Micro Minaiture Air Gap Inspection Crawler

• US 20070277629A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (GE Vernova, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Bagley, Paul C., Hatley, Richard, Roney, Robert M.
• Granted Patent: US 7,555,966 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/865.800
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 63/02 Motor vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines

Abstract

An air gap inspection device. The air gap inspection device may include a substantially rigid rail, a cart positioned on the rail, a drive system for maneuvering the cart along the rail, and an inspection head positioned on the cart.

Claims

1. An air gap inspection device, comprising:

a substantially rigid rail;

a cart positioned on the rail;

a drive system for maneuvering the cart along the rail; and

an inspection head positioned on the cart.

2. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the rail may have a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.25 inches (about five (5) to about six (6) millimeters) and a width of about one (1) to about three (3) inches (about 25 to about 76 millimeters).

3. The miniature air gap inspection crawler of claim 1, wherein the rail comprises an end flap thereon.

4. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the drive system comprises a rail pulley wheel positioned about the rail.

5. The air gap inspection device of claim 4, wherein the drive system comprises a plurality of cart pulley wheels in communication with the rail pulley wheel.

6. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the rail comprises a plurality of legs.

7. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the cart comprises a base and a mounting arm.

8. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the inspection head comprises a camera.

9. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the cart and the inspection head comprise a width of about one (1) to about three (3) inches (about 25 to about 76 millimeters) and a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.25 inches (about five (5) to about six (6) millimeters).

10. A method of inspecting a generator field via an entrance gap with a crawler and an extended rail, comprising:

positioning the crawler on the rail;

inserting the rail and the crawler through the entrance gap;

advancing the crawler along the rail; and

inspecting the generator field.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the inserting step comprises inserting the rail and the crawler through an entrance gap of less than about 0.25 inches (about 6.35 millimeters).

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the entrance gaps is less than about 0.25 inches (about 6.35 millimeters) and wherein the method further comprises sizing the rail and the crawler to fit through the entrance gap.

13. An air gap inspection crawler, comprising:

a substantially rigid rail;

a rail pulley positioned about the rail

a cart positioned on the rail;

a plurality of cart wheels positioned about the cart and in communication with the rail pulley; and

an inspection head positioned on the cart.

14. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the rail may have a thickness of about 0.125 to about 0.25 inches (about three (3) to about six (6) millimeters) and a width of about one (1) to about three (3) inches (about 25 to about 76 millimeters).

15. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the rail comprises a plurality of legs.

16. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the inspection head comprises a camera.

17. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the cart and the inspection head comprise a width of about one (1) to about three (3) inches (about 25 to about 76 millimeters) and a thickness of about 0.2 to about 0.25 inches (about five (5) to about six (6) millimeters).