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US 8,708,382 B2Granted
Electrically active hand-operable excavation apparatus
OwnerRigoberto Hernandezinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A hand-operable excavation apparatus for detecting buried electrical cable. The hand-operable excavation apparatus comprises of a unitary structure having a handle and an electrically conductive portion. At least one electric field sensor is secured to the electrically conductive portion to monitor electrical fields in proximity to the end of the device during ground breaking for activation of an alerting system when the preset value is greater than a predetermined voltage for notifying the excavator of buried electrical cable.
Claims20
A hand-operable excavation apparatus for detecting buried electrical cable comprising:
- a hand operable excavation apparatus in the form of a unitary device having a first end and a second end, said first end being a handle and said second end having an electrically conductive portion, said electrically conductive portion being constructed and arranged for breaking a ground material;
- and
- at least one electric field sensor, which is operable to sense a change in an electrical field within ground material, which is indicative of a buried cable, said electric field sensor in electrical communication with said electrically conductive portion;
- wherein said at least one electric field sensor senses the neutral to earth voltage gradient between said electrically conductive portion and a ground.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.