Detecting underground conductors
First Claim
1. A construction vehicle, the vehicle having a plurality of sensors, each sensor having at least one detector arranged to detect a magnetic field component which is generally parallel to the ground on which the vehicle stands or moves, the sensor being for detecting a magnetic field generated by a current in buried conductors, the sensors being at different heights on the vehicle relative to the ground;
- there being means for comparing the magnitudes of the magnetic field detected by the sensors.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An excavator vehicle has sensors thereon at different heights. Each sensor may have a coil which is generally horizontal and which detects the magnetic field generated by a current in a buried conductor. By detecting the relative magnitudes of the component of the field parallel to the ground, as detected by the sensors, it is possible to determine whether or not the excavator vehicle is proximate the buried conductor. A warning may be generated, or the excavating tool of the excavator vehicle controlled, to prevent the excavating tool damaging the buried conductor.
36 Citations
30 Claims
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1. A construction vehicle, the vehicle having a plurality of sensors, each sensor having at least one detector arranged to detect a magnetic field component which is generally parallel to the ground on which the vehicle stands or moves, the sensor being for detecting a magnetic field generated by a current in buried conductors, the sensors being at different heights on the vehicle relative to the ground;
- there being means for comparing the magnitudes of the magnetic field detected by the sensors.
- View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30)
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16. A method of detecting an underground conductor, using sensors mounted at different heights on an construction vehicle, which sensors each have at least one detector which is arranged to detect a magnetic field component which is generally parallel to the ground, the method comprising:
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causing a current to flow in the underground conductor, so as to generate a magnetic field;
detecting the magnetic field using the sensors; and
comparing the magnitudes of the magnetic field detected by the sensors;
thereby to determine the relationship between the position of the underground conductor and the position of the vehicle.
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18. An excavation vehicle having forward and rearward portions along a line of forward movement along the surface of the ground, said vehicle comprising:
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an excavating means along the rearward portion of said vehicle for insertion into said surface of said ground to a predetermined depth below said surface;
upper and lower sensor means mounted along the forward portion of said vehicle to define a protection zone relative to said vehicle forward of said excavating means, each of a said sensor means having at least one detector means for detecting a component of a magnetic field severally parallel to the ground and thereby detecting an electrical current in buried conductors located below said surface of said ground;
said sensor means being located at different distances from said surface of said ground;
comparison means for comparing the magnitude of the detected currents to provide a signal indicative of the presence of a buried conductor in said protective zone; and
indicator means for producing a given signal when said processing means indicates the presence of said buried conductor within said protective zone.
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Specification