Insertion tool
AssigneesGeneral Electric Company, Oliver Crispin Robotics Limited
InventorsDeepak Trivedi, Grover Andrew Bennett, Stephen Paul Leclerc, Andrew Crispin Graham
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An insertion tool for performing an operation on equipment, the insertion tool including: a plurality of segments, each segment of the plurality of segments including a body including: a first hinge; a second hinge, the first and second hinge members pivotally coupling adjacent segments of the plurality of segments together; and a cavity extending along the body of the segment, the cavity exiting the body at a plurality of exit locations, wherein at least one of the plurality of exit locations is disposed adjacent to the first hinge; and a selectively rigidizable strength member disposed within the cavity.
Claims15
An insertion tool for performing an operation on equipment, the insertion tool comprising:
- a plurality of segments, each segment of the plurality of segments including a body comprising:
- a first hinge member;
- a second hinge member, the first and second hinge members pivotally coupling adjacent segments of the plurality of segments together;
- a cavity extending along the body of the segment, the cavity exiting the body at a plurality of exit locations, wherein at least one of the plurality of exit locations is disposed adjacent to the first hinge member;
- and
- an auxiliary cavity;
- a strength member disposed within the cavity;
- and
- a support member extending between adjacent segments, the support member received in the auxiliary cavity,
- wherein each said segment of the plurality of segments further comprises ends thereof configured to contact an adjacent segment, wherein a first end of a first segment includes a post disposed diametrically opposed a channel, wherein a second end of an adjacent second segment includes a complementary recess and a ridge,
- wherein the post of the first segment and the complementary recess of the second segment form a keyed connection and a corresponding spacing therebetween, and the channel of the first segment and the ridge of the second segment form a hinge allowing hinged movement, and wherein the spacing is manipulated by tensioning the strength member with less than full tension and the spacing is adjusted by changing a tension of the support member permitting the hinged movement of the insertion tool to move through an engine.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.