| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 073633000 | Having transducer scanning means | 66 |
| 20090133502 | Document Monitoring Device - A document monitoring device comprises an ultrasonic transmitter ( | 05-28-2009 |
| 20090288490 | COPYING APPARATUS - There is provided a copying apparatus that copies a workpiece, including a shoe that comes into contact with a portion of the workpiece to be copied, and a first swiveling unit that swivels with the shoe in an arc pattern around a point, as a swiveling center, on a plane where the shoe comes into contact with the portion of the workpiece to be copied. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20110048135 | Continuous Laser Generation of Ultrasound - A new invention for the laser-based generation of ultrasound is described. In conventional laser-based ultrasound, a pulse of light is incident on a solid. The light is converted to heat expanding the material near the surface. This thermoelastic expansion creates an acoustic wave in the material. Detection of the ultrasound allows the nondestructive inspection of the material. The rate of performing an ultrasound scan is inherently limited by the pulse rate of the laser. In this invention, a continuous wave (cw) high-power laser sweeps across the material, using thermoelastic expansion to create an ultrasound wavefront on the surface of and in the material. Detection of the ultrasound wavefront provides evidence of the strength of the material and the presence of defects. With Continuous Laser Generation of Ultrasound, material analysts will be able to perform ultrasound scans potentially hundreds of times faster than the current methods. | 03-03-2011 |
| 20110120225 | ULTRASOUND TEST DEVICE WITH CLUSTER HOUSING - The invention relates to an ultrasound inspection device for the inspection of tubular workpieces, where the ultrasound inspection device can be coupled to the workpiece by means of a fluid medium, the workpiece and the ultrasound inspection device can be moved relative to each other, a transducer unit substantially disposed in a cluster housing is provided, where the cluster housing includes a wear sole which is adapted to the respective diameter of the workpiece and which can be placed on an outer lateral surface of the workpiece and is configured such that a chamber forms between the workpiece and the transducer unit, at least one fluid inlet channel, which, with a fluid inlet opening, opens into the chamber, at least one fluid outlet channel for venting and draining the chamber, which opens into the chamber where the mouth of the fluid outlet channel and the fluid outlet channel are configured and disposed such that a filling process of the chamber and of the fluid outlet channel can be carried out starting on the outer lateral surface of the workpiece, and then in a rising manner. | 05-26-2011 |
| 20110179874 | DIRECTED ACOUSTIC SHEAROGRAPHY - A nondestructive evaluation system, consisting of a metrology device and a directable acoustic transducer, is used to measure the variation of the surface when stress is applied. The directable acoustic transducer selects the location of the applied stress. The difference between the surface during stress application and in the absence of stress detects both surface and buried defects along the location of the stress. By scanning the beam from the acoustic transducer, the location of the stress can be adjusted, enabling the system to locate the detected defect in three dimensions. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110259107 | ultrasonic sensor - An ultrasonic sensor is described having a housing which has a circumferential side wall and a base surface. A transducer element for generating ultrasonic vibrations is mounted on the base surface. The side wall includes a lower side wall section, in which the side wall has an essentially rotationally asymmetrical profile in a plane parallel to the base surface, and an upper side wall section in which the side wall changes to an essentially rotationally symmetrical profile toward an upper edge of the side wall. In other respects, the present system provides a parking assistance system for a vehicle, having a control unit and such an ultrasonic sensor, as well as a method for manufacturing an ultrasonic sensor. | 10-27-2011 |
| 20110265572 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER, ULTRASONIC SENSOR AND METHOD FOR OPERATING AN ULTRASONIC SENSOR - An ultrasonic transducer has an integrated memory for storing a post-pulse oscillation time of the ultrasonic transducer in the uninstalled state. | 11-03-2011 |
| 20120111119 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR SENSING AN INPUT OBJECT RELATIVE TO A SENSING REGION OF AN ULTRASOUND SENSOR DEVICE - A subsystem, system and method for sensing an input object relative to a sensing region of an ultrasound sensor device are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a subsystem for sensing an input object relative to a sensing region of an ultrasound sensor device includes a circuit, a switch coupled to an output of the circuit, and an integrating capacitor coupled to the output of the circuit. The circuit has an input for receiving a resulting signal comprising positive and negative polarities, the resulting signal having effects indicative of the input object relative to the sensing region. The integrating capacitor is also coupled to a substantially constant voltage source and to the switch. The circuit is operable to output a rectified signal to the first integrating capacitor indicative of the input object relative to a sensing region. | 05-10-2012 |
