Underground Utility Line Locator And Method For Use

摘要

A locator for determining the location of a buried utility line from an offset position. The locator has a top peak antenna, a bottom peak antenna, and a null antenna. The locator is tilted until the null antenna is pointed directly at the utility line with the top and bottom peak antennas disposed in a locating plane that is substantially vertical and perpendicular to the line. The tilt angle of the locator and the direct distance between the locator and the utility is measured. The tilt angle and direct distance are used by the processor to determine the vertical and horizontal distances between the locator and the utility.

主权项

1. A system for locating an underground utility line, wherein the utility line emits an electromagnetic field, the system comprising:
a hand-held frame having a top and a bottom; a top peak antenna supported on the frame proximate the top of the frame; a bottom peak antenna supported proximate the bottom of the frame and separated from the top peak antenna by a known distance; a null antenna supported on the frame and disposed at an orientation orthogonal to the top peak antenna and the bottom peak antenna; wherein the top peak antenna and the bottom peak antenna define a locating plane; an inclinometer supported on the frame to measure a tilt angle of the frame within the locating plane; and a processor supported on the frame to determine a direct distance between the frame and the underground utility line using a signal strength of the electromagnetic field received at the top peak antenna compared to a signal strength received at the bottom peak antenna with the null antenna pointed substantially at the utility line; wherein the processor determines a horizontal distance between the frame and a point on the ground above the utility line using the direct distance and the tilt angle of the frame.