Patent Application
20130047450
The present invention relates to measurement devices, and more particularly to a device which projects an optical beam to determine when a vertical object is plumb with respect to the ground.
Carpenters and builders have long used bubble levels to determine true horizontal and vertical orientation of structural elements such as components of building walls, partitions, and other building elements. Although the principle of the bubble or spirit level is quite simple, effective application of such a level may not be equally simple. First, there is the issue of determining when the bubble is truly centered within its transparent window. Secondly, a hand held level is dependent upon being seated on a planar surface. Localized imperfections such as bowing of lumber may interfere with accurate determination of true horizontal and vertical orientation of building elements.
Laser based devices have also been utilized in building construction. A typical laser level box is useful for making determination of horizontal planes, but not equally effective in determining vertical orientations. For example, bowed lumber and various projections may interfere with a direct line of sight projection proximate a vertical wall or partition. Should a laser device be moved horizontally away from the wall or partition being scrutinized for vertical orientation to clear an obstruction due to bowing of lumber or presence of a projection, accuracy may be lost in compensating for the horizontal displacement. There exists a need in the art for an accurate device suited for determining vertical orientations.
The present invention sets forth an optical device adapted to project a beam of light vertically, and to provide two measurement scales which collectively compensate for horizontal displacement of the projected beam from a vertical building element. The device may be formed in two principal components. One is a beam projector which may be slidably disposed on a base bearing one measurement scale. The beam projector is adjustable then as to proximity to the vertical building element, and may be positioned so that the vertical beam clears the obstruction. The second principal component may comprise a linear arm bearing the second measurement scale, and an adjustable handle which enables the second measurement scale to be hand held at a convenient location relative to the building element and with respect to ergonomic considerations, while still being able to gauge displacement of the projected light beam from the building element.
With the beam projector displaced from abutment with the wall or other building element, an optical beam is projected vertically. The amount of displacement is registered on the first scale. With the second component held by hand so as to project horizontally from the top of the wall or other building element being measured, the point at which the projected light beam intercepts the second scale may be noted. Any discrepancy between the measurement taken at the first scale and the measurement taken at the second scale represents the amount by which the uppermost measured point is out of plumb relative to the lowermost measured point.
It is an object of the invention to be able to project and read displacement of an optical beam along a vertical object while clearing any obstruction which might interfere with direct line of sight.
Another object of the invention is to make such a reading practical and expediently performed by hand.
It is an object of the invention to provide improved elements and arrangements thereof by apparatus for the purposes described which is inexpensive, dependable, and fully effective in accomplishing its intended purposes.
These and other objects of the present invention will become readily apparent upon further review of the following specification and drawings.
Various objects, features, and attendant advantages of the present invention will become more fully appreciated as the same becomes better understood when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters designate the same or similar parts throughout the several views, and wherein:
Referring first to
It should be noted at this point that orientational terms such as left, right, upper, and lower, possibly among others, refer to the subject drawing as viewed by an observer. The drawing figures depict their subject matter in orientations of normal use, which could obviously change with changes in position. Therefore, orientational terms must be understood to provide semantic basis for purposes of description, and do not limit the invention or its component parts in any particular way.
In a typical construction project, it is desirable to establish whether the framed wall 6 is disposed in purely vertical orientation. It will be seen that the horizontal board 10 interferes with a direct line of sight (not called out, but which would extend along the left side of the framed wall 6 if the framed wall 6 were straight) which may be established from the upper point 2 to a point 14 which is located directly and purely vertically below the point 14. In the present example, the point 2 is so displaced to the left by inclination of the framed wall 6 that there is a dimension 16 which horizontally separates the lower point 4 from the point 14, the latter being located where the projection line 18 intersects the floor surface 8. In this situation, a conventional laser type device is ineffective due to the broken line of sight.
