Panoramic pipe inspector

• US 6,621,516 B1
• Filed: 07/21/2000
• Issued: 09/16/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/18/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert S. Smith, Susanne M. Montemayor, Thomas Wasson
• Original Assignee: Robert S. Smith, Susanne M. Montemayor, Thomas Wasson
• Inventors: Montemayor, Susanne M, Wasson, Thomas, Smith, Robert S.
• Primary Examiner(s): BRITTON, HOWARD W
• Application Number:
  US09/621,992
• Time in Patent Office: 1,152 Days
• Field of Search: H04/N.718, 348/36, 348/84, 348/85, 356/241.1, 396/19
• US Class Current: 348/84
• CPC Class Codes: H04N 7/185 from a mobile camera, e.g. for remote control

Abstract

A system for securing image data of an environment including a camera having a panoramic lens mounted on a cart. In one embodiment, the motor mounted on the cart is battery operated so that the cart is self contained. In one embodiment, the cart is mounted on a pair of caterpillar treads, each tread having its own motor controlled to drive the motor forward, backward or to turn. For inline inspection, such as the inside of a pipe, the camera is mounted on the cart by cantilevered legs that permit adjusting the height of the camera above the surface supporting the cart (the interior surface of the pipe and maintains the axis of the panoramic lens parallel with the pipe. In other versions, the cart is equipped to form images of pipe whose interior surface has been penetrated by phospohescent laced water that weeps from outside the pipe into the pipe interior. In another embodiment, the inside surface of pipe is sprayed with a laccquer containing phosphorescent-ferromagnetic particles that coalesce along the edges of discontinuities in the pipe surface. In yet another embodiment, the cart and camera are encased in a water tight seal and with only the caterpilar treads mounted on wheels protrucint from the housing and the camera is encased in a water tight container. The caterpillar tread is equipped with flippers that lay down when the wheels supporting the tread turn in one direction but which are free to stand up when the tread is movved in the opposite direction. The flippers are lockable in either direction.

Claims

1. A mobile inspection system for presenting an inspected view on a monitor which comprises:

a camera including;

(a.) a panoramic lens having a field of view being a band that concentrically encircles an axis of said panoramic lens;

(b.) an array of charge coupled elements arranged for receiving an image signal representing an image of said field of view transmitted through said panoramic lens

an image data processing circuit arranged to receive said image signal and display a selected portion of said image on a monitor,

a cart including;

(a) a housing;

(c.) motor means mounted on said housing for moving said cart in said direction;

said motor means responsive to position signals for controlling motion of said cart;

(d) means for mounting said camera on said housing with said axis parallel to a selected direction;

a command means remote from said cart configured for receiving image signals and transmitting said image signals to said image processing center and generate position signals initiated by an operator,

control means mounted in said housing and coupled to said array for receiving said image data;

said control means connected to said motor means for controlling motion of said cart in response to position signals received by said control means;

signal transmission means for transmitting position signals from said command means to said control means and for transmitting image data from said control means to said command means.

2. The inspection system of claim 1 wherein said direction is perpendicular to said base surface.

3. The inspection system of claim 1 wherein said direction is selectably variable between a direction that is perpendicular to said base surface and a direction that is parallel to said base surface.

4. The inspection system of claim 1 wherein said direction is parallel to said base surface.

5. The system of claim 4 wherein said means for mounting is constructed to permit selection of a distance between said base surface and said axis of said lens.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said distance is a radius of a pipe providing that when said cart is positioned in said pipe, said system presents a panoramic view of an interior surface of said pipe.

7. The system of claim 5 wherein said means for mounting said camera on said housing comprises at least two legs parallel to each other, each leg having one end hingably attached to said camera and another end hingably mounted on said housing and operably arranged to maintain said axis parallel to said direction and to permit adjustment of a distance between said base surface and said axis.

8. The system of claim 7 which comprises a rotary actuator coupled to at least one of said legs for orienting said legs at a desired inclination.

9. The system of claim 7 wherein means for mounting said camera on said housing with said axis parallel to said direction comprises a leg of at least two sections, said sections telescoping together with one end of said leg secured to said camera and another end of said leg mounted on said housing.

10. The system of claim 1 wherein said means adapted for supporting said housing comprises two pairs of wheels, one pair of of said two pair of wheels respectively on one side of said housing and another pair of wheels on an opposite side of said housing.

11. The system of claim 10 wherein said motor control means includes switching means for:

(a.) driving both pairs of wheels to move said cart in a forward direction;

(b.) driving both pairs wheels to move said cart in a rearward direction;

(c.) driving each pair of wheels in a direction opposite said other pair of wheels whereby said cart is driven in a turning direction.

12. The system of claim 1 wherein said means adapted for supporting said housing comprises a pair of caterpillar treads and two pairs of wheels, each tread mounted on one pair of said two pair of wheels respectively, one caterpillar tread on one side of said housing and another caterpillar tread on an opposite side of said housing.

13. The system of claim 12 wherein said motor control means includes switching means for:

(a.) driving both pairs of wheels to move said cart in a forward direction;

(b.) driving both pairs wheels to move said cart in a rearward direction;

(c.) driving each pair of wheels in a direction opposite said other pair of wheels whereby said cart is driven in a turning direction.

14. The system of claim 10 wherein said motor means comprises two motors, one of said two motors coupled to one said pair of wheels and another one of said two motors coupled to said other pair of wheels.

15. The system of claim 10 wherein said motor means comprises a first variable transmission means connecting said motor to said first pair of wheels;

a second variable transmission connecting said motor to said second pair of wheels.

16. The system of claim 1 wherein said motor means comprises a battery housed within said housing and connected to power said motor means.

17. The system of claim 1 wherein said motor means comprises power transmission means adapted for connection to an external source of power.

18. The system of claim 1 wherein said command means comprises:

means for generating a desired position signal corresponding to motion of said cart selected by an operator of said system; and

means for transmitting said desired position signal to said control means; and

said control means positioned within said housing and arranged to control power delivered to said motor means responsive to said position signal.

19. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting said image signal from said array to said image data processing system and said position signal from said command center to said control center comprises:

(a.) a first transceiver connected to said control for sending image data to a remote second transmitter and receiving instructions from said second transmitter to operate said motor means;

(b.) a second transceiver connected to said command center for receiving image data from said first transceiver and sending instructions from said command center to operate said motor means.

20. The system of claim 1 wherein said means for transmitting said image signal from said array to said image data processing system and said position signal from said command center to said control center comprises a cable connecting said control center to said command center.

21. The system of claim 1 which further comprises;

a level sensing means for generating a signal representing angle of tilt of said cart about an axis perpendicular to said direction;

said control center coupled to said level sensing means for transmitting said signal representing angle of tilt to said command center.

22. The system of claim 1 wherein a subject to be inspected comprises a cavity defined by a wall having an interior surface within a region and said system further comprises:

a source of water laced with a phosphorescent dye;

means for dispensing said water in said region surrounding said cavity whereby said camera, transported into said cavity by said cart is enabled to form an image of a water covered area of said interior surface by virtue of phosphorescent light emitted from said water that has seeped into said cavity and covered said water covered area.

23. The system of claim 21 wherein said cavity is a pipe whereby said camera is enabled to form an image of cracks in said pipe.

24. The system of claim 1 further comprising a light means arranged for illuminating surroundings of said camera.

25. The system of claim 24 wherein said light means comprises

a hemispherical reflector;

a clear transparent cylinder enclosing said hemispherical reflector

a cylindrical light bulb mounted on an end of said clear transparent cylinder coaxial with said hemispherical reflector and cylinder whereby light generated by said bulb is unobstructed to shine on and is reflected by said field of view;

said array of charge coupled elements arranged on a plane perpendicular to said axis to receive light from said field of view reflected from said reflector providing that said light reflected from said field of view passes through the clear plastic cylinder 26, and is reflected by hemispherical reflector and is focussed by said focussing means onto said charge coupled device surface;

electrical wires for energizing said bulb positioned along said axis of said camera through an opening in the center of said reflector 28 and focussing means providing that said wires avoid casting a shadow that would otherwise interfere with formation of the image of the pipe surface.

26. The system of claim 24 wherein said light means is positioned at a location on one side of said array opposite another side of said array, said lens being positioned on said another side of said array.

27. The system of claim 1 which further comprises:

a reservoir means for storing lacquer containing ferromagnetic-phosphorescent particles;

means for spraying said lacquer onto a surface;

said camera positioned to form image signals of said surface.

28. The system of claim 27 wherein said reservoir and sprayer are mounted on said cart.

29. The system of claim 1 further comprising:

said housing being sealed to prevent penetration of water into an interior of said housing;

said camera being sealed to prevent penetration of water into an interior of said housing.

30. A mobile inspection system for presenting an inspected view on a monitor which comprises:

a camera including;

(a.) a panoramic lens having a field of view being a band that concentrically encircles an axis of said panoramic lens;

(b.) an array of charge coupled elements arranged for receiving an image signal representing an image of said field of view transmitted through said panoramic lens;

(c.) an image data processing circuit arranged to receive said image signal and adapted to display a selected portion of said image on a monitor;

a cart including;

(a) a housing;

(b) means adapted for supporting said housing on a base surface and constructed to permit said cart to move in a direction parallel to said base surface;

(c.) motor means mounted on said housing for moving said cart in said direction;

said motor means adapted for connection to a means for controlling motion of said cart;

(d) means for mounting said camera on said housing with said axis parallel to a selected direction.

31. The system of claim 30 further comprising:

a plurality of LED light sources;

a plurality of optical pipes, one optical pipe for each one LED light source;

each optical pipe having one end arranged to collect light from a respective LED light source and another end being one of an array of ends of other ends of said plurality of optical pipes;

said array of ends arranged to form a circle of said ends radiating light in a radial direction;

said circle of said ends arranged concentric with said panoramic lens whereby said band surrounding said camera is uniformly illuminated.

32. A panoramic camera which comprises:

comprising;

a camera including;

(a.) a panoramic lens having a field of view being a band that concentrically encircles an axis of said panoramic lens;

(b.) an array of charge coupled elements arranged for receiving an image signal representing an image of said field of view transmitted through said panoramic lens;

(c.) an image data processing circuit arranged to receive said image signal and adapted to display a selected portion of said image on a monitor,

a plurality of LED light sources;

a plurality of optical pipes, one optical pipe for each one LED light source;

each optical pipe having one end arranged to collect light from a respective LED light source and another end being one of an array of ends of other ends of said plurality of optical pipes;

said array of ends arranged to form a circle of said ends radiating light in a radial direction;

said circle of said ends arranged concentric with said panoramic lens whereby said band surrounding said camera is uniformly illuminated.