Patent ID: 7437986

Claim:
A mine device comprising a frame adapted to be secured to a source of a load; at least three support legs each extending from said frame for supporting said frame in spaced relation to a terrain, each said leg having a releasable joint between said leg and said frame; at least one detector operable to provide a detection capability for each support leg, each said detection capability operable to detect a characteristic of a mine when at least a portion of said support leg is located proximate to said mine; at least one actuator operable to provide an actuation capability at said joint of each said leg, said at least one actuator operable to: (a) constrain the joint to allow a load to be transmitted from said frame, through said joint and said support leg to said terrain; and (b) to release said joint such that a load can not be transmitted from said frame through said joint and said support leg to said terrain; said at least one actuator operable in response to a signal received from said at least one detector indicating the detection of said characteristic at a first leg of said support legs, to release each said joint associated with said first support leg; said at least one detector being in communication with said at least one actuator device, so as to be able to provide said signal from said at least one detector associated with each said detection capability to said at least one actuator associated with the corresponding actuation capability; whereby when said characteristic is detected proximate to a support leg, said at least one detector communicates with said at least one actuator to cause the actuator to release the constraint at the joint associated with that support leg.