Method and device for controlling a non-destructive testing device - Patents.com

Abstract

The nondestructive testing device includes a tubular housing having a proximal end and a distal end, a conduit section disposed at the proximal end, a bendable articulation section secured to the conduit section and disposed at the distal end, and a plurality of actuation systems each including a control cable extending along the tubular housing and positioned at a respective circumferential position within the bendable articulation section, and an actuator disposed at the proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable.

Description

[Background technology]

[0001] Certain equipment and facilities, such as power generation equipment and facilities, oil and gas equipment and facilities, aircraft equipment and facilities, manufacturing equipment and facilities, etc., include interrelated systems and processes. For example, a power generation plant may include a turbine system and processes for operating and maintaining the turbine system. Similarly, an oil and gas operation may include carbonaceous fuel recovery systems and processing equipment interconnected via pipelines. Similarly, an aircraft system may include an aircraft and a maintenance hangar useful for maintaining airworthiness and providing maintenance support. During operation of the equipment, the equipment may degrade and undesirable conditions may occur, such as corrosion, wear, tear, etc., that may affect the effectiveness of the entire equipment. For example, certain inspection techniques, such as non-destructive inspection techniques or non-destructive testing (NDT) techniques, may be used to detect undesirable equipment conditions. Summary of the Invention

[0002] Certain NDT devices may be used to view the internal workings of complex machines, such as turbines and oil and gas equipment. NDT devices (i.e., borescopes, endoscopes, etc.) may be fed through these complex machines to perform maintenance while disassembling the entire machine. Such NDT devices require actuating capabilities to operate through small openings in these complex machines. Therefore, it would be beneficial to improve the maneuverability and accuracy of NDT devices.

[0003] Generally, systems and methods are provided for controlling a non-destructive testing device.

[0004] In one embodiment, a non-destructive testing device may include a tubular housing and a plurality of actuation systems. The tubular housing may include a proximal end and a distal end, a conduit section disposed at the proximal end, and a bendable articulation section secured to the conduit section and secured to the distal end. Each actuation system of the plurality of actuation systems may include a control cable extending along the tubular housing and positioned at a respective circumferential position within the bendable articulation section, and an actuator disposed at a proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable.

[0005] In another embodiment, each circumferential position of each control cable of the multiple actuation systems may be substantially evenly spaced circumferentially around the bendable articulation section.

[0006] In another embodiment, each actuator of a multiple actuation system may be configured to extend or retract a control cable secured to the actuator.

[0007] In another embodiment, each control cable of a plurality of actuation systems may be configured to be independently controlled.

[0008] In another embodiment, the multiple actuation systems may include a first actuation system, a second actuation system, and a third actuation system.

[0009] In another embodiment, the bendable articulation may be configured to bend when only the first actuation system is actuated.

[0010] In another embodiment, the bendable articulation may be configured to bend when only the second actuation system and the third actuation system are actuated in the same direction.

[0011] In another embodiment, each control cable of the multiple actuation systems may extend within a channel formed between the outer and inner walls of the bendable articulation section.

[0012] In another embodiment, the circumferential positions of each control cable of the multiple actuation systems may be non-uniformly spaced circumferentially around the bendable articulation section.

[0013] In another embodiment, the bendable articulation section may be configured to articulate substantially 360 degrees about the conduit section.

[0014] In another embodiment, the non-destructive testing device may further include a head coupled to a distal end of the tubular housing and a control unit housing coupled to a proximal end of the tubular housing.

[0015] In another embodiment, each actuator of a plurality of actuation systems may be disposed within the control unit housing.

[0016] A method for articulating a non-destructive testing device is also provided. In one embodiment, the method may include receiving an actuation command by a control unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of actuation systems. Each of the plurality of actuation systems may include a control cable extending along the tubular housing and disposed at a respective circumferential position within the tubular housing, and an actuator disposed at a proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable. The plurality of actuation systems may be actuated based on the actuation command to bend a bendable articulation portion of the tubular housing, each actuation system configured to be independently operable.

