JP6875191B2 - Ultrasonic flaw detector for fiber reinforced resin leaf springs - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an ultrasonic flaw detector that inspects the presence or absence of defects in a fiber reinforced resin leaf spring having a curved surface shape in a side view.

In recent years, fiber reinforced resins have been used in place of metal materials in various fields. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses a railroad vehicle bogie that uses a leaf spring made of fiber reinforced resin instead of omitting a side beam in the bogie frame. In the bogie, a pair of front and rear axle boxes support both ends of a leaf spring extending in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, and a central portion of the leaf spring supports a cross beam of the bogie frame. It is desirable to inspect the leaf spring made of fiber reinforced resin for internal defects at the time of shipment and periodic inspection of the bogie. For example, Patent Document 2 discloses an ultrasonic flaw detection inspection as a non-destructive inspection for inspecting the presence or absence of internal defects in a composite material or the like. Then, in Patent Document 3, at the time of ultrasonic flaw detection inspection, data of representative points of the shape of the object to be inspected is input, and the data is spline-interpolated to calculate the shape of the object to be inspected. A method has been proposed to reduce the labor of measuring and inputting the shape data of the above.

Japanese Patent No. 5576990 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2015-125008 Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 5-45347

In the case of fiber reinforced resin leaf springs that have a curved shape when viewed from the side, even if the leaf springs have the same specifications, the plates installed in the ultrasonic flaw detector due to the shape variation at the time of manufacture and the installation state variation at the time of ultrasonic inspection. The vertical position and tilt angle of each part of the spring may differ from individual to individual. Then, simply inputting the representative point of the shape of the leaf spring may not calculate the accurate shape of the leaf spring, and appropriate flaw detection may not be performed.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to enable accurate flaw detection of a leaf spring having a curved surface shape in a side view by simply defining a plurality of roughly representative points.

The fiber-reinforced resin leaf spring ultrasonic flaw detector according to one aspect of the present invention is an ultrasonic flaw detector that inspects the presence or absence of defects in the fiber-reinforced resin leaf spring having a curved shape in a side view, and is an ultrasonic wave. A probe, a carrier that holds the ultrasonic probe and has a contact surface that contacts the leaf spring, and a scanning mechanism that causes the leaf spring to scan the ultrasonic probe and the carrier. The shape of the leaf spring is calculated by interpolating the tracking mechanism interposed between the ultrasonic probe and the scanning mechanism and the position data of a plurality of input representative points, and the calculated shape is obtained. A controller that controls the scanning mechanism so that the ultrasonic probe moves along the scanning mechanism is provided, and the following mechanism moves the carrier up and down with respect to a base connected to the scanning mechanism and the base. A slide portion that is displaced in the direction, a slide spring that urges the carrier downward with respect to the base portion, and a pitching portion that rotates the carrier with respect to the base portion around a pitching axis extending in the width direction of the leaf spring. And a pitching spring that urges the carrier with respect to the base portion in a direction in which the contact surface becomes horizontal around the pitching axis.

According to the above configuration, even if there is a variation in the surface shape in the vertical direction and the pitching direction in the leaf spring having a curved surface shape in the side view, the ultrasonic probe is in the correct position with respect to the leaf spring by the tracking mechanism. It is automatically corrected to. Therefore, a leaf spring having a curved surface shape in a side view can be accurately detected by simply defining a plurality of representative points.

According to the present invention, a leaf spring having a curved surface shape in a side view can be accurately detected by simply defining a plurality of roughly representative points.

It is a perspective view of the ultrasonic flaw detector which concerns on embodiment. It is a top view of the movable case shown in FIG. 1 and the inside thereof. It is a perspective view of the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 1 and its vicinity. It is a perspective view seen from the lower side of the carrier shown in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. 3 and its vicinity. It is a side view of the 1st end setting part shown in FIG. 1 and the vicinity thereof. It is a side view explaining the typical point of the leaf spring input to the controller of the ultrasonic flaw detector shown in FIG. It is a top view which explains the scanning of the carrier and the ultrasonic probe shown in FIG. It is a back view seen from the lower side explaining the positional relationship between the carrier and the leaf spring shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the drawings. In the following description, the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring is defined as the X direction, the width direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring is defined as the Y direction, and the vertical direction orthogonal to the X direction and the Y direction is defined as the Z direction.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic flaw detector 1 according to the embodiment. FIG. 2 is a plan view of the movable case 3 shown in FIG. 1 and its inside. Note that FIG. 1 schematically shows the vicinity of the ultrasonic probe 4, and the details are shown in FIG. 3 described later. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the ultrasonic flaw detector 1 is a device for inspecting the presence or absence of defects in the leaf springs 70 and 71 made of fiber reinforced resin. For example, the leaf springs 70 and 71 are for railway vehicles. It is used for trolleys. The ultrasonic flaw detector 1 is a local water immersion type. The ultrasonic flaw detector 1 includes a frame 2 that forms an inspection space S inside.

In the inspection space S surrounded by the frame 2, a movable case 3 accommodating the leaf springs 70 and 71 to be inspected is slidably arranged in the Y direction. That is, the movable case 3 is retractably housed in the frame 2. The outer shape of each of the frame 2 and the movable case 3 has a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape extending in the X direction. An opening 2a through which the movable case 3 can pass is formed on the front side of the frame 2 in the Y direction. The frame 2 is provided with a support portion 2b (for example, a bottom portion) capable of slidably supporting the movable case 3 from below on the bottom side of the inspection space S.

The frame 2 supports a scanning mechanism 5 for scanning the ultrasonic probe 4 and the carrier 9 (see FIG. 3) holding the ultrasonic probe 4 with respect to the leaf springs 70 and 71. The scanning mechanism 5 has a first guide 6 mounted on the frame 2 and extending in the X direction, a second guide 7 guided by the first guide 6 in the X direction and extending in the Y direction, and a second guide 7 in the Y direction. A third guide 8 extending in the guided Z direction is provided. The support device 10 that supports the ultrasonic probe 4 and the carrier 9 is guided in the Z direction to the third guide 8.

The scanning mechanism 5 includes a first motor 11 that moves the second guide 7 in the X direction along the first guide 6, and a second motor 12 that moves the third guide 8 in the Y direction along the second guide 7. A third motor 13 for moving the support device 10 in the Z direction along the third guide 8 is provided. An ultrasonic flaw detector 14 is attached to the third guide 8. That is, as the scanning mechanism 5 moves the ultrasonic probe 4 in the XY directions, the ultrasonic flaw detector 14 also moves in the XY directions. The ultrasonic probe 4 is connected to the ultrasonic flaw detector 14 via an electric cable 15. The ultrasonic flaw detector 14 physically has a processor, a volatile memory, a non-volatile memory, an I / O interface, and the like. The ultrasonic flaw detector 14 records ultrasonic flaw detection data in synchronization with the controller C that controls the scanning mechanism 5.

The movable case 3 includes a case portion 16 and a moving mechanism portion 17. The case portion 16 accommodates a pair of leaf springs 70 and 71 and is opened upward. The case portion 16 includes a rectangular bottom wall 16a extending in the X direction and a side peripheral wall 16b extending upward from the peripheral edge portion of the bottom wall 16a and having a transparent plate. The bottom wall 16a is provided with a drainage port 16c. The moving mechanism portion 17 is composed of, for example, a leg ring 21 provided at the lower end portion of the case portion 16 and a guide body (not shown) of the case portion 16 that slides with respect to the frame 2. That is, the case portion 16 is supported by the frame 2, and the leg ring 21 is arranged outside the frame 2 and placed on the ground. When the movable case 3 pulled out from the frame 2 is pushed to the back side in the Y direction, the movable case 3 is arranged in the inspection space S through the opening 2a of the frame 2.

The leaf springs 70 and 71 are laminated bodies of fiber reinforced resin. The leaf springs 70 and 71 are the same as each other. The leaf springs 70 and 71 have a curved surface shape when viewed from the width direction (Y direction) orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and the thickness direction. Each of the leaf springs 70 and 71 has a bow shape when viewed from the side in the Y direction, and the wall thickness of the central portions 70a and 71a is larger than the wall thickness of the end portions 70b and 71b. Inside the case portion 16, an installation portion 23, an end setting portion 24, and a reference test piece installation portion 25 are provided.

A plurality of leaf springs 70 and 71 are installed in the installation portion 23 in a state of being parallel to each other and extending in the X direction. One leaf spring 70 is supported by the installation portion 23 with its front surface (concave surface) facing upward so as to face the ultrasonic probe 4, and the other leaf spring 71 has a super-convex surface (convex surface). It is supported by the installation portion 23 in a state of facing upward so as to face the sound wave probe 4. That is, the leaf springs 70 and 71 are installed in the installation unit 23 with their front and back sides reversed from each other.

The end setting portion 24 has a function of positioning the edge of the leaf springs 70 and 71 in the longitudinal direction (X direction), a part of the carrier 9 that has reached the end of the leaf springs 70 and 71 in the longitudinal direction (X direction), and the like. Has a function to support. The detailed structure of the end setting unit 24 will be described later with reference to FIG. The reference test piece installation unit 25 is a pedestal on which the reference test piece 26, which is tested for zero correction before actually detecting the leaf springs 70 and 71 to be inspected by the ultrasonic probe 4, is installed. Is. The reference test piece installation portion 25 is provided in the case portion 16 at a position where it does not overlap with the installation portion 23, the end setting portion 24, and the leaf springs 70, 71 in a plan view.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the ultrasonic probe 4 shown in FIG. 1 and its vicinity. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the support device 10 includes a follow-up mechanism 30 that causes the ultrasonic probe 4 and the carrier 9 (also referred to as a wedge) to follow along the upper surface of the leaf spring 70. That is, the tracking mechanism 30 is interposed between the carrier 9 (ultrasonic probe 4) and the scanning mechanism 5. In the follow-up mechanism 30, the contact surface 9a (lower surface) of the carrier 9 contacts the leaf spring 70 and receives a reaction force, so that the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 makes stable contact with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 in a parallel state. As described above, the carrier 9 is passively displaced in the vertical direction, the pitching direction, and the roll direction.

The following mechanism 30 includes a base portion 31, a slide portion 32, slide springs 33, 34 (see FIG. 1), a pitching / roll portion 35, a pitching / roll spring 36, 37, a head portion 38, a wheel encoder 40, and a dummy wheel 41. The base 31 is connected to the third guide 8 of the scanning mechanism 5, and is moved in the vertical direction along the third guide 8 by the third motor 13. The slide portion 32 is attached to the base portion 31 so as to be displaceable in the vertical direction with respect to the base portion 31. The slide spring 33 indirectly urges the carrier 9 downward with respect to the base 31 by urging the slide portion 32 downward with respect to the base portion 31. Another slide spring 34 indirectly urges the carrier 9 upward with respect to the base 31 by urging the slide portion 32 upward with respect to the base portion 31. That is, the slide portion 32 is elastically held by the slide springs 33 and 34 with respect to the base portion 31.

The pitching / roll portion 35 indirectly rotates the carrier 9 around the pitching axis P with respect to the base portion 31 by rotating the head portion 38 around the pitching axis P extending in the Y direction with respect to the slide portion 32. At the same time, the head portion 38 moves in the vertical direction with respect to the slide portion 32, and the position in the roll direction around the roll axis R extending in the X direction is adjusted. Specifically, the pitching / roll portion 35 is a rotation shaft that rotatably connects the head portion 38 to the slide portion 32 and is also movable in the vertical direction. The X-direction position of the pitching axis P is the same as the X-direction position of the center of the ultrasonic probe 4, and the Y-direction position of the roll axis R is the same as the Y-direction position of the center of the ultrasonic probe 4. is there. The pitching / roll springs 36 and 37 urge the head portion 38 around the pitching axis P and around the roll axis R with respect to the base portion 31. That is, the pitching / roll springs 36 and 37 urge the carrier 9 with respect to the slide portion 32 in a direction in which the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 fixed to the head portion 38 is horizontal around the pitching axis P and around the roll axis R. To do.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the carrier 9 shown in FIG. 3 as viewed from below. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the ultrasonic probe 4 shown in FIG. 3 and its vicinity. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the wheel encoder 40 is connected to the carrier 9 by being attached to the head portion 38 in a state of being arranged on one side of the head portion 38 in the X direction. The dummy wheel 41 is connected to the carrier 9 by being attached to the head portion 38 in a state of being arranged on the other side of the head portion 38 in the X direction. The wheel encoder 40 and the dummy wheel 41 come into contact with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 in a state where the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 is in contact with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70. That is, as the carrier 9 fixed to the head portion 38 moves in the X direction along the leaf spring 70, the wheel encoder 40 and the dummy wheel 41 roll on the upper surface of the leaf spring 70.

The wheel encoder 40 detects the mileage of the wheel encoder 40 in the X direction by detecting the rotation speed, and transmits the detection signal to the controller C. That is, the controller C grasps the moving distance of the ultrasonic probe 4 with respect to the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 by the signal from the wheel encoder 40, and controls the scanning mechanism 5. The dummy wheel 41 is just a roller. When the dummy wheel 41 comes into contact with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70, the contact of the wheel encoder 40 with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 is maintained.

The wheel encoder 40 and the dummy wheel 41 are rotatably supported by the wheel support member 46, respectively. The wheel support member 46 is elastically connected to a bracket 48 fixed to the head portion 38 via a tension spring 47. That is, the wheel encoder 40 and the dummy wheel 41 are urged downward with respect to the head portion 38 by the tension spring 47 and pressed against the upper surface of the leaf spring 70.

The ultrasonic probe 4 has a plurality of detection elements arranged in the Y direction. The carrier 9 is formed in a contact surface 9a that contacts the upper surface of the leaf spring 70, an opening 9b that is surrounded by the contact surface 9a and through which ultrasonic waves output from the ultrasonic probe 4 pass, and a contact surface 9a. It has a groove 9c extending from the opening 9b in the X direction, and a water nozzle 9d formed in the groove 9c and communicating with the opening 9b via the groove 9c. The opening 9b has a closed shape in a plan view seen from the normal direction of the contact surface 9a. In this embodiment, the opening 9b has a rectangular shape extending in the Y direction. The groove 9c is arranged closer to the center of the opening 9b than the edge of the opening 9b in the Y direction. The plurality of grooves 9c are arranged symmetrically in the X direction and the Y direction. Water is supplied to the water nozzle 9d from a water pump (not shown) via a tube 49. The lower surface of the ultrasonic probe 4 (that is, the surface facing the leaf spring 70) is located above the contact surface 9a so as to leave a gap G with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 in contact with the contact surface 9a. .. Water supplied from the water nozzle 9d through the groove 9c is stored in the gap G formed in the opening 9b.

The ultrasonic probe 4 and the carrier 9 perform flaw detection while scanning the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 in the X direction by the scanning mechanism 5, and the flaw detection data detected by the ultrasonic probe 4 is transmitted via the electric cable 15. Is transmitted to the ultrasonic flaw detector 14. Since the ultrasonic flaw detector 14 moves in the XY directions as the ultrasonic probe 4 moves in the XY directions, it is not necessary to lengthen the electric cable 15 even when the scanning distance is long, and the ultrasonic waves The reliability of the inspection signal transmitted from the probe 4 to the ultrasonic flaw detector 14 can be ensured.

FIG. 6 is a side view of the end setting unit 24 shown in FIG. 1 and its vicinity. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the plurality of end setting portions 24 are arranged on both sides of the leaf springs 70 and 71 in the X direction, respectively, and have a symmetrical structure in the X direction. Further, the end setting portion 24 for the leaf spring 70 and the end setting portion 24 for the leaf spring 71 have basically the same structure although the height positions are different from each other. Therefore, in FIG. 6, one end setting unit 24 will be described as a representative.

As shown in FIG. 6, the end setting portion 24 includes a base portion 51, a horizontal slide portion 52, a positioning wall portion 53, a tab member 54, a vertical slide portion 55, and a rotating portion 56. The base portion 51 is fixed to the bottom wall 16a of the case portion 16. The horizontal slide portion 52 is slidably attached to the base portion 51 in the X direction. The positioning wall portion 53 is fixed to the horizontal slide portion 52, and abuts or separates from the edge of the leaf spring 70 in the X direction as the horizontal slide portion 52 slides.

The tab member 54 is attached to the horizontal slide portion 52 via the vertical slide portion 55 and the rotating portion 56. The tab member 54 is arranged adjacent to the leaf spring 70 on the outer side in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring 70 installed in the installation portion 23. The tab member 54 can be displaced relative to the horizontal slide portion 52 in the Z direction by the vertical slide portion 55. The tab member 54 can be rotated about the Y-direction axis with respect to the horizontal slide portion 52 by the rotating portion 56. By adjusting the position using the horizontal slide portion 52, the vertical slide portion 55, and the rotating portion 56, the upper surface of the tab member 54 is a leaf spring in a state where the X-direction end edge of the leaf spring 70 is in contact with the positioning wall portion 53. It is set to be flush with the upper surface of 70. It is preferable that the horizontal slide portion 52, the vertical slide portion 55, and the rotating portion 56 are provided with lock devices for regulating their respective displacements.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 6, the positioning wall portion 53 of one end setting portion 24 is first brought into contact with one end of the leaf spring 70, and then the positioning wall portion 53 of the other end setting portion 24 is brought into contact with the leaf spring 70. When abutting on the other end, the positioning wall portion 53 of one end setting portion 24 literally serves as a positioning wall portion, and the positioning wall portion 53 of the other end setting portion 24 serves as a pressing portion. become. That is, the leaf spring 70 is sandwiched between the positioning wall portions 53 on both sides in the X direction and is positioned in the X direction.

Even if the ultrasonic probe 4 reaches the X-direction end edge of the leaf spring 70 and the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 or the dummy wheel 41 (or the wheel encoder 40) protrudes outward from the leaf spring 70, the contact surface 9a or the dummy wheel 41 (or the wheel encoder 40) protrudes from the leaf spring 70. When the portion comes into contact with the tab member 54, the contact surface 9a can be kept parallel to the surface of the leaf spring 70. Therefore, even when the ultrasonic probe 4 reaches the X-direction edge of the leaf spring 70, the opening 9b of the carrier 9 is stably filled with water, and the X-direction edge of the leaf spring 70 is also accurately ultrasonic. Can be detected.

FIG. 7 is a side view illustrating representative points A and B of the leaf spring 70'input to the controller C of the ultrasonic flaw detection device 1 shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 7, the position data of the representative points A and B of the outer shape of the leaf spring 70'is input to the controller C. The representative points A and B are not measured for each of the individual leaf springs 70 and 71, but are the design outer shapes of the leaf springs 70 and 71 (that is, the outer shape of the leaf spring 70'on the design drawing). This is a representative point. That is, when ultrasonic flaw detection is sequentially performed on a plurality of leaf springs 70 and 71, the representative points A and B are constant even if the leaf springs to be inspected are replaced. Therefore, the representative points A and B may deviate slightly from the actual outer shape of the leaf springs 70 and 71.

When ultrasonic flaw detection is performed with the surface 70c'(concave surface) of the leaf spring 70'as the upper surface, the controller C interpolates the position data of a plurality of representative points A of the surface 70c'of the leaf spring 70'(for example, a spline). Interpolation) to calculate the shape of the surface 70c'of the leaf spring 70'. When performing ultrasonic flaw detection with the back surface 70d'(convex surface) of the leaf spring 70'as the upper surface, the controller C interpolates the position data of a plurality of representative points B of the back surface 70d' of the leaf spring 70'(for example, a spline). Interpolation) to calculate the shape of the back surface 70d'of the leaf spring 70'. Then, the controller C controls the scanning mechanism 5 so that the ultrasonic probe 4 moves along the calculated shape.

At that time, even if the surface shape of the actual leaf spring 70 having a curved surface shape when viewed from the side varies in the vertical direction and the pitching direction, the ultrasonic probe 4 and the carrier 9 can be moved by the tracking mechanism 30 described above. It is automatically corrected to the correct position with respect to the leaf spring 70 (see FIGS. 1 and 3). Therefore, the leaf spring 70 having a curved surface shape in a side view can be accurately detected by simply defining a plurality of representative points A and B.

