Patent Publication Number: US-2006007964-A1

Title: Laser beam generating device

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
      1. Field of the Invention  
      The present invention relates to a laser beam generating device, and in particular, to a laser beam generating device having a turning function so as to generate a laser plane that is capable of switching between horizontal and vertical directions.  
      2. Description of the Related Art  
      It is a common practice in architecture and decoration to use a laser beam generating device for projecting laser beam dots, straight lines, cross lines or a variety of other laser beams on to objects as secondary means for demarcating reference lines or planes. These laser beam generating devices may include a plurality of vials or other horizontal sensors for the detection of the level or verticality of the laser beam.  
      The conventional laser beam generating device (such as a uniaxial rotary laser leveler) is typically used to generate a laser beam that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and a laser plane that is parallel to the horizontal plane. When a laser plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane is required for reference, the entire rotary laser leveler would have to be turned, leaving one side of the laser leveler as a reference bottom plane for the generation of the laser plane. Unfortunately, this turning action may affect the previously-adjusted level, thereby making new adjustments necessary and rendering the operation to be inconvenient.  
      For other conventional uniaxial rotary laser levelers, it may not be necessary to turn the entire laser leveler to generate a laser plane that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane for reference. Instead, a laser main body is provided on an elongated underframe via a rotary shaft, and the laser main body is rotated about the rotary shaft along the underframe, using one side of the laser main body as the reference bottom for generating the laser plane. However, the elongated frame increases the overall space of the system.  
      Thus, there remains a need for a uniaxial rotary laser leveler that overcomes the drawbacks mentioned above.  
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
      It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser beam generating device, which, after turning the laser main body, maintains the previously-adjusted level, thereby providing convenient use to the user.  
      It is another object of the present invention to provide a laser beam generating device which has a compact overall size.  
      In order to accomplish the objects of the present invention, the present invention provides a laser beam generating device having an underframe and a laser main body. The underframe has a guide mechanism. The laser main body generates a laser beam or plane, and has a turning mechanism that rotates inside the guide channel, and travels along the guide mechanism, in a manner such that the laser beam or laser plane can be radiated in horizontal and vertical directions. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       FIG. 1A  is a perspective view of a laser beam generating device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention shown emitting a horizontal plane.  
       FIG. 1B  is a perspective view of the underframe of the laser beam generating device of  FIG. 1A .  
       FIG. 1C  is a perspective view of the laser main body of the laser beam generating device of  FIG. 1A .  
       FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the underframe of  FIG. 1B .  
       FIG. 3  is a bottom perspective view of the underframe of  FIG. 1B .  
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of the laser main body of the laser beam generating device of  FIG. 1C  without the cap.  
       FIG. 5A  is an exploded perspective view of the movement of the laser beam generating device of  FIG. 1A .  
       FIG. 5B  is a perspective view of the movement of  FIG. 5A .  
       FIG. 6  is a bottom perspective view of the upper part of the underframe of  FIG. 1B .  
       FIG. 7  is a perspective view of the laser beam generating device of  FIG. 1A  shown emitting a vertical plane. 
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
      The following detailed description is of the best presently contemplated modes of carrying out the invention. This description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, but is made merely for the purpose of illustrating general principles of embodiments of the invention. The scope of the invention is best defined by the appended claims.  
       FIGS. 1A-6  illustrate a laser beam generating device in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention. The laser beam generating device is a uniaxial rotary laser leveler  100  that generates a laser beam  101  that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane, and a laser plane  102  that is parallel to the horizontal plane, as shown in  FIG. 1A . The laser leveler  100  also includes a turning function where it is capable of turning the laser plane  102  into a laser plane  102  that is perpendicular to the horizontal plane (see  FIG. 7 ) in a manner such that only minor or no adjustments are needed to maintain the accuracy of the laser plane  102  after the turning operation.  
      The rotary laser leveler  100  includes an underframe  110  and a laser main body  120 . The underframe  110  has a guide mechanism  111  (see  FIG. 1B ) and the laser main body  120  has a turning mechanism  121  (see  FIG. 1C ) that allows the laser main body  120  to be turned and slid along the guide mechanism  111 . The guide mechanism  111  on the underframe  110  has guide channels  211  and  212  provided in opposing vertical walls  2111  and  2122 , respectively, that are disposed on opposite sides of the underframe  110 . The turning mechanism  121  of the laser main body  120  has protrusion pins  122  and  123  provided on opposite sides of the laser main body  120 , with each pin  122  and  123  adapted to be retained within a respective guide channel  211  and  212 .  
      Each guide channel  211  and  212  is provided in the form of a longitudinal groove. On one end of each guide channel  211  and  212  is provided a generally round rotation recess  215  having a diameter that is larger than the width W 1  of the corresponding guide channel  211  and  212 . Each protrusion pin  122  and  123  is generally cylindrical with both sides cut off to form a truncated cylinder, and corresponds to one round rotation recess  215 . In addition, the width W 2  of each pin  122 ,  123  is slightly smaller than the width W 1 . Therefore, the protrusion pins  122  and  123  can be inserted into the guide channels  211  and  212  of the underframe  110 , and the laser main body  120  can then be turned downward by 90 degrees about the pivot axis defined by the pins  122 ,  123  in their corresponding recesses  215  to reach the position shown in  FIG. 1A . The laser main body  120  can subsequently be turned upwardly by 90 degrees about the same pivot axis, and then the pins  122 ,  123  can be slid backwards along the guide channels  211 ,  212  to the ends of the respective guide channels  211 ,  212  to reach the position shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 2 , the underframe  110  includes an upper part  210 , a lower part  230 , an adjustable supporting kit  220 , and a rubber pad  240 . Each side of the upper part  210  includes one of the vertical walls  2111  or  2122  with its guide channel  211  or  212 , and the bottom  213  of the upper part  210  has three universal joint bearing sockets  219  (see  FIG. 6 ) that are positioned to form an isosceles right angled triangle. The lower part  230  also has three holes  231 ,  232  and  233 , each corresponding to one of the three universal joint bearing sockets  219  on the bottom  213  of the upper part  210 . The holes  232  and  233  are blind holes, and the hole  231  is a through hole. The rubber pad  240  is provided to prevent the laser leveler  100  from experiencing damage.  
      The adjustable supporting kit  220  includes a first supporting post  221  that is adapted to be secured in the hole  231  at the rectangular position of the isosceles right angled triangle, and the second and third supporting posts  222  and  223  that are screwed into the holes  232  and  233 , respectively, that are positioned at the opposing diagonal corners of the isosceles right angled triangle. A universal joint  227  is provided at the top of each of the first supporting post  221 , the second supporting post  222  and the third supporting post  223 , with each universal joint  227  adapted to be received inside one of the universal joint bearing sockets  219 . The first supporting post  221  is joined to the upper part  210  by three bolts  214  that extend through a securing seat  224 . A bolt  234  is screwed into the inner threads of the first supporting post  221  through the hole  231  to secure the first supporting post  221  to the the lower part  230 . The second supporting post  222  and the third supporting post  223  have outer threads  225  and  226 , respectively, that are screwed into the inner threads of the holes  232  and  233 , respectively. Adjusting discs  228  and  229  are secured to the second and third supporting posts  222  and  223 , respectively, and are used to adjust the tilt of the second and third supporting posts  222  and  223 , respectively. Therefore, adjustments can be made by rotating the adjusting discs  228  and/or  229  to tilt the upper part  210  of the underframe  110  (with the universal joint  227  of the first supporting post  221  acting as a pivot), so as to adjust the level of the laser main body  120 .  
      To removably secure the laser main body  120  on the underframe  110 , two magnets  216  are embedded in the upper part  210  to attract a metal piece (not shown) provided in a corresponding position on the bottom of the laser main body  120  when the laser main body  120  is in the position of  FIG. 1A . The magnets  216  also attract a metal piece  131  (see  FIG. 1A ) that is provided in a corresponding position on one side of the laser main body  120  when the laser main body  120  is turned to the position shown in  FIG. 7 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 3 , a crossing center mark  310  is provided at the center of the bottom of the lower part  230  of the underframe  110  to function as a reference point that corresponds to the laser beam  101 .  
      Referring now to  FIG. 4 , the laser main body  120  has a shell  410  and a movement  420  that generates the required laser beam. The movement  420  is described in connection with  FIGS. 5A and 5B , and includes a movement seat  520 , a laser module  510 , a hollowed motor  530  and a prism kit  540 . The movement seat  520  has three vials  521  that are positioned perpendicular to each other for the detection of the level or the accuracy of the parallel laser plane  102 . The angles between the laser beams/laser planes projected by the laser module  510  and the vials  521  are adjusted by turning three respective bolts  522 .  
      The laser module  510  functions as a laser source, and is axially secured in a sleeve  523  at the bottom of the movement seat  520  by three bolts  511  that extend in radial directions. The hollowed motor  530  is secured on top of the movement seat  520  using bolts  531 . The prism kit  540  is glued onto, and driven by, the hollowed motor  530  for splitting the laser beam source generated by the laser module  510  to generate the laser beam  101  and laser plane  102 . The hollowed motor  530  is provided with a through hole  532  in its center, so that the hollowed motor  530  can be positioned between the laser module  510  and the prism kit  540  without interrupting the projection of the laser beam from the laser module  510  (which can be projected through the through hole  532 ).  
      The prism kit  540  includes a prism seat  541  having a dial  542 , a prism  543  glued on top of the prism seat  541 , and a speed sensor  544  that is secured on the side  524  of the movement seat  520 . The speed sensor  544  can detect the revolutions per minute (rpm) of the hollowed motor  530  by using a graduated scale on the dial  542 .  
      In use, the laser main body  120  can be secured to the underframe  110  in the position of  FIG. 1A  by sliding the pins  122 ,  123  into the respective guide channels  211 ,  212 . The laser main body  120  can be pivoted with respect to the underframe  110  about a pivot axis defined by the pins  122 ,  123  and the recesses  215 . The horizontal level of the laser main body  120  can be adjusted by adjusting the discs  228  and/or  229  of the underframe  110 , which tilt the two opposing diagonal corners of the upper part  210  about the pivot defined by the first supporting post  221 . In this position of  FIG. 1A , a horizontal laser plane  102  is generated. If the user wishes to change the laser plane  102  to a vertical laser plane, the user can rotate the laser main body  120  by ninety degrees to the position shown in  FIG. 7 . Because the previously-adjusted level of the upper part  210  is not altered during the rotation of the laser main body  120 , only minor, or no, adjustments are needed to maintain the accuracy of the laser plane  102  after the turning operation.  
      While the description above refers to particular embodiments of the present invention, it will be understood that many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof.