Method and apparatus for fluid propelled borescopes
Abstract
A method and apparatus for propelling a borescope being used to inspect inaccessible areas comprises one or more reaction jets attached to the borescope, the reaction jets expelling gas, liquid or other fluids to produce a reaction thrust force on the borescope. In one embodiment, a reaction jet is fastened to the remote head of an articulateable borescope, and the propulsion direction is controlled by an operator who views a desired aim point at the output end of the borescope cable, and articulates the borescope head to point at the desired aim point. In another embodiment, the orientation of the thrust vector of the reaction jets is controllable, permitting an operator to control the direction of travel of a borescope not necessarily possessing an independent articulation capability.

Term
Term ended
Projected expiry passed 5 August 2006, 20.1 years ago.
- Priority
- Filed
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- Projected expiry
- Today
1 sheet
Sheet 1
Every citation, both ways
| Document | Relation | Office | Category | Cited during |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FR2267800A1 | Cites | France | A | Search report |
| US4290421A | Cites | United States of America | Y | Search report |
| US4403985A | Cites | United States of America | Y | Search report |
| GB650053A | Cites | United Kingdom | A | Search report |
10 members in 5 offices
Priority claims4
| Document | Office | Kind | Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| 854295 | United States of America | – | |
| 85429586 | United States of America | A | |
| 854295 | – | – | – |
| US19860854295 | – | – | – |
Members10
| Document | Office | Kind | |
|---|---|---|---|
| EP0242428A2 | European Patent Office (EPO) | A2 | |
| JPS62251639A | Japan | A | |
| US4735501A | United States of America | A | |
| EP0242428A3This record | European Patent Office (EPO) | A3 | |
| US4735501B1 | United States of America | B1 | |
| CA1297361C | Canada | C | |
| JPH0656364B2 | Japan | B2 | |
| EP0242428B1 | European Patent Office (EPO) | B1 | |
| DE3650105D1 | Germany | D1 | |
| DE3650105T2 | Germany | T2 |
26 legal events, as 3 offices reported them to INPADOC
Over the term
Point at a mark for the eventEvents
| Event | Code | Office | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gb: european patent ceased through non-payment of renewal feeCeasedGBPC | GBPC | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Notification of lapseLapsedST | ST | FR | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Patent ceasedCeasedPL | PL | CH | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Lapsed in a contracting state [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]LapsedPG25 | PG25 | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| Annual fee paid to national office [announced via postgrant information from national office to epo]GrantedPGFP | PGFP | EP | |
| No opposition filedOpposition26N | 26N | EP | |
| No opposition filed within time limitOppositionORIGINAL CODE: 0009261PLBE | PLBE | EP | |
| Information on the status of an ep patent application or granted ep patentGrantedSTATUS: NO OPPOSITION FILED WITHIN TIME LIMITSTAA | STAA | EP | |
| Fr: translation filedET | ET | EP | |
| Corresponds to:REF | REF | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| (expected) grantORIGINAL CODE: 0009210GRAA | GRAA | EP | |
| First examination report despatched17Q | 17Q | EP | |
| Request for examination filed17P | 17P | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| Main classification (correction)RHK1 | RHK1 | EP | |
| Search report despatchedORIGINAL CODE: 0009013PUAL | PUAL | EP | |
| Designated contracting statesAK | AK | EP | |
| Public reference made under article 153(3) epc to a published international application that has entered the european phaseORIGINAL CODE: 0009012PUAI | PUAI | EP |
Numbers
- Publication
- 0242428
- Publication, DOCDB
- 0242428
- Publication, EPODOC
- EP0242428
- Application
- 86110802
- Application, DOCDB
- 86110802
- Application, EPODOC
- EP19860110802
Titles3
- English
- Apparatus for fluid propelled borescopes
- German
- Vorrichtung für ein fluidgetriebenes Endoskop
- French
- Appareil pour un endoscope propulsé par fluide
Classification
- CPC, 1
- G02B23/2476
- IPC, 4
- G01N21 84
- G01N21 88
- G01N21 954
- G02B23 24
Designated states5
- Contracting states, 5
- Switzerland
- Germany
- France
- United Kingdom
- Liechtenstein