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US 5,844,406 AGranted
Method and apparatus for testing and measuring for porosity and anomalies of materials using electron beams
OwnerGregory J. Gormley, Robert Griebelinventors
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The porosity and integrity of a nonconductive material is determined using electron beams and electronic instrumentation. The electric corona discharge from holes in the nonconductive material is detected and analyzed in order to determine the presence of viral and sub-viral sized voids or holes, as well as other material anomalies such as blisters and bubbles.
Claims50
A method for the non-destructive testing and detecting of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- (a) disposing the material on a conductive model;
- (b) generating a point-to-point effect by:
- (i) flowing an electron beam in an open atmosphere through a fluid cover gas between a first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly, and
- (i) resisting the flow of electrons to control the size of the electron beam sufficiently to prevent avalanche discharge;
- and
- (c) measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor, thereby to detect the porosity or anomaly.
3 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the material on a conductive model;
- generating a point-to-point effect by flowing an electron beam between a first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly;
- and
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor,
- further comprising the steps of:
- securing the material as a partition in a capsule;
- flushing a first side of the partition with an electrically charged conductive or neutral fluid;
- introducing a fluid cover gas from a second side of the partition;
- and
- the step of flowing the electron beam includes flowing the electron beam through the fluid cover gas between a source of the beam and the porosity or the anomaly in the material.
7 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the material on a conductive model;
- disposing a dielectric material between the material and the conductive model, the dielectric material being disposed above a first conductor point;
- and
- generating a point-to-point effect by flowing an electron beam between the first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly, wherein the step of flowing the electron beam includes:
- flowing the electron beam between the dielectric material and the second conductor point through theporosity or the anomaly in the material,
- flowing the electron beam through a first fluid cover gas between a source of the electron beam and the porosity or the anomaly in the material, and
- flowing the electron beam through a second fluid cover gas between the second conductor point and the dielectric material;
- and
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor.
6 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the material on a conductive model;
- disposing a dielectric material between the material and the conductive model, the dielectric material being disposed above a first conductor point;
- and
- generating a point-to-point effect by flowing an electron beam between the first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly, wherein the step of flowing the electron beam includes:
- flowing the electron beam between the dielectric material and the second conductor point through theporosity or the anomaly in the material,
- flowing the electron beam through a first fluid cover gas between a source of the electron beam and the porosity or the anomaly in the material, and
- wherein the dielectric material is positioned between the first conductor point and the second conductor point;
- and
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor.
6 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the material on a conductive model;
- disposing a dielectric material between the material and the conductive model, the dielectric material being disposed above a first conductor point;
- and
- generating a point-to-point effect by flowing an electron beam between the first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly, wherein the step of flowing the electron beam includes:
- flowing the electron beam between the dielectric material and the second conductor point through theporosity or the anomaly in the material,
- flowing the electron beam through a first fluid cover gas between a source of the electron beam and the porosity or the anomaly in the material, and
- wherein the dielectric material is one of a nylon screen and an anomaly-free dielectric film;
- and
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor.
6 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in a material, comprising the steps of:
- disposing the material on a conductive model;
- generating a point-to-point effect by:
- flowing an electron beam between a first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly,
- wherein the step of flowing the electron beam includes flowing the electron beam between a dielectric material, disposed above the first conductor point, and the second conductor point through theporosity or the anomaly in the material;
- and
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor,
- further comprising the steps of:
- securing the material on the dielectric material as a partition in a capsule;
- flushing a first side of the partition with an electrically charged conductive or neutral fluid;
- introducing a cover gas from a second side of the partition;
- and
- the step of flowing the electron beam includes flowing the electron beam through the flow of the cover gas between a source of the electron beam and the porosity or the anomaly in the material.
9 more elements
An apparatus for the non-destructive testing and detecting of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly of a material, comprising:
- means for generating a point-to-point effect including:
- means for flowing an electron beam in an open atmosphere through a fluid cover gas between a first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the material disposed on a conductive model, and the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly, and
- focusing resistance means for controlling the beam size of the electron beam so as to prevent avalanche discharge;
- and
- sensor means for measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field, thereby to detect the porosity or anomaly.
2 more elements
An apparatus for the non-destructive testing and measuring of at least one of a porosity and an anomaly of a material, comprising:
- means for generating a point-to-point effect including means for flowing an electron beam between a first conductor point and a second conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material, the material disposed on a conductive model, and the second conductor point being formed on the conductive model at the porosity or the anomaly;
- means for flowing the electron beam between a dielectric material, disposed above the second conductor point, and the first conductor point through the porosity or the anomaly in the material;
- and
- sensor means for measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field,
- further comprising:
- one of a dielectric screen and an anomaly-free dielectric film disposed between the material and the conductive model, the material being placed on the dielectric screen or the anomaly-free dielectric film, the dielectric material being the dielectric screen or the anomaly-free dielectric film;
- means for introducing a first fluid cover gas between the material and the first conductor point;
- and
- means for flowing the electron beam through the first fluid cover gas.
6 more elements
A method for the non-destructive testing and measuring of the integrity of a material, comprising the steps of:
- placing the material on one of a conductive plate, a roller, a mandrel, a dielectric screen and an anomaly-free dielectric film;
- generating a point-to-point effect by flowing an electron beam through a fluid cover gas through at least one of a porosity and an anomaly in the material from the one of the conductive plate, the roller, the mandrel, the dielectric screen and the anomaly-free dielectric film to a conductor point;
- resisting the flow of electrons to control the size of the electron beam sufficiently to prevent avalanche discharge;
- measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field with a sensor;
- and
- measuring and analyzing at least one of a waveshape, a frequency and an amplitude change associated with the electric discharge or the change in the electric field with a signal analyzer.
3 more elements
An apparatus for the non-destructive testing and measuring of the integrity of a material, comprising:
- one of a conductive plate, a roller, a mandrel, a dielectric screen and an anomaly-free dielectric film on which the material is placed;
- means for generating a point-to-point effect including means for flowing an electron beam through a fluid cover gas from the one of the conductive plate, the roller, the mandrel, the dielectric screen and the anomaly-free dielectric film to a conductor point, and focusing resistance means for controlling the beam size of the electron beam;
- sensor means for measuring at least one of an electric discharge and a change in an electric field;
- and
- signal analyzer means for measuring and analyzing a change in at least one of amplitude, frequency and waveshape of the electric discharge or the change in the electric field.
2 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.