[0017] In another embodiment, each circumferential position of each control cable of the multiple actuation systems may be substantially evenly spaced circumferentially around the bendable articulation section.

[0018] In another embodiment, each actuator of a multiple actuation system may be configured to extend or retract a control cable secured to the actuator.

[0019] In another embodiment, each actuator of the multiple actuation systems may include a force sensor configured to measure tension in each control cable.

[0020] In another embodiment, each control cable may extend or retract based on tension in each control cable of multiple actuation systems.

[0021] In another embodiment, the multiple actuation systems may include a first actuation system, a second actuation system, and a third actuation system.

[0022] In another embodiment, the method of articulating a non-destructive testing device may further include actuating a first actuation system to apply tension to a first control cable, bending the bendable articulation section in a first direction, and actuating a second actuation system and a third actuation system to apply tension to a second control cable and a third control cable, bending the bendable articulation section in a second direction opposite the first direction.

[0023] In another embodiment, the bendable articulation section may be configured to articulate substantially 360 degrees about the conduit section. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0024] In order to more fully understand the drawings used in the detailed description of the present disclosure, a brief description of each drawing is provided. [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of a non-destructive testing (NDT) device. [Figure 2A] FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view of the NDT device of FIG. 1. [Figure 2B] 2B is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the NDT device of FIG. 2A taken generally along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A. [Figure 2C] 2C is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of the NDT device of FIG. 2A taken generally along line 2C-2C of FIG. 2A. [Figure 2D] FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of an NDT device. [Figure 3A] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of one exemplary embodiment of an NDT device. [Figure 3B]It is a schematic cross-sectional view of the NDT device of FIG. 3A generally along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A. [Figure 4] It is an exemplary embodiment of a method for operating the NDT device of FIGS. 1 to 2C.

[0025] It should be understood that the drawings referred to above are not necessarily to scale and present somewhat simplified representations of various features that illustrate the basic principles of the present disclosure. For example, certain design features of the present disclosure, including specific dimensions, orientations, positions, and shapes, will be determined in part by the individual intended uses and operating environments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0026] Non-destructive testing systems and devices can be used to inspect various equipment and facilities without destroying the system and / or device being inspected. By way of example, NDT systems and devices can include cameras and other measurement devices for acquiring images and data of equipment and facilities, as well as images and data inside the equipment and facilities. During use, measurement devices and cameras can be inserted at various locations within or around the equipment and facilities. The measurement devices and cameras can be remotely coupled to other devices that an operator can use to view the data collected by the measurement devices and cameras and to control the measurement devices and cameras. In an embodiment, relative control gestures on buttons, joysticks, and / or touchscreens associated with the NDT system or device can be used to control the positioning of the imaging device within the asset (e.g., to move the imaging device from a first position to a second position).

[0027] To operate the NDT system, various positioning systems may be used that can bend the distal end of the NDT system to various degrees of articulation. For example, multiple cables may extend along the length of the NDT system and be actuated by various motors located at the proximal end of the NDT system. However, some cable systems may be operated in a manner that allows slack to be introduced into the cables of the NDT system, causing a decrease in the accuracy and performance of the NDT system. For example, during machine inspection, it is common for the insertion tube of the NDT instrument to ripple significantly. The ripples require more force to articulate the end of the instrument due to friction, resulting in more cable slack in all typical four-wire steering embodiments. This type of slack is partially from elastic cable elongation and elastic insertion tube compression, which reduces the responsiveness of the articulation of the NDT system, but is not permanent as the system will bounce back if the cables relax. Additionally, normal wear over the life of the NDT system may introduce cable slack due to inelastic cable elongation and inelastic insertion tube compression, among other wear effects. In an embodiment of the present subject matter, each control cable is coupled to a separate actuator that can be actuated separately. Because each control cable is separately controllable, each control cable can be under tension at the same time, which allows for greater control of the NDT device. In addition, because tension is constantly maintained on the control cables, the NDT system can inherently compensate for normal wear and provide consistent performance over the service life of the system. The present invention can also inherently compensate for cable sag caused by a highly wavy insertion tube during use to compensate for the aforementioned elastic effects in the system. The benefits of the present invention increase with longer insertion tubes in the system, since longer insertion tubes can experience, for example, greater inelastic cable elongation and greater insertion tube compression.

