Insertion tube storage carousel

• US 20070156018A1
• Filed: 06/23/2006
• Published: 07/05/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Waygate Technologies USA LP (Baker Hughes Company)
• Original Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies LP (General Electric Company)
• Inventors: Krauter, Allan, Karpen, Thomas, Fish, Charles, Lawson, Ronald, Von Felten, Kenneth, Lia, Raymond, Lawson, Leigh
• Granted Patent: US 7,819,798 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 600/102
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 1/00142 with means for preventing contamination, e.g. by using a sanitary sheath
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4298 coupling with non-coherent light sources and/or radiation detectors, e.g. lamps, incandescent bulbs, scintillation chambers

Abstract

An apparatus for storing at least one elongated and flexible object, such as an insertion tube that functions as a portion of an endoscope or a borescope device. The apparatus includes a rotating storage carousel having a base and a peripheral barrier. An elongated and flexible object, such as an insertion tube, is stored along the inner side of the peripheral barrier and the base. The storage cavity of the carousel rotates while accepting the transfer of the elongated and flexible object for storage.

Claims

1. An apparatus for storing an insertion tube of a borescope and endoscope device, said apparatus comprising:

a storage carousel including

a rotatable cavity bounded by at least one inner surface that includes an inner surface of a base and an inner surface of a peripheral barrier; and

where said rotatable cavity is configured to rotate around an axis of rotation and configured to accommodate storage of an insertion tube having a proximal end and distal end; and

where said storage is performed without a physical attachment between said insertion tube and said storage carousel and where said storage carousel is configured to allow said proximal end to be located outside of said cavity while a remaining portion of said insertion tube is stored inside of said cavity; and

including

a frame providing mechanical support to a pivot shaft and including an insertion port and configured to guide a transfer of said insertion tube either towards or away from said rotatable cavity; and

where said at least one inner surface is configured to make physical contact and to generate a frictional force between said insertion tube and said at least one inner surface so that said transfer of said insertion tube towards or away from said rotatable cavity causes said rotatable cavity to rotate.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 where said rotatable cavity is of a conical shape and where said rotatable cavity of said conical shape has a larger diameter located more proximate to said base and a smaller diameter located less proximate to said base.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 where said rotatable cavity of a conical shape forms an acute angle adjacent to an intersection of said inner surface of said peripheral barrier and said inner surface of said base, and where said acute angle is configured to receive said insertion tube and to enhance said frictional contact of at least one of said inner surface of said peripheral barrier and said inner surface of said base with said insertion tube.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 where said inner surface of said storage carousel is constructed from materials designed to further enhance said frictional contact between said insertion tube and said storage carousel.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 where said base is an angled base and where said angled base is configured to form an acute angle adjacent to an intersection of said inner surface of said peripheral barrier and said inner surface of said base, and where said acute angle is configured to receive and to make physical contact with said insertion tube and to enhance said frictional contact between said at least one of said inner surface and said insertion tube.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 where said storage carousel is located within a case storing components of a borescope or endoscope device.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 where said storage carousel is attached to an outer surface of a case storing components of a borescope or endoscope device.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 where said storage carousel is located separate from a case storing components of a borescope or endoscope device.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 where said rotatable cavity includes a hub that is configured to restrain a location of said insertion tube to a minimum radial distance away from said axis of rotation.

19. The apparatus of claim 1 where said pivot shaft has a first and a second end and a longitudinal axis that is disposed co-linear with said axis of rotation, wherein said first end of said pivot shaft is fixedly attached to said base and said second end of said pivot shaft is rotatably attached to said frame.

20. The apparatus of claim 1 where said pivot shaft having a first and a second end and a longitudinal axis that is disposed co-linear with said axis of rotation, wherein said first end of said pivot shaft is rotationally attached to said base and said second end of said pivot shaft is fixedly attached to said frame.

21. The apparatus of claim 20 where said rotatable cavity includes a hub that is configured to restrain a location of said insertion tube a minimum radial distance away from said axis of rotation.

10. An apparatus for storing an insertion tube of a borescope and an endoscope, said apparatus comprising:

a storage carousel including a base, a peripheral barrier and a rotatable cavity;

said rotatable cavity is bounded by at least one inner surface that includes at least one of an inner surface of a base and an inner surface of a peripheral barrier that are configured to rotate around an axis of rotation and that are configured to accommodate the storage of an insertion tube, said at least one inner surface being configured to make physical contact with said insertion tube having both a proximal end and a distal end; and

where said rotatable cavity is of a conical shape and where said rotatable cavity of said conical shape has a larger diameter located more proximate to said base and a smaller diameter located less proximate to said base.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 including an insertion port having an angle of orientation and that is configured and oriented to guide the transfer of said insertion tube in a direction either towards or away from said rotatable cavity.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 including a frame that provides mechanical support to said storage carousel, said frame including said insertion port.

13. The apparatus of claim 10 where said at least one inner surface of said rotatable cavity is configured to cause frictional contact and to generate a frictional force between said insertion tube and said at least one inner surface so that transfer of said insertion tube to or from said rotatable cavity causes said rotatable cavity to rotate.

14. The apparatus of claim 10 including an outer casing enclosing said storage carousel and including a cover plate, said cover plate including an insertion port configured to guide the transfer of said insertion tube to or from said rotatable cavity.

15. The apparatus of claim 10 where said storage carousel is located within a case storing components at least one of a borescope and endoscope device.

16. The apparatus of claim 10 where said storage carousel is attached to an outer surface of a case storing components at least one of a borescope and endoscope device.

