Oct 14, 2025

US12442947 - Vehicle mounted metal and mine detector

The invention is related to a vehicle mounted metal and mine detector, which is used in the operations with military or humanitarian purposes regarding the clearance or removal of landmines for detecting mines with high metal content and plastic mines with a minimum content of metal that are near the ground surface or buried underground, as well as any improvised explosive devices, ammunitions and explosives; in the archaeological researches for determining the location of the buried archaeological remains without damaging them; in the geophysical studies for the exploration of mineral deposits, industrial minerals and rock formations; and in the detection of infrastructure elements such as underground pipelines and cables. The system is comprised of a manned or unmanned ground vehicle ( 8 ), a lower arm ( 2 ) and an upper arm ( 3 ) that are connected to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle by means of rotating links, a search head ( 1 ) in which electromagnetic interference (EMI) sensor coils and ground penetrating radar (GPR) antennas are arranged to be nested inside one another, fore arms ( 9 ) that are fastened directly on the search head ( 1 ) or into the ribs ( 13 ) placed on the search head and that enable the search head ( 1 ) to be connected to the lower arm ( 2 ) and to the upper arm ( 3 ) by means of the quick-connect rotating connection components, a linear actuator ( 5 ) and a lever arm ( 4 ) that are connected to either one of the lower arm ( 2 ) and the upper arm ( 3 ) with rotating links for adjusting the height of the search head ( 1 ) from the ground, and an upper shell ( 6 ) covering the last-mentioned mechanisms for protecting them against external factors. While adjusting the height of the search head ( 1 ) from the ground, at the same time, it is kept parallel to the ground, and these two functions are carried out by using only one linear actuator ( 3 ). Through the arrangement of the sensors in the search head such that the sensors are arrayed in pairs nested one another, the dimensions of the search head are kept as small as possible, providing the ease of use in narrow areas where the detection operation is carried out. When the search head is damaged, the connection components are broken off by themselves and the search head is broken off from the vehicle due to the connection of the search head ( 1 ) to the lower arm ( 2 ) and the upper arm ( 3 ) by means of the quick-connect connection components, which prevents the rest of the vehicle from being damaged by protecting it against the damaging effects. Furthermore, the damaged search head can be replaced easily and quickly with a new one on site without the need for any special equipment, therefore the vehicle has the ability to operate for a long time.

Assignee: TUBITAK
Inventors: Mehmed Akif Paksoy, Nihat Kavakli, Ahmet Akgöz, Eyüp Çuǧalir, Ersin Özkan, Hakki Nazli
Filing date: 2020-08-31

The patent describes a vehicle-mounted metal and mine detector designed for military and humanitarian applications, featuring a search head with electromagnetic sensors and ground-penetrating radar. The system allows for easy replacement of the search head and height adjustment while maintaining parallel alignment with the ground, enhancing operational efficiency in detecting landmines and other buried objects.

Claim 1

A vehicle mounted metal and mine detector comprisings a manned or unmanned ground vehicle ( 8 ), a lower arm ( 2 ) and an upper arm ( 3 ) that are connected to a lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle with rotating links by means of rear arms ( 10 ), fore arms ( 9 ) that are fastened directly on a search head ( 1 ) or to ribs ( 13 ) placed on the search head, and that enable the search head ( 1 ) to be connected to the lower arm ( 2 ) and to the upper arm ( 3 ) with quick-connect rotating connection components, a linear actuator ( 5 ) that is connected to either one of the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ) and to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, a lever arm ( 4 ) that is connected by means of rotating links to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, to the linear actuator ( 5 ), and to the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ) which is connected to the linear actuator ( 5 ) wherein an edge between the connection points (A, D), at which the lower arm ( 2 ) is mounted to the search head ( 1 ) and the lower -2-hell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, and an edge between the connection points (B, C), at which the upper arm ( 3 ) is mounted to the search head ( 1 ) and the lower -2-hell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, are parallel to each other and equal in length, a distance (|AB|) between the points (A, B) at which the lower arm ( 2 ) and the upper arm ( 3 ) are connected to the search head ( 1 ) by means of the fore arms ( 9 ) is equal to a distance (|CD|) between the points (C, D) at which the lower arm and the upper shell connected to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle by means of the rear arms ( 10 ), the search head ( 1 ) comprising at least one metal detector transmitter and receiver coil ( 12 ) operating according to the principle of electromagnetic induction, and at least one ground penetrating radar transmitter and receiver antenna ( 11 ) placed inside the coil ( 12 ), the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ), to which the linear actuator ( 5 ) and the lever arm ( 4 ) are connected with the rotating links, is elongated from the connection point (C or D), at which the lower arm or the upper arm is mounted to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, to be inserted inside the vehicle ( 8 ) through an opening in front of the lower shell ( 7 ). a manned or unmanned ground vehicle ( 8 ), a lower arm ( 2 ) and an upper arm ( 3 ) that are connected to a lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle with rotating links by means of rear arms ( 10 ), fore arms ( 9 ) that are fastened directly on a search head ( 1 ) or to ribs ( 13 ) placed on the search head, and that enable the search head ( 1 ) to be connected to the lower arm ( 2 ) and to the upper arm ( 3 ) with quick-connect rotating connection components, a linear actuator ( 5 ) that is connected to either one of the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ) and to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, a lever arm ( 4 ) that is connected by means of rotating links to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, to the linear actuator ( 5 ), and to the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ) which is connected to the linear actuator ( 5 ) wherein an edge between the connection points (A, D), at which the lower arm ( 2 ) is mounted to the search head ( 1 ) and the lower -2-hell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, and an edge between the connection points (B, C), at which the upper arm ( 3 ) is mounted to the search head ( 1 ) and the lower -2-hell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, are parallel to each other and equal in length, a distance (|AB|) between the points (A, B) at which the lower arm ( 2 ) and the upper arm ( 3 ) are connected to the search head ( 1 ) by means of the fore arms ( 9 ) is equal to a distance (|CD|) between the points (C, D) at which the lower arm and the upper shell connected to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle by means of the rear arms ( 10 ), the search head ( 1 ) comprising at least one metal detector transmitter and receiver coil ( 12 ) operating according to the principle of electromagnetic induction, and at least one ground penetrating radar transmitter and receiver antenna ( 11 ) placed inside the coil ( 12 ), the lower arm ( 2 ) or the upper arm ( 3 ), to which the linear actuator ( 5 ) and the lever arm ( 4 ) are connected with the rotating links, is elongated from the connection point (C or D), at which the lower arm or the upper arm is mounted to the lower shell ( 7 ) of the vehicle, to be inserted inside the vehicle ( 8 ) through an opening in front of the lower shell ( 7 ).

Google Patents

https://patents.google.com/patent/US12442947

USPTO PDF

https://image-ppubs.uspto.gov/dirsearch-public/print/downloadPdf/12442947