[0028] 1, a schematic diagram of an NDT device 100 is generally depicted. The NDT device 100 includes a control unit 102, a conduit section 104, a bendable articulation section 106, and a head section 108. Each of the sections 104, 106, and 108 may be integral with one another or may be detachable from each section depending on the particular application. For example, if a longer conduit section 104 is needed, the shorter conduit section 104 may be removed and the longer conduit section 104 may be attached to the control unit 102. As depicted, the conduit section 104 is suitable for insertion into a variety of locations, such as turbomachinery, equipment, pipes, conduits, underwater locations, inside bends, bends, inside or outside aircraft systems, etc.

[0029] 1, the control unit 102 includes a control unit housing 110, a controller 112, a directional input 114, and a screen 116. The controller 112 may include a processor 118 and a readable memory 120 containing computer readable instructions that may be executed by the processor 118 to operate the NDT device 100. The controller 112 is communicatively coupled to the control unit 102 via a signal 121. In an embodiment, the controller 112 may be located within the control unit housing 110 or may be located outside the control unit housing 110. The directional input 114 is for a user to input directional control to the control unit 102 to operate the NDT device 100. The screen 116 may display visual information received by an optical sensor located in the head portion 108, allowing a user to better navigate the NDT device 100 using the directional input 114. In an embodiment, the directional input 114 and the screen 116 are communicatively coupled to the controller 112 via a signal 121, which may be a wired connection or a wireless signal such as WI-FI™ or Bluetooth™.

[0030] 1 , the conduit portion 104 includes a tubular housing 122 including a proximal end 124 and a distal end 126. In an embodiment, the control unit 102 is disposed at the proximal end 124 of the tubular housing 122 and the bendable articulation portion 106 is disposed at the distal end of the tubular housing 122. The tubular housing 122 may be a flexible member along its entire length or may be rigid at the proximal end 124 and become more flexible moving further down the length of the conduit portion 104 toward the distal end 126. Additionally, in an embodiment, the tubular housing 122 may be formed from a non-porous material to prevent contaminants from entering the NDT device 100 via the conduit portion 104.

[0031] 1, the bendable articulation section 106 includes a bendable neck 128 and a washer 130. The bendable neck 128 is disposed at the distal end 126 of the tubular housing 122 and is capable of 360° movement in the YZ plane. In an embodiment, the washer 130 may be a rocking washer, which allows the washer 130 to slide relative to one another and maintain the shape of the bendable articulation section 106 as the bendable neck 128 is articulated. The washer 130 may be copper or some other suitable rigid material and may have angled surfaces that allow the bendable neck 128 to articulate. The bendable neck 128 may be encased in a non-porous material to prevent contaminants from entering the NDT device 100 through the bendable articulation section 106, specifically between the washer 130 during articulation of the bendable neck 128.

[0032] 1, head portion 108 includes a head assembly 132. Head assembly 132 includes one or more lights 134 (e.g., LEDs or fiber optic bundles having lights at their proximal ends), a camera 136, and one or more sensors 138. Generally, head portion 108 includes one or more sensors (e.g., sensor 138, camera 136, etc.) that collect data about the surrounding environment.

[0033] As described above, the camera 136 of the NDT device 100 may provide images and videos suitable for inspection to the screen 116 of the control unit 102. The light 134 may be used to provide illumination when the head 108 is disposed in a location having low or no light. The sensor 138 may record data including temperature data, distance data, separation data (e.g., distance between rotating and stationary elements), flow rate data, and the like. In certain embodiments, the NDT device 100 includes multiple interchangeable head assemblies 132. For example, the head assemblies 132 may include collection tips such as snares, magnetic tips, gripper tips, and the like. The head assemblies 132 may additionally include cleaning and obstruction removal tools such as wire brushes, wire cutters, and the like. The head assemblies 132 may additionally include tips with different optical properties such as focal length, stereoscopic view, three-dimensional (3D) phase view, shadow view, and the like. Additionally or alternatively, the head 108 may include removable and replaceable portions of the head 108. As such, multiple heads 108, bendable necks 128, and conduits 104 may be provided in a variety of diameters ranging from about 1 millimeter to 10 millimeters or more.

[0034] In use, the bendable articulation section 106 may be controlled by control inputs (e.g., relative control gestures, physical manipulation devices) from, for example, the directional input 114. The directional input may be a joystick, D-pad, touchpad, trackball, optical sensor, or a touch screen on the screen 116. The directional input 114 may also be a similar device located outside the control unit housing 110 and connected by wired or wireless means. In particular, a set of control inputs may be used to control the bendable articulation section 106. The bendable articulation section 106 may be steered or "bent" in various dimensions and may use actuators and wires, or combinations thereof, located within the control unit 102 to adjust the orientation (e.g., positioning) of the head section 108. The actuators may be electrically, pneumatically, or ultrasonically operated motors or solenoids, shaped alloys, electroactive polymers, dielectric elastomers, polymer muscle materials, or other materials. For example, the bendable articulation 106 may allow movement of the head 108 in the XY, XZ, and / or YZ planes. Indeed, the directional input 114 may be used to execute control operations suitable for disposing the head 108 at various angles, such as the depicted angle α. In this manner, the head 108 may be positioned for visual inspection of a desired location. Once the head 108 is in a desired position, the camera 136 may operate, for example, to capture still or continuous visual images, which may be displayed on the screen 116 of the control unit 102 and recorded by the NDT device 100. In an embodiment, the screen 116 may be a multi-touch touch screen using capacitive, resistive, infrared grid, or the like, to detect the touch of a stylus and / or one or more human fingers. Additionally or alternatively, the captured visual images may be transmitted to a separate storage device for later reference.

[0035] 2A, a perspective view of the NDT device 100 is depicted without the control unit housing 110. The control unit 102 includes a plurality of actuation systems 140 disposed together within the control unit housing 110. Each actuation system of the plurality of actuation systems 140 extends along the tubular housing 122 and includes a control cable disposed at a respective circumferential position within the tubular housing 122 and an actuator disposed at the proximal end 124 of the tubular housing 122 and secured to the control cable. For example, as depicted, the plurality of actuation systems 140 includes actuators 142A, 144A, and 146A.

[0036] 2A, the actuator 142A includes a rotor 142B, a force sensor 142C, and a control cable 142D. The actuator 142A is attached to the force sensor 142C so that when tension is applied to the control cable 142D, the tension in the control cable 142D can be measured by the force sensor 142C. The rotor 142B is non-rotatably connected to the actuator 142A. When the actuator 142A receives a control signal 121 from the controller 112, the rotor 142B is rotated by the actuator 142A. Additionally, because the control cable 142D is fixed to the rotor 142B, when the rotor 142B rotates, the control cable 142D is extended or retracted by being wound or unwound on the rotor 142B, respectively. Because the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D are fixed to the bendable articulation section 106, the bendable articulation section 106 is articulated to some extent when at least one control cable is extended or retracted.

[0037] 2A, the actuator 144A includes a rotor 144B, a force sensor 144C, and a control cable 144D. Because the actuator 144A is attached to the force sensor 144C, when tension is applied to the control cable 144D, the tension in the control cable 144D can be measured by the force sensor 144C. Because the rotor 144B is non-rotatably connected to the actuator 144A, when the actuator 144A receives a control signal 121 from the controller 112, the rotor 144B is rotated by the actuator 144A. In addition, because the control cable 144D is fixed to the rotor 144B, when the rotor 144B rotates, the control cable 144D is extended or retracted by being wound or unwound on the rotor 144B, respectively.

