Patents by Inventor Michael Wayne Fields

Michael Wayne Fields 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).

  • Publication number: 20080278151
    Abstract: A method for inspecting an internal cavity in a part is provided. The method includes inserting a probe into the internal cavity. The method also includes controlling movement of the probe using a defined scan path to scan the probe over a region of interest in the internal cavity. The method also includes applying multiple multifrequency excitation signals to the probe to generate a number of multifrequency response signals. The multifrequency excitation signals are applied at multiple positions within the internal cavity. The method further includes performing a multifrequency phase analysis on the multifrequency response signals to inspect the internal cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 7, 2007
    Publication date: November 13, 2008
    Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY
    Inventors: Changting Wang, Shridhar Champaknath Nath, Weston Blaine Griffin, Michael Wayne Fields, Darren Lee Hallman, Abdul Rahman Abdallah Al-Khalidy
  • Patent number: 6972561
    Abstract: An eddy current inspection apparatus includes a holder for a specimen, a holder for an eddy current probe, and an eddy current instrument operatively joined thereto. The probe holder includes carriages for translating the probe along first and second axes. The probe holder is selectively moved to align the probe with an internal channel of the specimen for sliding movement therealong to conduct eddy current inspection thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Date of Patent: December 6, 2005
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Fields, Michael Leonard Dziech, Jon Russel Dierdorf, Anthony William Mellors, James Michael Johnson
  • Publication number: 20040169510
    Abstract: An eddy current inspection apparatus includes a holder for a specimen, a holder for an eddy current probe, and an eddy current instrument operatively joined thereto. The probe holder includes carriages for translating the probe along first and second axes. The probe holder is selectively moved to align the probe with an internal channel of the specimen for sliding movement therealong to conduct eddy current inspection thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 28, 2003
    Publication date: September 2, 2004
    Inventors: Michael Wayne Fields, Michael Leonard Dziech, Jon Russel Dierdorf, Anthony William Mellors, James Michael Johnson
  • Patent number: 6608478
    Abstract: A rotor disk is inspected using an inspection apparatus including an inspection fixture which has a base, and at least one guide extending from the base. Each guide is slidably engagable to one of the rotor slots of the rotor disk and has a guide side shaped to slidably conform to the rotor slot side, and a guide bottom having a guide bottom surface which, in combination with a slot bottom surface, defines an elongated inspection cavity extending parallel to the axis of revolution of the rotor disk. The inspection fixture is mated to the rotor disk such that each guide slides into one of the rotor slots. A sensor apparatus includes a sensor, such as an eddy current sensor, sized to slide into the inspection cavity with a close facing relation thereto, and a sensor drive that moves the sensor parallel to a direction of elongation of the inspection cavity. Inspection is performed by inserting the sensor into the inspection cavity, and sensing the rotor slot bottom using the sensor.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 19, 2003
    Assignee: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Michael Leonard Dziech, Joseph Anthony Traxler, Michael Wayne Fields