Patents by Inventor Harry Israel Ringermacher
Harry Israel Ringermacher has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).
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Patent number: 9638648Abstract: A method and system for inspecting an object is provided. In accordance with embodiments of the method, a thermal excitation pulse is applied to an object undergoing evaluation. A transient thermal signal from the object is detected in response to the thermal excitation pulse. Two or more orthogonal functions are applied to the transient thermal signal based on a defined time interval to generate two or more orthogonal components. The object is assessed for defects at different depths using the two or more orthogonal components.Type: GrantFiled: March 29, 2012Date of Patent: May 2, 2017Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Harry Israel Ringermacher
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Patent number: 9500611Abstract: A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system includes a lamp assembly having a lamp. The lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal cavity. The lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature of the internal cavity.Type: GrantFiled: September 26, 2013Date of Patent: November 22, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Bryon Edward Knight
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Patent number: 9007466Abstract: A method for thermographic imaging is described. The method captures a plurality of thermal images of a surface of an object, at non-linear intervals over a period of time, each of the thermal images being associated with temporal data. The method then processes the plurality of thermal images and the temporal data, and identifies features within the object based on the processing.Type: GrantFiled: April 27, 2011Date of Patent: April 14, 2015Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Bryon Edward Knight, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher
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Publication number: 20150085895Abstract: A thermographic nondestructive evaluation system includes a lamp assembly having a lamp. The lamp is configured to be positioned within an internal cavity of a target object and to emit an energy pulse toward an interior surface of the internal cavity. The lamp includes at least one curved portion, the at least one curved portion is curved relative to a longitudinal axis of the lamp, and a first curvature of the curved portion is selected to substantially correspond to a second curvature of the internal cavity.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 26, 2013Publication date: March 26, 2015Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Bryon Edward Knight
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Patent number: 8692887Abstract: An apparatus is provided for determining variable thickness of a coating on a surface of a substrate using in part a flash-lamp source, capable of generating a thermal pulse at the coating surface, and a image capture and processing device capable of capture sequential image frames of the coating surface, whereas each sequential image frame corresponds to an elapsed time and comprises a pixel array, and wherein each pixel of the array corresponds to a location on the coating surface. A method of calculating coating thickness is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: August 27, 2010Date of Patent: April 8, 2014Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight
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Publication number: 20140067185Abstract: Methods and systems for inspecting a component within an assembled turbomachine are disclosed. At least one miniature robotic device having a non-destructive testing structure attached thereto is configured to travel around a surface of the component. The non-destructive testing structure gathers data related to the surface, and sends the data to a computing device connected to the at least one miniature robotic device. In one embodiment, the non-destructive testing structure comprises an image capture device and an infrared (IR) heat source.Type: ApplicationFiled: September 5, 2012Publication date: March 6, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, Bryon Edward Knight, Harry Israel Ringermacher
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Publication number: 20130261989Abstract: A method and system for inspecting an object is provided. In accordance with embodiments of the method, a thermal excitation pulse is applied to an object undergoing evaluation. A transient thermal signal from the object is detected in response to the thermal excitation pulse. Two or more orthogonal functions are applied to the transient thermal signal based on a defined time interval to generate two or more orthogonal components. The object is assessed for defects at different depths using the two or more orthogonal components.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 29, 2012Publication date: October 3, 2013Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yuri Alexeyevich Plotnikov, Harry Israel Ringermacher
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Patent number: 8393784Abstract: A method for identifying types of flaws in a composite object includes: a) rapidly heating the surface of the object; b) recording pixel intensities in a sequence of IR images; c) determining temperature-versus-time data for each of the pixels from the IR images; and d) determining what type of flaw if any corresponds to each of the pixels using the temperature-versus-time data determined in step (c). A contrast curve derived from the temperature-versus-time data may be used in determining what type of flaws if any corresponds to each of the pixels. The contrast curve may be determined by subtracting a synthetic reference curve from a temperature time curve from the temperature-versus-time data. The types of flaws may be determined from size and/or shapes of peaks in the contrast curves. Some flaws are delaminations, layers of porosity, and uniformly distributed porosity.Type: GrantFiled: March 31, 2008Date of Patent: March 12, 2013Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight, William George Patterson, Thomas Edward Bantel
