Illuminated inspection apparatus and method of employing the same

1. An inspection apparatus comprising:

a flashlight assembly including a power supply, an elongated housing having a first end and a second end, a lens body coupled to the first end, and a lens cover covering said lens body, said lens body including an opening;

an imaging system including a camera disposed within the opening of said lens body;

an illumination assembly generally surrounding said camera said illumination assembly comprising a plurality of light sources; and

a protective cover structured to at least partially overlay and to protect said illumination assembly, said protective cover including a center hole and a plurality of openings disposed around said center hole,

wherein said camera extends through said center hole of said protective cover; and

wherein each of said light sources extends through a corresponding one of said openings of said protective cover.

2. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said camera is a wireless video camera.

3. The inspection apparatus of claim 2 wherein said imaging system comprises said wireless video camera and a transmitter which is adapted to transmit images captured by said wireless camera to a remote receiving device.

4. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said illumination assembly further comprises:

a reflector disposed within said lens body;

a printed circuit board coupled to said reflector and including an aperture, said camera being disposed within the aperture; and

said light sources being disposed on said printed circuit board adjacent said camera.

5. The inspection apparatus of claim 4 wherein said printed circuit board is generally circular; wherein said light sources are a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed around the perimeter of said generally circular printed circuit board in order to form an illuminable ring substantially surrounding said camera.

6. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said flashlight assembly includes an electrical conductor and a switching apparatus, said electrical conductor being in electrical communication with said imaging system and said illumination assembly , said switching apparatus being operable between an ON position in which said electrical conductor is electrically, conductively connected to said power supply in order to provide power to said imaging system and said illumination assembly, and an OFF position in which said electrical conductor is not in electrical communication with said power supply.

7. The inspection apparatus of claim 1 wherein said power supply is a number of batteries disposed within said housing.

8. An inspection system for inspecting power generation equipment, said inspection system comprising:

a remote receiving device adapted to receive images captured during inspection of said power generation equipment;

a recording device structured to record said images; and

an inspection apparatus for capturing said images, said inspection apparatus comprising:

a flashlight assembly including a power supply, an elongated housing having a first end and a second end, a lens body coupled to the first end, and a lens cover covering said lens body, said lens body including an opening,

an imaging system including a camera disposed within the opening of said lens body,

an illumination assembly generally surrounding said camera said illumination assembly comprising a plurality of light sources; and

a protective cover structured to at least partially overlay and to protect said illumination assembly, said protective cover including a center hole and a plurality of openings disposed around said center hole,

wherein said camera extends through said center hole of said protective cover; and

wherein each of said light sources extends through a corresponding one of said openings of said protective cover.

9. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein said camera is a wireless video camera; and wherein said imaging system comprises said wireless video camera and a transmitter which is adapted to transmit said images captured by said wireless video camera to said remote receiving device.

10. The inspection system of claim 9 wherein said transmitter is an RF transmitter; and wherein said remote receiving device is a RF receiver including an antenna which structured to receive said images transmitted from said RF transmitter.

11. The inspection system of claim 10 wherein said imaging system includes a display and a recording device, said display being in electrical communication with said remote receiving device in order to display said images captured by said wireless video camera; and wherein said recording device is structured to create a permanent record of said images.

12. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein said illumination assembly further comprises:

a reflector disposed within said lens body;

a printed circuit board coupled to said reflector and including an aperture, said camera being disposed within the aperture; and

said light sources being disposed on said printed circuit board adjacent said camera.

13. The inspection system of claim 12 wherein said printed circuit board is generally circular; wherein said light sources are a plurality of light emitting diodes disposed around the perimeter of said generally circular printed circuit board in order to form an illuminable ring substantially surrounding said camera.

14. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein said flashlight assembly further includes an electrical conductor and a switching apparatus, said electrical conductor being in electrical communication with said imaging system and said illumination assembly, said switching apparatus being operable between an ON position in which said electrical conductor is electrically, conductively connected to said power supply in order to provide power to said imaging system and said illumination assembly, and an OFF position in which said electrical conductor is not in electrical communication with said power supply.

15. The inspection system of claim 8 wherein said power supply is a number of batteries disposed within said housing.

16. A method of inspecting power generation equipment, the method comprising:

adapting a conventional flashlight to provide an inspection apparatus which comprises:

a power supply,

an elongated housing having a first end and a second end,

a lens body coupled to the first end,

a lens cover covering said lens body, said lens body including an opening,

an imaging system including a camera disposed within the opening of said lens body,

an illumination assembly generally surrounding said camera said illumination assembly comprising a plurality of light sources,

a protective cover structured to at least partially overlay and to protect said illumination assembly, said protective cover including a center hole and a plurality of openings disposed around said center hole, and

an electrical conductor with a switching apparatus, said electrical conductor being in electrical communication with said imaging system and said illumination assembly, said switching apparatus being operable between an ON position in which said electrical conductor is electrically, conductively connected to said power supply in order to provide power to said imaging system and said illumination assembly, and an OFF position in which said electrical conductor is not in electrical communication with said power supply,

wherein said camera extends through said center hole of said protective cover; and

wherein each of said light sources extends through a corresponding one of said openings of said protective cover.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising:

turning said switching apparatus of said inspection apparatus to said ON position in order to illuminate said illumination assembly and to begin capturing images with said imaging system; and

conducting an inspection of said power generation equipment.

18. The method of claim 16 further comprising, providing as said imaging system a wireless video camera and a transmitter adapted to transmit said images captured by said wireless video camera to a remote receiving device.

19. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

providing as said transmitter a RF transmitter; and

providing as said remote receiving device a RF receiver including an antenna which is structured to receive said images transmitted from said RF transmitter.

20. The method of claim 18 further comprising:

providing said imaging system with a display and a recording device, said display being in electrical communication with said remote receiving device;

employing said inspection apparatus to conduct an inspection of said power generation equipment;

displaying on said display said images captured by said wireless video camera during said inspection; and

recording said images with said recording device.