Patent US468537A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
Patent US4096736A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US4096736A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Ultrasonic leak hole detection apparatus and method
Assignee: Primerica Inc
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Filing: 1977-02-25
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Granted: 1978-06-27
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Expires: 1997-02-25
Abstract
Abstract A leak detecting device for identification of can tops and similar workpieces with leak holes has a compressed gas supply chamber providing a source of compressed gas for testing the workpieces for leaks. An acoustic testing chamber is mounted adjacent the gas supply chamber. A sealing press is provided between the chambers for holding a workpiece in a gas tight manner so that one side of the workpiece faces the compressed gas supply chamber in a gas tight relationship and the other side of the workpiece faces the acoustic testing chamber in a noise tight relationship. A valve is provided on the compressed gas supply chamber and is operable to admit compressed gas from the gas supply chamber to the side of said workpiece facing the compressed gas supply chamber. An ultrasonic microphone is disposed within the acoustic testing chamber and is adapted for detecting gas noise created by gas passing through a leak hole in the workpiece. A gas venting port is disposed adjacent the periphery of the microphone and communicates with a labyrinth baffle with a gas vent passage leading to the atmosphere. An electrical control receives gas leak noise signals from the microphone after the valve has opened and rejects workpieces giving off gas leak noise signals.
Inventors
- 👤 Gary S. Moshier
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 08:10
CPC Classifications
G; G01; G01M; G01M3/00; G01M3/02; G01M3/04; G01M3/24
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 16
Claim 1
Independent Claim
204 words
A leak detecting device for identification of can tops and similar workpieces with leak holes comprising a compressed gas supply chamber providing a source of compressed gas for testing the workpieces for leaks; an acoustic testing chamber mounted adjacent said gas supply chamber; sealing means between said chambers for holding a workpiece in a gas tight press wherein one side of the workpiece faces said compressed gas supply chamber in a gas tight relationship and the other side of said workpiece faces said acoustic testing chamber in a noise tight relationship; valve means on said compressed gas supply chamber, said valve means being operable to admit compressed gas from said gas supply chamber to the side of said workpiece facing said compressed gas supply chamber; an ultrasonic microphone within said acoustic testing chamber adapted for detecting gas noise created by gas passing through a leak hole in the workpiece; a gas venting port disposed adjacent the periphery of said microphone and communicating with a labyrinth baffle with a gas vent passage leading to the atmosphere; and electrical control means for receiving gas leak noise signals from said microphone after said valve means has opened and for rejecting workpieces giving off gas leak noise signals.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
204 words
A leak detecting device for identification of can tops and similar workpieces with leak holes comprising a compressed gas supply chamber providing a source of compressed gas for testing the workpieces for leaks; an acoustic testing chamber mounted adjacent said gas supply chamber; sealing means between said chambers for holding a workpiece in a gas tight press wherein one side of the workpiece faces said compressed gas supply chamber in a gas tight relationship and the other side of said workpiece faces said acoustic testing chamber in a noise tight relationship; valve means on said compressed gas supply chamber, said valve means being operable to admit compressed gas from said gas supply chamber to the side of said workpiece facing said compressed gas supply chamber; an ultrasonic microphone within said acoustic testing chamber adapted for detecting gas noise created by gas passing through a leak hole in the workpiece; a gas venting port disposed adjacent the periphery of said microphone and communicating with a labyrinth baffle with a gas vent passage leading to the atmosphere; and electrical control means for receiving gas leak noise signals from said microphone after said valve means has opened and for rejecting workpieces giving off gas leak noise signals.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
103 words
The leak detecting device of claim 1 wherein said ultrasonic microphone has a plurality of said gas venting ports disposed about the periphery of said microphone in spaced relationship, and wherein said gas venting ports extend upwardly through a microphone housing to a gas cavity within the interior of said acoustic testing chamber, and wherein said labyrinth baffle is provided within the upper portion of said acoustic chamber, said labyrinth baffle having a plurality of spaced-apart plates, each of said plates having non-aligned venting ports providing a labyrinth path for venting air from said gas cavity to the atmosphere through said vent passage.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The leak detecting device of claim 2 wherein said ultrasonic microphone is disposed adjacent the lower portion of said microphone housing and wherein a microphone gas chamber is formed in the lower end of the microphone housing between the microphone and the workpiece to be tested.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
62 words
The leak detecting device of claim 3 wherein said sealing means comprises a lifting head with an annular seal adapted to engage the outer periphery of the underside of the workpiece in cooperation with an adjacent annular seal disposed in cooperating relationship on the underside of the acoustic testing chamber, said annular seals forming a gas tight press for supporting said workpiece.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
