Inductive clamp devices, systems, and methods

• US 10,088,592 B1
• Filed: 04/11/2017
• Issued: 10/02/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Inventors: Olsson, Mark S., Brown, Hunter, Bench, Stephanie M., Taylor, Justin W., Soukup, Jan
• Primary Examiner(s): Assouad, Patrick
• Assistant Examiner(s): Pretlow, Demetrius
• Application Number:
  US15/485,125
• Time in Patent Office: 539 Days
• Field of Search: None
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 19/13 Receivers
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/081 the magnetic field is produced by the objects or geological structures characterised by the method of magnetic field measurement G01R33/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/104 using several coupled or uncoupled coils G01V3/101 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/165 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by the object or by the detecting device with electromagnetic waves G01V3/17

Abstract

Inductive clamps for use in utility locate operations for inductively coupling current signals from a transmitter to a hidden or buried conductor are disclosed.

Claims

1. An inductive clamp for use in utility locate operations to inductively couple current signals generated in a transmitter to a hidden or buried conductor, comprising:

a head assembly including a base element and a plurality of movable arm elements mechanically coupled to the base element;

a utility selector element coupled to the head assembly of the inductive clamp for providing, via a communications link, user selected utility type data to the transmitter;

a magnetic core subassembly, disposed in the arm elements, for generating a magnetic field for coupling to a targeted utility, the magnetic core subassembly including one or more ferrite elements and a wire winding wrapped about the one or more ferrite elements; and

an electrical connector input to receive the current signal from a transmitter cable and provide the current signal to the wire winding.

2. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are movably opened and closed upon user actuation.

3. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are movably closable in response to contact with a utility line.

4. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are retained in an open or closed configuration by a plurality of magnets disposed in an orientation to provide an attractive force therebetween.

5. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further including a tensioning element for holding the arm elements in a selected position.

6. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an integrated GPS receiver module and a data transmitter to send positional data provided from the GPS receiver module to an associated utility locator or transmitter.

7. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the utility selector element includes a sensor assembly and electronics to sense a position or orientation of the utility selector element and provide an output signal corresponding to the selected position or orientation.

8. The inductive clamp of claim 7 further comprising a communications module, wherein the output signal is provided as a wired or wireless output signal from the communications module.

9. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the position or orientation of the utility selector element is stored in a non-transitory memory in the inductive clamp.

10. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising a sonde for generating a dipole magnetic field signal for sensing by a utility locator or transmitter.

11. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an integrated transmitter module.

12. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising a handle assembly coupled to the head assembly.

13. The inductive clamp of claim 12, wherein the utility selector element is mounted to or disposed on the handle assembly.

14. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the utility selector element includes a turning dial.

15. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the utility selector element includes a sensor assembly and electronics to sense a selected position of the utility selector element and provide an output signal corresponding to the selected position to a remotely coupled utility locator or transmitter.

16. The inductive clamp of claim 15, further comprising a communication module, wherein the output signal is provided as a wired or wireless output signal from the communication module to the remotely coupled utility locator or transmitter.

17. The inductive clamp of claim 15, wherein the utility selector element includes an off mode switch to power off the inductive clamp from transmitting data to the remotely coupled utility locator or transmitter.

18. The inductive clamp of claim 15, further comprising a non-transitory memory to store the sensed position of the utility selector element.

19. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising a magnetic core subassembly disposed on or in the head assembly for generating a magnetic field for coupling to the hidden or buried conductor.

20. The inductive clamp of claim 19, wherein the magnetic core subassembly includes a plurality of ferrite elements and wire winding wrapped about one or more of the ferrite elements.