Laser-air, hybrid, ultrasonic testing of railroad wheels
First Claim
1. A remote, non-contact system for detecting a defect in a railroad wheel, said system comprising:
- a remote means, located at a first specified location in the environment surrounding said wheel, for generating in a non-contact manner in said wheel an ultrasonic wave having a specified wavefront, said ultrasonic wave having a direct portion and reflected and transmitted portions if said direct portion encounters a defect in said wheel, a non-contact means, located at a second specified location in said environment, for sensing from said wheel the acoustic signal emanating from said wheel that results from said ultrasonic wave traveling through said wheel, a signal processing means, responsive to said sensed acoustic signal, capable of distinguishing whether said sensed signal has a component that indicates the existence of a portion chosen from the group consisting of reflected and transmitted portions in said ultrasonic wave. wherein the presence of said component in said acoustic signal indicates the existence of a defect in said railroad wheel.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A remote, non-contact system for detecting a defect in a railroad wheel as the wheel is stationary or moving along a railroad track includes; (1) a pulsed, laser light source for generating an ultrasonic wave in the wheel, the ultrasonic wave having a direct portion and reflected and transmitted portions if the direct portion encounters a defect in the wheel, (2) an optical component in the path of the light from the light source for forming the light into a specified illumination pattern so that the generated ultrasonic wave has a specified wavefront, (3) an air-coupled transducer or a group of transducers for sensing the acoustic signal emanating from the wheel that results from the ultrasonic wave traveling through the wheel, and (4) a signal processor, responsive to the sensed acoustic signal, capable of distinguishing whether the sensed signal has a component that indicates the existence of a reflected portion in the ultrasonic wave, wherein the presence of such a component in the acoustic signal indicates the existence of a defect in the railroad wheel.
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Citations
17 Claims
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1. A remote, non-contact system for detecting a defect in a railroad wheel, said system comprising:
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a remote means, located at a first specified location in the environment surrounding said wheel, for generating in a non-contact manner in said wheel an ultrasonic wave having a specified wavefront, said ultrasonic wave having a direct portion and reflected and transmitted portions if said direct portion encounters a defect in said wheel, a non-contact means, located at a second specified location in said environment, for sensing from said wheel the acoustic signal emanating from said wheel that results from said ultrasonic wave traveling through said wheel, a signal processing means, responsive to said sensed acoustic signal, capable of distinguishing whether said sensed signal has a component that indicates the existence of a portion chosen from the group consisting of reflected and transmitted portions in said ultrasonic wave. wherein the presence of said component in said acoustic signal indicates the existence of a defect in said railroad wheel. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A remote, non-contact method for detecting a defect in a railroad wheel, said method comprising the steps of:
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generating, in a non-contact manner in said railroad wheel an ultrasonic wave having a specified wavefront, said generated ultrasonic wave having a direct portion and reflected and transmitted portions if said direct portion encounters a defect in said wheel, sensing from said railroad wheel the acoustic signal in the environment surrounding said wheel that emanates from said wheel as a result of said ultrasonic wave traveling through said wheel, processing said sensed acoustic signal to determine whether said sensed signal has a component that indicates the existence of a portion chosen from the group consisting of reflected and transmitted portions in said ultrasonic wave, wherein the presence of said component in said acoustic signal indicates the existence of a defect in said railroad wheel. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A remote, non-contact system for detecting a defect in a railroad wheel, said system comprising:
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a pulsed, laser light source, located at a first specified location in the said ultrasonic wave having a direct portion and reflected and transmitted portions if said direct portion encounters a defect in said wheel, an optical component in the path of the light from said light source for forming said light into a specified illumination pattern so that said generated ultrasonic wave has a specified wavefront, an air-coupled transducer, located at a second specified location in said environment, for sensing from said wheel the acoustic signal emanating from said wheel that results from said ultrasonic wave traveling through said wheel, a signal processor, responsive to said sensed acoustic signal, capable of distinguishing whether said sensed signal has a component that indicates the existence of a reflected portion in said ultrasonic wave, wherein the presence of said component in said acoustic signal indicates the existence of a defect in said railroad wheel. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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Specification