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Method and apparatus for detecting buried objects

  • US 9,052,394 B2
  • Filed: 10/06/2009
  • Issued: 06/09/2015
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2009
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A construction vehicle including:

  • a chassis;

    a plurality of traction devices positioned to support the chassis;

    a work tool supported by the chassis and configured to penetrate the ground, the work tool including a bucket and a plurality of teeth coupled to the bucket; and

    a plurality of detectors mounted to the work tool and configured to detect an object positioned in the ground during a penetration of the ground with the work tool, each detector being mounted to a different tooth of the work tool, at least one detector including a dielectric medium and a transmitter positioned in the dielectric medium operative to transmit a ground-penetrating signal, the dielectric medium and the ground having substantially the same dielectric properties to substantially reduce signal loss during a communication of the ground-penetrating signal, the at least one detector being configured to detect metal and non-metal objects positioned in the ground, the at least one detector further including an electromagnetic insulating material substantially coating the dielectric medium to insulate the transmitter from adjacent conductive surfaces to reduce at least one of signal leakage and ringing.

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