Spring assemblies with variable flexibility for use with push-cables and pipe inspection systems
AssigneeSeescan, Inc.
InventorsMark S. Olsson, Eric M. Chapman, James F. Kleyn
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Push-cables and associated apparatus for pipe inspection systems are disclosed. In one embodiment a pipe inspection system includes a camera head, a push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the push-cable, and a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end where the spring assembly comprises a spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape.
Claims9
A pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a camera head;
- a push-cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the proximal end of the push-cable;
- and
- a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end, the spring assembly comprising a spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape;
- wherein the tapered flex section has a varying cross-sectional shape and a fixed cross-sectional area.
A pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a camera head;
- a push-cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the proximal end of the push-cable;
- and
- a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end, the spring assembly comprising a spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape;
- wherein the cross-sectional shape varies from a circular shape to a closed-arc shape.
A pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a camera head;
- a push-cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the proximal end of the push-cable;
- a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end, the spring assembly comprising a spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape;
- and
- a second spring disposed about the push-cable over the tapered flex section spring.
A pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a camera head;
- a push-cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the proximal end of the push-cable;
- a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end, the spring assembly comprising an outer spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape and an inner spring nested in the outer spring;
- and
- a sonde coupled to the push-cable and enclosed by the outer spring;
- wherein the inner spring includes coils of two different pitches.
A pipe inspection system, comprising:
- a camera head;
- a push-cable having a proximal end and a distal end, the push-cable including an outer covering enclosing a plurality of electrical conductors for transmitting signals and/or power between the camera head and an electronic device operatively coupled to the proximal end of the push-cable;
- a spring assembly disposed about the push-cable near the distal end, the spring assembly comprising an outer spring with a tapered flex section having a varying cross-sectional area and/or a varying cross-sectional shape and an inner spring nested in the outer spring;
- a sonde coupled to the push-cable and enclosed by the outer spring;
- and
- an inner spring mount element and a safety cable coupled to the camera head and the inner spring mount element.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.