Method and apparatus for non-destructive inspection of tires
US4275589A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 19, 1979 |
| Grant date | Jun 30, 1981 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 19, 1999 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N29/343
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A pulsed through-transmission ultrasonic non-destructive inspection of the internal structure in a tire wall is effected. The transmitted acoustic signals preferably have a frequency of least 40 Khz, are transduced to electrical form, amplified with a relatively long time constant AGC, rectified and integrated during only the initial or leading edge portions of each pulse or burst. The resulting integrated analog signal values thus provided have relative magnitudes which may be displayed or otherwise processed to detect structural anomalies within the tire wall. If plural acoustic transmitters are utilized, they are preferably multiplexed such that only a single transducer is activated at a given time. The ultrasonic inspection is preferably carried out through the walls of a rotating inflated tire with the ultrasonic transducers being automatically moved toward the inner and outer tire wall surfaces to optimum relative distances of separation during an inspection cycle. The transducers disposed inside the inflated tire are preferably mounted for automatic retraction into a protected space during tire mounting and demounting operations. Such ultrasonic inspection techniques may be …
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.