Method and apparatus for visual inspection of the internal structure of apparatus through internal passages
First Claim
1. An inspection device insertable into internal passages defined by walls of ferromagnetic material in an apparatus for inspection of internal features of said apparatus, said device comprising:
- a video probe comprising a video camera on a free end of an elongated flexible lead;
a motorized carriage having steerable drive means carrying said video probe into said internal passages and positioning said video camera adjacent to said internal feature to be inspected;
magnet means maintaining said carriage in engagement with said walls of ferromagnetic material of said internal passages as said carriage moves through said passages; and
means extending said video probe relative to said carriage to align said video camera with said internal feature.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
The internal structure of an apparatus with internal passages such as a steam turbine is inspected without dismantling by inserting a compact robotic carriage device into a steam pipe and remotely controlling the carriage to carry a video probe to a restricted passage such as a nozzle block and to extend the probe relative to the carriage to inspect features within the restricted passage such as turbine blades. Separate motor drives for each side of the carriage include drive wheels of slightly greater diameter than a timing belt which serves as a tractor tread to drive the carriage over obstacles not bridged by the wheels. A large permanent magnet between the wheels is retained within the carriage by front and rear axles and secures the carriage to the pipe walls in all orientations. The fixed size of the device is minimized by housing a motor for extending the probe relative to the carriage in a module cantilevered from the carriage by a preloaded compression spring. The single plane of articulation of the video probe is rotated by a torsion cable connected to the probe lead just behind the carriage.
74 Citations
14 Claims
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1. An inspection device insertable into internal passages defined by walls of ferromagnetic material in an apparatus for inspection of internal features of said apparatus, said device comprising:
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a video probe comprising a video camera on a free end of an elongated flexible lead; a motorized carriage having steerable drive means carrying said video probe into said internal passages and positioning said video camera adjacent to said internal feature to be inspected; magnet means maintaining said carriage in engagement with said walls of ferromagnetic material of said internal passages as said carriage moves through said passages; and means extending said video probe relative to said carriage to align said video camera with said internal feature. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of inspecting the internal structure of an apparatus having internal passages which lead to restricted passages in which said features to be inspected are located, said methods comprising the steps of:
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inserting a motorized steerable carriage into said internal passages, said carriage carrying a video probe having a flexible lead which extends back out of said internal passage to a monitoring device; securing said carriage to the walls of said internal passages and remotely maneuvering said carriage to carry said video probe through said internal passages to position said video probe in alignment with said restrictive passage; extending said video probe from said carriage through said restricted passage to said feature to be monitored; and monitoring the condition of said feature from images transmitted to said monitor by said video probe over said flexible lead. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12)
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13. A method of inspecting a steam generator having steam lines supplying steam through restricted internal passages to turbine wheels having turbine blades, said method comprising the steps of:
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inserting a motorized steerable carriage through said steam lines to one of said restricted passages, said carriage having a magnet which holds the carriage to the steam pipe and carrying a video probe having a flexible lead which extends back out of said steam line to a monitoring device; extending said video probe from said carriage through said restricted internal passage to said turbine wheel; and monitoring the condition of said blades of said turbine wheel from images transmitted to said monitor by said video probe over said flexible lead. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification