Hybrid wound/etched winding constructs for scanning and monitoring
First Claim
1. A method for monitoring damage at a fastener comprising:
- mounting a drive coil having at least two conducting wire windings with a support material shaped in the form of a washer, the windings being wrapped around a sleeve along the fastener;
placing the washer on a test substrate under the fastener;
placing at least one microfabricated sense element proximate to the drive coil; and
measuring a response from each sense element as a magnetic field is imposed in the test substrate by an electric current driven through the drive coil.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Combined wound and micro-fabricated winding constructs are described for the inspection of materials and the detection and characterization of hidden features or flaws. These constructs can be configured as sensors or sensor arrays that are surface mounted or scanned over conducting and/or magnetizable test materials. The well-defined geometry obtained micro-fabricated windings and from carefully wound coils with known winding positions permits the use of model based inversions of sensed responses into material properties. In a preferred embodiment, the primary winding is a wound coil and the sense elements are etched or printed. The drive or sense windings can also be mounted under fasteners to improve sensitivity to hidden flaws. Ferrites and other means may be used to guide the magnetic flux and enhance the magnetic field in the test material.
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Citations
30 Claims
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1. A method for monitoring damage at a fastener comprising:
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mounting a drive coil having at least two conducting wire windings with a support material shaped in the form of a washer, the windings being wrapped around a sleeve along the fastener; placing the washer on a test substrate under the fastener; placing at least one microfabricated sense element proximate to the drive coil; and measuring a response from each sense element as a magnetic field is imposed in the test substrate by an electric current driven through the drive coil. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
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15. A method for monitoring damage at a fastener comprising:
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placing a drive coil having at least one conducting wire winding wrapped around a sleeve along a fastener; mounting at least one microfabricated sense element to a test substrate under a fastener; and measuring a response from each sense element as a magnetic field is imposed in the test substrate by an electric current driven through the drive coil. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27)
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28. A test circuit comprising:
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at least one conducting winding wrapped around a sleeve along a fastener; and at least one microfabricated sense element mounted on a test substrate under the fastener, the at least one sense element being configured to provide a response as a magnetic field is imposed in the test substrate by an electric current driven through the drive coil. - View Dependent Claims (29, 30)
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Specification