Automated leak detection apparatus and method therefor

A leak detection system for detecting leaks in objects of different sizes, the system comprising:

• handling means for moving the object;
• measurement means for measuring a physical size characteristic of the object;
• sealing means for sealing a part of the object to form a chamber;
• enclosing means for forming an enclosure about the object including the chamber;
• first vacuum means for creating a partial vacuum in the chamber;
• second vacuum means for providing a partial vacuum to the enclosure such that the partial vacuum of the enclosure is less than the partial vacuum of the chamber;
• test gas supply means for introducing a test gas in the outer enclosure, detection means for detecting the amount of test gas in the chamber;
• memory means for storing data regarding unacceptable leak rates for a plurality of different objects based on the physical size characteristic;
• purging means for purging both the first and second vacuum means of test gas;
• and
• controller means for automatically controlling the handling means to receive the object, move the object to the measurement means, move the object to the detection means, the controller means also for automatically receiving the measurement of the object from the measurement means, for automatically controlling the test gas supply means to introduce test gas into the enclosing means, for automatically receiving the amount of detected test gas from the detection means, for automatically controlling the purging means to purge the first and second vacuum means;
• for automatically comparing the measurement of the object and the amount of detected test gas to the data in the memory means and for automatically determining whether the object has an unacceptable leak rate based on such comparison.

A leak detection system for detecting leaks in objects of different sizes, the system comprising:

• handling means for moving the object;
• measurement means for measuring the diameter of the object;
• sealing means for sealing a part of the object to form a chamber;
• enclosing means for forming an enclosure about the object including the chamber;
• first vacuum means for creating a partial vacuum in the chamber;
• second vacuum means for providing a partial vacuum to the enclosure such that the partial vacuum of the enclosure is less than the partial vacuum of the chamber;
• test gas supply means for introducing a test gas in the outer enclosure, detection means for detecting the amount of test gas in the chamber;
• memory means for storing data regarding unacceptable leak rates for objects based on the diameter of the objects;
• purging means for purging both the first and second vacuum means of test gas;
• and
• controller means for automatically controlling the handling means to receive the object, move the object to the measurement means, move the object to the detection means, and move the object from the leak detection system, the controller means also for automatically receiving the measurement of the object from the measurement means, for automatically controlling the test gas supply means to introduce test gas into the enclosing means, for automatically receiving the amount of detected test gas from the detection means, for automatically controlling the purging means to purge the first and second vacuum means after the detection means detects the amount of test gas, for automatically comparing the measurement of the object and the amount of detected test gas to the data in the memory means and for automatically determining whether the object has an unacceptable leak rate based on such comparison, and for automatically controlling the handling means to move an object determined to have an unacceptable leak rate to a first location and an object determined to have an acceptable leak rate to a second location.

A method for detecting leaks in an object, the method comprising the steps of:

• storing data regarding unacceptable leak rates for a plurality of different objects;
• automatically measuring the object;
• automatically sealing a part of the object to form a chamber;
• automatically forming an enclosure about the object including the chamber;
• automatically creating a first partial vacuum in the chamber;
• automatically creating a second partial vacuum in the enclosure such that the partial vacuum of the enclosure is less than the partial vacuum of the chamber;
• automatically introducing a test gas in the outer enclosure,
• automatically detecting the amount of test gas in the chamber;
• automatically comparing the measurement of the object and the amount of detected test gas to the stored data and automatically determining whether the object has an unacceptable leak rate based on such comparison.