# US 6,718,643 B2 · Laser line beam emitting apparatus having functions of emission of a straight laser line beam therefrom into the area at the wide-angle, and a method thereof > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 6,718,643 B2 - Document ID: US6718643B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 10/173,724 - Filed: 2002-06-18 - Published: 2003-01-02 - Granted: 2004-04-13 - Earliest claimed: 2001-07-02 - Assignees: Kabushiki Kaisha Audio-Technica - Inventors: Akihito Tamamura - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US6718643B2 ## CPC - G01C 15/004: {Reference lines, planes or sectors} - Y10S 33/21: with laser - G01C: MEASURING DISTANCES, LEVELS OR BEARINGS; SURVEYING; NAVIGATION; GYROSCOPIC INSTRUMENTS; PHOTOGRAMMETRY OR VIDEOGRAMMETRY (measuring liquid level G01F; radio navigation, determining distance or velocity by use of propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effects, propagation time, of radio waves, analogous arrangements using other waves G01S) - Y10S: TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS ## Abstract For purpose of both of reduction in the number of parts that contributes to lower cost, and facilitated adjustment of location of a pair of laser beams for formation of a precise straight line beam drawn on objects in the wide-angle area, there are provided an apparatus and method having an improvement in emission of a laser line beam. The improvement comprises at least two pointer units each having a laser beam source for emission of a laser beam and a collimator lens for collimating the emitted beam, and a cylindrical lens arranged ahead of the units. With an arranged relationship between the pointer units and cylindrical lens, two beam fluxes from respective units cross each other at a point where the cylindrical lens is arranged, wherein the beam fluxes are at right angles to the central axis of the cylindrical lens. The diffused beams form the straight line beam. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for emitting a laser line beam onto objectives therearound comprising: at least two pointer units which comprise first and second pointer units, the first and second pointer units, the first and second pointer units for emission of respective first and second laser beams each having a laser beam source from which a laser beam is emitted, and a collimator lens through which the emitted laser beam from the laser beam source is collimated, said first and second pointer units arranged such that said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams cross each other at a predetermined point; and a cylindrical lens through which said first and second collimated laser beams are diffused, the cylindrical lens being arranged in said predetermined point such that said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams lie at least at a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical lens, the first and second laser beams being diffused from said predetermined point in the opposite directions from each other, the diffused first laser beam in combination with the second laser beam providing formation of a straight laser line beam emitted and drawn onto said objectives without a discontinuity, in an area around a predetermined angle from the horizontal or the central axes thereof. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: at least one gimbals mechanism; and a pendulum being pendant in said apparatus through at least one said gimbals mechanism, said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens being mounted to said pendulum. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least one gimbals mechanism; a pendulum being pendant in said apparatus through at least 10 one said gimbals mechanism, said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens being mounted to said pendulum; and a brake device for electromagnetically braking swing of said pendulum for prevention of tilting of said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens. ### Claim 4 An apparatus for emitting a laser line beam onto objectives therearound comprising: at least two pointer units which comprise first and second pointer units, the first and second pointer units for emission of respective first and second laser beams each having a laser beam source from which laser beam is emitted, a collimator lens through which the emitted laser beam from the laser beam source is collimated, and an outlet from which the collimated laser beam is emitted, the first and second pointer units being arranged at spaced intervals; and a cylindrical lens having a central axis, the cylindrical lens being positioned ahead of said first and second pointer units at a point intermediate therebetween, the first and second pointer units, respectively, being tilted from different vertical directions such that said outlets are oriented to the cylindrical lens at at least a right angle to a longitudinal axis of the cylindrical lens, and that the collimated laser beams from respective outlets pass the central axis of the cylindrical lens, whereby a vertical or horizontal straight line beam without a discontinuity is formed on said objects. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams from respective first and second pointer units each have an optical axis, and wherein said central axis of the cylindrical lens lies at right angles to said optical axes of the first and second collimated, emitted laser beams. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, wherein said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams from respective first and second pointer units each have an optical axis, wherein said optical axes each have a section, and wherein the sections of optical axes of respective first and second laser beams are at right angles to each other at the passage of the central axis of said cylindrical lens. ### Claim 7 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising at least one gimbals mechanism; and a pendulum being pendant in said apparatus through at least one said gimbals mechanism, said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens being mounted to said pendulum. ### Claim 8 (depends on 4) The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising at least one gimbals mechanism; a pendulum being pendant in said apparatus through at least one said gimbals mechanism, said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens being mounted to said pendulum; and a brake device for electromagnetically braking swing of said pendulum for prevention of tilting of said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens. ### Claim 9 A method of emitting a laser line beam onto objectives therearound comprising steps of providing at least two pointer units which include first and second pointer units, the first and second pointer units for emission of respective first and second laser beams each having a laser beam source from which a laser beam is emitted, and a collimator lens through which the emitted laser beam from the laser beam source is collimated; making an arrangement of said first and second pointer 15 units such that said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams cross each other at a predetermined point; and making an arrangement of a cylindrical lens in said predetermined point, the first and second laser beams being diffused from said predetermined point in the opposite directions from each other, the diffused first laser beam in combination with the second laser beam providing formation of a straight laser line beam emitted and drawn onto said objectives in the wide-angle without a discontinuity. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, wherein said cylindrical lens has a central axis, wherein said first and second collimated, emitted laser beams from respective first and second pointer units each have an optical axis, and wherein the arrangement of the cylindrical lens in said predetermined point is made such that said central axis of the cylindrical lens lies at right angles to said optical axes of the first and second collimated, emitted laser beams. ### Claim 11 (depends on 9) The method of claim 9, further providing at least one gimbals mechanism, and a pendulum being pendant in said apparatus through at least one said gimbals mechanism; and mounting said first and second pointer units and said cylindrical lens to said pendulum.