FORMING TOOLS AND FLEXIBLE ULTRASONIC TRANSDUCER ARRAYS

• US 20150367586A1
• Filed: 06/20/2014
• Published: 12/24/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 06/20/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Georgeson, Gary E., Kollgaard, Jeffrey R., Holmes, Tyler M.
• Granted Patent: US 10,583,616 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0629 Square array
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/0688 with foil-type piezoelectric elements, e.g. PVDF
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/04 comprising reinforcements only, e.g. self-reinforcing plastics
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/342 using isostatic pressure
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/865 completely encapsulated
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 70/882 partly or totally electrically conductive, e.g. for EMI shielding conductive floors or floor coverings H05F3/025; EMI shielding in general H05K9/00
• CPC Class Codes: B29C 73/10 using patches sealing on the surface of the article B29C73/14 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2009/00 Layered products
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/0231 Composite or layered materials
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/044 Internal reflections (echoes), e.g. on walls or defects
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/048 Transmission, i.e. analysed material between transmitter and receiver
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/106 one or more transducer arrays
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/043 in the interior, e.g. by shear waves
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/227 related to high pressure, tension or stress conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/228 related to high temperature conditions
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/2437 Piezoelectric probes

Abstract

An apparatus comprises a forming tool having a forming surface, and an ultrasonic transducer array on the forming surface.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a forming tool having a forming surface;

and an ultrasonic transducer array on the forming surface.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the array includes a plurality of transducer elements arranged in a pattern.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the forming surface is curved, and wherein the transducer array is a flexible array that conforms to the curved forming surface.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transducer array is in direct contact with the forming surface and conforms to the forming surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ply stack on the forming surface, with the transducer array on the ply stack.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the transducer array is a first array that is in contact with the forming surface and conforms to the forming surface;

and wherein the apparatus further comprises a ply stack on the first array; and

a second flexible ultrasonic transducer array on the ply stack.

7. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller and computer for obtaining and processing through transmission ultrasonic data from the transducer array.

8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the computer uses the through transmission ultrasonic data to track a liquid resin front.

9. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a controller and computer for obtaining and processing pulse echo data from the transducer array.

10. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the controller and computer are configured to collect and process the pulse echo data during curing.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising a controller for controlling the curing according to a profile;

wherein certain parameters of the profile are changed in response to the pulse echo data obtained during the curing.

12. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a ply stack in contact with the transducer array, and a vacuum bag over the layup, wherein the transducer array is underneath the bag.

13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the forming tool is a first forming tool of a mold;

and wherein the apparatus further comprises a second forming tool of the mold, the first and second tools configured to form a part.

14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the tool includes a heat blanket;

and wherein the array is on a surface of the heat blanket.

15. A method comprising placing an uncured ply stack and a flexible ultrasonic transducer array on a forming surface of a forming tool.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the flexible transducer array is placed between the forming surface and the ply stack.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the ply stack is placed between the forming surface and the flexible transducer array.

18. The method of claim 15, further comprising bagging the ply stack with a vacuum bag, whereby the transducer array is within the vacuum bag, and curing the ply stack while the flexible transducer array is underneath the vacuum bag.

19. The method of claim 18, further comprising obtaining at least one of pulse echo data and through transmission data from the transducer while the ply stack is being cured.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein the pulse echo data is used to control the curing.

21. The method of claim 19, wherein the ply stack is cured according to a profile;

and wherein certain parameters of the profile are changed in response to the pulse echo data obtained during the curing.

22. The method of claim 15, wherein the ply stack is a patch;

wherein the tool includes a heat blanket; and

wherein the method further comprises applying the patch to a damaged area of a composite structure; and

then placing the transducer array and the heat blanket against the patch.

23. An article comprising a cured fiber reinforced plastic part and a flexible ultrasonic transducer array embedded in the cured part.