Inspection apparatus guide system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10031331-B2
Application number	US-201313937974-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2013
Priority date	Jul 9, 2013
Publication date	Jul 24, 2018
Grant date	Jul 24, 2018

Abstract

A valve body in a passage of a housing connected to a through hole in a sealed machine casing can allow an inspection apparatus into an interior of the casing when open, and prevents fluid flow through the passage when closed. Seals can engage the inspection apparatus to prevent fluid flow through the passage during inspection or inspection apparatus movement. A guide conduit in the casing can include branches and can guide the inspection apparatus to multiple inspection sites. Guide marks can identify the branches to assist with navigation within the casing.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inspection apparatus guide system comprising:
a housing configured at a first end thereof for attachment to a casing, the housing including a main passage therethrough configured for communication with a first through hole in the casing, the main passage being sized to receive an inspection apparatus extendible therethrough;
a guide conduit positioned in the casing and substantially aligned with the first through hole, the guide conduit including:
a branch point positioned within the casing; and
at least two branch conduits formed by and extending from the branch point, the at least two branch conduits in communication with one another and extending to respective inspection sites inside the casing;

a valve body mounted in the housing so that an outboard portion of the main passage lies between the valve body and a second end of the housing, the valve body having a first position in which the valve body seals the outboard portion of the main passage from the interior of the casing, the valve body further having a second position in which the valve body opens the main passage to the interior of the casing;
a first seal mounted in the housing so as to project into the main passage farther from the casing than the valve body is with an inner periphery of the first seal that is smaller than an outer periphery of the inspection apparatus so that the first seal is arranged to sealingly engage the inspection apparatus, thereby substantially preventing passage of fluid between the inner periphery of the first seal and the outer periphery of the inspection apparatus; and
a retainer mounted within the housing and surrounding a portion of the outboard portion of the main passage, the retainer including:
a second seal; and
an actuator in mechanical communication with the second seal, the actuator configured to induce the second seal to shift between:
a retention state in which the second seal sealingly engages and retains the inspection apparatus against motion; and
a relaxed state in which the second seal allows the inspection apparatus to move.

2. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one guide mark on an internal surface of the guide conduit near the branch point, each guide mark identifying one of the branch point or a respective branch conduit of the at least two branch conduits of the guide conduit.

3. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , wherein the retainer mounted in the housing is positioned farther from the valve body than the first seal is.

4. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , wherein the housing includes an internal shoulder farther from the casing than the first seal is, an inner diameter of the main passage is smaller on an inboard side of the shoulder than on an outboard side of the shoulder, the second seal includes a substantially annular compression member configured to engage the shoulder, the housing includes threads on an internal surface of the main passage outboard of the shoulder, and the actuator includes a threaded member including external threads that interact with the threads on the internal surface of the main passage so that rotation of the threaded member in a first direction moves the threaded member toward the shoulder and rotation of the threaded member in a second direction moves the threaded member away from the shoulder.

5. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , further comprising a selectively pressurized chamber in the main passage farther from the valve body than the first seal is, the selectively pressurized chamber including a port through a wall of the chamber and a valve connected to the port and to a source of pressurized fluid.

6. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 5 , further comprising a third seal in the main passage farther from the valve body than the selectively pressurized chamber is, and the first and third seals allow motion of the inspection apparatus relative to the first and third seals.

7. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , wherein the first through hole of the sealed casing is an access port of the sealed casing and the housing is configured to sealingly attach to the sealed casing over the access port.

8. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 1 , wherein the inspection apparatus is a flexible borescope.

9. An inspection apparatus guide system for facilitating inspection of an interior of a sealed casing of a machine, the inspection system comprising:
a guide conduit positioned below a first through hole in the sealed casing and including a diameter substantially equal to a diameter of the first through hole, the guide conduit including:
a branch point positioned within the sealed casing; and
at least two branch conduits formed by and extending from the branch point, the at least two branch conduits in communication with one another and extending to respective inspection sites inside the casing;

a housing including a main passage therethrough sized to allow passage of the inspection apparatus, the housing being configured for attachment to the sealed casing to align at least an inboard end of the main passage with the first through hole and with an end of the guide conduit;
a valve body supported in the housing so as to at least span the main passage and having a first position that substantially prevents fluid communication between an interior of the sealed casing and a portion of the main passage outboard of the valve body, and having a second position that allows fluid communication between the interior of the sealed casing and the portion of the main passage outboard of the valve body; and
a first seal supported in the housing outboard of the valve body and projecting into the main passage, the first seal having an inner periphery that is smaller than an outer periphery of the inspection apparatus and being arranged to engage the inspection apparatus in an interference fit when the inspection apparatus extends through the main passage,
wherein the housing and the first seal are configured to prevent a fluid of the sealed casing from flowing to an exterior of the sealed casing from the housing.

10. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 9 , wherein the main passage includes a second seal mounted between the first seal and the valve body.

11. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 9 , wherein the main passage includes a selectively pressurized chamber between the first seal and the second seal.

12. The inspection apparatus guide system of claim 9 , further comprising at least two guide marks on an internal surface of the guide conduit near the branch point, each guide mark identifying a respective branch conduit of the at least two branch conduits extending from the branch point.

13. An inspection apparatus guide system for facilitating inspection of a sealed casing of a machine, the inspection apparatus guide system comprising:
a housing including a main passage configured to allow passage of an inspection apparatus selectively extendible therethrough;
a guide conduit positioned in the sealed casing and substantially aligned with the main passage of the housing, the guide conduit including:
a branch point positioned within the casing; and
at least two branch conduits formed by and extending from the branch point, the at least two branch conduits in communication with one another and extending to respective inspection sites inside the casing;

a retainer mounted in the housing at an outboard end of the housing opposite the inboard end, the retainer being configured to selectively engage the inspection apparatus in an interference

Assignees

• Gen Electric

Inventors

• Banowetz Daniel Lawrence
• Baker Jordan Christopher
• Batzinger Thomas James
• George Anthony James
• Longwell Ronald Irving
• Scoffone Matthew Peter
• Soloway Daniel David

Classifications

• G02B23/2476 Primary

  Non-optical details, e.g. housings, mountings, supports · CPC title

• H02K5/12

  specially adapted for operating in liquid or gas (combined with cooling arrangements H02K9/00) · CPC title

• G02B23/16 Primary

  Housings; Caps; Mountings; Supports, e.g. with counterweight · CPC title

• Y10T137/8359

  Inspection means · CPC title

• G01N21/952

  Inspecting the exterior surface of cylindrical bodies or wires (G01N21/956 takes precedence) · CPC title