Abstract:
In some embodiments, a camera skid is presented. The camera skid includes a body into which a camera can be inserted; and a front portion received into the body, the front portion including a lip that contacts a face of the camera.

Description:
BACKGROUND 
       [0001]    The present disclosure relates to a camera skid. 
       DISCUSSION OF RELATED ART 
       [0002]    Underground pipes are often inspected with the use of cameras. The cameras are typically inserted into the pipe and are propelled down the pipe using the cabling to the camera. As such, the camera is propelled into a rough environment and often uses skid devices for protection and alignment. The camera skid holds the camera and provides alignment and protection for the camera as it is inserted into the pipe for inspection. 
         [0003]    Therefore, there is a need for better camera skids for use with inspection cameras. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0004]    In accordance with some embodiments, a camera skid is presented. The camera skid includes a body into which a camera can be inserted; and a front portion received into the body, the front portion including a lip that contacts a face of the camera. 
         [0000]    These and other embodiments will be described in further detail below with respect to the following figures. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0005]      FIG. 1  illustrates a camera skid with a camera according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0006]      FIG. 2  illustrates a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0007]      FIG. 3  illustrates dimensions of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0008]      FIG. 5  illustrates another view of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0009]      FIG. 6  illustrates another cross section of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0010]      FIGS. 7A through 7E  illustrates various perspectives of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0011]      FIGS. 8A through 8E  illustrates various perspectives of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
           [0012]      FIGS. 9A through 9E  illustrate various perspectives of a camera skid according to some embodiments of the present invention. 
       
    
    
       [0013]    The drawings may be better understood by reading the following detailed description. 
       DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0014]    In the following description, specific details are set forth describing some embodiments of the present invention. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in the art that some embodiments may be practiced without some or all of these specific details. The specific embodiments disclosed herein are meant to be illustrative but not limiting. One skilled in the art may realize other elements that, although not specifically described here, are within the scope and the spirit of this disclosure. 
         [0015]    This description and the accompanying drawings that illustrate inventive aspects and embodiments should not be taken as limiting—the claims define the protected invention. Various changes may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of this description and the claims. In some instances, well-known structures and techniques have not been shown or described in detail in order not to obscure the invention. 
         [0016]    Additionally, the drawings are not to scale. Relative sizes of components are for illustrative purposes only and do not reflect the actual sizes that may occur in any actual embodiment of the invention. Like numbers in two or more figures represent the same or similar elements. Elements and their associated aspects that are described in detail with reference to one embodiment may, whenever practical, be included in other embodiments in which they are not specifically shown or described. For example, if an element is described in detail with reference to one embodiment and is not described with reference to a second embodiment, the element may nevertheless be claimed as included in the second embodiment. 
         [0017]      FIG. 1  illustrates a camera skid  100  according to some embodiments of the present invention. Camera skid  100  includes body  104  and a front portion  102 . A camera  112  can be positioned through body  104  and rests on front portion  102  such that front portion  102  extends beyond the front face of camera  112 .  FIG. 1  illustrates a cable boot  130  contacting with body  104  of camera skid  100 . Skid body  104  also includes set holes  108  that allows set screws (now shown) to contact camera  112  and rigidly hold camera  112  in place. Skid body  104  also includes ridges  110  and grooves  106  between the ridges. Ridges  110  help guide skid  100  through the pipe while grooves  106  help direct fluid in the pipe around skid  100 . 
         [0018]    As shown in  FIG. 1 , camera skid  100  provides protection for the face of camera  112  from offsets or debris in a pipe through which camera skid  100  is directed. Further, camera skid  100  can help center camera  112  in the pipe while keeping camera  112  off the pipe itself. By keeping camera  112  off the floor of the pipe, the spread of light provided by camera  112  can be improved, resulting in better imaging of the interior of the pipe. 
         [0019]      FIG. 2  illustrates the separated portions of skid  100 , the front portion  102  and the body  104  are separated. As illustrated in  FIG. 2 , front portion  102  includes a lip  112  that overhangs the face of camera  112 . Front portion  102  also includes a lip  116  and groove  114  that mates with a corresponding groove  118  and lip  120  on the interior of skid body  104  that receives front portion  102 . Body  104  and front portion  102  are sized to receive camera  112  such that the front face of camera  112  is positioned in front portion  120  and in contact with lip  122 . 
         [0020]      FIG. 3  illustrates a side view of skid  100 . As shown in  FIG. 3 , skid  100  has a length L 1 . Body  104  has a rear outer diameter D 2 , the rear of skid  100  being opposite front portion  102 , and an outer diameter D 1  across ribs  110  at their maximum diameter. The outer diameter of front portion  102  is D 3 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 4  illustrates a cross-sectional view of skid  100  onto the plane defined by A-A illustrated in  FIG. 3 . As illustrated in  FIG. 4 , set screw hole  108  is formed in a ridge  110 . Set screw hole  108  is located a distance L 2  from the rear of skid  100 . The inner diameter of the rear of skid  100  is D 4 . The innermost diameter of front portion  102  is given by D 5 . The outer diameter of groove  114  of front portion  102  is given by D 6 , which is also the inner diameter of body  104  at lip  118 . The diameter of lip  116  of front portion  102  is given by diameter D 7 , which is also the inner diameter of groove  120  of body  104 . 
         [0022]      FIG. 5  illustrates a cross-sectional view of body  104  of skid  100  through the plane indicated by B-B in  FIG. 3 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the cross-sectional diameter between a groove  106  and a ridge  110  is given by D 8 . Further, grooves  106  can be defined by a circle with diameter D 9 . Additionally, the centers of grooves  106  are separated by an angle A 1  from the center of body  104 . 
         [0023]      FIG. 6  illustrates a cross-section view of body  104  of skid  100  through the plane indicated by C-C in  FIG. 4 . This plane passes cross-sectionally through screw holes  108 . As is illustrated in  FIG. 6 , screw holes  108  are positioned around body  104  and are separated by angles A 2  and A 3 . Although there may be any number of screw holes  108  for holding set screws (not shown),  FIG. 6  illustrates an embodiment with three screw holes  108 . As is further illustrated in  FIG. 6 , screw holes  108  are tapped to accommodate a set screw of type S 1 . 
         [0024]    Skid  100  can be sized to accommodate any inspection camera. In particular, the dimensions for an example skid  100  that can accommodate a 25 mm camera, a 34 mm camera, and a 45 mm are provided in Table I. Other sized cameras can be accommodated by adjusting the dimensions to fit the particular camera being used. Further, cameras having different shapes can be used with particular camera sizes. Consequently, the dimensions provided in Table I are examples only and are not intended to be limiting. 
         [0000]    
       
