Quad-gradient coils for use in locating systems

摘要

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

主权项

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 node housing; an antenna array support structure; an interior omnidirectional antenna array comprising a plurality of nested coils in a spheroid shape, where the plurality of nested coils: have a substantially common centerpoint; are disposed on the antenna array support structure; and are enclosed within the antenna node housing; and a quad gradient antenna array disposed about the omnidirectional antenna array, the quad gradient antenna array comprising antenna elements having a cylindrical coil structure positioned substantially in a plane; wherein the coil axes of ones of a pair of antenna elements of the quad gradient antenna array substantially intersect the substantially common centerpoint of the omnidirectional antenna array.