Borescope Carrier Guidance for Reproducible Engine Inspection

Solution Overview

Problem

Current borescope inspection methods for aircraft engines, particularly the combustion chamber, face challenges in achieving complete and reproducible documentation due to manual guidance, which is time-consuming and expensive, especially when capturing 3D data.

Innovation Solution

An apparatus utilizing a guide tube and a repeatedly plastically deformable carrier element to guide a borescope head, allowing for a reproducible and non-contact path within the engine, using a deformable carrier element that retains its shape and supports the borescope head, combined with a control system for path correction.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Measurement precision

If a flexible borescope with manual guidance is used to inspect the combustion chamber, then the borescope can be guided through the combustion chamber to capture images, but complete and reproducible documentation is rarely achieved and the process is time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection documentation qualityVSAvoidinspection time

Core Design Contradiction:

Measurement precisionVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier element is pre-deformed into a predetermined inspection path shape before insertion. This preliminary shaping allows the borescope to automatically follow the correct inspection trajectory through the combustion chamber without manual guidance, ensuring complete and reproducible documentation while reducing inspection time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide tube serves as an intermediary component that receives the pre-deformed carrier element and guides it into the combustion chamber. The guide tube ensures proper positioning and orientation of the carrier element, enabling consistent reproduction of the inspection path across multiple inspections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Reliability

If manual guidance of the flexible borescope is used, then the borescope can be positioned to capture images, but complete and reproducible documentation is rarely possible

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvereproducibility of inspectionVSAvoidmanual guidance complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The carrier element is pre-deformed into a predetermined inspection path shape before insertion. This preliminary shaping allows the borescope to automatically follow the correct inspection trajectory through the combustion chamber without manual guidance, ensuring complete and reproducible documentation while reducing inspection time

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The manual mechanical guidance operation is replaced by the pre-deformed carrier element that passively guides the borescope along its predetermined path. This substitution eliminates the variability and complexity of manual guidance while ensuring consistent, reproducible inspection results

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Loss of information

If manual three-dimensional capturing of problem locations is performed, then detailed inspection data can be obtained, but the process is very expensive and time-consuming

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveinspection data completenessVSAvoidinspection efficiency

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of informationVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The pre-deformed carrier element enables continuous movement of the borescope along the complete inspection path without interruptions for manual repositioning. This continuous action captures all necessary inspection data in a single pass, improving productivity while maintaining data completeness

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

Solution Approach 2:

The guide tube serves as an intermediary component that receives the pre-deformed carrier element and guides it into the combustion chamber. The guide tube ensures proper positioning and orientation of the carrier element, enabling consistent reproduction of the inspection path across multiple inspections

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Enables efficient, reproducible, and high-quality inspection of internal engine components with reduced contact risk, improving data capture and reducing manual effort and costs.

Implementation Method 1

repeatedly plastically deformable carrier element configured to guide a borescope head

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElastic deformation: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

the guide tube is designed to deform the carrier element during the passage of the carrier element through the guide tube

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectPlastic deformation: Plasticity

Data Source

PatentUS12467878B2Apparatus for borescope inspection of technical devices

Publication Date: 2025.11.11 LUFTHANSA TECHNIK AG

AI summary

An apparatus investigates a technical device using a borescope. The apparatus has: a guide tube which is introducible through a borescope opening on the technical device to be inspected using the borescope; and a repeatedly plastically deformable carrier configured to guide a borescope head arranged at one end of the carrier. The guide tube is designed to deform the carrier during the passage of the carrier through the guide tube.