WO2000057005A1 - Alignment device - Google Patents

Alignment device Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2000057005A1
WO2000057005A1 PCT/NZ2000/000030 NZ0000030W WO0057005A1 WO 2000057005 A1 WO2000057005 A1 WO 2000057005A1 NZ 0000030 W NZ0000030 W NZ 0000030W WO 0057005 A1 WO0057005 A1 WO 0057005A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
laser
housing
photo sensors
oscillation
cavity
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/NZ2000/000030
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Gary Dean Smith
Original Assignee
Lasers For Industry Limited
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Lasers For Industry Limited filed Critical Lasers For Industry Limited
Priority to AU33376/00A priority Critical patent/AU3337600A/en
Publication of WO2000057005A1 publication Critical patent/WO2000057005A1/en

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Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G01—MEASURING; TESTING
    • G01C—MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY
    • G01C15/00—Surveying instruments or accessories not provided for in groups G01C1/00 - G01C13/00
    • G01C15/002—Active optical surveying means
    • G01C15/004—Reference lines, planes or sectors

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for aligning components.
  • the device of the present invention has been designed with especial reference to the problems of constructing a fence line, and will therefore be described with particular reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the device of the present invention also may be used in aligning components for other purposes.
  • a fence line is erected by driving the first and last posts of the line and straining a wire between the posts so that the intermediate posts can be kept in a straight line simply by aligning them with the wire.
  • this is not an easy method to use if the fence line is long or if the ground is broken or undulating. It also is possible to use standard optical surveying equipment to position the fence line, but such a method requires two people and expensive equipment; this method is not normally used.
  • the present invention provides an alignment device including: a laser mounted in a housing, said laser being designed in use to generate a laser beam from said housing along a predetermined axis; means for oscillating said laser so as to oscillate said laser beam to each side of said predetermined axis in at least one predetermined plane; an optical telescope arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to said predetermined axis; detection means for detecting said laser at a location remote from the laser.
  • the means for oscillating said laser may be any suitable means capable of providing a regular oscillation:- for example, a stepper motor, or a motor driven cam as hereinafter described.
  • the telescope is mounted upon the housing and the housing is mounted upon an indexable base.
  • the housing can be turned through 90 degrees relative to said indexable base, so that the laser may be arranged to oscillate in either of two mutually perpendicular planes.
  • Fig.1 is a side view of the device of the present invention.
  • Fig.2 is a side view of the laser mounting arrangement
  • Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the mode of operation of the detector.
  • a device 2 in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 3 which contains a laser, an optical telescope 4 mounted on the upper surface of the housing 3 and an indexable base 5.
  • the housing 3 is square in cross section; the lower outer surface 3a and an adjacent side 3b both are fitted with a locating pin 6, 6a, each of which is dimensioned to be received in a corresponding aperture 7 in the upper surface of the indexable base 5.
  • the indexable base 5 comprises a lower section 8 which is adapted to be rigidly and positively located on a suitable support such as a tripod (not shown), and an upper section 9 which is mounted upon, and rotatabie relative to, the lower section 8.
  • the outer surface of the lower section 8 is marked with degree markings (not shown) around its outer periphery and corresponding reference marks are marked on the housing 3, so that the upper section 9 and housing 3 can be rotated relative to the lower section 8 by any predetermined angle.
  • the telescope 4 is mounted with the longitudinal axis of the telescope parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing 3 and hence to the longitudinal axis of the laser beam.
  • the telescope 4 may be any suitable telescope, typically of x4 magnification, for example a gun sight telescope.
  • the telescope is provided with a cross hair sight and is provided with focusing adjustments in known manner.
  • the laser 10 may be any suitable known type of laser. Typically, the strength of the laser 10 is such that it is detectable distances of approximately 500 meters from the housing. For example, it is been found that a visible laser e.g. a red diode type laser is suitable, but it will be appreciated that it is not essential that the laser is visible to the eye.
  • a visible laser e.g. a red diode type laser is suitable, but it will be appreciated that it is not essential that the laser is visible to the eye.
  • the laser 10 is mounted in a holder 11 which is mounted inside the housing 3 so that the laser 10 is aligned with a slot 12 at the end of the housing opposite to the telescope eye piece.
  • the holder 11 is formed with a cavity 13, 18, at each end, and is pivotally mounted in the housing by a pivot 17 mid-way between the two cavities 13, 18.
  • the laser 10 is mounted in the cavity 18.
  • a cam 14 is mounted in the cavity 13.
  • the cam 14 is rotatable by means of a small electric motor 15; as the cam rotates it causes the holder 11 and hence the laser 10 to oscillate in a vertical plane.
  • Both the laser 10 and the electric motor 15 for oscillating the laser and holder are battery-powered, but separate batteries are required since the laser must be electrically isolated from the motor.
  • the above described device is used to lay out a fence line as follows:- first, the start and end points of the fence line are established from survey data or from the landowner's requirements, and either a post is driven at each point or a marker is inserted at each point.
  • the device of the present invention is then set up at the start or finish post or marker, accurately aligned with the post or marker.
  • the base 5 is indexed until the telescope 4 is focussed on the other post or marker. Since the telescope and laser beam have parallel axies, this means that the laser also is pointing in the correct direction.
  • the laser 10 is then powered to emit a laser beam 16 through the slot 12, and the electric motor is powered to oscillate the laser on each side of its longitudinal axis, in a vertical plane.
  • the user then walks down the intended fence line (from either end of the line) carrying a hand-held detector as hereinafter described, and at the predetermined intervals at which fence posts are to be placed, the user uses the detector to locate the correct line of the laser beam and thus accurately locate each fence post.
  • the user may actually drive each post at that stage, or may simply insert a marker at the correct location, for the posts to be driven later. Since the laser is oscillating in a vertical plane, it also can be used to check each post is plumb, by using the detector to check that the post is aligned with the beam 16 all along the length of the post.
  • the housing 3 is rotated through down to degrees by inserting the second pin 6a into the aperture 7 on the base 5, and again oscillating the laser 10, which will now oscillate in a horizontal plane.
  • the detector can be used to detect the laser beam at each post, and the correct height of each post marked.
  • the oscillation of the laser makes the laser beam very much easier to detect, since the detector can detect the beam at a number of points rather than simply at a single point. It is envisaged that an oscillation of plus/minus 10 degrees would be appropriate.
  • the laser beam may be detected using detectors of known type.
  • the simplest type of detector consists of a single set of photo sensors connected to a filter to ensure that the sensors are frequency specific for lasers, so that the detector is unaffected by changes in ambient light, an amplifier, and an indicator light.
  • the detector used is as hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 3.
  • the detector provides a detection screen 20 behind which are sets of photo sensors arranged in two groups - group 1 and group 2, with group 1 vertically above group 2.
  • the photo sensors detect abrupt changes in light intensity; the filters 21 ensure that the sensors are frequency specific for lasers, so that the detectors are not affected by changes in sunlight. Since the laser beam spreads with distance, the photo sensors are adjusted to calculate the centre of the laser beam, using known techniques.
  • a laser beam falling on either the group 1 and/or the group 2 photo sensors is filtered as described above, and amplified.
  • the amplified signal detected by the photo sensors in either group 1 and/or group 2 is passed to a timer 23, 24 associated with either group 1 or group 2 sensors.
  • Each timer senses how long the detected signal is in saturation mode and if the signals detected by the group 1 photo sensors do not balance in intensity the signals detected by the group 2 photo sensors, then flashing lights in the corresponding group of photo sensors indicate that the detector is too high (if the group 1 photo sensors detect a greater amplitude of signal) or too low (if the group 2 photo sensors detect a greater amplitude of signal).
  • the user can judge from the flashing lights in the appropriate section the correct direction in which to move the detector.
  • the detector is correctly positioned, i.e. the laser beam strikes the centre line of the detector, the detector emits an audible signal through speaker 26 and both the upper and lower sets of lights on the detector flash.
  • the detector may be clamped onto a graduated post.

Abstract

A device (2) for aligning components such as fence posts in a fence line: the device includes a laser mounted in a housing (3), means for oscillating the laser in at least one predetermined plane, an optical telescope (4) mounted upon the housing coaxially with the laser, and detection means for detecting the laser at a location remote from the laser.

Description

Title: ALIGNMENT DEVICE
Technical Field
The present invention relates to a device for aligning components. The device of the present invention has been designed with especial reference to the problems of constructing a fence line, and will therefore be described with particular reference to this application. However, it will be appreciated that the device of the present invention also may be used in aligning components for other purposes.
Background Art
Typically, a fence line is erected by driving the first and last posts of the line and straining a wire between the posts so that the intermediate posts can be kept in a straight line simply by aligning them with the wire. However, this is not an easy method to use if the fence line is long or if the ground is broken or undulating. It also is possible to use standard optical surveying equipment to position the fence line, but such a method requires two people and expensive equipment; this method is not normally used.
Disclosure of Invention
It is an object of the present invention to provide an alignment device which is comparatively inexpensive and can be used by one person to position a fence line rapidly and accurately.
The present invention provides an alignment device including: a laser mounted in a housing, said laser being designed in use to generate a laser beam from said housing along a predetermined axis; means for oscillating said laser so as to oscillate said laser beam to each side of said predetermined axis in at least one predetermined plane; an optical telescope arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to said predetermined axis; detection means for detecting said laser at a location remote from the laser.
The means for oscillating said laser may be any suitable means capable of providing a regular oscillation:- for example, a stepper motor, or a motor driven cam as hereinafter described.
Preferably, the telescope is mounted upon the housing and the housing is mounted upon an indexable base. Preferably also, the housing can be turned through 90 degrees relative to said indexable base, so that the laser may be arranged to oscillate in either of two mutually perpendicular planes.
Brief Description of Drawings
By way of example only, a preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:-
Fig.1 is a side view of the device of the present invention;
Fig.2 is a side view of the laser mounting arrangement; and
Fig. 3 is a block diagram illustrating the mode of operation of the detector.
Best Mode of Carrying Out Invention
Referring to Fig. 1 and 2 of the drawings, a device 2 in accordance with the present invention comprises a housing 3 which contains a laser, an optical telescope 4 mounted on the upper surface of the housing 3 and an indexable base 5.
The housing 3 is square in cross section; the lower outer surface 3a and an adjacent side 3b both are fitted with a locating pin 6, 6a, each of which is dimensioned to be received in a corresponding aperture 7 in the upper surface of the indexable base 5.
The indexable base 5 comprises a lower section 8 which is adapted to be rigidly and positively located on a suitable support such as a tripod (not shown), and an upper section 9 which is mounted upon, and rotatabie relative to, the lower section 8. The outer surface of the lower section 8 is marked with degree markings (not shown) around its outer periphery and corresponding reference marks are marked on the housing 3, so that the upper section 9 and housing 3 can be rotated relative to the lower section 8 by any predetermined angle.
The telescope 4 is mounted with the longitudinal axis of the telescope parallel to the longitudinal axis of the housing 3 and hence to the longitudinal axis of the laser beam. The telescope 4 may be any suitable telescope, typically of x4 magnification, for example a gun sight telescope. The telescope is provided with a cross hair sight and is provided with focusing adjustments in known manner.
The laser 10 may be any suitable known type of laser. Typically, the strength of the laser 10 is such that it is detectable distances of approximately 500 meters from the housing. For example, it is been found that a visible laser e.g. a red diode type laser is suitable, but it will be appreciated that it is not essential that the laser is visible to the eye.
Referring to Fig. 2, the laser 10 is mounted in a holder 11 which is mounted inside the housing 3 so that the laser 10 is aligned with a slot 12 at the end of the housing opposite to the telescope eye piece. The holder 11 is formed with a cavity 13, 18, at each end, and is pivotally mounted in the housing by a pivot 17 mid-way between the two cavities 13, 18. The laser 10 is mounted in the cavity 18. A cam 14 is mounted in the cavity 13. The cam 14 is rotatable by means of a small electric motor 15; as the cam rotates it causes the holder 11 and hence the laser 10 to oscillate in a vertical plane.
Both the laser 10 and the electric motor 15 for oscillating the laser and holder are battery-powered, but separate batteries are required since the laser must be electrically isolated from the motor.
The above described device is used to lay out a fence line as follows:- first, the start and end points of the fence line are established from survey data or from the landowner's requirements, and either a post is driven at each point or a marker is inserted at each point. The device of the present invention is then set up at the start or finish post or marker, accurately aligned with the post or marker. The base 5 is indexed until the telescope 4 is focussed on the other post or marker. Since the telescope and laser beam have parallel axies, this means that the laser also is pointing in the correct direction. The laser 10 is then powered to emit a laser beam 16 through the slot 12, and the electric motor is powered to oscillate the laser on each side of its longitudinal axis, in a vertical plane. The user then walks down the intended fence line (from either end of the line) carrying a hand-held detector as hereinafter described, and at the predetermined intervals at which fence posts are to be placed, the user uses the detector to locate the correct line of the laser beam and thus accurately locate each fence post. The user may actually drive each post at that stage, or may simply insert a marker at the correct location, for the posts to be driven later. Since the laser is oscillating in a vertical plane, it also can be used to check each post is plumb, by using the detector to check that the post is aligned with the beam 16 all along the length of the post.
In this manner, one person can accurately and rapidly layout the whole fence line.
When the posts have been driven, it may be advisable to level the posts at a required height. In this case, the housing 3 is rotated through down to degrees by inserting the second pin 6a into the aperture 7 on the base 5, and again oscillating the laser 10, which will now oscillate in a horizontal plane. The detector can be used to detect the laser beam at each post, and the correct height of each post marked.
The oscillation of the laser makes the laser beam very much easier to detect, since the detector can detect the beam at a number of points rather than simply at a single point. It is envisaged that an oscillation of plus/minus 10 degrees would be appropriate.
The laser beam may be detected using detectors of known type. The simplest type of detector consists of a single set of photo sensors connected to a filter to ensure that the sensors are frequency specific for lasers, so that the detector is unaffected by changes in ambient light, an amplifier, and an indicator light.
Preferably the detector used is as hereinafter described with reference to Fig. 3. As shown in Fig. 3, the detector provides a detection screen 20 behind which are sets of photo sensors arranged in two groups - group 1 and group 2, with group 1 vertically above group 2. The photo sensors detect abrupt changes in light intensity; the filters 21 ensure that the sensors are frequency specific for lasers, so that the detectors are not affected by changes in sunlight. Since the laser beam spreads with distance, the photo sensors are adjusted to calculate the centre of the laser beam, using known techniques.
A laser beam falling on either the group 1 and/or the group 2 photo sensors is filtered as described above, and amplified. The amplified signal detected by the photo sensors in either group 1 and/or group 2 is passed to a timer 23, 24 associated with either group 1 or group 2 sensors. Each timer senses how long the detected signal is in saturation mode and if the signals detected by the group 1 photo sensors do not balance in intensity the signals detected by the group 2 photo sensors, then flashing lights in the corresponding group of photo sensors indicate that the detector is too high (if the group 1 photo sensors detect a greater amplitude of signal) or too low (if the group 2 photo sensors detect a greater amplitude of signal). The user can judge from the flashing lights in the appropriate section the correct direction in which to move the detector. When the detector is correctly positioned, i.e. the laser beam strikes the centre line of the detector, the detector emits an audible signal through speaker 26 and both the upper and lower sets of lights on the detector flash.
The detector may be clamped onto a graduated post.

Claims

CLAIMS.
1. An alignment device including: a laser mounted in a housing, said laser being designed in use to generate a laser beam from said housing along a predetermined axis; means for oscillating said laser so as to oscillate said laser beam to each side of said predetermined axis in at least one predetermined plane; an optical telescope arranged with its longitudinal axis parallel to said predetermined axis; detection means for detecting said laser at a location remote from the laser.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1 wherein said telescope is mounted upon said housing.
3. The device as claimed in claim 1 or claim 2 further including an indexable base upon which said housing is mounted.
4. The device as claimed in claim 3 wherein said housing is mountable upon said indexable base in either of two positions which are perpendicular to each other, such that said laser may be arranged to oscillate in either of two mutually perpendicular planes.
5. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for oscillating said laser is capable of providing an oscillation of plus/minus 10 degrees.
6. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for oscillation of said laser comprises a stepper motor.
7. The device as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein said means for oscillation of said laser comprises a motor driven cam.
8. The device as claimed in claims 7, wherein said laser is mounted inside said housing in a laser holder; said holder is formed with a cavity at each end thereof and is pivoted to said housing at point intermediate said ends; said laser is mounted in one said cavity; said cam is mounted in the other said cavity such that rotation of said cam relative to the said cavity by means of said motor causes oscillation of said laser.
9. The device as claimed in any one of said preceding claims, wherein said detection means includes at least one set of photo sensors connected through a filter and an amplifier to an indicator light.
10. The device as claimed in any one of claims 1-8, wherein said detection means includes a first set of photo sensors located vertically above the second set of photo sensors; each set of photo sensors being separately connected through a filter and an amplifier to an indicator light.
PCT/NZ2000/000030 1999-03-23 2000-03-17 Alignment device WO2000057005A1 (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
AU33376/00A AU3337600A (en) 1999-03-23 2000-03-17 Alignment device

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
NZ33485899 1999-03-23
NZ334858 1999-03-23

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
WO2000057005A1 true WO2000057005A1 (en) 2000-09-28

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ID=19927192

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
PCT/NZ2000/000030 WO2000057005A1 (en) 1999-03-23 2000-03-17 Alignment device

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WO (1) WO2000057005A1 (en)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003078743A1 (en) * 2002-03-15 2003-09-25 Raunisto Yrjoe Method for alignment of piles or wall profiles
EP1434030A3 (en) * 2002-12-20 2007-06-06 The Boeing Company Laser alignment tool

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3125930A1 (en) * 1981-07-01 1983-01-20 Rolf 2906 Wardenburg Ziegeler Mechanical method for aligning fence posts
US4973158A (en) * 1987-11-04 1990-11-27 Richard Marsh Rotating laser beam reference plane instrument
EP0586804A2 (en) * 1992-09-08 1994-03-16 HAMAR LASER INSTRUMENTS, Inc. Laser apparatus
US5331395A (en) * 1991-10-09 1994-07-19 Leica Heerbrugg Ag Device for aligning a laser leveling instrument along a building line
EP0727642A1 (en) * 1995-02-14 1996-08-21 Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon Laser survey instrument
US5742387A (en) * 1995-12-21 1998-04-21 Ammann Lasertechnik Ag Laser beam levelling device and process for operating a laser beam levelling device and associated contrivance
US5839199A (en) * 1993-09-07 1998-11-24 Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon Laser gradient setting device
WO2000014480A1 (en) * 1998-09-02 2000-03-16 Connelly Michael Laser level assembly

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE3125930A1 (en) * 1981-07-01 1983-01-20 Rolf 2906 Wardenburg Ziegeler Mechanical method for aligning fence posts
US4973158A (en) * 1987-11-04 1990-11-27 Richard Marsh Rotating laser beam reference plane instrument
US5331395A (en) * 1991-10-09 1994-07-19 Leica Heerbrugg Ag Device for aligning a laser leveling instrument along a building line
EP0586804A2 (en) * 1992-09-08 1994-03-16 HAMAR LASER INSTRUMENTS, Inc. Laser apparatus
US5839199A (en) * 1993-09-07 1998-11-24 Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon Laser gradient setting device
EP0727642A1 (en) * 1995-02-14 1996-08-21 Kabushiki Kaisha Topcon Laser survey instrument
US5742387A (en) * 1995-12-21 1998-04-21 Ammann Lasertechnik Ag Laser beam levelling device and process for operating a laser beam levelling device and associated contrivance
WO2000014480A1 (en) * 1998-09-02 2000-03-16 Connelly Michael Laser level assembly

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
WO2003078743A1 (en) * 2002-03-15 2003-09-25 Raunisto Yrjoe Method for alignment of piles or wall profiles
EP1434030A3 (en) * 2002-12-20 2007-06-06 The Boeing Company Laser alignment tool

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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