Patents Examined by Jacques M. Saint-Surin
  • Patent number: 11578971
    Abstract: A method of testing for thickness loss in a metal wall is disclosed. The method includes mounting a first and a second ultrasonic transducer to the metal such that the transducers are in ultrasonic communication along a beam line and moving the first and second ultrasonic transducers along a scan line. A series of composites of received signal measurements are obtained by, at multiple locations along the scan line, using the first ultrasonic transducer to transmit ultrasonic signals through the metal wall along the beam line at a plurality of transmission angles and obtaining composites of received signal amplitudes by combining signal amplitudes measured by the second ultrasonic transducer. The series of composites are input into a predetermined relationship to obtain a thickness profile indicative of a proportion of remaining wall thickness. The predetermined relationship is experimentally obtained to characterize a given metal wall of nominal thickness.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2021
    Date of Patent: February 14, 2023
    Inventor: Paul Holloway
  • Patent number: 11573192
    Abstract: Non-destructive inspection systems (10) and methods for inspecting structural flaws that may be in a structure (15) based on guided wave thermography. The method may include sweeping a frequency-phase space to maximize ultrasonic energy distribution across the structure while minimizing input energy, e.g., via a plurality of actuators. The system may include transducer elements (12, 14, 16, 17) configured to predominantly generate shear horizontal-type guided waves in the structure to maximize thermal response from any flaws.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 1, 2017
    Date of Patent: February 7, 2023
    Assignees: Siemens Energy, Inc., FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: James F. Landy, Paul J. Zombo, Cody J. Borigo, Joseph L. Rose, Steven E. Owens
  • Patent number: 11564665
    Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide an ultrasonic probe, an ultrasonic diagnostic device, and a manufacturing method of the ultrasonic probe, which are capable of reducing a product defect rate. An ultrasonic probe according to one embodiment includes a plurality of channels. Each of the plurality of channels includes a vibrator that outputs an ultrasonic wave, and a transmission circuit unit that changes an output in response to an input transmission signal and causes the vibrator to output the ultrasonic wave by driving the vibrator with the output. Here, the transmission circuit unit includes a stop signal holding circuit that holds a stop signal when the stop signal is input in advance, and selects whether to change the output in response to the transmission signal based on whether the stop signal is held.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 26, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 31, 2023
    Assignee: FUJIFILM Healthcare Corporation
    Inventors: Toru Yazaki, Yutaka Igarashi, Yoshihiro Hayashi, Tsuneo Kawamata
  • Patent number: 11555698
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for non-destructively estimating the thickness of buried concrete without excavation. An example method may include placing one or more first accelerometers at a plurality of vertical positions below the surface of the ground at an approximate first distance from a vertical edge of the buried concrete each time. The method may further include, for each position in the plurality of vertical positions, generating a dispersive wave in the buried concrete and determining a time of arrival of the dispersive wave at the one or more first accelerometers. The method may further include estimating the thickness of the buried concrete based on at least the times of arrival of the dispersive waves at the one or more first accelerometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: FDH Infrastructure Services, LLC
    Inventors: David Milligan, Armita Mohammadian, Joshua Scott, Akash Nikam, Matthew Sharpe, Klarissa Ramos, Ethan Loewenthal
  • Patent number: 11555717
    Abstract: An acoustic system and method is disclosed for providing spatial and temporal classification of a range of different types of sound producing targets in a geographical area. The system includes an optical signal transmitter arrangement for repeatedly transmitting, at multiple instants, interrogating optical signals into each of one or more optical fibres distributed across the geographical area and forming at least part of an installed fibre-optic communications network. An optical signal detector arrangement receives, during an observation period following each of the multiple instants, returning optical signals scattered in a distributed manner over distance along the one or more of optical fibres.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 10, 2017
    Date of Patent: January 17, 2023
    Assignee: Fiber Sense Limited
    Inventor: Mark Andrew Englund
  • Patent number: 11549915
    Abstract: Described is a method for estimating a material property of an object by means of a laser ultrasonic (LUS) measurement equipment comprising a generation laser, a detection laser and a detector.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 10, 2023
    Assignee: SSAB TECHNOLOGY AB
    Inventor: Mikael Malmström
  • Patent number: 11541976
    Abstract: A seabed object detection system is provided. The system can include a receiver array including streamers. The system can include a plurality of receivers coupled with the streamers. The system can include a receiver array cross-cable to couple with the first streamer and to couple with the second streamer. The receiver array cross-cable can be disposed at a first depth of a body of water. The system can include a first diverter and a second diverter coupled with the receiver array cross-cable. The system can include a source array including a first source and a second source. The source array can be coplanar to the receiver array. The system can include a source array cross-cable to couple with the first source and to couple with the second source, the source array cross-cable disposed at a second depth of the body of water.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 2019
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: Magseis FF LLC
    Inventors: Graham Gillott, Terence Hibben
  • Patent number: 11542570
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device and a method for reducing and homogenizing residual stress during machining in which a workpiece is fixed, such as milling, boring, drilling and planning, with which high-energy acoustic waves are emitted to the workpiece via a tight contact between a plurality of high-energy wave exciters on a bench and a workpiece coated with a coupling medium, and residual stress inside the machined workpiece is reduced and homogenized through elastic wave energy generated in the workpiece by the high-energy acoustic waves. In this way, the purpose of reducing and homogenizing the residual stress while machining is achieved, realizing a stress-free machining, and the deformation of the workpiece during and after machining is minimized.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: January 3, 2023
    Assignee: BEIJING INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Chunguang Xu, Dezhi Li, Yuren Lu, Ruili Jia, Peng Yin
  • Patent number: 11536696
    Abstract: An apparatus, system, and related methods for multi-bounce material property detection and signal amplification are provided. The apparatus has a first acoustic transducer positioned on an exterior sidewall of a pipe or container carrying or holding a quantity of fluid therein. An acoustic signal is transmitted by the first acoustic transducer into the sidewall of the pipe from an exterior surface thereof. With material detection, at least a portion of the acoustic signal reflects off an interior surface of the sidewall of the pipe. The reflected acoustic signal is received at the second acoustic transducer on the exterior sidewall of the pipe. The reflected acoustic signal provides an indication of a material property of the pipe or a material within the pipe. With signal amplification, the second acoustic transducer transmits a phase synchronized second acoustic signal to the first acoustic signal, where the second acoustic signal amplifies the first acoustic signal.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: PERCEPTIVE SENSOR TECHNOLOGIES, INC.
