# US 12,007,517 B2 · Signal tape > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,007,517 B2 - Document ID: US12007517B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 16/331,525 - Filed: 2017-09-07 - Published: 2020-01-02 - Granted: 2024-06-11 - Earliest claimed: 2016-09-08 - Applicants: Eas IP, LLC - Inventors: Ryan C. Dunn; Bryan D. Wright; Robert A. Ross; Joshua M. Parman; Donald A. Tubbs; Paul A. Bell - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12007517B2 ## CPC - G01V 15/00: Tags attached to, or associated with, an object, in order to enable detection of the object (record carriers for use with machines having a detectable tag or marker G06K19/00) - C09J 7/22: Plastics; Metallised plastics - F16L 1/11: for the detection or protection of pipes in the ground - G09F 19/22: Advertising or display means on roads, walls or similar surfaces, e.g. illuminated - G06K 19/0723: {the record carrier comprising an arrangement for non-contact communication, e.g. wireless communication circuits on transponder cards, non-contact smart cards or RFIDs} - G01V: GEOPHYSICS; GRAVITATIONAL MEASUREMENTS; DETECTING MASSES OR OBJECTS; TAGS (means for indicating the location of accidentally buried, e.g. snow-buried, persons A63B29/02) - C09J: ADHESIVES; NON-MECHANICAL ASPECTS OF ADHESIVE PROCESSES IN GENERAL; ADHESIVE PROCESSES NOT PROVIDED FOR ELSEWHERE; USE OF MATERIALS AS ADHESIVES (preparation of glue or gelatine C09H) - F16L: PIPES; JOINTS OR FITTINGS FOR PIPES; SUPPORTS FOR PIPES, CABLES OR PROTECTIVE TUBING; MEANS FOR THERMAL INSULATION IN GENERAL - G09F: DISPLAYING; ADVERTISING; SIGNS; LABELS OR NAME-PLATES; SEALS - G06K: GRAPHICAL DATA READING (image or video recognition or understanding G06V); PRESENTATION OF DATA; RECORD CARRIERS; HANDLING RECORD CARRIERS ## Abstract The invention apparatus for and a method of creating a localized warning to prevent damage to buried pipeline and other buried infrastructure using a new type of marker tape with the trade name signal tape® [hereinafter referred to as “Signal Tape”]. The disclosed Signal Tape may incorporate tracer wire and RFID technology to aid in the remote location of the Signal Tape and, thus, the buried infrastructure. Signal Tape may also incorporate Litz wire for use as tracer wire within the Signal Tape. The Signal Tape is designed to be buried just below the surface of the ground and directly over a buried infrastructure such as a pipeline. The Signal Tape incorporates a strong core material which permits the Signal Tape to be bodily removed from the soil when it is struck by excavation equipment. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An elongated signal tape comprising: protective material comprising; a top sheet of thermoplastic material having a first predetermined length, a top and a bottom surface, a side edge at each lateral portion of said top sheet, a first predetermined width; and, a bottom sheet of thermoplastic material having a second predetermined length, a top surface and a bottom surface, a side edge at each lateral portion of said bottom sheet, and a second predetermined width with said first and said second predetermined lengths being substantially equal and with said first and second predetermined widths being substantially equal; a generally non-stretchable core material positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets, said core material having; a predetermined length, an outer surface, a maximum lateral dimension of substantially one inch [or substantially 2.54 cm], a tensile strength of at least 100 lbf [or at least 445 N]; and, with said top sheet of thermoplastic material and said bottom sheet of thermoplastic material being laminated together at least at the side edges of said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets and with at least one of said top or bottom sheet of thermoplastic material being laminated to a substantial portion of said outer surface of said core material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said generally non-stretchable core material comprises a strip further comprising an upper surface and a lower surface with said strip having a maximum width of substantially one inch [or substantially 2.54 cm] and a maximum thickness of substantially ¼ inch [or substantially 0.635 cm]. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said generally non-stretchable core material comprises a rope-like material with the maximum diameter of said rope-like material being substantially one inch [or substantially 2.54 cm]. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said tensile strength of said core material is 400 lbf [or 1,780 N] and said predetermined length of said core material is substantially twice the predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said predetermined length of said core material is substantially equal to said predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet and said tensile strength is 6,000 lbf [or 27,000 N]. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said core material is positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets in a predetermined waveform pattern. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The elongated signal tape of claim 6 wherein said predetermined waveform pattern is sinusoidal, triangular, square or rectangular. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein a generally straight tracer wire having a predetermined length substantially equal to said predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet is positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The elongated signal tape of claim 8 wherein said tracer wire comprises Litz wire. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of and between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets and adhered to at least one of said top or said bottom thermoplastic sheets. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of said bottom thermoplastic sheet and adhered to the bottom surface of said bottom thermoplastic sheet. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The elongated signal tape of claim 11 wherein each RFID tag is contained within a thermoplastic blister package which package is also adhered to the bottom surface of said bottom thermoplastic sheet. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of said top or bottom thermoplastic sheet material with said RFID tags being adhered to said outer surface of said core material. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The elongated signal tape of claim 1 wherein said tensile strength of said core material is 3,000 lbf [or 13,350 N], said core material is a strip with a maximum width of substantially 1 inch [or substantially 2.54 cm] and said predetermined length of said core material is substantially 1.2 to 1.5 times the predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The elongated signal tape of claim 14 wherein said core material is positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets in a predetermined waveform pattern. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The elongated signal tape of claim 15 wherein said predetermined waveform pattern is sinusoidal, triangular, square or rectangular. ### Claim 17 (depends on 10) The elongated signal tape of claim 10 wherein said multiple RFID tags are adhered to at least one of said top or said bottom thermoplastic sheets at substantially 96 inch [or substantially 244 cm] intervals. ### Claim 18 (depends on 13) The elongated signal tape of claim 13 wherein said multiple RFID tags are adhered to said outer surface of said core material at substantially 96 inch [or substantially 244 cm] intervals. ### Claim 19 An elongated signal tape comprising: protective material comprising: a top sheet of thermoplastic material having; a first predetermined length, a top and a bottom surface, a side edge at each lateral portion of said top sheet, a first predetermined width; and, a bottom sheet of thermoplastic material having; a second predetermined length, a top surface and a bottom surface, a side edge at each lateral portion of said bottom sheet, and a second predetermined width, with said first and said second predetermined lengths being substantially equal and with said first and second predetermined widths being substantially equal; a stretchable core material having a non-stretched predetermined length and being positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets, with said stretchable core material being capable of being stretched, without breaking, to 1.2 to 1.5 times its non-stretched predetermined length, said core material having; an outer surface, a maximum lateral dimension of substantially one inch [or substantially 2.54 cm], a tensile strength of at least 100 lbf [or at least 445 N] and, with said top sheet of thermoplastic material and said bottom sheet of thermoplastic material being laminated together at least at the side edges of said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets and with at least one of said top or bottom sheet of thermoplastic material being laminated to a substantial portion of said outer surface of said core material. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The elongated signal tape of claim 19 wherein said tensile strength of said stretchable core material is at least 400 lbf [or at least 1,780 N]. ### Claim 21 (depends on 19) The elongated signal tape of claim 19 wherein a generally straight tracer wire having a predetermined length substantially equal to said predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet is positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets. ### Claim 22 (depends on 21) The elongated signal tape of claim 21 wherein said tracer wire comprises Litz wire. ### Claim 23 (depends on 19) The elongated signal tape of claim 19 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of and between said top and said bottom thermoplastic sheets and adhered to at least one of said top or said bottom thermoplastic sheets at 96 inch [or 244 cm] intervals. ### Claim 24 (depends on 21) he elongated signal tape of claim 21 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of said top or bottom thermoplastic sheet material at 96 inch [or 244 cm] intervals with said RFID tags being adhered to said outer surface of said core material. ### Claim 25 (depends on 19) The elongated signal tape of claim 19 wherein multiple RFID tags are positioned along the entire predetermined length of said top or bottom thermoplastic sheet material at 96 inch [or 244 cm] intervals with said RFID tags being adhered to said outer surface of said core material. ### Claim 26 (depends on 19) The elongated signal tape of claim 19 wherein the stretchable core material, non-stretched predetermined length is substantially twice the predetermined length of said top thermoplastic sheet. ### Claim 27 (depends on 26) The elongated signal tape of claim 26 wherein said core material is positioned between said top and bottom thermoplastic sheets in a predetermined waveform pattern. ### Claim 28 (depends on 27) The elongated signal tape of claim 27 wherein said predetermined waveform pattern is sinusoidal, triangular, square or rectangular.