Camera assembly

{
  "publication_number": "US9787881B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Camera assembly",
  "abstract": "A camera assembly (10) for the inspection of passageways, particularly wellbores, and designed to operate in high temperature environments. A camera assembly for the inspection of wellbores comprises an elongate housing (12) having a first end (30) and a second end (42) and, extending between the ends, a side wall comprising an inner wall (22) and an outer wall (24), with a vacuum formed between the inner and outer walls; an elongate relay lens (52) having a first end (56) and a second end (62), the relay lens being located within the housing; an optically transparent window (46) located at the first end of the relay lens; an image sensor (48) located at the second end of the relay lens for capturing an image of an object viewable through the relay lens and window; and a light source (16) arranged to emit light from the housing, for illuminating the viewable object.",
  "claims": [
    "1. A camera assembly for the inspection of wellbores, the assembly comprising: an elongate housing having a first end and a second end and, extending between said ends, a side wall comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, with a vacuum formed between said inner and outer walls; an optically transparent window an image sensor for capturing an image of an object viewable through the window; a light source arranged to emit light from the housing, for illuminating said viewable object; an elongate gradient-index of refraction lens having a first end and a second end and a length of between 300 mm and 450 mm, the gradient-index of refraction lens being located within the housing and the optically transparent window being located at the first end of the gradient-index of refraction lens and the image sensor being located at the second end of the gradient-index of refraction lens; and biasing means arranged to urge the image sensor and gradient-index of refraction lens in a direction towards the first end of the housing.",
    "2. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the window is in contact with the first end of the gradient-index of refraction lens.",
    "3. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein the gradient-index of refraction lens has a length of between 300 mm and 400 mm.",
    "4. An inspection tool for the inspection of wellbores, the tool comprising: a camera assembly comprising an elongate housing having a first end and a second end and, extending between said ends, a side wall comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, with a vacuum formed between said inner and outer walls; an elongate relay lens having a first end and a second end, the relay lens being located within the housing, and the relay lens having a length of between 300 mm and 450 mm; an optically transparent window located at the first end of the relay lens; an image sensor located at the second end of the relay lens for capturing an image of an object viewable through the relay lens and window; and a light source arranged to emit light from the housing, for illuminating said viewable object; a centraliser; and a telemetry sub-assembly including means for controlling the camera assembly.",
    "5. A camera assembly for the inspection of wellbores, the assembly comprising: an elongate housing having a first end and a second end and, extending between said ends, a side wall comprising an inner wall and an outer wall, with a vacuum formed between said inner and outer walls; an elongate relay lens having a first end and a second end, the relay lens being located within the housing, and the relay lens having a length of between 300 mm and 450 mm; an optically transparent window located at the first end of the relay lens; an image sensor located at the second end of the relay lens for capturing an image of an object viewable through the relay lens and window; and a light source arranged to emit light from the housing, for illuminating said viewable object.",
    "6. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light source is arranged to emit light from a region of the housing between the window and the image sensor.",
    "7. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the window is in contact with the first end of the relay lens.",
    "8. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the window comprises sapphire.",
    "9. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assembly further comprises circuitry for controlling the image sensor and wherein the image sensor is remote from the circuitry.",
    "10. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 9, wherein the circuitry includes a Peltier cooler for cooling the image sensor.",
    "11. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light source comprises a plurality of light emitting diodes.",
    "12. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the plurality of light emitting diodes are spaced around the relay lens proximate the first end of the relay lens.",
    "13. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 11, wherein the light emitting diodes are located proximate the second end of the relay lens and the assembly further comprises at least one light pipe to transmit light emitted by the light emitting diodes, within the housing, to a part of the assembly proximate the first end of the relay lens.",
    "14. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the window is located at the first end of the housing.",
    "15. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the window is located in the side wall of the housing.",
    "16. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 15, wherein the assembly further comprises a prism arranged to direct light entering the camera assembly through the window along the relay lens and to the image sensor.",
    "17. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 16, wherein the prism is located at the first end of the relay lens.",
    "18. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assembly further comprises connecting means at the second end of the housing for connecting the camera assembly to a cable or shaft.",
    "19. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein the assembly further comprises an active focus system for maintaining sharp images of an object viewable through the relay lens.",
    "20. A camera assembly as claimed in claim 19, wherein the active focus system includes a linear actuator connected to the image sensor or a part of the relay lens."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "a. Field of the Invention\n\nThis invention relates to a camera assembly for the inspection of passageways. In particular this invention relates to a camera assembly for the inspection of wellbores and designed to operate in high temperature environments.\n\nb. Related Art\n\nIn oil and gas wells, the wellbore may be open or may be clad with a well casing. Visual inspection of the wellbore is important to check the integrity of the wellbore, and to investigate any downhole problems that may delay or prevent use of the well. For example, it is important to regularly inspect the casings for corrosion and wear.\n\nAlthough visual inspection of the wellbore is important, the conditions typically found in a wellbore tend to hinder the ability to use many camera systems. Wellbores can have diameters in the range 10 centimeters to 1 meter and can reach depths of hundreds or thousands of meters. In order to inspect these bores, therefore, it is not only necessary to provide a camera system that can operate at these depths, but also to provide the lighting required to be able to capture still images or video in this confined environment.\n\nFurthermore, any camera system must be able to withstand the pressures and temperatures encountered at depth in a borehole. Pressures at these depths can be very large and can reach around 150 MPa, and in addition, temperatures may exceed 100° C.\n\nTypically, downhole camera systems comprise a camera and light source contained in a protective steel sheath.",
  "cpc": [
    "H04N 23/51",
    "E21B 47/0002",
    "E21B 47/002",
    "G03B 37/005",
    "H04N 5/2252",
    "H04N 7/183"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "E21B 47/00",
    "H04N 5/225",
    "H04N 7/18",
    "G03B 37/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "EV Offshore Ltd"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Jonathan Thursby",
    "Shaun Peck",
    "Matthew Gibson-Ford"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2013-03-11",
  "publication_date": "2017-10-10",
  "grant_date": "2017-10-10",
  "priority_date": "2012-03-29",
  "application_number": "US-201314387167-A",
  "family_id": "46087339",
  "cited_by_count": 2,
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}