Insulator design for video inspection devices

• US 9,049,351 B2
• Filed: 05/03/2011
• Issued: 06/02/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 05/03/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inspectron, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Inspectron, Inc.
• Inventors: Lyons, Brent, Boehnlein, Al, Newman, Tye, Schober, Jeffrey C., Scarth, Aaron, Plane, Jeff
• Primary Examiner(s): SENFI, BEHROOZ M
• Application Number:
  US13/099,495
• Publication Number:
  US 20110273556A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,491 Days
• Field of Search: 348/65, 348/68, 348/85, 348/75, 348/76, 348/82, 348/84, 348/86, 348/87, 600/109, 600/112, 600/129, 600/130, 600/160, 600/171, 600/110
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G02B 23/2484 Arrangements in relation to a camera or imaging device processing or control of video signals generated by an endoscope H04N23/60, H04N23/70
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/183 for receiving images from a single remote source
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49002 Electrical device making

Abstract

A method is provided for manufacturing a remote video inspection device. The method includes: applying an insulating coating to an exterior surface of a conduit; forming an imager housing on one end of the conduit using an overmolding process, the imager housing having a cavity configured to receive a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed thereon; feeding wires through the conduit and electrically coupling the wires to the circuit board assembly; inserting the circuit board assembly into the cavity of the imager housing; affixing a cap over the cavity of the imager housing; sliding an insulating finger guard over an opposing end of the conduit; affixing the finger guard along the conduit at a location proximate to the opposing end of the cable, such that the finger guard extends radially outward from the cable; and attaching a connector to the opposing end of the conduit. In this way, the remote inspection device has been designed to meet certain electrical safety standards.

Claims

1. A remote inspection device, comprising:

a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed at an outwardly facing end of the circuit board assembly, the imaging device being operable to capture an image of a viewing area proximate to the outwardly facing end of a flexible cable and convert the image into a video signal;

a display housing having an image processor adapted to receive the video signal from the imaging device and operable to convert the video signal to a video image for display on a display device residing in the display housing;

the cable having a first end coupled to the circuit board assembly and a second end coupled to the display housing, the cable comprised of a metal conduit encased by an insulating material and housing a plurality of wires therein, where the wires operably connect the imaging device to the power source and the image processor, the insulating material having a first layer and a second layer, wherein the first layer extends along the cable toward the first end beyond the second layer;

an imager housing encasing the circuit board assembly and encircling a portion of the first end of the cable; and

a finger guard that extends radially outward from the cable and positioned along the cable at a location proximate to the display housing, wherein the finger guard has a hole passing therethrough for receiving the cable.

2. The inspection device of claim 1 wherein the metal conduit is encased by two distinct layers of insulating material, a first layer over a second layer, each layer having a different color.

3. The inspection device of claim 1 wherein the imager housing having a cavity configured to receive the circuit board assembly and an annular channel sized to receive an end of the cable.

4. The inspection device of claim 1 wherein the finger guard is comprised of an insulating material.

5. The inspection device of claim 1 further comprises a connector disposed on the second end of the cable for detachably coupling the cable to the display housing.

6. The inspection device of claim 1 configured to meet a category IV rating in accordance with safety standards issued by the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC).

7. The inspection device of claim 1, wherein the finger guard comprises a flared out section of the imager housing.

8. The inspection device of claim 1, further comprising:

a ferrule molded onto the cable, proximate to the display housing, and wherein the finger guard is affixed to the ferrule.

10. The inspection device of claim 8, wherein the finger guard is glued onto the ferrule.

11. The inspection device of claim 3, wherein the first layer extends along the cable toward the first end beyond the second layer.

13. The inspection device of claim 3, wherein the imager housing is molded over the first layer and the second layer.

9. A remote inspection device, comprising:

a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed at an outwardly facing end of the circuit board assembly, the imaging device being operable to capture an image of a viewing area proximate to the outwardly facing end of a flexible cable and convert the image into a video signal;

a display housing having an image processor adapted to receive the video signal from the imaging device and operable to convert the video signal to a video image for display on a display device residing in the display housing;

the cable having a first end coupled to the circuit board assembly and a second end coupled to the display housing, the cable comprised of a metal conduit encased by an insulating material and housing a plurality of wires therein, where the wires operably connect the imaging device to the power source and the image processor;

an imager housing encasing the circuit board assembly and encircling a portion of the first end of the cable; and

a finger guard that extends radially outward from the cable and positioned along the cable at a location proximate to the display housing, wherein the finger guard has a hole passing therethrough for receiving the cable;

a ferrule molded onto the cable, proximate to the display housing, and wherein the finger guard is affixed to the ferrule, wherein the ferrule comprises a threaded portion and the finger guard is screwed onto the threaded portion of the ferrule.

12. A remote inspection device, comprising:

a circuit board assembly having an imaging device disposed at an outwardly facing end of the circuit board assembly, the imaging device being operable to capture an image of a viewing area proximate to the outwardly facing end of a flexible cable and convert the image into a video signal;

a display housing having an image processor adapted to receive the video signal from the imaging device and operable to convert the video signal to a video image for display on a display device residing in the display housing;

the cable having a first end coupled to the circuit board assembly and a second end coupled to the display housing, the cable comprised of a metal conduit encased by an insulating material and housing a plurality of wires therein, where the wires operably connect the imaging device to the power source and the image processor, the insulating material having a first layer and a second layer;

an imager housing encasing the circuit board assembly and encircling a portion of the first end of the cable; and

a finger guard that extends radially outward from the cable and positioned along the cable at a location proximate to the display housing, wherein the finger guard has a hole passing therethrough for receiving the cable;

a ferrule molded onto the cable, proximate to the display housing, and wherein the finger guard is affixed to the ferrule,

wherein the first layer extends along the cable toward the first end beyond the second layer, wherein the imager housing is molded over the second layer and the first layer extending over the imager housing.