By Reflected Wave Patents (Class 73/627)
  • Patent number: 8997574
    Abstract: Ultrasonic transducers and methods for detecting oblique flaws in cylindrically-shaped objects using pulse-echo testing are provided. By mounting one or more transducers on a rotary tester for testing manufactured objects such as tubes and bars, offsetting each transducer horizontally from its position if it were to emit a beam that is perpendicular to the object's outer surface, and actuating the transducer so as to emit an angled beam, oblique surface flaws and internal flaws may be reliably detected without reducing inspection speed, significantly adding to transducer cross-talk, or requiring significant additional hardware or processing.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 18, 2013
    Date of Patent: April 7, 2015
    Assignee: Magnetic Analysis Corporation
    Inventor: John Venczel
  • Patent number: 8996322
    Abstract: A measurement systems that reduces spurious artifacts in reflected signals by generating and employing an improved maximum length sequence. Accurate acoustic measurements with both high SNR and low spurious artifacts are made possible by generating Wide MLS (WMLS) which modifies a base MLS by replacing each value with a sequence that includes the value and one or more additional values, where typically the replaced values have opposing polarities and, the additional signals have intermediate values. An exemplary intermediate values can be approximately zero value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 22, 2010
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Acousticeye Ltd
    Inventor: Harel Primack
  • Patent number: 8991257
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe system includes a main body portion, an ultrasound observation portion transmitting ultrasound in a side surface direction of the main body portion and receiving a reflected wave, a distal-end portion provided such that a proximal-end face, on a proximal-end side is adjacent to a distal-end in an axial direction of the main body portion, a sheath portion housing the main body portion inside to be capable of advancing and retracting in the axial direction, a distal-end face arranged at a distal-end of the sheath portion and facing the proximal-end face, a specimen collecting portion provided on the proximal-end face and/or the distal-end face, the specimen collecting portion being formed at an acute angle to separate a specimen from a subject, and an edge portion arranged on the proximal-end face or the distal-end face to cross the entire circumference of the specimen collecting portion to cut the specimen.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Date of Patent: March 31, 2015
    Assignee: Olympus Medical Systems Corp.
    Inventor: Kenichi Nishina
  • Patent number: 8973441
    Abstract: Embodiments of techniques and technologies to verify the interference fit of fasteners are disclosed. In one embodiment, a transducer is positioned to transmit a shear ultrasonic signal through a region of a fastener which is subject to stress when the fastener experiences an interference fit. The shear ultrasonic signal is transmitted through a region of the fastener subject to the stress. As the transmitted ultrasonic signal encounters the region, it is mode converted corresponding to a degree of interference which the fastener is experiencing. A return ultrasonic signal from the fastener is received with the transducer. From the return ultrasonic signal, a processor determines the degree of interference fit which the fastener is experience and outputs an indication of the same.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 7, 2013
    Date of Patent: March 10, 2015
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Karl E. Nelson, Gary E. Georgeson, Paul S. Rutherford, Mark McKenna
  • Patent number: 8960007
    Abstract: Exemplary embodiments of a handheld probe (HHP) of an Acoustic pulse reflectometry (APR) system are disclosed. Embodiments of the HHP can comprise a loudspeaker and microphone that are vibration isolated from each other and from the tube under test. In some embodiments the microphone can be isolated from the housing of the HHP. In other embodiments the housing of the HHP can be isolated from the loudspeaker. In another embodiment the housing of the probe can be isolated from the tube under test. Yet, some embodiments combine all of this isolation options. In such embodiment the loudspeaker is isolated from the housing, the housing is isolated from the tube under test, and the microphone is isolated from the housing, and so on. Isolation can be achieved by using materials that absorb vibration, material such as but not limited to rubber, foam, silicone, etc.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: February 24, 2015
    Assignee: Acoustic Eye, Ltd
    Inventors: Dov Furman, Harel Primack, Silviu Zilberman, Oded Barzelay
  • Patent number: 8955384
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: May 12, 2010
    Date of Patent: February 17, 2015
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Gerhard Splitt
  • Publication number: 20150000405
    Abstract: A method of non-destructively evaluating a thickness of a coating layer on a turbine engine component includes directing an acoustic wave into the turbine engine component, the acoustic wave including a frequency and a wavelength, receiving a return time-domain signal reflected from the turbine engine component, and transforming the time-domain signal into a frequency-domain signal. The method further includes subtracting a baseline signal from the frequency-domain signal and determining a local minimum frequency of the baseline-subtracted frequency-domain signal. Still further, the method includes calculating the thickness of the coating layer based on the determined local minimum frequency. Additional evaluation methods including ones based on resistivity, terahertz, and microwave are further disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 27, 2013
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Surendra Singh, Jim Michael Ohm, Frederick William Vensel, Richard Lee Krantz
  • Publication number: 20150000407
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for detecting and analyzing deposits in liquid-bearing systems. More particularly, the device relates to being able to detect and analyze deposits in a liquid-bearing systems such as industrial plants that use and store fluids. The method relates to being able to determine a distribution of the run time of a detected ultrasonic reflection signal and analyzing the distribution to determine if deposits are deposited onto a reflecting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Seida, Christian Flocken, Patric Bierganns, Michael Schultz
  • Publication number: 20150006037
    Abstract: A vehicle sensing system may include a plurality of sensing components, each component including a housing configured to maintain a first sensor and a second sensor, an interface connected to each of the first sensor and the second sensor, and a first module and a second module connected to the interface, each configured to receive data from at least one of the first sensor and the second sensor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 9, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Applicant: Ford Global Technologies, LLC
    Inventors: Mahmoud Yousef GHANNAM, Abraham G. PHILIP, David James TIPPY, Yeruva Satya REDDY, Jennifer Danielle SHAW, Tania VAZQUEZ
  • Publication number: 20150000408
    Abstract: The invention relates to an ultrasonic NDT sensor arrangement for inspecting surfaces of variable geometry of metal bodies. The sensor arrangement includes a housing with a hollow inner space and an opening, through which part of an incoming sound beam exits the housing to enter a metal body to be tested. An ultrasonic sensor is coupled to the housing such that it emits said incoming sound beam directly into said hollow inner space in a direction towards the opening. The said inner space of the housing is filled with a first coupling fluid which is water. The opening of the housing is closed with a closing member, which is made of a silicone material and which has a similar density and velocity of sound compared to the first coupling fluid.
    Type: Application
    Filed: September 17, 2014
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: John Lilburne TURNER, David Thomas CLARKE
  • Publication number: 20150000406
    Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and device for detecting and analyzing deposits in liquid-bearing systems. More particularly, the device relates to being able to detect and analyze deposits in a liquid-bearing systems such as industrial plants that use and store fluids. The method relates to being able to determine a distribution of the run time of a detected ultrasonic reflection signal and analyzing the distribution to determine if deposits are deposited onto a reflecting area.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 20, 2012
    Publication date: January 1, 2015
    Inventors: Frank Seida, Christian Flocken, Patric Bierganns, Michael Schultz
  • Publication number: 20140373631
    Abstract: Apparatus is provided comprising a signal processor that receives signaling containing information about an acoustic signal swept and sensed over a frequency range in relation to a pipe; and determines information about the structure of the pipe based at least partly on two or more sub-frequency ranges that form part of the frequency range in the signaling received. The signal processor also receives the acoustic signal being transmitted to the pipe and corresponding signaling in the two or more sub-frequency ranges containing information about reflections of the acoustic signal back from the pipe; and determines information about the structure of the pipe based at least partly on a coherent mixing of the acoustic signal and the corresponding signaling in the two or more sub-frequency ranges using a coherent acoustic tomography technique.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 18, 2012
    Publication date: December 25, 2014
    Applicant: CIDRA CORPORATE SERVICES INC.
