Flexible eddy current surface measurement array for detecting near surface flaws in a conductive part
First Claim
1. A flexible eddy current surface measurement array comprising:
- a spatially correlated plurality of electrically interconnected eddy current sensing means wherein said eddy current sensing means comprise drive and sense elements operatively coupled through a conductive surface under inspection such that said drive and sense elements are disposed in at least two layers wherein said elements are electrically interconnected therethrough and within an integral, multi-layer structure such that said multilayer structure is outwardly affixed onto a supporting material having a surface conforming to match the conductive surface under inspection wherein said sense elements are further comprised of a plurality of coil elements such that each of said coil elements are electrically connected to respective output leads; and
said multi-layer structure is flexible wherein the plurality of said sensing means are disposed.
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Abstract
An eddy current probe array is disclosed comprising a plurality of spatially correlated eddy current probe elements sufficiently disposed within a flexible interconnecting structure to collect a discrete plurality of spatially correlated eddy current measurements for nondestructive near surface flaw detection. A plurality of precisely fabricated, substantially identical elements being sufficiently distributed can accommodate inspecting an area of conductor covered by the active width of the array in a single uni-directional scan. The array structure can flexibly conform to accommodate inspection of large, irregular, curved conductive surfaces which cannot be inspected by conventional means.
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Citations
29 Claims
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1. A flexible eddy current surface measurement array comprising:
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a spatially correlated plurality of electrically interconnected eddy current sensing means wherein said eddy current sensing means comprise drive and sense elements operatively coupled through a conductive surface under inspection such that said drive and sense elements are disposed in at least two layers wherein said elements are electrically interconnected therethrough and within an integral, multi-layer structure such that said multilayer structure is outwardly affixed onto a supporting material having a surface conforming to match the conductive surface under inspection wherein said sense elements are further comprised of a plurality of coil elements such that each of said coil elements are electrically connected to respective output leads; and said multi-layer structure is flexible wherein the plurality of said sensing means are disposed. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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Specification