module  130 . The cross-hair lens  164  is a beam-splitting lens constructed and arranged to split a laser beam into a cross-hair configuration. More particularly, as shown in FIG. 11B, when the laser beam configuring lens assembly is in the first position, the laser beam  131  enters the cross-hair lens  164  and is split into split-beam  133  so as to project a cross-hair pattern  202  onto a surface remote from the level  10 . The cross-hair pattern  202  preferably includes a center point  208  and intersecting lines  204  and  206  which are preferably orthogonal (90°) with respect to each other. Moreover, line  204  is preferably perpendicular to the plane of surface  26  and line  206  would thus, be parallel to surface  26 . It is also preferred for a second pair of intersecting lines  205 ,  207  to bisect each of the 90° angles between lines  204  and  206 , so that a 45° spacing exists between adjacent lines of the cross-hair as shown. 
     In the context of the present invention, the term “line” in reference to the light patterns forming a cross-hair pattern may mean a continuous line of light, an aligned series of light points or dashes, or combinations of points, dashes, and or continuous lines. 
     On the other hand, when the laser beam configuring lens assembly  160  is moved to the second position shown in FIG. 11A, the laser beam  131  is transmitted undisturbed to project or illuminate a point  200  on a remote surface. The location of point  200  corresponds to the location of center point  208  of the cross-hair pattern  202 . 
     Although no lens is provided through which the beam  131  passes when the assembly  160  is in the second position, a second transmitting lens, such as a plain transparent lens, a focusing lens, or a collimating lens may be included in the laser beam configuring lens assembly  160 , so that the beam  131  passes through the second lens when the assembly  160  is in the second position. 
     The level  10  can be operated as follows: The level can be placed with either the body surface  26  or the flange  72  disposed on a reference surface, and the orientation of the body  20 , and thereby the orientation of the reference surface on which the level is resting, can be determined or verified by one or more of the body orientation indicators  80 ,  82 , and  100 , as described above. Alternatively, the level  10  may be attached to a tri-pod at aperture  27 , and a preferred orientation of the level  10 , as indicted by one or more of the body orientation indicators  80 , 82 , and  100 , can be established. The laser aperture  74  is pointed at a surface remote from the level  10  and the laser module  130  is switched on to interrelate the position and orientation of the level  10  on the remote surface by projecting the position and orientation of the level  10  onto the surface. For example, the height of a reference surface above a floor can be projected onto a wall that is spaced from the surface by placing the level  10  on the surface and projecting the laser beam onto the wall. Parallel and perpendicular orientations with respect to the surface can be projected onto the wall by manually selecting a cross-hair configuration with switch  180  to project a cross-hair pattern  202  onto the wall. 
     Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is not limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shown and described herein. Accordingly, various modifications to the embodiments may be made without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as described by the appended claims. 
     Furthermore, it should be noted that those of the appended claims which do not include language in the ‘means for performing a specified function’ format permitted under 35 U.S.C. §112(¶6), are intended to not be interpreted under 35 U.S.C. §112(¶6) as being limited to the structure, material, or acts described in the present specification and their equivalents.