    Inventors: Michael A. Davis, Alan D. Kersey, John Viega
  • Publication number: 20140338455
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe comprises: a backing material; a plurality of inorganic piezoelectric elements arranged on a top surface of the backing material; a first acoustic matching layer separated into a plurality of pieces disposed on the plurality of inorganic piezoelectric elements; and a second acoustic matching layer separated into a plurality of pieces disposed on the first acoustic matching layer, wherein the second acoustic matching layer comprises an upper organic layer constituting a plurality of organic piezoelectric elements, and a lower organic layer for performing, together with the upper organic layer, acoustic matching for the plurality of inorganic piezoelectric elements.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 6, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventors: Takatsugu WADA, Atsushi OSAWA, Katsuya YAMAMOTO
  • Publication number: 20140338454
    Abstract: A pulse generation circuit and method includes using digital signals to trigger a first and second varying analog signals and detecting when they reach one or more reference levels. In response to the first and second varying analog signals reaching one or more reference levels, a first and a second digital control signals are produced and provided as input to a pulser producing a voltage excitation pulse having a width and timing defined by the first and second digital control signals.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 1, 2014
    Publication date: November 20, 2014
    Inventor: Andrew THOMAS
  • Publication number: 20140318256
    Abstract: An acoustic sensor for measuring the linear movement of an internal structure of a nuclear reactor using sound waves, including: an electro-acoustic transducer capable of emitting sound waves; and a waveguide capable of guiding the sound waves emitted by the transducer toward a measurement area of the internal structure, wherein the waveguide is capable of guiding the reflected wave and the waveguide is secured to the measurement area and arranged so as to be capable of extending or retracting in accordance with the movement of the internal structure of the nuclear reactor.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 5, 2012
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Inventors: Jocelyn Perisse, Jean-Reynald Mace, Patrick Fayet, Thierry Mazoyer, Christophe Thirard, Pascal Vouagner
  • Publication number: 20140318255
    Abstract: Provided is a capacitive transducer including an element including a plurality of cells supported such that a vibrating membrane including one of a pair of electrodes formed with an gap inbetween is capable of vibration, wherein a distance between a pair of electrodes of a cell in an end portion of the element is greater than a distance between a pair of electrodes of a cell in a middle portion of the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Torashima, Kenichi Nagae
  • Publication number: 20140318253
    Abstract: Adopted is an object information acquiring apparatus that includes: a probe including multiple conversion elements that transmit acoustic waves to an object, and convert the reflected waves into time-series received signals; and a processor that performs frequency domain interferometry, through application of adaptive signal processing, by using the multiple received signals output from the multiple conversion elements and a reference signal, and obtains acoustic properties of multiple positions. The probe is configured such that, when a direction in which the multiple conversion elements are arranged is a first direction and a second direction, end portions in the second direction have a lower transmission sound pressure of the acoustic waves than a midportion in the second direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Hirofumi Taki, Kenichi Nagae, Toru Sato
  • Publication number: 20140318254
    Abstract: A side lobe in a capacitive transducer is reduced. Provided is a capacitive transducer including an element including a plurality of cells supported such that a vibrating membrane including one of a pair of electrodes formed with an gap inbetween is capable of vibration, wherein a distance between cells in an end portion of the element is greater than a distance between cells in a middle portion of the element.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 14, 2014
    Publication date: October 30, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kazutoshi Torashima, Kenichi Nagae
  • Patent number: 8869621
    Abstract: A geometry compensating transducer attachment for ultrasonic inspection of a structure includes a geometry-compensating structure having at least one angled surface configured to engage the structure to be inspected, and the geometry-compensating structure having an acoustic velocity generally matching an acoustic velocity of the structure to be inspected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2014
    Assignee: The Boeing Company
    Inventors: Jeffrey R. Kollgaard, Barry A. Fetzer, Christopher R. Brown, William J. Tapia, David Brooks
  • Publication number: 20140311246
    Abstract: A method for measuring the tread thickness from the radially outermost belt surface within a tire to the tread surface accurately by ultrasonic measurement whatever the type of belt material is. The method includes the steps of measuring a profile of the tread surface, identifying the bottom positions of circumferentially extending grooves from the profile measured, estimating the depths from the groove bottoms to the belt surface from the identified groove bottoms and pre-created tire design data, predicting thicknesses by calculating predicted thicknesses from the tread surface to the belt surface from the relationship between the thicknesses from the identified groove bottoms to the tread surface in the profile and the estimated depths from the groove bottoms to the belt surface, and setting amplification factors for received reflected waves according to a reflection factor-thickness data map prepared beforehand in correspondence to the predicated thicknesses.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 23, 2014
    Inventor: Keiji Oda
  • Publication number: 20140260629
    Abstract: An inspection apparatus and method for inspecting an inner surface of a hollow composite part. The inspection apparatus may have a support frame, at least one transducer attached to the support frame, an ultrasound gel pad attached to an outer surface of the transducer, and a sponge attached to the support frame. The transducer may send and receive ultrasound waves and the sponge may be positioned to leave a trail of water when moved along the inner surface of the hollow composite part, such that the water rests between the ultrasound gel pad and the inner surface once the inspection apparatus reaches a location to be inspected. The ultrasound waves may thus be transmitted through the ultrasound gel pad and then through the water before bouncing off of the inner surface of the hollow composite part. The ultrasound waves bounced off of the inner surface may be detected by the transducer and analyzed to determine if there is a defect in the composite part.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: September 18, 2014
    Applicant: SPIRIT AEROSYSTEMS, INC.