17. The apparatus of claim 10 where said storage carousel is located separate from a case storing components at least one of a borescope and endoscope device.

18. The apparatus of claim 10 including an angled base and where said angled base is configured to form an acute angle adjacent to an intersection of said inner surface of said peripheral barrier and said inner surface of said base, and where said acute angle is configured to receive said insertion tube and to enhance said frictional contact with said insertion tube.

22. An apparatus for storing an insertion tube of a borescope or endoscope, said apparatus comprising:

a storage carousel having rotatable cavity and an axis of rotation;

said rotatable cavity is bounded by at least one inner surface that includes an inner surface of a base and an inner surface of a peripheral barrier and where said rotatable cavity is configured to rotate around said axis of rotation and is configured to accommodate the storage of an insertion tube; and

where said base is an angled base and said angled base is configured to form an acute angle at an intersection of said inner surface of said base and said inner surface of said peripheral barrier, and where said acute angle is configured to receive and make physical contact with said insertion tube and to enhance frictional contact between said at least one inner surface and said insertion tube.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 including an insertion port having an angle of orientation and configured to guide the transfer of said insertion tube to or from said rotatable cavity.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 including a frame that provides mechanical support to said storage carousel, said frame including said insertion port.

25. The apparatus of claim 22 where said at least one inner surface of said rotatable cavity is configured to cause frictional contact between said insertion tube and said at least one inner surface so that transfer of said insertion tube to or from said rotatable cavity causes said storage carousel to rotate.

26. The apparatus of claim 22 including a pivot shaft and a frame, said pivot shaft having a first and a second end and a longitudinal axis that is disposed co-linear with said axis of rotation, wherein said first end of said pivot shaft is fixedly attached to said base and said second end of said pivot shaft is rotatably attached to said frame.

27. The apparatus of claim 22 including a pivot shaft and a frame, said pivot shaft having a first and a second end and a longitudinal axis that is disposed co-linear with said axis of rotation, wherein said first end of said pivot shaft is rotationally attached to said base and said second end of said pivot shaft is fixedly attached to said frame.

28. The apparatus of claim 23 where said rotatable cavity includes a hub that is configured to restrain a location of said insertion tube a minimum radial distance away from said axis of rotation.

29. The apparatus of claim 22 where said inner surface of said peripheral barrier is of a conical shape and where said rotatable cavity of conical shape has a cavity with a larger diameter located proximate to the base and a smaller diameter located farther away from the base.

30. A video borescope system for remote visual applications comprising:

a handset that is configured for inputting commands from a user and a display that is configured for communicating information to said user;

an insertion tube including a distal end and a proximal end that is attachable to said handset, said insertion tube is configured to illuminate and to capture an image from an area surrounding said distal end;

a storage carousel including a rotatable cavity adjacent to an insertion port, said rotatable cavity being enclosed by a peripheral barrier and a base that collectively have at least one inner surface, said at least one inner surface is configured to cause frictional contact with said insertion tube when said insertion tube is transferred to or from said rotatable cavity via said insertion port, said frictional contact generating a frictional force upon said at least one inner surface so that said rotatable cavity rotates around an axis in a direction in which said insertion tube is being transferred.

31. An apparatus for storing an elongated flexible object, said apparatus including:

a storage carousel having a base, a peripheral barrier, and an axis of rotation, said base substantially defining at least one inner surface that intersects said axis of rotation, said peripheral barrier having a conical shaped inner surface that surrounds said axis of rotation;

a rotatable cavity that is bounded by said inner surface of said base and said inner surface of said peripheral barrier; and

where said storage carousel is configured to rotate around said axis of rotation and said rotatable cavity is configured to accommodate the storage of an elongated flexible object disposed along at least one of said inner surface of said peripheral barrier and said inner surface of said base, said elongated flexible object having both a proximal end and a distal end;

where said storage carousel includes a conical shaped peripheral barrier, said conical shaped peripheral barrier including an inner surface having a larger inner diameter located proximate to said base and a smaller inner/diameter located farther away from said base.

32. The apparatus of claim 31 where said elongated flexible object is an insertion tube for at least one of a borescope and an endoscope device.

33. A method of storing an insertion tube of an endoscope inside a storage device comprising:

providing a rotatable cavity that is rotatable around an axis of rotation and that is bounded by at least one inner surface;

transferring a distal end of an insertion tube into said cavity through an insertion port;

causing said cavity to rotate via a friction force resulting from physical contact between a portion of said insertion tube and said at least one an inner surface;

transferring said insertion tube further into said cavity to cause further rotation of said cavity and to cause storage of a substantial portion of said insertion tube within said cavity so that a proximal end of said insertion tube is located proximal to said insertion port.

34. The method of claim 33 where said at least one inner surface is of a conical shape and where said inner surface of said conical shape has a larger diameter located more proximate to said base and a smaller diameter located less proximate to said base.

35. The method of claim 33 where said at least one inner surface includes an inner surface of a base and an inner surface of a peripheral barrier, and where said base is an angled base and where an acute angle is defined adjacent to an intersection of said inner surface of said base and said inner surface of said peripheral barrier, and where said acute angle is configured to receive and to make physical contact with said insertion tube and to enhance a frictional contact between said at least one inner surface and said insertion tube.

36. The method of claim 33 further including a step of folding said insertion tube at an approximate center location of said insertion tube prior to the step of transferring said insertion tube into said cavity by inserting said center location first into said cavity.