Method and apparatus for detecting leaks
First Claim
1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of at least one leak in a first region of a part under test and for localizing the location of the at least one leak, wherein a first side of the first region contains a tracer gas and is at a higher pressure than a second side of the first region such that the tracer gas will emanate through the at least one leak from the first side to the second side, the apparatus comprising:
- a plurality of sensors positioned proximate to the first region, each sensor being configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from a leak and to provide a sensing signal;
a controller connected to the plurality of sensors and configured to provide a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak detection information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
an indicator configured to provide a visual indication of the location of the leak, wherein the indicator includes a display configured to display a first represented of the part under-test and sensor icon positioned on the first representation, the sensor icon corresponding to a location of a first sensor which is proximate to the location of the leak.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention relates to a sensor apparatus configured to detect the presence of a gas, such as a tracer gas and a leak detection apparatus configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas and indicate the location of a leak. The leak detection apparatus may further be configured to quantify the leak rate at the leak location.
82 Citations
56 Claims
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1. An apparatus for detecting the presence of at least one leak in a first region of a part under test and for localizing the location of the at least one leak, wherein a first side of the first region contains a tracer gas and is at a higher pressure than a second side of the first region such that the tracer gas will emanate through the at least one leak from the first side to the second side, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors positioned proximate to the first region, each sensor being configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from a leak and to provide a sensing signal;
a controller connected to the plurality of sensors and configured to provide a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak detection information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
an indicator configured to provide a visual indication of the location of the leak, wherein the indicator includes a display configured to display a first represented of the part under-test and sensor icon positioned on the first representation, the sensor icon corresponding to a location of a first sensor which is proximate to the location of the leak. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. An apparatus for detecting the presence of at least one leak in a first region of a part under test and for localizing the location of the at least one leak, wherein a first side of the first region contains a tracer gas and is at a higher pressure than a second side of the first region such that the tracer gas will emanate through the at least one leak from the first side to the second side, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors positioned proximate to the first region, each sensor being configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from a leak and to provide a sensing signal;
a controller connected to the plurality of sensors and configured to provide a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak detection information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
an indicator configured to provide a visual indication of the location of the leak, wherein the indicator includes a display configured to display a first representative of the part under test and a leak graphic positioned on the first representation, the position of the leak graphic corresponding to a location of a first sensor which is proximate to the location of the leak. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. An apparatus for detecting the presence of at least one leak in a first region of a part under test and for localizing the location of the at least one leak, wherein a first side of the first region contains a tracer gas and is at a higher pressure than a second side of the first region such that the tracer gas will emanate through the at least one leak from the first side to the second side, the apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of sensors positioned proximate to the first region, each sensor being configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from a leak and to provide a sensing signal; and
a controller connected to the plurality of sensors and configured to provide a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak detection information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the leak detection signal is provided in response to a determination that a threshold amount of the tracer gas has been detected by at least one sensor of the plurality of sensors and wherein the leak detection signal includes an indication of a first sensor, the first sensor being chosen based on a determination that the at least one leak is positioned proximate the first sensor. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31)
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32. A method of monitoring a part under test to determine whether a first region contains a leak, the method comprising the steps of:
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locating a plurality of sensors proximate to the first region, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from the leak and to provide a sensing signal;
monitoring each of the plurality of sensors to determine if the tracer gas is being detected by any of the plurality of sensors;
providing a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak location information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
providing a first indication of the location of the leak, wherein the first indication includes displaying on a display a first representation of a part under test and a sensor icon on the first representation, the sensor icon corresponding to a location of a first sensor which is proximate to the location of the leak. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35)
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36. A method of monitoring a part under test to determine whether a first region contains a leak, the method comprising the steps of:
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locating a plurality of sensors proximate to the first region, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from the leak and to provide a sensing signal;
monitoring each of the plurality of sensors to determine if the tracer gas is being detected by any of the plurality of sensors;
providing a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak location information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors; and
providing a first indication of the location of the leak, wherein the first indication includes displaying on a display a first representation of a part under test and a leak graphic positioned on the first representation, the position of the leak graphic corresponding to a location of a first sensor which is proximate to the location of the leak. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38)
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39. A method of monitoring a part under test to determine whether a first region contains a leak, the method comprising the steps of:
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locating a plurality of sensors proximate to the first region, each of the plurality of sensors configured to detect the presence of a tracer gas emanating from the leak and to provide a sensing signal;
monitoring each of the plurality of sensors to determine if the tracer gas is being detected by any of the plurality of sensors; and
providing a leak detection signal in response to at least a first sensor of the plurality of sensors detecting the presence of the tracer gas, the leak detection signal including leak location information representative of the location of the leak in the first region based on the sensing signals received from at least the first sensor and a second sensor of the plurality of sensors, wherein the step of locating the plurality of sensors comprises the steps of coupling the plurality of sensors to at least a first fixture and positioning the first fixture adjacent the first region such that the first fixture and the part under test cooperate to provide a non-evacuated region. - View Dependent Claims (40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47)
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48. A computer readable media for use in a leak testing application to determine which of a plurality of sensors is proximate to a leak in a part under test, the computer readable media comprising:
a software portion configured to load a data file corresponding to the location of the plurality of sensors, to monitor the plurality of sensors to determine if any of the plurality of sensors has detected the presence of a leak, to determine the location of the leak if at least a first sensor of the plurality of the sensors detected the presence of the leak, and to provide a visual indication of the location of the leak if at least the first sensor of the plurality of the sensors detected the presence of the leak, wherein the software portion is further configured to provide a first representation of the part under test and a first sensor representation of the at least first sensor positioned on at least the first representation of the part under test. - View Dependent Claims (49, 50, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56)
Specification