Bore hole camera with improved forward and side view illumination
US6697102B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 31, 2000 |
| Grant date | Feb 24, 2004 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 28, 2022 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC H)Electricity
- CPC primaryH04N7/183
- WIPO fieldAudio-visual technology
- WIPO sectorElectrical engineering
Abstract
An elongate rugged cylindrical metal housing encloses rotatable forward looking and side looking video cameras for inspecting bore holes of water, oil and natural gas wells. A ring-shaped array of white LEDs is mounted on a PC board at the forward end of the housing. The ring-shaped array of LEDs surrounds, and is spaced rearward of a flat sapphire window through which the forward looking video camera views down the bore hole. The array of forward looking LEDs is encased behind a dome-shaped acrylic window which protects the forward looking LEDs from physical impacts and also functions as a light pipe. A side looking video camera is mounted in an inner tube rotatable by a motor drive within the outer housing about a longitudinal axis of the outer housing. The side field of view of the second video camera can be aligned with a predetermined circumferential region of a side wall of the bore hole for locating and inspecting defects in a well casing. A stationary cylindrical array of white LEDs is mounted in the exterior housing, surrounding the inner rotatable tube, slightly rearward of the second video camera. A light bending film with tiny Fresnel prisms is mounted just inside a cyl…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.