Portable locator including a ground marking arrangement

• US 6,723,375 B2
• Filed: 12/29/2001
• Issued: 04/20/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Merlin Technologies Incorporated
• Inventors: Emigh, Stuart G., Zeck, Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): Beck, Shrive P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fuller, Eric B.
• Application Number:
  US10/040,728
• Publication Number:
  US 20020053608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 843 Days
• Field of Search: 118/300, 324/326, 427/421, 427/136, 427/137
• US Class Current: 427/136
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/0232 at least one of the energy sources or one of the detectors being located on or above the ground surface
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 15/00 Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00

Abstract

An improved portable locator is described which is configured for locating relative to a position beneath the surface of the ground. The improvement includes a marking arrangement for marking the surface of the ground. In one aspect, the portable locator is configured having a marking arrangement which utilizes a replaceable aerosol paint canister. Spray of paint from the canister may be initiated, for example, electrically or using a suitable mechanical actuation linkage. In another aspect, an operator of the portable locator is able to mark the surface of the ground using the portable locator and while holding the portable locator in generally the same position and/or stance as the locator is used for locating purposes.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps of:

configuring a portable locator that is used for locating at least one of a buried line and a boring tool to integrally support a marking arrangement for marking the surface of the ground, said locating arrangement being supported in one operating position, as part of the portable locator, in relation to said marking arrangement in another operating position, as another part of the portable locator; and

interfacing a single operator actuation mechanism with a single electronics package in the portable locator for monitoring different predetermined operator actuations such that the single electronics package monitors all the different predetermined operator actuations of the single operator actuation mechanism (i) to detect a first predetermined operator actuation for use in controlling the ground marking arrangement, (ii) to detect other predetermined operator actuations for use in controlling the locating arrangement and (iii) to, upon detecting the first predetermined operator actuation, initiate marking by the ground marking arrangement.

2. The method of claim 1 including configuring the marking arrangement to mark the surface of the ground using aerosol paint responsive to said electronics package.

3. The method of claim 2 including the step of configuring said marking arrangement to accept a replaceable canister of aerosol paint.

4. The method of claim 1 including the step of configuring the marking arrangement such that an operator of the portable locator, in a generally upright position, locates using said locating arrangement and marks the surface of the ground using the marking arrangement.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the marking arrangement is configured for finger actuation by said operator.

6. The method of claim 5 wherein the surface of the ground is marked using aerosol paint.

7. The method of claim 1 including the steps of configuring said marking arrangement for marking the surface of the ground using aerosol paint contained in a replaceable canister and providing an electrical actuation arrangement, responsive to said electronics package, for causing emission of the aerosol paint from the canister in response to a finger actuation by an operator.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein said step of providing the electrical actuation arrangement includes the step of using a solenoid to cause emission of the aerosol paint.

9. The method of claim 8 including the steps of interfacing the solenoid with the electronics package, as part of the electrical actuation arrangement, and interfacing the electronics package with a push button switch such that the electronics package electrically actuates the solenoid responsive to the operator engaging the push button switch.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein the solenoid includes a plunger and wherein the step of using the solenoid causes movement of the plunger which movement produces emission of the paint from the canister.

11. The method of claim 10 including the step of connecting the plunger of the solenoid with a lever and arranging the lever proximate to the canister so that movement of the plunger causes the lever to engage the canister to emit the aerosol paint.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of housing a battery pack in the portable locator and powering the solenoid and the electronics package from the battery pack.

13. A method for using a portable locator which is configured for locating relative to a position beneath the surface of the ground, said method comprising the steps of:

configuring the portable locator to include a marking arrangement including a canister for emitting an aerosol paint to mark the surface of the ground;

interfacing a single electronics package that is configured for performing an inground locating function within the portable locator to (i) a single push button switch located for finger actuation by an operator in a first of a number of predetermined kinds of actuations with the operator standing in an upright position holding the portable locator and to (ii) a solenoid having a plunger, others of said predetermined kinds of actuations being provided for operating the locator such that the single electronics package monitors all the different predetermined kinds of actuations of the single push button switch;

housing a battery back in the portable locator for providing power to the electronics package and the solenoid such that the first predetermined actuation of the push button switch causes the electronics package to electrically drive the solenoid thereby moving the plunger of the solenoid; and

connecting the plunger of said solenoid with a lever arranged proximate to the canister such that movement of the plunger, as a result of the electronics package driving the solenoid, engages the lever with the canister resulting in emission of the aerosol paint.

14. The method of claim 13 further comprising the steps of:

with the portable locator, establishing a location on the surface of the ground relative to said position; and

marking the location on the surface of the ground using said marking arrangement.

15. The method of claim 13 including the step of electronically monitoring operator actuations of the push button switch to detect the first predetermined operator actuation for use in controlling the marking arrangement, to detect the other predetermined operator actuations for use in controlling the locating arrangement, and to, upon detecting the first predetermined operator actuation, initiate marking by the marking arrangement.

16. The method of claim 15 wherein said electronic monitoring step includes the step of monitoring the switch for said first predetermined operator actuation as a sequence of closing the push button switch twice in timed succession and then holding the push button switch closed.

17. A method for fabricating a portable device, said method comprising the steps of:

configuring a housing arrangement to define a first operating position and to define a second operating position;

supporting a locating arrangement at the first operating position and supporting a ground marking arrangement at the second operating position such that the locating arrangement and the ground marking arrangement in the first and second operating positions, respectively, cooperate for use by an operator in identifying a location on the surface of the ground relative to at least one of a buried line and a boring tool with said locating arrangement and for said operator to mark the location using said ground marking arrangement; and

interfacing a single operator actuation mechanism with a single electronics package in the portable locator for monitoring different predetermined operator actuations of the portable locator such that the single electronics package monitors all the different predetermined operator actuations of the single operator actuation mechanism (i) to detect a first predetermined operator actuation for use in controlling the ground marking arrangement, (ii) to detect other predetermined operator actuations for use in controlling the locating arrangement and (iii) to, upon detecting the first predetermined operator actuation, initiate marking by the ground marking arrangement.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of configuring said housing arrangement includes the steps of forming a first housing portion and a second housing portion, positioning said locating arrangement within said first housing portion, and positioning said ground marking arrangement within said second housing portion.

19. The method of claim 18 further including the step of hinging the first housing portion to the second housing portion for movement of the first and second housing portions between an operational configuration for use by said operator and a compact configuration for at least one of transport and storage.

20. The method of claim 17 wherein the electronics package is to monitor a switch for said first predetermined operator actuation and said other predetermined operator actuations.

21. The method of claim 20 wherein said step of arranging the electronics package uses the electronics package to monitor the switch for said first predetermined operator actuation as a sequence of closing the switch twice in timed succession and then holding the switch closed.

22. The method of claim 17 including the step of configuring said ground marking arrangement for marking the location on the surface of the ground using aerosol paint contained in a replaceable canister.

23. The method of claim 22 wherein said step of arranging the electronics package includes the step of using a solenoid to cause emission of the aerosol paint from the replaceable canister.

24. The method of claim 23 wherein said solenoid includes a plunger and wherein said step of using the solenoid includes the step of causing movement of the plunger, which movement produces emission of the aerosol paint from the replaceable canister.

25. The method of claim 23 wherein said step of using the solenoid includes the steps of:

interfacing the solenoid with said electronics package; and

configuring the electronics package such that the electronics package electrically drives the solenoid responsive to detection of said predetermined operator actuation.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said step of using the solenoid further includes the steps of:

housing a battery pack in the portable device; and

powering the solenoid and the electronics package from the battery pack.

27. A method for fabricating a portable device, said method comprising the steps of:

configuring a housing arrangement to support a locating arrangement and a marking arrangement; and

interfacing a single operator actuation mechanism with a single electronics package for monitoring different predetermined operator actuations of the portable device such that the single electronics package monitors all the different predetermined operator actuations of the single operator actuation mechanism (i) to detect a first predetermined operator actuation for use in controlling the marking arrangement, (ii) to detect other predetermined operator actuations for use in controlling the locating arrangement in locating at least one of buried line and a boring tool, and (iii) to, upon detecting the first predetermined operator actuation, initiate marking by the marking arrangement.

28. The method of claim 27 wherein said step of arranging the electronics package arranges the electronics package to monitor a switch which forms a portion of the portable device for said first predetermined operator actuation and for said other predetermined operator actuations.

29. The method of claim 28 including the step of configuring the electronics package to electrically initiate marking by the marking arrangement responsive to a sequence of closing the switch twice in timed succession and then holding the switch closed.

30. A method for manufacturing a portable device, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a housing arrangement;

supporting a locating arrangement in one operational orientation in said housing arrangement, said locating arrangement being configured for permitting an operator to locate at least one of a buried line and a boring tool;

supporting a ground marking arrangement in another operational orientation in said housing arrangement for use by the operator in identifying a location on the surface of the ground marking arrangement cooperate for use by the operator in identifying a location with the marking arrangemment; and

interfacing a single operator actuation mechanism with a single electronics package in the portable locator for monitoring different predetermined operator actuations such that the single electronics package monitors all the different predetermined operator actuations of the single operator actuation mechanism (i) to detect a first predetemined operator actuation for use in controlling the ground marking arrangement, (ii) to detect other predetermined operator actuation for the use in controlling the locating arrangement and (iii) to, upon detecting the first predetermined operator actuation, initiate marking by the ground marking arrangement.

31. The method of claim 30 wherein said step of arranging the electronics package includes the step of configuring the electronics package to monitor a switch for said first predetermined operator actuation and said other predetermined operator actuations.

32. The method of claim 31 wherein said step of configuring the electronics package customizes the electronics package to monitor the switch for said first predetermined operator actuation as a sequence including closing the switch twice in timed succession and then holding the switch closed.