Portable wireless metal detector

• US 7,940,049 B2
• Filed: 05/09/2008
• Issued: 05/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alain Loubet
• Original Assignee: Alain Loubet
• Inventors: Loubet, Alain
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITTINGTON, KENNETH
• Application Number:
  US12/117,800
• Publication Number:
  US 20090009173A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 324/323, 324/326, 324/327, 324/328, 324/329, 340/551
• US Class Current: 324/326
• 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

Abstract

A portable electromagnetic metal detector includes a detection head placed at the end of a support stick. The detection head includes a transmitting coil and a receiving coil. The metal detector has, an electronic command and control box making it possible to operate the detection head. An operator headset is provided for allowing the detector to transmit an audio detection signal to the operator. According to the invention, the generation of the transmission signal and the analysis of the received signal are made in the detection head. The detection head, the electronic box and the operator headset furthermore linked two by two by a multipoint wireless communication network. This wireless communication network advantageously makes it possible to provide a detector that does not include any wired links and to implement the detector according to the invention in various configurations including the three elements or not.

Claims

1. A portable metal detector, comprising:

a support stick,

a detection head placed at an end of the support stick, said detection head including a transmitting coil and a receiving coil, the transmitting coil being energized by an excitation signal,

an electronic command and control box configured to implement the detection head,

an operator headset configured to allow the detector to transmit an audio detection signal to the operator,

wherein the detection head, furthermore comprises

power supply means,

means for generating in an autonomous manner an excitation signal and

means for analysing the signal received, wherein the detection head, the electronic command and control box comprise radio transmission means for establishing bidirectional radio links, wherein the detection head is configured to exchange signals and information with the command and control box and with the operator headset separately, the radio transmission means is also configured to allow the command and control box to exchange signals and information directly with the audio headset.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply means and the means for generating in an autonomous manner an excitation signal are arranged so as to limit the electromagnetic coupling induced by said two means between the transmitting coil and the receiving coil.

3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the command and control box, the detection head and the operator headset are configured to operate according to two alternative operating modes:

an operating mode with lightweighted configuration, without command and control box, in which the detection head is implemented by way of the operator headset and transmits the detection signal thereto;

an operating mode with complete hardware configuration, with command and control box and audio headset, in which the detection head is implemented by way of the command and control box, the detection signal being transmitted to the command and control box and to the headset.

4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the operator headset comprises simplified command and control means as well as display means, said two means allowing the operator to implement the device solely with the aid of the headset.

5. The device according to claim 3, wherein the control of the device by the operator by means of the headset is activated when the device operates in the lightweighted configuration, as a consequence of an action of the operator.

6. The device according to claim 3, wherein, in the operating mode with complete hardware configuration, the radio link means for the operator headset, the detection head and the command and control box are configured to establish on the one hand a bidirectional link between the command and control box and the head, and on the other hand a bidirectional link between the command and control box and the operator headset.

7. The device according to claim 3, wherein, in the operating mode in complete hardware configuration, the operator headset is configured to receive the detection signal directly from the detection head and information relating to the operating mode of the device from the command and control box.