    Inventors: Todd Brian Jaramillo, Kendall Ford Koerner, Allison Jean Wright
  • Patent number: 8833170
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining a distance includes a converter element that generates n acoustic surface wave, a surface that feeds over at least part of the acoustic surface wave to a surface having a reflection point, and a processor that determines a distance between the apparatus and the reflection point from the propagation time of the acoustic surface wave. The converter element registers the acoustic surface wave reflected at the reflection point.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 6, 2010
    Date of Patent: September 16, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Franz Dirauf, Hendrik Faustmann, Gerhard Lindner, Michael Muench
  • Publication number: 20140245836
    Abstract: Disclosed is an apparatus that transmits an elastic wave to an object and receives a reflected wave, this apparatus including: a transmitting and receiving unit having elements for converting an elastic wave to an electric signal, and being arranged at least in one direction; an element controlling unit that inputs an electric signal to the element and causes the element to transmit an elastic wave; and a detecting unit that detects a reflected wave to be received by the element, wherein the electric signal to be inputted to the element is an encoded pulse signal encoded among the elements, and the detecting unit decodes the reflected wave and executes at different time points aperture synthesis processing of synthesizing the decoded reflected wave with respect to the intersections of two axes at different time points.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
    Inventors: Kenichi Nagae, Kengo Kondo, Makoto Yamakawa, Tsuyoshi Shiina
  • Publication number: 20140245835
    Abstract: Solid contents verification systems and methods are provided. The system includes a contents sensor unit, a container-carrying unit and a control unit. The contents sensor unit has at least one contents sensor configured to send and receive sonic pulses to determine a state of contents in a container. The contents sensor unit is configured to send a signal communicating a state of the contents in a container. The container-carrying unit is configured to hold a container in substantial alignment with the contents sensors to expose the contents to the sonic pulses. The control unit is operatively connected to the contents sensor unit. The control unit is configured to receive the signal communicating the state of the contents and to compare the state of the contents with a desired state of the contents.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 12, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: Express Scripts, Inc.
    Inventor: Jonathan W. JOPLIN
  • Patent number: 8820164
    Abstract: A system for ultrasonic inspection of a structure includes a transducer located at a first surface of the structure to transmit an ultrasonic signal from the transducer through the first surface to a second surface of the structure located substantially opposite the first surface. A plurality of retroreflector elements are located at the second surface to reflect the ultrasonic signal back toward the transducer. A method of ultrasonic inspection of a structure includes transmitting an ultrasonic signal from a transducer located at a first surface of the structure toward a second surface of the structure located substantially opposite the first surface. The ultrasonic signal is reflected back toward the transducer via a plurality of retroreflector elements disposed at the second surface.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2012
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation
    Inventor: James A. Voor, Jr.
  • Patent number: 8820165
    Abstract: The ultrasonic sensor has a plurality of ultrasonic transducers disposed two-dimensionally on a sensor substrate. The sensor substrate is divided into areas by an X axis and a Y axis which intersect one another in plan view looking at the sensor substrate along the thickness direction. In each of the areas, each of the lower electrode lines which leads out from the lower electrode of each of the ultrasonic transducers has a linear segment which extends in a direction away from the substrate center point where the X axis and Y axis intersect.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 13, 2011
    Date of Patent: September 2, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventor: Hiroshi Matsuda
  • Publication number: 20140238138
    Abstract: An ultrasound probe system includes a main body portion, an ultrasound observation portion transmitting ultrasound in a side surface direction of the main body portion and receiving a reflected wave, a distal-end portion provided such that a proximal-end face, on a proximal-end side is adjacent to a distal-end in an axial direction of the main body portion, a sheath portion housing the main body portion inside to be capable of advancing and retracting in the axial direction, a distal-end face arranged at a distal-end of the sheath portion and facing the proximal-end face, a specimen collecting portion provided on the proximal-end face and/or the distal-end face, the specimen collecting portion being formed at an acute angle to separate a specimen from a subject, and an edge portion arranged on the proximal-end face or the distal-end face to cross the entire circumference of the specimen collecting portion to cut the specimen.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 6, 2014
    Publication date: August 28, 2014
    Applicant: OLYMPUS MEDICAL SYSTEMS CORP.
