Systems for ultrasonic inspection of a surface

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11977054-B2
Application number	US-202318189674-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Mar 24, 2023
Priority date	Apr 22, 2021
Publication date	May 7, 2024
Grant date	May 7, 2024

Abstract

Systems for ultrasonic measurements of an inspection surface is described. An inspection robot with a payload moves in a direction of travel across an inspection surface. The payload has two sensor holders, the first sensor holder to hold a first UT array at a first orientation and the second to hold a second UT array at a second orientation A sensor holder linking component holds the two UT phased arrays in a parallel configuration along their long edges. An arm of the payload may be pivotably connected to both the sensor linking component at one end and a lift connection element on the other end. The lift component has a lift motor to raise the lift connection element. A rastering device moves the payload in a direction of inspection which is distinct from both the direction of travel and the parallel configuration of the two phased UT arrays.

First claim

What is claimed:

1. A system, comprising:
an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, the inspection robot including:
a payload comprising:
a first sensor holder structured to support a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array at a first orientation;
a second sensor holder structured to hold a second ultrasonic (UT) phased array at a second orientation;
a sensor holder linking component interposed between the first sensor holder and the second sensor holder, the sensor holder linking component structured to interact with the first sensor holder and the second sensor holder such that the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array are placed in a parallel configuration along a long edge of both the first and second UT phased array;
an arm, a first end of the arm pivotably connected to the sensor holder linking component; and
a lift component, the lift component comprising:
a lift connection element pivotably connectable to a second end of the arm; and
a lift motor structured to raise the lift connection element; and

a rastering device structured to move the payload in a direction of inspection, the direction of inspection being distinct from the direction of travel and the direction of inspection being distinct from the parallel configuration of the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the lift motor is further structured to rotate the arm to a raised position.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first sensor holder is pivotably connected to a first side of the sensor holder linking component, and the second sensor holder is pivotably connected to a second side of the sensor holder linking component.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the first sensor holder and the second sensor holder are independently pivotable.

5. The system of claim 1 , wherein a location of the pivotable connection on the sensor holder linking component is interposed between a first side and a second side of the sensor holder linking component.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the direction of inspection is orthogonal to the direction of travel.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the direction of inspection is orthogonal to the parallel configuration of the first and second UT phased arrays, and wherein the parallel configuration is parallel to the inspection surface.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the rastering device is structured to maintain a fixed orthogonal orientation of the first and second UT phased arrays relative to the direction of inspection during an inspection mode.

9. The system of claim 8 , wherein the inspection mode comprises moving the payload in the direction of inspection, then moving the inspection robot in the direction of travel, and then moving the payload in the direction of inspection.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the first UT phased array is orthogonally oriented relative to the inspection surface, wherein the second UT phased array is obliquely oriented relative to the inspection surface.

11. A system, comprising:
an inspection robot structured to move in a direction of travel on an inspection surface, the inspection robot comprising:
a first payload comprising a first ultrasonic (UT) phased array and a second UT phased array;
a rastering device operatively coupled to the first payload, and structured to execute reciprocating motion of the first payload; and
an inspection controller, comprising:
a positioning circuit structured to provide an inspection position command; and
an inspection circuit structured to provide a rastering position command and an interrogation command,

wherein the inspection robot is responsive to the inspection position command to move to an inspection position,
wherein the rastering device is responsive to the rastering position command to move the first payload through at least a portion of a range of the reciprocating motion,
wherein the first UT phased array and the second UT phased array are responsive to the interrogation command to perform a UT inspection of the inspection surface at the inspection position on three axes of inspection,
wherein the first UT phased array is further responsive to the interrogation command to perform the UT inspection on two axes of the three axes, and wherein the second UT phased array is further responsive to the interrogation command to perform the UT inspection on a third axis of the three axes,
wherein the third axis is rotated with respect to a plane including the two axes, and
wherein a first one of the two axes is rotated relative to a second one of the two axes on the plane.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first one of the two axes is rotated between 10 degrees and 75 degrees, inclusive, relative to the second one of the two axes.

13. The system of claim 11 , wherein the third axis is rotated between 15 degrees and 80 degrees relative to the plane.

14. The system of claim 11 , wherein the inspection controller further comprises a beam steering circuit structured to perform a beam steering operation utilizing the first UT phased array, and wherein the UT inspection for at least one of the two axes is performed utilizing the beam steering operation.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the beam steering operation comprises modulating at least one of an amplitude trajectory or a phased trajectory of inducing elements of the first UT phased array.

16. The system of claim 14 , wherein the beam steering operation comprises operating a detection compensation operation of received signals from inducing events of the first UT phased array.

17. The system of claim 11 , wherein the first UT phased array comprises a linear UT array.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein each UT element of the first UT phased array comprises a linear element.

19. The system of claim 17 , wherein each UT element of the first UT phased array comprises a shaped element.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein each shaped element comprises a hyperbolic element.

Assignees

• Gecko Robotics Inc

Inventors

• David Chase
• Aparicio Jose
• Low Kevin Y
• Bryner Edward A
• Demmer Troy
• Mora Juan Roberto Mendoza
• Corl Scott Ashley

Classifications

• G01N29/265 Primary

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

• G01N29/04

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

• G01N2291/0289

  Internal structure, e.g. defects, grain size, texture · CPC title

• G01N29/225 Primary

  Supports, positioning or alignment in moving situation · CPC title

• G01N2291/267

  Welds · CPC title