Surveying instrument including low power light plane generator

Abstract

A surveying instrument is provided which includes an optical sighting scope having a sighting barrel and orthogonal reticular lines visible to an observer viewing through the barrel, in combination with a miniature light plane generator that is oriented to produce a plane of light that is coincident with one of the reticular lines in the direction viewed by an observer viewing through the barrel of the optical sighting scope. The miniature light plane generator includes a laser diode that generates a beam of light, a collimating lens positioned within the beam of light generated by the laser diode in order to produce a beam of collimated light, and a fan lens positioned within the beam of collimated light in order to divert the beam of light into a plane. The miniature generator additionally includes a power supply that supplyies power at a low duty cycle. Because of the resulting reduction in electrical power required by the generator, the components making up the generator, including a battery for supplying energy to the power supply, may be combined within the housing of the optical sighting scope in order to provide a compact instrument.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.