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| Number | Title | Issue Date |
| 7812722 | Dual orientation metal scanner An ergonomically designed metal detector is provided. The metal detector allows for operation of the metal detector between two modes of operation while maintaining an operator's hand position relative to the surface. ... | 10/12/2010 |
| 7212014 | Stud sensor with floating head A sensor such as a stud sensor having a capacitor plate coupled with a spring to a head to provide a floating head. In other versions, the sensor has an on-switch coupled between a head and a body of a sensor; a head detachable from a body of the sensor; a marking i... | 05/01/2007 |
| 7181855 | Methods and devices for enhancing intensity of on-surface lines cast by laser line projectors or the like Given a situation where a projected laser line appears to have terminated or faded as it intersects with a work-surface (e.g., a wall), a fan-out redirecting means is used to capture and redirect energy radiating above and parallel to, or radiating away from the giv... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7181853 | Modular laser layout system A light emitting module and a modular light emitting system with leveling capability. The system relates to light-based (e.g. lower-based) layout tools of the type used in the construction industry. More specifically, the system relates to a modular light emitting s... | 02/27/2007 |
| 7174647 | Laser line projector with spherically rotatable support and level/plumb indicators for the support A spherically rotatable support for a light image projector has level and/or plumb indicators for leveling or plumbing a central reference frame of its spherical rotation. A projected light image, such as a laser line segment of relatively short length may be succes... | 02/13/2007 |
| 7148703 | Auto-deep scan for capacitive sensing A stud or joist sensor and associated sensing method using an amplitude and a ratio of capacitance measurements from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. The sensor locates a feature of an object or discontinuity behind a surface or wall, such as an edge and/... | 12/12/2006 |
| 7116091 | Ratiometric stud sensing A stud or joist sensor device and associated sensing method using a ratio of capacitance measurements from a plurality of capacitive sensing elements. The device locates a feature of an object or discontinuity behind a surface or wall, such as an edge and/or a cente... | 10/03/2006 |
| 6989662 | Sensor auto-recalibration A sensor and method that detects a mis-calibration and automatically recalibrates itself without operator intervention. If the sensor determines that it was calibrated over an object such as a stud, the sensor may automatically update the calibration value with a ne... | 01/24/2006 |
| 6933712 | Electrical circuit tracing and identifying apparatus and method A transmitter that is electrically connected to a circuit and an associated receiver is used to identify an element of that circuit in the presence of other circuits. This may be used in AC or DC systems that are powered or not to identify or trace circuit elements ... | 08/23/2005 |
| 6922063 | Apparatus and method for capacitive level sensor A capacitive sensor including a pendulum for electronically determining an indication of angular offset and a capacitive leveling device having such a capacitive sensor for leveling an associated reference surface. The capacitive sensor detects a difference in capac... | 07/26/2005 |
| 6829834 | Multi-angle self-leveling line generation A self-leveling tool for projecting a line of light along a wall or other vertical surface at one of a plurality of predetermined angles. The tool self-aligns to emit a plane of light at one of the predetermined angles (e.g., 0, 90, 180 or 270 degrees), thereby proj... | 12/14/2004 |
| 6493954 | Fluid-actuated level device A fluid-actuated level device for use, for instance, in the building trades, discovers points lying on a horizontal plane with a reference point. The level device has a tube with a referenceend and a working-end, and a housing unit attached to the referen... | 12/17/2002 |
| 6291970 | Device for reverse polarization protection for a battery A device providing reverse polarization protection for a battery having both positive and negative terminals disposed at one end of the battery (e.g., a 9 volt "transistor radio" battery). The device is adapted for insertion between the battery terminals ... | 09/18/2001 |
| 6259241 | Projected display for portable sensor indicating the location of a detected hidden object behind a surface A display in a portable detector unit (e.g., a handheld "stud sensor") projects a pattern of light onto a surface beneath which a hidden object is located. The pattern represents the location of a sensed characteristic of the object with respect to the su... | 07/10/2001 |
| 6249113 | Hand held sensor and display An improved hand-held sensor having a recessed LED array for indicating the location of an object behind a wall surface. The array displays in an arrow shaped format the location of the sensor relative to the object. The LED's can be offset both laterally... | 06/19/2001 |
| 6198271 | Electronic wall-stud sensor display A device for locating the edges of wall studs includes a comparison circuit connected to each of three capacitive elements. As the device is moved along a wall, the comparison circuit monitors the relative charge time associated with each capacitive eleme... | 03/06/2001 |
| 6157591 | Sonic range finder with laser pointer An ultrasonic distance measuring device for use, for instance, in the building trades, conventionally measures distance by projecting a sonic beam towards the target and detecting the reflection from the target. Also provided is an associated co-axial las... | 12/05/2000 |
| 6100839 | Enhanced impulse radar system An impulse radar system useful, for instance, for ground penetration provides three dimensional images of targets. The radar system includes an antenna array with an arrangement of elements that is irregular so that the spacing between elements is differe... | 08/08/2000 |
| 6037874 | Electronic level with laser inclination indicator An electronic level with a laser inclination indicator. In one embodiment, the level includes a sensor that determines an inclination of the device relative to a null inclination. The sensor generates an inclination indication signal. A housing in which t... | 03/14/2000 |
| 6023159 | Stud sensor with dual sensitivity A dual sensitivity stud sensor senses studs through both thick and thin surfaces. Studs are sensed by detecting a change in the capacitive loading of plates as they are moved along a surface and into proximity with a stud. The sensor informs the operator ... | 02/08/2000 |
| 5999346 | Laser adjustment mechanism An improved laser adjustment mechanism providing precision alignment of the laser in two dimensions. The mechanism includes a pair of biased threaded mechanisms orthogonally captured by a laser module, which are adjustable to pivot the laser in a plane su... | 12/07/1999 |
| 5956260 | Electronic level displaying inclination having digital and analog displays An electronic level includes both a numeric scale and a graphic scale having a "fan-like" configuration of a number of elongated wedge-shaped segments. The inclination of the device is shown numerically using a digital display and, at cardinal angles, gra... | 09/21/1999 |
| 5917314 | Electronic wall-stud sensor with three capacitive elements A device for locating the edges of wall studs includes a comparison circuit connected to each of three capacitive elements. As the device is moved along a wall, the comparison circuit monitors the relative charge time associated with each capacitive eleme... | 06/29/1999 |
| 5905455 | Dual transmitter visual display system A cost-effective wideband radar system capable of locating objects, such as reinforcing steel rods, pipes, and air bubbles, objects located behind or within a volume of, e.g., concrete, soil, wood, or air. A sequence of wideband radar pulses are emitted w... | 05/18/1999 |
| 5900833 | Imaging radar suitable for material penetration A ground penetrating impulse radar system provides three-dimensional images of targets. A moving array of transmitting and receiving antennas provides narrow beamwidths and high gain by real and synthetic aperture beam processing. Narrow pulsewidth impuls... | 05/04/1999 |
| 5896102 | Swept range gate radar system for detection of nearby objects A cost-effective ultra-wideband radar system capable of locating nearby buried objects such as reinforcing steel rods, pipes, and other objects buried in concrete, soil, behind walls, or in the air. A sequence of ultra-wideband radar pulses e.g. at a plur... | 04/20/1999 |
| 5854603 | Ultra-wideband swept range gate radar system with variable transmitter delay A cost-effective ultra-wideband band radar system capable of locating nearby buried objects such as reinforcing steel rods, pipes, and other objects buried in concrete, soil, behind walls, or in the air. A sequence of ultra-wideband band radar pulses are ... | 12/29/1998 |
| 5773971 | Three electrode AC detection A sensor device and method for finding the location of a conductor such as a wire, having an alternating voltage and which is not readily visible, i.e. hidden in the wall of a structure or buried. The detector device has four plates in two balanced pairs ... | 06/30/1998 |
| 5745062 | Pulse width modulation analog to digital converter A pulse width modulation analog to digital converter can accommodate both wide band AC analog input signals and DC analog input signals. If the frequency of the input signal is much higher than the conversion rate of the PWM analog to digital converter, t... | 04/28/1998 |
| 5729143 | Metal detector with nulling of imbalance A metal detector includes a receive coil and a transmit coil connected in an inductive bridge. To overcome imbalances in the bridge due for instance to misalignment of the coils or the presence of mineralization in the medium which is being examined, the ... | 03/17/1998 |
| 5640168 | Ultra wide-band radar antenna for concrete penetration A pyramidal horn antenna that decreases ringing in radar systems that are placed against a solid volume of e.g. concrete or wood for finding an object in or behind the solid volume. The antenna includes a solid, pyramid-shaped dielectric, the pyramid shap... | 06/17/1997 |
| 5619128 | Stud sensor with over-stud miscalibration via circuit which stores an initial calibration density, compares that to a current test density and outputs result via indicator A dual sensitivity stud sensor senses studs through both thick and thin surfaces. Studs are sensed by detecting a change in the capacitive loading of plates as they are moved along a surface and into proximity with a stud. The sensor informs the operator ... | 04/08/1997 |
| 5592745 | Electronic level displaying inclination with regard to instrument length An electronic level includes a visual scale (similar to a ruler scale) having a number of parallel line segments. The inclination of the device is shown by illuminating various of the scale line segments on either side of a central line. When the device i... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5594669 | Electronic fence post level An electronic level for leveling a fence post or other vertical member includes two inclination sensors mounted orthogonally. The sensors measure inclination in each of two orthogonal planes. The output of the sensors is displayed by two scales which inte... | 01/14/1997 |
| 5543799 | Swept range gate radar system for detection of nearby objects A cost-effective ultra-wideband radar system capable of locating nearby buried objects such as reinforcing steel rods, pipes, and other objects buried in concrete, soil, behind walls, or in the air. A sequence of ultra-wideband radar pulses are emitted wi... | 08/06/1996 |
| 5541605 | Swept range gate short range radar system A cost-effective ultra-wideband band radar system capable of locating nearby buried objects such as reinforcing steel rods, pipes, and other objects buried in concrete, soil, behind walls, or in the air. A sequence of ultra-wideband band radar pulses are ... | 07/30/1996 |
| 5488779 | Electronic level with stereo sound indication An electronic level includes two loudspeakers, one located at each end of the level housing (beam) and controlled in a stereo-like manner. Thus the volume balance between the two loudspeakers is controlled by the angular inclination of the level. The user... | 02/06/1996 |
| 5479715 | Electronic level displaying inclination using a multi-segment fan-like display An electronic level includes a visual scale having a "fan-like" configuration of a number of elongated wedge-shaped segments. The inclination of the device is shown by graphically illuminating various of the segments on either side of a central segment li... | 01/02/1996 |
| 5452522 | Calibrated bevel square with integrated electronic level and plumb A framing layout tool includes two squares each with two legs or blades 90° apart. The squares are pivotally attached at their vertices by a pivot pin including a knurled locking nut. One of the squares includes a longitudinally aligned electronic plumb ... | 09/26/1995 |
| 5352974 | Stud sensor with digital averager and dual sensitivity A dual sensitivity stud sensor senses studs through both thick and thin surfaces. Studs are sensed by detecting a change in the capacitive loading of plates as they are moved along a surface and into proximity with a stud. The sensor informs the operator ... | 10/04/1994 |
