Mechanical ultrasonic and high frequency sonic device

• US 6,684,681 B1
• Filed: 09/06/2002
• Issued: 02/03/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 09/06/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Siemens Energy Incorporated (Siemens AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens Westinghouse Power Corporation
• Inventors: Zombo, Paul
• Primary Examiner(s): Williams, Hezron
• Assistant Examiner(s): MILLER, ROSE MARY
• Application Number:
  US10/236,705
• Time in Patent Office: 515 Days
• Field of Search: 73/120.1, 73/120.9, 73/121.2, 73/121.1, 736/62, 738/653, 738/656, 734/321, 73D/IG.1
• US Class Current: 73/12.11
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/045 using vibrating magnet, armature or coil system
• CPC Class Codes: B06B 1/161 Adjustable systems, i.e. where amplitude or direction of frequency of vibration can be varied

Abstract

A mechanical ultrasonic device that includes a housing assembly, a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within the housing assembly, and having an impact member. The mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate the impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz. The impact member may be brought into contact with a test object thereby causing the ultrasonic vibration, or high frequency sonic vibration, to be transmitted through the test object.

Claims

1. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member; and

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz.

2. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 1, wherein said mechanical vibration assembly does not include a piezoelectric crystal or EMAT transducer.

3. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 1, wherein said mechanical vibration assembly includes a means for selecting the frequency of the vibration.

4. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 1, wherein said impact member is structured to contact a test object and transmit an ultrasonic vibration into said test object.

5. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 1, wherein:

said mechanical vibration assembly is a solenoid assembly having a core assembly; and

said impact member is said core assembly.

6. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 5, wherein said core assembly has mass of less than about 10 grams.

7. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claims 5, wherein said core assembly is made from steel.

8. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 5, wherein:

said solenoid assembly includes a coil and a control unit; and

said control unit coupled to a source of current and structured to provide a variable frequency alternating current to said coil.

9. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member;

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz; and

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to allow frequency sweeping, pulsing multiple frequencies, and multiplexing.

10. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member;

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz; and

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to produce frequencies having various waveforms.

11. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 10, wherein said waveforms are selected from the group consisting of square waveforms and spiked waveforms.

12. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member;

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz;

said mechanical vibration assembly is a solenoid assembly having a core assembly;

said impact member is said core assembly;

said core assembly has mass of less than about 10 grams; and

said core assembly includes an outer jacket and an inner core.

13. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 12, wherein said inner core is made from material selected from the group consisting of ferrite or a ferro-fluid.

14. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 12, wherein said outer jacket is made from steel.

15. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member;

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz; and

said mechanical vibration assembly includes a motor, an off-center disk, and an impact housing;

said motor coupled to said off-center disk;

said off-center disk is rotatably coupled to said impact housing; and

said impact housing is said impact member.

16. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 15, wherein:

said motor is a variable speed motor having a drive shaft terminating in a gear;

said gear structured to engage said off-center disk; and

said motor structured to rotate said drive shaft and thereby rotate said off-center disk.

17. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 16, wherein said drive shaft includes a lubricating coating.

18. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 16, wherein said off-center disk is a cam.

19. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 16, wherein said off-center disk is a weighted flywheel having at least one off-center mass.

20. A mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device comprising:

a housing assembly;

a mechanical vibration assembly disposed within said housing and having an impact member;

wherein said mechanical vibration assembly is structured to vibrate said impact member at a frequency between about 5 kHz to 40 kHz;

said mechanical vibration assembly is a motor coupled to an eccentric shaft and an impact head assembly; and

said impact head assembly is said impact member.

21. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 20, wherein:

said impact head assembly includes a housing assembly defining a cavity and an eccentric shaft rotatably disposed in said cavity;

said motor is a variable speed motor having a drive shaft;

said drive shaft coupled to said eccentric shaft; and

said motor structured to rotate said drive shaft and eccentric shaft, whereby said impact head assembly vibrates.

22. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 21, wherein said eccentric shaft is a cylindrical shaft having one more bulges.

23. The mechanical high frequency sonic and ultrasonic device of claim 21, wherein:

said housing assembly includes a handle portion and an elongated neck portion and a flexible portion; and

said impact head assembly coupled to said housing assembly at said flexible portion.