Abstract:
Wall reflectors work in conjunction with devices that emit wall laser beams, for assisting the attachment on a wall of items such as pictures. The wall reflectors are constructed to be attached on the wall, and to provide surfaces for reflecting the laser light beam into rays. Multiple wall reflectors can optionally also provide a whole pattern on the wall, such as a grid.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
   1. Field of the Invention 
   The present invention is related to the field of home improvement, and more specifically to devices and methods for assisting the attachment of items on walls, such as pictures, tiles, and so on. 
   2. Description of the Related Art 
   When people attach items on the wall, such as pictures, tiles, etc., they try to place them so that they are level, and/or aligned with each other. A device recently introduced to facilitate such attaching is now described. 
     FIG. 1  shows a laser device  60  that can output a visible laser beam  62 . Device  60  is usually provided with means such as adhesive tape (not shown), for attachment to the wall. The attachment means must be strong enough to support laser device  60  on the wall, without otherwise support for its weight from underneath. 
   Device  60  also includes two embedded levels, a vertical level  64 , and a horizontal level  66 . Levels  64  and  66  are used for leveling device  60 , when attaching it on the wall. This way, beam  62  can also be aligned along the vertical or the horizontal. 
   When device  60  is so attached to a wall, beam  62  is substantially parallel to the wall, and is also called a wall laser beam. Being aligned along the vertical or the horizontal, beam  62  therefore provides a reference for aligning an item on the wall. 
   Attempts have been made to reduce the weight of device  60 . Their effectiveness is limited by the fact that device  60  needs to include a battery. 
   A problem arises when it is desired to obtain multiple wall laser beams, such as for attaching multiple items on the wall. In one instance, all beams need to be present concurrently, for example for forming a pattern. In that case, a different light source must be used for each wall laser beam of the grid, and such light sources are expensive. In another instance, not all beams need to be present concurrently. An example is now described. 
     FIG. 2  shows how laser device  60  is to be used on a wall  80  for placing tiles  82 . Laser  60  must be successively placed at, and then removed from, from multiple places  68 . This way beam  62  each time provides a level reference for each new row of tiles  82 . Multiple attaching and detaching wears out the attachment means, which can cause laser device  60  to drift while attached. 
   BRIEF SUMMARY 
   The present invention overcomes these problems and limitations of the prior art. 
   Generally, the present invention provides special devices called wall reflectors, which are constructed to be attached on a wall, and be used together with a laser light source. A wall reflector provides an at least partially reflective surface for reflecting laser light, which in some embodiments is oriented at 45° from the vertical or the horizontal. 
   The present invention also provides methods for using one or more wall reflectors. A laser source is situated such that it emits a wall laser beam. A wall reflector is attached on the wall such that it receives the beam, and reflects it to provide a ray at a different angle than the beam. The beam could be horizontal, and the ray could be vertical. The ray can be used to align the item for attaching. 
   In some embodiments, the wall reflector also provides a transmitted ray, and also possibly a group of other partially reflected and partially transmitted rays. Additional wall reflectors can be placed to receive any one of the rays, for generating a whole pattern, such as a grid. 
   The invention offers the advantage that only one laser light source need be used for an entire pattern of rays. While the single source provides only one beam, the remainder of the pattern can be formed by rays from the wall reflectors. The latter include only passive optics, and therefore they are far more economical than the laser sources, while also being lighter and thus easier to support on the wall than laser devices. 
   The invention also offers the advantage that the laser light source needs to include only one level, not two. Indeed, the laser light source could emit only in the horizontal direction for example, and the wall reflectors will derive rays aligned with the other direction. This way, the laser light source can be manufactured more economically. 
   The invention additionally offers the unexpected advantage that the laser light source need not be attached to the wall. Indeed, it can be situated on the floor, such as on its own base, as long as it provides a horizontal beam near the wall. Wall reflectors can transfer the beam in stages, to deliver at least one ray at the desired location. Accordingly, the laser light source need not have attachment means for attaching to the wall, and may be made more economically this way. And even the horizontal level might not be needed, if the floor itself is assumed level. 
   The invention will become more readily apparent from the following Detailed Description, which proceeds with reference to the drawings, in which: 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a diagram of a laser light source in the prior art. 
       FIG. 2  is a diagram illustrating how the laser light source of  FIG. 1  is intended to be attached to and unattached from a single wall multiple times for a single project. 
       FIG. 3  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 4  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 5  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 6  is a diagram of optical surfaces for tracing rays at a portion of a wall reflector according to embodiments of the present invention. 
       FIG. 7  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 8  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector according to one more embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 9  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector that further includes a level according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 10  is a diagram of optical surfaces of a wall reflector according to an additional embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 11  is a perspective diagram of a wall reflector having the optical surfaces of  FIG. 10  according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. 
       FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B  are diagrams illustrating successive positions while the wall reflector of  FIG. 11  is being adjusted. 
       FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating how different aligning rays can be generated by the invention for implementing the project of  FIG. 2 , without needing to attach and unattach a heavy laser light source on the wall a number of times. 
       FIG. 14  is a flowchart illustrating a method according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
   

   DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
   As has been mentioned, the present invention provides wall reflectors for reflecting light of a wall laser beam into rays of different directions. The invention also provides methods of using one or more such wall reflectors, so as to form a pattern of rays from a single beam, such as a beam. The invention is now described in more detail. 
     FIG. 3  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  300 , made according to an embodiment of the invention. Other portions of wall reflector  300  may be added as needed and/or as explained below, and as will become apparent to a person skilled in the art in view of the present description. 
   Reflector  300  is described in the context of being used for a wall  380 , on which a picture  382  is to be hung. A laser light source  160  provides a wall beam  162 . Laser light source  160  may or may not be made as the previously described light source device  60 . In fact, as it will be seen, in some embodiments, source  160  does not include one or even both of the levels of source  60 , and may not even need to be attached to wall  380 . 
   Reflector  300  includes a structure  330  suitable for attachment on a surface of vertical wall  380 . Structure  330  includes a redirecting member  310 , which includes a substantially flat redirecting surface  312 . Attaching structure  330  to wall  380  is preferably such that a plane of surface  312  is substantially perpendicular to a plane of the surface of wall  380 . Surface  312  is adapted to reflect laser light at least partially. 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 3 , structure  330  includes an additional member  320 , which is sometimes known as an exit member  320 . As will be elaborated in more detail below, exit member  320  may perform one or more functions, such as balancing, being an exit member for a ray, and so on. To accomplish balancing, exit member  320  is made substantially identically to redirecting member  310 . 
   Structure  330  also includes a connector  325 , which connects member  310  with member  320 . Connector  325  need not always be provided, such as in embodiments where member  310  is provided integrally with member  320 . 
   Reflector  300  is placed such that it receives wall beam  162  at surface  312 . Accordingly, reflector  300  generates a ray  371 , by reflecting wall beam  162 . Ray  371  may be used to align picture  382  for hanging on wall  380 . 
   In some embodiments, reflector  300  further includes attachment means for attaching structure  330  to the wall. Any suitable attachment means may be used, such as an adhesive strip  340 . Attachment is such that a plane of redirecting surface  312  is oriented at approximately 45° from a vertical plane. 
   Further, surface  312  is either fully or partially reflecting. If only partially reflecting, it may also be partially transmitting. If it is both, member  310  may be made from glass, plastic, or other transparent material. Good quality glass will keep down scattering from points inside the bulk of member  310 , which may be a problem since laser light is bright. 
   A coating may be applied to surface  312  for various purposes. One such purpose is reflectivity. Another may be to take advantage of different polarizations, given that laser light is often provided in polarized form. If surface  312  is to be only reflecting, the coating may be metallic and so on. 
     FIG. 4  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  400 , made according to another embodiment of the invention. Reflector  400  includes many components similar to those of reflector  300 . In particular, a structure  430  is included, along with a redirecting member  410  and an exit member  420 . 
