Method and apparatus for detecting damage in armor structures
US8046177B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 1, 2008 |
| Grant date | Oct 25, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 25, 2029 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/106
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
Detection of damage in armor structures, using networks of piezoelectric transducers. In particular, piezoelectric transducers can be placed at various points on the armor structure, effectively creating a number of paths between pairs of transducers. Each of these paths can be queried by transmitting an ultrasonic stress wave from one transducer to the other, and analyzing changes in the stress wave. The signal from the received stress wave can be time gated to remove crosstalk, and the resulting time gated signal can be analyzed for characteristics of damage. For instance, if the time gated signal is sufficiently attenuated, it can be determined that the armor structure has sustained damage to at least that region traversed by this particular path.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.