Patent ID: RE38999

Claim:
An apparatus for inspecting a lateral conduit from a main conduit, the apparatus comprising: a frame; a drive motor interconnected with the frame; at least one drive gear selectively rotated by the drive motor in one of an insertion direction and a retraction direction; a push rod cable engaged by the at least one drive gear such that rotation of the at least one drive gear in the insertion and retraction directions causes respective insertion and retraction of the push rod cable with respect to the lateral conduit, the push rod cable including a core having sufficient longitudinal compressive rigidity to allow insertion of the push rod cable into the lateral conduit and having sufficient transverse flexibility to negotiate substantially all bends within the lateral conduit, a push rod circuitry disposed along an outside surface of the core; and a lateral camera interconnected with the push rod cable for insertion into the lateral conduit with the push rod cable, wherein the push rod circuitry contains the necessary electrical and video circuitry to operate the lateral camera; a movable friction member interconnected with the frame for movement with respect to the frame, and adapted to frictionally engage an inner surface of a wall of the main conduit; and a propulsion motor interconnected with the frame, and operatively interconnected with the movable friction member for selective movement of the friction member to cause movement of the apparatus in one of a forward and reverse direction with respect to the main conduit.