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US 11,920,915 B2Granted
Non-contact measurement for interface gaps
AssigneeThe Boeing Company
InventorsFarahnaz Sisco, Jeffrey Martin Devlin, Nathan Christopher McRae
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Systems and methods are provided for inspection. One embodiment is a method for measuring a hole. The method includes driving a fiber optic probe into the hole, determining a profile by scanning the hole via the fiber optic probe, and determining whether an interface gap exists at the hole based on the profile.
Claims27
A method for measuring a hole, comprising:
- inserting a sheathe and a bushing of a hand tool through the hole until an endplate of the hand tool contacts a surface at a proximate end of the hole, wherein the sheathe surrounds the bushing and the bushing surrounds a fiber optic probe;
- retracting the sheathe axially back through the hole with respect to the bushing and the endplate to expand a diameter of the sheathe until prongs disposed at the sheathe exceed a diameter of the hole;
- continuing retracting the sheathe until the prongs contact a surface at a distal end of the hole such that the prongs and the endplate clamp the hand tool within the hole between the surface at the proximate end of the hole and the surface at the distal end of the hole;
- and
- driving the fiber optic probe through the sheathe and the bushing into the hole to begin inspecting walls of the hole;
- determining a profile by scanning walls of the hole via the fiber optic probe;
- and
- determining whether an interface gap exists at the walls of the hole based on the profile.
5 more elements
A method for measuring at a hole, comprising:
- inserting a sheathe and a bushing of a hand tool through the hole until an endplate of the hand tool contacts a surface at a proximate end of the hole, wherein the sheathe surrounds the bushing and the bushing surrounds a fiber optic probe;
- retracting the sheathe axially back through the hole with respect to the bushing and the endplate to expand a diameter of the sheathe until prongs disposed at the sheathe exceed a diameter of the hole;
- continuing retracting the sheathe until the prongs contact a surface at a distal end of the hole such that the prongs and the endplate clamp the hand tool within the hole between the surface at the proximate end of the hole and the surface at the distal end of the hole;
- and
- once the hand tool is clamped, driving the fiber optic probe of the hand tool through the sheathe and the bushing into the hole to begin inspecting walls of the hole.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.