Improved probe for inspecting tubes having mechanism for maintaining alignment of probe axis of rotation
US5204622A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Nov 28, 1990 |
| Grant date | Apr 20, 1993 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Nov 28, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY02E30/30
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An improved tube inspection probe is provided of the type that includes a probe head assembly formed from a body member and a sensor holding mechanism for resiliently engaging a sensor against the inner wall of a tube, and a flexible cable connected to the body member for helically moving the probe head assembly through the interior of a tube. The improved probe comprises at least one centering device mounted around the cable for maintaining the axis of rotation of the cable in alignment with the center line of the tube, which includes a plurality of resilient finger members mounted around and extending away from the periphery of an annular member that surrounds the cable, wherein each of the fingers is canted at an acute angle with respect to a line tangent to the periphery of the annular member. The improvement may further comprise a button member resiliently mounted within the probe body in opposition to the resiliently-loaded sensor holding mechanism for maintaining the axis of the probe head assembly in alignment with the center line of the tube during operation, as well as a modular mount for detachably mounting the probe sensor to the sensor holding mechanism to facilitate t…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.