Ultrasonic testing apparatus and method for rapidly inspecting a large number of gas cylinders of similar design for internal neck-shoulder defects
First Claim
1. An apparatus for ultrasonically inspecting the internal neck-shoulder region of a large number of gas cylinders of similar design for radially oriented defects, said apparatus comprising:
- an ultrasonic transducer positioned in a predetermined orientation wherein the transducer is wedged at a wedge angle such that ultrasonic pulses emitted by the transducer travel directly from the outer surface of the shoulders to the top and bottom of the internal neck-shoulder regions of the gas cylinders when the transducer is respectively positioned at the top and bottom of the shoulders, and wherein the transducer is outwardly skewed at a skew angle such that the radially oriented defects present a sufficient interfacial area to reflect the ultrasonic pulses and produce return echoes when the transducer is rotated around the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders;
retaining means for retaining the ultrasonic transducer in the predetermined orientation and for contacting the shoulders of the gas cylinders so that the ultrasonic pulses enter the shoulders when covered with a sound conducting couplant;
an automated scanner for moving the retaining means and therefore, the transducer in a predetermined scan pattern, from the top to the bottom and around the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders, so that the internal neck-shoulder region thereof is scanned, the automated scanner comprising, a hoop-like track sized to surround the gas cylinders and an automated wheeled vehicle mounted on the track and having an arm connected to the retaining means for moving the retaining means from the top to the bottom of the shoulders of the gas cylinders as the automated wheeled vehicle travels on the track, around the gas cylinders;
a stand comprising, an annular member concentrically connected to the track and having a set of at least three inwardly directed means adapted to releasably engage the sidewalls of the gas cylinders for centering the gas cylinders within the track, at least one elongated member depending, at right angles and at one end, from the annular member and sized such that the other of its ends contacts a surface on which the gas cylinders rest to insure the track is consistently supported at a predetermined height, and a horizontally oriented arcuate member, connected to the at least one elongated member, spaced from the other of the ends of the elongated member, and configured to conformingly contact the side of the gas cylinder such that at least one elongated member is parallel to the central axis of the gas cylinder and thus, the track is in a level orientation; and
processing means controlling the scan pattern of the scanning means, actuating the transducer to emit ultrasonic pulses, and responsive to the return echoes produced by the radially oriented defects for indicating the presence of radially oriented defects.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention provides an apparatus and method for ultrasonically testing the internal neck-shoulder region of a large number of gas cylinders for radially oriented defects. The apparatus and method includes housing an ultrasonic transducer within a shoe in a predetermined orientation wherein the transducer is wedged at a wedge angle so that ultrasonic pulses travel directly through the shoulder region to the top and bottom of the internal neck-shoulder region and is also outwardly skewed within the shoe at a skew angle such that the radially oriented defects reflect the ultrasonic pulses and produce return echoes. An automated scanner moves the shoe and therefore, the transducer in a predetermined pattern such that the entire internal neck-shoulder region of the gas cylinder is scanned. The scanner is supported by a stand that allows the automated scanner to be rapidly set up on the gas cylinders being tested. A processor activates the transducer to produce ultrasonic pulses, controls the automated scanner and responds to the return echoes for indicating the presence of the radial defects that require the removal of a particular one of the gas cylinders from service.
14 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An apparatus for ultrasonically inspecting the internal neck-shoulder region of a large number of gas cylinders of similar design for radially oriented defects, said apparatus comprising:
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an ultrasonic transducer positioned in a predetermined orientation wherein the transducer is wedged at a wedge angle such that ultrasonic pulses emitted by the transducer travel directly from the outer surface of the shoulders to the top and bottom of the internal neck-shoulder regions of the gas cylinders when the transducer is respectively positioned at the top and bottom of the shoulders, and wherein the transducer is outwardly skewed at a skew angle such that the radially oriented defects present a sufficient interfacial area to reflect the ultrasonic pulses and produce return echoes when the transducer is rotated around the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders; retaining means for retaining the ultrasonic transducer in the predetermined orientation and for contacting the shoulders of the gas cylinders so that the ultrasonic pulses enter the shoulders when covered with a sound conducting couplant; an automated scanner for moving the retaining means and therefore, the transducer in a predetermined scan pattern, from the top to the bottom and around the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders, so that the internal neck-shoulder region thereof is scanned, the automated scanner comprising, a hoop-like track sized to surround the gas cylinders and an automated wheeled vehicle mounted on the track and having an arm connected to the retaining means for moving the retaining means from the top to the bottom of the shoulders of the gas cylinders as the automated wheeled vehicle travels on the track, around the gas cylinders; a stand comprising, an annular member concentrically connected to the track and having a set of at least three inwardly directed means adapted to releasably engage the sidewalls of the gas cylinders for centering the gas cylinders within the track, at least one elongated member depending, at right angles and at one end, from the annular member and sized such that the other of its ends contacts a surface on which the gas cylinders rest to insure the track is consistently supported at a predetermined height, and a horizontally oriented arcuate member, connected to the at least one elongated member, spaced from the other of the ends of the elongated member, and configured to conformingly contact the side of the gas cylinder such that at least one elongated member is parallel to the central axis of the gas cylinder and thus, the track is in a level orientation; and processing means controlling the scan pattern of the scanning means, actuating the transducer to emit ultrasonic pulses, and responsive to the return echoes produced by the radially oriented defects for indicating the presence of radially oriented defects. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for ultrasonically inspecting the internal neck-shoulder regions of a large number of gas cylinders of similar design for radially oriented defects, said method comprising:
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determining a wedge angle for an ultrasonic transducer such that ultrasonic pulses emitted by the ultrasonic transducer travel directly from the outer surface of the shoulder to the top and bottom of the internal neck-shoulder region of each of the gas cylinders when the transducer is respectively positioned at the top and bottom of the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders; determining a skew angle for the transducer such that radially oriented defects present a sufficient interfacial area to reflect the ultrasonic pulses and produce return echoes when the transducer is rotated around the shoulder of each of the gas cylinders; retaining the ultrasonic transducer in a predetermined orientation within a shoe wherein the transducer is wedged at the determined wedge angle and is outwardly skewed at the determined skew angle; coating the shoulders of each of the gas cylinders with a sound conducting couplant; moving the shoe and therefore, the transducer in a predetermined scan pattern, from the top to the bottom and around each of the shoulders of the gas cylinders, so that the internal neck-shoulder region thereof is scanned; and controlling the scan pattern and activating the transducer to emit ultrasonic pulses by processing means responsive to the return echoes for indicating the presence of the radially oriented defects. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification