ULTRASONIC TESTING APPARATUS

• US 3,699,805 A
• Filed: 07/26/1968
• Issued: 10/24/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 07/26/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Willard W. Bayre
• Original Assignee: Willard W. Bayre
• Inventors: Bayre, Willard W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Gill, James J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Beauchamp, John P.
• Application Number:
  US04/747,942
• Time in Patent Office: 1,551 Days
• Field of Search: 73/67.5-67.9,71.5 310/8.3,8.7
• US Class Current: 73/606
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/06 Visualisation of the interior, e.g. acoustic microscopy medical or veterinary diagnosis using sonic waves A61B8/00; representation of acoustic wave distribution G01H3/125, G01H9/002; short-range imaging systems using reflection of acoustic waves G01S15/8906
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/221 Arrangements for directing or focusing the acoustical waves electronic orientation or focusing G01N29/262; sound directing or focusing G10K11/26; mechanical steering of sound transducers or their beams G10K11/35
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/30 using refraction, e.g. acoustic lenses

Abstract

An ultrasonic testing apparatus including an ultrasonic lens having a double curved focusing face defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes so that each of the ultrasonic energy rays or wave trains in an ultrasonic beam passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle along each of the reference axes.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic lens for focusing ultrasonic wave trains passing therethrough, comprising:

a sonic propagating body having a double curved focusing face defined by two different curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes so that each of tHe ultrasonic wave trains in an ultrasonic beam passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face extending along each of the reference axes.

2. An ultrasonic apparatus for transmitting ultrasonic wave trains, comprising:

ultrasonic wave generating means for emitting an ultrasonic beam having a plurality of ultrasonic energy rays; and

an ultrasonic lens including a sonic propagating body penetrated by the ultrasonic energy rays and having a double curved focusing face defined by two different curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes so that each of the ultrasonic energy rays passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face extending along each of the reference axes.

3. An ultrasonic testing apparatus for inspecting a test object for internal flaws, comprising:

ultrasonic wave generating means for emitting an ultrasonic beam having a plurality of ultrasonic wave trains;

an ultrasonic lens for focusing the ultrasonic wave trains so as to converge the ultrasonic wave trains within the test object, the ultrasonic lens including a sonic propagating body penetrated by the ultrasonic wave trains and having a double curved focusing face defined by two different curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes so that each of the ultrasonic wave trains passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face along each of the reference axes; and

ultrasonic wave detecting means for sensing the ultrasonic wave trains emerging from the test object so as to produce an indication of the internal flaws within the test object.

4. An ultrasonic lens for focusing ultrasonic energy rays in an ultrasonic beam passing therethrough so as to direct the ultrasonic energy rays through a double curved interface approximately defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes thereby separately regulating the different angle of incidence of each of the ultrasonic energy rays along each of the reference axes so as to control the different angle of refraction of each of the ultrasonic energy rays along each of the reference axes, comprising:

a sonic propagating body having a double curved focusing face defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of the reference axes so that each of the ultrasonic energy rays passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face extending along each of the reference axes.

5. An ultrasonic apparatus for transmitting a beam of ultrasonic wave trains through a double curved interface which is approximately defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes so that each of the ultrasonic wave trains is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different angle of incidence at which each of the ultrasonic wave trains strikes the interface along each of the reference axes, comprising:

ultrasonic wave generating means for emitting a plurality of ultrasonic wave trains perpendicular to the reference axes; and

a sonic propagating body having a double curved focusing face defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of the reference axes so as to be penetrated by the ultrasonic wave trains, the constant curvatures of the focusing face being selected so that each of the ultrasonic wave trains paSsing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face along each of the reference axes so as to regulate the different angle of incidence at which each of the ultrasonic wave trains strikes the interface along each of the reference axes thereby controlling the different angle of refraction at which each of the ultrasonic wave trains is deflected along each of the reference axes by the interface.

6. An ultrasonic testing apparatus for inspecting a complex curved test object for internal flaws wherein the test object is immersed within a coupling medium so that an interface is approximately defined between the coupling medium and the test object by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of two perpendicular reference axes, comprising:

ultrasonic wave generating means for transmitting a beam of ultrasonic energy rays perpendicular to the reference axes;

a sonic propagating body having a double curved focusing face defined by two different constant curvatures each extending along a different one of the reference axes so as to be penetrated by the ultrasonic energy rays, the constant curvatures of the focusing face being selected so that each of the ultrasonic energy rays passing through the focusing face is deflected at a different angle of refraction along each of the reference axes as primarily determined by the different curvature of the focusing face along each of the reference axes thereby regulating the different angle of incidence at which each of the ultrasonic energy rays strikes the interface along each of the reference axes so as to control the different angle of refraction at which each of the ultrasonic energy rays is deflected along each of the reference axes so as to converge the ultrasonic energy rays within the test object; and

ultrasonic wave detecting means for sensing the ultrasonic energy rays emerging from the test object so as to produce an indication of the internal flaws within the test object.