This application claims priority from Chinese Application No. 02293048.5, filed on Dec. 27, 2002.
The present invention relates to an alignment-product which reflects a line on a surface as a positioning reference, and particularly to a laser level which marks a line on a reference surface with the fanned beam projected by a laser generator.
There are many kinds of laser alignment devices, which project laser beams by laser generators to mark lines. One such device is designed by U.S. Tool Co. (U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US2002/0178596A1), which can project a line of fixed orientation. Another such device is marketed by U.S. CTB/Berger, which can project a horizontal line and a plumb line decussate to each other on walls perpendicular to the direction of propagation of the laser. The former can merely project a line parallel to the baseplane of its pedestal; the latter can form two lines vertical with each other, but there is a disadvantage that two laser generators are needed, and as the switch is turned on, required or not, the two laser generators project beams simultaneously, thereby causing much more power consumption.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a laser level with only one laser generator which can be rotated 90 degrees to alter the location relationship of the laser beam with the base plane of the laser level.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a means to mount the laser level on a metallic surface.
A further object is to provide a separate base plate which can protrude a plurality of retractable pins to suspend and hold the laser level on a surface of plastic, cork, wood, drywall or other soft object.
An even further object of this invention is to provide one or more level bubbles to indicate whether the laser beam is horizontally or vertically level.
To achieve the objects hereinbefore, the laser alignment device of the present invention includes a support bracket, a clamshell housing defined by a left clamshell housing member and a right clamshell housing member, a laser generator, a battery to power the laser generator, a cover for a battery pack, a switch, a protective door and a rotating mechanism. The protective door is used to activate the trigger of the linked switch. The laser generator will be switched off when the door is closed, and the lens of the laser generator will be protected against dust. When the door is opened, the switch connects the laser generator to the power supply and the laser generator will project a fan-shaped laser beam to form a line on a surface.
The rotating mechanism includes a knob which can rotate from 0 to 90 degrees, and which is coupled to the laser generator to rotate the laser generator when the knob is turned, thereby causing rotation of the line on the plane.
There may be a magnetic attachment means on the base of the support bracket. When it is necessary to secure the laser level on a surface of a metallic object (e.g., a pipe or metal stud) one needs only to place the laser level with adjustable laser projection line onto the metallic object, and the laser level will be held there via the magnetic attachment means. In this manner, the laser level can be positioned on a non-horizontal plane in a realtively secure position, and avoid instability.
The laser level with adjustable laser projection line also includes a separate removable mounting baseplate having two or more retractable pins which can be extended from the removable mounting baseplate and inserted into the wall, wood, plastic or other soft object as desired. When not in use, the pins can retract into a cavity in the removable mounting baseplate.
The laser level with adjustable laser projection line can be powered by an internal battery. The user need only screw the cover off without the aid of a tool to remove the discharged battery cells and fill in new battery cells to power the laser generator.
The laser level can further comprise two conventional level bubbles which are perpendicular to each other on the top of the laser level. The two level bubbles are both parallel to the bottom of the laser level, for orientation or leveling a precise horizontal line or plumb line.
The laser level with adjustable laser projection line disclosed by the present invention can expediently mark a reference line accordingly on a workpiece as needed. The reference line can be parallel, vertical or be adjusted to other angular degrees to the bottom of the laser level.
Referring to
Referring now to
Referring to
The laser level with adjustable laser protection line 10 as described above can also be used on a horizontal position for a metallic surface. To solve this problem, as shown in
To position laser level 100 on a wood, plastic, drywall or other surface, as shown in
Number | Date | Country | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
02 2 93048 | Dec 2002 | CN | national |
Number | Name | Date | Kind |
