NL2036424B1

NL2036424B1 - Viewing device with a level indicator

Info

Publication number: NL2036424B1
Application number: NL2036424A
Authority: NL
Inventors: Hogenhout Tim
Original assignee: Gubbins B V
Priority date: 2023-12-05
Filing date: 2023-12-05
Publication date: 2025-06-17

Abstract

Title: Viewing device with a level indicator Abstract The invention relates to a viewing device that may be handheld or in the form of an eyewear assembly (1,36). The viewing devices comprising a vision surface (2,31) that can be placed in front of the eyes of a user. A level indicator (4,5,37) comprising a liquid is visible in the vision surface (2,31), overlapping with an object that is observed. The level indicator (4,5,37) is movable relative to the vision surface (2,31) such that the orientation of the observed object relative to the level indicator (4,5,37) can be established as a measure for a deviation of the orientation of the observed object from a horizontal and/or a vertical direction that is deﬁned by the level indicator (4,5,37). Fig. 1

Description

P136158NL00

Title: Viewing device with a level indicator

TECHNICAL FIELD

The invention relates to a viewing device, in particular an eyewear assembly, comprising a vision surface that can be placed over the eyes of a user, through which vision surface the user can observe an object. The viewing device comprises an indicator containing a liquid for determining the orientation of the device relative to a horizontal orientation.

BACKGROUND ART

US 2011/0164319 discloses a pair of 3D glasses having a compensation system that counteracts tilting of the glasses due to movements of the head of the wearer, for better 3D imaging. The lenses in the glasses can independently move in their frame and are brought automatically into the correct position upon tilting of the head of the user. Detection of the degree of tilting of the frame may occur via a bubble in a liquid that seeks level.

US2018/0081194 describes a pair of glasses that help maintain the head of the user in a desired position by darkening a part of the vision surface of the glasses. The orientation of the frame may be determined by use of a bubble 1n aliquid.

SUMMARY

It is an object of the present invention to provide a viewing device, in particular an eyewear assembly and a method of using said assembly for rapidly and easily determining the orientation of an object.

Hereto the viewing device according claim 1 is provided.

The user of the viewing device of the invention can observe objects through the vision surface while at the same time viewing the level indicator. This allows the viewer to compare the orientation of the observed object with the orientation of the level indicator that assumes a defined position due to the gravitational forces acting on the liquid. This relative orientation of the object compared to the level indicator provides a measure for the deviation of the observed object from a level orientation.

The viewing device according to the invention provides an easy to use, robust and contact-less mobile levelling instrument.

The device may be handheld or may be formed by safety glasses, goggles, or a visor that can be worn in front of the eyes of the user and that may be formed of glass, plastic, or combinations thereof.

In an embodiment, the level indicator comprises a transparent reservoir containing a liquid-air interface.

The Liquid-air interface in the transparent reservoir is maintained in a horizontal position by gravity. This interface is visible as a horizontal line in the vision surface and the angle of the observed object relative to this interface line provides a measure of the orientation of the observed object.

An elongate floating body floats on the liquid in the reservoir to emphasize the horizontal liquid-air interface line. A transverse pointer is attached to the floating body to assist in determining the orientation of an observed object.

The vision surface may comprise wo spaced-apart transparent walls delimiting the reservoir.

The viewing device may on the vision surface comprise one or more stationary markers having a substantially vertically and/or a substantially horizontally extending line. These lines may be printed or engraved on the vision surface. The marker may be aligned with an observed object by the viewer tilting his head and angle of the marker with the orientation of the level indicator may be easily observed.

In an embodiment, the level indicator comprises a transparent channel containing the liquid and a floating object that is movable in the channel.

When the channel is tilted, the floater, that may be formed by an air bubble, will be displaced along the channel by a distance that is proportional to the degree of tilting. Observing the distance of the floater from its equilibrium position may provide an indication of the orientation of the observed object that is aligned with a fixed marker in the field of view.

The level indicator may comprise a scale division, for instance indicating a deviation from the vertical direction in degrees.

For providing improved visibility, the liquid of the level indicator may be colored and/or fluorescent.

A method of determining an orientation of an object, using the viewing device according to the invention may comprise viewing of the object through the vision surface and comparing an orientation of the object with the orientation of the level indicator in the vision surface.

The method comprises viewing of the object through the vision surface, tilting the vision surface such that the marker has a predetermined orientation relative to the object, preferably having a parallel or perpendicular orientation relative to the object, and viewing the position of the level indicator relative to the marker.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of an eyewear assembly according to the invention, will by way of non-limiting example be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

Fig. 1 shows a perspective view of safety glasses comprising a level indicator,

Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the eyewear of fig. 1, comprising marker lines,

Figs. 3a and 3b show an embodiment of eyewear comprising a floating body,

Fig. 4 shows a side view of an embodiment of the eyewear having a liquid reservoir,

Figs. 5a and 5b show an embodiment of an eyewear assembly comprising a

Liquid-filled channel with an air bubble, and

Fig. 6 shows a plan view of a hand-held viewing device.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Figure 1 shows a pair of safety glasses 1 with a vision surface 2 made of plastic. On the vision surface 2, two level indicators 4, 5 are provided, each comprising a transparent reservoir 6, 7 containing a liquid. A liquid-air interface 8, 9 in each reservoir indicates a horizontal orientation, so that it can be visually determined by the person wearing the glasses 1 if an object that is observed through the vision surface 2, is parallel, perpendicular or at an angle to the horizontal liquid-air interface 8, 9.

In figure 2, safety glasses 1 are shown comprising stationary markers in the form of vertical lines 12, 14 and horizontal lines 11, 13 that are provided on the vision surface 2. This helps the viewer to align an object that is viewed with the marker lines 11-14 by tilting of the glasses 1 and to then determine the angle of the liquid-air interface 8, 9 with any of the lines 11-14.

In figure 3a an embodiment of a pair of safety glasses 1 is shown in which a body 20, 21 is floating on the liquid-air interface 8, 9. The floating body 20, 21 comprises a horizontal section 22 and a vertical section 25.

When viewing an object and aligning the vertical marker lines 12, 14 with the object that is being viewed, as shown in figure 3b, the angle of the marker lines 12, 14 with any of the sections 22, 25 of the floating body 20, 21 can be easily visually determined by the wearer of the glasses 1.

Figure 4 shows a side view of the safety glasses 2 in which the reservoir 6 is delimited by a transparent front wall 27, a rear wall 28 and top and bottom 5 walls 29, 30 in which the liquid 1s contained.

Figure 5a shows an embodiment of a pair of glasses 36 with a level indicator 37 having a transparent channel 32 on the vision surface 31, the channel 32 being filled with liquid and comprising an air bubble 33. A vertical marker line 34 extends on the vision surface 31, perpendicular to the channel 32. A scale 35 is provided on the vision surface 32. In the horizontal position of the glasses 36, the bubble 33 1s situated at the position of the marker line 34.

As shown in figure 5b, the glasses 36 are tilted by placing the marker line 34 parallel to an object that is observed through the vision surface 31. The air bubble 33 will rise in the tilted channel 32 and move a distance D away from the marker line 34 on which the bubble 33 is situated in the horizontal position of the glasses that is shown in figure 5a. The distance D on the scale 35 can be calibrated, for instance by a decrease in diameter of the distal parts of the channel 32, to correspond to the angle of tilt of the glasses 36.

Fig. 6 shows a hand-held viewing device 40 that can be held in front of an eye of the user when viewing an object. The distance between the device 40 and the face of the user can be easily adapted in this way to provide a sharp view on the marker lines 41, 42 and the liquid-air interface 43.

Claims

Conclusions

1. A viewing device (1, 36, 40) having a viewing surface (2, 31) which can be placed in front of the eyes of a user, through which viewing surface (2, 31, 44) the user can observe an object, an attitude indicator (4, 5, 37, 43) having a visible liquid in the viewing surface (2, 31, 44) which overlaps with the object, the attitude indicator (4, 5, 37, 43) being movable relative to the viewing surface (2, 31) so that the orientation of the object relative to the attitude indicator (4, 5, 37, 43) can be observed as a measure of the deviation of the orientation of the observed object from a horizontal and/or vertical direction defined by the attitude indicator (4, 5, 37, 43), an elongated floating body (20, 21) floating on the liquid in the reservoir (6, 7) and a cross pointer (25) is attached to the floating body (20,

21).

2. A viewing device (1, 36, 40) as claimed in claim 1 wherein the device comprises a frame assembly (1, 36) wearable on the user's face and extending over the eyes.

3. Viewing device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position indicator (4, 5) comprises a transparent reservoir (6, 7) with a liquid-air interface (8, 9).

4. Viewing device (1) according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the viewing surface (2) comprises two separate transparent walls (27, 28) which define the reservoir (6).

5. Viewing device (1) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the viewing device comprises a marking (11, 12, 13, 14) with a fixed position on the viewing surface (2).

6. Viewing device (1) according to claim 5, wherein the marking (11, 12, 13, 14) comprises a substantially vertical and/or horizontal line.

7. Viewing device (36) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the position indicator (37) comprises a transparent channel (32) with the liquid and a floating object (33) movable in the channel.

8. The viewing device (36) of claim 7, wherein the floating object (33) comprises an air bubble.

9. Viewing device (1, 36) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the position indicator (4, 5, 37) comprises a scale (35).

10. Viewing device (1, 36) according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the liquid is coloured and/or fluorescent.

A method for determining the orientation of an object, using the viewing device (1, 36, 40) according to any preceding claim, wherein the object is viewed through the viewing surface (2, 31, 44) and the orientation of the object is compared with the orientation of the attitude indicator (4, 5, 37, 43) in the viewing surface (2, 31, 44), the viewing device comprising a marker (11, 12, 13, 14, 34), comprising tilting the viewing surface (2, 31) until the marker (11, 12, 13, 14, 34) has a predetermined orientation relative to the object, preferably a parallel or perpendicular orientation relative to the object, and viewing the position of the attitude indicator (4, 5, 37) relative to the marker (11, 12, 13, 14, 34).