Patents by Inventor Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert 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: 10883968Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: February 7, 2020Date of Patent: January 5, 2021Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 10768147Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: GrantFiled: January 7, 2019Date of Patent: September 8, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20200232949Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: February 7, 2020Publication date: July 23, 2020Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 10557829Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: October 12, 2018Date of Patent: February 11, 2020Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Publication number: 20190212305Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: January 7, 2019Publication date: July 11, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoefer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20190079057Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: October 12, 2018Publication date: March 14, 2019Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 10175207Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a controller operatively connected to the phased array probe for causing each transducer to emit the respective beam into the test object.Type: GrantFiled: April 17, 2017Date of Patent: January 8, 2019Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 10126270Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: GrantFiled: June 8, 2016Date of Patent: November 13, 2018Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Publication number: 20170219529Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly for detecting a characteristic in a test object having a cylindrical peripheral surface. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of adjacent transducer elements. Each transducer is operatively configured to emit a respective beam into the test object so as to provide a pattern of constructive interference. The ultrasonic detection assembly is structurally configured to provide for cylindrical contact between the phased array probe and the cylindrical peripheral surface of the test object.Type: ApplicationFiled: April 17, 2017Publication date: August 3, 2017Inventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20160282309Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly includes a flexible supporting material that has flexibility configured for allowing bending of the supporting material to conform to a cylindrical shape of a pipe. The assembly includes a plurality of operable sensor elements arranged in a matrix formation upon the flexible supporting material. The matrix formation includes a plurality of rows of the sensor elements and a plurality of columns of the sensor elements. The flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the columns of the matrix formation to extend along the elongation of the pipe and the flexible supporting material is configured for placement of the rows of the matrix formation to extend transverse to the elongation of the pipe. The flexible support material is configured to flex for positioning the sensor elements within each row in a respective arc that follows a curve of the cylinder shape of the pipe.Type: ApplicationFiled: June 8, 2016Publication date: September 29, 2016Inventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 9404896Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly for a test object includes a sensor array having a plurality of sensor elements. The sensor elements detect a characteristic of the test object. The sensor elements are arranged in a matrix formation. Each of the sensor elements includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal and a receiver for receiving the transmitted signal. The sensor array has a curvature that substantially matches a curvature of the test object. A method of detecting characteristics of the test object is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: November 19, 2012Date of Patent: August 2, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 9354204Abstract: A system including a segmented transducer probe is provided. The segmented transducer probe includes a plurality of transducer segments adapted to transmit ultrasonic excitation signals into a test specimen and to receive echo signals resulting from the interaction of the ultrasonic excitation signals and the test specimen. The system also includes a processing system adapted to receive data from the segmented transducer probe that corresponds to the received echo signals and to utilize tomographic reconstruction methods to reconstruct an image corresponding to at least one volumetric slice of the test specimen.Type: GrantFiled: October 14, 2011Date of Patent: May 31, 2016Assignee: General Electric CompanyInventor: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 9335302Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic. A method of detecting a characteristic in the test object with the ultrasonic detection assembly is also provided.Type: GrantFiled: December 6, 2012Date of Patent: May 10, 2016Assignee: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 8955384Abstract: The invention relates to a test probe 10 for the non-destructive testing of a workpiece by means of ultrasonic sound. The test probe has an ultrasonic transducer 20 for the generation of an ultrasonic field, which is coupled acoustically to a delay line body 12, which is provided to be attached for a coupling of the ultrasonic field into the workpiece on a surface of the workpiece. Furthermore, the invention relates to a family of test probes as well as to a testing device for the non-destructive testing of a workpiece by means of ultrasonic sound, with a test probe 10, whose ultrasonic transducer 20 has a majority of independently controllable individual oscillators. Furthermore, a control unit 50 is provided, which is equipped to control the individual oscillators of the ultrasonic transducer 20 with phase accuracy in such a way, that a sound field rotationally symmetrical to the central beam is generated.Type: GrantFiled: May 12, 2010Date of Patent: February 17, 2015Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbHInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Gerhard Splitt
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Patent number: 8770027Abstract: The invention relates to a nondestructive ultrasonic test method in which at least one ultrasonic pulse is emitted into a workpiece under test by at least one ultrasonic transmitter (3), the ultrasonic pulse is reflected on boundary surfaces within the workpiece, the reflected ultrasound is received by at least one ultrasonic receiver (2), and the associated signals are evaluated, the ultrasound penetrating a damping block (4) that is arranged between the workpiece and the transmitter or receiver.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2009Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbHInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Michael Berke, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Jerome Poirier, Sascha Schieke
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Patent number: 8770028Abstract: The subject of the invention is a device for the nondestructive recording of a rotational movement, e.g. of a probe, on the surface of a specimen. In a developed configuration, a translational movement on the surface of the specimen can be detected. To this end, the device comprises a transmitter which is set up to transmit a temporal sequence of excitation signals Si, which penetrate into the specimen at least to some extent and interact with it. Furthermore, an array is provided, which is based on a plurality of receivers which are set up to receive echo signals, which result from the interaction of the excitation signals Si, transmitted by the transmitter, with the specimen. The echo signals for an excitation signal Si which are absorbed by the receivers form a set M (Si) of measurement values.Type: GrantFiled: June 20, 2008Date of Patent: July 8, 2014Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbHInventor: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Publication number: 20140157903Abstract: An ultrasonic detection assembly detects a characteristic in a test object. The ultrasonic detection assembly includes a phased array probe positioned in proximity to a peripheral surface of the test object. The phased array probe includes a plurality of transducer elements. The transducer elements of the phased array probe transmit a sound beam into the test object. The sound beam is movable by the phased array probe within the test object to detect the characteristic. A method of detecting a characteristic in the test object with the ultrasonic detection assembly is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: December 6, 2012Publication date: June 12, 2014Applicant: GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANYInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Roman Heinrich Koch, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert
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Patent number: 8739630Abstract: The invention relates to a nondestructive ultrasonic test method in which at least one ultrasonic pulse is emitted into a workpiece under test by means of at least one ultrasonic transmitter (3), the ultrasonic pulse is reflected on boundary surfaces within the workpiece, the reflected ultrasound is received by at least one ultrasonic receiver (2), and the associated signals are evaluated, the ultrasound penetrating a damping block (4) that is arranged between the workpiece and the transmitter or receiver.Type: GrantFiled: September 7, 2009Date of Patent: June 3, 2014Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection TechnologyInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Michael Berke, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Jerome Poirier, Sascha Schieke
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Publication number: 20140137650Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor assembly for a test object includes a sensor array having a plurality of sensor elements. The sensor elements detect a characteristic of the test object. The sensor elements are arranged in a matrix formation. Each of the sensor elements includes a transmitter for transmitting a signal and a receiver for receiving the transmitted signal. The sensor array has a curvature that substantially matches a curvature of the test object. A method of detecting characteristics of the test object is also provided.Type: ApplicationFiled: November 19, 2012Publication date: May 22, 2014Applicant: General Electric CompanyInventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Mark Howard Feydo
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Patent number: 8714018Abstract: The non-destructive testing of a test object by way of ultrasound includes: (a) radiating directed ultrasonic pulses into the test object at an irradiation angle ? wherein the irradiation angle ? is set electronically, (b) recording echo signals that result from the ultrasonic pulses radiated into the test object, and (c) determining an irradiation position X0 in which echo signals can be recorded that can be associated with an error in the volume of the test object. The method also includes (d) determining the irradiation angle ?max for which the ERS value of the error reaches its maximum at position X0, (e) changing the irradiation position X0?X1 on the surface of the test object, the change of the irradiation position being captured, and (f) electronically adjusting the irradiation angle ? in such a manner that the ERS value of the error reaches its maximum in the changed irradiation position X1.Type: GrantFiled: April 6, 2009Date of Patent: May 6, 2014Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbHInventors: York Oberdoerfer, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert