US 2021/0341431 A1 · ULTRASONIC DRY COUPLED WHEEL PROBE WITH A RADIAL TRANSDUCER

Abstract

An ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe with radial transducers emit ultrasound in substantially all radial directions relative to a longitudinal axis. The probe does not require normalization and is efficient in directing ultrasound to a surface being inspected. The probe has a wheel composed of rubber or other materials for acoustically dry coupling the transducer to the surface. A first transducer is composed of a piezoelectric material so that the transducer receives an electrical signal, vibrates, and generates and transmits sound, such as ultrasound. Similarly, a second transducer receives sound such as ultrasound, vibrates, and generates a corresponding electrical signal. The transducer arrangement both transmits ultrasound to the surface and receives the reflection of the ultrasound from the surface. An acoustic barrier separates the transmitting component from the receiving component. The transducer has annular electroplates adjacent to the piezoelectric material. The two transducers can comprise a single, integrated transducer module.

Claims31

Dependent claims

A transducer module, comprising:

a first cylindrical member having a longitudinal axis;
a first electroplate adjacent to the first cylindrical member;
and
a second electroplate adjacent to the first cylindrical member,
wherein the first and second electroplates apply a first electrical signal to the first cylindrical member to generate and emit sound waves in substantially all radial directions relative to the longitudinal axis.

2 more elements

A wheel probe for inspecting a test surface of a structure, with the wheel probe comprising:

a transducer module including:
a transmitting component including:
a first cylindrical member having a first longitudinal axis;
a first electroplate adjacent to the first cylindrical member;
and
a second electroplate adjacent to the first cylindrical member;
a receiving component including:
a second cylindrical member having a second longitudinal axis;
a third electroplate adjacent to the second cylindrical member;
and
a fourth electroplate adjacent to the second cylindrical member;
and
a static acoustic barrier positioned between the transmitting component and the receiving component;
a pair of wheel members composed of a predetermined material for acoustically dry coupling the wheel members to the test surface;
and
a rotating acoustic barrier between the wheel members, forming a wheel which rotates about the transducer,
wherein the first and second electroplates apply a first electrical signal to the first cylindrical member to generate and emit sound waves from the transmitting component in substantially all radial directions relative to the longitudinal axis,
wherein the static and rotating acoustic barriers substantially prevent the emitted sound waves from the transmitting component from being received by the receiving component, and
wherein, responsive to the receiving component receiving a reflection of the sound waves from the test surface, the second cylindrical member vibrates, causing the third and fourth electroplates to generate a corresponding second electrical signal.

16 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe with a radial transducer

Life of this patent

Ultrasonic dry coupled wheel probe with a radial transducer

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims31