The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Oct. 16, 2012
Filed:
Mar. 07, 2008
Magnus Westermark, Ekerö, SE;
Magnus Westermark, Ekerö, SE;
Trimble AB, Danderyd, SE;
Abstract
A position-determining apparatus, such as measuring or surveying instruments, is disclosed. In at least one embodiment, the present invention relates to a tilt sensor for a measuring instrument including a movable housing that is controllably rotatable around a rotational axis, wherein the rotational axis may be positioned so that it deviates from a true vertical axis being parallel with a gravitational axis. In at least one embodiment, the tilt sensor includes a gravity sensitive gradient indicating element arranged such that a surface of the element is positioned orthogonally to the true vertical axis during movements of the measuring instrument, wherein the gravity sensitive gradient indicating element is arranged in connection to the non-rotating base; and a detecting device adapted to produce at least one detecting signal and to receive at least one response signal, wherein a deviation between the rotational axis and the true vertical axis is detectable using the at least one response signal.