    Inventor: Kenichi NISHINA
  • Patent number: 8813571
    Abstract: There is provided an optical microphone for detecting an acoustic wave propagating in an ambient fluid, the optical microphone including: a propagation medium section; a light source for emitting a light wave to be transmitted through a diffraction region in the propagation medium section; and a photoelectric conversion section for detecting the light wave having been transmitted through the propagation medium section. A first acoustic wave which is a portion of the acoustic wave and a second acoustic wave which is another portion thereof are allowed to propagate in the propagation medium section so as to simultaneously arrive at the diffraction region, and an interference component between a +1st order diffracted light wave and a ?1st order diffracted light wave of the light wave generated based on a refractive index distribution of the propagation medium occurring in the diffraction region.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Panasonic Corporation
    Inventors: Takuya Iwamoto, Masahiko Hashimoto, Ushio Sangawa, Yuriko Kaneko
  • Patent number: 8813568
    Abstract: An operation-position detector having a tube that allows an ultrasonic signal to propagate therethrough. The tube has a plurality of holes capable of being selectively closed or opened by an operation and is provided with an ultrasonic transmitter-receiver arranged at a first end thereof. A signal processor drives the ultrasonic transmitter-receiver and causes an ultrasonic signal to propagate through the inside of the tube, receives a reflection signal corresponding to a closed or open state of each of the holes, and detects the state of each hole on the basis of the reflection signal, thereby detecting the operation position of an operation conducted by an operator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 2, 2012
    Date of Patent: August 26, 2014
    Assignee: Murata Manufacturing Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yuki Maeda, Kazuyoshi Nakaya
  • Patent number: 8776605
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor includes: a substrate; an ultrasonic transducer disposed on the substrate, and configured and arranged to transmit ultrasonic waves that propagate as plane waves in a direction orthogonal to a surface of the substrate; an acoustic refracting part contacting the ultrasonic transducer, and configured and arranged to refract the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer; an elastically deformable elastic portion contacting the acoustic refracting part; and an ultrasonic reflecting member disposed within the elastic portion, and configured and arranged to reflect the ultrasonic waves. The acoustic refracting part is configured and arranged to refract, toward the ultrasonic reflecting member, the ultrasonic waves transmitted from the ultrasonic transducer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 21, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2014
    Assignee: Seiko Epson Corporation
    Inventors: Jiro Tsuruno, Tsutomu Nishiwaki, Tomoaki Nakamura
  • Patent number: 8770030
    Abstract: An ultrasonic transmitter and receiver includes a MEMS composite transducer. The MEMS composite transducer includes a substrate. Portions of the substrate define an outer boundary of a cavity. A first MEMS transducing member includes a first size. A first portion of the first MEMS transducing member is anchored to the substrate. A second portion of the first MEMS transducing member extends over at least a portion of the cavity and is free to move relative to the cavity. A second MEMS transducing member includes a second size that is smaller than the first size of the first MEMS transducing member. A first portion of the second MEMS transducing member is anchored to the substrate. A second portion of the second MEMS transducing member extends over at least a portion of the cavity and is free to move relative to the cavity. A compliant membrane is positioned in contact with the first and second MEMS transducing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James D. Huffman, Gary A. Kneezel
  • Patent number: 8770027
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: July 8, 2014
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technologies GmbH
    Inventors: York Oberdoerfer, Michael Berke, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Jerome Poirier, Sascha Schieke
  • Publication number: 20140157902
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sensor device includes a substrate, a piezoelectric vibrator, and a Q-factor adjuster. The piezoelectric vibrator includes a pair of detection electrodes that face each other in a thickness direction of the substrate and a piezoelectric body interposed between the electrodes. The piezoelectric vibrator provides a membrane structure which is formed on a surface of the substrate and has rigidity lower than that of a remaining portion of the substrate. An ultrasonic wave is transmitted by the piezoelectric vibrator, and its reflected wave is received by the same piezoelectric vibrator. The Q-factor adjuster adjusts a Q-factor of the piezoelectric vibrator so that the Q-factor can be larger during a transmission period where the piezoelectric vibrator transmits the ultrasonic wave than during a reception period where the piezoelectric vibrator receives the ultrasonic wave.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 12, 2012
    Publication date: June 12, 2014
    Applicant: DENSO CORPORATION
    Inventors: Makiko Sugiura, Hirofumi Higuchi
  • Patent number: 8747318
