Vacuum excavation for local transmission system and method

Abstract

A system and a method for vacuum excavation of local transmission are provided. The system for vacuum excavation of local transmission may include an end effector coupled to a vacuum hose. The end effector may include a manifold coupled to one or more valves and one or more pipes, each coupled to one of the one or more valves. The excavator head may include a nozzle array coupled to the one or more pipes, wherein the nozzle array may include one or more nozzles, each coupled to one of the one or more pipes. The one or more valves may be controlled to actuate individually, as a subset, or collectively, thus changing an air pattern exhausted from the nozzles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for vacuum excavation of local transmission, comprising:
 an end effector coupled to a vacuum hose; the end effector comprising:
 a manifold coupled to one or more valves; 
 one or more pipes coupled to the one or more valves; and 
 an excavator head including a nozzle array coupled to the one or more pipes, wherein the nozzle array includes one or more nozzles, each coupled to a pipe of the one or more pipes. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the manifold further comprises a top plate coupled to a bottom plate. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising:
 an inlet coupled to the top plate of the manifold; and 
 the one or more valves each being coupled to the bottom plate of the manifold. 
 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3  further comprising:
 a pressure regulator coupled to the manifold. 
 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 a channel within the bottom plate of the manifold, wherein the channel is designed to direct air received from the inlet.   
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more valves are provided in a form of a pilot solenoid valve. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more valves are provided in a form of an air logic control valve. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more nozzles are each configured to exhaust air at a supersonic speed. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more valves are configured such that only one nozzle of the one or more nozzles exhausts air at one time. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more valves are configured such that only two nozzles of the one or more nozzles exhausts air at one time. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the two nozzles are positioned opposite from each other on the nozzle array. 
     
     
         12 . A method for vacuum excavation of local transmission comprising:
 providing one or more nozzles in a form of a nozzle array;   providing one or more valves, wherein each of the one or more nozzles is coupled to a respective valve of the one or more valves;   actuating the one or more valves such that air is exhausted from the one or more nozzles, wherein the air agitates material to be excavated; and   providing suction through a vacuum hose to vacuum the agitated material.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein a single valve of the one or more valves is actuated at a time. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein two valves of the one or more valves is actuated at a time. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 providing a delay between actuating a first set of the one or more valves and actuating a second set of the one or more valves. 
 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising:
 providing a delay between actuating a first valve of the one or more valves and actuating a second valve of the one or more valves. 
 
     
     
         17 . A system for vacuum excavation of local transmission, comprising:
 an end effector coupled to a vacuum hose, the end effector comprising:
 an inlet coupled to a top plate of a manifold; 
 one or more valves coupled to a bottom plate of the manifold; 
 one or more pipes each coupled to a valve of the one or more valves; and 
 an excavator head including a nozzle array, wherein the nozzle array includes one or more nozzles, each coupled to a pipe of the one or more pipes. 
   
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 17 , further comprising a pressure regulator coupled to the bottom plate of the manifold. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 17 , wherein the one or more nozzles further comprise:
 a converging portion of a nozzle provided between a first end of the nozzle and a throat portion of the nozzle; and   a diverging portion of the nozzle provided between a second end of the nozzle and the throat portion of the nozzle.   
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein the converging portion has a first diameter at the first end of the nozzle and a second diameter at the throat portion of the nozzle, wherein the first diameter is larger than the second diameter; and
 wherein the diverging portion of the nozzle has a third diameter at the throat portion of the nozzle and a fourth diameter and the second end of the nozzle, wherein the third diameter is smaller than the fourth diameter.