Abstract: In accordance with the present invention a push-cable comprises a central core including a least one conductor, a plurality of non-metallic resilient flexible stiffness members surrounding the core, and a layer of sheathing surrounding the stiffness members.

Abstract: A system and method for locating buried cables, pipes and other utilities includes a man portable receiver/locator which is linked by a wireless mesh connection to a transmitter which either directly applies, or induces, a signal onto a buried utility.

Abstract: A human-portable utility locator system for locating and tracing a buried utility line characterized by an electromagnetic field emission. The locator may include a horizontal spaced sensor pair for detecting the horizontal field asymmetry of the emitted field in one or more independent frequency bands, which is employed to assist in determining an accurate “virtual depth” measurement for producing detection events. An event detector may be disposed to detect events corresponding to extremum in the B-field gradient with respect to time and a user interface (UI) coupled to the event detector signals the detected event to a user. In a preferred embodiment, one pair of spaced-apart 3D magnetic sensor arrays is disposed substantially orthogonal to another intermediate spaced-apart pair of sensors.

Abstract: A portable locator for detecting a buried object characterized by an electromagnetic (EM) field emission employing three-dimensional (3D) sensor arrays each having three substantially-identical EM field sensors disposed on a flexible annular wall having a radial centroid defining a sensing axis. The flexible annular sensors are retained in substantial concentricity with the corresponding sensing axes disposed in substantial mutual orthogonality. A pair of 3D sensor arrays disposed on a first axis substantially orthogonal to a second axis defied by another pair of EM field sensors each having a sensing axis disposed along the second axis. The locator introduces a user-reconfigurable user interface (UI) employing a “sticky” ratcheting audio UI and a hollow hinge assembly for redisposing the sensor assembly from an operating to a storage disposition.

Abstract: A submersible LED illumination system may include an array of LEDs, with a first portion of the LEDs capable of emitting white light and a second portion of the LEDs capable of emitting light of a single color. The system may further include a plurality of reflectors surrounding a corresponding one of the LEDs, where a first portion of the reflectors may be configured to provide a far field relatively narrow beam of illumination and a second portion of the reflectors may be configured to provide a near field relatively wide beam of illumination. A housing may enclose the array of LEDs and the reflectors. A transparent window may be disposed in the housing, an an optically clear material may be disposed between the LEDs, reflectors, and transparent window.

Abstract: An LED lighting fixture includes a metal core printed circuit board (MCPCB) having a rear side and a front side. At least one LED is mounted to the front side of the MCPCB. A transparent window is mounted and sealed to the front side of the MCPCB to enclose the LED. A portion of the MCPCB extends from the transparent window so that it can be in heat exchange contact with water when the window of the lighting fixture is submerged in water.

Abstract: A sonde array that is useful in locating buried utilities includes at least three substantially mutually orthogonal antennas. Each antenna includes a substantially cylindrical ferromagnetic core, an insulating layer surrounding the core, and a length of a conductor wrapped around the insulating layer to form a coil. The coils of the antennas are substantially identical.

Abstract: A deep submersible light includes a body defining a hollow interior and a solid state light source such as a plurality of high brightness LEDs mounted in the interior of the body. A transparent window is mounted over the LEDs. The space between the transparent window and the LEDs is filled with an optically transparent fluid, gel, or grease, which allows light to pass through and ambient water pressure to pass in, thus pressure compensating the LEDs by allowing them to see ambient water pressure. The transparent window is mounted in the body for reciprocation in both a forward direction and a rearward direction to accommodate volumetric changes in the compensating fluid, gel, or grease caused by changes in temperature and water pressure as the manned or remotely piloted submarine travels from the sea surface to deep ocean depths.

Abstract: At least one antenna array including three mutually orthogonal antennas each sharing a common center point senses an electromagnetic signal emitted by a buried object such as a utility line, pipe or sonde. A circuit at least partially mounted in a housing is connected to the array and determines a location of the buried object by measuring signal strength and field angles in three dimensions without having to align the antenna array relative to the buried object while eliminating nulls and false peaks. A graphical user interface (GUI) has user-friendly icons, symbols, menus, numbers and graphical and auditory representation of signal strength. A SEARCH view indicates signal strength by showing a rotating strength indicator, a trace mode MAP view in which line location is shown by a line that moves side-to-side, and a sonde mode MAP view in which sonde location is shown by a moving line, pole and equator.

Abstract: A high-Q human-portable, battery-powered self-correcting tunable resonator in a transmitter apparatus for inducing alternating currents of high quality in buried conductors to facilitate their location. The transmitter apparatus employs an FET-driven capacitive tuning circuit and a coil design that achieves high precision, high-quality transmission signals, and which is equipped with a high-voltage booster for facilitating fault-localization applications.

Abstract: A portable self-standing electromagnetic (EM) field sensing locator system with attachments for finding and mapping buried objects such as utilities and with intuitive graphical user interface (GUI) displays. Accessories include a ground penetrating radar (GPR) system with a rotating Tx/Rx antenna assembly, a leak detection system, a multi-probe voltage mapping system, a man-portable laser-range finder system with embedded dipole beacon and other detachable accessory sensor systems are accepted for attachment to the locator system for simultaneous operation in cooperation with the basic locator system. The integration of the locator system with one or more additional devices, such as fault-finding, geophones and conductance sensors, facilitates the rapid detection and localization of many different types of buried objects.

Abstract: A pre-amplifier circuit for connection to an antenna of a human-portable locator includes a differential amplifier/mixer pair and means for allowing a common-mode “phantom” signal to modulate a transfer function of the differential amplifier/mixer pair. The common-mode phantom signal modulates the transfer function of the differential pre-amplifier “onboard” the antenna without the usual requirement for onboard power supply and signal oscillator. This technique uses the same electronic components to provide both pre-amplification and mixing functions, thereby improving circuit performance-to-cost ratio, reducing mixer power consumption, situating the necessary signal oscillator remotely from the mixer, and greatly improving the available system bandwidth by limiting spectral transmission demands to the mixed signal bandwidth alone.

Abstract: A man-portable locator system for locating buried or otherwise inaccessible pipes, conduits, cables, wires and inserted transmitters using detector arrays and stochastic signal processing and similar techniques to analyze and display multiple target objects at differing frequencies in a layered user interface (UI). For example, the locator UI may be adapted to present a target plurality sorted by proximity of target conductor to the locator operator together with other useful information specifying the multiple objects, frequencies and changes in the subterranean landscape by means of a useful combination of graphical, numeric and acoustic representations.