    Abstract: A sample moves, either naturally (as in the case of the heart) or by application of force, and its movement is measured. A processing unit calculates first displacement related information concerning a first direction of the object to be measured (the sample) by using data in either one of an increase period and a decrease period of the force applied to the objected to be measured, from data received by a first ultrasonic probe. In addition, the processing unit calculates second displacement related information concerning a second direction of the object to be measured by using data in the same period as that used to calculate the first displacement related information, from data received by a second ultrasonic probe.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 30, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Canon Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Tsuyoshi Shiina, Yasuhiro Someda, Kenichi Nagae, Katsuya Oikawa
  • Patent number: 8746069
    Abstract: An ultrasound time-of-flight diffraction reference block has a plurality of notches that extend into the block to simulate cracks, wherein the notches have a normal and transverse orientation with respect to a test path formed on the block.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 12, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Fluor Technologies Corporation
    Inventor: Dennis Smythe
  • Patent number: 8746071
    Abstract: An apparatus for determining and/or monitoring a process variable. The apparatus includes a housing, a mechanically oscillatable unit, and a transducer unit, which is arranged and clamped between two housing elements in such a manner that a predeterminable pressure acts on the transducer unit along an imaginary axis. An equalizing element is provided, whose coefficient of thermal expansion and/or height are/is selected in such a manner that a temperature-related expansion of the equalizing element during a temperature-related expansion of a housing element to be compensated leads to the pressure acting on the transducer unit being greater than or equal to a predeterminable prestress limit value.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 27, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 10, 2014
    Assignee: Endress + Hauser GmbH + Co. KG
    Inventors: Volker Dreyer, Sergej Lopatin, Oliver Schmidt
  • Publication number: 20140150556
    Abstract: Measurement or imaging of elastic wave nonlinear scatterers with a memory of scattering parameters comprises selecting LF pulses having characteristics to change the scattering parameters of nonlinear scatterers. A transmit time relation is selected so that the incident HF pulse propagates sufficiently close to the LF pulse that the effect of the incident LF pulse on its scatterer parameters is observed by the HF pulse. At least two elastic wave pulse complexes comprising a high frequency (HF) pulse and a selected low frequency (LF) pulse are transmitted towards the region. Received HF signals are combined to form nonlinear HF signals representing the scatterers with memory, with suppression of received HF signals from other scatterers. At least one of the received HF signals may be corrected by time delay correction and/or speckle correction with a speckle correction filter, determined by movement of the scattering object. Systems are also disclosed.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 2, 2013
    Publication date: June 5, 2014
    Inventors: Bjørn A.J. ANGELSEN, Rune Hansen, Tonni F. Johansen, Svein-Erik Måsøy, Sven Peter Nasholm, Thor Andreas Tangen
  • Patent number: 8739630
    Abstract: 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: Grant
    Filed: September 7, 2009
    Date of Patent: June 3, 2014
    Assignee: GE Sensing & Inspection Technology
    Inventors: York Oberdoerfer, Michael Berke, Wolf-Dietrich Kleinert, Jerome Poirier, Sascha Schieke
  • Patent number: 8707788
    Abstract: A sound wave testing device is provided. The sound wave testing device comprises at least one sound output unit for providing at least one first sound signal, at least one sound-collecting element disposed above the at least one sound output unit, at least one sound-receiving unit disposed at one end of the at least one sound-collecting element, and an isolating element disposed between the at least one sound output unit and the at least one sound-collecting element, in which the solar panel is disposed on the isolating element. The at least one first sound signal is transformed into at least one second sound signal while passing through the solar panel. The at least one second sound signal is received and transmitted to at least one sound-receiving unit, and the at least one second sound signal is transformed into at least one digital signal for output.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Inventor: Kun Ta Lee
  • Publication number: 20140113277
    Abstract: An ultrasonic sample evaluation process in which a vial containing a liquid medium is placed on a receptacle and a ultrasonic source signal is propagated upwards in the vertical direction through the liquid medium. A number of reflected ultrasonic signals is received at the bottom of the sample vial and evaluated to identify a pattern characteristic of a reflection off the meniscus, and the presence of a pattern characteristic of a collection implement located in the liquid medium. An estimate of the amount of liquid medium contained in the sample vial is generated based on a time characteristic of the pattern characteristic of a reflection off the meniscus, and a signal indicating the presence of a collection implement in the liquid medium is generated upon identifying such a pattern.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 22, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: QIAGEN GAITHERSBURG, INC.
