Borescope having a camera concealable within a hand-held case
A borescope having a miniature camera concealable within a hand-held casing, includes a casing, which is preferably a clam shell casing and is able to be held in a single hand of a user, along with a device for opening the casing. A flexible probe has a first end mounted in the casing and a second end being a distal end that is able to be moved from inside the casing to outside the casing with the miniature camera being located at, or proximate to, the distal end of the flexible probe for viewing structures outside of the casing after the casing is opened. The flexible probe with the miniature camera is able to be completely concealed within the casing when not in use. A display is located on a surface of the casing for viewing by the user that which is being seen by the miniature camera.
1. A borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing, comprising:
a casing capable of being held in a single hand of a user between a thumb and fingers of the single hand of the user;
means for opening said casing;
a flexible probe having a first end mounted in said casing and a second end being a distal end capable of being moved from inside said casing to outside of said casing;
optical means located at, or proximate to, the distal end of said flexible probe for viewing structures outside of said casing after said casing is opened, said flexible probe with said optical means being able to be completely concealed within said casing when not in use; and,
a display located on a surface of said casing for viewing by the user that which is being seen via said optical means, said display being capable of being simultaneously held and viewed by the user while being held in the single hand of the user between the thumb and the fingers of the single hand of the user.
2. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 1 , wherein said casing is a clam shell casing.
3. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 2 , wherein said means for opening said casing includes biasing means for biasing said clam shell casing toward an open mode, said means for opening said casing being activated by a touch release located on one side of said casing.
4. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 3 , wherein said clam shell casing includes a hand grips located along, at least a portion, of sides of said clam shell casing for allowing the casing to be held between the thumb and the fingers of the single hand of the user for ease of handling and of opening said clam shell casing.
5. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 1 , wherein said optical means is a miniature camera having video capabilities.
6. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 1 , wherein said means for opening said casing include means for releasing a latch located on a surface of said casing.
7. The borescope having optical means concealable within a hand-held casing according to claim 1 , wherein said display for viewing by the user that which is being seen via said optical means is an LCD display.