Localization system for an earthmoving machine

• US 8,164,338 B2
• Filed: 11/27/2007
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Original Assignee: Leica Geosystems AG (Hexagon AB)
• Inventors: Fling, Richard, Branson, Simon
• Primary Examiner(s): LEDYNH, BOT L
• Application Number:
  US12/516,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20100052684A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,610 Days
• Field of Search: 324/326
• US Class Current: 324/326
• CPC Class Codes: E02F 9/24 Safety devices , e.g. for preventing overload E02F9/226 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: F16L 1/11 for the detection or protection of pipes in the ground
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 3/15 specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat

Abstract

The invention relates to a localization system for localizing an underground object for an Earthmoving machine comprising a working part. Said localization system comprises a fastening component and a detector component. The fastening component can be arranged on the working part for example by means of magnets. The detector component is adapted to detect the object using an electromagnetic field that can be associated with the object and is arranged on the fastening component so as to swing like a pendulum, thereby effecting an alignment of the detector component under the effect of gravity. Optionally, the localization system comprises an arithmetic component for deriving a distance information of the object from the detected value. The localization system also comprises a display component for displaying and/or forwarding the detected value and/or the distance information.

Claims

1. A localization system for localizing an underground object for an earth-moving machine which has a working part comprising at least one lower boom component and an earth-moving part, comprising:

a fastening component;

a detector component arranged indirectly or directly on the fastening component and configured for detecting the object on the basis of an electromagnetic field which can be assigned to the object; and

a display component for displaying or forwarding the detector signal and/or the evaluations of the detector signal, wherein the detector component has a defined detection direction and is arranged by means of the fastening component on the lower boom component in such a way that the detection direction is aligned substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lower boom component and points in the direction of the earth-moving part.

2. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the detector signal and/or the evaluations of the detector signal include distance information.

3. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the underground object includes a supply line and the working part includes an excavator arm.

4. A localization system according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic component for evaluating the detector signal.

5. A localization system according to claim 1, further comprising an arithmetic component for deriving and storing distance information with regard to the object.

6. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the detector component has a first antenna and second antenna for detecting the electromagnetic field, which antennae are arranged on an axis defining the detection direction, substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the lower boom component at a fixed distance relative to one another, in such a way that the distance from the detector component to the object can be derived from the ratio of the strengths of the field detected by means of the first antenna and second antenna.

7. A localization system according to claim 6, wherein the first and the second antenna are in the form of x-y antennae.

8. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the fastening component and the detector component are arranged in a common housing.

9. A localization component according to claim 1, wherein the fastening component is magnetically fastenable.

10. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the display component:

displays the detection and/or the distance information to a user; and

/or

forwards the detection and/or the distance information to a control device of the earth-moving machine, for example an actuating device of the working part.

11. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the display component:

forwards the detection and/or the distance information to an actuating device of the working part.

12. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the display component includes a graphic display.

13. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the display component includes:

visual display means; and

/or

acoustic display means.

14. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the display component includes light emitting diodes.

15. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein the fastening component is in the form of a housing for:

the arithmetic component; and

/or

the display component.

16. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein a rangefinder is provided which is coordinated with the localization system.

17. A localization system according to claim 1, wherein a rangefinder which is coordinated with the localization system is provided and is arranged on the detector component.