Piezotransducer device

• US 20060101918A1
• Filed: 11/15/2005
• Published: 05/18/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Grzegorz Kawiecki, Julio Pena
• Original Assignee: Grzegorz Kawiecki, Julio Pena
• Inventors: Pena, Julio, Kawiecki, Grzegorz
• Application Number:
  US11/273,353
• Publication Number:
  US 20060101918A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/632
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0033 by determining damage, crack or wear
• CPC Class Codes: G01M 5/0066 by exciting or detecting vibration or acceleration vibration testing of structures G01M7/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2203/0073 Fatigue
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0258 Structural degradation, e.g. fatigue of composites, ageing of oils
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0421 Longitudinal waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0422 Shear waves, transverse waves, horizontally polarised waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/263 Surfaces
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/269 Various geometry objects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/041 on the surface of the material, e.g. using Lamb, Rayleigh or shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/043 in the interior, e.g. by shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/24 Probes transducers for acoustic waves B06B, G10K; for measuring G01H

Abstract

Novel application of piezotransducers to generate elastic waves with shear and longitudinal wave components. A piezotransducer rosette is attached (embedded or surface-bonded) to the monitored structure. This rosette consists of at least three piezotransducers. The entire system may consist of many rosettes. Piezotransducers 3, 4 and 5 are activated using an adequate electric signal, for example, a frequency sweep. Activated piezoelements undergo deformations that are transmitted to the structure 1, generating elastic waves that may be used to interrogate the structure. Generated waves characteristics depend on the characteristics of the signals fed to each of the rosette elements.

Claims

1. A novel application of piezotransducers comprising of at least three piezoelements attached (surface-bonded or embedded) to the monitored structure, if possible and necessary, in a directional manner and capable to produce elastic waves with shear and normal components.

2. An application said forth claim 1 wherein the components of the piezotransducer being grouped and fixed by a determinate angle between themselves forming a rosette.

3. An application said forth claim 2 comprising a method to interrogate the structure through generating transducer deformations so as to produce the desired state of stress.

4. An application said forth claim 3 wherein the appropriate control of the transducers activation produces a desired stress state on them.

5. An application said forth claim 4 wherein the piezotransducers can be used for damage detection, perform cure monitoring, or/and measure the material characteristics of parts made of metal or composite.