         
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
               
               
               
             
               
               
               
               
             
           
               
                 TABLE I 
               
               
                   
               
               
                 Dimension 
                 Dimension for a 
                 Dimensions for a 
                 Dimensions for a 
               
               
                 ID 
                 25 mm Camera 
                 34 mm Camera 
                 46 mm camera 
               
               
                   
               
             
             
               
                   
               
             
          
           
               
                 D1 
                 33 
                 mm 
                 42.50 
                 mm 
                 61 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D2 
                 26 
                 mm 
                 34.50 
                 mm 
                 46.20 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D3 
                 23.63 
                 mm 
                 25.60 
                 mm 
                 36 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D4 
                 25 
                 mm 
                 34.50 
                 mm 
                 36 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D5 
                 19 
                 mm 
                 25.60 
                 mm 
                 36 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D6 
                 27.50 
                 mm 
                 37.50 
                 mm 
                 49.2 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D7 
                 29.50 
                 mm 
                 40.50 
                 mm 
                 52.2 
                 mm 
               
               
                 D8 
                 30.20 
                 mm 
                 42.5 
                 mm 
                 55 
                 mm 
               
             
          
           
               
                 D9 
                 8.0 
                 mm 
                 8.2 
                 mm 
                 — 
               
             
          
           
               
                 L1 
                 26 
                 mm 
                 54 
                 mm 
                 40 
                 mm 
               
             
          
           
               
                 L2 
                 7.50 
                 mm 
                 3.30 
                 mm 
                 — 
               
               
                 L3 
                 2.50 
                 mm 
                 3.0 
                 mm 
                 — 
               
             
          
           
               
                 L4 
                 4.50 
                 mm 
                 5.0 
                 mm 
                 13 
                 mm 
               
               
                 L5 
                 9.0 
                 mm 
                 10 
                 mm 
                 15 
                 mm 
               
             
          
           
               
                 A1 
                  40° 
                  40° 
                 — 
               
               
                 A2 
                 120° 
                 120° 
                 120 
               
               
                 A3 
                 120° 
                 120° 
                 120 
               
               
                 S1 
                 M4 
                 M4 
                 M4 
               
               
                   
               
             
          
         
       
     
         [0025]      FIGS. 7A through 7E  illustrates various perspectives of a skid  100  as illustrated above. The Embodiment of skid  100  illustrates in  FIGS. 7A through 7E  include guide protrusions  704  formed in body  104  and complementary receptors  706  formed in front portion  102 . Such protrusions  704  and receptors  706  allow front portion  102  to be positioned onto body  104  in a limited number of angular orientations, depending on the number of protrusion  704  and receptor  706  pairs. In some embodiments, protrusions  704  may be formed in front portion  102  while receptors  706  may be formed in body  104 . 
         [0026]      FIGS. 8A through 8E  illustrate various perspectives of another example of skid  100  as discussed above. The example of skid  100  shown in  FIGS. 8A through 8E  includes an elongated body portion  802  along with a rear curved portion  804  and front curved portion  806 . Elongated body portion  802  is a flat portion of body  104  that extends between curved portions  804  and  806 . Front portion  102  attaches to front curved portion  806  while hole sets  108  are formed in curved portion  804 . 
         [0027]      FIGS. 9A through 9E  illustrates various perspectives of another example of skid  100  as discussed above. The example of skid  100  shown in  FIGS. 9A through 9E  have grooves  106  that are flat bottomed instead of circularly shaped, as is illustrated in  FIG. 5 . Furthermore, as is illustrated in  FIG. 9D , body  104  is tapered instead of rounded or flat such that front portion  102  is inserted into the side with the greatest diameter. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, body  104  can be constructed of a rigid material such as, for example, hard plastic, aluminum, steel, rubber, or other rigid or semi-rigid material. Front portion  102  can be constructed of a pliable material such as rubber. As is further illustrated above, skid  100  can be formed in a number of different shapes and configurations that house a camera and allow camera inspections of various pipes. 
         [0029]    In the preceding specification, various embodiments have been described with reference to the accompanying drawings. It will, however, be evident that various modifications and changes may be made thereto, and additional embodiments may be implemented, without departing from the broader scope of the invention as set for in the claims that follow. The specification and drawings are accordingly to be regarded in an illustrative rather than restrictive sense.