Borescope
AssigneeKeymed (Medical & Industrial Equipment) Ltd.
InventorsGary Martin Rose, Christopher Ian Collins
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An orbital scanning borescope includes a tube insertable into an inaccessible location in use and an optical system for gathering an image of a feature and transmitting the image to a viewing device located in a housing at the proximal end of the tube. The tube is rotatable about its longitudinal axis relative to the housing. The viewing device includes an ocular lens and a reticle both of which are rotatable relative to the tube. Therefore, the tube can be rotated until a desired feature can be viewed through the borescope. The reticle can then be rotated independently of the tube until it is aligned as appropriate with the feature of interest.
Claims15
Apparatus for use as a borescope comprising:
- a tube having a distal end which is insertable in use into an inaccessible location and a proximal end connected to a housing,
- a viewing port adjacent the distal end and an associated reflector through which an object at the inaccessible location is laterally viewed in use,
- an image relaying means operable to relay an image of the object to a viewing means provided in the housing,
- an image inverter operable to correct image inversion created by the reflector,
- a scanning means operable to rotate the reflector relative to the housing about a rotation axis extending longitudinally of the tube, and
- focusing means operable to move the viewing means relative to the housing along an optical axis defined by the viewing means,
- wherein the viewing means comprises an ocular lens received in an ocular mount, said ocular mount being supported by said housing so as to be axially movable with respect to said reflector and to be rotatable relative to the housing and the tube,
- the apparatus further comprising reticle means secured to the ocular mount at a location distal to the ocular lens and alignment means operable to rotate the ocular mount with the ocular lens and the reticle means relative to the tube.
Apparatus for use as a borescope comprising:
- a tube having a distal end which is insertable in use into an inaccessible location and a proximal end connected to a housing,
- a viewing port adjacent the distal end and an associated reflector through which an object at the inaccessible location is laterally viewed in use,
- an image relaying means operable to relay an image of the object to a viewing means provided in the housing,
- an image inverter operable to correct image inversion created by the reflector,
- a scanning means operable to rotate the reflector relative to the housing about a rotation axis extending longitudinally of the tube, and
- focusing means operable to move the viewing means relative to the housing along an optical axis defined by the viewing means,
- wherein the viewing means comprises an ocular lens received in an ocular mount, said ocular mount being supported by said housing so as to be axially movable with respect to said reflector and to be rotatable relative to the housing and the tube,
- the apparatus further comprising reticle means located distally of the ocular lens and rotatable relative to the tube, and alignment means operable to rotate the ocular mount with the ocular lens and the reticle means relative to the tube.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.