    Inventors: Lazar Bivolarsky, Joel D. Burcham, James M. Heim
  • Patent number: 11536697
    Abstract: Embodiments provide systems, apparatuses, and method for determining the Modulus of Elasticity (MOE) of a wood workpiece based on the travel time and/or velocity of an impact-induced acoustic stress wave. A housing may be configured to reduce extraneous acoustic waves and/or contaminants near an acoustic transducer to thereby reduce errors in the detection/identification of the acoustic stress wave. A computer system may be programmed to determine the MOE of the workpiece based on the travel time and/or velocity of multiple acoustic stress waves induced by corresponding impacts at respective locations along the end of the workpiece as the workpiece travels in a first direction. Corresponding methods and an induction system for rapidly and repeatedly striking the end of the workpiece are also described herein.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 2, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: USNR, LLC
    Inventor: Aki J. Anttila
  • Patent number: 11536699
    Abstract: An ultrasonic phased array transducer device with a two-dimensional hinge array structure belongs to equipment in the technical field of ultrasonic detection. A connecting rod is fixedly connected to a fixed support and a two-dimensional hinge array respectively. Voice coil motors are symmetrically arranged in a shape of the British “Union Jack” with the connecting rod as a center, and are fixedly connected to the fixed support. Force output rods are respectively connected to voice coil motor coils and the upper surfaces of array units. Piezoelectric array elements are fixedly connected to the lower surfaces of all the array units. The numbers of the voice coil motors and the force output rods are 2N (N=4, 8, 12, 16, 20), the number of the piezoelectric array elements is 2N+1, and different N values are selected according to the sizes of workpieces to be detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 24, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 27, 2022
    Assignee: HARBIN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
    Inventors: Weijia Shi, Bingquan Wang, Bo Zhao, Jiubin Tan
  • Patent number: 11525675
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides systems and methods for non-destructively estimating the thickness of buried concrete without excavation. An example method may include placing one or more first accelerometers at a plurality of vertical positions below the surface of the ground at an approximate first distance from a vertical edge of the buried concrete each time. The method may further include, for each position in the plurality of vertical positions, generating a dispersive wave in the buried concrete and determining a time of arrival of the dispersive wave at the one or more first accelerometers. The method may further include estimating the thickness of the buried concrete based on at least the times of arrival of the dispersive waves at the one or more first accelerometers.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 5, 2022
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: FDH Infrastructure Services, LLC
    Inventors: David Milligan, Armita Mohammadian, Joshua Scott, Akash Nikam, Matthew Sharpe, Klarissa Ramos, Ethan Loewenthal
  • Patent number: 11525537
    Abstract: An apparatus includes a pipe crawler (100). The pipe crawler (100) includes one or more drive wheels (308) capable of moving along and around a pipe, and one or more instruments coupled to the one or more drive wheels (308). An instrument includes one or more of a sensor instrument and a maintenance instrument. The pipe crawler (100) includes a retention mechanism (4) that retains the one or more drive wheels (308) against an outer surface of the pipe. The retention mechanism (104) provides adjustable positions for the one or more drive wheels (308) for disposing the one or more drive wheels (308) against the outer surface of the pipe. The apparatus includes a controller (302) that communicates with the one or more drive wheels (308) to move the one or more drive wheels (308) on the outer surface of the pipe, and that operates the one or more instruments.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 23, 2019
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Inventors: Gennadiy Lisnyak, Valeriy Guyvoronskiy
  • Patent number: 11525810
    Abstract: Multi-centric radius focusing is used to inspect a radiused surface of a radiused part having a varying radius without mechanically adjusting the array sensor. A plurality of focal laws are designed to electronically steer and focus ultrasound at respective focal points corresponding to centers of curvature of a simulated radiused surface having a varying radius. The mechanical probe that carries the array sensor is located to two physical places that are outside of the radiused area and have a spatial relationship that varies less than the radius of the radiused surface varies. As the probe is moved along the radiused part, the probe maintains the array sensor at a constant location relative to the radiused part. As the array sensor scans the radiused part, the array sensor is electronically adjusted to focus at the respective focal points in sequence.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2020
    Date of Patent: December 13, 2022
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Barry A. Fetzer, Jill P. Bingham
  • Patent number: 11519879