   Structure  430  defines a support location  450 . In this embodiment, support location  450  is the inside corner of where redirecting member  410  meets with exit member  420 . 
   A support member  470 , such as a nail, a pin, a pushpin, a thumbtack and the like, may be partially inserted in the surface of wall  380 . Structure  430  may be attached to wall  380  by being supported at support location  450  on support member  470 . 
   Additionally, structure  430  is balanced such that, when it is supported on pushpin  470 , a plane of redirecting surface  412  is oriented at approximately 45° from a vertical plane. The specific implementation of support location  450  permits structure  430  to be slight rotated for final adjustment. 
     FIG. 5  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  500 , made according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. Reflector  500  includes many components similar to those of reflector  400 . In particular, a structure  530  is provided, which includes a redirecting member  510 , an exit member  520 , and a connector  525  connecting redirecting member  510  with exit member  520 . 
   Structure  530  defines a support opening  550  that functions as a support location. Attaching is by placing reflector  500  such that a nail (or other support member, not shown) is received in support opening  550 . In other words, reflector  500  is hung on wall  380  from support opening  550 . 
   The diagrams of  FIG. 3 ,  FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5  are not intended to show a complete device by itself, but shows major important features of the invention. It will be recognized that subsequently described embodiments also include many features described with reference to these diagrams. For example, a wall reflector according to the invention may include components additional to what is shown. 
     FIG. 6  is a diagram of optical surfaces of a wall reflector  600  according to embodiments of the present invention, for purposes of describing generation of rays from an incident wall laser beam  162 . It will be recognized that the optical surfaces of wall reflector  600  may be part of the above described reflectors  300 ,  400 ,  500 , and also of later described reflectors. 
   Reflector  600  includes a redirecting member  610  and an exit member  620 . While their spatial relationship is important, their manner of attachment can be any suitable such manner. Such manners have been described above, and are not described or shown in  FIG. 6 . 
   Reflector  600  receives a wall laser beam  162  at a redirecting surface  612 . Redirecting member  610  and redirecting surface  612  are adapted to also transmit incident laser light beam  162  at least partially. Accordingly, while generating reflected ray  671 , reflector  600  also generates transmitted ray  672 . 
   Transmitted ray  672  is received by an exit surface  622  of exit member  620 . Exit member  620  and exit surface  622  are adapted to both reflect and transmit light that is received, such as ray  672 . Accordingly, from ray  672 , there is a transmitted ray  673 , and a reflected ray  674 . 
   It is preferred that exit member  620  is oriented at right angles to redirecting member  610 . If that is the case, ray  674  will be parallel to ray  671 , but traveling in the opposite direction. 
   Redirecting member  610  and exit member  620  may have dimensions similar to those of microscope slides. In fact, actual microscope slides tend to be made from good quality glass that is rather clear, as is preferred. 
   Further, if it is desired to suppress rays  673 ,  674 , a stop may be placed on either redirecting member  610  or exit member  620 , so that they do not allow light through. The stop need not be large, because it is intended for blocking a beam or ray, not diffuse light. Further, if wall reflector  600  is balanced on a support member, it is also preferred that the stop be small, so that it does not upset the balance. 
   Aligning the wall reflectors of the invention with the vertical or the horizontal may be performed in a number of ways according to the invention. One such way is by using a guiding surface, as is described with reference to  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 . Another such way is by using a level, as is described with reference to  FIG. 9 . Other ways are also possible by exploiting features of the wall reflector, along with the nature of propagation and reflection of light, such as is described with reference to  FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B . 
     FIG. 7  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  700 , made according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Reflector  700  includes a redirecting member  710 , an exit member  720 , and a guiding member  730 , which includes a substantially flat guiding surface  732  for leveling. 
   Surface  732  is reflective, and when it receives beam  162  through the redirecting member  710 , it reflects it back as ray  773 . So, the whole reflector  700  may be adjusted such that ray  773  is transmitted through redirecting member  710  as ray  774 , and falls back onto laser light source  160 . In addition, since redirecting member  710  transmits partially and also reflects partially, a portion of ray  773  will also be reflected as ray  775 . 