[0038] 2A, the actuator 146A includes a rotor 146B, a force sensor 146C, and a control cable 146D. Because the actuator 146A is attached to the force sensor 146C, when tension is applied to the control cable 146D, the tension in the control cable 146D can be measured by the force sensor 142C. Because the rotor 146B is non-rotatably connected to the actuator 146A, when the actuator 146A receives a control signal 121 from the controller 112, the rotor 146B is rotated by the actuator 146A. In addition, because the control cable 146D is fixed to the rotor 146B, when the rotor 146B rotates, the control cable 146D is extended or retracted by being wound or unwound on the rotor 146B, respectively.

[0039] 2A, each actuator 142A, 144A, and 146A may be independently controlled relative to one another. This allows each individual control cable 142D, 144D, and 146D to be independently controlled (i.e., extended or retracted) to actuate the bendable articulation section 106 of the NDT device 100. Each control cable 142D, 144D, and 146D enters the tubular housing 122 at a proximal end 124 and is supported by a guide 150 having an opening 152 disposed therein. In an embodiment, the bendable articulation section 106 bends along lines L1, L2, and L3 when only a single actuator 142A, 144A, and 146A is actuated to extend or retract the corresponding control cable 142D, 144D, and 146D. Additionally, when the combination of actuators 142A, 144A, and 146A are actuated, the bendable articulation section 106 may bend along angles α1, α2, and α3. This allows the bendable articulation section to achieve 360° articulation in the YZ plane with only three actuation systems 140. Because each actuation system 140 is fixed to a single control cable, no lag or additional slack is introduced into the system during articulation of the bendable articulation section 106. This allows for greater control and precision of the NDT device 100 compared to devices that introduce slack into the control cables during articulation.

[0040] Referring now to FIG. 2B, a cross-sectional schematic of the conduit portion 104 (as shown in FIG. 1) of the NDT device 100 is depicted, generally taken along line 2B-2B of FIG. 2A. As depicted, the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D pass through the sheaths 142E, 144E, and 146E along the length of the conduit portion 104 within the tubular housing 122. The sheaths 142E, 144E, and 146E may be secured to the guide 150 and the first washer 130 of the bendable neck 128, but are not secured to the inner wall 122B. The working volume 153 is disposed within the inner wall 122B of the tubular housing 122. The outer wall 122A of the tubular housing 122 protects the internal components of the tubular housing 122. In embodiments, various objects, such as electrical cables 10 or optical fibers 12, may also be disposed within the working volume 153 along the length of the tubular housing 122. The sheaths 142E, 144E, and 146E may prevent abrasion to the electrical cable 10 or the optical fiber 12 when the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D are actuated to bend the bendable neck 128.

[0041] 2C, there is shown a cross-sectional schematic view of the bendable articulation portion 106 (as shown in FIG. 1) of the NDT device 100, generally taken along line 2C-2C of FIG. 2A. As depicted, the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D have channels 142F, 144F, and 146F, respectively, that pass through a stack of washers 130 stacked within the outer wall 128A of the bendable neck 128. In an embodiment, each channel 142F, 144F, and 146F, and thus the corresponding control cable 142D, 144D, and 146D, is disposed at a circumferential position within the bendable neck 128. The circumferential positions of the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D may be substantially evenly spaced circumferentially around the bendable neck 128. A working volume 154 is disposed within the bendable neck 128 and is bounded by the inner wall 122B of the rocker washer. The working volume extends the entire length of the bendable articulation section 106 and conduit section 104 (as shown in FIG. 1 ) to allow tools and devices 10, 12 to pass through the bendable neck 128 and tubular housing 122 from the proximal end 124 to the distal end 126 (as shown in FIG. 2A ), through the bendable articulation section 106, and through the head section 108. In an embodiment where only three control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D are required to actuate the bendable articulation section 106, a larger working volume 154 exists within the tubular housing 122 and bendable neck 128 as compared to an embodiment requiring four control cables, as shown in FIG. 3B .

[0042] 2C, when only the control cable 146D is retracted by the actuator 146A and the control cables 142D and 144D are maintained in tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend along line L1. When only the control cable 144D is retracted by the actuator 144A and the control cables 142D and 146D are maintained in tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend along line L3. When only the control cable 142D is retracted by the actuator 142A and the control cables 144D and 146D are maintained in tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend along line L2. When only the control cables 142D and 144D are retracted by the actuators 142A and 144A, respectively, and the control cable 146D is maintained in tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend 180° opposite to line L1.

[0043] In an embodiment, when the bendable articulation section 106 is articulated, the controller 112 receives force measurements from each of the force sensors 142C, 144C, and 146C. As the control cables 142D, 144D, or 146D are retracted to bend the bendable articulation section 106, the non-retracted control cables may be extended to assist in the articulation. During articulation, the tension of the retracted control cables may be in the range of 10-50 lbf, and preferably in the range of 20-42 lbf, while the tension of the extended control cables may be in the range of 0-5 lbf, and preferably in the range of 0.5-1 lbf. The control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D may be made of stainless steel, tungsten, or another suitable material. Additionally, the control cables 142D, 144D, and 146D may have lengths in the range of 1-100 feet and have diameters of 0.014 inches.

[0044] 2D, a cross-sectional schematic of the conduit section 104' is depicted. Note that the conduit section 104' is similar to the conduit section 104 depicted in FIG. 2C, except for the circumferential location of the channels 142F', 144F', and 146F'. The bendable articulation section 106' includes channels 142F', 144F', and 146F' that are not evenly spaced circumferentially around the bendable neck 128'. The channels 142F', 144F', and 146F' are asymmetrically spaced, with α1' being equal to α2', but α3' being greater than α1' and α2'. This arrangement allows for a differently shaped working volume 154', with the working volume 154' bounded by α3' being larger than the portion of the working volume 154' bounded by α3 in FIG. 2B. This allows larger tools or devices to be fed through the bendable neck 128' as compared to the bendable neck 128. The larger working volume 154' can also be used for additional electrical cables 10 or optical fibers 12 to increase product capacity and performance.

[0045] 3A, a schematic diagram of an NDT device 200 is depicted. It should be noted that the NDT device 200 is similar to the NDT device 100 depicted in FIG. 1, except for the multiple actuation systems 240 and the control cables. The NDT device 200 includes a conduit section 204, a bendable articulation section 206, and a head section 208. The conduit section includes a tubular housing 222 extending from a proximal end 224 to a distal end 226. The bendable articulation section 206 includes a bendable neck 228 and a washer 230. The head section 208 includes a head assembly 232 including a light 234, a camera 236, and a sensor 238. The multiple actuation systems 240 are arranged to actuate the control cables to articulate the bendable neck 228. The articulation assembly 242 includes an actuator 242A, a rotor 242B, a control cable 242C, and a control cable 242D. The articulation assembly 244 includes an actuator 244A, a rotor 244B, a control cable 244C, and a control cable 244D. An arrangement with a single rotor 242B, 244B controls two separate control cables 242C, 242D, and 244C, 244D, while simultaneously introducing slack into the system. For example, as the rotor 242B rotates clockwise, the control cable 242D is in tension and the control cable 242C slacks due to loss of tension. This reduces the accuracy and reaction time of the NDT device 200 and may lead to a shortened device life due to the system's inability to take up the slack in the control cables as it accrues over time.

[0046] 3B, there is shown a cross-sectional schematic view of the bendable articulation section 206 along line 3B-3B of FIG. 3A. Control cables 242C, 242D, 244C, and 244D extend within the tubular housing 222, along the conduit section 204 and the bendable articulation section 206, and through channels 242E, 242F, 244E, and 244F formed in washers 230 stacked within the outer wall 222A of the bendable neck 228. The diameter configuration of the control cables 242C, 242D, 244C, and 244D allows the bendable articulation section 206 to be articulated in a single direction along lines L4, L5, L6, or L7 by applying tension to a single control cable and allowing slack in the control cable directly opposite the tensioned control cable. To articulate the bendable articulation section 206 along angles β1, β2, β3, or β4, at least two control cables must be tensioned, and the remaining two control cables are left slack to accommodate the additional tension.

[0047] 4, a method 300 of articulating a non-destructive testing device is depicted. In step 302, a control unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of actuation systems receives an actuation command. A directional input 114 of the control unit 102 may be used to generate an actuation command, which is then translated to the plurality of actuation systems 140. In step 304, the first actuation system is actuated to apply tension to a first control cable to bend the bendable articulation section in a first direction. As described above, when only the control cable 146D is retracted by the actuator 146A and the control cables 142D and 144D are extended by the actuators 142A and 144A, respectively, to release the tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend along the line L1. In an embodiment, the distance that the control cable 146D is retracted is substantially equal to the distance that the control cables 142D and 144D are extended. In step 306, the second and third actuation systems are actuated to apply tension to the second and third control cables to bend the articulation section in a second direction opposite to the first direction. As described above, when only control cables 142D and 144D are retracted by actuators 142A and 144A, respectively, and control cable 146D is extended by actuator 146A to release tension, the bendable articulation section 106 will bend 180° opposite line L1. Each actuation system of the multiple actuation systems 140 is configured to be independently operable.

[0048] As provided herein, an NDT device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present disclosure includes a tubular housing including a proximal end and a distal end. A conduit section is disposed at the proximal end and a bendable articulation section is secured to the conduit section and disposed at the distal end. Each of a plurality of actuation systems includes a control cable extending along the tubular housing and positioned at a respective circumferential location within a bendable neck of the tubular housing, and an actuator disposed at the proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable. Applications of the present disclosure include use in borescopes, endoscopes, and the like for NDT purposes.

[0049] The present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments described herein, and may be embodied in variations and modifications. The exemplary embodiments are provided merely to allow those skilled in the art to understand the scope of the present disclosure, and the scope of the present disclosure will be defined by the claims. Therefore, in some embodiments, well-known operations of processes, well-known structures, and well-known technical operations are not described in detail to avoid obscuring the understanding of the present disclosure. Throughout this specification, the same reference numbers refer to the same elements.

[0050] The terms used herein are for the purpose of describing particular embodiments only and are not intended to be limiting of the disclosure. As used herein, the singular forms "a", "an" and "the" are intended to include the plural unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. It will be further understood that the terms "comprises" and / or "comprising" as used herein specify the presence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements, and / or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements, components, and / or groups thereof. As used herein, the term "and / or" includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associated listed items.

[0051] Unless otherwise specified or clear from the context, the term "about" as used herein is understood to be within normal tolerances in the art, for example, within 2 standard deviations of the mean. "About" may be understood as within 10%, 9%, 8%, 7%, 6%, 5%, 4%, 3%, 2%, 1%, 0.5%, 0.1%, 0.05%, or 0.01% of the stated value. Unless otherwise clear from the context, all numerical values ​​provided herein are modified by the term "about".

[0052] The present disclosure has been described above by specific details such as specific components, exemplary embodiments, and drawings, but these are merely provided to aid in the overall understanding of the present disclosure. Therefore, the present disclosure is not limited to the exemplary embodiments. Those skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains may make various modifications and changes from this description. Therefore, the idea of ​​the present disclosure should not be limited to the above exemplary embodiments, and the following claims and all technical ideas that are equivalent or equivalently modified to the claims should be interpreted as being included in the scope and idea of ​​the present disclosure.

Claims

1. There are non-destructive testing devices, A tubular housing including a proximal end and a distal end, a conduit portion disposed at the proximal end; and a tubular housing secured to the conduit portion and including a bendable articulation portion disposed at the distal end; A plurality of actuation systems, each actuation system comprising: control cables extending along the tubular housing and positioned at respective circumferential locations within the bendable articulation section; and an actuator disposed at the proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable; and the bendable articulation section includes an outer wall, an inner wall, and a stack of swing washers disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall and having a channel, the stack of swing washers configured to maintain a bent shape of the articulation section by sliding washers over one another; the control cables of the plurality of actuation systems extend within the channel formed between the outer wall and the inner wall of the bendable articulation section; A non-destructive testing device, wherein the portion of the inner wall where the channel is not located extends circumferentially along an inner side of the rocker washer at least partially adjacent the rocker washer.

