Back to results
US 12,546,723 B2Granted
Visual inspection apparatus and system associated therewith
AssigneeRinnovision Inc.
InventorsNorman Bedard, Patrick Lamontagne
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present disclosure relates to an inspection apparatus for visually inspecting a substantially dark area. The inspection apparatus includes an inspection casing having a sidewall extending between a casing inspection end and a connecting end, an omnidirectional video camera mounted to the casing inspection end of the inspection casing; and a light-emitting assembly at least partially contained in the inspection casing. The sidewall of the inspection casing has a light-permeable section extending along 360 degrees and the light-emitting assembly is configured to emit light through the light-permeable section and from the casing inspection end, and away therefrom. An inspection system is also described.
Claims20
An inspection apparatus for visually inspecting a substantially dark area or a physically constrained area, the inspection apparatus comprising:
- an inspection casing having a sidewall extending between a casing inspection end and a connecting end, the sidewall having at least one sidewall light-permeable section and the inspection casing defining an inspection casing centerline crossing the casing inspection end and the connection end, the inspection casing comprising a central section, a partition wall, and a casing inspection end portion including at least partially the at least one sidewall light- permeable section and delimiting at least partially a light-emitting compartment, the partition wall separates the light-emitting compartment from the central section;
- a video camera coupled at the casing inspection end of the inspection casing and providing a 360 degrees field of view in at least one plane extending normal to the inspection casing centerline and including at least two camera lenses outwardly exposed in opposed directions;
- a camera protection assembly mounted to at least one of the inspection casing and the video camera and protruding forwardly therefrom and including at least one post guard having a section extending forwardly of the video camera;
- and
- a light-emitting assembly at least partially contained in the inspection casing and configured to emit light through the at least one sidewall light-permeable section of the sidewall of the inspection casing and away therefrom, wherein the light-emitting assembly comprises a plurality of spaced-apart light-emitting devices mounted to the partition wall and a light redirecting module, the light-emitting devices being at least partially contained in the light-emitting compartment, the light redirecting module being located in the light-emitting compartment and redirecting at least some of a light emitted from the light-emitting devices radially and outwardly of the inspection casing in a 360-degree lighting pattern and forwardly of the inspection casing through the at least one sidewall light-permeable section.
2 more elements
A visual inspection apparatus of a physically constrained area, the visual inspection apparatus comprising:
- an inspection casing having a sidewall extending between a casing inspection end and a connecting end, the inspection casing having a peripheral light-permeable section provided in the sidewall, the inspection casing comprising a casing inspection end portion including at least partially the peripheral light-permeable section and delimiting at least partially a light-emitting compartment;
- a video camera having a 360 degrees field of view in at least one plane, the 360 degrees field of view surrounding the sidewall of the inspection casing, the video camera being mounted to the casing inspection end of the inspection casing and protruding forwardly and outwardly of the inspection casing, the video camera including two sidewalls extending parallel to one another, each one of the sidewalls of the video camera having a camera lens exposed outwardly;
- a camera protection assembly mounted to at least one of the inspection casing and the video camera and protruding forwardly from the video camera;
- and
- a light-emitting assembly at least partially disposed within the inspection casing and comprising a plurality of spaced-apart light-emitting devices configured to emit light through the peripheral light-permeable section and outwardly of the inspection casing, and configured to illuminate the 360 degrees field of view of the video camera, wherein the light-emitting assembly comprises a light redirecting module located in the light-emitting compartment, the light redirecting module redirecting at least some of a light emitted from the light-emitting devices radially and outwardly of the inspection casing in a 360-degree lighting pattern and forwardly of the inspection casing through the peripheral light-permeable section.
2 more elements
A visual inspection apparatus of a physically constrained area, the visual inspection apparatus comprising:
- an inspection casing having a sidewall extending between a casing inspection end and a connecting end, the inspection casing comprising a casing inspection end portion including at least partially a peripheral light-permeable section and delimiting at least partially a light-emitting compartment;
- a video camera providing a full 360 degrees viewing surrounding the sidewall of the inspection casing, the video camera being mounted to the casing inspection end of the inspection casing and protruding forwardly of the inspection casing, the video camera including two sidewalls extending parallel to one another, each one of the sidewalls of the video camera having a camera lens exposed outwardly;
- a camera protection assembly mounted to at least one of the inspection casing and the video camera and protruding forwardly of the video camera;
- and
- a light-emitting assembly mounted to at least one of the inspection casing and the video camera, the light-emitting assembly being configured to illuminate the full 360 degrees viewing of the video camera and forwardly of the video camera and comprising a plurality of spaced-apart light-emitting devices and a light redirecting module, the light-emitting devices being at least partially contained in the light-emitting compartment, the light redirecting module being located in the light-emitting compartment and redirecting at least some of a light emitted from the light-emitting devices radially and outwardly of the inspection casing in a 360-degree lighting pattern and forwardly of the inspection casing through the peripheral light-permeable section.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.