Vermeer Manufacturing Company, Inc.

Gregory W Draper

Kevin L Alft

Hans Kelpe

An earth penetrating apparatus includes a cutting tool and a sensor housing. A radar unit, rate sensor unit, processor, and transmitter are provided in the sensor housing. An antenna arrangement is coupled to the radar unit and configured for transmitting and receiving electromagnetic signals in a relatively forward and/or lateral looking direction relative to a distal end of the cutting tool. The rate sensor unit may include one or both of a gyroscope and an accelerometer. The processor receives radar data from the radar unit indicative of subsurface strata and obstacles respectively located generally forward and/or lateral of the cutting tool, and receives displacement data from the rate sensor unit indicative of one or both of longitudinal and rotational displacement of the cutting tool. The transmitter is configured for transmitting one or both of the radar data and the displacement data to an aboveground location.

Earth penetrating apparatus and method employing radar imaging and rate sensing

An excavation system includes a cutting tool coupled to a drill pipe, an adjustable steering mechanism provided on or in the cutting tool, and a driving apparatus coupled to the drill pipe for moving the cutting tool along an underground path. The system further includes a navigation sensor system and a controller. The controller produces a control signal to adjust one or both of the steering mechanism and the driving apparatus for directing the cutting tool along the underground path in accordance with one or both of position information and orientation information produced by the navigation sensor system.

Underground boring machine employing navigation sensor and adjustable steering

A system and method for controlling an underground boring tool involves the use of one or more of a gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer sensor provided in or proximate the boring tool. The location of the boring tool is detected substantially in real-time. A controller produces a control signal substantially in real-time in response to the detected boring tool location and sensed parameters of a boring tool driving apparatus. The control signal is applied to the driving apparatus to control one or both of a rate and a direction of boring tool movement along the underground path. The gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometers may be of a conventional design, but are preferably of a solid-state design. Telemetry data is communicated electromagnetically, optically or capacitively between the navigation sensors at the boring tool and the controller via the drill string or an above-ground tracker unit. The tracker unit may further include a re-calibration unit which communicatively cooperates with the navigation sensors to reestablish a proper heading or orientation of the boring tool if needed. The controller determines a location of the boring tool in at least two of x-, y-, and z-plane coordinates and may also determine an orientation of the boring tool in at least two of yaw, pitch, and roll. A hand-held remote unit may be used by an operator to control all or a sub-set of boring system functions.

Horizontal directional drilling machine and method employing configurable tracking system interface

A system and method for controlling an underground boring tool involves the use of one or more of a gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometer sensor provided in or proximate the boring tool. The location of the boring tool is detected substantially in real-time. A controller produces a control signal substantially in real-time in response to the detected boring tool location and sensed parameters of a boring tool driving apparatus. The control signal is applied to the driving apparatus to control one or both of a rate and a direction of boring tool movement along the underground path. The gyroscope, accelerometer, and magnetometers may be of a conventional design, but are preferably of a solid-state design. Telemetry data is communicated electromagnetically, optically or capacitively between the navigation sensors at the boring tool and the controller via the drill string or an above-ground tracker unit. The tracker unit may further include a re-calibration unit which communicatively cooperates with the navigation sensors to reestablish a proper heading or orientation of the boring tool if needed. The controller determines a location of the boring tool in at least two of x-, y-, and z-plane coordinates and may also determine an orientation of the boring tool in at least two of yaw, pitch, and roll. A handheld remote unit may be used by an operator to control all or a sub-set of boring system functions.

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Pella, IA, United States of America

Gregory W Draper