Combined ultrasonic and rotating eddy current probe and method of non-destructive testing of materials
US5481916A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 22, 1994 |
| Grant date | Jan 9, 1996 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 22, 2014 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/101
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
An apparatus, for non-destructively testing for flaws in materials, having a housing assembly with a rotor and a stator for passing over the testing material, an ultrasonic probe fixed to the stator, and an eddy current probe mounted on the rotor. In operation the rotor rotates the eddy current probe about the ultrasonic probe and an indexing coil on the ultrasonic probe monitors the relative position of the eddy current probe. The rotating eddy current probe generates eddy currents in the testing material such that internal flaws effect the normal feed back to the probe. Changes in this feed back are monitored to determine, in conjunction with the indexing coil, the existence and location of flaws in the testing material. In the preferred embodiment a rotary transformer electromagnetically bonds the rotating eddy current probe to the housing stator. Reflected signals received back by the ultrasonic probe are also monitored to determine the existence of flaws, more readily detected by ultrasonic testing, below the probe.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.