Apparatus for transporting a sensor

• US 7,467,810 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2005
• Issued: 12/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensors & Software Inc.
• Original Assignee: Sensors & Software Inc.
• Inventors: Leggatt, Charles David
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Brown; Drew J.
• Application Number:
  US11/175,302
• Publication Number:
  US 20060006620A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,265 Days
• Field of Search: 280/789, 414/917, 414/679
• US Class Current: 280/789
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 414/13 Handlers utilizing parallel links

Abstract

An apparatus for transporting a sensor having a sensing surface at an operational distance from a target surface is disclosed. The apparatus includes an upper frame and spaced apart parallel front and rear struts. The upper ends of the struts are connected to the upper frame. The lower ends of the struts are connected to the sensor. The front and rear struts pivot about the upper frame to move the sensor in response to an obstacle on the target surface, The sensor pivots about the lower ends of the front and rear struts to maintain the sensing surface in substantially parallel orientation to the target surface. The angle between the sensing surface and the front and rear struts is less than 90°.

Claims

1. An apparatus for transporting a sensor having a sensing surface at an operational distance from a target surface, the apparatus comprising:

a) an upper frame;

b) a front strut defining an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the sensor;

c) a rear strut defining an upper and a lower end, the rear strut being spaced apart from the front strut and substantially parallel thereto, the upper end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the sensor; and

d) a deflector connected to one of the front strut, the rear strut, or the sensor, the deflector being located forward of the sensor and spaced apart therefrom, the deflector defining a deflection surface;

wherein the front and rear struts are adapted to pivot about the upper frame to move the sensor in response to an obstacle on the target surfaces;

wherein the sensor is adapted to pivot about the lower ends of the front and rear struts to maintain the sensing surface in substantially parallel orientation to the target surface; and

wherein, upon the deflection surface impacting the obstacle on the target surface, the deflector is adapted to pivot the struts upwardly.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the angle between the sensing surface and each of the front strut and rear strut is less than 90°

.

3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the front and rear struts define opposing pivotable sides of a first parallelogram.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

a) a bottom frame, wherein the lower ends of the front and rear struts are pivotally connected to the bottom frame;

b) a mounting bracket connected to the sensor;

c) a bottom front strut defining an upper end and a lower end, the bottom front strut being pivotally connected to the bottom frame at the upper end thereof, and pivotally connected to the mounting bracket at the lower end thereof; and

d) a bottom rear strut defining an upper and a lower end, the bottom rear strut being spaced apart from the bottom front strut and substantially parallel thereto, the bottom rear strut being pivotally connected to the bottom frame at the upper end thereof and to the mounting bracket at the lower end thereof.

5. The apparatus of claim 4, further comprising a fine adjustment means for setting the sensing surface at the operating distance, the fine adjustment means is operatively connected to the lower frame and the mounting bracket.

6. The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the bottom struts, the lower frame, and the mounting bracket define four pivotable sides of a second parallelogram.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the upper frame is connected to a vehicle.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the vehicle is a trailer.

9. The apparatus of claim 7, further comprising a second apparatus substantially identical to the apparatus, an upper frame of the second apparatus being connected to the vehicle.

10. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a counterweight operatively connected to one of the front strut and the rear strut, wherein the counterweight is adapted to urge the sensing surface towards the operational distance.

11. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deflector comprises a wheel, and wherein the deflection surface is defined by an outer surface of the wheel.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the deflection surface is in contact with the target surface when in a deployed position, and wherein the deflection surface is at the operational distance below the sensing surface.

13. An apparatus for transporting a sensor having a sensing surface at an operational distance from a target surface, the apparatus comprising:

a) an upper frame;

b) a front strut defining an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the sensor;

c) a rear strut defining an upper and a lower end, the rear strut being spaced apart from the front strut and substantially parallel thereto, the upper end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the sensor;

d) a lever operably connected to the upper frame, the lever being adapted to pivot the front and rear struts between a deployed position where the sensing surface is located at the operational distance from the target surface, and a stored position where the sensing surface is located at a stored distance, the stored distance being greater than the operational distance; and

e) an actuator operably connected to the lever, the actuator adapted to move the lever between the deployed and stored positions.

14. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the lever is adapted to resist the struts from lowering the sensing surface below the operational distance in the deployed position and the stored distance in the stored position.

15. The apparatus of claim 13, wherein the actuator is adapted to adjust the position of the lever in the deployed position, thereby providing a coarse adjustment for setting the sensing surface at the operational distance.

16. An apparatus for transporting a sensor comprising:

a) an upper frame;

b) a front strut defining an upper end and a lower end, the upper end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the front strut being pivotally connected to the sensor;

c) a rear strut defining an upper and a lower end, the rear strut being spaced apart from the front strut and substantially parallel thereto, the upper end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the upper frame, the lower end of the rear strut being pivotally connected to the sensor;

d) a cushioning bracket pivotally connected to the sensor at a bottom end thereof, the cushioning bracket defining a longitudinal guide slot therein, and

e) a bar connected to the upper frame in transverse relation to the slot, the bar being slidingly secured within the slot, wherein the cushioning bracket slides along the bar upon movement of the sensor.

17. The apparatus of claim 16, wherein the cushioning bracket further comprises a cushioning means for cushioning the sensor during downward movement, the cushioning means being located in an upper end of the cushioning bracket.

18. The apparatus of claim 17, wherein the cushioning means comprises a piston adapted to engage the bar to resist downward movement of the cushioning bracket, thereby slowing downward movement of the sensor and the piston is adapted to resist a bottom range of the downward movement of the cushioning bracket.

19. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the cushioning bracket is biased towards the bottom range of the downward movement of the cushioning bracket.