Case for video probe

• US 5,323,899 A
• Filed: 06/01/1993
• Issued: 06/28/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1993
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies LP (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Strom, John R., Stone, Michael C., Ciarlei, Joseph A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gehman, Bryon P.
• Application Number:
  US08/069,427
• Time in Patent Office: 392 Days
• Field of Search: 206/363, 206/305, 128/4, 128/6, 362/32
• US Class Current: 206/363
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G21C 17/08 Structural combination of reactor core or moderator structure with viewing means, e.g. with television camera, periscope, window
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 30/30 Nuclear fission reactors

Abstract

A case of the type for carrying and using an instrument having an insertion tube, a control handle, and a light box having therein a fan, the case comprising a body with a removable cover, a primary cavity in the body for snugly receiving the light box therein, oriented so that controls on the light box are accessible to a user, a secondary cavity in the body for receiving a control handle attached to the insertion tube therein, and a coil of tubular material, having a low coefficient of friction, positioned within the secondary cavity, and having an open proximal end into which the insertion tube can be slidably received for storage. The case is structured to promote cooling the of light box.

Claims

1. A case for carrying and using an instrument having a control handle, an insertion tube, and a light box, said light box having a fan therein, the case comprising:

a body having a removable cover;

a primary cavity in said body for snugly receiving a light box therein, said cavity being oriented so that controls on a received light box are accessible to a user;

a secondary cavity in said body for receiving therein a control handle attached to an insertion tube;

a tubular coil of material having a low coefficient of friction positioned within said secondary cavity, the tubular coil having an open proximal end into which an insertion tube can be slidably received for storage; and

means for cooling a light box.

2. The case of claim 1 wherein an instrument to be stored therein further comprises a measurement box and said primary cavity receives a measurement box, said primary cavity being oriented so that controls on the measurement box contained therein are accessible to a user.

3. The case of claim 1 wherein a control handle to be stored therein has a three branched power cord, having a first branch attached to a control handle, a second branch detachably pluggable into a light box, and a third branch reversibly pluggable into a power source, and said body further comprises:

a control handle power cord cavity for containing therein a third branch of a control handle power cord; and

a light box power cord cavity for containing therein a power cord to a light box.

4. The case of claim 1, being generally rectangular in cross section and having height as its greatest dimension and depth as its smallest dimension, and oriented so that said cover is on top and so that it receives a light box that is generally rectangular in cross section, having controls on its top face and having height as its greatest dimension in such as orientation that controls on a light box face said cover.

5. The case of claim 1 having said secondary cavity proximate said primary cavity.

6. The case of claim 1 wherein said means for cooling a light box comprises:

a bottom cavity, into which said coil of tubular low friction material extends, said bottom cavity being partitioned from said primary and secondary cavities by a bottom panel, said bottom panel having a cutout portion therethrough to said primary cavity which cutout portion is sized to receive a light box fan; and

said bottom panel having exhaust apertures therethrough to said secondary cavity, placing said bottom cavity in fluid communication with said second cavity

whereby a light box fan received by the cut out portion forces air through the cutout portion, into the bottom cavity, through the exhaust apertures, and through the secondary cavity, thus directing heat from a received light box of the case.

7. The case of claim 1 wherein said cover contains a plurality of cover cavities to accommodate one or more of the group comprising:

a portion of a control handle power cord, a manual, a visor, a box for a side view mirror, a spare lamp, a shoulder strap, and communication cables for linking a light box to a measurement box.