Motorized mirror assembly

• US 5,345,339 A
• Filed: 01/29/1993
• Issued: 09/06/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies LP (General Electric Company)
• Original Assignee: Welch Allyn Incorporated
• Inventors: Knieriem, Alan S., Tamburrino, Richard A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Look, Edward K.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LARSON, JAMES
• Application Number:
  US08/011,165
• Time in Patent Office: 585 Days
• Field of Search: 359/367, 359/198, 359/200, 359/223, 359/503-506, 359/896, 359/871-882, 359/417-419, 359/427-428, 356/241, 128/4, 128/6, 358/98, 200/60
• US Class Current: 359/872
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2423 of the distal end
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 7/1827 Motorised alignment

Abstract

A motorized mirror assembly attaches to a borescope insertion tube for rotating a mirror to provide side viewing capability. A housing for a motor/gearbox has an access port at one end that provides access to a shaft driven by the motor/gearbox for attachment to a side-viewing mirror. The assembly includes a battery enclosure into which a battery is inserted. The housing and battery enclosure have diameters that do not exceed the diameter of the borescope insertion tube. Power is switchably supplied to the motor/gearbox by an arrangement in which a ring retainer is connected to the housing, and a compression spring is mounted in electrical contact with one of the battery terminals and with an electrical terminal on the motor/gearbox. The tension exerted by the spring urges the motor/gearbox against a surface of the housing, and also pushes the battery against the wall of the battery enclosure to establish secure electrical continuity therebetween. A switch arrangement includes a rotatable contact ring, immobilized by slots that engage studs projecting from an external ring that rotates about the ring retainer to urge the contact ring into rotation therewith, the contact ring coming in and out of electrical contact with a second electrical contact terminal. The battery enclosure is connected to the other end of the external ring and has a removable cap to allow installation and removal of the battery. Thus a battery can be removed and a replacement battery installed without disturbing the contact ring.

Claims

1. A motorized mirror assembly attachable to the distal end of a borescope insertion tube for rotating a mirror about the axis thereof to provide a side viewing capability, comprising:

a housing having an access port at one end;

a motor/gearbox disposed in said housing having a shaft, a first electrical terminal and a second electrical terminal, said access port allowing access to said shaft;

a side-viewing mirror that is detachably mounted on said shaft for rotation therewith;

a battery enclosure and a battery removably disposed therein;

a ring retainer connected to said housing;

switch means for completing an electrical circuit between said battery and said motor/gearbox, said switch means alternating between a power-on state and a power-off state, said switch means comprising;

an external ring having a first end portion that surrounds a portion of said ring retainer, a second end, and inwardly projecting studs;

a contact ring disposed in said ring retainer and rotatable about an axis thereof, said contact ring having slots formed therein that are engaged by said inwardly projecting studs of said external ring to urge said contact ring into rotation therewith to make and break electrical contact with said first electrical terminal of said motor/gearbox, said ring retainer having openings therethrough that allow said external ring to advance thereover, said battery enclosure being connected to said second end of said external ring and having an access means to allow installation and removal of said battery; and

electrical contact means connected to said switch means, comprising a compression spring, mounted in electrical contact with a terminal of said battery and said second electrical terminal of said motor/gearbox, urging said motor/gearbox against said housing, and urging said battery against said battery enclosure to establish secure electrical continuity therebetween;

whereby said battery can be removed and a replacement battery installed without disturbing said contact ring and without affecting said states of said switch means.

2. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said housing and said battery enclosure have diameters that do not exceed the diameter of the borescope insertion tube.

3. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said ring retainer has means for immobilizing said motor/gearbox in said housing.

4. The assembly according to claim 1, wherein said battery enclosure comprises a removable cap disposed at an end thereof.

5. A motorized mirror assembly attachable to the distal end of a borescope insertion tube for rotating a mirror about the axis thereof to provide a side viewing capability, comprising:

a housing having a motor/gearbox disposed therein, said motor/gearbox having a shaft that is accessible through a port in said housing;

stand-off means attached to said housing for accommodating a side viewing mirror that is detachably mounted on the motor shaft for rotation therewith;

a battery enclosure and a battery disposed therein, said battery enclosure having a removable cap for installation and removal of said battery;

electrical contact means for connecting said battery and said motor/gearbox in an electrical circuit, said electrical contact means including switch means having a power-on position and a power-off position for enabling and disabling electrical continuity between said battery and said motor/gearbox, said electrical contact means comprising;

having slots therein for engaging pins that project from said motor/gearbox to secure said motor/gearbox in a fixed position in said housing;

a compression spring, mounted in electrical contact with a first terminal of said battery and a contact of said motor/gearbox, urging said motor/gearbox against said housing, and urging said battery against said battery enclosure to establish secure electrical continuity therebetween;

said switch means comprising;

a contact ring, disposed in said ring retainer and rotatable about an axis thereof, slots of said contact ring engaging inwardly projecting studs of an external ring having a first end portion that surrounds a portion of said ring retainer for rotation thereabout to urge said contact ring into rotation therewith to make and break electrical contact with a second electrical terminal, said ring retainer having openings therethrough that allow said external ring to advance thereover;

said battery enclosure being connected to a second end of said external ring and having an access for installation and removal of said battery;

whereby said battery can be removed and a replacement battery installed without disturbing said contact ring and without affecting said positions of said switch means.

6. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein a diameter of said housing does not exceed the diameter of the borescope insertion tube.

7. The assembly according to claim 5, wherein said motor/gearbox includes a cylindrical contact assembly disposed at an end thereof, said contact assembly includes said second terminal disposed on an external circumferential surface of said contact assembly, and an additional terminal disposed on a free end of said contact assembly for contact with said compression spring.