INDUCTIVE CLAMP DEVICES, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS

• US 20150204995A1
• Filed: 07/29/2014
• Published: 07/23/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/29/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Inventors: Olsson, Mark S., Bench, Stephanie M., Taylor, Justin W., Soukup, Jan, Brown, Hunter
• Granted Patent: US 9,632,199 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 are disclosed. In one embodiment, an inductive clamp includes a head assembly including a base element and a plurality of arm elements coupled to the base element, a handle assembly including a utility selector element coupled to the head assembly, and a magnetic core subassembly for generating a magnetic field for coupling to a targeted utility, the magnetic core subassembly including a plurality of ferrite elements and wire winding wrapped about one or more of the ferrite elements.

Claims

1. An inductive clamp for use in utility locate operations, comprising:

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

a handle assembly including a utility selector element coupled to the head assembly; and

a magnetic core subassembly for generating a magnetic field for coupling to a targeted utility, the magnetic core subassembly including a plurality of ferrite elements and wire winding wrapped about one or more of the ferrite elements.

2. The inductive clamp of claim 1, wherein the arm elements are configured to be movably opened and closed.

3. The inductive clamp of claim 2, wherein the arm elements are configured to be movably closable in response to contact with a utility line.

4. The inductive clamp of claim 2, 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.

5. The inductive clamp of claim 4, wherein the plurality of magnets includes back arm magnets, base element magnets, and front arm magnets.

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

7. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an integrated GPS receiver module.

8. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an integrated camera module.

9. 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.

10. The inductive clamp of claim 9 further comprising a communications module, wherein the output signal is provided as a wired or wireless output signal from the communications module.

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

12. The inductive clamp of claim 9, wherein the utility selector element includes text or an icon to represent a selected utility type.

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

14. The inductive clamp of claim 13, wherein the integrated transmitter module is configured to generate an output current signal at a plurality of frequencies.

15. The inductive clamp of claim 14, wherein the plurality of frequencies of the output current signal are time multiplexed on a single current output signal.

16. The inductive clamp of claim 14, wherein the output current signal comprises a plurality of separate output current signals, and ones of the plurality of frequencies are provided on different ones of the separate current signals.

17. The inductive claim of claim 13, further comprising an intelligent battery coupled to the inductive clamp.

18. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising one or more ports for coupling other clamps or accessories.

19. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising a data communications module disposed in the inductive clamp.

20. The inductive clamp of claim 19, wherein the data communications module is a wireless data communications module.

21. The inductive clamp of claim 19, wherein the data communications module is a wired data communications module.

22. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an LCD display for providing an indication of a utility selector element state.

23. The indicator clamp of claim 1, further comprising a microphone.

24. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising a USB port.

25. The inductive clamp of claim 1, further comprising an audio output element.