Borescope 3-D Capture via Dual Sensor Triangulation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current borescope technologies for inspecting gas turbines, particularly aircraft engines, face challenges in efficiently capturing detailed 3-D images of engine blades due to manual and time-consuming processes, which are complicated and often limited to exceptional cases.
Innovation Solution
A borescope with an electronic image capture unit featuring two spaced apart image capture sensors that overlap in a recording plane, allowing for 3-D data processing through triangulation, and an integrated circuit for data preprocessing to reduce data transfer, enabling efficient dynamic 3-D capture and transmission of a single image with 3-D data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual static 3-D capture is performed for individual engine blades, then measurement precision is improved, but loss of time increases significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the manual mechanical process of 3-D capture with an automated electronic image capture system. Two image capture sensors record images simultaneously, and an integrated circuit automatically processes these images to generate 3-D data through triangulation, eliminating the time-consuming manual operations while maintaining measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The integrated circuit performs preliminary processing of images from both sensors before final 3-D reconstruction. By pre-processing the image data to extract relevant features and calculate preliminary 3-D coordinates, the system reduces the overall processing time while maintaining accurate 3-D capture
2Measurement precision
If two spaced apart image capture sensors are used for 3-D triangulation, then measurement precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the functions of two image capture sensors and an integrated circuit into a single compact electronic image capture unit. This unit is positioned at the end of the borescope shaft, combining multiple components into one integrated assembly that maintains the necessary spatial separation between sensors while reducing overall device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The electronic image capture unit serves multiple functions: it captures images with two sensors, processes the images through triangulation, and generates 3-D data all within a single device. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate components and simplifies the overall borescope system
3Loss of information
If complete image data from two sensors is transmitted, then loss of information is minimized, but quantity of substance (data transfer volume) increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integrated circuit extracts only the essential 3-D data from the complete image data captured by both sensors. By identifying and extracting only the relevant geometric information needed for 3-D reconstruction, the system transmits minimal data while preserving all critical measurement information
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of transmitting the original large-volume image data, the system creates a compressed 3-D data representation that captures the essential information. This copied 3-D data maintains measurement accuracy while requiring significantly less transmission bandwidth
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
Facilitates accurate and efficient 3-D capture of gas turbine interiors, allowing for automatic or semi-automatic inspection of engine blades, reducing data transfer requirements and improving inspection efficiency by generating 3-D models from captured images.
Implementation Method 1
two spaced apart image capture sensors, the recording cones of which overlap in a specified recording plane forming a recording region, in such a way that image data of the two image capture sensors are configured to be processed into 3-D data by way of triangulation
Data Source
AI summary
A borescope is for optically inspecting gas turbines of aircraft engines. The borescope having an electronic image capture unit as a borescope objective at an end of a shaft, which is suitable for insertion into a borescope opening and configured for accurate positioning of the borescope objective relative to the borescope opening and through which data lines and supply lines for the image capture unit are guided. The image capture unit has: two spaced apart image capture sensors, recording cones of which overlap in a specified recording plane forming a recording region, in such a way that image data of the two image capture sensors are configured to be processed into 3-D data by way of triangulation.