Patent ID: 6788334
Filing Date: 2004-09-07
Classification: F16L

Abstract:
A device for inspecting hollow spaces such as pipes, conduits, building or containers comprising a probe with a built-in camera (5.0) whose objective is oriented toward a front end of a base member (1.0) of the probe,a hose line for supplying a liquid or gaseous medium to the probe, said line being connected to the back end of the base member of said probe, a supply unit for the hose supply line which is situated outside the site for utilization of the probe, transmission means which are provided between the camera and an evaluating and/or imaging unit, four rotary, probe-propelling, outlet nozzles (3.0) for the medium arranged on a side wall of the base member (1.0) between its front and back end, the axes of rotation of the outlet nozzles being offset by 90 degrees across the central longitudinal axis of the base member, two opposite rotary nozzles (3.0, 3.0â€²) being respectively solidly connected through an axle (2.0) by way of which they are supplied with the pressurized medium, the axis of the jet of the medium being angled at an angle of 0Â° to 45Â° from the central longitudinal axis between the front and back end of the base member, said rotatable outlet nozzles being rotatable 360 degrees, said rotatable outlet nozzles being driven by at least one electric servomotor (4.0), and said rotatable outlet nozzles (3.0, 3.0â€²) being in the shape of one of a disk or a flat cone and are non-rotatably carried on axles that are arranged at right angles, the respective outlet openings (3.3) of said nozzles being arranged on the sidewall of one of the disk or the flat cone, respectively the axles (2.0) being constructed as hollow axles (2.1) for the transportation of the medium from the hose supply line to the outlet nozzles and, control means are provided for controlling the rotatable nozzles such that the probe is held free in space and such that a recoil, propelling force is developed to advance the probe.