GRADIENT ANTENNA COILS AND ARRAYS FOR USE IN LOCATING SYSTEMS

• US 20160141766A1
• Filed: 03/12/2014
• Published: 05/19/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/2013
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Seescan, Inc.
• Inventors: Olsson, Mark S., Merewether, Ray, Martin, Michael J., Levin, Ryan B.
• Application Number:
  US14/207,502
• Publication Number:
  US 20160141766A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 21/205 providing an omnidirectional coverage turnstile aerials H01Q21/26
• CPC Class Codes: H01Q 7/00 Loop antennas with a substantially uniform current distribution around the loop and having a directional radiation pattern in a plane perpendicular to the plane of the loop

Abstract

Buried object locators including an omnidirectional antenna array and a gradient array are disclosed. A locator display may include information associated with a buried object based on both omnidirectional antenna array signals and gradient antenna array signals.

Claims

1. An antenna array for use in a locator or other instrument, comprising:

four or more outer antenna coils; and

a central antenna assembly including one or more vertical antenna coils.

2. The array of claim 1 wherein the one or more vertical antenna coils circumscribe a printed circuit board (PCB).

3. The array of claim 1, wherein the outer antenna coils and the central antenna assembly are nested in a substantially cylindrical housing.

4. The array of claim 1, wherein the central antenna assembly includes a plurality of vertical antenna coils.

5. The array of claim 1, wherein the gradient antenna comprises a single gradient antenna coil.

6. The array of claim 5, wherein the single gradient antenna coil is secured about the central antenna assembly.

7. The array of claim 6, wherein the central antenna assembly comprises an omnidirectional antenna coil array.

8. The array of claim 1, further comprising an equatorial coil disposed about the central antenna assembly.

9. The array of claim 1, wherein the gradient antenna comprises three gradient coils.

10. The array of claim 9, wherein the three gradient coils are disposed about the central antenna assembly.

11. The array of claim 9, wherein the central antenna assembly comprises an omnidirectional antenna array.

12. The array of claim 9, further comprising an equatorial coil disposed about the central antenna assembly.

13. The array of claim 1, wherein the gradient antenna comprises five gradient coils.

14. The array of claim 13, wherein the five gradient coils are disposed about the central antenna assembly.

15. The array of claim 14, wherein the central antenna assembly comprises an omnidirectional antenna array.

16. The array of claim 14, further comprising an equatorial coil disposed about the central antenna assembly.

17. The array of claim 1, wherein the gradient antenna comprises six gradient coils.

18. The array of claim 17, wherein the six gradient coils are disposed about the central antenna assembly.

19. The array of claim 18, wherein the central antenna assembly comprises an omnidirectional antenna array.

20. The array of claim 17, further comprising an equatorial coil disposed about the central antenna coil array.

21. The array of claim 1, wherein a horizontal plane containing a central axis of the gradient antenna coils does not intersect a center point of a central antenna coil array.

22. The array of claim 1, wherein the gradient antenna comprises a plurality of gradient antenna coils, and wherein one or more of the coils are tilted above or below a plane of the center point of an omnidirectional antenna array.