# US 2013/0152691 A1 · Method of detecting defects > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2013/0152691 A1 - Document ID: US20130152691A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/590,962 - Filed: 2012-08-21 - Published: 2013-06-20 - Earliest claimed: 2011-08-22 - Assignees: Herzog Services, Inc. - Inventors: Jeffrey B. Wigh; Richard L. Ebersold; Troy L. Elbert; Timothy J. Coolman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130152691A1 ## CPC - G01N 29/265: by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material - B61K 9/10: for detecting cracks in rails or welds thereof - G01N 29/043: {in the interior, e.g. by shear waves} - G01N 29/069: {Defect imaging, localisation and sizing using, e.g. time of flight diffraction [TOFD], synthetic aperture focusing technique [SAFT], Amplituden-Laufzeit-Ortskurven [ALOK] technique} - G01N 29/2493: {Wheel shaped probes} - G01N 29/262: {by electronic orientation or focusing, e.g. with phased arrays (phased arrays per se G10K11/34)} - G01N 2291/2623: Rails; Railroads - 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) - B61K: AUXILIARY EQUIPMENT SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR RAILWAYS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR ## Abstract A method for detecting defects in a railway rail including a search unit and preferably a roller search unit (“RSU”) mounted on a test vehicle and in rolling contact with the running surface of the rails to inspect each rail. The RSU includes a tire filled with a liquid and a transducer assembly mounted within the tire. The transducer assembly includes one or more arrays of ultrasonic transducers directed toward the running surface of the rail. A laser profiler mounted on the test vehicle in combination with a linear encoder provide profile data which is communicated to a system controller to dynamically adjust the focal laws for the one or more arrays of transducers to dynamically steer the transmitted beams to produce the ideal inspection beam sets while the test vehicle is in motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for inspecting a railway rail comprising: constructing a profile of the rail; determining a steering angle for one or more phased array transducer elements from said rail profile; energizing one or more ultrasonic phased array transducer elements; and emitting an ultrasonic beam from said ultrasonic phased array transducer at said steering angle into the rail; wherein each of the above steps is performed on or directed by a programmed computer. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising transmitting a laser signal toward the rail and receiving a reflected laser signal. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said constructing a profile step includes constructing a profile from said reflected laser signal. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2 wherein said transmitting step includes first and second laser transceivers, wherein said first laser transceiver is directed toward a field side of the rail and said second laser transceiver is directed toward a gauge side of the rail. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said constructing step includes determining surface normals for said profile. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method of claim 5 wherein said constructing step includes determining focal laws for a desired angle of refraction based on said surface normals for said profile. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said constructing step includes constructing a plurality of profiles of the rail. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said determining step includes determining two or more steering angles. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 wherein said determining step includes calculating delay laws to enable said steering angle to a target. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a reflected ultrasonic beam indicative of a defect within the rail. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10 further comprising assembling a plurality of profiles and one or more defects within the rail to present a three dimensional representation of said one or more defects within the rail. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1 further comprising capturing an image of the rail. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method of claim 12 wherein said profile is combined with said image to present a three dimensional image of the rail. ### Claim 14 A method for inspecting a railway rail comprising: constructing a profile of the rail using one or more laser transceivers; determining surface normals for said rail profile; determining focal laws for a desired angle of refraction from said surface normals; determining a steering angle for one or more phased array transducer elements from said rail profile; energizing one or more ultrasonic phased array transducer elements; and emitting an ultrasonic beam from said ultrasonic phased array transducer at said steering angle into the rail; wherein each of the above steps is performed on or directed by a programmed computer. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said constructing step includes first and second laser transceivers, wherein said first laser transceiver is directed toward a field side of the rail and said second laser transceiver is directed toward a gauge side of the rail. ### Claim 16 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said determining a steering angle step includes determining two or more steering angles. ### Claim 17 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 wherein said determining a steering angle step includes calculating delay laws to enable said steering angle to a target. ### Claim 18 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising receiving a reflected ultrasonic signal indicative of a defect within the rail. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The method of claim 18 further comprising assembling a one or more reflected ultrasonic signals indicative of one or more defects within the rail to present a three dimensional representation of said one or more defects within the rail. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14 further comprising capturing an image of the rail and combining said image with said profile and three dimensional representation of said one or more defects to present a three dimensional image of the rail and said one ore more defects within the rail.