Miniature air gap inspection crawler

• US 5,650,579 A
• Filed: 12/05/1995
• Issued: 07/22/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Electric Company
• Original Assignee: General Electric Company
• Inventors: Hatley, Richard M., Hatley, Kenneth J.
• Primary Examiner(s): RAEVIS, ROBERT R
• Application Number:
  US08/567,660
• Time in Patent Office: 595 Days
• Field of Search: 73/865.8, 73/12.01, 73/12.09, 73/622, 73/623, 324/219-221, 348/82-85
• US Class Current: 73/865.8
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 55/065 Multi-track vehicles, i.e. more than two tracks soil-shifting machines E02F; mining machines E21C
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/34 Testing dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H02K 15/00 Methods or apparatus specially adapted for manufacturing, assembling, maintaining or repairing of dynamo-electric machines
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/181 for receiving images from a plurality of remote sources

Abstract

A miniature air gap inspection crawler for in situ inspection of the generator field and stator core of a generator. The crawler has a collapsed position for insertion into the air gap of a generator and an expanded position for pressing drive modules of the crawler against the generator field and stator core. Cameras mounted on the crawler provide video images of the field and core.

Claims

1. A miniature air gap inspection device comprising,

first and second spaced apart side drive modules,

a center drive module disposed between said side drive modules,

said center drive module being coupled to each of said side drive modules by a link arm permitting the center drive module to be raised and lowered with respect to the side drive modules, wherein said first, second and center drive modules each include a track for driving on a generator field or stator core, and an inspection module mounted on at least one of said drive modules.

2. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 1 wherein each drive module includes a reversible, variable speed drive motor whereby each drive module is independently driven.

3. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 2 wherein each track is a toothed track and is driven by toothed drive wheels driven by one of said drive motors.

4. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 3 wherein each said drive module includes a toothed idler wheel in contact with a track and means for adjusting the position of the idler wheel to adjust track tension.

5. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 2 wherein the variable drive motor of the center drive module is operable in an oscillating manner during turning maneuvers.

6. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 1 wherein each said drive module includes an electrical drive motor, a gear assembly coupled to the drive motor and a pair of wheels driven by the gear assembly for engaging said track.

7. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 1 further comprising pneumatic rams coupled to said side drive modules for acting on the link arms to raise the center drive module to an elevated position.

8. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 7 further comprising a cross shaft connecting said link arms together.

9. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 7 and including a main yoke connecting said first and second drive modules together and a cross shaft connecting the link arms to said main yoke.

10. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 9 wherein said inspection module is pivotally coupled to said main yoke and includes means in said inspection module attached to said main yoke for permitting the controlled pivoting of said inspection module.

11. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 1 wherein said inspection module comprises a camera.

12. Apparatus for in situ inspecting a generator air gap comprising,

a miniature crawler collapsible to a height less than the width of the generator air gap to be inspected and expandable to a position having a height greater than the width of the air gap and comprising drive members which press against a generator field and stator core defining the air gap in the expanded position,

said drive members comprising motor driven tracks for driving against the generator field and stator core to propel the crawler through the air gap,

at least one camera for viewing the field and the stator core carried on the miniature crawler, and

a motion control system coupled to said miniature crawler for controlling said drive members.

13. Apparatus as in claim 12 wherein said miniature crawler comprises a pneumatic actuated ram and link arm subsystem coupled between the drive members for expanding the crawler to the expanded position.

14. A miniature air gap inspection device comprising,

first and second spaced apart side drive modules,

a center drive module disposed between said side drive modules,

said center drive module being coupled to each of said side drive modules by a link arm permitting the center drive module to be raised and lowered with respect to the side drive modules,

an inspection module mounted on at least one of said drive modules, wherein said inspection module is pivotally mounted on said at least one drive module by members which allow the inspection module to be tilted about an axis substantially perpendicular to an inspection module viewing axis, and

a pneumatic ram for controlling the tilt of the inspection module.

15. A miniature air gap inspection device as in claim 14 wherein said pneumatic ram is a spring return pneumatic ram.