Object detection assembly

• US 9,280,898 B1
• Filed: 01/03/2014
• Issued: 03/08/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 01/03/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Original Assignee: Intelligent Energy Limited (Lb-shell Plc)
• Inventors: Richmond, Tony, Richmond, Kelli
• Primary Examiner(s): Lau, Hoi
• Application Number:
  US14/146,765
• Time in Patent Office: 795 Days
• Field of Search: 340/435, 340/436, 340/540, 340/545.2, 414/685, 414/815, 414/694, 414/699, 342/22, 342450-453, 342457-460
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/007 providing information about the distance to an obstacle, e.g. varying sound
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/885 for ground probing prospecting or detecting using electromagnetic waves G01V3/12
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/02 of systems according to group G01S13/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 7/027 Constructional details of housings, e.g. form, type, material or ruggedness
• CPC Class Codes: G08B 13/2445 Tag integrated into item to be protected, e.g. source tagging
• CPC Class Codes: G08G 1/165 for passive traffic, e.g. including static obstacles, trees

Abstract

A object detection assembly for remotely sensing an underground object includes a mount that is operationally coupled to an excavator bucket. An upper plate is coupled to the mount. A transceiver is coupled to the upper plate. The transceiver may detect an object when the excavator bucket excavates Earth. The transceiver is operationally coupled to a vehicle. The transceiver alerts a driver of the vehicle to the presence of the object. A lower plate is coupled to the mount.

Claims

1. An object detection assembly for remotely sensing an underground object, said assembly comprising:

a mount operationally coupled to an excavator bucket, said mount being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said mount wherein said mount has a rectangular shape;

an upper plate coupled to said mount;

a transceiver coupled to said upper plate wherein said transceiver is configured to detect an object when the excavator bucket excavates Earth, said transceiver being operationally coupled to a vehicle wherein said transceiver alerts a driver of the vehicle to the presence of the object; and

a lower plate coupled to said mount;

a rectangular transceiver aperture extending through a bottom side of an upper plate slot and an upper side of a lower plate slot wherein said rectangular transceiver aperture extends between a first end and a second end of said mount; and

a plurality of pin wells being evenly distributed between a first end and a second end of said mount, each pin well extending into a back side of said mount;

said transceiver being coupled to a bottom side of said upper plate wherein said transceiver is positioned within said rectangular transceiver aperture when said upper plate is positioned within said upper plate slot.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said upper plate slot extending downwardly into a top side of said mount wherein said upper plate slot extends between a first end and a second end of said mount.

3. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said lower plate slot extending upwardly into a bottom side of said mount wherein said lower plate slot extends between a first end and a second end of said mount.

4. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said plurality of pin wells each insertably receiving an associated one of a plurality of pins coupled to and extending forwardly from a bottom edge of the excavator bucket wherein said mount is coupled to the excavator bucket.

5. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said upper plate being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said upper plate wherein said upper plate has a rectangular shape.

6. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:

a fastener aperture extending through a top side and a bottom side of said upper plate proximate an outer edge of said upper plate; and

said fastener aperture being one of a plurality of said fastener apertures being evenly distributed around an entire perimeter of said upper plate.

7. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said upper plate being positionable in said upper plate slot wherein said upper plate is coextensive with said upper plate slot.

8. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said lower plate being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said lower plate wherein said lower plate has a rectangular shape.

9. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising said lower plate being positionable in said lower plate slot wherein said lower plate is coextensive with said lower plate slot.

10. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising a rectangular opening extending through a top side and a bottom side of said lower plate wherein said rectangular opening is aligned with said rectangular transceiver aperture when said lower plate is positioned in said lower plate slot.

11. The assembly according to claim 1 further comprising:

a fastener aperture extending through a top side and a bottom side of said lower plate proximate an outer edge of said upper plate; and

said fastener aperture being one of a plurality of said fastener apertures being evenly distributed around an entire perimeter of said lower plate.

12. An object detection assembly for remotely sensing an underground object, said assembly comprising:

a mount being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said mount wherein said mount has a rectangular shape;

an upper plate slot extending downwardly into a top side of said mount wherein said upper plate slot extends between said first and second ends of said mount;

a lower plate slot extending upwardly into a bottom side of said mount wherein said lower plate slot extends between said first and second ends of said mount;

a rectangular transceiver aperture extending through a bottom side of said upper plate slot and an upper side of said lower plate slot wherein said rectangular transceiver aperture extends between said first and second ends of said mount;

a pin well extending into a back side of said mount, said pin well being one of a plurality of said pin wells being evenly distributed between said first and second ends of said mount, said plurality of pin wells each insertably receiving an associated one of a plurality of pins coupled to and extending forwardly from a bottom edge of an excavator bucket wherein said mount is coupled to the excavator bucket;

an upper plate being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said upper plate wherein said upper plate has a rectangular shape, said upper plate being positionable in said upper plate slot wherein said upper plate is coextensive with said upper plate slot;

a fastener aperture extending through a top side and a bottom side of said upper plate proximate an outer edge of said upper plate, said fastener aperture being one of a plurality of said fastener apertures being evenly distributed around an entire perimeter of said upper plate;

a transceiver coupled to a bottom side of said upper plate wherein said transceiver is positioned within said rectangular transceiver aperture when said upper plate is positioned within an upper plate slot wherein said transceiver is configured to detect an object when the excavator bucket excavates Earth, said transceiver being operationally coupled to a vehicle wherein said transceiver alerts a driver of the vehicle to the presence of the object; and

a lower plate being elongated along a longitudinal axis extending through a first end and a second end of said lower plate wherein said lower plate has a rectangular shape, said lower plate being positionable in said lower plate slot wherein said lower plate is coextensive with said lower plate slot; and

a rectangular opening extending through a top side and a bottom side of said lower plate wherein said rectangular opening is aligned with said rectangular transceiver aperture when said lower plate is positioned in said lower plate slot.