Flexible and/or Deformable Mechanical Elements with Radiographic Markers
AssigneeScience Applications International Corporation
InventorTheodore W. Eastes
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Abstract
A flexible and/or deformable mechanical element may comprise one or more radiographic markers. The one or more radiographic markers may have a radiopacity greater than a radiopacity of a parent material forming a body of the mechanical element. A radiographic image of a portion of an assembly into which the mechanical element has been installed may include a representation of the one or more radiographic markers that indicates a condition of the mechanical element.
Claims20
An O-ring comprising:
- a cord comprising a polymeric first material, wherein the cord has a circular cross section and is formed into a continuous loop;
- and
- one or more radiographic markers, comprising one or more second materials having one or more radiopacities greater than a radiopacity of the first material, on a surface of the cord.
A seal consisting essentially of:
- a cord of a polymeric first material, wherein the cord is formed into a continuous loop;
- and
- one or more radiographic markers, formed from one or more second materials having one or more radiopacities greater than a radiopacity of the first material, distributed over the cord in pattern configured to indicate, in a radiographic image, a condition of the seal.
A method comprising:
- positioning at least a portion of an assembled article between a radiographic emitter and a radiographic sensor, wherein:
- the at least the portion of the assembled article comprises a seal contained within the at least the portion of the assembled article, and
- the seal comprises a seal body comprising a polymeric first material and one or more radiographic markers having one or more radiopacities greater than a radiopacity of the first material;
- and
- generating, based on detection by the sensor of radiographic energy emitted from the radiographic emitter, one or more radiographic images comprising a representation of the one or more radiographic markers that indicates a condition of the seal.
The method of claim 20, wherein the condition comprises rolling.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.