| 20120186350 | ULTRASONIC FLOW METER UNIT - The present invention provides an ultrasonic flow meter unit which can eliminate design factors associated with measuring performance, and improve general versatility and diversity. An ultrasonic flow meter unit of the present invention comprises a measurement fluid passage through which a fluid flows; a pair of ultrasonic transducers provided on the measurement fluid passage; and a measuring circuit board which measures a propagation time of an ultrasonic signal transmitted and received between the ultrasonic transducers, and calculates a fluid flow, lead pins bent with a predetermined angle are connected to terminals of the ultrasonic transducers, and the measuring circuit board is on-board mounted to the measurement fluid passage, and then the lead pins are connected to the measuring circuit board. | 07-26-2012 |
| 20130074602 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER WEAR CAP - A wear cap including a flexible barrel and a rigid disc enables a high-frequency ultrasonic transducer to properly align to the surface of a material to be tested. The wear cap may be employed for any type of contact sensor that requires a protective wear cap and that needs to align to the surface of a material to be tested. An ultrasonic transducer assembly includes a wear cap and an ultrasonic transducer. The ultrasonic transducer is mounted in the wear cap and includes a transducer body with a cylindrical shape. A method of producing a wear cap for an ultrasonic transducer includes selecting a flexible material, forming a flexible barrel from the flexible material, selecting a rigid material, forming a rigid disc from the rigid material, and affixing the rigid disc to an end of the flexible barrel. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130174663 | TOOL AND METHOD FOR MANIPULATING A TRANSDUCER ASSEMBLY - A tool for manipulating a transducer assembly. The tool had a shaft to space the transducer assembly from a handle end. The tool rotatably mounts the transducer assembly so that the transducer assembly can transmissively coupled to and follow an arcuate scanning path. The tool includes a guide member for following an edge of a component to be tested. | 07-11-2013 |
| 20130340531 | Method for Ultrasonic Inspection of Irregular and Variable Shapes - System and method for enabling ultrasonic inspection of a variable and irregular shape. The system comprises one or more ultrasonic pulser/receivers, one or more ultrasonic transducer arrays, a shoe or jig to hold and position the array(s), data acquisition software to drive the array(s), and data analysis software to select a respective best return signal for each pixel to be displayed. This system starts with information about the general orientation of the array relative to the part and a general predicted part shape. More specific orientation of the transmitted ultrasound beams relative to the part surface is done electronically by phasing the elements in the array(s) to cover the expected (i.e., predicted) surface as well as the full range of part surface variability. | 12-26-2013 |
| 20140007691 | OUTPUT ADJUSTMENT CIRCUIT, ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DEVICE COMPONENT, AND ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER DEVICE - An ultrasonic transducer device component changes a transducer with another one having the same frequency or a different frequency without adjustment inside a generator main body or a change of the generator main body. The ultrasonic transducer device component includes a connection unit for use in applying ultrasonic transducer to cleaning fluid for cleaning objects, and for connection with a generator main body that generates an ultrasonic vibration signal; and a transducer connected to a connection unit. The connection unit includes an output transformer for adjusting an output of the ultrasonic vibration signal; a coil capacitor electrically connected to the output transformer; and a current detector electrically connected to the coil capacitor. | 01-09-2014 |
| 20140283612 | PHASED ARRAY ULTRASONIC BOLT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - Ultrasonic bolt inspection apparatus and methods facilitate in situ as well as bench non-destructive evaluation (NDE) inspection of fastening bolt distal ends and their mating nuts. The apparatus is coupled to an exposed end of a fastener bolt head, its exposed thread tip or to a mating nut. The apparatus retains a phased array ultrasonic probe that generates inspection scan data and a rotational position encoder that generates rotational position data. The probe is coupled to an ultrasonic inspection system analyzer, which converts scan data into inspection data that characterizes possible defects in the inspected bolt. A system controller is coupled to the analyzer and the rotational position encoder, correlating rotation position data and inspection data, in order to identify location and characteristics of possible defects in the inspected bolt end. | 09-25-2014 |
| 20140318257 | COMPONENT INSPECTION APPARATUS AND METHOD - A component inspection apparatus and a method for ultrasonic inspection of a component, including low pressure last stage steam turbine blades, are disclosed. The apparatus includes a guide member, a guide adapting member and scanning probes. The guide member includes a first surface and a distal second surface. The first surface is configured to adaptably mirror the shape of portions of the component to be inspected. The guide adapting member is capable of releasably attaching the second surface of the guide member.to be changeable as per the shape of the component. The scanning probes may be located on the guide adapting member in a manner configured to be movable along the second surface of the guide member to generate and receive ultrasonic waves used to inspect the component. | 10-30-2014 |
| 20150096382 | ULTRASONIC SCANNING FIXTURE ASSEMBLY - An apparatus for use in scanning a material includes a top member having a first body with a first plurality of holes; a bottom member having a second body with a second plurality of holes; and an interconnecting member connecting the top member and the second member to provide a gap between the top member and the bottom member. Each hole in the top member is aligned with a corresponding hole in the bottom member to form a hole-pair. | 04-09-2015 |
