System and method for continuous integrity testing of a material web
First Claim
1. A method for detecting a defect in a material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different from a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, the method comprising:
- filling said pore and said defect with a liquid;
applying a differential pressure across said material web so as to remove said liquid from one of said pore and said defect, said differential pressure being between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure;
capturing an image of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied, and identifying said defect based on said image.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A system and method for detecting defects in a porous material web or dense film applies differential pressure across the material web or film. The pores and defects in the material web or the defects in the dense film may be filled with a liquid. In embodiments of the invention, differential pressure may be applied using a vacuum roller or other vacuum pressure application device. When the differential pressure applied to the material web exceeds the bubble point pressure of a defect, the liquid within that defect may be removed. An image, such as a thermal or photographic image, of the material web is captured after the differential pressure has been applied across the material web or film. Removal of the liquid from a defect is indicated in the image, allowing defects to be detected.
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Citations
104 Claims
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1. A method for detecting a defect in a material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different from a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, the method comprising:
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filling said pore and said defect with a liquid;
applying a differential pressure across said material web so as to remove said liquid from one of said pore and said defect, said differential pressure being between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure;
capturing an image of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied, and identifying said defect based on said image. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40)
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16. A method for detecting a defect in a continuous material web having a pore and a defect, said method comprising:
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filling said pore and said defect with a liquid;
placing a portion of said continuous material web in contact with a differential pressure source;
applying vacuum pressure to said continuous material web to create a differential pressure across said portion of said continuous material web, said differential pressure being higher than the bubble point pressure for said defect and lower than the bubble point pressure for said pore;
capturing an image of said portion of said continuous material web after said differential pressure has been applied; and
identifying said defect based on said image.
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17. A system for detecting a defect in a material web, said material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different that a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, said system comprising:
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a differential pressure source in contact with said first surface of said material web configured to apply a differential pressure across said material web, said;
a liquid contained within said pore and said defect;
a camera configured to capture an image of a portion of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied across said material web; and
a processor configured to determine the location of said defect based on said image, wherein said differential pressure is between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure such that, when said differential pressure is applied across said material web, said liquid is removed from one of said pore and said defect.
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41. A system for detecting a defect in a material web, said material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different than a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, said system comprising:
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a vacuum roller in contact with said first surface of said material web, said vacuum roller configured to apply a differential pressure across said material web;
a liquid bath containing a liquid, wherein a portion of said material web is submerged in said liquid bath such that said liquid enters said pore and said defect; and
a camera to capture a thermal image of a portion of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied across said material web; and
a processor to determine the location of said defect based on said image, wherein said differential pressure is between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure such that, when said differential pressure is applied across said material web, said liquid is removed from one of said pore and said defect, and the temperature of a portion of said material web proximate said defect changes when said liquid is removed from said defect.
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42. A method for repairing a defect in a material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different from a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, the method comprising:
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filling said pore and said defect with a liquid;
applying a differential pressure across said material web so as to remove said liquid from one of said pore and said defect, said differential pressure being between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure;
capturing an image of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied, identifying said defect based on said image;
calculating a current location of said defect;
transmitting data relating to said current location to a post-processing device; and
causing a post-processing device to effect a repair at said current location of said defect. - View Dependent Claims (43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 49, 50, 51, 52, 53)
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48. A system for repairing a defect in a material web, said material web having a first surface, a second surface, and a pore, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure different than a pore bubble point pressure of said pore, said system comprising:
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a differential pressure source in contact with said first surface of said material web, said differential pressure source configured to apply a differential pressure across said material web;
a liquid bath containing a liquid, wherein a portion of said material web is submerged in said liquid bath such that said liquid enters said pore and said defect; and
a camera to capture an image of a portion of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied across said material web; and
a processor to determine a location of said defect based on said image; and
a post-processing device to receive data related to the location of said defect and to effect a repair;
whereinsaid differential pressure is between said defect bubble point pressure and said pore bubble point pressure such that when said differential pressure is applied across said material web, said liquid is removed from one of said pore and said defect.
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54. A method for detecting a defect in a material web having a first surface and a second surface, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure, the method comprising:
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filling said defect with a liquid;
applying a differential pressure across said material web so as to remove said liquid from said defect, said differential pressure exceeding said defect bubble point pressure;
capturing an image of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied, and identifying said defect based on said image. - View Dependent Claims (55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 67, 68, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92)
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69. A system for detecting a defect in a material web, said material web having a first surface and a second surface, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure, said system comprising:
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a differential pressure source in contact with said first surface of said material web configured to apply a differential pressure across said material web, said;
a liquid contained within said defect;
a camera configured to capture an image of a portion of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied across said material web; and
a processor configured to determine the location of said defect based on said image, wherein said differential pressure exceeds said defect bubble point pressure such that, when said differential pressure is applied across said material web, said liquid is removed from said defect.
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93. A method for repairing a defect in a material web having a first surface and a second surface, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure, the method comprising:
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filling said defect with a liquid;
applying a differential pressure across said material web so as to remove said liquid from said defect, said differential pressure exceeding said defect bubble point pressure;
capturing an image of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied, identifying said defect based on said image;
calculating a current location of said defect;
transmitting data relating to said current location to a post-processing device; and
causing a post-processing device to effect a repair at said current location of said defect. - View Dependent Claims (94, 95, 96, 97, 98)
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99. A system for repairing a defect in a material web, said material web having a first surface and a second surface, said defect having a defect bubble point pressure, said system comprising:
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a differential pressure source in contact with said first surface of said material web, said differential pressure source configured to apply a differential pressure across said material web;
a liquid bath containing a liquid, wherein a portion of said material web is submerged in said liquid bath such that said liquid enters said defect; and
a camera to capture an image of a portion of said material web after said differential pressure has been applied across said material web; and
a processor to determine a location of said defect based on said image; and
a post-processing device to receive data related to the location of said defect and to effect a repair;
whereinsaid differential pressure exceeds said defect bubble point pressure such that when said differential pressure is applied across said material web, said liquid is removed from one of said defect. - View Dependent Claims (100, 101, 102, 103, 104)
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Specification