Reel for borescope insertion tube

• US 4,913,369 A
• Filed: 06/02/1989
• Issued: 04/03/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 06/02/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Everest Visual Inspection Technologies, Inc. (GE Aerospace)
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Wilson, Timothy K., Knieriem, Alan S., Lia, Raymond A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Levy, Stuart S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunlap, Eric P.
• Application Number:
  US07/360,857
• Time in Patent Office: 305 Days
• Field of Search: 242/96, 242/100, 242/129, 242/1, 242/118.41, 206/408, 206/303, 206/389
• US Class Current: 242/405.2
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 2701/536 Arrangements for protecting connectors attached to the wound material
• CPC Class Codes: B65H 75/40 mobile or transportable
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2476 Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 6/4457 Bobbins; Reels
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 242/917 Accommodating special material or article, e.g. antenna

Abstract

A storage and dispensing reel for borescope insertion tubes which has a reel compartment for the coiled tube and an inner foam filled storage compartment for the proximal end of the tube and the associated control modules therefore. The entire reel is arranged for rotation about its axis and has a cover to secure and protect the apparatus stored therein.

Claims

1. A borescope insertion tube storage and dispensing device comprising:

a base member;

a reel member rotatably mounted on said base, said real member consisting of upper and lower spaced apart flange members mounted on a plurality of standoffs defining an outer recess therebetween adapted to receive the insertion tube in coiled fashion and an inner cylindrical compartment;

a circular cover portion cut from the upper flange member and hingedly mounted therein providing, when in the open position, across to said inner cylindrical compartment within the center of said reel;

a cylindrical block of resilient foam material disposed within said inner compartment, having a plurality of cavities adapted to receive therein an interface module of a borescope insertion tube; and

handle means positioned adjacent the periphery of one of said flange members for carrying the storage and dispensing device.

2. A device as described in claim 1 further defined by a layer of semi-rigid foam material wrapped about said standoffs to form a support hub about which an insertion tube may be coiled.

3. A device as described in claim 2 further defined by the upper flange of said pair of flange members having an access notch therein;

and a latch mechanism mounted on said cover adapted to engage the outer edges of said upper flange on either side of said access notch to hold the cover closed.

4. A device as described in claim 2 wherein said upper flange member has cut therein an access notch so that the insertion tube may be led into the interior of said reel member from between said flanges.

5. A device as described in claim 2 wherein said lower flange member and said upper flange member have a central hole therein to form an axis about which said reel member may be rotated.

6. A device as described in claim 2 wherein at least one of said flange members has formed therein at least one hand hole adjacent the edge thereof.

7. Apparatus for storing and dispensing a borescope insertion tube having a distal end and a proximal end to which an interface module is attached, said apparatus including

a reel member having upper and lower spaced apart flange members mounted upon a plurality of standoffs which define an inner cylindrical compartment for storing the distal and proximal ends of an insertion tube and an outer recess, one of said flanges having an opening to said compartment formed therein,

a layer of material encircling the standoffs to form a hub about which said insertion tube is coiled,

a cylindrical block mounted within the compartment having a cavity passing downwardly into the block through a top surface of said block which faces the opening, the interface module of said insertion tube being stored within said cavity,

a cover means hingedly mounted on said one flange member for closing said opening and holding the distal and proximal ends of the insertion tube in a stored condition within said compartment, and

means to rotate the reel member about its central axis to coil and dispense said insertion tube.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 that further includes a handle means for carrying said reel member.