   In the preferred embodiment, a plane of guiding surface  732  is approximately 45° from the plane of redirecting surface  712  of the redirecting member  710 . In this case, guiding surface  732  is vertical, when reflector  700  is attached to the wall. Accordingly, this adjustment will ensure that wall reflector  700  is also properly leveled, by using incident wall beam  162  as a reference, and exploiting the fact that the reference is assumed to be level with the horizontal in the first place. 
   Member  730  and surface  732  may be either totally reflective, or partially reflective and partially transmissive. In the latter case, they may be made advantageously from a material similar to that of redirecting member  710  and its redirecting surface  712 , respectively. 
     FIG. 8  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  800 , made according to yet another embodiment of the invention. Reflector  800  includes a redirecting member  810 , an exit member  820 , and a guiding member  830 , which includes a substantially flat guiding surface  832  for leveling. A plane of guiding surface  832  is approximately 45° from the plane of redirecting surface  812 , but in this case, guiding surface  832  is horizontal, when reflector  800  is attached to the wall. 
   Surface  832  is reflective, and when it receives beam  162  through the redirecting member  810  and by reflection on exit member  820 , it reflects it back as ray  873 . So, the whole reflector  800  may be adjusted such that ray  873  is reflected again on exit member  820 , emerges past redirecting member  810  as ray  874 , and falls back onto laser light source  160 . This adjustment will ensure that wall reflector  800  is also properly leveled, by using incident wall beam  162  as a reference. 
     FIG. 9  is a diagram of at least a portion of a wall reflector  900 , made according to another embodiment of the invention. Reflector  900  includes a redirecting member  910  with a redirecting surface  912 , and a level  905 . Level  905  is coupled to redirecting member  910 , directly or indirectly, through the structure of reflector  900 . Level  905  can be used for leveling reflector  900 , without needing a guiding surface of the type shown in  FIG. 7  and  FIG. 8 , or needing to assume that an incident wall laser beam is itself level with the horizontal or the vertical. 
     FIG. 10  is a diagram of optical surfaces of a wall reflector  1000 , made according to an additional embodiment of the invention. Reflector  1000  includes members  1010 ,  1020 ,  1030 ,  1040 , which present optical surfaces, and are arranged substantially as a rectangle, and preferably a square. 
   As will be understood, an important aspect of reflector  1000  is the spatial relationship of members  1010 ,  1020 ,  1030 ,  1040  with respect to each other. In some embodiments, members  1010 ,  1020 ,  1030 ,  1040  are held together in the shown relationship by structure that may include one or more connectors (not shown). 
   In the embodiment of  FIG. 10 , each one of members  1010 ,  1020 ,  1030 ,  1040  is partially reflective and partially transmissive. As will be seen, all members  1010 ,  1020 ,  1030 ,  1040  perform a redirecting function and an exiting function. It is important that each member has sides that are parallel to each other, so that a transmitted ray emerges parallel to the incident beam. 
     FIG. 11  is a diagram of a wall reflector  1100  having the optical surfaces of  FIG. 10 , and made according to the preferred embodiment of the present invention. Wall reflector  1100  is made from a single piece of transparent material, such as plastic. The piece has members  1110 ,  1120 ,  1130 ,  1140  that present surfaces, which are partially reflective and partially transmissive. Each one of these members may be ½″ wide, 1″ to 2″ long, and as thin as practicable. 
   Wall reflector  1100  is shown attached to wall  380  by being suspended from a thumbtack  1070  partially inserted into wall  380 . In this case, a support location is defined in the inside corner where any two neighboring ones of members  1110 ,  1120 ,  1130 ,  1140  meet. 
   If too many rays result, a stop can be placed as per the above. In some instances, two stops may be used, to preserve the balance. In addition, the angular adjustment of reflector  1100  may be preserved due to friction against wall  380 . 
     FIG. 12A  and  FIG. 12B  are diagrams illustrating successive positions of wall reflector  1000 , while it is being adjusted. 
