ARTICULATING IMAGER FOR VIDEO BORESCOPE
First Claim
1. An articulating member disposed between a flexible cable and an imager head of a borescope, comprising:
- a spring having multiple coils of wire defining a central cavity; and
a substantially axially incompressible member freely positioned in a central cavity of the spring, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the spring and the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding coil-to-coil contact between any of the coils of the spring.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A borescope includes a flexible cable having a signal carrier disposed throughout a length of the flexible cable. An imager head illuminates an object proximate to the imager head. An articulating member is disposed between the flexible cable and the imager head. The articulating member includes a spring having a coiled wire defining a central cavity, and an axially incompressible member positioned in a spring central cavity extending from a connector attached to an end of the flexible cable to the imager head. The incompressible member permits angular deflection of the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding axial compression of the coiled wire and individual coil-to-coil contact.
61 Citations
33 Claims
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1. An articulating member disposed between a flexible cable and an imager head of a borescope, comprising:
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a spring having multiple coils of wire defining a central cavity; and a substantially axially incompressible member freely positioned in a central cavity of the spring, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the spring and the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding coil-to-coil contact between any of the coils of the spring. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A borescope, comprising:
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a flexible cable having a signal carrier disposed throughout a length of the flexible cable; an imager head for illuminating an object proximate to the imager head; an articulating member disposed between the flexible cable and the imager head, the articulating member including; a spring having a coiled wire defining a central cavity; and a substantially axially incompressible member positioned in the central cavity of the spring extending from a connector attached to an end of the flexible cable to the imager head, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding axial compression of the coiled wire and individual coil-to-coil contact. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A borescope, comprising:
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a flexible cable having a signal carrier disposed throughout a length of the flexible cable; an imager head for illuminating an object proximate to the imager head; an articulating member directly connected to the flexible cable and the imager head, the articulating member including; a spring having a coiled wire defining a central cavity and having multiple hoops of the coiled wire with successive ones of the hoops positioned at regular angular increments with respect to a next or preceding hoop; and a member substantially incompressible in an axial direction positioned in the central cavity of the spring extending from a connector attached to an end of the flexible cable to the imager head, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding axial compression of the coiled wire and individual coil-to-coil contact. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A borescope, comprising:
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a flexible cable having a signal carrier disposed throughout a length of the flexible cable; an imager head for illuminating an object; an articulating member disposed between the flexible cable and the imager head, the articulating member including; a spring having a coiled wire defining a central cavity; and a substantially axially incompressible member defining an extension spring positioned in a central cavity of the spring and extending from a connector attached to an end of the flexible cable to the imager head, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding axial compression of the coiled wire and individual coil-to-coil contact; and a signal carrier disposed in a central cavity of the axially incompressible member for passage through the articulating member. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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31. A remote image viewing system using an articulating member disposed between a flexible cable and an imager head, comprising:
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a flexible cable; an imager head for illuminating an object; an articulating member disposed between the flexible cable and the imager head, the articulating member including; a spring having multiple coils of wire defining a central cavity; and a substantially axially incompressible member freely positioned in the central cavity of the spring, the incompressible member permitting angular deflection of the spring and the imager head with respect to the flexible cable while precluding coil-to-coil contact between any of the coils of the spring; and a remote display device connected to the flexible cable opposite to the imager head and providing a view screen to remotely view the object. - View Dependent Claims (32, 33)
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Specification