Camera skid tractor nozzle assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9699361-B2
Application number	US-201615260169-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 8, 2016
Priority date	Mar 23, 2013
Publication date	Jul 4, 2017
Grant date	Jul 4, 2017

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 independent of cage rotation, 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.

2. A camera skid and thrust nozzle assembly for supporting a camera in a tubular pipe or conduit spaced from any wall of the conduit for movement of the assembly along the conduit, the assembly comprising:
a cage rotatably fastened to a tractor nozzle, wherein the cage can rotate about an axis through the tractor nozzle; and
a camera support structure configured to carry a camera in front of the tractor nozzle oriented to view ahead along the conduit fastened within the cage for rotation of the support structure about the axis independent of rotation of the cage, the camera support structure having 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.

3. The assembly according to claim 2 wherein the cage has plurality of ribs spaced around the camera support structure, each rib having a portion extending parallel to the axis.

4. The assembly according to claim 3 wherein the cage has an odd number of ribs.

5. The assembly according to claim 2 wherein the camera support structure and the cage are each independently rotatably supported on an axle supported from the tractor nozzle.

6. The assembly according to claim 5 wherein each of the ribs has a radial portion spacing the camera support structure from the rib portion extending parallel to the axis.

7. The assembly according to claim 6 further comprising a wheeled frame extension fastened to each of the plurality of ribs.

8. The assembly according to claim 7 wherein the wheeled frame extension comprises:
at least one elongated plate fastened to one of the ribs, the plate supporting one or more wheels for rolling along an inside wall of the pipe or conduit.

9. The assembly according to claim 7 wherein the frame extension comprises a pair of elongated plates sandwiching the rib, the pair of elongated plates supporting therebetween a front wheel and a rear wheel aligned parallel to the axially extending portion of the rib.

10. A camera skid and thrust nozzle assembly for supporting a camera in a tubular pipe or conduit spaced from any wall of the conduit for movement of the assembly along the conduit, the assembly comprising:
a cage rotatably fastened to and in front of a tractor nozzle, wherein the cage can rotate about an axis through the tractor nozzle;
a camera support structure fastened within the cage for rotation of the support structure about the axis independent of rotation of the cage, the camera support structure configured to carry a camera in front of the tractor nozzle oriented to view ahead along the conduit and having 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; and
a wheeled frame fastened to the cage.

11. The assembly according to claim 10 wherein the cage includes plurality of ribs spaced around the camera support structure, each rib having a portion extending parallel to the axis.

12. The assembly according to claim 11 wherein the wheeled frame includes a pair of elongated plates sandwiching each rib, the pair of elongated plates supporting therebetween a front wheel and a rear wheel aligned parallel to the axially extending portion of the rib.

13. The assembly according to claim 10 wherein the cage has an odd number of ribs.

14. The assembly according to claim 13 wherein each of the ribs has a radial portion spacing the camera support structure from the rib portion extending parallel to the axis.

15. The assembly according to claim 10 wherein the camera support structure and the cage are each independently rotatably supported on an axle supported from the tractor nozzle.

Assignees

• Stoneage Inc

Inventors

• Zink Gerald
• Brown Rawlin

Classifications

• H04N23/51 Primary

  Housings · CPC title

• G01N21/954

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

• H04N5/2252 Primary

  Electricity · mapped topic