Automated inspection of soft-tooled hollow structure
US9010684B2 · kind B2 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jun 27, 2012 |
| Grant date | Apr 21, 2015 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Aug 7, 2033 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/2694
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A system and method that allow inspection of hollow structures made of composite material, such as an integrally stiffened wing box of an aircraft. A wing box comprises top and bottom skins connected by a plurality of spaced spars. The system employs a plurality of scanners for inspecting different portions of each spar. The system uses dynamically controlled magnetic coupling to connect an external drive tractor to computer-controlled scanners that carry respective sensors, e.g., linear ultrasonic transducer arrays. A system operator can control the various components by means of a graphical user interface comprising multiple interaction regions that represent the individual scanner motion paths and are associated with respective motion script files.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.