The optical measurement tool 100 overcomes the above described problem as will be detailed after setting forth a possible construction of the optical measurement tool 100. The optical measurement tool 100 may comprise two separate components. The first of these two components may be an optical beam projector component 102 comprising a base 104 having an upper surface 106 and a lower surface 108. The base 104 may have resilient pads 105, 107 located in opposition to one another on the base 104(see
An optical beam projector 110 is movable along the base 104 and is disposed to project an optical beam 112 vertically when the lower surface 108 is horizontally oriented as seen in
The second component is a target component 114 which may comprise a scale member 116 and a handle 118 pivotally coupled to the scale member 116. The scale member 116 may have an end surface 120 and a lower surface 122.
In use, the base 106 of the optical beam projector component 102 is placed in abutment with the framed wall 6 as seen in
The user (represented by the hand 20) grasps the target component 114 by the handle 118 and holds the scale member 116 in operable position, namely, oriented horizontally and abutting the framed wall 6.
Referring also to
The user notes the position of the optical beam projector 110 on the base 104 by reading the scale 124. This reading indicates the distance 123 from the window 128 from which the optical beam 112 is emitted to the framed wall 6. The user notes the point at which the optical beam 112 strikes the scale 126 of the scale member 116 when the scale member 116 is held against the framed wall 6 as shown. Any difference between the measurement value of the distance 125 taken from the scale 124 of the base 104 and the measurement value taken from the scale 126 of the scale member 116 represents a deviation from true vertical orientation of the framed wall 6. If the measured value taken from the scale 124 is greater than that taken from the scale 126, then it may be concluded not only that the framed wall 6 is out of true vertical orientation, but also that the framed wall 6 is inclined in the direction shown in
Of course, reversal in magnitude of the two measured values 125 from the example presented above would indicate inclination of the framed wall 6 in the opposite direction. Regardless of in which direction the framed wall 6 is inclined, appropriate corrective action may then be taken to assure that the framed wall 6 be properly vertically oriented.
Referring to
The legs 134, 136 may be anchored within standoffs 154, 156 as shown, or alternatively may be anchored within the body of the base 104 (this option is not shown).
The optical beam projector 110 may be locked at selected positions along the track to prevent inadvertent movement which would cause inaccuracies in measurement reading. This may be accomplished by providing a manual lock such as a clamp. For example, a clamp screw 158 may be threadedly carried in a tongue 160 projecting from the base 104 (the tongue 160 is best seen in
The optical beam projector 110 may mount to the base 104 by rotatable quick connectors 166, 168 for example, to enable the optical beam projector 110 to be readily manually installed on and removed from the base 104.
Turning now to
The telescoping sections 172, 174 may be adjustable in that they may be coupled to one another at selected ones of holes 188. The holes 188 will be understood to include holes formed in the inner section 174 and corresponding holes formed in the outer section 172, which may be aligned with one another to accept insertion of a spring loaded pin which, once passed through the aligned holes, lock the telescoping sections 172, 174 to one another. The spring loaded pin may be permanently mounted to and inside the inner section 174 so that in use, the user depresses the pin, urging the pin towards the interior of the inner section 174, thereby disengaging from the outer section 172. Spring action inherent in the mounting of the pin may automatically cause the pin to engage a newly selected hole formed in the outer section 172 when the holes formed in the inner and outer sections 172, 174 are aligned with one another, and the pin is not obstructed by the fingers of the user or by other objects. This type of releasable coupling of telescoping tubes is well known and need not be further described herein.
Although the invention has been described in terms of use in a vertical direction, the same principle of operation may be practiced in other orientations.
It would also be possible to reverse the functions of the optical beam projector component 102 and the target component 114 in that the optical beam projector 110 may be mounted to the scale member 116, with the base 104 bearing a measurement scale such as the measurement scale 124.
It would be possible to provide the optical beam projector component 102 with a handle such as the handle 118 if desired to facilitate maneuvering the optical beam projector component 102 along the floor surface 8.
While the present invention has been described in connection with what is considered the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that the present invention is not to be limited to the disclosed arrangements, but is intended to cover various arrangements which are included within the spirit and scope of the broadest possible interpretation of the appended claims so as to encompass all modifications and equivalent arrangements which are possible.
