Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system in a specific environment – Earth science
Reexamination Certificate
2002-04-12
2003-06-10
McElheny, Jr., Donald E. (Department: 2862)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system in a specific environment
Earth science
C702S006000, C702S007000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06577954
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to the field of underground boring and, more particularly, to a method and apparatus for planning and adjusting a bore plan, prior to and during an actual boring operation.
Utility lines for water, electricity, gas, telephone and cable television are often run underground for reasons of safety and aesthetics. In many situations, the underground utilities can be buried in a trench which is then back-filled. Although useful in areas of new construction, the burial of utilities in a trench has certain disadvantages. In areas supporting existing construction, a trench can cause serious disturbance to structures or roadways. Further, there is a high probability that digging a trench may damage previously buried utilities, and that structures or roadways disturbed by digging the trench are rarely restored to their original condition. Also, an open trench poses a danger of injury to workers and passersby.
The general technique of boring a horizontal underground hole has recently been developed in order to overcome the disadvantages described above, as well as others unaddressed when employing conventional trenching techniques. In accordance with such a general horizontal boring technique, also known as microtunnelling, horizontal directional drilling (HDD) or trenchless underground boring, a boring system is situated on the ground surface and drills a hole into the ground at an oblique angle with respect to the ground surface. A drilling fluid is typically flowed through the drill string, over the boring tool, and back up the borehole in order to remove cuttings and dirt.
After the boring tool reaches a desired Depth, the tool is then directed along a substantially horizontal path to create a horizontal borehole. After the desired length of borehole has been obtained, the tool is then directed upwards to break through to the surface. A reamer is then attached to the drill string which is pulled back through the borehole, thus reaming out the borehole to a larger diameter. It is common to attach a utility line or other conduit to the reaming tool so that it is dragged through the borehole along with the reamer.
A common approach to planning a bore involves surveying a bore site and manually creating a bore plan on paper. Utilities and other underground objects are typically located and identified on the bore plan. Using the paper bore plan as a guide, the skilled machine operator attempts to direct the boring implement along the pre-planned boring route. A second operator periodically scans the drilling area to determine the actual location of the boring tool. Deviations between the planned and actual bore paths are resolved manually, the accuracy of which is highly dependent on the skill level of the machine and locator operators.
It can be appreciated that a manual approach to planning a bore and assessing the progress of the actual bore relative to a bore plan is problematic. Parameters such as entry angle, rod and product diameters, reamer diameter, rod bend radius, topography variations, utility diameter and safety clearance radius, grades, and minimum ground cover, for example, are generally not properly accounted for using conventional bore planning approaches. A bore plan that fails to properly accommodate these and other parameters is likely to be inaccurate, which may result in excessive drilling machine/pipe/bit wear and delay in completing the bore.
There exists a need in the excavation industry for an apparatus and methodology for automating the process of planning a bore. There exists a need for a bore planning approach that provides for greater accuracy than is currently attainable using existing approaches. The present invention fulfills these and other needs.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a system and method for electronically developing a bore plan of a bore site for use in connection with an underground boring machine. Electronically developing a bore plan according to the principles of the present invention involves receiving bore path plan information representative of an intended bore path at the bore site, which may include topographical, utility, and/or geophysical related information. A pre-established bore plan is generated using the received bore path plan information. Actual bore path information is acquired indicative of an actual bore path produced by the boring machine. A modified bore plan is generated using the actual bore path information and at least some of the bore path plan information. The modified bore plan comprises data representative of a modified bore path that minimizes a deviation in alignment between the actual bore path and the intended bore path. Selected bore plan data can be displayed in both textual and graphical forms.
Topographical information representative of the topography of the bore site may also be received, in which case the generated bore plan data includes data representative of the intended bore defined along the intended bore path and with respect to the representative topography at the bore site. The topographical information representative of the bore site topography may be received as two-dimensional data or three-dimensional data.
The topographical information typically includes information representative of a height of a surface of earth at the bore site above the intended bore path. The height of the earth's surface at the bore site above the intended bore path may be defined relative to a pre-established reference of the bore site, such as a pre-established bore site reference defined in terms of a latitude, longitude, and altitude. Surface feature information representative of one or more features defined on the earth's surface at the bore site may also be received. The surface feature information may include information representative of surface water at the bore site or information representative of a man-made or natural obstacle, structure or pathway, such as a roadway or other landmark.
The received bore path plan information representative of the intended bore path typically includes location information concerning one or more targets through which the intended bore path is to pass. The path information representative of the intended bore path may also include pitch and azimuth information concerning one or more targets through which the intended bore path is to pass.
Utility information representative of one or more utilities at the bore site may also be received, in which case the generated bore plan data includes data representative of the intended bore defined along the intended bore path which avoids each of the utilities defined at the bore site. The utility information may, for example, include information concerning one or more of a gas, water, sewer, communications or electrical utility to be avoided by the intended bore path.
The utility information preferably includes location information defining at least two points of each of the utilities at the bore site, although a single point or region may be defined for each utility. The utility information includes information identifying each of the utilities at the bore site as an intersecting utility or a non-intersecting utility. An intersecting utility defines a utility that is expected to pass under or over the intended bore path, while a non-intersecting utility defines a utility that is not expected to pass under or over the intended bore path. The utility information may also include information identifying one or both of a first end and a second end of each utility, and may further include pot hole information of each utility. Pot hole information, as applicable to intersecting utilities, represents data indicating a point where the intended bore path crosses under or over the intersecting utility.
Information concerning the underground boring machine to be used to produce an actual bore at the bore site may further be received and accounted for when generating a bore plan according to the present invention. Machine information may incl
Alft Kevin L.
Cartwright Paul A.
Delonti Fred G.
Rettig Christopher Dean
Crawford & Maunu PLLC
McElheny Jr. Donald E.
Vermeer Manufacturing Company
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