초록 ▼

A portable ultrasonic inspection probe (400) for determining the presence, location, and size of flaws in a laminated structure such as a composite “I”stiffener (30′). The probe includes a shoe assembly (402) having a plurality of shoes (52′, 54′, 56′, 58′) that are arranged for coordinated movement

A portable ultrasonic inspection probe (400) for determining the presence, location, and size of flaws in a laminated structure such as a composite “I”stiffener (30′). The probe includes a shoe assembly (402) having a plurality of shoes (52′, 54′, 56′, 58′) that are arranged for coordinated movement relative to the “I”stiffener and house a plurality of ultrasonic transducers that produce inspection information related to the “I”stiffener. The shoes are biased by spring assemblies (64′and 66′) toward the web 34′and flange 32′and flange 32′of the “I”stiffener. A fore drive (404) and an aft drive (406) are mounted on the shoe assembly and spring loaded to engage the “I”stiffener so as to cause translational movement of the shoe assembly when energized. The shoe assembly may be moved by either one or both of the drives. A position encoder (408) produces information related to the position of the probe as it is moved along the “I”stiffener. The position encoder is spring loaded such that it is driven by the relative motion of the “I”stiffener when the fore drive engages the “I”stiffener and by the fore drive when the fore drive does not engage the “I”stiffener.

대표청구항 ▼

A portable inspection probe for determining the presence, location, and size of flaws in a structure having a web and a flange, said probe comprising: (a) a shoe assembly having first and second ends, said shoe assembly including an aperture sized and shaped to receive the web and flange of a struct

A portable inspection probe for determining the presence, location, and size of flaws in a structure having a web and a flange, said probe comprising: (a) a shoe assembly having first and second ends, said shoe assembly including an aperture sized and shaped to receive the web and flange of a structure that includes a web and a flange, said shoe assembly including a plurality of shoes biased toward said aperture, said biased shoes being designed to have a plurality of transducers that produce flaw inspection information; (b) a first drive mounted on said shoe assembly, near said first end, for causing translational movement of said shoe assembly along the web and flange when the web and flange are positioned in said aperture in said shoe assembly; (c) a second drive mounted on said shoe assembly, near said second end, for causing translational movement of said shoe assembly along the web and flange when the web and flange are positioned in said aperture in said shoe assembly; (d) power means coupled to said first and second drives for synchronously energizing said first and second drives; (e) a position encoder mounted on said shoe assembly, near said first end, for producing position information relative to the position of said shoe assembly as said shoe assembly is moved by at least one of said first and second drives along the web and flange.