Inspection device utilizing eddy currents
AssigneeUnited Technologies Corporation
InventorsKevin D. Smith, Jonathan P. Sullivan, David A. Raulerson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An example inspection probe device includes a sensor assembly configured to induce an eddy current in a component. A probe body houses at least a portion of the sensor assembly such that the portion of the sensor assembly is spaced from a target surface of the component when the probe body is in contact with the component. A controller is used to calculate the location of the target surface relative to the probe body using an eddy current parameter sensed by the sensor assembly.
Claims20
1) A turbine machinery inspection probe device, comprising:
- a sensor assembly configured to induce an eddy current in a turbine machinery component;
- and
- a probe body that holds a tip of the sensor assembly in a position spaced from a target surface of the turbine machinery component when the probe body is in contact with a portion of the turbine machinery component, wherein the sensor assembly is configured to sense a parameter of the eddy current in the turbine machinery component, the sensed parameter used to calculate the position of the target surface relative to the probe body.
7) An inspection probe device, comprising:
- a sensor assembly configured to induce an eddy current in a component;
- a probe body that houses at least a portion of the sensor assembly such that the portion of the sensor assembly is spaced from a target surface of the component when the probe body is in contact with the component;
- and
- a controller that calculates the location of the target surface relative to the probe body using an eddy current parameter sensed by the sensor assembly.
12) A method of inspecting a component, comprising:
- (a) securing an inspection probe relative to a component;
- (b) using a sensor assembly housed within the inspection probe to induce an eddy current in a target area of the component, the target area having a target surface that is spaced from the sensor assembly;
- (c) sensing a parameter of the eddy current in the component using the sensor assembly;
- (d) determining a position of the first surface of the component relative to the inspection probe using the parameter of eddy current sensed in said step (c).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.