Inspection apparatus and inspection system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12413838-B2
Application number	US-202318357513-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 24, 2023
Priority date	Sep 30, 2022
Publication date	Sep 9, 2025
Grant date	Sep 9, 2025

Abstract

An inspection apparatus of an embodiment includes a rotor image-pickup unit for picking up an image of a rotor using a rotor image-pickup device in the air gap between the rotor and a stator. The rotor image-pickup device includes: a carriage casing; a camera; an image-pickup position changing part; and an image-pickup direction changing part. The camera is installed in the carriage casing, and picks up an image of a ventilation hole of the rotor in the air gap. The image-pickup position changing part is installed in the carriage casing, and changes an image-pickup position of the camera by moving the carriage casing in a circumferential direction of the rotor in the air gap. The image-pickup direction changing part is installed in the carriage casing, and changes an image-pickup direction of the camera to an inclined angle to a radial direction of the rotor in the air gap.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An inspection apparatus which, when an inspection is performed on a rotary electric machine in which an air gap is interposed between a rotor and a stator, and a ventilation hole along a radial direction of the rotor is formed in the rotor, is inserted into the air gap, and adheres to the stator, and travels along an axial direction of the rotor, the inspection apparatus comprising:
a rotor image-pickup unit for picking up an image of the rotor using a rotor image-pickup device in the air gap, wherein
the rotor image-pickup device comprises:
a carriage casing;
a camera installed in the carriage casing, and configured to pick up an image of the ventilation hole of the rotor;
an image-pickup position changing part installed in the carriage casing, and configured to change an image-pickup position of the camera by moving the carriage casing in a circumferential direction of the rotor; and
an image-pickup direction changing part installed in the carriage casing, and configured to change an image-pickup direction of the camera to an inclined angle to the radial direction of the rotor, with the axial direction serving as a support axis.

2. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rotor image-pickup unit includes
a frame housing the rotor image-pickup device, wherein
the frame includes
a rack gear; and
the image-pickup position changing part includes:
an image-pickup position changing motor; and
an image-pickup position changing pinion gear installed on a rotation shaft of the image-pickup position changing motor, and configured to engage with the rack gear,
wherein the rotor image-pickup device is configured to move inside the frame by the image-pickup position changing motor rotating the image-pickup position changing pinion gear.

3. The inspection apparatus according to claim 2 , wherein
the frame is in an arc shape along a shape of the air gap.

4. The inspection apparatus according to claim 1 , wherein:
the rotor image-pickup device comprises
a camera holder installed in the carriage casing to swing at the inclined angle to the radial direction of the rotor, and housing the camera, wherein
the camera holder includes
a spur gear; and
the image-pickup direction changing part includes:
an image-pickup direction changing motor; and
an image-pickup direction changing pinion gear installed on a rotation shaft of the image-pickup direction changing motor, and configured to engage with the spur gear,
wherein an image-pickup direction of the camera is changed by the image-pickup direction changing motor rotating the image-pickup direction changing pinion gear.

5. An inspection system comprising:
the inspection apparatus according to claim 1 ; and
a control apparatus for controlling operation of the inspection apparatus based on an operation command.

6. An inspection apparatus which, when an inspection is performed on a rotary electric machine in which an air gap is interposed between a rotor and a stator, is inserted into the air gap, and travels along an axial direction of the rotor, the inspection apparatus comprising:
a plurality of inspection units for performing the inspection in the air gap; and
a coupling shaft for coupling the plurality of inspection units therebetween, wherein:
the plurality of inspection units are configured to be detachable between one another in the axial direction; and
through each of the plurality of inspection units, a coupling hole into which the coupling shaft is inserted in a coupled state is formed.

7. The inspection apparatus according to claim 6 , wherein:
each of the plurality of inspection units includes:
a frame; and
an inspection device provided in the frame; and
in the frame, at least a surface is formed using resin.

8. The inspection apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein
the frame is in an arc shape along a shape of the air gap.

Assignees

• Toshiba Kk
• Toshiba Energy Systems & Solutions Corp

Inventors

• Yuminamochi Mitsunori
• Matsuzaki Akihiro
• Saito Masaoki
• Katayama Hitoshi
• Sato Fumio
• Nozaki Dai

Classifications

• H04N23/695

  Control of camera direction for changing a field of view, e.g. pan, tilt or based on tracking of objects · CPC title

• H04N23/66

  Remote control of cameras or camera parts, e.g. by remote control devices · CPC title

• H04N23/555 Primary

  for picking-up images in sites, inaccessible due to their dimensions or hazardous conditions, e.g. endoscopes or borescopes · CPC title