Specifically, the controller C has a scanning mechanism 5 so that the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 reaches a position below the upper surface shape of the leaf spring calculated based on the representative points A and B in the Z direction. Displaces the slide portion 32 downward. When the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 comes into contact with the leaf spring 70, the carrier 9 receives a reaction force from the actual upper surface of the leaf spring 70, and only the base 31 is intended while the carrier 9 is in contact with the leaf spring 70 and stopped. Displace downward to position. The contact state between the carrier 9 and the leaf spring 70 is maintained by the urging force of the slide spring 33.

Further, in the pitching direction, the sliding portion 32 is displaced downward by the scanning mechanism 5, so that the wheel encoder 40, the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9, and the dummy wheel 41 are sequentially pressed downward against the upper surface of the leaf spring 70. Due to the reaction force, the head portion 38 rotates around the pitching axis P and also around the rolling axis R in the pitching / roll portion 35. Therefore, the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 is kept parallel to the portion of the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 where the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 faces.

Further, even if the upper surface of the leaf spring 70 has a curved shape, the ultrasonic flaw detector 14 can accurately detect the position of the ultrasonic probe 4 in the X direction by the signal from the wheel encoder 40, and the dummy wheel 41. As a result, the contact between the wheel encoder 40 and the leaf spring 70 is stabilized, and the detection accuracy of the wheel encoder 40 is improved.

FIG. 8 is a plan view seen from above for explaining the scanning of the carrier 9 and the ultrasonic probe 4 shown in FIG. FIG. 9 is a back view of the carrier 9 and the leaf spring 70 shown in FIG. 8 as viewed from below to explain the positional relationship. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 9, the controller C holds the contact surface 9a of the carrier 9 in a state where a part of the opening 9b (hatched portion of FIG. 9) of the carrier 9 protrudes from the leaf spring 70 in the Y direction in a plan view. The scanning mechanism 5 is controlled so that the ultrasonic probe 4 scans the leaf spring 70 in contact with the upper surface of the leaf spring 70.

Specifically, when the ultrasonic probe 4 is moved in one direction in the X direction, the scanning mechanism 5 is controlled so that one end of the opening 9b in the Y direction protrudes from the leaf spring 70. Further, when the ultrasonic probe 4 is moved toward the other in the X direction, the scanning mechanism 5 is controlled so that the other end of the opening 9b in the Y direction protrudes from the leaf spring 70. At that time, the groove 9c and the water nozzle 9d of the carrier 9 are arranged inside the both ends of the opening 9b in the Y direction. That is, the groove 9c and the water nozzle 9d of the carrier 9 are arranged so as to overlap the leaf spring 70 without protruding from the leaf spring 70 in a plan view. When the ultrasonic probe 4 is turned back from the outward path to the return path during scanning, the scanning mechanism 5 is controlled so that the carrier 9 is separated upward from the leaf spring 70 and the carrier 9 is translated in the Y direction.

In this way, the water discharged from the water nozzle 9d fills the opening 9b and intervenes between the ultrasonic probe 4 and the leaf spring 70, and the water flows from the leaf spring 70 in the opening 9b. Since the air bubbles are discharged to the outside from the protruding portion, even if air bubbles are mixed between the ultrasonic probe 4 and the leaf spring 70, the air bubbles are quickly discharged. Then, since the carrier 9 holding the ultrasonic probe 4 is brought into contact with the leaf spring 70, control for providing a constant gap between the leaf spring 70 and the carrier 9 becomes unnecessary. Therefore, it is possible to prevent air bubbles from staying between the ultrasonic probe 4 and the leaf spring 70 without requiring complicated control.

Further, regardless of which end of the leaf spring 70 in the Y direction is scanned, drainage from the opening 9b of the carrier 9 to the outside can be smoothly maintained. Further, since it is not necessary to reverse the direction of the ultrasonic probe 4 when turning back from the outward path to the return path during scanning of the ultrasonic probe 4, it is possible to prevent the scanning mechanism 5 from becoming complicated. Further, since the groove 9c and the water nozzle 9d are located inside both ends of the opening 9b in the Y direction, the flow of water filling the opening 9b of the carrier 9 becomes smoother, and the retention of air bubbles can be suitably prevented. In this way, when the ultrasonic flaw detection inspection of the front surface (concave surface) of the leaf spring 70 is completed, the ultrasonic flaw detection inspection of the back surface (convex surface) of the leaf springs 71 arranged side by side is similarly started.

1 Ultrasonic flaw detector 4 Ultrasonic probe 5 Scanning mechanism 9 Carrier 9a Contact surface 9b Opening 9c Groove 9d Water nozzle 14 Ultrasonic flaw detector 15 Electric cable 23 Installation part 30 Following mechanism 31 Base 32 Slide part 33, 34 Slide spring 35 Pitching / Roll part 36,37 Pitching / Roll spring 40 Wheel encoder 41 Dummy wheel 70,71 Leaf spring A, B Representative point C Controller P Pitching axis R Rolling axis

Claims (4)

An ultrasonic flaw detector that inspects the presence or absence of defects in fiber reinforced resin leaf springs that have a curved surface when viewed from the side.
With an ultrasonic probe,
A carrier that holds the ultrasonic probe and has a contact surface that contacts the leaf spring.
A scanning mechanism that scans the ultrasonic probe and the carrier with respect to the leaf spring.
A tracking mechanism interposed between the ultrasonic probe and the scanning mechanism,
A controller that interpolates the input position data of a plurality of representative points to calculate the shape of the leaf spring, and controls the scanning mechanism so that the ultrasonic probe moves along the calculated shape. , With
The following mechanism is
The base connected to the scanning mechanism and
A slide portion that displaces the carrier in the vertical direction with respect to the base portion, and a slide portion.
A slide spring that urges the carrier downward with respect to the base,
A pitching portion that rotates the carrier around the pitching axis extending in the width direction of the leaf spring with respect to the base portion, and a pitching portion.
Have a, a pitching spring biasing the carrier relative to the base in the direction of the contact surface is horizontal in about the pitching axis,
The ultrasonic probe is connected to an ultrasonic flaw detector that records ultrasonic flaw detection data via an electric cable.
The ultrasonic flaw detector is an ultrasonic flaw detector of a fiber reinforced resin leaf spring attached to the scanning mechanism so as to move with the movement of the ultrasonic probe. An ultrasonic flaw detector that inspects the presence or absence of defects in fiber reinforced resin leaf springs that have a curved surface when viewed from the side.
With an ultrasonic probe,
A carrier that holds the ultrasonic probe and has a contact surface that contacts the leaf spring.
A scanning mechanism that scans the ultrasonic probe and the carrier with respect to the leaf spring.
A tracking mechanism interposed between the ultrasonic probe and the scanning mechanism,
A controller that interpolates the input position data of a plurality of representative points to calculate the shape of the leaf spring, and controls the scanning mechanism so that the ultrasonic probe moves along the calculated shape. ,
The installation part where the leaf spring is installed and
A tab member which is arranged adjacent to the leaf spring on the outside in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring installed in the installation portion and has an upper surface which can be set flush with the upper surface of the leaf spring is provided.
The following mechanism is
The base connected to the scanning mechanism and
A slide portion that displaces the carrier in the vertical direction with respect to the base portion, and a slide portion.
A slide spring that urges the carrier downward with respect to the base,
A pitching portion that rotates the carrier around the pitching axis extending in the width direction of the leaf spring with respect to the base portion, and a pitching portion.
An ultrasonic flaw detector for a fiber reinforced resin leaf spring, comprising a pitching spring that urges the carrier with respect to the base in a direction in which the contact surface becomes horizontal around the pitching axis. The following mechanism is
A roll portion that rotates the carrier around the roll axis extending in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring with respect to the base portion, and a roll portion.
The ultrasonic flaw detection device for a fiber reinforced resin leaf spring according to claim 1 or 2 , further comprising a roll spring that urges the carrier with respect to the base in a direction in which the carrier is horizontal around the roll axis. .. The following mechanism is
A wheel encoder connected to the carrier on one side of the leaf spring in the longitudinal direction and rolling on the leaf spring.
Further having, on the other side in the longitudinal direction of the leaf spring, a dummy wheel connected to the carrier and rolling on the leaf spring.
The ultrasonic flaw detection device for a fiber reinforced resin leaf spring according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the controller controls the scanning mechanism based on a signal of the wheel encoder.

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