Patents by Inventor Gregory W. Draper
Gregory W. Draper has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 7607494Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: December 5, 2006Date of Patent: October 27, 2009Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Patent number: 7143844Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: January 18, 2005Date of Patent: December 5, 2006Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Publication number: 20040190374Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 2, 2004Publication date: September 30, 2004Applicant: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Patent number: 6719069Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: November 25, 2002Date of Patent: April 13, 2004Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Publication number: 20030111268Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 25, 2002Publication date: June 19, 2003Applicant: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Patent number: 6484818Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: May 30, 2001Date of Patent: November 26, 2002Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Publication number: 20020005297Abstract: 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.Type: ApplicationFiled: May 30, 2001Publication date: January 17, 2002Applicant: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper, Hans Kelpe
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Patent number: 6315062Abstract: 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.Type: GrantFiled: September 24, 1999Date of Patent: November 13, 2001Assignee: Vermeer Manufacturing CompanyInventors: Kevin L. Alft, Gregory W. Draper
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Patent number: 5621325Abstract: An apparatus and method is provided for determining if the signal received from an underground beacon (10) at a locator (22) is a true signal or a ghost signal. Orthogonal horizontal antenna (38) and vertical antenna (40) are used and a ratio is computed of the signal strengths measured by the two antennas. At the true location, the signal strength in the horizontal antenna (38) will be maximum and the signal strength of the vertical antenna (40) will be a null. If the ratio of the signal strength sensed by the horizontal antenna and vertical antenna is large, exceeding a predetermined value, the locator is receiving a valid signal from the beacon and a display of this fact is made on a display on the locator and the depth of the beacon is calculated. If the ratio is less than the predetermined value, a ghost signal is being received and this fact is displayed on the display on the locator (22).Type: GrantFiled: May 16, 1995Date of Patent: April 15, 1997Assignee: The Charles Machine Works, Inc.Inventors: Gregory W. Draper, Frank S. Nickel, Michael F. Gard, Jian J. Jin