Tape Fed Miniature Air Gap Inspection Crawler

• US 20070277630A1
• Filed: 05/30/2006
• Published: 12/06/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/30/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GE Infrastructure Technology, LLC (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hatley, Kenneth, Roney, Robert, Bagley, Paul
• Granted Patent: US 7,343,828 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/865.900
• 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 mast and an inspection head attached to the mast. The mast may be in the form of a collapsible tube.

Claims

1. An air gap inspection device, comprising:

a mast;

the mast comprising a collapsible tube; and

an inspection head attached to the mast.

2. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the mast comprises spring steel, nickel alloy, or carbon fiber composites.

3. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the mast comprises a collapsed profile and an expanded profile.

4. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the mast comprises a collapsed profile with a width of about 0.05 to about 0.2 inches (about 1.3 to about five (5) millimeters).

5. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, wherein the mast comprises an expanded profile with a width of about one (1) to about 2.5 inches (about 25.4 to about 63.5 millimeters).

6. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, further comprising a coil and wherein the mast is stored within the coil.

7. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, further comprising a drive mechanism and wherein the mast is driven by the drive mechanism.

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

9. The air gap inspection device of claim 1, further comprising a mounting plate and wherein the mounting plate connects the inspection head and the mast.

10. A method of inspecting a generator field via an entrance gap with an air gap inspection device having an inspection head and a mast comprising:

positioning the inspection head on the mast;

inserting the inspection head and the mast through the entrance gap;

advancing the mast; and

inspecting the generator field with the inspection head.

11. The method of claim 10, further comprising the step of storing the mast and wherein the step of storing the mast comprises storing the mast in a collapsed profile.

12. The method of claim 11, wherein the step of advancing the mast comprises advancing the mast in an expanded profile.

13. An air gap inspection crawler, comprising:

a mast;

the mast comprises a collapsed profile and an expanded profile; and

an inspection head positioned about the mast; and

the inspection head comprising a camera.

14. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the mast comprises spring steel, nickel alloy, or carbon fiber composites.

15. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the collapsed profile comprises a width of about 0.05 to about 0.2 inches (about 1.3 to about five (5) millimeters).

16. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, wherein the expanded profile comprising a width of about one (1) to about 2.5 inches (about 25.4 to about 63.5 millimeters).

17. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, further comprising a coil and wherein the mast is stored within the coil.

18. The air gap inspection crawler of claim 13, further comprising a drive mechanism and wherein the mast is driven by the drive mechanism.