Patents by Inventor Ronald B. Alers

Ronald B. Alers 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).

  • Patent number: 7819010
    Abstract: A device for destruction-free testing of ferromagnetic component walls with respect to elongate defects has a sending transducer that excites ultrasound waves in a wall area of a ferromagnetic component wall magnetized in a predetermined direction of magnetization. The ultrasound waves propagate on a path oriented by the sending transducer. A receiving transducer receives the ultrasound waves at a spacing from the sending transducer. The configuration of the sending transducer and a high frequency emitted by the sending transducer, which high frequency is to be determined based on a thickness of the ferromagnetic component wall, are selected so as to effect excitation of horizontal shear waves of higher order. The path orientation is selected at a slant angle to the predetermined direction of magnetization. The receiving transducer is positioned lateral to the path and is oriented toward a predetermined testing area of the wall section in the path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Date of Patent: October 26, 2010
    Assignee: Rosen Swiss AG
    Inventors: George A. Alers, Ronald B. Alers, John J. Boyle, Thomas Beuker
  • Publication number: 20090078048
    Abstract: A device for destruction-free testing of ferromagnetic component walls with respect to elongate defects has a sending transducer that excites ultrasound waves in a wall area of a ferromagnetic component wall magnetized in a predetermined direction of magnetization. The ultrasound waves propagate on a path oriented by the sending transducer. A receiving transducer receives the ultrasound waves at a spacing from the sending transducer. The configuration of the sending transducer and a high frequency emitted by the sending transducer, which high frequency is to be determined based on a thickness of the ferromagnetic component wall, are selected so as to effect excitation of horizontal shear waves of higher order. The path orientation is selected at a slant angle to the predetermined direction of magnetization. The receiving transducer is positioned lateral to the path and is oriented toward a predetermined testing area of the wall section in the path.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 21, 2005
    Publication date: March 26, 2009
    Inventors: George A. Alers, Ronald B. Alers, John J. Boyle, Thomas Beuker
  • Publication number: 20040091076
    Abstract: A method and system utilizing polarized ultrasonic shear waves and other guided waves to detect and characterize flaws oriented parallel to the wave propagation direction and perpendicular to the wave particle motion. As the wave passes, the waves are dampened by these flaws causing a reduction in the received signal amplitude as well as other changes in the signal. This inspection can be applied to nuclear reactor vessel control rod drive mechanisms (CRDMs) and other tubular and plate products. In addition, the same waves are utilized to detect and characterize other types of flaws in CRDMs.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 8, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Applicant: Pacific Gas & Electric Company
    Inventors: Daniel S. Kerr, Ronald B. Alers
  • Patent number: 4850697
    Abstract: Apparatus for inserting and removing several filters from an optical path and for determining at all times the instantaneous positional relationship of each filter with respect to the optical path includes a set of filters mounted on a carrier which is attached to a resonant piezoelectric system, and further includes reference tracks also located on the carrier and extending in the direction of the oscillatory motion and including a sequence of binary indicia progressing in the direction of the oscillatory motion. The reference tracks are read optically to produce a series of binary electrical signals which are processed to yield the instantaneous position of the carrier and filters with respect to a fixed optical path.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 16, 1988
    Date of Patent: July 25, 1989
    Assignee: Dynatech Electro-Optics Corporation
    Inventors: Larry J. Schoennauer, Ronald B. Alers, Keith Kaste, Ross E. Johnson, Jacob Y. Wong