Spartan Marker Tape

Abstract

Applicants have discovered that an inexpensive marker tape can be made from some of the components used in applicants Signal Tape disclosed in PCT/US2017/050405. This marker tape, called Spartan Marker Tape, has elongated upper and lower protective layers made from a thermoplastic material which are laminated together with a locating device inside the laminated layers. Various locating devices may be used in the Spartan Marker Tape, such as conventional RF or RFID tags. In addition, magnetic tags, or radioactive tags may be used. Of course, classis marker wire may also be used as a locating device.

Claims

1. Marker tape for marking the location of an underground utility comprising: an upper protective layer comprising an elongated strip of thermoplastic material, with said strip further comprising an upper surface, a lower surface and opposing side edges; a lower protective layer comprising an elongated strip of thermoplastic material; with said strip further comprising an upper surface, a lower surface and opposing side edges; locating means located between said upper protective layer and said lower protective layer; wherein the lower surface of said upper protective layer is laminated to the upper surface of said lower protective layer with said locating means being enclosed within the laminated protective layers.

2. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises an elongated marker wire.

3. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises multiple RFID tags spread along length of the upper surface of said lower protective layer at predetermined intervals.

4. The marker tape of claim 3 wherein said predetermined interval is approximately 8 feet.

5. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises multiple RF tags spread along the length of the upper surface of said lower protective layer at predetermined intervals.

6. The marker tape of claim 5 wherein said predetermined interval is approximately 8 feet.

7. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises multiple magnetic locating devices spread along the length of the upper surface of said lower protective layer of thermoplastic material at predetermined intervals.

8. The marker tape of claim 7 wherein said predetermined interval is approximately 8 feet.

9. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the lower surface of said upper protective layer is laminated to the upper surface of said lower protective layer with adhesive means.

10. The marker tape of claim 9 wherein the adhesive means comprises an adhesive layer which is applied to the upper surface of said lower protective layer only near the opposing side edges of said lower protective layer.

11. The marker tape of claim 9 wherein the adhesive means comprises an adhesive layer which is applied to the entire upper surface of said lower protective layer.

12. The marker tape of claim 9 wherein the adhesive means comprises the thermoplastic material comprising said upper and lower elongated protective layers and wherein the lower surface of said upper protective layer is laminated to the upper surface of said lower protective layer using a heat sealing process.

13. The marker tape of claim 9 wherein the adhesive means comprises the thermoplastic material comprising said upper and lower elongated protective layers and wherein the lower surface of said upper protective layer is laminated to the upper surface of said lower protective layer using an ultrasonic welding process.

14. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein warning indicia is imprinted on the upper protective layer.

15. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein warning indicia is imprinted on the lower protective layer.

16. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises radioactive markers.

17. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein the locating means comprises an elongated marker wire, multiple RFID tags spread along the length of the upper surface of said lower protective layer at predetermined intervals, and multiple magnetic locating means spread along the length of the upper surface of said lower protective layer at predetermined intervals.

18. The marker tape of claim 17 wherein said predetermined interval is approximately 8 feet.

19. The marker tape of claim 1 wherein at least the upper surface of said upper protective layer and the lower surface of said lower protective layer are hydrophobic such that mud and soil will not readily stick to said surfaces.

20. The marker tape of claim 17 wherein multiple radioactive locating means are interspersed with the other locating means.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] FIG. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of a prior art marker tape emplaced over a buried infrastructure.

[0023] FIG. 2 shows a side view of the prior art marker tape installation of FIG. 1.

[0024] FIG. 3 shows a prior art marker tape installation taken from Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,282.

[0025] FIG. 4 shows a prior art marker tape as shown in Allen, U.S. Pat. No. 4,623,282.

[0026] FIG. 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along plane A-A of FIG. 4.

[0027] FIG. 6 shows a second prior art marker tape installation taken from Southworth, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,626.

[0028] FIG. 7 shows a cross-sectional view of the installation of FIG. 5 taken along plane B-B of FIG. 6.

[0029] FIG. 8 shows a perspective view of the marker tape of Southworth, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,568,626.

[0030] FIG. 9 shows a blown-up view of the marker tape of the invention with a marker wire therein.

[0031] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the marker tape of the invention with RFID tags therein.

[0032] FIG. 11 shows another embodiment of the marker tape of the invention with magnetic locating devices laminated to the interior of Spartan Marker Tape.

[0033] FIG. 12 shows an embodiment of the marker tape of the invention with RF locating devices therein.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0034] Since FIGS. 1-8 have already been described above in the BACKGROUND section, the inventive Spartan Marker Tape shown in FIGS. 9-XX will now be described.

[0035] FIG. 9 shows the Spartan Marker Tape 50 of the invention with upper protective layer 52, marker wire 56 and lower protective layer 54. Marker wire 56 would be enclosed within upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 to protect marker wire 56 from the soil it is to be buried in. Upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 are laminated together by use of adhesive means [not shown] or by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding or any other suitable joining means.

[0036] FIG. 10 shows another embodiment of the Spartan Marker Tape 50 of the invention with RFID tags 58 enclosed within top protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54. RFID tags 58 would be enclosed within upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 to protect tags 58 from the soil it is to be buried in. Upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 are laminated together by use of adhesive means [not shown] or by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding or any other suitable joining means. These RFID tags might be similar [or identical] to the RFID tags used in the 3M EMS Caution Tape 7600 Series mentioned above. The tags would be secured to the Spartan Marker Tape every 8 feet or so although the RFID tag interval could be more or less, as desired.

[0037] FIG. 11 shows Spartan Marker Tape 50 with magnetic locating means 60 located between top protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54. Magnetic locating means 60 would be enclosed within upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 to protect locating means 60 from the soil it is to be buried in. Upper protective layer 52 and lower protective layer 54 are laminated together by use of adhesive means [not shown] or by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding or any other suitable joining means.

[0038] FIG. 12 shows Spartan Marker Tape 55 with RF locating devices 62. Upper protective layer 56 is laminated to lower protective layer 57 by adhesive means [not shown] or by heat sealing, ultrasonic welding or any other suitable joining means. Upper protective layer 56 may be adhered to lower protective layer 57 at the side edges thereof, or they may be adhered together across the width of upper protective layer 56 and lower protective layer 57. RF locating devices 62 would be spaced along Spartan Marker Tape 55 at intervals similar to the spacing of RFID tags 58 in FIG. 10.

[0039] Although not shown in the drawings, it is possible to have any or all of the various locating devices present in the same Spartan Marker Tape. It is noted that the use of radioactive markers on the Spartan Marker Tape is also possible. Note the teachings of Southworth Jr. '626 on this matter. It has also been found to be useful to treat the exposed surfaces of the upper and lower protective layers and their exposed edges so that they are hydrophobic. This means that soil and etc. will not stick to the exposed protective layers and thus, that they will be more visible in and out of the ground. It has also been found useful to treat the insulation layer of any marker wire installed in the Spartan Marker Tape so that it emits light when an electric current is run through the wire. It is possible to position diodes in the insulation to glow when an electric current is passed through the wire.