Ultrasound probe arrangement

US7798003B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• GE Inspection Technologies, LP · US

Inventors

• Albrecht Maurer · Seligenstadt, DE
• Michael Strauss · Alzenau, DE
• Walter De Odorico · Bayern, DE
• Wolfgang Haase · Reinheim, DE
• Roman Koch · Blankenbach, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 18, 2006
• Grant date: Sep 21, 2010
• Expiry date: Mar 7, 2027

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G01N2291/106
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

The invention relates to an ultrasound probe arrangement (14, 16) for coupling ultrasonic signals toward a component (12), which is to be inspected, by using the water open jet method, with a probe (24; 124), which is placed inside a jet nozzle (26; 126) and having a multitude of ultrasonic transmitting and/or receiving elements (25; 125) and at least one liquid inlet (28; 128) as well as at least one liquid outlet (30; 130). In order to improve the flow of water inside the jet nozzle, the invention provides that: one or more preliminary or filter chambers (FK1, FK2, FK3) are situated upstream from a flow space (36, 136); each preliminary or filter chamber (FK1, FK2, FK3) comprises a dividing wall (TW1, TW2, TW3) having flow channels (SK1, SK2, SK3) running perpendicular to the direction of flow; the number of flow channels (SK1, SK2, SK3) in each dividing wall (TW1, TW2, TW3) increases in the direction of flow, and; the diameter of the flow channels (SK1, SK2, SK3) in each dividing wall (TW1, TW2, TW3) decreases in the direction of flow.