US 12,092,610 B2
Apparatus, systems, and methods for inspecting tubulars employing flexible inspection shoes
Danny Uselton, Spring, TX (US); John Tolman, Humble, TX (US); and John Zeigler, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Assigned to SCAN SYSTEMS, CORP, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Filed by SCAN SYSTEMS, CORP, The Woodlands, TX (US)
Filed on Jul. 20, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/869,146.
Application 17/869,146 is a continuation of application No. 16/987,221, filed on Aug. 6, 2020, granted, now 11,402,352.
Claims priority of provisional application 62/889,372, filed on Aug. 20, 2019.
Prior Publication US 2023/0017106 A1, Jan. 19, 2023
Int. Cl. G01N 27/9093 (2021.01); G01N 27/90 (2021.01)
CPC G01N 27/9093 (2013.01) [G01N 27/9006 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. An electromagnetic inspection (EMI) shoe (30) comprising:
(a) a flexible, generally arcuate solid body (40) comprising a flexible material of uniform flexural strength, the flexible, generally arcuate solid body (40) devoid of a bore and having a leading end (42), a trailing end (44), a non-working major face (46), and a working major face (48), the leading end (42), trailing end (44), non-working major face (46), and working major face (48) at least partially defining an inspection zone (50) therebetween;
(b) one or more magnetic detectors (80) carried by the flexible, generally arcuate solid body (40) in the inspection zone (50); and
(c) one or more pressure actuators (32, 52) removably attached to the non-working major face (46) and configured to exert pressure on one or more regions (90) of the non-working major face (46) of the flexible, generally arcuate solid body (40) in the inspection zone (50) during an electromagnetic inspection of a tubular (2), forcing the flexible, generally arcuate solid body (40) to contort into a generally contoured shape as it passes over a contoured region (20) of the tubular (2).