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Publication number: 20120274778Abstract: A method for thermographic imaging is described. The method captures a plurality of thermal images of a surface of an object, at non-linear intervals over a period of time, each of the thermal images being associated with temporal data. The method then processes the plurality of thermal images and the temporal data, and identifies features within the object based on the processing.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 27, 2011Publication date: November 1, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Bryon Edward Knight, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher
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Patent number: 8238642Abstract: A method for determining 3D distances on a 2D pixelized image of a part or object includes acquiring a real 2D pixelized image of the object, creating a simulated image of the object using the 3D CAD model and the 2D pixelized image, determining a specified cost function comparing the simulated image with the real 2D pixilated image and repositioning the simulated image in accordance with iterated adjustments of a relative position between the CAD model and the 2D pixilated image to change the simulated image until the specified cost function is below a specified value. Then, the workstation is used to generate a 3D distance scale matrix using the repositioned simulated image, and to measure and display distances between selected pixels on a surface of the real image using 2D distances on the 2D pixelized image of the object and the 3D distance scale matrix.Type: GrantFiled: November 20, 2008Date of Patent: August 7, 2012Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Yanyan Wu, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Robert August Kaucic, Zhaohui Sun, Francis Howard Little, Xiaodong Tao, Patrick Joseph Howard, Matthew Edward Dragovich, Eric Scott Foster
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Publication number: 20120050537Abstract: An apparatus is provided for determining variable thickness of a coating on a surface of a substrate using in part a flash-lamp source, capable of generating a thermal pulse at the coating surface, and a image capture and processing device capable of capture sequential image frames of the coating surface, whereas each sequential image frame corresponds to an elapsed time and comprises a pixel array, and wherein each pixel of the array corresponds to a location on the coating surface. A method of calculating coating thickness is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: August 27, 2010Publication date: March 1, 2012Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight
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Patent number: 8055054Abstract: A non-destructive evaluation system and method is provided for detecting flaws in an object. The system includes a lamp for impinging the object with optical pulses and a focal plane array camera configured to capture the images corresponding to evolution of heat due to an impact of the optical pulses in the object. The system also includes an image acquisition system for capturing data corresponding to the images from the focal plane array camera. Both transmission mode imaging and reflection mode imaging techniques are used in an exemplary embodiment. A time of flight analysis system is also provided for analyzing the data from both transmission mode imaging technique and reflection mode imaging technique. The data from transmission mode imaging is used to determine thickness values at different points in the data and for determining location of flaws using the thickness values. The data from reflection mode imaging is used for determining depth of these flaws.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: November 8, 2011Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight
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Patent number: 7966883Abstract: An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system includes a generation laser, an ultrasonic detection system, a thermal imaging system, and a processor/control module. The generation laser produces a pulsed laser beam that is operable to induce ultrasonic displacements and thermal transients at the target material. The ultrasonic detection system detects ultrasonic surface displacements at the target material. The thermal imaging system detects thermal transients at the target material. The processor analyzes both detected ultrasonic displacements and thermal imagery of the target material to yield information about the target material's internal structure.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2006Date of Patent: June 28, 2011Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Peter William Lorraine, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Marc Dubois, Thomas E. Drake
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Patent number: 7805251Abstract: A method including receiving a first line and a second line to be joined at a junction location to provide a reference curve. A corresponding system and computer program product.Type: GrantFiled: October 7, 2008Date of Patent: September 28, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight, William George Patterson
