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Deformable system

  • US 5,780,985 A
  • Filed: 01/22/1997
  • Issued: 07/14/1998
  • Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1994
  • Status: Expired due to Fees
First Claim
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1. A deformation detection system comprising:

  • an elongate element including a deformable wall member which defines an enclosed radiation transmission path that is open to allow transmission of sound waves, said wall member being a wall of a bore in the elongate element, wherein the enclosed radiation transmission path is defined by an internal surface of the bore;

    a sound radiation transmission source positioned to transmit radiation in the form of audible or inaudible sound waves along the radiation transmission path, wherein the internal surface of the deformable wall member is made of a highly reflective material along the length of the deformable wall member so as to reduce attenuation of the sound waves traveling through the bore; and

    a sound radiation detector positioned to detect the radiation transmitted from said radiation source along the radiation transmission path, which radiation detector is provided with a means for monitoring an attenuation of the radiation;

    the arrangement being such that a deformation of the wall member of the elongate element at least partially interrupts the radiation transmission path, whereby radiation being transmitted along the said path to the detector is attenuated, wherein the radiation transmission path is divided into two or more sections, operatively linked such that radiation transmitted down one section of the oath from a proximal end may be transmitted along the other section of the path towards the radiation detector, said bore being divided into at least two substantially parallel sections linked by an intervening device capable of receiving and retransmitting the sound waves from the radiation transmission source, said transmission source and detector being positioned substantially adjacent to one another at the same end of the sections, and wherein one bore section is stiffer than the other bore section.

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