Patent · US Expired

Ultrasonic dimensional and flaw inspection of thin-walled tubular elements

US5063780A · kind A · utility

22Cited by
8References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 15, 1990
Grant dateNov 12, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 15, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N2291/2634
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

A quality assurance inspection system utilizes a plurality of ultrasonic transducers to probe an elongated tube for both dimensional and structural integrity. The transducers are pulsed in rapid succession, and echo signals are conducted over separate RF channels and through a multiplexor to a lesser number of detector signals channels, each including a discriminator. Inspection windows are opened in these discriminators to permit detection of echo signals and the generation of time mark signals for stopping a plurality of clocks which then register pulse-echo time intervals. These data are computer processed to provide tube dimension and flaw information.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.