Quarterly Financial Data (Unaudited) (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Per Share data, unless otherwise specified	3 Months Ended																12 Months Ended
	Dec. 30, 2012		Sep. 30, 2012		Jul. 01, 2012		Apr. 01, 2012		Jan. 01, 2012		Oct. 02, 2011		Jul. 03, 2011		Apr. 03, 2011		Dec. 30, 2012	Jan. 01, 2012	Jan. 02, 2011
Quarterly Financial Information Disclosure [Abstract]
Sales from continuing operations	$ 567.4	[1]	$ 547.4	[1]	$ 518.5	[1]	$ 494.0	[1]	$ 474.5	[2]	$ 496.4	[2]	$ 502.9	[2]	$ 468.1	[2]	$ 2,127.3	$ 1,941.9	$ 1,644.2
Gross profit from continuing operations	208.4	[1]	198.4	[1]	175.5	[1]	165.9	[1]	158.8	[2]	165.1	[2]	172.3	[2]	155.0	[2]
Earnings from continuing operations (b)	44.5	[1],[3]	43.1	[1],[3]	39.6	[1],[3]	35.6	[1],[3]	36.7	[2],[4]	34.1	[2],[4]	38.8	[2],[4]	32.5	[2],[4]	162.8	142.1	120.0
Earnings from discontinued operations	2.3	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[1]	0	[2],[5]	0	[2],[5]	113.6	[2],[5]	(0.5)	[2],[5]
Net income	46.8	[1]	43.1	[1]	39.6	[1]	35.6	[1]	36.7	[2]	34.1	[2]	152.4	[2]	32.0	[2]	165.1	255.2	120.6
Net income attributable to noncontrolling interest	(0.6)	[1]	(0.4)	[1]	(0.1)	[1]	0.1	[1]	0.1	[2]	0	[2]	(0.1)	[2]	0	[2]	(1.0)	0	(0.1)
Net income attributable to Teledyne (c)	$ 46.2	[1],[6]	$ 42.7	[1],[6]	$ 39.5	[1],[6]	$ 35.7	[1],[6]	$ 36.8	[2],[7]	$ 34.1	[2],[7]	$ 152.3	[2],[7]	$ 32.0	[2],[7]	$ 164.1	$ 255.2	$ 120.5
Basic earnings per share attributable to Teledyne:
Continuing operations (in USD per share)	$ 1.19	[1]	$ 1.17	[1]	$ 1.08	[1]	$ 0.98	[1]	$ 1.01	[2]	$ 0.93	[2]	$ 1.06	[2]	$ 0.89	[2]	$ 4.41	$ 3.88	$ 3.31
Discontinued operations (in USD per share)	$ 0.06	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[2]	$ 0.00	[2]	$ 3.10	[2]	$ (0.01)	[2]	$ 0.06	$ 3.09	$ 0.02
Basic earnings per share (in USD per share)	$ 1.25	[1]	$ 1.17	[1]	$ 1.08	[1]	$ 0.98	[1]	$ 1.01	[2]	$ 0.93	[2]	$ 4.16	[2]	$ 0.88	[2]	$ 4.47	$ 6.97	$ 3.33
Diluted earnings per share attributable to Teledyne:
Continuing operations (in USD per share)	$ 1.17	[1]	$ 1.14	[1]	$ 1.06	[1]	$ 0.96	[1]	$ 0.99	[2]	$ 0.91	[2]	$ 1.04	[2]	$ 0.87	[2]	$ 4.33	$ 3.81	$ 3.25
Discontinued operations (in USD per share)	$ 0.06	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[1]	$ 0.00	[2]	$ 0.00	[2]	$ 3.04	[2]	$ (0.01)	[2]	$ 0.06	$ 3.03	$ 0.02
Diluted earnings per share (in USD per share)	$ 1.23	[1]	$ 1.14	[1]	$ 1.06	[1]	$ 0.96	[1]	$ 0.99	[2]	$ 0.91	[2]	$ 4.08	[2]	$ 0.86	[2]	$ 4.39	$ 6.84	$ 3.27

[1] Fiscal year 2012 was a 52-week year, each quarter contained 13 weeks.

[2] Fiscal year 2011 was a 52-week year, each quarter contained 13 weeks.

[3] The second quarter includes a gain of $0.6 million on the purchase of the minority interest in Optech.

[4] The fourth quarter includes income of $2.3 million related to the reduction of an environmental reserve no longer needed and also includes a $4.5 million pretax charge to write off a minority investment in a private company.

[5] The second quarter includes a gain on the sale of discontinued operations of $113.8 million.

[6] Includes net tax credits, $1.1 million, $0.1 million, $3.1 million and $1.1 million in the first, second, third and fourth quarters of 2012, respectively.

[7] Includes net tax credits of $2.4 million which was recorded in the third quarter.