Apparatus, system, and method for ultrasonic inspection of a variable angle joint

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11940419-B2
Application number	US-202117368557-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 6, 2021
Priority date	Jul 9, 2020
Publication date	Mar 26, 2024
Grant date	Mar 26, 2024

Abstract

Disclosed herein is an apparatus for ultrasonic inspection. The apparatus comprises, in certain examples, a base, a lower coupler block slidably coupled to the base such that the base is translationally movable relative to the lower coupler block, and a pair of wings rotatably coupled to the lower coupler block at a wing pivot point and pivotable between a first angle and a second angle. In certain examples, the apparatus also includes a sensor carriage located within the base and slidably coupled to the base such that the sensor carriage is translationally movable relative to the base.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for ultrasonic inspection, the apparatus comprising:
a base;
a lower coupler block slidably coupled to the base such that the base is translationally movable relative to the lower coupler block;
a pair of wings rotatably coupled to the lower coupler block at a wing pivot point and pivotable between a first angle and a second angle; and
a sensor carriage located within the base in a nested arrangement with the sensor carriage and slidably coupled to the base such that the sensor carriage is translationally movable relative to the base, wherein movement of the pair of wings, relative to the base, actuates and moves the sensor carriage, relative to the base.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
an upper coupler block coupled to the lower coupler block; and
a pair of linkage arms; and
wherein each one of the pair of linkage arms has a first end pivotally coupled to one of the pair of wings, and a second end pivotally coupled to the upper coupler block.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an upper coupler block coupled to a tool center point of a robotic arm system.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an upper coupler block coupled to a handle.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an upper coupler block, and wherein, in response to a force applied to the upper coupler block in a direction towards a part, the upper coupler block is configured to cause the pair of wings to open.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein each one of the pair of wings comprises:
a front side, a back side, a top side, and a bottom side; and
a slide rail disposed on an interior surface at a non-orthogonal angle with reference to the top side.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising:
wherein each one of the pair of wings further comprises:
a front side, a back side, a top side, and a bottom side; and
a slide rail disposed on an interior surface at a non-orthogonal angle with reference to the top side; and

a rod member having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is slidingly coupled to a first wing slide rail of a first wing of the pair of wings, and the second end is slidingly coupled to a second wing slide rail of a second wing of the pair of wings.

8. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower coupler block further comprises a pair of extension arms, each having a slot for receiving a rod member.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an ultrasonic unit mounted to the sensor carriage such that the ultrasonic unit is non-movable relative to the sensor carriage.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein movement of the sensor carriage relative to the base adjusts a focal point of an ultrasonic unit relative to the base.

11. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a part contact surface wherein the part contact surface is configured to be slidable along a part being inspected and the sensor carriage is configured to move translationally relative to the base in response to the base and the pair of wings being displaced while sliding in response to a changing web to flange angle of the part being inspected.

12. The apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a fluid port formed in the base and configured to facilitate fluid contact at an ultrasonic unit of the sensor carriage.

13. A system for ultrasonic inspection, the system comprising:
an apparatus comprising:
a base comprising a part contact surface;
a lower coupler block slidably coupled to the base such that the base is translationally movable relative to the lower coupler block;
a pair of wings rotatably coupled to the lower coupler block at a wing pivot point and pivotable between a first angle and a second angle; and
a sensor carriage located within the base in a nested arrangement with the sensor carriage and slidably coupled to the base such that the sensor carriage is translationally movable relative to the base, wherein movement of the pair of wings, relative to the base, actuates and moves the sensor carriage, relative to the base;

a tool configured to receive the apparatus and position the apparatus to provide an ultrasonic signal from an ultrasonic unit and detect a reflected ultrasonic signal at the ultrasonic unit; and
a controller configured to process the reflected ultrasonic signal received by the ultrasonic unit to determine a presence of an abnormality corresponding to the positioning of the apparatus.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the tool is configured to position the apparatus using a sliding motion.

15. The system of claim 13 , wherein the tool is configured to position the apparatus using a sliding motion of the apparatus in a sliding direction and the sensor carriage is translationally movable in a displacement direction which is non-parallel to the sliding direction.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the tool comprises a robotic arm having a tool center point.

17. A method of ultrasonic testing, the method comprising:
positioning an apparatus on a part at a joint of the part between a web and a flange such that a first wing of the apparatus contacts the web and a second wing of the apparatus contacts the flange, and wherein the first wing is pivotally coupled to the second wing at a wing pivot point of a lower coupler block of the apparatus;
emitting an ultrasonic signal from the apparatus to a focal point proximate the joint of the part;
sliding the apparatus from the web to the flange through the joint; and
actuating a linkage arm, in response to movement of a base relative to the first wing and the second wing, to move a sensor carriage of the apparatus relative to the base to adjust a position of a focal point of the ultrasonic signal based on a web to flange angle, wherein the sensor carriage is in a nested arrangement with the base.

18. The method of claim 17 , further comprising pivoting the first wing and the second wing away from the base.

19. The method of claim 17 , further comprising pressing a part contact surface of the base against a surface of the part.

20. The method of claim 17 , further comprising testing the joint along a length of the part.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Shehab Kareem

Classifications

• G01N29/265 Primary

  by moving the sensor relative to a stationary material · CPC title

• B25J9/1694

  characterised by use of sensors other than normal servo-feedback from position, speed or acceleration sensors, perception control, multi-sensor controlled systems, sensor fusion · CPC title

• G01N29/04

  Analysing solids (using acoustic emission techniques G01N29/14) · CPC title

• G01N29/225

  Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation · CPC title

• G01N29/28

  providing acoustic coupling {, e.g. water (impedance matching G10K11/02)} · CPC title