Measuring Instrument with Integrated Attitude Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional total stations require a leveling operation to achieve high accuracy, which limits their usability and efficiency due to the narrow measurement range of high accuracy tilt sensors, restricting the installation location to approximately horizontal positions.
Innovation Solution
A portable measuring instrument with an integrated attitude detecting device, including high accuracy and responsive tilt sensors, allows for distance measurement and vertical angle determination without leveling, using a combination of a distance measuring unit, image pickup unit, and display unit, and accommodating both in a rotatable casing with left-to-right and up-to-bottom angle detection capabilities.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If a high accuracy tilt sensor is used to detect horizontality, then measurement precision is improved, but the measurement range becomes narrow (about 6 arc minutes at most)
Solution Approach 1:
The attitude detecting device is divided into two functional segments: a high accuracy tilt sensor for detecting horizontality with precision, and a relative tilt angle detector for detecting tilt angles beyond the narrow range. This segmentation allows each component to specialize in its optimal range while working together to provide comprehensive measurement capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The attitude detecting device serves multiple functions: it detects horizontality when the measuring unit is approximately horizontal, and it detects tilt angles when the measuring unit is tilted beyond the horizontality detection range. This multi-functionality resolves the contradiction between precision and measurement range.
2Measurement precision
If manual leveling operation is performed to achieve approximately horizontal position, then measurement precision is improved, but productivity is reduced due to additional preparation time
Solution Approach 1:
The measuring instrument performs self-leveling detection through the attitude detecting device, which automatically detects the tilt angle and horizontality without requiring manual leveling operations. This eliminates the time-consuming preparation step while maintaining measurement precision.
Solution Approach 2:
The manual mechanical leveling operation is replaced by an electronic attitude detecting device that uses tilt sensors and angle detectors to automatically determine the measuring unit's orientation and calculate vertical angles, thereby improving productivity.
3Measurement precision
If the measuring unit is restricted to approximately horizontal installation positions, then measurement precision is improved, but adaptability is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The system transitions from a two-dimensional horizontal measurement plane to a three-dimensional measurement capability by incorporating tilt angle detection in multiple directions. The attitude detecting device measures tilt angles in both up-to-bottom and left-to-right directions, enabling accurate measurements regardless of installation orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the reference parameter from strictly horizontal installation to arbitrary installation angles by detecting tilt angles. The vertical angle of the measuring point is calculated based on the detected tilt angle, allowing the instrument to maintain measurement precision across various installation positions and orientations.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a measuring instrument, which comprises a measuring unit for projecting a distance measuring light toward an object to be measured and for performing a distance measurement by receiving a reflected light from the object to be measured, and an attitude detecting device integrally provided with the measuring unit, wherein the attitude detecting device has tilt sensors for detecting a horizontality and relative tilt angle detectors for tilting the tilt sensors and for detecting a tilt angle of the measuring unit with respect to the horizontality under such condition that the tilt sensors detects the horizontality so that the horizontality is detected by the tilt sensor, and wherein the distance measurement of the object to be measured is performed by the measuring unit, and a vertical angle of a measuring point is determined based on the result of the tilt detection by the attitude detecting device.