Inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11054341-B2
Application number	US-201916701786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 3, 2019
Priority date	Dec 11, 2018
Publication date	Jul 6, 2021
Grant date	Jul 6, 2021

Abstract

A hand-mounted inspection system, configured to be mounted on a user's hand, comprising: an imaging unit, configured to provide images from at least one point of view located on the user's hand; and a measuring unit, configured to provide data relating to a physical property measured at a measurement location on the user's hand. The measuring unit includes a sensor configured to provide a measurement between two measurement locations, each of the two measurement locations being located on a digit of the user's hand, a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand.

First claim

We claim:

1. A hand-mounted inspection system, configured to be mounted on a user's hand, comprising:
an imaging unit, configured to provide images from at least one point of view located on the user's hand; and
a measuring unit, configured to provide data relating to a physical property measured at a measurement location on the user's hand;
wherein the measuring unit includes at least two sensors, one for each of at least two measurement locations, the at least two sensors configured to provide a measurement between the at least two measurement locations, each of the at least two measurement locations being located directly on two of a digit of the user's hand, a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand, and
wherein the measuring unit further comprises at least three of:
a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature at a measurement location on a user's hand;
a force sensor configured to measure a force exerted on a measurement location on a user's hand;
an acceleration sensor configured to measure the acceleration of a measurement location on a user's hand;
an ionizing radiation sensor configured to measure ionizing radiation at a measurement location on a user's hand;
a first sensor configured to measure at least one of the direction and strength of a magnetic field and/or an electric field at a measurement location on a user's hand;
an eddy current sensor configured to measure an eddy current in a material in proximity to a measurement location on a user's hand;
a sound waves sensor configured to detect sound waves at a measurement location on a user's hand;
a separation sensor configured to measure the separation between two measurement locations on a user's hand; and
a second sensor configured to measure at least one of the voltage, electric current and the electrical resistance between two measurement locations on a user's hand.

2. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least two measurement locations are located at the tip of the thumb of the user's hand and the tip of a finger of the user's hand.

3. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the at least three sensors measure or detect at the same measurement location.

4. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , wherein the imaging unit comprises at least one sub-unit providing images that is at least one of:
a camera;
a 360° camera;
a wavelength filtered camera;
a thermal camera;
a zoom camera;
a macro camera;
a stereo camera;
a dichroic camera; and
an ultrasound receiver.

5. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 4 , wherein at least one point of view of images provided by the imaging unit is located on a digit of the user's hand, on a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand.

6. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 4 , wherein the imaging unit comprises at least two sub-units configured to provide images from different points of view.

7. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 6 , wherein the at least two sub-units are a different type from each other.

8. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a covering that encapsulates the user's hand.

9. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 8 , wherein the covering extends to encapsulate at least a part of the forearm of the user and, optionally, at least a part of the upper arm of the user.

10. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 8 , wherein the covering is formed from a material that is at least one of fluid impermeable, gas impermeable, thermally resistant, electrically resistant and puncture resistant.

11. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid dispensing unit configured to supply a fluid from at least one dispensing location located on the user's hand.

12. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the at least one dispensing location is located on a digit of the user's hand, on a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand.

13. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 11 , wherein the fluid dispensing unit is configured to supply at least one of oil, a liquid penetrant, an air jet and a water jet.

14. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid absorbing unit configured to absorb fluid at a location on at least one of a digit of the user's hand, a tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, the palm of the user's hand and the back of the user's hand.

15. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising at least one illuminator, configured to emit at least one of visible light, infrared and ultraviolet radiation.

16. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 15 , wherein the illuminator is located on a digit of the user's hand, at the tip of a digit of the user's hand, on the phalanges of a digit of a user's hand, on the palm of the user's hand or on the back of the user's hand.

17. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 1 , further comprising a controller, configured to receive data from at least one of the imaging unit and the measuring unit and to output corresponding information to a user interface.

18. The hand-mounted inspection system of claim 17 , wherein the user interface comprises at least one display configured to display an image based on data from the imaging unit.

19. A method of inspecting and/or servicing a machine, optionally an aircraft engine, comprising:
mounting the hand-mounted system of claim 1 on a user's hand; and
inserting the user's hand into the machine.

Assignees

• Rolls Royce Plc

Inventors

• Axinte Dragos A
• Kell James
• Dong Xin
• Alatorre Troncoso David

Classifications

• G06F3/014

  Hand-worn input/output arrangements, e.g. data gloves · CPC title

• F02C7/00

  Features, components parts, details or accessories, not provided for in, or of interest apart form groups F02C1/00 - F02C6/00; Air intakes for jet-propulsion plants (controlling F02C9/00) · CPC title

• G01M15/14 Primary

  Testing gas-turbine engines or jet-propulsion engines · CPC title

• G01L5/228 Primary

  using tactile array force sensors · CPC title

• A41D19/0027

  Measuring instruments, e.g. watch, thermometer · CPC title