2. 2. The non-destructive testing device of claim 1, wherein each circumferential position of each of said control cables of said plurality of actuation systems is substantially evenly spaced circumferentially about said bendable articulation section.

3. The non-destructive testing device of claim 2 , wherein each said actuator of said plurality of actuation systems is configured to extend or retract a said control cable secured to said actuator.

4. The non-destructive testing device of claim 3 , wherein each of the control cables of the plurality of actuation systems is configured to be independently controlled.

5. The non-destructive testing device of claim 1 , wherein the plurality of actuation systems includes a first actuation system, a second actuation system, and a third actuation system.

6. 6. The non-destructive testing device of claim 5, wherein the bendable articulation section is configured to bend when only the first actuation system is actuated.

7. 7. A non-destructive testing device according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the bendable articulation section is configured to bend when only the second actuation system and the third actuation system are actuated in the same direction.

8. The bendable articulation portion is circumferentially surrounded by a non-porous material. and / or the control cable extends within a sheath that extends along the conduit; and / or A non-destructive testing device according to any preceding claim, wherein the rocker washer is formed from copper or other rigid material.

9. 2. The non-destructive testing device of claim 1, wherein each circumferential position of each of said control cables of said plurality of actuation systems is non-uniformly spaced circumferentially about said bendable articulation section.

10. 10. A non-destructive testing device according to claim 9, wherein the bendable articulation section is configured to articulate substantially 360 degrees about the conduit section.

11. a head portion coupled to the distal end of the tubular housing; 11. A non-destructive testing device according to any one of claims 1 to 10, further comprising a control unit housing coupled to the proximal end of the tubular housing.

12. The non-destructive testing device of claim 11 , wherein each of the actuators of the plurality of actuation systems is disposed within the control unit housing.

13. 1. A method of articulating a non-destructive testing device, comprising: receiving an actuation command by a control unit communicatively coupled to a plurality of actuation systems, each of the plurality of actuation systems: control cables extending along the tubular housing and positioned at respective circumferential positions within the tubular housing; an actuator disposed at a proximal end of the tubular housing and secured to the control cable; and actuating the plurality of actuation systems based on the actuation command to bend a bendable articulation portion of the tubular housing, each actuation system being configured to be independently operable; the bendable articulation section includes an outer wall, an inner wall, and a stack of swing washers disposed between the outer wall and the inner wall and having a channel, the stack of swing washers configured to maintain a bent shape of the articulation section by sliding washers over one another; the control cables of the plurality of actuation systems extend within the channel formed between the outer wall and the inner wall of the bendable articulation section; The portion of the inner wall where the channel is not disposed extends circumferentially at least partially adjacent an inner side of the rocker washer.

14. The method of claim 13 , wherein each circumferential position of each of the control cables of the plurality of actuation systems is substantially evenly spaced circumferentially around the bendable articulation section.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein each of the actuators of the plurality of actuation systems is configured to extend or retract the control cable secured to the actuator.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein each of the actuators of the plurality of actuation systems includes a force sensor configured to measure tension in each of the control cables.

17. The method of claim 16 , wherein each of the control cables is extended or retracted based on the tension in each of the control cables of the plurality of actuation systems.

18. 18. The method of any one of claims 13 to 17, wherein the plurality of actuation systems comprises a first actuation system, a second actuation system, and a third actuation system.

19. activating the first actuation system to apply tension to a first control cable to cause the bendable articulation section to bend in a first direction; 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising actuating the second and third actuation systems to apply tension to second and third control cables to cause the bendable articulation section to bend in a second direction opposite to the first direction.

20. 20. The method of claim 19, wherein the bendable articulation section is configured to articulate substantially 360 degrees about a conduit section disposed in the tubular housing.

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