    Abstract: A method for measuring a fracture permeability and a matrix permeability of a naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample, includes sealing both flat ends of the cylindrical sample; immersing the naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample in a fluid, and attaching an axial and a radial strain sensor to the curved surface of the sample. Furthermore, the method includes attaching a signal generator to one flat end of sample, and a signal receiver to the other flat end of the sample, and generating a harmonic excitation using the signal generator at a plurality of frequencies and recording the excitation at each of the plurality of frequencies. The method includes calculating an elastic wave propagation attribute at each of the plurality of frequencies, and inverting the elastic wave propagation attribute at each of the plurality of frequencies to determine the fracture permeability and the matrix permeability of the naturally fractured cylindrical rock sample.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 25, 2021
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2022
    Assignee: SAUDI ARABIAN OIL COMPANY
    Inventors: Chao Liu, Dung T. Phan, Younane N. Abousleiman
  • Patent number: 11513101
    Abstract: An elastic matrix determination method and a vibration analysis method for a laminated iron core, with which it is possible to optimally determine an elastic modulus of a laminated iron core. When a vibration analysis of a laminated iron core obtained by laminating steel sheets is performed by using a configuration expression indicating a relationship between stress and strain in a matrix display by using an elastic matrix, a shear modulus in two surfaces including a laminating direction of the laminated iron core included in the elastic matrix in the configuration expression is determined in consideration of slip between laminated steel sheets.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 21, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 29, 2022
    Assignee: JFE STEEL CORPORATION
    Inventors: Misao Namikawa, Gou Kijima
  • Patent number: 11506636
    Abstract: An ultrasonic measurement system includes abase apparatus, an ultrasonic transducer remote from the base apparatus, a temperature sensing system remote from the base apparatus, and an electrical cable. The base apparatus includes a power supply, a pulse transmitter/receiver; and a base apparatus controller operatively connected to the power supply and the pulse transmitter/receiver. The ultrasonic transducer includes a piezoelectric element. The temperature sensing system includes a temperature measurement instrument operatively connected to a temperature sensor. The electrical cable includes first and second electrical conductors with the first and second conductors electrically connecting the base apparatus, the ultrasonic transducer, and the temperature sensing system. A method of measuring a thickness of an object and a further measurement system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2019
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Molex, LLC
    Inventors: Mariusz Kloza, Alexander S. Chernyshov
  • Patent number: 11506634
    Abstract: An ultrasonic phased array transducer assembly having a single housing in which a plurality of phased array transducer subassemblies are mounted at a skewed angle relative to a leading face of the housing and to each other, with each transducer mounted on composite wedge(s) at different orientations within the housing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 3, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: Westinghouse Electric Company LLC
    Inventors: Charles R. Barrett, Kevin J. Foley
  • Patent number: 11506638
    Abstract: A contactless odometer system can include a sensor array. The sensor array can include a plurality of sensing elements adjacent to a target surface and configured to receive signals based on a distance separating the sensing element from the adjacent surface and a defect present below the adjacent surface of the target. The system can also include a controller configured to receive the signals from first and second locations within the target and to generate first and second defect maps corresponding to the first and second locations. The controller can identify overlapping portions of first and second defect maps and can determine a translation distance in at least one direction. Related methods of determining a distance traveled by a contactless odometer system are also provided.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2020
    Date of Patent: November 22, 2022
    Assignee: BAKER HUGHES OILFIELD OPERATIONS LLC
    Inventors: Giovanni Canni, Jeffrey Earle Sutherland
  • Patent number: 11499939
    Abstract: A gas concentration measurement device comprises: a transmission circuit and a transmission oscillator for transmitting first ultrasonic waves in a concentration measurement space and transmitting second ultrasonic waves, which continue temporally from the first ultrasonic waves in the concentration measurement space; a reception oscillator and a reception circuit for receiving the ultrasonic waves that have propagated through the concentration measurement space; and a propagation time measurement unit for determining, on the basis of the times at which the first ultrasonic waves and the second ultrasonic waves were transmitted and the times at which the first ultrasonic waves and the second ultrasonic waves were received, the time in which ultrasonic waves propagate through the concentration measurement space.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 28, 2018
    Date of Patent: November 15, 2022
    Assignees: Ueda Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Japan Radio Co., Ltd., Nisshinbo Holdings Inc.
    Inventors: Kouichi Tsujiya, Yoshifumi Shinfuku, Yasuhiro Toriyama