Apparatus and process for an off-surface cone penetrometer sensor
AssigneeWestinghouse Savannah River Company
InventorsTimothy R. Smail, Phillip J. French, Russell K. Huffman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A cone penetrometer is provided having a pivoting arm which deploys a variable distance from the surface of the cone penetrometer. Sensors placed on the end of the deployable arm provide for data collection outside a compression zone created by the insertion of the cone penetrometer.
Claims13
A sensor apparatus for obtaining in situ measurements from a subsurface environment comprising:
- a tubular shaft having an exterior cylindrical wall and defining an interior cavity, the exterior wall further defining an opening;
- an arm mounted via a pivot which is operatively disposed within the tubular shaft, the arm being movable relative to the shaft between a closed position covering the exterior wall opening and a deployed position where a free end of the arm extends away from the surface of the tubular shaft;
- a motor disposed within the tubular shaft and in operative engagement with the pivot;
- a sensor carried by a free end of the arm and in further communication with an interior of the tubular shaft;
- wherein, when the motor operably engages the pivot, the pivot is engaged and thereby moves the arm from the closed position covering the shaft opening to a deployed position with the free end of the arm and the associated sensor positioned away from the exterior wall of the shaft.
A process of positioning a sensor within a subsurface soil layer comprising:
- providing a penetrometer, the penetrometer having an exterior wall defining a blade and a free end of the blade having disposed thereon a sensor;
- inserting the penetrometer to a desired depth within a soil;
- pivoting the blade, thereby deploying a free end of the blade and the accompanying sensor to a soil region surrounding the penetrometer;
- and
- transmitting information from the sensor to the penetrometer.
A sensor apparatus for obtaining in situ measurements from a subsurface environment comprising:
- a tubular shaft having an exterior cylindrical wall and an interior, the exterior wall further defining an opening;
- an arm operatively disposed along the tubular shaft, the arm being movable relative to the shaft between a closed position covering the exterior wall opening and a deployed position wherein a portion of the arm extends away from the surface of the tubular shaft;
- a motor disposed within said interior of said tubular shaft and in operative engagement with said arm;
- a sensor carried by said portion of said arm, said sensor in further communication with an interior of the tubular shaft;
- wherein, when the motor operably engages the arm, the arm is moved from the closed position covering the exterior wall opening to a deployed position with the portion of the arm and the sensor positioned away from the exterior wall of the shaft.
A process of positioning a sensor within a subsurface soil layer comprising:
- providing a penetrometer, the penetrometer having an exterior wall defining a blade and an extendable portion of the blade having disposed thereon a sensor;
- inserting the penetrometer to a desired depth within a soil;
- pivoting the blade, thereby deploying said extendable portion of the blade and the accompanying sensor to a soil region surrounding the penetrometer;
- and
- transmitting information from the sensor to the penetrometer.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.