Guide tube camera inspection fixture and method of use
AssigneeGeneral Electric Company
InventorsJoseph J. Capobianco, Michael L. McDonald
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A guide tube inspection camera fixture for inspecting internal surfaces of nuclear reactor control rod guide tubes is provided. In an exemplary embodiment, the guide tube camera fixture includes a base plate, a unit-body tower having a first end and a second end, and a support bracket coupled to the unit-body tower. The unit-body tower is coupled to the base plate, and the support bracket is configured to support an inspection camera.
Claims23
A guide tube inspection camera fixture for inspecting internal surfaces of nuclear reactor control rod guide tubes, said guide tube camera fixture having no moving parts and configured to be inserted within a guide tube, said fixture comprising:
- a base plate;
- a unit-body tower having a first end and a second end, said unit-body tower extending from an upper surface of said base plate and maintained in a fixed position relative to said base plate;
- and
- a support bracket secured to said unit-body tower and maintained in a fixed position relative to said unit body tower, said support bracket configured to support an inspection camera.
An inspection camera assembly for inspecting internal surfaces of nuclear reactor control rod guide tubes, said assembly comprising an inspection camera coupled to a camera fixture assembly, said camera maintained in a fixed position relative to said camera fixture assembly, said camera fixture assembly having no moving parts and comprising:
- a base plate;
- a unit-body tower having a first end and a second end, said unit-body tower coupled to said base plate;
- and
- a support bracket coupled to said unit-body tower, said inspection camera coupled to said support bracket.
A method of visually inspecting internal surfaces of nuclear reactor control rod guide tubes, said method comprising:
- inserting an inspection camera assembly into a guide tube to a predetermined position;
- and
- taking photographs of an inside surface of the guide tube, the inspection camera assembly comprising a fixture having no moving parts and configured to be inserted within a guide tube, said fixture comprising:
- a base plate;
- a unit-body tower having a first end and a second end, the unit-body tower coupled to the base plate;
- and
- a support bracket coupled to the unit-body tower, the inspection camera coupled to the support bracket.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.