Method and apparatus for leak detection and non-destructive testing
First Claim
1. A method for detecting faults in a body, comprising the steps of:
- applying a fluorescent material to the body in a manner to concentrate the fluorescent material in a pattern indicative of the location of a fault in the body;
activating a pulsed light source to emit pulsed ultraviolet output;
filtering light from the pulsed light source through a dichroic filter which reflects more visible light than the lens absorbs and which transmits more ultraviolet light than it absorbs or reflects;
shining the pulsed ultraviolet light transmitted from the filter on to the body to fluoresce the fluorescent material pattern; and
detecting faults by the fluorescence of the fluorescent material pattern indicative of the location of the faults in the body.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A lamp system is for use in non-destructive testing to illuminate luminescent materials, such as fluorescent dyes. The lamp system has a control unit and a lamp. The lamp has a bulb and a filter. The bulb generates at least a first wavelength of invisible energy and the filter limits other visible wavelength light from the lamp. The lamp has a handle with a trigger. The control unit pulses the lamp on and off when the trigger is depressed. The lumiescent material absorbs the first wavelength of energy and pulses in response when the lamp illuminates the material. The system can be AC or DC operated. It can be operated from an automotive battery. A fault locating system for use with fluorescent dyes to detect faults in a body has a handheld D-type battery flashlight configuration with a casing having a handle at one end and a flared lamp housing at the other. A reflector fits within the lamp housing, and a bulb rests in the reflector. The bulb is an ultraviolet light source, for example tungsten halogen or a Xenon flashtube. A lens fits over an open end of the lamp housing to allow transmission of substantially more ultraviolet than visible light. The lens may be a dichroic filter. The bulb may be flashed to cause the fluorescent dye to re-emit pulses of light visible to the naked eye.
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Citations
35 Claims
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1. A method for detecting faults in a body, comprising the steps of:
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applying a fluorescent material to the body in a manner to concentrate the fluorescent material in a pattern indicative of the location of a fault in the body;
activating a pulsed light source to emit pulsed ultraviolet output;
filtering light from the pulsed light source through a dichroic filter which reflects more visible light than the lens absorbs and which transmits more ultraviolet light than it absorbs or reflects;
shining the pulsed ultraviolet light transmitted from the filter on to the body to fluoresce the fluorescent material pattern; and
detecting faults by the fluorescence of the fluorescent material pattern indicative of the location of the faults in the body. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for detecting faults in a body, comprising the steps of:
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applying a fluorescent material to the body in a manner to concentrate the florescent material in a pattern indicative of the location of a fault in the body;
activating a pulsed flashtube light source to emit pulsed ultraviolet output;
filtering light from the light source through a dichroic filter that provides for the transmission of more pulsed ultraviolet light than visible light;
shining the pulsed ultraviolet light transmitted from the filter on to the body to cause the fluorescent pattern to fluoresce; and
detecting faults in the body by the fluorescence of the fluorescent material pattern. - View Dependent Claims (6)
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7. A system for use with a body to be tested for faults using fluorescent material, the system comprising:
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a casing, a reflector, a pulsed ultraviolet bulb which pulses at a frequency to cause the fluorescent material to pulse at a frequency which is detectable by the human eye, and a dichroic lens, wherein the casing has an open end in which the reflector rests, the pulsed ultraviolet bulb sits within the reflector in such a manner to direct light emitted from the pulsed ultraviolet bulb through the open end of the casing, and the dichroic lens encloses the open end of the casing in order to reflect into the system substantially more visible light than the lens absorbs and to transmit from the system substantially more pulsed ultraviolet light than the lens absorbs or reflects. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A system for use with a body to be tested for faults using fluorescent material, the system comprising:
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a handheld casing, a reflector, a high pressure arc lamp pulsed ultraviolet flashtube, said flashtube being less than or equal to 10 watts, and a dichroic lens, wherein the casing has an open end in which the reflector rests, the pulsed ultraviolet flashtube sits within the reflector in such a manner to direct light emitted from the flashtube through the open end of the casing, and the dichroic lens encloses the open and of the casing in order to transmit from the system substantially more pulsed ultraviolet light than visible light. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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Specification