System and method for ultrasonic examination of threaded surfaces
AssigneePraxair Technology, Inc.
InventorJames R. Mitchell
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Abstract
A system and method for ultrasonic examination of a threaded test object, and more particularly, the mounting threads of a compressed gas tube while the tube is affixed to a tube trailer is provided. The disclosed ultrasonic test instrument includes a probe having one or more transducers for transmission and reception of ultrasound pulses, a contoured wear plate, and a shoe of highly attentuative material having a thread-like exterior surface adapted to mate with the threaded surface of the test object. The shoe further includes a narrow window in the thread-like exterior surface such that the shoe absorbs most of the ultrasonic pulses transmitted from the piezoelectric crystal except for the ultrasonic transmissions passing through the narrow window to the test object.
Claims14
A method for ultrasonic inspection of threads on a tube while the tube is affixed to a trailer, the method comprising the steps of:
- removing a tube valve and an end plug from an end of the tube to define an opening on the tube exposing an interior threaded surface;
- inserting a probe into the opening in contact with the exposed interior threaded surface;
- directing test signals from the ultrasonic inspection device towards an exterior threaded surface and receiving reflected signals therefrom;
- and
- analyzing the reflected signals to ascertain thread conditions on the exterior threaded surface.
An ultrasonic test instrument for use with threaded examination articles, the ultrasonic test instrument comprising;
- an ultrasonic probe having one or more transducers with a piezoelectric crystal for transmission and reception of ultrasonic signals;
- a wear plate disposed adjacent to the piezoelectric crystal to protect the piezoelectric crystal;
- and
- a shoe disposed around the probe and wear plate, the shoe further having a thread-like exterior surface adapted to fit into a threaded surface of the examination article and defining a window in said thread-like exterior surface;
- a means for rotating the probe along the threads of the threaded examination article;
- wherein the shoe absorbs the ultrasonic signals transmitted from the piezoelectric crystal except for the ultrasonic signals passing through the narrow window.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.