Laser ultrasonic detection method and apparatus therefor
US5457997A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 11, 1994 |
| Grant date | Oct 17, 1995 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 11, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/2636
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A reflector/vibrator plate is irradiated with an ultrasonic generation laser beam to generate an ultrasonic wave therein, and the thus generated ultrasonic wave is transmitted into an object to be inspected. The ultrasonic wave transmitted into the inspection object returns to the reflector/vibrator plate by being reflected by a defect such as a flaw present inside the inspection object, if any, thereby causing a vibration in the reflector/vibrator plate. By detecting this vibration with an ultrasonic detection laser beam, the presence of the defect is detected and located in the inspection object. The ultrasonic flaw detection method can be applied to a variety of inspection objects including reflectors having irregularities on the surface or a poor reflectivity, inspection objects having on the surface thereof an opaque liquid which will not allow transmission of the laser beam therethrough, and inspection objects which do not permit generation of ultrasonic waves with a laser beam.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.