초록 ▼

To leak test a cavity in a test item, a pressurizing gas, at a preselected pressure is applied to the test item and the flow rate of the pressurizing gas during pressurization is recorded. This recorded flow rate is compared with a threshold level based on gas flow signature data for a reference tes

To leak test a cavity in a test item, a pressurizing gas, at a preselected pressure is applied to the test item and the flow rate of the pressurizing gas during pressurization is recorded. This recorded flow rate is compared with a threshold level based on gas flow signature data for a reference test item. If the recorded gas flow exceeds the threshold level, an excessive leak signal is produced. This leak testing method significantly reduces the time required to perform low flow rate leak detection in large volume test items.

대표청구항 ▼

A method of leak testing a cavity in a test item, comprising the steps of: applying a pressurizing gas, at a preselected pressure, to a cavity in a test item; recording the flow of said pressurizing gas during pressurization of the cavity to obtain recorded gas flow data; comparing the recorded gas

A method of leak testing a cavity in a test item, comprising the steps of: applying a pressurizing gas, at a preselected pressure, to a cavity in a test item; recording the flow of said pressurizing gas during pressurization of the cavity to obtain recorded gas flow data; comparing the recorded gas flow data with predetermined reference threshold data; producing an excessive leak signal if said recorded gas flow rate data exceeds said reference threshold data; wherein said step of applying a pressurizing gas comprises the step of connecting a source of pressurizing gas and the test item to opposite ends of a flow divider having a continuously open fill flow path and a fractional flow path, such that the flow of said pressurizing gas through said fill flow path is larger than the flow of said pressurizing gas through said fractional flow path; and wherein said step of recording the flow of said pressurizing gas comprises the step of monitoring the flow of said pressurizing gas in said fractional flow path to produce a signal representative of the total flow of said pressurizing gas into said test item, and processing said signal to produce a characterizing quantity.