    Inventor: Bradley Scott Thomas
  • Publication number: 20140109677
    Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a thickness of an object using ultrasonic signals are disclosed. The method includes the steps of transmitting ultrasonic signals toward the object, digitizing a reflected echo sequence of the ultrasonic signals, including interpolating the echo sequence, and processing the echo sequence by detecting maximum amplitude peaks in the echo sequence and determining the object thickness based on a time duration between the maximum amplitude peaks.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2012
    Publication date: April 24, 2014
    Applicant: General Electric Company
    Inventors: Roman Heinrich Koch, Gerhard Finger, Heiko Martin, Franz Sackenreuther
  • Patent number: 8701493
    Abstract: The present invention provides a vibration monitoring apparatus that monitors vibration of a jet pump disposed in a reactor pressure vessel using ultrasonic wave, including: an ultrasonic sensor that is attached to an outside the reactor pressure vessel, and transmits and receives ultrasonic wave; a reflector that is mounted on a surface of a riser pipe of the jet pump, and includes a planar reflecting surface that can reflect ultrasonic wave; and a signal processing unit that performs signal processing of the ultrasonic wave transmitted by the ultrasonic sensor, reflected by the reflecting surface of the reflector, and received by the ultrasonic sensor, and measures a vibration amplitude of the riser pipe and calculates a vibration waveform.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 12, 2008
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba
    Inventors: Masanobu Watanabe, Yasumi Kitajima, Tsuyoshi Hagiwara, Masahiko Warashina, Mieko Sato
  • Patent number: 8667846
    Abstract: Operating an ultrasonic transmitter and receiver includes providing a MEMS composite transducer. The MEMS composite transducer includes a substrate. Portions of the substrate define an outer boundary of a cavity. A first MEMS transducing member includes a first size. A first portion of the first MEMS transducing member is anchored to the substrate. A second portion of the first MEMS transducing member extends over at least a portion of the cavity and is free to move relative to the cavity. A second MEMS transducing member includes a second size smaller than the first size of the first MEMS transducing member. A first portion of the second MEMS transducing member is anchored to the substrate. A second portion of the second MEMS transducing member extends over at least a portion of the cavity and is free to move relative to the cavity. A compliant membrane is positioned in contact with the first and second MEMS transducing members.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 19, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2014
    Assignee: Eastman Kodak Company
    Inventors: James D. Huffman, Gary A. Kneezel
  • Patent number: 8661903
    Abstract: A machine has at least two wheels (at least one of them driven) arranged on a base body and connected with a revolving belt. A transmitter and a receiver are arranged on the base body. The transmitter transmits contactless to the belt a transmitted signal having an oscillation frequency, with the receiver from the belt a reflected signal in response to the transmitted signal. An evaluation device connected to the receiver checks if the reflected signal received by the receiver satisfies an acquisition condition indicating that a speed of the belt is in a predetermined speed range. The evaluation device determines, if the acquisition condition is satisfied, a frequency spectrum which is based of the oscillation frequency and the reflected signal in the predetermined speed range and indicative of a mechanical oscillation characteristic of the belt, and generates a control signal based on the evaluated frequency spectrum.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 9, 2011
    Date of Patent: March 4, 2014
    Assignee: Siemens Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventors: Gunther Bohn, Karl Gebert, Jörg Niedergesaess
  • Publication number: 20140033821
    Abstract: The present disclosure provides solutions to probing an interface. With a noninvasive measuring device provided in one embodiment of the disclosure, an acoustic wave whose frequency is higher than approximately 300 GHz is generated to propagate in a buffering film. With measuring the reflection from the interface of an object to be measured interfacing with the buffering film, it is possible in one embodiment of the disclosure that at least one physical property of the interface may be analyzed, preferably with approximately 0.3 nm resolution.
