Roadway access hole cutter having a utility avoidance safety device, method of cutting a hole in a roadway, method of cutting a horizontal hole under a roadway
AssigneeCciip LLC
InventorAngelo J. Pino, JR.
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method of cutting a microtrench in which the buried utility is exposed by opening an access hole in a roadway above the buried utility using a roadway access hole drill that is controlled by a computer system connected to an under-roadway detection unit that detects a buried utility and stops movement of the drill to avoid damaging the buried utility. Also provided is a method of drilling a substantially horizontal hole under a roadway using a horizontal drill that is controlled by a computer system connected to an under-roadway detection unit that detects a buried utility and stops movement or changes direction of the drill to avoid damaging the buried utility.
Claims20
A method of installing optical fiber, innerduct or microduct under a roadway comprising:
- drilling an access hole in a roadway above a buried utility using a roadway access drill comprising a drill head driven by a motor;
- controlling the movement of the drill head by a computer system;
- measuring in real time a distance between the drill head and the buried utility by the computer system and an under-roadway detection unit connected to the computer system, wherein the under-roadway detection unit is only above the roadway surface;
- the computer system automatically at least one of providing warning to an operator of the roadway access drill or stopping movement of the drill head towards the buried utility at a set distance between the drill head and the buried utility to avoid damaging the buried utility;
- removing dirt below the roadway through the access hole to expose the buried utility;
- cutting a microtrench in the roadway using a microtrencher so that the microtrench crosses the buried utility and does not damage the buried utility;
- laying the optical fiber, innerduct or microduct in the microtrench;
- and
- filling the microtrench with a fill material to cover and protect the optical fiber, innerduct or microduct.
A roadway access drill configured to reduce damage to a utility buried under a roadway comprising:
- a drill head driven by a motor;
- a computer system configured to control movement of the drill head;
- an under-roadway detection unit connected to the computer system and configured to measure in real time a distance between the drill head and a buried utility under the roadway, wherein the under-roadway detection unit is only above the roadway surface;
- and
- the computer system being configured to automatically at least one of providing warning to an operator of the roadway access drill or stopping movement of the drill head towards a buried utility at a set distance between the drill head and the buried utility to avoid damaging the buried utility.
A method of installing a new utility under a roadway comprising:
- drilling an access hole in a roadway above a buried utility using a roadway access drill comprising a drill head driven by a motor;
- controlling the movement of the drill head by a computer system;
- measuring in real time a distance between the drill head and the buried utility by the computer system and an under-roadway detection unit connected to the computer system, wherein the under-roadway detection unit is only above the roadway surface;
- the computer system automatically at least one of providing warning to an operator of the roadway access drill or stopping movement of the drill head towards the buried utility at a set distance between the drill head and the buried utility to avoid damaging the buried utility;
- removing dirt below the roadway through the access hole to expose the buried utility;
- cutting a microtrench in the roadway using a microtrencher so that the microtrench crosses the buried utility and does not damage the buried utility;
- laying the new utility in the microtrench;
- and
- filling the microtrench with a fill material to cover and protect the new utility.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.