SURFACE-CONFORMING OBSCURED FEATURE DETECTOR

• US 20110215818A1
• Filed: 08/20/2010
• Published: 09/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/04/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Elegazzo Corporation
• Original Assignee: Elegazzo Corporation
• Inventors: Dorrough, David M.
• Granted Patent: US 8,593,163 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/679
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 27/26 Measuring inductance or capacitance; Measuring quality factor, e.g. by using the resonance method; Measuring loss factor; Measuring dielectric constants ; Measuring impedance or related variables
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/08 operating with magnetic or electric fields produced or modified by objects or geological structures or by detecting devices with electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/088 operating with electric fields G01V3/082 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

A surface-conforming obscured feature detector includes a plurality of sensor plates flexibly connected together, each having a capacitance that varies based on the dielectric constant of the materials that compose the surrounding objects and the proximity of those objects. A sensing circuit is coupled to the sensor plates to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates. A controller is coupled to the sensing circuit to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit. One or a plurality of indicators are coupled to the controller, and are selectively activated to identify the location of a relative high capacitance, which can be indicative of an obscured feature behind a surface.

Claims

1. A surface conforming obscured feature detector comprising:

a plurality of sensor plates, flexibly connected together, each having a capacitance that varies based on;

(a) the proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant(s) of the surrounding object(s);

a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;

a controller coupled to the sensing circuit, the controller being configured to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit;

one or a plurality of indicators coupled to the controller, each indicator capable of toggling between a deactivated state and an activated state,

wherein the controller is configured to activate one or more of the indicators to identify a location of an obscured feature.

2. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 1, further comprising a flexible substrate, supporting the sensor plates.

3. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 2, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a printed circuit board.

4. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 2, wherein the flexible substrate comprises a rigid flex printed circuit board.

5. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 1, further comprising a housing, and a flexible medium disposed between the housing and the sensor plates.

6. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 5, wherein the flexible medium comprises foam rubber.

7. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 5, wherein the flexible medium comprises one or a plurality of springs.

8. A surface-conforming obscured feature detector configured to be placed against a surface to detect the presence of one or more features obscured by the surface, the detector comprising:

a housing with a handle;

a plurality of flexibly interconnected sensor plates coupled to the housing, each sensor plate having a capacitance that varies based on;

(a) the proximity of the sensor plate to one or more surrounding objects, and (b) the dielectric constant of the surrounding object(s);

a sensing circuit coupled to the sensor plates, the circuit being configured to measure the capacitances of the sensor plates;

a controller coupled to the sensing circuit, the controller being configured to analyze the capacitances measured by the sensing circuit;

one or a plurality of indicators coupled to the controller, each indicator capable of toggling between a deactivated state and an activated state,

wherein the controller is configured to activate one or more of the indicators to identify a location of an obscured feature.

9. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein the flexible connection between sensor plates comprises a printed circuit board.

10. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein the sensor plates comprise regions of metal on a flexible printed circuit board.

11. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein all the sensor plates are mounted on a common printed circuit board.

12. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, further comprising a flexible medium, disposed between the sensor plates and the housing.

13. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 12, wherein the flexible medium comprises foam rubber.

14. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, further comprising at least one sensor plate disposed upon a first printed circuit board, and at least one sensor plate disposed upon a second printed circuit board.

15. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein one or more sensor plates pivots on a hinge.

16. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein the sensor plates comprise regions of metal on a first flexible substrate, and further comprising a first flexible medium, disposed between the first flexible substrate and the housing.

17. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 16, wherein the sensor plates further comprise regions of metal on a second flexible substrate, and further comprising a second flexible medium, disposed between the second flexible substrate and the housing.

18. The surface-conforming obscured feature detector of claim 8, wherein the housing is flexible.

19. A method of detecting an obscured feature behind a surface with a surface-conforming obscured feature detector having a plurality of sensor plates that are flexibly connected together in an array, the method comprising:

placing the surface-conforming obscured feature detector against the surface such that the array of sensor plates conforms to the surface;

measuring the capacitance of one or a plurality of the sensor plates;

identifying, based on the capacitance readings, a location of the obscured feature behind the surface;

activating one or more indicators to indicate the location of the obscured feature behind the surface.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein placing the surface-conforming obscured feature detector against the surface comprises flexing the array of sensor plates to conform to a concave or convex curvature of the surface.