| 20160123727 | METHOD FOR CLASSIFYING METAL TUBES - A method or classifying metal tubes in which the measuring of the eccentricity over the entire length of the tube is provided, and in which the classification occurs on the basis of the length of the tube portions which have eccentricity either higher or lower than one or more eccentricity thresholds. | 05-05-2016 |
| 073634000 | Automatic transducer positioning | 6 |
| 20090064787 | ULTRASONIC INSPECTION APPARATUS, SYSTEM, AND METHOD - Improved apparatus, systems, and methods for inspecting a structure are provided that use a pedestal robot mounted on a rail system, a probe extension coupler, and an inspection probe capable of performing pulse echo ultrasonic inspection. A probe may also include sled appendages and an axial braking system to inspect over holes and off edges. A probe may also include an ultrasonic pulse echo transducer array for high rate inspection; the transducer array may be mounted in a bubbler shoe for individually coupling each of the transducers in the array. A rail system may also include an optical encoder for providing location information for the robot and axial braking system. A probe extension coupler presses the inspection probe against the structure for adjusting to changes in surface contours. | 03-12-2009 |
| 20090205429 | NONDESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION OF AIRCRAFT STIFFENERS - Nondestructive inspection of a plurality of aircraft hat stiffeners includes exciting cavities of the stiffeners with electromagnetic radiation, and analyzing electromagnetic field responses of the cavities to detect state changes of the stiffeners. | 08-20-2009 |
| 20100199771 | ULTRASONIC SCANNING APPARATUS WITH A TUNING FORK-TYPE VIBRATOR - This invention relates to ultrasonic scanning apparatus wherein an ultrasonic probe is mounted on a resonant assembly for continuous reciprocating motion. The resonant member has natural frequency of resonance. Preferably, the resonant assembly is disposed in a hand-held probe. | 08-12-2010 |
| 20140060197 | ULTRASONIC ARRAY TRANSDUCER HOLDER AND GUIDE FOR FLANGES HAVING CUTOUTS AND ASYMMETRIC GEOMETRY - An ultrasonic inspection device employs a transducer incorporating an ultrasonic array and a positioner/holder having abase with a rail extending from the base to support the transducer in at least two lateral positions. A guide extends from the base for contact with a web of a composite shape, the guide maintaining the rail substantially perpendicular to the web. An encoder supported by the base and contacts a flange of the composite shape. The Positioner/holder is adapted for longitudinal motion along the composite shape to create C-scans with the transducer. | 03-06-2014 |
| 20150122031 | TRANSDUCER POSITION GUIDE - The present disclosure relates generally to a transducer position guide. The transducer position guide may be attached to a component to be measured, such as an airfoil, and controls a path traversed by the transducer during a measurement process. | 05-07-2015 |
| 20160123933 | NON-DESTRUCTIVE ULTRASONIC INSPECTION APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS - As described herein, a system for inspecting a component includes an ultrasonic inspection probe with a component surface interface, and a robotic device with an end effector coupled to the ultrasonic inspection probe. The robotic device is automatably controllable to move the ultrasonic inspection probe across a surface of the component. Additionally, the system includes an angle sensor subsystem coupled between the ultrasonic inspection probe and the end effector. The angle sensor subsystem is configured to operably detect an actual orientation of the end effector relative to a presently inspected portion of the surface of the component. The system includes a controller configured to receive orientation data from the angle sensor subsystem, the orientation data comprising the actual orientation of the end effector, compare the actual orientation to a desired orientation, and control the robotic device to adjust an orientation of the end effector to be in the desired orientation. | 05-05-2016 |
| 073635000 | Rolling contact | 29 |
| 20090107244 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR NONDESTRUCTIVE INSPECTION OF PARTS - A method of inspecting a radius area of composite parts with an ultrasonic inspection system, the system includes at least one ultrasonic probe, an upper sliding surface, a lower sliding surface, an adjustable guide rail, and an adjustable encoder wheel rotatably coupled to a rotary encoder, is provided. The method includes generating a high frequency sound wave using the probe including a radius of curvature extending from a center point, the sound wave travels partially through the part, adjusting the guide rail to align the center point of the probe with a center axis of a part corner portion, sliding the part through the inspection system to inspect the corner portion using the sound wave by rotating the wheel and rotary encoder such that the arcuate distance of the part is recorded, adjusting the wheel to avoid any apertures defined within the part, and processing the sound wave information. | 04-30-2009 |
| 20110126627 | THREE-DIMENSIONAL MECHANICAL ULTRASONIC PROBE - A three-dimensional mechanical ultrasound probe includes a base; a transducer for emitting an ultrasonic signal; a driven wheel with a hole, the driven wheel being connected to the transducer, the transducer being swung by the driven wheel; a motor fixed on the base; and a transmission system connected to the motor and a first rope, the transmission system being driven by the motor, the first rope being driven by the transmission system, wherein the first rope is connected to the transmission system and a rope adjusting dowel; and wherein the adjusting dowel is pivotably inserted into the hole of the driven wheel. | 06-02-2011 |
| 20120291555 | TRANSDUCER APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ASSEMBLING A TRANSDUCER APPARATUS - According to one aspect of the invention, a transducer apparatus is provided that includes a core section, a transducer disposed in the core section, the transducer configured to transmit or receive signals and a tubular member mounted to the core section for relative rotation, wherein a fluid is disposed in the tubular member. The apparatus further includes a weight reduction device disposed inside the tubular member to occupy a volume inside the tubular member, wherein the weight reduction device is configured to provide a transmission path from the transducer to the tubular member via the fluid. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20140150557 | ULTRASOUND INSPECTION SYSTEM AND ULTRASONIC QUALITY CONTROL METHOD - An ultrasound inspection roller provided with a wheel, a sensing system and a support for holding the sensing system inside the wheel, a wedge connected to the ultrasound sensing system at one end and provided with a curved profile at its other end facing the wheel, adapted to the curvilinear shape of the wheel, and a liquid of a density higher than 9.9*10 | 06-05-2014 |
| 20160061785 | FLUIDLESS ROLLER PROBE DEVICE - A fluidless roller probe device for performing structural integrity testing. A drum sensor has a shaft, a barrel-shaped inner portion mounted on the shaft, a sensor array having transmit elements and receive elements positioned on an outer surface of the inner portion, and an outer portion positioned over the sensor array. A shaft encoder is coupled to the shaft of the drum sensor. A support structure is coupled to the shaft of the drum sensor. Processing circuitry coupled to the transmit elements and receive elements is configured to activate, based on a signal from the shaft encoder, only that transmit element closest to the surface of the part under test and to calculate an output signal based on signals received from the receive elements. The transmit and receive elements are either ultrasonic transducers or eddy current coils. The transmit and receive elements are arranged in a lattice-like configuration. | 03-03-2016 |
| 073636000 | On railroad rails | 16 |
| 20090266166 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING INTERNAL RAIL DEFECTS - An ultrasonic rail inspection system designed to detect defects in a rail which result from longitudinal cracks that propagate in the horizontal and transverse plane of the rail. Detection of this type of defect is possible by directing an ultrasonic beam into the rail at a predetermined angle from the perpendicular to the surface of the rail. The predetermined angle must be sufficient to detect these normally undetectable defects and can be in the range of 8° to 14° from the perpendicular. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090266167 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING INTERNAL RAIL DEFECTS - An ultrasonic rail inspection system designed to detect defects in a rail which result from longitudinal cracks that propagate in the horizontal and transverse plane of the rail. Detection of this type of defect is possible by directing an ultrasonic beam into the rail at a predetermined angle from the perpendicular to the surface of the rail. The predetermined angle must be sufficient to detect these normally undetectable defects and can be in the range of 8° to 14° from the perpendicular. | 10-29-2009 |
| 20090282923 | METHOD OF AND AN APPARATUS FOR IN SITU ULTRASONIC RAIL INSPECTION OF A RAILROAD RAIL - An ultrasonic railroad rail inspection system, apparatus and method for in situ rail inspection including a wheel assembly containing a fluid-filled tire and an ultrasonic transducer mounted within the wheel assembly. The transducer is supported in the tire such that the ultrasonic beam generated by the transducer has a beam axis that intersects a head of a railroad rail at a position offset from the longitudinal median plane of the rail to the side of the head penetrated by the ultrasonic beam. The ultrasonic beam is reflected by flaws in the rail in the form of echoes. The echoes return to the transducer identifying the location of flaws. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20090320603 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF FAULTS IN RAILS | 12-31-2009 |
| 20110146409 | Device for Attachment to a Rotating Part of a Railway Axle - The invention refers to a device for attachment to a rotating part ( | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110209549 | APPARATUS FOR AND METHOD OF DETECTING DEFECTS IN A RAIL JOINT BAR - An apparatus and method for inspecting a rail joint bar transported along a railway rail by an inspection vehicle is provided. The apparatus and method includes a pair of ultrasonic transducers housed in liquid-filled wheels. The wheels are positionable for a stored position to a measurement position in rolling contact with the vehicle surfaces of the rail joint bars on each side of the rail. The ultrasonic transducer transmits a signal into the rail joint bar and the reflected signal is detected by the transducer and analyzed to identify flaws in the rail joint bar. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20120216618 | METHODS AND SYSTEMS FOR IMAGING INTERNAL RAIL FLAWS - A method for imaging internal flaws of a rail is disclosed. The method may include transmitting multiple ultrasound pulses into the rail along transverse and longitudinal axes of the rail, acquiring reflected ultrasound data from the rail, processing the reflected ultrasound data by applying an ultrasound migration technique to the reflected ultrasound data, and mapping the internal flaws of the rail based on the reflected ultrasound data processed by the ultrasound migration technique. | 08-30-2012 |
| 20120227502 | MULTI-PROBE RAIL SCANNING/ENCODER SYSTEM AND CERTIFIED METHOD OF USE THEREOF - A rail scanning system and certified method of use thereof are described. The rail scanning system comprises a control unit, a probe carriage, and an encoder. The probe carriage comprises two or more phased array probes. The control unit is communicatively coupled with the encoder and phased array probes of the probe carriage. | 09-13-2012 |
| 20120279308 | ELASTIC WAVE RAIL DEFECT DETECTION SYSTEM - A rail defect detection system includes a controller in signal communication with at least one transducer. The at least one transducer is configured to receive a predetermined number of guided elastic wave modes at specific frequencies and with specific wave structures from a rail and generate a signal in response. The controller includes a processor configured to identify a defect disposed along the rail in response to the signal received from the at least one transducer. | 11-08-2012 |
| 20130111997 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DETECTING INTERNAL RAIL DEFECTS - An ultrasonic rail inspection system designed to detect defects in a rail which result from longitudinal cracks that propagate in the horizontal and transverse plane of the rail. Detection of this type of defect is possible by directing an ultrasonic beam into the rail at a predetermined angle from the perpendicular to the surface of the rail. The predetermined angle must be sufficient to detect these normally undetectable defects and can be in the range of 8° to 14° from the perpendicular. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20130152691 | METHOD OF DETECTING DEFECTS - A method for detecting defects in a railway rail including a search unit and preferably a roller search unit (“RSU”) mounted on a test vehicle and in rolling contact with the running surface of the rails to inspect each rail. The RSU includes a tire filled with a liquid and a transducer assembly mounted within the tire. The transducer assembly includes one or more arrays of ultrasonic transducers directed toward the running surface of the rail. A laser profiler mounted on the test vehicle in combination with a linear encoder provide profile data which is communicated to a system controller to dynamically adjust the focal laws for the one or more arrays of transducers to dynamically steer the transmitted beams to produce the ideal inspection beam sets while the test vehicle is in motion. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130220019 | System and Method for Non-Destructive Testing of Railroad Rails Using Ultrasonic Apparatuses Mounted Within Fluid-Filled Tires Maintained at Constant Temperatures - A rolling search unit including an ultrasonic device and a heat exchanger mounted within a fluid-filled tire may be utilized to perform ultrasonic testing on an underlying railroad rail. The ultrasonic device may transmit or receive ultrasonic beams into or from the railroad rail, and the heat exchanger may be utilized to maintain the temperature of the fluid within the tire at a preferred level or within a preferred range. In such a manner, the results of testing obtained using the rolling search unit may be standardized regardless of the ambient temperature in the environment where the testing is being performed, and regardless of any heat gained or lost by the rolling search unit during operation. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130220020 | APPARATUS FOR DETECTING DEFECTS - An apparatus for detecting defects in a railway rail mounted on a test vehicle. The apparatus includes a transducer assembly with one or more arrays of ultrasonic transducers directed toward the running surface of the rail. Beams transmitted by the one or more arrays of ultrasonic transducers may be dynamically adjusted to compensate for the varying profile of the rail head and running surface. A laser profiler mounted on the test vehicle in combination with a linear encoder provide profile data, which is communicated to a system controller to dynamically adjust the focal laws for the one or more arrays of transducers to steer the transmitted beams to produce the ideal inspection beam sets while the test vehicle is in motion. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20140251015 | System and Method for Non-Destructive Testing of Railroad Rails Using Ultrasonic Apparatuses Mounted Within Fluid-Filled Tires Maintained at Constant Temperatures - A rolling search unit including an ultrasonic device and a heat exchanger mounted within a fluid-filled tire may be utilized to perform ultrasonic testing on an underlying railroad rail. The ultrasonic device may transmit or receive ultrasonic beams into or from the railroad rail, and the heat exchanger may be utilized to maintain the temperature of the fluid within the tire at a preferred level or within a preferred range. In such a manner, the results of testing obtained using the rolling search unit may be standardized regardless of the ambient temperature in the environment where the testing is being performed, and regardless of any heat gained or lost by the rolling search unit during operation. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140345387 | Automatic Sonic/Ultrasonic Data Acquisition System for Evaluating the Condition and Integrity of Concrete Structures such as Railroad Ties - An automatic sonic/ultrasonic data acquisition system for collecting data from concrete railroad ties. The system has a frame, a wheel carried by the frame and constructed and arranged to rotate relative to the frame such that the wheel can roll along the top of a rail, an axle suspended from the frame and adapted to be rotated relative to the frame via rotation of the wheel, one or more sensors coupled to the axle and constructed and arranged to contact the ties as the frame is moved along the rails, and an energy source for initiating in the ties compressional and/or shear/Rayleigh waves that are sensed by the sensors. | 11-27-2014 |