51 words
The leak detecting device of claim 4 wherein said acoustic testing chamber has an outer canister-shaped portion with a cylindrical-shaped microphone housing therein, and wherein said baffle plates are disk-shaped members disposed in the upper portion of said canister housing and wherein said disk-shaped members have noise dampening foam disposed therebetween.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
219 words
A leak detecting device for identification of can tops and similar workpieces with leak holes comprising a compressed air supply chamber providing a source of compressed air for testing the workpieces for leaks; an acoustic testing chamber mounted adjacent said air supply chamber; sealing means between said chambers for holding a work piece in an air tight press wherein one side of the workpiece faces said compressed air supply chamber in an air tight relationship and the other side of said workpiece faces said acoustic testing chamber in a noise tight relationship; an air valve mounted on said compressed air supply chamber, said valve being operable to admit compressed air from said air supply chamber to the side of said workpiece facing said compressed air supply chamber; an ultrasonic microphone within said acoustic testing chamber adapted for detecting air noise created by air passing through a leak hole in the workpiece; a plurality of air venting ports disposed about the periphery of said microphone in spaced relationship and communicating with a labyrinth baffle, said labyrinth baffle being formed by a plurality of spaced apart plates with nonaligned air vent passages; and electrical control means for receiving air leak noise signals from said microphone after said valve means has opened and for rejecting workpieces giving off air leak noise signals.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
219 words
A leak detecting device for identification of can tops and similar workpieces with leak holes comprising a compressed air supply chamber providing a source of compressed air for testing the workpieces for leaks; an acoustic testing chamber mounted adjacent said air supply chamber; sealing means between said chambers for holding a work piece in an air tight press wherein one side of the workpiece faces said compressed air supply chamber in an air tight relationship and the other side of said workpiece faces said acoustic testing chamber in a noise tight relationship; an air valve mounted on said compressed air supply chamber, said valve being operable to admit compressed air from said air supply chamber to the side of said workpiece facing said compressed air supply chamber; an ultrasonic microphone within said acoustic testing chamber adapted for detecting air noise created by air passing through a leak hole in the workpiece; a plurality of air venting ports disposed about the periphery of said microphone in spaced relationship and communicating with a labyrinth baffle, said labyrinth baffle being formed by a plurality of spaced apart plates with nonaligned air vent passages; and electrical control means for receiving air leak noise signals from said microphone after said valve means has opened and for rejecting workpieces giving off air leak noise signals.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
40 words
The leak detecting device of claim 6 wherein said plurality of said air venting ports disposed about the periphery of said microphone extend upwardly through a microphone housing to an air cavity within the interior of said acoustic testing chamber.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
46 words
The leak detecting device of claim 7 wherein said ultrasonic microphone is disposed adjacent the lower portion of said microphone housing and wherein a microphone air chamber is formed in the lower end of said microphone housing between said microphone and the workpiece to be tested.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
62 words
The leak detecting device of claim 8 wherein said sealing means comprises a lifting head with an annular seal adapted to engage the outer periphery of the underside of the workpiece in cooperation with an adjacent annular seal disposed in cooperating relationship on the underside of the acoustic testing chamber, said annular seals forming an air tight press for supporting said workpiece.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
51 words
The leak detecting device of claim 9 wherein said acoustic testing chamber has an outer canister-shaped portion with a cylindrical-shaped microphone housing therein, and wherein said baffle plates are disk-shaped members disposed in the upper portion of said canister-shaped housing and wherein said disk-shaped members have noise dampening foam disposed therebetween.
Claim 13
Independent Claim
215 words
A method for detecting leak holes in can tops and similar workpieces comprising the steps of: (a) transporting a workpiece into a leak detection position between an acoustic chamber and a gas supply chamber; (b) sealing the peripheral edges of the workpiece in a gas tight press so that one side of the workpiece is exposed only to gas in the acoustic chamber and the other side of the workpiece is exposed only to gas in the gas supply chamber; (c) opening a gas valve and allowing compressed gas from said gas supply chamber to communicate with the side of said workpiece facing said gas supply chamber; (d) attenuating the gas pressure wave created in the acoustic chamber by the flexing of the workpiece by the compressed gas in step (c) above through venting ports and then passing the vented gas out to the atmosphere through labyrinth baffle; (e) after a short time delay from the opening of the gas valve, detecting with an ultrasonic microphone any gas leak noise created by gas passing through a hole in the workpiece into the acoustic chamber; (f) transmitting any gas leak noise signal from the microphone to control apparatus; and (g) rejecting the workpiece for which a gas noise signal has been recorded by the control apparatus.
