Camera skid tractor nozzle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9467601-B2
Application number	US-201414212531-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 14, 2014
Priority date	Mar 23, 2013
Publication date	Oct 11, 2016
Grant date	Oct 11, 2016

Abstract

A camera skid and thrust nozzle assembly for supporting a camera while being positioned in a tubular pipe or conduit spaced. from any wall of the conduit and permitting movement of the assembly along the conduit. The assembly includes a cage rotatably fastened to a high pressure fluid tractor nozzle, wherein the cage can rotate about an axis through the tractor nozzle. A camera support structure is fastened within the cage for rotation of the support structure about the axis independent of rotation of the cage. The camera support structure has a weight attached thereto for urging rotational orientation of the camera support structure within the cage according to a sensed external gravitational force on the assembly.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A camera skid and thrust nozzle assembly comprising:
a tractor nozzle;
a cage rotatably fastened to and ahead of the tractor nozzle, wherein the cage can rotate about an axis through the tractor nozzle; and a camera support structure fastened within the cage for rotation of the support structure about the axis, the support structure configured to carry a camera in front of the tractor nozzle oriented to view ahead along the axis, wherein the support structure includes a weight for urging rotational orientation of the camera support structure about the axis according to a sensed external gravitational force while maintaining the camera view ahead, wherein the cage comprises:
a front cage portion having a cup shape with a central opening through a bottom of the cup shape;
a rear cage portion having another cup shape having a bottom and a central opening through a the bottom of the rear cage portion; and
a mid cage portion having a cylindrical tubular shape, the mid cage portion being fixed to the rear cage portion.

2. The assembly according to claim 1 wherein the rear cage portion further comprises a tubular bearing sleeve fixed to the bottom of the cup shaped rear cage portion around the central opening.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 wherein the rear cage portion is rotatably fastened to the tractor nozzle by an axle bolt extending through the bearing sleeve.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein the weight structure is a rectangular metal block fastened to an inside surface of the front cage portion.

5. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein the camera assembly is fastened to the mid cage portion between the front and rear cage portions.

Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Zink Gerald
• Brown Rawlin

Classifications

• G01N21/954

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

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• H04N5/2252 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic