US3636756A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic search unit with rolling contact
Assignee: Automation Industries Inc
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Filing: 1969-09-11
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Granted: 1972-01-25
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Expires: 1989-09-11
Abstract
Abstract An ultrasonic wheel search unit for testing elongated bodies wherein a fluid impervious, flexible, ultrasonically transparent diaphragm defines a fluid-filled wheel chamber and a separate fluid-filled transducer chamber, enabling rapid transducer change. Means are provided to vary the relative pressure between dissimilar fluids in the two chambers to vary the beam pattern of the search unit.
Inventors
- 👤 Allwyn M White
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 08:10
CPC Classifications
G; G10; G10K; G10K11/00; G10K11/18; G10K11/26; G10K11/30; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/22; G01N29/24; G01N29/2493; G01N2291/00; G01N2291/04; G01N2291/042; G01N2291/0421
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 17
Claim 1
Independent Claim
288 words
In combination with an instrument for ultrasonically inspecting a workpiece: a fixed hub including a hollow interior; a spindle separably mounted to said fixed hub and including a hollow interior aligned with the hollow interior of said fixed hub, said spindle including an opening disposed perpendicular to the axis of said spindle leading from the hollow interior thereof; a first chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said hub; a second chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent separating wall mounted in the interior of said spindle separating said first chamber from said second chamber; an ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber, said transducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel to the surface of said separating wall; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent tire mounted on said wheel assembly including an interior area said tire being adapted to be in rolling contact with the workpiece; fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber and second chamber; reflector means disposed in said first chamber for directing ultrasonic beams from the beam emitting surface of said transducer towards the opening in said spindle and to the entrant surface of said workpiece; and means mounted in said hub and communicated with said second chamber for changing the relative pressures of fluid between said first chamber and second chamber; whereby said wheel assembly and said tire roll across the surface of said workpiece during a test and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of ultrasonic energy is from the beam emitting surface of said transducer through the ultrasonically transparent separating wall, reflected from said reflector means and into said workpiece.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
288 words
In combination with an instrument for ultrasonically inspecting a workpiece: a fixed hub including a hollow interior; a spindle separably mounted to said fixed hub and including a hollow interior aligned with the hollow interior of said fixed hub, said spindle including an opening disposed perpendicular to the axis of said spindle leading from the hollow interior thereof; a first chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said hub; a second chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent separating wall mounted in the interior of said spindle separating said first chamber from said second chamber; an ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber, said transducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel to the surface of said separating wall; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent tire mounted on said wheel assembly including an interior area said tire being adapted to be in rolling contact with the workpiece; fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber and second chamber; reflector means disposed in said first chamber for directing ultrasonic beams from the beam emitting surface of said transducer towards the opening in said spindle and to the entrant surface of said workpiece; and means mounted in said hub and communicated with said second chamber for changing the relative pressures of fluid between said first chamber and second chamber; whereby said wheel assembly and said tire roll across the surface of said workpiece during a test and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of ultrasonic energy is from the beam emitting surface of said transducer through the ultrasonically transparent separating wall, reflected from said reflector means and into said workpiece.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
158 words
In combination: a container including a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber being separably coupled to the other, said container including a rotatable contacting surface mounted to the second chamber, and a transducer unit disposed in the first chamber in said container, said traNsducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel with said diaphragm; a flexible diaphragm mounted in said container separating the first and second chamber of said container; fluid means disposed in said container filling said first chamber and said second chamber thereof; and means for changing the relative pressure of the fluid means between the first chamber and the second chamber of said container; whereby the rotatable contacting surface of said container rolls across a workpiece during a test and serves to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of ultrasonic energy is from the beam emitting surface of said transducer through said flexible diaphragm into said workpiece.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
158 words
In combination: a container including a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber being separably coupled to the other, said container including a rotatable contacting surface mounted to the second chamber, and a transducer unit disposed in the first chamber in said container, said traNsducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel with said diaphragm; a flexible diaphragm mounted in said container separating the first and second chamber of said container; fluid means disposed in said container filling said first chamber and said second chamber thereof; and means for changing the relative pressure of the fluid means between the first chamber and the second chamber of said container; whereby the rotatable contacting surface of said container rolls across a workpiece during a test and serves to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of ultrasonic energy is from the beam emitting surface of said transducer through said flexible diaphragm into said workpiece.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
30 words
The combination defined in claim 2 and including beam deflecting means mounted in the second chamber of said container for deflecting the beam of said transducer towards said contacting surface.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
177 words
An ultrasonic search unit including: a fixed hub; a spindle mounted to said hub; a first chamber and a second chamber defined in said fixed hub and said spindle, said first chamber and said second chamber being substantially aligned with each other; an ultrasonic transparent separating wall mounted to said first chamber to separate said first chamber and second chamber; a ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber; access means in said second chamber for gaining access into said second chamber for allowing access to said transducer therein; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent tire on said wheel assembly including an interior area in fluid communication with said first chamber; and fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber and said second chamber; whereby said wheel assembly and said tire roll across a surface of a workpiece during a test and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of said transmitted ultrasonic energy is from said transducer through said separating wall and into said workpiece.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
177 words
An ultrasonic search unit including: a fixed hub; a spindle mounted to said hub; a first chamber and a second chamber defined in said fixed hub and said spindle, said first chamber and said second chamber being substantially aligned with each other; an ultrasonic transparent separating wall mounted to said first chamber to separate said first chamber and second chamber; a ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber; access means in said second chamber for gaining access into said second chamber for allowing access to said transducer therein; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonic transparent tire on said wheel assembly including an interior area in fluid communication with said first chamber; and fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber and said second chamber; whereby said wheel assembly and said tire roll across a surface of a workpiece during a test and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy to and from said workpiece and whereby the path of said transmitted ultrasonic energy is from said transducer through said separating wall and into said workpiece.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
28 words
The search unit as defined in claim 4 and including reflector means in said second chamber for reflecting ultrasonic energy from said transducer at a substantially 45* angle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
16 words
The search unit as defined in claim 4 wherein said separating wall being a flexible diaphragm.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
29 words
The search unit as defined in claim 6 and further including means for changing the relative pressure of the coupling fluid between said first chamber and said second chamber.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
28 words
The search unit as defined in claim 6 and including reflector means in said second chamber for reflecting ultrasonic energy from said transducer at a substantially 45* angle.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
125 words
In combination: a container including a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber being separably coupled to the other; a separating wall mounted to the first chamber in said container separating said first chamber and said second chamber and sealing said first chamber; fluid means disposed in said container filling said first chamber and said second chamber; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said container and including a tire having an interior in fluid communication with the first chamber; and a transducer disposed in the second chamber of said container; whereby the tire and wheel assembly roll across a surface of a workpiece and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy from said transducer through said separating wall and said fluid means and into said workpiece.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
125 words
In combination: a container including a first chamber and a second chamber, each chamber being separably coupled to the other; a separating wall mounted to the first chamber in said container separating said first chamber and said second chamber and sealing said first chamber; fluid means disposed in said container filling said first chamber and said second chamber; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said container and including a tire having an interior in fluid communication with the first chamber; and a transducer disposed in the second chamber of said container; whereby the tire and wheel assembly roll across a surface of a workpiece and serve to transmit ultrasonic energy from said transducer through said separating wall and said fluid means and into said workpiece.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
14 words
In the combination of claim 9 wherein said separating wall being a flexible diaphragm.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
In the combination as defined in claim 10 and including means for changing the relative pressures of said fluid means between said first chamber and said second chamber.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
267 words
In combination an ultrasonic search unit with an instrument for ultrasonically inspecting a workpiece; a fixed hub including a hollow interior; A spindle separably mounted to said fixed hub and including a hollow interior aligned with the hollow interior of said fixed hub, said spindle including an opening disposed perpendicular to the axis of said spindle leading from the hollow interior thereof; a first chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said hub; a second chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said spindle; an ultrasonically transparent separating wall mounted in the interior of said spindle separating said first chamber from said second chamber; an ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber, said transducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel to the surface of said separating wall; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonically transparent tire mounted on said wheel assembly including an interior area, said tire being adapted to be in rolling contact with the workpiece; a first fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber; a second fluid coupling means being disposed in said second chamber said first fluid coupling means and said second fluid coupling means having different acoustic impedances; reflector means disposed in said first chamber for directing ultrasonic beams from the beam emitting surface of said transducer towards the opening in said spindle through said separating wall and to the entrant surface of said workpiece; a cylinder in said hub portion communicating with said second chamber; an adjustable piston disposed in said cylinder; and means for adjusting the relative position of said piston in said cylinder.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
267 words
In combination an ultrasonic search unit with an instrument for ultrasonically inspecting a workpiece; a fixed hub including a hollow interior; A spindle separably mounted to said fixed hub and including a hollow interior aligned with the hollow interior of said fixed hub, said spindle including an opening disposed perpendicular to the axis of said spindle leading from the hollow interior thereof; a first chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said hub; a second chamber being defined in the hollow interior of said spindle; an ultrasonically transparent separating wall mounted in the interior of said spindle separating said first chamber from said second chamber; an ultrasonic transducer disposed in said second chamber, said transducer having a beam emitting surface disposed parallel to the surface of said separating wall; a wheel assembly rotatably mounted on said spindle; an ultrasonically transparent tire mounted on said wheel assembly including an interior area, said tire being adapted to be in rolling contact with the workpiece; a first fluid coupling means disposed in said first chamber; a second fluid coupling means being disposed in said second chamber said first fluid coupling means and said second fluid coupling means having different acoustic impedances; reflector means disposed in said first chamber for directing ultrasonic beams from the beam emitting surface of said transducer towards the opening in said spindle through said separating wall and to the entrant surface of said workpiece; a cylinder in said hub portion communicating with said second chamber; an adjustable piston disposed in said cylinder; and means for adjusting the relative position of said piston in said cylinder.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
No citation records indexed.
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-01-24 | 1975-07-26 | 1976-01-25 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-01-24 | 1979-07-26 | 1980-01-25 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-01-24 | 1983-07-26 | 1984-01-25 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |