Apparatus and method for inspecting technical devices using a borescope

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023121496-A1
Application number	US-202117910356-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Mar 9, 2021
Priority date	Mar 10, 2020
Publication date	Apr 20, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus is used for inspecting a technical device using a borescope. The apparatus has a repeatedly plastically deformable and elongated carrier which is guidable in a deforming unit. The deforming unit has a stationary guide configured to axially guide the carrier at an outlet end and an actuator which is designed to axially guide the carrier and can be moved in at least one direction perpendicular to the gap between the guide and the actuator in order selectively to apply a bending moment to the carrier guided by the guide and the actuator. A borescope head is arranged at that end of the carrier which protrudes from the outlet end of the deforming unit.

First claim

1 . An apparatus for inspecting a technical device using a borescope, the apparatus comprising:
a repeatedly plastically deformable and elongated carrier which is guidable in a deforming unit, wherein the deforming unit comprises: a stationary guide for configured to axially guide the carrier at an outlet end and an actuator which is designed to axially guide the carrier and can be moved in at least one direction perpendicular to the gap between the guide and the actuator in order selectively to apply a bending moment to the carrier guided by the guide and the actuator, and wherein a borescope head is arranged at that end of the carrier which protrudes from the outlet end of the deforming unit.

2 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is designed to selectively apply a twisting moment to the carrier element.

3 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator and/or the stationary guide comprises a controllable locking for selectively fixing the position and/or the angular situation of the carrier in the actuator and/or the guide, wherein the lock is configured as a two-finger gripper.

4 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator is moveable in the direction of the gap between the stationary guide and the actuator.

5 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the guide and/or the actuator comprise guide rollers for the carrier element.

6 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a guide tube, protruding from the deforming unit, for the passage of the carrier is fastened.

7 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , comprising a feed mechanism by which the carrier is configured to be fed in a defined manner to the actuator on a side remote from the guide, wherein the feed mechanism is fixed relative to the guide or moved together with the actuator.

8 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier comprises a probe unit in a region of the borescope head for determining a position and/or orienting the borescope head.

9 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising a controller apparatus for configured to control components of the deforming unit, taking into account the positional and/or orientation information of the borescope head obtained via a probe unit or by the borescope head.

10 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the borescope head is rigidly connected to the carrier or is part of a flexible borescope which is guidable through a suitable channel in the carrier.

11 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the actuator comprises a six axis jointed-arm robot and/or a hexapod robot, wherein the position and/or situation of the axial guidance of the actuator is modifiable by the robot.

12 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the carrier is a material composite tube, comprising a core consisting of an aluminum strip and/or wound lengthwise, with a plastic, covering and/or a protective coating on the inside.

13 . The apparatus as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the borescope head comprises an image capture unit as part of a video borescope and/or the technical device is a gas turbine or an aircraft engine.

14 . A method for inspecting a technical device using a borescope, the method comprising selectively pre-deforming a repeatedly plastically deformable and elongated carrier with a borescope head, during insertion into the technical device, at its end which is to be inserted into the technical device in the region before entry into the technical device, in order thus to follow a predetermined path of the borescope head inside the technical device.

15 . The method as claimed in claim 14 , wherein the pre-deformation comprises bending and twisting deformation.

16 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the repeatedly plastically deformable and elongated carrier is guided in a deforming unit, wherein the deforming unit comprises:
a stationary guide configured to axially guide the carrier at an outlet end and an actuator which is designed to axially guide the carrier and can be moved in at least one direction perpendicular to the gap between the guide; and the actuator in order selectively to apply a bending moment to the carrier guided by the guide and the actuator, and wherein the borescope head is arranged at that end of the carrier which protrudes from the outlet end of the deforming unit.

Assignees

• Lufthansa Technik Ag

Inventors

• Peters Jan Oke
• Thies Michael
• Schueppstuhl Thomas
• Bath Lukas

Classifications

• G01N21/954 Primary

  Inspecting the inner surface of hollow bodies, e.g. bores · CPC title

• G01N2021/9542

  using a probe · CPC title

• G02B23/2476 Primary

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

• G01N35/0099

  comprising robots or similar manipulators (robots per se B25J) · CPC title

• B25J17/0283

  Three-dimensional joints · CPC title