Back to results
US 2011/0078914 A1Published application
Measuring device with extensible cord and method
AssigneeDelta II, I.P. (Trust)
InventorsDavid W. Swanson, William Robert Swanson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A measuring device generally comprises a base unit housing an extensible cable; the cable including a free end for placement by a user at a point being measured. The base unit, placed in line of sight of the point, includes: a base; a first carriage rotationally attached to the base about a turn axis; and a second carriage rotationally attached to the first carriage about a pitch axis. Servoed motors rotate the carriages to align them with cable path to the point. The turn angle, the pitch angle and the cable length are measured to determine the point's location. A plurality of points determines a surface. The user uses a programmed PDA with a radio to communicate with the base unit. An alternative embodiment only has a first carriage.
Claims25
A measuring device comprising:
- a cable including:
- a midsection;
- and
- a free end for placement by a user at a point being measured;
- a base unit including:
- a base;
- a first carriage including:
- a first frame rotationally attached to said base so as to be rotatable about a first axis;
- a second carriage including:
- a second frame rotationally attached to said first frame so as to be rotatable about a second axis;
- a main datum passage attached to said second frame for confined passage of said midsection of said cable;
- an angular displacement sensor assembly attached to said second frame including:
- an incoming cable passage assembly defining an incoming datum passage between said main datum passage and said cable free end for confined passage of said midsection of said cable;
- said cable being in an alignment position when the local longitudinal axis of said cable in said incoming datum passage is aligned with said main datum passage;
- said angular displacement sensor assembly for sensing angular displacement of said cable away from the alignment position and for producing a displacement signal indicative thereof;
- a first motor coupled to said first frame for rotating said first carriage about the first axis responsive to the displacement signal from said angular displacement sensor assembly indicative of cable displacement about the first axis so as to move said angular displacement sensor assembly to the alignment position;
- a second motor coupled to said second frame for rotating said second carriage about the second axis responsive to the displacement signal from said angular displacement sensor assembly indicative of cable displacement about the second axis so as to move said angular displacement sensor assembly to the alignment position;
- cable measuring means attached to said base unit and coupled to said cable for measuring the length or change of length of said cable and for producing a cable signal indicative of the distance to the point being measured;
- first carriage measuring means attached to said base unit for measuring the rotational position or change of rotational position of said first carriage relative to said base and for producing a first-carriage signal indicative of the angle about the first axis to the point being measured;
- and
- second carriage measuring means attached to said base unit for measuring the rotational position or change of rotational position of said second carriage relative to said first carriage and for producing a second-carriage signal indicative of the angle about the second axis to the point being measured.
18 more elements
A method of measuring an object by a measuring device comprising:
- a cable including:
- a midsection;
- and a free end for placement by a user at a point being measured;
- a base unit including:
- a base;
- a first carriage including:
- a first frame rotationally attached to the base so as to be rotatable about a first axis;
- a second carriage including:
- a second frame rotationally attached to the first frame so as to be rotatable about a second axis;
- a main datum passage attached to the second frame for confined passage of the midsection of the cable;
- an angular displacement sensor assembly attached to the second frame including and incoming datum passage between the main datum passage and the cable free end for confined passage of the midsection of the cable;
- the cable being in an alignment position when the local longitudinal axis of the cable in the incoming datum passage is aligned with the main datum passage;
- the angular displacement sensor assembly for sensing angular displacement of the cable away from the alignment position and for producing a displacement signal indicative thereof;
- a first motor coupled to the first frame for rotating the first carriage about the first axis responsive to the displacement signal from the angular displacement sensor assembly indicative of cable displacement about the first axis so as to move the angular displacement sensor toward or to the alignment position;
- a second motor coupled to the second frame for rotating the second carriage about the second axis responsive to the displacement signal from the angular displacement sensor indicative of cable displacement about the second axis so as to move the angular displacement sensor toward or to the alignment position;
- cable measuring means attached to the second frame and coupled to the cable for measuring the length or change of length of the cable and for producing a cable signal indicative of the distance to the point being measured;
- first carriage measuring means for measuring the rotational position or change of rotational position of the first carriage relative to the base and for producing a first-carriage signal indicative of the angle to the point being measured about the first axis;
- and second carriage measuring means for measuring the rotational position or change of rotational position of the second carriage relative to the first carriage and for producing a second-carriage signal indicative of the angle to the point being measured about the second axis;
- comprising:
- positioning the base unit at a first position within line of sight of a first point on the object to be measured;
- positioning the cable free end on the first point on the object to be measured;
- and
- obtaining the measurements of the first point from the cable measuring means, the first carriage measuring means, and the second carriage measuring means.
20 more elements
A measuring device comprising:
- a cable including:
- a midsection;
- and
- a free end for placement by a user at a point being measured;
- a base unit including:
- a base;
- a first carriage including:
- a first frame rotationally attached to said base so as to be rotatable about a first axis;
- a main datum passage attached to said first frame for confined passage of said midsection of said cable;
- an angular displacement sensor assembly attached to said first frame including:
- an incoming cable passage assembly defining an incoming datum passage between said main datum passage and said cable free end for confined passage of said midsection of said cable;
- said cable being in an alignment position when the local longitudinal axis of said cable in said incoming datum passage is aligned with said first axis;
- said angular displacement sensor assembly for sensing angular displacement of said cable away from the alignment position and for producing a displacement signal indicative thereof;
- a first motor coupled to said first frame for rotating said first carriage about the first axis responsive to the displacement signal from said angular displacement sensor assembly indicative of cable displacement about the first axis so as to move said angular displacement sensor assembly to the alignment position;
- cable measuring means attached to said base unit and coupled to said cable for measuring the length or change of length of said cable and for producing a cable signal indicative of the distance to the point being measured;
- and
- first carriage measuring means on said base unit for measuring the rotational position or change of rotational position of said first carriage relative to said base and for producing a first-carriage signal indicative of the angle about the first axis to the point being measured.
14 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.