Patents by Inventor Steven E. Owens

Steven E. Owens 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: 8907665
    Abstract: A system includes at least one strip of ferromagnetic material and a plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits. The at least one strip of ferromagnetic material is induced with a bias magnetic field and is coupled to a surface of a structure under test. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are aligned with a surface of the at least one strip of the ferromagnetic material. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are individually controllable by a number of channels to excite guided waves in the structure under test using at least one of active phased-array focusing or synthetic phased-array focusing of the guided waves.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Date of Patent: December 9, 2014
    Assignee: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Rose, Jason K. Van Velsor, Steven E. Owens, Roger L. Royer, Jr.
  • Publication number: 20130343424
    Abstract: Methods and systems (10) based on guided wave thermography for non-destructively inspecting structural flaws that may be present in a structure (15). For example, such systems and methods may provide the ability to selectively deliver sonic or ultrasonic energy to provide focusing and/or beam steering throughout the structure from a fixed transducer location (12, 14, 16). Moreover, such systems and methods may provide the ability to selectively apply sonic or ultrasonic energy having excitation characteristics (FIGS. 11 and 12) which may be uniquely tailored to enhance the thermal response (FIGS. 5 and 7) of a particular flaw geometry and/or flaw location.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 20, 2013
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Inventors: Paul J. Zombo, James F. Landy, Joseph L. Rose, Steven E. Owens, Fei Yan, Cody J. Borigo
  • Publication number: 20130327148
    Abstract: A method for ultrasonic guided wave defect detection in a plate-like structure is disclosed. The method includes driving a plurality of transducers to cause guided waves to be transmitted in the plate in a predetermined direction or focused at a predetermined focal point, receiving at least one reflected guided wave signal, and processing the at least one reflected guided wave signal to identify a location of at least one possible defect in the plate-like structure. Defect detection data including the location of the at least one possible defect in the plate-like structure is stored in a machine readable storage medium.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 24, 2013
    Publication date: December 12, 2013
    Applicant: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Fei Yan, Joseph L. Rose, Steven E. Owens
  • Publication number: 20120279308
    Abstract: A rail defect detection system includes a controller in signal communication with at least one transducer. The at least one transducer is configured to receive a predetermined number of guided elastic wave modes at specific frequencies and with specific wave structures from a rail and generate a signal in response. The controller includes a processor configured to identify a defect disposed along the rail in response to the signal received from the at least one transducer.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 4, 2012
    Publication date: November 8, 2012
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: Fei Yan, Steven E. Owens, Michael J. Avioli, Joseph L. Rose
  • Patent number: 8186055
    Abstract: Various methods are disclosed for manufacturing pump-heads having a housing enclosing at least one rotary member. In an exemplary method first and second housing portions are provided that collectively, when assembled, define a pump-cavity that accommodates the rotary member(s). The rotary member(s) is assembled into the pump-cavity, along with at least one soluble spacer of a defined thickness that corresponds to a desired clearance of the rotary member relative to the pump-cavity. The spacer contacts a surface of the rotary member facing a corresponding surface of the housing portion. The first and second housing portions are attached together to form the pump-cavity containing the rotary member(s). The soluble spacer is dissolved to provide the desired clearance of the rotary member in the pump-cavity. As the housing portions are attached together, e.g., by adhesive bonding, the spacer establishes the desired clearance of the rotary member(s) in the pump-cavity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 29, 2012
    Assignee: Micropump, Inc.
    Inventors: Larry F. Krebs, Craig Sunada, Steven E. Owen
  • Publication number: 20120119732
    Abstract: A system includes at least one strip of ferromagnetic material and a plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits. The at least one strip of ferromagnetic material is induced with a bias magnetic field and is coupled to a surface of a structure under test. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are aligned with a surface of the at least one strip of the ferromagnetic material. The plurality of pulsing/receiving coil circuits are individually controllable by a number of channels to excite guided waves in the structure under test using at least one of active phased-array focusing or synthetic phased-array focusing of the guided waves.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 17, 2011
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: Joseph L. Rose, Jason K. Van Velsor, Steven E. Owens, Roger L. Royer, JR.
  • Patent number: 8170809
    Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of pipeline, and internal or external coatings, using guided ultrasonic waves excited from the inside or outside diameter, wherein at least two transducers are employed to send and receive ultrasound, wherein a data normalization scheme is employed to account for transducer variability, and wherein the hardware arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels for the collection and storage of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Date of Patent: May 1, 2012
    Assignee: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Jason K. Van Velsor, Steven E. Owens, Joseph L. Rose
  • Publication number: 20120053852
    Abstract: A non-contact signal propagation property evaluation system for ropes can be deployed for a number of different applications including, but not limited to, moving lines, e.g., crane or winch and static lines, e.g., mooring lines, stays, etc., to evaluate physical properties of the ropes and, in some cases, to help evaluate structural health of the ropes. The system includes a first transducer for generating ultrasonic waves, a second transducer for receiving ultrasonic waves propagated transversely through and around the rope, and a processor executing computer readable code to determine acoustic propagation properties of the rope.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 5, 2010
    Publication date: March 1, 2012
    Inventors: Luis S. Padilla, Philip Bull, Roger L. Royer, JR., Steven E. Owens
  • Patent number: 7997139
    Abstract: A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Date of Patent: August 16, 2011
    Assignee: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Owens, Li Zhang, Joseph L. Rose
  • Patent number: 7938008
    Abstract: A method of performing a non-destructive examination of a piece of material, having the steps of providing an angle beam wedge and at least two transducers placed upon the wedge, wherein the transducers are placed in a phased array, placing the wedge upon the piece of material to be examined, producing a guided wave into the piece of material to be examined, wherein the guided wave is placed into the material through a synthetically changed incident angle, receiving the guided wave from the piece of material, and determining one of a presence of defects and lack of defects in the piece of material from the received guided wave. Transducers used may include 360 degree guided wave, radial polarized units, parallel shear units for shear horizontal activation and guided wave wheel probes.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Date of Patent: May 10, 2011
    Assignee: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Owens, Joseph L. Rose, Roger L. Royer, Jr.
  • Patent number: 7751989
    Abstract: A system for inspecting a pipeline having at least two transducers divided into segments, the segments each containing a number of sensors, wherein a maximum number of segments is equal to a number of transducers, an arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals, wherein the arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels, wherein the arrangement has at least one multiplexing arrangement for multiplexing signals from the arrangement; and a time delay arrangement connected to the arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals. The system may also provide for focal point skewing, near real time coating compensation for proper excitation mode, adjusted time delay capability and the ability to focus beyond changes in geometry.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Date of Patent: July 6, 2010
    Assignee: FBS, Inc.
    Inventors: Steven E. Owens, Joseph L. Rose, Jason K. Van Velsor, Li Zhang, Michael J. Avioli
  • Publication number: 20090150094
    Abstract: A method for the nondestructive testing of pipeline, and internal or external coatings, using guided ultrasonic waves excited from the inside or outside diameter, wherein at least two transducers are employed to send and receive ultrasound, wherein a data normalization scheme is employed to account for transducer variability, and wherein the hardware arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels for the collection and storage of signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2008
    Publication date: June 11, 2009
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: Jason K. Van Velsor, Steven E. Owens, Joseph L. Rose
  • Publication number: 20090139337
    Abstract: A method for the nondestructive inspecting of coated or uncoated pipeline, using ultrasonic guided waves excited on the outer or inner pipe surface, wherein at least one or more transducers are individually or simultaneously excited to generate ultrasound, wherein multiple received signals with different focal spot positions are processed and combined to produce a reduced number of final waveforms that show defect axial positions in the pipe, wherein a data calibration scheme is utilized to adjust velocity variability for all the guided wave modes at different frequencies, and wherein the hardware arrangement has at least one pulser channel and one receiver channel for the collection and storage of signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 3, 2008
    Publication date: June 4, 2009
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: Steven E. Owens, Li Zhang, Joseph L. Rose
  • Publication number: 20090056124
    Abstract: Various methods are disclosed for manufacturing pump-heads having a housing enclosing at least one rotary member. In an exemplary method first and second housing portions are provided that collectively, when assembled, define a pump-cavity that accommodates the rotary member(s). The rotary member(s) is assembled into the pump-cavity, along with at least one soluble spacer of a defined thickness that corresponds to a desired clearance of the rotary member relative to the pump-cavity. The spacer contacts a surface of the rotary member facing a corresponding surface of the housing portion. The first and second housing portions are attached together to form the pump-cavity containing the rotary member(s). The soluble spacer is dissolved to provide the desired clearance of the rotary member in the pump-cavity. As the housing portions are attached together, e.g. by adhesive bonding, the spacer establishes the desired clearance of the rotary member(s) in the pump-cavity.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 29, 2008
    Publication date: March 5, 2009
    Inventors: Larry F. Krebs, Craig Sunada, Steven E. Owen
  • Publication number: 20080133200
    Abstract: A system for inspecting a pipeline having at least two transducers divided into segments, the segments each containing a number of sensors, wherein a maximum number of segments is equal to a number of transducers, an arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals, wherein the arrangement has a number of pulser channels and a number of receiver channels, wherein the arrangement has at least one multiplexing arrangement for multiplexing signals from the arrangement; and a time delay arrangement connected to the arrangement configured to send, receive and store signals. The system may also provide for focal point skewing, near real time coating compensation for proper excitation mode, adjusted time delay capability and the ability to focus beyond changes in geometry.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 30, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: STEVEN E. OWENS, JOSEPH L. ROSE, JASON K. VAN VELSOR, LI ZHANG, MICHAEL J. AVIOLI
  • Publication number: 20080127732
    Abstract: A method of performing a non-destructive examination of a piece of material, having the steps of providing an angle beam wedge and at least two transducers placed upon the wedge, wherein the transducers are placed in a phased array, placing the wedge upon the piece of material to be examined, producing a guided wave into the piece of material to be examined, wherein the guided wave is placed into the material through a synthetically changed incident angle, receiving the guided wave from the piece of material, and determining one of a presence of defects and lack of defects in the piece of material from the received guided wave. Transducers used may include 360 degree guided wave, radial polarized units, parallel shear units for shear horizontal activation and guided wave wheel probes.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 28, 2007
    Publication date: June 5, 2008
    Applicant: FBS, INC.
    Inventors: STEVEN E. OWENS, JOSEPH L. ROSE, ROGER L. ROYER