Vacuum coupled transducer

• US 4,760,740 A
• Filed: 07/22/1987
• Issued: 08/02/1988
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/1987
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Raymond Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Raymond Engineering Incorporated (Kaman Corporation)
• Inventors: Meisterling, Jesse R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Myracle, Jerry W.
• Application Number:
  US07/076,773
• Time in Patent Office: 377 Days
• Field of Search: 73/761, 73/866.5, 73/581, 248/205.5, 248/205.6, 248/205.7, 248/205.8, 269/21
• US Class Current: 73/761
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/02854 Length, thickness
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2291/2691 Bolts, screws, heads
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 29/28 providing acoustic coupling , e.g. water impedance matching G10K11/02
• CPC Class Codes: G10K 11/004 Mounting transducers, e.g. provided with mechanical moving or orienting device mountings specially adapted to a particular sound-producing device, see the preceding groups G10K1/00 - G10K9/00, e.g. G10K1/26, G10K1/28, G10K9/22; arrangements of sonic watch equipment on submarines B63G8/39; buoys B63B22/00

Abstract

A vacuum coupled ultrasonic transducer is presented for coupling a transducer to a bolt for ultrasonic measurement of bolt elongation. A central passageway extends through the transducer body, the piezoelectric crystal and a seal element. A vacuum line extends through the central passageway.

Claims

1. Apparatus for attaching a transducer to a fastener element, the apparatus including:

housing means for containing a transducer;

transducer means within said housing means;

seal means at an end of said housing means intended to be mounted on a fastener element;

passage means through said housing means, said transducer means and said seal means; and

vacuum means connected to said passage means to pull a vacuum to bring the transducer into firm engagement with a fastener when mounted on the fastener.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said transducer means includes piezoelectric crystal means; and

said passage means extending through said piezoelectric crystal means.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein:

said seal means includes elastomeric means mounted on one end of said housing means; and

said passage means extending through said elastomeric means.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein:

said elastomeric means is sized or contoured to be compatible with a fastener on which it is to be mounted.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 including:

a contoured radiused external surface on said seal means.