Borescope for drilled shaft inspection

• US 10,677,039 B1
• Filed: 01/31/2020
• Issued: 06/09/2020
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2020
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aver Technologies Inc.
• Original Assignee: Aver Technologies Inc.
• Inventors: Avasarala, Swamy Kumar V., Avasarala, Pranav, Avasarala, Pallavi, Sunku, Sohan Kumar, Rachakonda, Sahiti
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown, Jr., Howard D
• Application Number:
  US16/778,732
• Time in Patent Office: 130 Days
• CPC Class Codes: E02D 1/02 before construction work
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 47/002 by visual inspection
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/51 Housings
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/555 for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/65 Control of camera operation in relation to power supply
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/66 Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 23/695 Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects

Abstract

A borescope may include a housing including a transparent viewing window, a bumper surrounding at least a portion of a periphery of the transparent viewing window, wherein the bumper is configured to be pressurized by a fluid, and at least one imaging assembly configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing through the transparent viewing window.

Claims

1. A borescope, comprising:

a housing including a transparent viewing window, a bumper surrounding at least a portion of a periphery of the transparent viewing window, wherein the bumper is configured to be pressurized by a fluid; and

at least one imaging assembly configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing through the transparent viewing window.

2. The borescope of claim 1, further including an extendable and retractable support assembly coupled to the housing on a side opposite of the transparent viewing window.

3. The borescope of claim 2, wherein the support assembly includes telescoping rod sections that are movable relative to one another, to adjust a length of the support assembly.

4. The borescope of claim 3, further including a linear actuator configured to move the telescoping rod sections relative to one another.

5. The borescope of claim 2, further including a sensor coupled to the support assembly, wherein the sensor is configured to measure a current directed to the support assembly, and a controller coupled to the sensor and the support assembly, wherein the controller is configured to increase a length of the support assembly until the controller receives an indication of a spike in current from the current sensor.

6. The borescope of claim 5, wherein the controller is configured to stop a flow of current to the support assembly upon receiving the indication of the spike.

7. The borescope of claim 6, wherein the spike occurs when a load on the support assembly reaches a threshold that is greater than 80% of the load rating of the support assembly.

8. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the support assembly includes a linear piston.

9. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the bumper is a circular tubing.

10. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the bumper is a tubing, and the tubing is configured to press against a surface to form a seal between the surface and the window.

11. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a support section, the bumper is coupled to the support section, and the support section includes at least one inlet configured to convey fluid toward an exterior of the window.

12. The borescope of claim 11, wherein the support section includes at least one outlet configured to convey fluid away from the exterior of the window.

13. The borescope of claim 11, wherein the support section includes a valve configured through which fluid can be conveyed into the bumper.

14. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the housing further includes a light source configured to illuminate an area being viewed by the imaging assembly.

15. The borescope of claim 1, wherein the at least one imaging assembly is configured to rotate about a longitudinal axis of the housing, and also pivot relative to the longitudinal axis of the housing.

16. A borescope, comprising:

a housing extending from a first end toward a second end;

an imaging assembly configured to visualize a field of view exterior of the housing; and

a plurality of strips extending away from the housing and surrounding the imaging assembly, wherein each of the plurality of strips is coupled to the housing and movable relative to the housing in a longitudinal direction of the housing.

17. The borescope of claim 16, wherein the plurality of strips includes a first plurality of strips arranged radially around the imaging assembly, and a second plurality of strips arranged radially around the first plurality of strips.

18. The borescope of claim 16, further including a support assembly comprising a flange having a plurality of slots disposed through the flange, wherein each of the plurality of strips is received by one of the slots.

19. The borescope of claim 18, wherein each of the plurality of strips includes a flange configured to abut the flange of the support assembly, wherein each flange of the plurality of strips is disposed between the housing and the flange of the support assembly.

20. The borescope of claim 16, wherein each of the plurality of strips is movable independently of all other of the plurality of strips.