---|---|---|---|
4247809 | Nessel | Jan 1981 | A |
4718171 | Schlemmer et al. | Jan 1988 | A |
4751782 | Ammann | Jun 1988 | A |
4781457 | Hirano et al. | Nov 1988 | A |
4830489 | Cain et al. | May 1989 | A |
4852265 | Rando et al. | Aug 1989 | A |
4854703 | Ammann | Aug 1989 | A |
4912851 | Rando et al. | Apr 1990 | A |
4993161 | Borkovitz | Feb 1991 | A |
5075977 | Rando | Dec 1991 | A |
5144487 | Hersey | Sep 1992 | A |
5148018 | Ammann | Sep 1992 | A |
5182863 | Rando | Feb 1993 | A |
5218770 | Toga | Jun 1993 | A |
5287627 | Rando | Feb 1994 | A |
D348227 | Nielsen et al. | Jun 1994 | S |
5331395 | Piske et al. | Jul 1994 | A |
5367779 | Lee | Nov 1994 | A |
5400514 | Imbrie et al. | Mar 1995 | A |
5446635 | Jehn | Aug 1995 | A |
D363240 | Hirakawa et al. | Oct 1995 | S |
5459932 | Rando et al. | Oct 1995 | A |
5485266 | Hirano et al. | Jan 1996 | A |
5500524 | Rando | Mar 1996 | A |
5519942 | Webb | May 1996 | A |
5524352 | Rando et al. | Jun 1996 | A |
D371309 | Webb | Jul 1996 | S |
5531031 | Green | Jul 1996 | A |
5539990 | Le | Jul 1996 | A |
5541727 | Rando et al. | Jul 1996 | A |
5561911 | Martin | Oct 1996 | A |
D376111 | Ishii | Dec 1996 | S |
5594993 | Tager et al. | Jan 1997 | A |
5604987 | Cupp | Feb 1997 | A |
5617202 | Rando | Apr 1997 | A |
5636018 | Hirano et al. | Jun 1997 | A |
D383075 | Sawaguchi et al. | Sep 1997 | S |
D389758 | Motamed | Jan 1998 | S |
5742387 | Ammann | Apr 1998 | A |
5745623 | Ohtomo et al. | Apr 1998 | A |
5754582 | Dong | May 1998 | A |
5760932 | Perchak | Jun 1998 | A |
5784792 | Smith | Jul 1998 | A |
D396817 | Webb | Aug 1998 | S |
D397627 | Webb | Sep 1998 | S |
D399145 | Ho | Oct 1998 | S |
5819424 | Ohtomo et al. | Oct 1998 | A |
5836081 | Orosz, Jr. | Nov 1998 | A |
5838431 | Hara et al. | Nov 1998 | A |
D402218 | Kennison | Dec 1998 | S |
5842282 | Ting | Dec 1998 | A |
5864956 | Dong | Feb 1999 | A |
5872657 | Rando | Feb 1999 | A |
5898490 | Ohtomo et al. | Apr 1999 | A |
D409508 | Gallagher | May 1999 | S |
D411470 | Webb | Jun 1999 | S |
5907907 | Ohtomo et al. | Jun 1999 | A |
5914778 | Dong | Jun 1999 | A |
D411809 | Wakabayashi | Jul 1999 | S |
D412857 | Howard et al. | Aug 1999 | S |
5946087 | Kasori et al. | Aug 1999 | A |
D415436 | Martone | Oct 1999 | S |
5960551 | Nishi et al. | Oct 1999 | A |
5966826 | Ho | Oct 1999 | A |
D416856 | Onose | Nov 1999 | S |
5983510 | Wu et al. | Nov 1999 | A |
5992029 | Dong | Nov 1999 | A |
D417633 | Sato et al. | Dec 1999 | S |
6005719 | Rando | Dec 1999 | A |
D418432 | Krantz | Jan 2000 | S |
D418433 | Krantz | Jan 2000 | S |
D418434 | Krantz | Jan 2000 | S |
D418763 | Krantz | Jan 2000 | S |
6009630 | Rando | Jan 2000 | A |
6012229 | Shino | Jan 2000 | A |
6014211 | Middleton et al. | Jan 2000 | A |
D420972 | Brecher et al. | Feb 2000 | S |
6055046 | Cain | Apr 2000 | A |
6065217 | Dong | May 2000 | A |
6073353 | Ohtomo et al. | Jun 2000 | A |
D429481 | Ishii | Aug 2000 | S |
6133996 | Plumb et al. | Oct 2000 | A |
6151106 | Ohtomo et al. | Nov 2000 | A |
6163969 | Jan et al. | Dec 2000 | A |
6167630 | Webb | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6178649 | Wu | Jan 2001 | B1 |
6184979 | Hirano et al. | Feb 2001 | B1 |
6195902 | Jan et al. | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6202312 | Rando | Mar 2001 | B1 |
6209219 | Wakefield et al. | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6222625 | Johnston | Apr 2001 | B1 |
6249338 | Ohtomo et al. | Jun 2001 | B1 |
6262801 | Shibuya et al. | Jul 2001 | B1 |
6293024 | Fiebig et al. | Sep 2001 | B1 |
6351890 | Williams | Mar 2002 | B1 |
6360446 | Bijawat et al. | Mar 2002 | B1 |
D455664 | Webb | Apr 2002 | S |
D457446 | Kallabis | May 2002 | S |
6407803 | Schrank | Jun 2002 | B1 |
D460924 | Hitchcock | Jul 2002 | S |
D461135 | Watson et al. | Aug 2002 | S |
6427348 | Webb | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6430823 | Seki | Aug 2002 | B1 |
6449856 | Matsumoto et al. | Sep 2002 | B1 |
D464578 | Zurwelle | Oct 2002 | S |
6459483 | Shafer et al. | Oct 2002 | B1 |
6487783 | Thomas, Jr. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6493067 | Kodaira et al. | Dec 2002 | B1 |
6493955 | Moretti | Dec 2002 | B1 |
D469369 | Durkin | Jan 2003 | S |
D469556 | Malard et al. | Jan 2003 | S |
D469738 | Ishii | Feb 2003 | S |
D470423 | Loudenslager et al. | Feb 2003 | S |
D470424 | Hand et al. | Feb 2003 | S |
6532676 | Cunningham | Mar 2003 | B1 |
D474985 | Cooper et al. | May 2003 | S |
D475938 | Lopano | Jun 2003 | S |
6577388 | Kallabis | Jun 2003 | B1 |
D476584 | Zurwelle | Jul 2003 | S |
6606798 | El-Katcha | Aug 2003 | B1 |
6735879 | Malard et al. | May 2004 | B1 |
6739062 | Jan et al. | May 2004 | B1 |
20020073561 | Liao | Jun 2002 | A1 |
20020166249 | Liao | Nov 2002 | A1 |
20020178596 | Malard | Dec 2002 | A1 |
Number | Date | Country |
---|---|---|
WO 2003074970 | Sep 2003 | WO |
Number | Date | Country | |
---|---|---|---|
20040123472 A1 | Jul 2004 | US | |
20040205972 A2 | Oct 2004 | US |