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Patent number: 7748259Abstract: Systems and methods for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis. Exemplary embodiments include systems and methods for solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) surface analysis, including a SOFC having a ceramic surface, a scanner adjacent the ceramic surface for collecting data related to the ceramic surface, a structure for retaining the SOFC with respect to the scanner, a device for collecting a processing the ceramic surface data and a process residing on the device, the process for analyzing and presenting the ceramic surface data.Type: GrantFiled: December 15, 2006Date of Patent: July 6, 2010Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Waseem Ibrahim Faidi, Andrzej May, Thomas James Batzinger, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Andrew Philip Shapiro, Stephane Renou, Daguang Zheng, Haiyan Sun
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Publication number: 20100124369Abstract: A method for determining 3D distances on a 2D pixelized image of a part or object includes acquiring a real 2D pixelized image of the object, creating a simulated image of the object using the 3D CAD model and the 2D pixelized image, determining a specified cost function comparing the simulated image with the real 2D pixilated image and repositioning the simulated image in accordance with iterated adjustments of a relative position between the CAD model and the XID pixilated image to change the simulated image until the specified cost function is below a specified value. Then, the workstation is used to generate a 3D distance scale matrix using the repositioned simulated image, and to measure and display distances between selected pixels on a surface of the real image using 2D distances on the 2D pixelized image of the object and the 3D distance scale matrix.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 20, 2008Publication date: May 20, 2010Inventors: Yanyan Wu, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Robert August Kaucic, Zhaohui Sun, Francis Howard Little, Xiaodong Tao, Patrick Joseph Howard, Matthew Edward Dragovich, Eric Scott Foster
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Publication number: 20100088041Abstract: A method including receiving a first line and a second line to be joined at a junction location to provide a reference curve. A corresponding system and computer program product.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 7, 2008Publication date: April 8, 2010Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight, William George Patterson
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Patent number: 7605924Abstract: An inspection system is provided to examine internal structures of a target material. This inspection system combines an ultrasonic inspection system and a thermographic inspection system. The thermographic inspection system is attached to ultrasonic inspection and modified to enable thermographic inspection of target materials at distances compatible with laser ultrasonic inspection. Quantitative information is obtained using depth infrared (IR) imaging on the target material. The IR imaging and laser-ultrasound results are combined and projected on a 3D projection of complex shape composites. The thermographic results complement the laser-ultrasound results and yield information about the target material's internal structure that is more complete and more reliable, especially when the target materials are thin composite parts.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2006Date of Patent: October 20, 2009Assignee: Lockheed Martin CorporationInventors: Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Marc Dubois, Timothy Gerard Richter, Thomas E. Drake
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Publication number: 20090245321Abstract: A method for identifying types of flaws in a composite object includes: a) rapidly heating the surface of the object; b) recording pixel intensities in a sequence of IR images; c) determining temperature-versus-time data for each of the pixels from the IR images; and d) determining what type of flaw if any corresponds to each of the pixels using the temperature-versus-time data determined in step (c). A contrast curve derived from the temperature-versus-time data may be used in determining what type of flaws if any corresponds to each of the pixels. The contrast curve may be determined by subtracting a synthetic reference curve from a temperature time curve from the temperature-versus-time data. The types of flaws may be determined from size and/or shapes of peaks in the contrast curves. Some flaws are delaminations, layers of porosity, and uniformly distributed porosity.Type: ApplicationFiled: March 31, 2008Publication date: October 1, 2009Inventors: Harry Israel Ringermacher, Donald Robert Howard, Bryon Edward Knight, William George Patterson, Thomas Edward Bantel
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Patent number: 7549789Abstract: A method and system for determining thermal diffusivity and porosity of an article are provided. The method comprises heating a surface of the article, capturing image data corresponding to an evolution of lateral heat flow from the surface of the article, applying a thermal time of flight analysis on the image data and determining thermal diffusivity and porosity values of the article using the thermal time of flight analysis for the lateral heat flow.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2007Date of Patent: June 23, 2009Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Nilesh Tralshawala, Donald Robert Howard, Harry Israel Ringermacher, Bryon Edward Knight