Claim 14
Independent Claim
215 words
A method for detecting leak holes in can tops and similar workpieces comprising the steps of: (a) transporting a workpiece into a leak detection position between an acoustic chamber and a gas supply chamber; (b) sealing the peripheral edges of the workpiece in a gas tight press so that one side of the workpiece is exposed only to gas in the acoustic chamber and the other side of the workpiece is exposed only to gas in the gas supply chamber; (c) opening a gas valve and allowing compressed gas from said gas supply chamber to communicate with the side of said workpiece facing said gas supply chamber; (d) attenuating the gas pressure wave created in the acoustic chamber by the flexing of the workpiece by the compressed gas in step (c) above through venting ports and then passing the vented gas out to the atmosphere through labyrinth baffle; (e) after a short time delay from the opening of the gas valve, detecting with an ultrasonic microphone any gas leak noise created by gas passing through a hole in the workpiece into the acoustic chamber; (f) transmitting any gas leak noise signal from the microphone to control apparatus; and (g) rejecting the workpiece for which a gas noise signal has been recorded by the control apparatus.
Claim 15
Independent Claim
285 words
A method for detecting leak holes in can tops and similar workpieces comprising the steps of: (a) transporting workpieces in an intermittent manner on a belt into a leak detection position between an acoustic chamber and an air supply chamber; (b) moving a lifting head into contact with a workpiece to be tested and sealing the peripheral edges of the workpiece in an air tight press so that one side of the workpiece is exposed only to air in the acoustic chamber and the other side of the workpiece is exposed only to air in the air supply chamber; (c) opening an air valve and allowing compressed air from said air supply chamber to communicate with the side of said workpiece facing said air supply chamber; (d) attenuating the gas pressure wave created in the acoustic chamber by the flexing of the workpiece by the compressed air in step (c) and venting any air from a leak hole through a plurality of venting ports adjacent a detecting ultrasonic microphone and then passing the vented air out to the atmosphere through a labyrinth baffle; (e) silencing any outside factory noise coming into the acoustic chamber through the atmospheric vent by sound dampening foam in the labyrinth baffle. (f) after a short time delay from the opening of the air valve, detecting with the ultrasonic microphone any air leak noise created by air passing through a leak hole in the workpiece into the acoustic chamber or noise received because of a deformed can top; (g) transmitting any noise signal from the microphone to control apparatus; and (h) rejecting of the workpiece for which a noise signal has been received by the control apparatus from the ultrasonic microphone.
Claim 16
Independent Claim
285 words
A method for detecting leak holes in can tops and similar workpieces comprising the steps of: (a) transporting workpieces in an intermittent manner on a belt into a leak detection position between an acoustic chamber and an air supply chamber; (b) moving a lifting head into contact with a workpiece to be tested and sealing the peripheral edges of the workpiece in an air tight press so that one side of the workpiece is exposed only to air in the acoustic chamber and the other side of the workpiece is exposed only to air in the air supply chamber; (c) opening an air valve and allowing compressed air from said air supply chamber to communicate with the side of said workpiece facing said air supply chamber; (d) attenuating the gas pressure wave created in the acoustic chamber by the flexing of the workpiece by the compressed air in step (c) and venting any air from a leak hole through a plurality of venting ports adjacent a detecting ultrasonic microphone and then passing the vented air out to the atmosphere through a labyrinth baffle; (e) silencing any outside factory noise coming into the acoustic chamber through the atmospheric vent by sound dampening foam in the labyrinth baffle. (f) after a short time delay from the opening of the air valve, detecting with the ultrasonic microphone any air leak noise created by air passing through a leak hole in the workpiece into the acoustic chamber or noise received because of a deformed can top; (g) transmitting any noise signal from the microphone to control apparatus; and (h) rejecting of the workpiece for which a noise signal has been received by the control apparatus from the ultrasonic microphone.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1981-06-26 | 1981-12-26 | 1982-06-27 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1985-06-26 | 1985-12-26 | 1986-06-27 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1989-06-26 | 1989-12-26 | 1990-06-27 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |