Gradient antenna coils and arrays for use in locating systems

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9488747-B2
Application number	US-201313850181-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 25, 2013
Priority date	Mar 23, 2012
Publication date	Nov 8, 2016
Grant date	Nov 8, 2016

Abstract

Buried object locators including an omnidirectional antenna array and a gradient array are disclosed. A locator display may include information associated with a buried object based on both omnidirectional antenna array signals and gradient antenna array signals.

First claim

We claim:

1. A buried object locator, comprising:
a mast;
a housing coupled to the mast;
a processing element disposed in the housing;
a display element disposed on or within the housing; and
an antenna node coupled to the mast, the antenna node comprising:
an antenna array support structure;
an interior omnidirectional antenna array disposed on the antenna array support structure;
a gradient antenna comprising a quad gradient antenna array, including four or more outer antenna coils, disposed about the omnidirectional antenna array; wherein the centerline of an antenna element of the gradient antenna substantially intersect a center point of the omnidirectional antenna array; and
a central antenna assembly including one or more vertical antenna coils.

2. The locator of claim 1 , wherein the gradient antenna comprises two or more antenna elements and the centerlines of one pair of antenna elements of the gradient antenna array substantially intersect a centerpoint of the omnidirectional antenna array.

3. The locator of claim 1 , wherein the gradient antenna comprises four or more antenna elements and the centerlines of two pairs of antenna elements of the gradient antenna array substantially intersect a center point of the omnidirectional antenna array.

4. The locator of claim 1 , wherein the vertical antenna coils circumscribe a printed circuit board (PCB).

5. The locator of claim 1 , wherein the outer antenna coils and the central antenna assembly are nested in a substantially cylindrical housing.

6. The locator of claim 1 , wherein the central antenna assembly includes a plurality of vertical antenna coils.

7. The locator of claim 1 , wherein a horizontal plane containing a central axis of the gradient antenna coils does not intersect a center point of a central antenna coil array of the central antenna assembly.

8. The locator of claim 1 , wherein one or more of the coils of the quad gradient antenna array are tilted above or below a plane of the center point of an omnidirectional antenna array of the locator.

Assignees

• Olsson Mark S
• Merewether Ray
• Martin Michael J
• Levin Ryan B
• Seesoon Inc

Inventors

• Olsson Mark S
• Merewether Ray
• Martin Michael J
• Levin Ryan B

Classifications

• G01V3/12 Primary

  operating with electromagnetic waves {(operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005)} · CPC title

• G01V3/15

  specially adapted for use during transport, e.g. by a person, vehicle or boat · CPC title

• G01V3/104 Primary

  using several coupled or uncoupled coils (G01V3/101 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01V3/17

  operating with electromagnetic waves {(operating with millimetre waves G01V8/005)} · CPC title

• G01V3/10

  using induction coils · CPC title