    Type: Application
    Filed: July 31, 2012
    Publication date: February 6, 2014
    Applicant: NATIONAL TAIWAN UNIVERSITY
    Inventors: Chi-Kuang Sun, Chien-Cheng Chen, Yu-Chieh Wen
  • Publication number: 20130340562
    Abstract: There is provided an aluminum die cast part strength evaluating method is provided for correctly evaluating strength of an actual aluminum die cast part. Strength of the actual aluminum die cast part will be correctly evaluated by conducting ultrasonic inspection of a predetermined range of a high stress region of an aluminum die cast part, which is found out through stress analysis beforehand, for an internal defect, and evaluating that the aluminum die cast part has a predetermined strength if the maximum internal defect area within the predetermined range is equal to or less than a predetermined value. Moreover, an actual aluminum die cast part with a predetermined strength will be evaluated correctly by: evaluating strength using the aluminum die cast part strength evaluating method and setting the maximum-possible internal defect area within the predetermined range of the high stress region to 0.8 mm2 or less.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 28, 2011
    Publication date: December 26, 2013
    Applicant: NSK Ltd.
    Inventors: Munetaka Mitsumura, Shigeru Okita
  • Patent number: 8607634
    Abstract: A transducer is used to send an ultrasound pulse toward a stone and to receive ultrasound reflections from the stone. The recorded time between a pulse that is reflected from the proximal surface and a pulse that is reflected either from the distal surface of the stone or from a surface supporting the stone is used to calculate the stone size. The size of the stone is a function of the time between the two pulses and the speed of sound through the stone (or through the surrounding fluid if the second pulse was reflected by the surface supporting the stone). This technique is equally applicable to measure the size of other in vivo objects, including soft tissue masses, cysts, uterine fibroids, tumors, and polyps.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 20, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 17, 2013
    Assignees: University of Washington, University of British Columbia
    Inventors: Michael Bailey, Joel Teichman, Mathew Sorensen
  • Publication number: 20130319119
    Abstract: A device for determining an extension length of an extendable machine part includes a first ultrasound sensor and a controller, the controller determining the extension length on the basis of an ultrasound signal received by the first ultrasound sensor. The first ultrasound sensor includes a first ultrasound converter and a second ultrasound converter which are arranged such that they are offset along the measuring direction.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 31, 2013
    Publication date: December 5, 2013
    Inventor: Boris ZILS
  • Patent number: 8596127
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method for processing signals which are generated by the reflection of ultrasonic waves by defects in the surface of objects during the non-destructive testing of objects such as pipes, bars, sheet metal, or uniform and complex carbon-fiber components. Said method comprises the following steps: emission of a complete wavefront onto at least one test section of the object, using a plurality of independent emission elements; receiving a wave reflected by the structure of the object by means of a plurality of receiver elements that are independent of one another; digitalization of the signals received by the receiver elements in digitizing steps; continuous modification of delay values and/or the number of receiver elements for each digitalization step (on-the-fly).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 28, 2009
    Date of Patent: December 3, 2013
    Assignee: GE Inspection Technologies
    Inventors: Stephan Falter, Roman Koch, Walter De Odorico, Gerhard Finger, Klaus-Peter Busch
  • Publication number: 20130312525
    Abstract: A method for acoustically sensing an area is described. An acoustic transmit pulse is transmitted into the area by an acoustic transducer and a received signal is acquired with the aid of the transducer, in order to receive the transmit pulse reflected back from the area. Within a post-pulse oscillation time of the transducer, which directly follows the emission of the transmit pulse, the actual phase response of the received signal is determined. In the event the actual phase response deviates from a predefined setpoint phase response, an object is detected within the area. Also described is a device for acoustically sensing an area, which is designed to carry out the method.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 2, 2011
    Publication date: November 28, 2013
    Applicant: Dow Global Technologies LLC
    Inventors: Micha Kalbhenn, Albrecht Klotz, Juergen Schirmer, Thomas Treptow, Dirk Schmid, Nico Bannow, Peter Rapps, Tobias Kirchner, Thomas Dittrich, Michael Schumann