Apparatus for marking a surface indicating elements located inwardly of the surface

• US 6,373,244 B1
• Filed: 04/21/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/22/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hilti Katiengesellschaft
• Original Assignee: Hilti Aktiengesellschaft (Hilti Martin Family Trust)
• Inventors: Nipp, Hansjörg
• Primary Examiner(s): PATIDAR, JAY M
• Application Number:
  US09/296,085
• Time in Patent Office: 1,091 Days
• Field of Search: 324/67, 324/66, 324/226, 324/235, 324/326, 324/242, 324/262
• US Class Current: 324/235
• CPC Class Codes: G01C 15/02 Means for marking measuring points
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

An apparatus for locating positions on a surface of a structural member indicating the presence of elements within and below the surface of the structural member by means of a detector (1) including a scanning head (3), a position measuring device (4) and an evaluation unit (5) all located within a housing (2). A marking device (6) is connected to and interacts with the evaluation unit (5) for automatically placing a visible marking on the surface of the structural member at the location of the elements scanned by the detector.

Claims

1. An apparatus for locating positions on a surface of a structural member indicating the presence of elements in the form of steel reinforcement, water pipes and electrical lines within and below the surface of the structural member, comprising a housing (2) movable in a linear direction of movement (S) over the surface of the structural member, a detector (1) located within said housing (2), said detector includes a scanning head (3) mounted in said housing above the surface of the structural member surface for detecting elements within and below the surface of the structural member, a position measuring device (4) within said housing for locating on the surface of the structural member the position of an element within the structural member spaced below the surface after said housing has traversed a predetermined distance, an evaluation unit (5) including memory and computing components disposed in said housing for collecting data from said scanning head (3), said position measuring device arranged in communication with said evaluation unit, a marking device (6) connected to and interacting with said evaluation unit (5) for automatically placing a visible marking on the surface of the structural member displaying the location of the element scanned by said detector (1) when the predetermined distance has been traversed by said housing, said marking device (6) spaced rearwardly by the predetermined distance in the direction of movement (S) from said scanning head (3), and placing the visible marking on the surface when the housing (2) has moved the predetermined distance.

2. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said marking device (6) comprises at least one container (8) for a marking liquid, and an applicator unit for dispensing the marking liquid comprising at least one applicator nozzle (9) and a triggering device (10) for operating the applicator nozzle based on information stored in the evaluating unit (5).

3. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein a plurality of applicator nozzles (9a to 9g) are disposed in cellular form extending perpendicularly to the direction of movement (S) of the apparatus.

4. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the number of applicator nozzles (9a to 9g) corresponds to a number of sensors (13a to 13g) in the scanning head (3) and each of said applicator nozzles is assigned to a corresponding one of said sensors and each said applicator nozzle is triggered by a separate said triggering device.

5. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 3, wherein one said container (8) for the marking liquid is connected to each said applicator nozzle.

6. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least one applicator nozzle (9) is movable transversely to the direction of movement (S) of said housing in accordance with control information supplied by said corresponding sensor (13) disposed in said scanning head (3).

7. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 2, wherein said at least one applicator nozzle (9) is rotatably mounted in a plane parallel to the surface of the structural member and has an angle of rotation adjustable as a function of the control information supplied by the corresponding said at least one sensor (13) arranged in the scanning head (3).

8. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said scanning head (3) comprises at least one sensor, and said at least one sensor is replaceably positioned in said scanning head (3).

9. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said marking device (6) in addition to visibly marking the location of a scanned element based on the connection to the evaluation unit (5) is arranged for indicating additional information such as the depth of the elements scanned.

10. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein an input device (15) is connected to said evaluation unit (5) for the input of parameters relevant for controlling the sensor and for evaluating the measured signals by means of the evaluation unit (5).

11. An apparatus, as set forth in claim 1, wherein said marking device is located in a housing (7) separate from said housing (2) and said housing (7) is detachably connected with said housing (2) of said detector (1) and each of said detector and marking device (1, 6) having an interface (11, 12) whereby said detector and marking device are coupled for the transfer of signals and power.