   In  FIG. 12A , reflector  1100  is misaligned. A diagonal  1205  of reflector  1100  is at an angle from a vertical line  1207 . As a result from incident beam  162 , which is horizontally level, two rays  371  and  1272  emerge from the same side of reflector  1100 , which do not coincide. In addition, many other rays are created, as ray  1273  reflects from more and more of the surfaces of reflector  1100 . Each reflection generates a reflected and a transmitted ray, with many of the transmitted rays exiting reflector  1100  from different places of the same face. 
   Adjustment is according to arrow  1290 , which brings reflector  1100  in such a position that diagonal  1205  coincides with vertical line  1207 . As adjustment takes place, rays  371  and  1272  move with respect to each other. In fact, it is this motion that guides the adjustment itself. 
   In  FIG. 12B , adjustment is complete. Rays  371  and  1272  coincide. Also, in this embodiment, there are only four rays exiting reflector  1100 . 
     FIG. 13  is a diagram illustrating an application of the invention. A laser light source  1360  is placed on floor  1381 , near the bottom of wall  1380 . Importantly, laser light source  1360  need not be attached to wall  1380 , or even be the type that attaches to a wall. 
   Source  1360  emits a level wall beam  1362 . A first wall reflector  1100  is attached to wall  1380 , and provides a reflected ray  1373  in a vertical direction. A second wall reflector  1100  provides reflected ray  1374  in a horizontal direction, but at a different height than ray  1362 . 
   It will be recognized that this is a similar tile laying application as in  FIG. 2 . The second wall reflector  1100  can be moved to different places  1308  for each new row of tiles  1382 , without needing to move laser device  1360 . Indeed, all that needs to be moved is second wall reflector  1100 , which is lighter than laser device  1360 , and can be moved by relocating a pushpin or other attachment means. 
   Referring now to  FIG. 14 , a flowchart  1400  is used to illustrate a method according to an embodiment of the invention. The method of flowchart  1400  may also be practiced using the devices described herein. 
   According to a box  1410 , a laser light source is situated such that it emits a beam parallel to a surface of a wall. Situating may be performed in a number of ways. For example, the laser light source may be placed on the floor so that it emits a beam parallel to the wall. Alternately, the laser light source may be attached to the wall. 
   According to a next box  1420 , a first device such as a wall reflector is attached on the wall, in the way of the beam. Accordingly, a reflected ray is derived from the beam, and also possibly a transmitted ray. Attaching may be performed in a number of ways. For example, an adhesive strip may be adhered to the wall. Or the device may be supported at a support location on a support member inserted in the wall surface. In one embodiment, the support location is a support opening, and attaching includes receiving the support member through the opening. 
   According to an optional next box  1430 , the first device is adjusted. Adjusting may be so that the ray is aligned with the vertical or the horizontal. In such an alignment, the ray may become substantially perpendicular to the beam. In another embodiment, adjusting the first device is such that a single ray exits towards a single direction, as was seen in  FIG. 12B . 
   According to an optional next box  1440 , a second device is attached to the wall such that it receives and redirects the ray. With more such devices, a pattern may be formed, such as a grid of intersecting rays. 
   According to an optional next box  1450 , an item is attached on the wall as guided by the ray. 
   A person skilled in the art will be able to practice the present invention in view of the description present in this document, which is to be taken as a whole. Numerous details have been set forth in order to provide a more thorough understanding of the invention. In other instances, well-known features have not been described in detail in order not to obscure unnecessarily the invention. 
   While the invention has been disclosed in its preferred form, the specific embodiments as disclosed and illustrated herein are not to be considered in a limiting sense. Indeed, it should be readily apparent to those skilled in the art in view of the present description that the invention may be modified in numerous ways. The inventor regards the subject matter of the invention to include all combinations and subcombinations of the various elements, features, functions and/or properties disclosed herein. 
   The following claims define certain combinations and subcombinations, which are regarded as novel and non-obvious. Additional claims for other combinations and subcombinations of features, functions, elements and/or properties may be presented in this or a related document.