# US 10,481,131 B2 · Ultrasonic test system, ultrasonic test method and method of manufacturing aircraft part > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 10,481,131 B2 - Document ID: US10481131B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 15/062,543 - Filed: 2016-03-07 - Published: 2016-09-22 - Granted: 2019-11-19 - Earliest claimed: 2015-03-18 - Assignees: Subaru Corporation - Applicants: Fuji Jukogyo Kabushiki Kaisha - Inventors: Kohei Takahashi - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10481131B2 ## CPC - G01N 29/041: {on the surface of the material, e.g. using Lamb, Rayleigh or shear waves} - B23P 6/00: Restoring or reconditioning objects (straightening or restoring form of sheet metal, metal rods, metal tubes, metal profiles, or specific articles made therefrom B21D1/00, B21D3/00; repairing defective or damaged objects by casting techniques B22D19/10) - G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves} - G01N 29/12: by measuring frequency or resonance of acoustic waves {(measuring frequency or resonant frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04, G01H13/00; acoustic resonators G10K11/04; vibration or shock testing of structures G01M7/00)} - G01N 29/348: {with frequency characteristics, e.g. single frequency signals, chirp signals (measuring frequency of mechanical vibrations or acoustic waves in general G01H1/06, G01H3/04; measuring frequency or analysing frequency spectra G01R23/00)} - G01N 2291/0289: Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture - G01N 2291/0427: Flexural waves, plate waves, e.g. Lamb waves, tuning fork, cantilever - G01N 2291/044: Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects - G01N 2291/048: Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver - G01N 2291/2694: Wings or other aircraft parts - G01N: INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIR CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES (measuring or testing apparatus or processes other than immunoassay, involving enzymes or microorganisms C12M, C12Q) - B23P: METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; COMBINED OPERATIONS; UNIVERSAL MACHINE TOOLS (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q) ## Abstract According to one implementation, an ultrasonic test system includes an ultrasonic transmission part including at least one ultrasonic transducer, an ultrasonic detection part including at least one sensor and damage detection part consisting of circuitry. The ultrasonic transducer transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region. The first ultrasonic wave has a relatively low frequency. The second ultrasonic wave has a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave. The sensor detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. The reflected wave is from the test region. The damage detection circuitry is configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An ultrasonic test system comprising: at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, wherein the at least one sensor comprises: a first optical fiber sensor that detects the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave; and a second optical fiber sensor that detects the ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ### Claim 2 An ultrasonic test system comprising: at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region; and where the at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises: a first ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave toward the test region; and a second ultrasonic transducer that transmits the second ultrasonic wave toward the test region from a direction different from a direction of the first ultrasonic wave; and wherein the at least one sensor comprises: at least one optical fiber sensor that detects the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer comprises: a first ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave toward the test region; and a second ultrasonic transducer that transmits the second ultrasonic wave toward the test region from a direction different from a direction of the first ultrasonic wave, and wherein the first ultrasonic transducer is configured to receive the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 1, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 1, wherein the damage detection circuitry is configured to: detect an existence of the damage based on a variation of a waveform of the second ultrasonic wave; and detect a position of the damage based on a period from transmission timing of the first ultrasonic wave to timing when the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave shows a peak. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) An ultrasonic test method comprising: operating the ultrasonic test system of claim 1 by; transmitting the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, from the at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; detecting the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and detecting a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) A method of manufacturing an aircraft part comprising: bonding a patch to a region including a part to be repaired of an aircraft part; transmitting, with the ultrasonic test system of claim 1, a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave, the test region being a boundary surface between the region including the part to be repaired and the patch; obtaining a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region, the reflected wave and the second ultrasonic wave serving as information for monitoring whether a damage has occurred in the test region; and manufacturing a repaired aircraft part by repairing the part to be repaired of the aircraft part. ### Claim 10 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 11 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 75 kHz and not more than 125 kHz, as the first ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 10, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 13 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 14 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 15 (depends on 4) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 4, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit an ultrasonic wave, of which frequency is not less than 300 kHz and not more than 400 kHz, as the second ultrasonic wave. ### Claim 16 (depends on 2) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 2, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. ### Claim 17 (depends on 3) The ultrasonic test system according to claim 3, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer is configured to transmit Lamb waves as the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave respectively. ### Claim 18 An ultrasonic test system comprising: an ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, and wherein the at least one sensor comprises a first sensor and a second sensor, and wherein the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave sent by the ultrasonic transducer is sensed, respectively, by the first sensor and the second sensor. ### Claim 19 An ultrasonic test system comprising: at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; at least one sensor that detects a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and damage detection circuitry configured to detect a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, and wherein one of the at least one ultrasonic transducer transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave to respective first and second sensors. ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The ultrasonic test system of claim 1, wherein the at least one ultrasonic transducer includes a first ultrasonic transducer, and each of the first ultrasonic transducer and to first optical sensor are positioned on a common side of the test region. ### Claim 21 (depends on 2) An ultrasonic test method comprising operating the ultrasonic test system of claim 2 by: transmitting the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, from the at least one ultrasonic transducer that transmits the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave, toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave; detecting the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region; and detecting a damage in the test region, based on the reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region. ### Claim 22 (depends on 2) A method of manufacturing an aircraft part comprising: bonding a patch to a region including a part to be repaired of an aircraft part; transmitting, with the ultrasonic test system of claim 2, a first ultrasonic wave and a second ultrasonic wave toward a test region, the first ultrasonic wave having a relatively low frequency, the second ultrasonic wave having a frequency higher than the frequency of the first ultrasonic wave, the test region being a boundary surface between the region including the part to be repaired and the patch; obtaining a reflected wave of the first ultrasonic wave and the second ultrasonic wave which has passed through the test region, the reflected wave being from the test region, the reflected wave and the second ultrasonic wave serving as information for monitoring whether a damage has occurred in the test region; and manufacturing a repaired aircraft part by repairing the part to be repaired of the aircraft part.