US 7,454,839 B2
Portable reference laser unit and attachment accessory
Mark Alan Della Bona, Los Altos, Calif. (US); Sabrina Hofmann, Hammelburg (Germany); Zhi Qing Jiang, Shenzhen (China); Verena Kehrer, Munich (Germany); Mark Kam Ming, Hong Kong (China); Stefan Reichl, Munich (Germany); Andreas Roessner, Munich (Germany); Lam Yat Wah, Hong Kong (China); Tang Chia Weng, Hong Kong (China); and Jiqiang Yang, Wuhan (China)
Assigned to Robotoolz, Ltd., Kwun Tong, Kowloon (Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of the People's Republic of China, The)
Filed on Aug. 22, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/508,549.
Prior Publication US 2008/0047153 A1, Feb. 28, 2008
Int. Cl. G01C 15/00 (2006.01); G01C 15/14 (2006.01)
U.S. Cl. 33—283  [33/281; 33/291; 33/DIG. 21] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A laser unit for providing at least one of a laser level line and a laser plumb line, the laser unit comprising:
a housing;
a pendulum assembly located within said housing;
a laser assembly for providing either a level line or a plumb line, said laser assembly being mounted upon said pendulum assembly such that said laser unit is configured to provide at least one of a level line or a plumb line when said pendulum assembly is in a unlocked mode; and
a pendulum locking mechanism for locking said laser assembly into a locked mode in which said laser assembly is locked into a fixed position regardless of the orientation of said laser unit;
wherein said pendulum assembly includes:
a pendulum bearing that is pivotably attached to a pendulum bearing support assembly; and
a pendulum bob mounted below said pendulum bearing;
wherein said pendulum locking mechanism includes:
a pendulum lock drive arm that includes a pair of L-shaped slots; and
a pair of pivotable pendulum locks that each include a pin configured to mate with one of said L-shaped slots.