Earth penetrating apparatus and method employing radar imaging and rate sensing

• US 20040190374A1
• Filed: 04/02/2004
• Published: 09/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1999
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Original Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing Company
• Inventors: Alft, Kevin L., Kelpe, Hans, Draper, Gregory W.
• Application Number:
  US10/817,202
• Publication Number:
  US 20040190374A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 367/14
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/00 Automatic control systems specially adapted for drilling operations, i.e. self-operating systems which function to carry out or modify a drilling operation without intervention of a human operator, e.g. computer-controlled drilling systems; Systems specially adapted for monitoring a plurality of drilling variables or conditions
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 44/005 Below-ground automatic control systems
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/022 of the borehole, e.g. using geomagnetism
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/046 horizontal drilling drilling with mechanical conveying means E21B7/003
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 7/28 Enlarging drilled holes, e.g. by counterboring

Abstract

An earth penetrating apparatus includes a cutting tool and a sensor housing. A radar unit, rate sensor unit, processor, and transmitter are provided in the sensor housing. An antenna arrangement is coupled to the radar unit and configured for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a relatively forward and/or lateral looking direction relative to a distal end of the cutting tool. The rate sensor unit may include one or both of a gyroscope and an accelerometer. The processor receives radar data from the radar unit indicative of subsurface strata and obstacles respectively located generally forward and/or lateral of the cutting tool, and receives displacement data from the rate sensor unit indicative of one or both of longitudinal and rotational displacement of the cutting tool. The transmitter is configured for transmitting one or both of the radar data and the displacement data to an aboveground location.

Claims

1. An earth penetrating apparatus for use with a boring machine, comprising:

a cutting tool assembly comprising a cutting tool and a sensor housing;

a radar unit provided in the sensor housing;

an antenna arrangement coupled to the radar unit, the antenna arrangement configured for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a relatively forward looking direction relative to a distal end of the cutting tool;

a rate sensor unit provided in the sensor housing, the rate sensor unit comprising one or both of a gyroscope and an accelerometer;

a processor provided in the sensor housing and communicatively coupled to the radar unit and the rate sensor unit, the processor receiving radar data from the radar unit indicative of subsurface strata and obstacles respectively located generally forward of the cutting tool and receiving displacement data from the rate sensor unit indicative of one or both of longitudinal and rotational displacement of the cutting tool; and

a transmitter provided in the sensor housing and coupled to the processor, the transmitter configured for transmitting one or both of the radar data and the displacement data to an aboveground location.