| 20150033864 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ACOUSTICALLY IDENTIFYING DAMAGED SECTIONS OF A ROUTE - A method for acoustically examining a route includes sensing passively excited residual sounds of a vehicle system during travel over a route, examining the passively excited residual sounds to identify one or more changes of interest in the passively excited residual sounds, and identifying a section of the route as being damaged responsive to the one or more changes of interest in the passively excited residual sounds that are identified. | 02-05-2015 |
| 073637000 | Around cylindrical object | 4 |
| 20090038398 | MOTORIZED BRACELET ASSEMBLY FOR MOVING SENSOR MODULES AROUND A PIPE - A motorized bracelet assembly for ultrasonic crack detection in a pipe. The bracelet has a motorized frame adapted for installation around the pipe and a sliding arrangement slideably mounted onto the frame. The sliding arrangement guides a displacement of sensor modules in periphery of the pipe. A first driving device controllably drives the sliding arrangement and thereby displacing the sensor modules in periphery of the pipe at desired operating positions. The bracelet comprises biasing devices for biasing the sensor modules against the pipe and a second driving device for controllably driving the frame along the axial direction of the pipe at a desired operating position. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20100275694 | PIPE SCANNER - A pipe scanner for non-destructively scanning an extended length of the circumference of a pipe along an axial dimension. The pipe scanner includes a collar sized to fit around the outer circumference of the pipe. Wheels supported on the collar ride on the surface of the pipe while maintaining a space between the inner surface of the collar and the outer surface of the pipe. A track extends circumferentially around the collar for guiding a circumferential drive unit that rides on the track and carries a non-destructive sensor for monitoring the surface of the pipe as the circumferential drive unit moves around the track. An axial drive unit is connected to the collar, having a plurality of circumferentially spaced drive wheels in contact with the pipe for moving the collar along the extended length. | 11-04-2010 |
| 20110000302 | Method for ultrasonic inspecting a substantially circumferential weld and an apparatus for carrying out such method - A method for ultrasonic inspecting a substantially circular circumferential weld which connects an inner pipe and an outer pipe which are aligned coaxial relative to each other, the method comprising the steps of:
| 01-06-2011 |
| 20120325005 | Railway wheel ultrasonic testing apparatus - A method and apparatus for collecting ultrasonic test data from a railway wheel with an ultrasonic testing apparatus is described. The railway wheel is supported by two drive rollers, each having an indentation which engages with and rotates the wheel. An indexing transducer moves across the rotating wheel, collecting ultrasonic test data while a fixed transducer correlates a reference position on the wheel to the collected test data. To maintain the accuracy of the reference position to the collected test data, it is desirable to maintain the rotational stability of the wheel, minimizing any dynamic instability caused by dimensional tolerances in the wheel. To mitigate instabilities resulting from dimensional tolerances, the indentation of the drive rollers, which engage and drive the flange of the wheel, are variably spaced using a resilient member to maintain frictional contact between the wheel and the drive roller. This allows the indentation to accommodate the varying dimensional tolerances of the wheel flange, mitigating the possibility of dynamic instability resulting from departure of the wheel flange from the indentation. | 12-27-2012 |
| 073638000 | Along cylindrical object | 2 |
| 20080314154 | Method, Apparatus And System For Inspecting A Workpiece Having A Curved Surface - A non-destructive inspection method, apparatus and system are provided for inspecting a workpiece having a curved surface with at least one predefined radius of curvature. The apparatus, such as an inspection probe, includes a plurality of transducer elements positioned in an arcuate configuration having a predefined radius of curvature and a curved delay line. The curved delay line has an outer arcuate surface having a predefined radius of curvature that matches the predefined radius of curvature of the transducer elements. The curved delay line also has an inner arcuate surface that has at least one predefined radius of curvature that matches the at least one predefined radius of curvature of the curved surface of the workpiece. In addition to the inspection probe, the system includes an excitative source for triggering the transducer elements to emit signals into the workpiece and a computing device to receive the return signals. | 12-25-2008 |
| 20150068312 | ROLLING PHASED ARRAY ULTRASONIC SCANNER - A rolling ultrasonic scanner comprises a member having an inspection surface for rolling across the surface of an object under test. A plurality of ultrasonic transducers are disposed within the member in a formation such that they are each aimed at a common point that is coincident with the surface of the object. | 03-12-2015 |
| 073639000 | Transducer forms wheel or is within a wheel | 2 |
| 20090151458 | NONDESTRUCTIVE TESTING APPARATUS FOR BLADE ROOT OF STEAM TURBINE OF POWER PLANT - In a nondestructive testing apparatus for testing normality of a blade root in a steam turbine installed in a nuclear plant or a thermal plant, an ultrasonic probe and an encoder can be mounted at the outside by only removing a casing of the steam turbine, without the necessity of withdrawing a turbine rotor, so that an automatic testing can be performed by rotating the steam turbine. Since the testing result can be digitally stored, reliability of the testing is improved. Furthermore, size of the testing apparatus is highly reduced for a tester to conveniently carry and install the testing apparatus alone. As a result, installation time and the whole testing time can be minimized. | 06-18-2009 |
| 20100224001 | LOW PROFILE ULTRASOUND INSPECTION SCANNER - An inspection scanner [ | 09-09-2010 |
| 073640000 | Scanning curved surface in direction of curvature | 3 |
| 20090114026 | Method and Apparatus for Conveying an Ultrasonic Sensor about an Outer Peripheral Surface of a Tube - A method & apparatus for conveying an ultrasonic sensor about an outer peripheral surface of a tube to perform a non-destructive evaluation thereof is disclosed. The ultrasonic sensor is mounted on a flexible tension link and the method involves extending the flexible tension link while urging an extended portion of the flexible tension link towards the outer peripheral surface of the tube at a plurality of locations along it's length, thereby causing the ultrasonic sensor to move through an arc in a direction circumferentially around the tube while maintaining ultrasonic coupling between the ultrasonic sensor and the tube. | 05-07-2009 |
| 20140000371 | TEST HEAD FOR TESTING A WORKPIECE HAVING AN ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER CONFIGURATION CONTAINING A PLURALITY OF ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCERS AND PROCESS FOR PRODUCING SUCH A TEST HEAD | 01-02-2014 |
| 20140013850 | TRANSDUCER MODULE INCLUDING CURVED SURFACE FRAME, ULTRASONIC PROBE INCLUDING TRANSDUCER MODULE, AND METHOD OF PRODUCING CURVED SURFACE FRAME - A transducer module includes a curved surface frame which is formed from a flexible material in a curved shape and includes a front surface and a rear surface; a transducer which is disposed on the front surface; and a support frame which is mounted on the rear surface and supports the curved surface frame. | 01-16-2014 |
| 073641000 | Plural sonic transmitters or receivers | 11 |
| 20090241675 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ULTRASONIC CROSS-SECTIONAL INSPECTION - The apparatus and method prevent inspection omission when ultrasonic flaw detection using a transducer array is applied to inspection of a test object being conveyed at a high speed. The method for inspecting a cross section of a test object using a transducer array comprised of many ultrasonic transducers arranged in one dimension includes the steps of transmitting ultrasonic waves from some or all of the ultrasonic transducers in the transducer array, receiving reflected waves generated by the transmitted ultrasonic waves using some or all of the ultrasonic transducers in the transducer array, converting the received signals into digital waveform signals, transforming the timing between the digitalized signal data received by each transducer element in at least one transducer group, which includes plural transducer elements selected from the transducer array, on the basis of the distances between the transducer element and spatially continuous focuses of receiving beam set to be formed in the test object; and summing all the timing-transformed signals received by transducer elements in the transducer group. | 10-01-2009 |
| 20090282924 | Transducer Arrangement for a Nondestructive Material Testing System - A transducer arrangement for a nondestructive ultrasonic material testing system has a multiplicity of ultrasound transducers which can be moved linearly or swiveled along a trajectory curve. A multiplicity of ultrasound transducers can be aligned with a point of a specimen. If the size and the focal length of the transducers prohibit an annular or similar arrangement, the transducers are divided into smaller groups. They are then arranged so that every transducer passes over each desired focal point on the specimen during movement of the transducers along the trajectory curve. | 11-19-2009 |
| 20100154548 | Method and apparatus for detecting voids in a pipe - An apparatus for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes a first ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a second ultrasonic transducer externally disposed on the pipe. The apparatus includes a multiplexer, transmitter, receiver, controller and processor in communication with the first transducer and the second transducer which in combination identify a void in the pipe from ultrasonic measurements of properties of the fluid in the pipe. A method for detecting and measuring gas voids in a pipe with a fluid includes the steps of measuring properties of the fluid internal to the pipe with transmissions of ultrasonic energy from transducers externally disposed on the pipe. There is the step of identifying a void in the pipe from the properties of the fluid internal to the pipe using signals processed by processor. | 06-24-2010 |
| 20100242613 | METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR TRANSDUCER ELEMENT FAULT DETECTION FOR PHASED ARRAY ULTRASONIC INSTRUMENTS - The invention disclosed herein provides a method and system related to phased array ultrasonic systems to identify faults in individual element on a regular basis. The method and system of the present disclosure are based on a simple approach of calculating energy levels in response signals from each individual element and then identifying any discontinuities or unexpected drops in energy levels sensed during a typical phased array operation. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20110088477 | ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND PHOTOACOUSTIC-ULTRASONIC SYSTEM AND INSPECTION OBJECT IMAGING APPARATUS INCLUDING THE ULTRASONIC PROBE - Provided are an ultrasonic probe capable of forming an image without degradation even when the frequency band of a photoacoustic wave and the frequency band of an ultrasonic wave used in ultrasonography are separated from each other, and an inspection object imaging apparatus including the ultrasonic probe. The ultrasonic probe includes a first array device capable of transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic wave; and a second array device capable of receiving a photoacoustic wave. The first array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a direction perpendicular to a scanning direction, the second array device includes plural electromechanical transducers arranged in a two-dimensional manner, and the first array device and the second array device are provided on the same plane and in the scanning direction. | 04-21-2011 |
| 20110094304 | DETECTION OF CHANNEL SATURATION IN PHASE-ARRAY ULTRASONIC NON-DESTRUCTIVE TESTING - The present invention relates to a method of detecting non-linear operation of a measuring device comprising an array of transducers and at least one receiver channel portion. The method comprises receiving measured signals through transducers of the array, processing the measured signals from the transducers through the receiver channel portion, combining the processed measured signals to produce a combined measurement signal, and detecting non-linearity of the combined measurement signal and non-linear operation of the measuring device by detecting saturation of the receiver channel portion. In one embodiment, the receiver channel portion comprises an analog-to-digital converter, a threshold is assigned to a digital output of the analog-to-digital converter, and saturation of the receiver channel portion is detected when the digital output of the analog-to-digital converter oversteps the assigned threshold. In one application of the invention, the measuring device is a non-destructive testing device. | 04-28-2011 |
| 20110100128 | INSPECTION DEVICE - An ultrasound scanner ( | 05-05-2011 |
| 20120060613 | ARRAY SCANNING TYPE ULTRASOUND PROBE - A technology is disclosed which provides an array scanning type ultrasound probe capable of preventing a diminution of ultrasound of a piezoelectric device at the time of transmission and at the time of reception due to its damage and thereby reducing a sensitivity deterioration of a diagnostic image. According to the technology, included are an electroacoustic conversion unit formed by arranging multiple piezoelectric devices and multiple acoustic matching layers in a predetermined direction, each of the multiple piezoelectric devices being an electroacoustic conversion device, the multiple acoustic matching layers being respectively stacked on the multiple piezoelectric devices; and a signal flexible board transferring electric signals to be transmitted to and received from the multiple piezoelectric devices. An incision passing through the multiple piezoelectric devices in respective thickness directions of the piezoelectric devices and extending into the corresponding acoustic matching layers stacked thereon is provided in parallel to the arrangement direction. | 03-15-2012 |
| 20120192652 | Device for detecting a selvage of a material web - A device for detecting a selvage of a material web or the selvage position in one measuring direction. The device comprises at least one ultrasonic sensor, with the ultrasonic sensor comprising a transmitter element and a receiver element. The external contour of at least one of the transmitter elements and/or of the receiver elements comprises at least one arc segment side and at least one flattened side. | 08-02-2012 |
| 20150027228 | ULTRASONIC MEASUREMENT APPARATUS, ULTRASONIC HEAD UNIT, ULTRASONIC PROBE, AND ULTRASONIC IMAGING APPARATUS - An ultrasonic measuring apparatus includes an ultrasonic transducer device having a substrate and an ultrasonic transducer element array that is arranged on the substrate, a first channel terminal group arranged at one edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in a first direction, a second channel terminal group arranged at the other edge portion of the ultrasonic transducer element array in the first direction, a first flexible substrate provided on the one edge portion side and having arranged thereon a first wiring group that is connected to the first channel terminal group, a first integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the first flexible substrate and performs at least one of signal transmission to the first channel terminal group and signal reception from the first channel terminal group, a second flexible substrate provided on the other edge portion side and having arranged thereon a second wiring group that is connected to the second channel terminal group, and a second integrated circuit apparatus that is mounted on the first flexible substrate and performs at least one of signal transmission to the second channel terminal group and signal reception from the second channel terminal group. In the ultrasonic transducer element array, channels that are connected to the first channel terminal group and channels that are connected to the second channel terminal group are arranged alternately every channel in a second direction that intersects the first direction. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150107362 | ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER AND ULTRASONIC DIAGNOSTIC APPARATUS INCLUDING THE SAME - An ultrasonic transducer and ultrasonic diagnostic apparatus are provided. An ultrasonic transducer includes a substrate including a trench formed in a lower surface of the substrate; and a first element and a second element formed on an upper surface of the substrate and are located adjacent to each other, wherein the trench is positioned between the first element and the second element, wherein the first element and the second element each include a plurality of ultrasonic cells that are two-dimensionally arranged; wherein a first contour line of the first element and a second contour line of the second element, which are adjacent to each other, each form a zig-zag line which are complementary with each other, and the trench is formed in a zig-zag pattern between the first contour line and the second contour line. | 04-23-2015 |
