Patent ID: 11927090
Assignee: VERMEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY
Field: Civil engineering (Other fields)
Classification: CPC E  F | IPC E

Claim 10:
11. A horizontal directional drilling system comprising:
a horizontal directional drilling machine;
a drill string terminating at a drill head and configured to be driven by the horizontal directional drilling machine to create an underground borehole extending at least partially horizontally between an entry point and an exit point;
a camera provided within a camera housing coupled to the drill string;
a product connection housing having a portion configured to secure a utility line for installation into the borehole during pullback of the drill string toward the entry point;
wherein the product connection housing is coupled to the camera housing through a pair of flexible high-strength conductors with the camera facing toward the product connection housing so as to view in a backward direction during pullback of the drill string toward the entry point, and
wherein the pair of flexible high-strength conductors are configured as load-bearing members to carry pullback loads between the camera housing and the product connection housing.