US3751976A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic inspection system with pseudo isometric display
Assignee: General Electric Co
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Filing: 1972-07-24
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Granted: 1973-08-14
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Expires: 1992-07-24
Abstract
Abstract In an ultrasonic inspection system for bodies of circular crosssection, an ultrasonic beam makes a plurality of circumferential scans around the body at spaced apart locations along the length thereof, such that each consecutive circumferential scan is individually displayed as a Lissajous figure offset from a Lissajous figure of a preceding scan. The overall display effect is therefore pseudo-isometric, and defects within the body are displayed as local pulse distortions along the Lissajous figures. The invention herein described was made in the course of or under a contract or subcontract thereunder (or grant) with the Department of the Air Force.
Inventors
- 👤 V Pike
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 04:44
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01N; G01N29/00; G01N29/04; G01N29/06; G01N29/0609
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
236 words
An ultrasonic inspection system for displaying a pseudoisometric pattern of defects occuring in a body of circular cross-section wherein the system comprises: means for rotating the body about its longitudinal axis; transducer means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal wherein the transducer is guided to move in a path along the longitudinal axis of the body and in fixed relation to the curvilinear surface of the body; means for electrically exciting the transducer to transmit an ultrasonic signal; means for discriminating against those electrical impulses received from the transducer which represent echoes from a normal curvilinear surface of the body and passing only those electric impulses which represent echoes from defects within the body; display means for converting two electrical input signals into a visual pattern on a two dimensional plane; control means for providing two asynchronously phased electrical output signals to the display means to trace a Lissajous pattern as a function of rotation of the body; indexing means for providing a DC voltage which is variable as a function of the transduceR position along the longitudinal axis of the body; and means for applying the signals from the discriminator means and indexing means to the display means, such that defects in the body are displayed as local pulse distortions along the Lissajous pattern and changes in transducer position along the longitudinal axis are represented by shifts in the location of the Lissajous pattern.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
236 words
An ultrasonic inspection system for displaying a pseudoisometric pattern of defects occuring in a body of circular cross-section wherein the system comprises: means for rotating the body about its longitudinal axis; transducer means for transmitting and receiving an ultrasonic signal wherein the transducer is guided to move in a path along the longitudinal axis of the body and in fixed relation to the curvilinear surface of the body; means for electrically exciting the transducer to transmit an ultrasonic signal; means for discriminating against those electrical impulses received from the transducer which represent echoes from a normal curvilinear surface of the body and passing only those electric impulses which represent echoes from defects within the body; display means for converting two electrical input signals into a visual pattern on a two dimensional plane; control means for providing two asynchronously phased electrical output signals to the display means to trace a Lissajous pattern as a function of rotation of the body; indexing means for providing a DC voltage which is variable as a function of the transduceR position along the longitudinal axis of the body; and means for applying the signals from the discriminator means and indexing means to the display means, such that defects in the body are displayed as local pulse distortions along the Lissajous pattern and changes in transducer position along the longitudinal axis are represented by shifts in the location of the Lissajous pattern.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
115 words
The system of claim 1 wherein the control means comprise: means for supplying a DC voltage; a first potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply means and ganged to rotate with rotation of the body such that the output voltage waveform from the slider of the potentiometer approximates a sinusoidal wave upon rotation of the body; a second potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply means and ganged to rotate with rotation of the body such that the output voltage waveform from the slider of the second potentiometer also approximates a sinusoidal wave upon rotation of the body; and means for offsetting the phasing between the output voltage signals from the first and second potentiometers.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
62 words
The system of claim 2 wherein the indexing means include a third potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply and ganged to move with movement of the transducer in a path along the longitudinal axis of the body such that the output voltage from the slider of the third potentiometer is made variable with transducer position along the axis of the body.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
95 words
The system of claim 1 wherein: the means for electrically exciting the transducer includes an amplifier which is adapted to transmit and receive signals from the transducer and is connected to receive signal pulses from a pulse generator, the frequency of which is controlled in turn by a rate generator connected to the pulse generator; and the discriminator means includes a gate circuit to receive signal pulses from the amplifier wherein the gate circuit is also controlled by the rate generator which acts as a timer for both the pulse generator and the gate circuit.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
172 words
The system of claim 4 wherein the control means includes: means for supplying a DC voltage, a first potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply means and ganged to rotate with rotation of the body such that the output voltage waveform from the slider of the potentiometer approximates a sinusoidal wave upon rotation of the body; a second potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply means and ganged to rotate with rotation of the body such that the output voltage waveform from the slider of the second potentiometer also approximates a sinusoidal wave upon rotation of the body, and means for offsetting the phasing between the output voltage signals from the first and second potentiometers; and wherein the indexing means includes a third potentiometer connected across the DC voltage supply and ganged to move with movement of the transducer in a path along the longitudinal axis of the cylindrical body such that the output voltage from the slider of the third potentiometer varies with transducer position along the axis of the body.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
127 words
The system of claim 5 wherein the visual pattern of the display means varies along a horizontal X axis as a function of one of the two electrical input signals and varies along a vertical Y axis as a function of the other of the two electrical input signals and wherein signals from the discriminator means and indexing means are added to the sinusoidal waveform from one of the potentiometers of the control means by a summing amplifier to provide one of the input signals to the display means, and wherein the signal from the indexing means is also added to the sinusoidal waveform from the other potentiometer of the control means by a second summing amplifier to provide the other input signal to the display means.
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) | 1976-08-13 | 1977-02-12 | 1977-08-14 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-08-13 | 1981-02-12 | 1981-08-14 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-08-13 | 1985-02-12 | 1985-08-14 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |