JPS6339857B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe, and more particularly, to an ultrasonic probe that moves along the surface of an object to obtain an internal defect signal and emits ultrasonic waves inward from the surface. The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe that is formed of a flexible membrane that is transparent to other people, and that has an ultrasonic medium and an ultrasonic oscillator inside a rotatable pillow member.

A probe drive device with a wheel-shaped pillow member is commercially available.
It is used to detect defects inside thin plates using the plate wave method, but in general applications, the wheel width is narrow and a single probe is used, so large areas can be efficiently covered vertically. It is not possible to detect flaws, and since it is in contact with the object to be inspected only at the tip of the arc, there are disadvantages such as limiting the effective range of the probe used.

The present invention solves the above drawbacks by providing a structure in which the contact with the test object is surface-to-surface contact, the dimensions are further enlarged in the axial direction, and several probes are arranged in one or several rows. Significantly improves the effective inspection range,
In addition to speeding up inspections, it also enables inspections that respond immediately to the shape of the object to be inspected.Furthermore, it protects the ultrasonic probe drive device from obstacles, etc., and allows the ultrasonic waves from the probe to conform to the shape of the object. It also has a mechanism that allows it to follow the instructions.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a front view of an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view, and FIG. 3 is a top view. Reference numerals 1 and 2 are front and rear drive wheels that move while rotating on the surface of the object to be inspected.
3 is a pillow member made of neoprene rubber membrane that connects drive wheels 1,
2 is wrapped around it so that it rotates in the same direction as the drive wheel. The center of the end face of this pillow is a void. 1-a, 1-b and 2-a, 2
-b are support shafts for drive wheels, which protrude from the gap in the rubber membrane 3 and are rotatably fixed to the side plates 4-a and 4-b. A support frame 5 is placed approximately in the center of this side plate.
is rotatably fixed by support shafts 6-a and 6-b.

Further, probe mounting seats 7 - a and 7 - b are attached to the side plates through the gaps in the rubber film, and the probe group 8 is fixed to these mounting seats and buried in the ultrasonic medium 27 .

One end of a connecting member 9 is rotatably connected to the upper part of the support pedestal 5 through a bearing part 9-a that responds to the axial tilt of the drive wheel, and the other end receives the power that drives the ultrasonic probe drive device. Bearing portions 9 to b are rotatably attached to a driving wheel shaft 10 of a portion (not shown). A chain sprocket 11 is fixed to this driving wheel shaft, rotates in accordance with the rotation of the driving wheel 12, and is transmitted by a chain 13 to a sprocket group 14-a rotatably attached to the support shaft 6-a. 14 to b to the sprocket 15 on the drive wheel support shaft, and the drive wheel 1 and the drive wheel support shaft 1
- Rotate the sprocket 16 fixed at a.

The rotation of the sprocket 16 is transmitted through a chain 17 to a sprocket 18 fixed to the drive wheel support shafts 2-a, forcing the drive wheel 2 to rotate.

That is, in this embodiment, the drive wheels 1 and 2 that move the rubber membrane 3 following the test object are forcibly rotated in synchronization with the power wheel 10 of the power section.
The movement between the rubber membrane and the test object is kept constant, and the support frame 5
enables the drive wheels 1 and 2 to tilt relative to the
Further, the support frame 5 can be tilted with respect to the coupling member 9 with the driving wheel axial direction bearing portions 9 to a as the rotation center, and the coupling portion 9, the support frame 5, the drive wheel 1 and 2 can be tilted together.

Furthermore, in this embodiment, an electronic scanning array type probe is used as the probe, and therefore the position in the scanning direction (X-axis) is detected by an electric signal corresponding to the pitch of the probe. direction of travel of the driving wheels (Y
The position of the shaft is detected by a detection system (not shown) mechanically connected to the drive wheels.

Electronic scanning type probes include those in which a large number of strip-shaped probes are arranged in a line, any number of which is used for transmission and reception at the same time, and scanning is performed using any number of strips as pitches, and those with approximately square or circular apertures. X of the operating probe is arranged in one row or several rows, and the
Detect position on axis.

Furthermore, flaw detection on the X-axis is performed by mechanically reciprocating a single or several probes on one axis or several axes, and the output of a linked position detection device, such as a potentiometer or encoder. , or by the number of pulses applied to a pulse motor. Although not particularly shown, the electrical wiring to the probe and the mechanism for moving the probe are based on the side plate, making effective use of the gap in the rubber membrane, and the internal space separated by the rubber membrane. The same goes for the hose for injecting the ultrasonic medium (eg water). Furthermore, in order to create an air layer that blocks ultrasonic waves, it is necessary to improve the adhesion between the test object and the rubber membrane, such as spraying a medium on the outside of the rubber film and on the surface of the test object in front of the rubber film. It also has the following functions.

Figures 4 and 5 show a front view and a top view of another embodiment, and in the previous embodiment, the probe drive device was moved by a separate portable device. In this embodiment, a direct drive power source is added.

In the figure, reference numeral 19 denotes a support frame for a drive wheel and a motor, which fixes probe mounting seats 20-a and 20-b. Motor mounting seat 21 fixed on the support frame
A motor 22 with a speed reducer is attached to the motor 22, and driving sprockets 23-a and 23-b are fixed onto the power shaft 22-a.

From this sprocket, chains 24 and 25 connect sprockets 26 and 2 on the drive wheel support shaft.
Power is transmitted to 7, which rotates the drive wheels.

Although the case in which two drive wheels are used in each of the embodiments has been described above, it is also possible to use three or four drive wheels. In addition, in order to prevent the membrane surface from wrinkling or pulling due to local movement differences between the drive wheel and the membrane material, the timing is placed on the membrane surface that does not block the effective field of view of the ultrasonic waves. By fixing a member with a mechanically non-slip structure, such as a belt, by adhesive or other means, and by forming tooth profiles on the circumference of the driving wheels, the above-mentioned drawbacks can be overcome. The synchronization mechanism can be saved.

Conventional wheel-shaped probe drive devices have rubber membranes attached only to both sides, and O-rings are used between the sides and the rotating shaft for waterproofing, so rotation is not smooth.
In addition, there were difficulties in taking out the signal cable, and the contact area could not be widened. However, in the present invention, by using multiple drive wheels, rotation can be made smoother, and the contact area between surfaces can be expanded. As a result, the effective flaw detection range has been significantly improved, two-dimensional inspection has become possible, inspection time has been shortened, and there is a wide range of options from manual (hand-held type) to automatic driving type. This has the advantage that it can be used in Further, according to the present invention, the pillow member is covered with a flexible membrane through the front and rear drive wheels, so that the contact area with the subject is large, and even if the subject surface is uneven, curved, etc., the pillow member is covered with a flexible membrane. Not only is close contact ensured, but when the pillow member is rotated by the drive means, the drive unit and the flexible membrane do not come into contact with each other due to the gap in the pillow member, so the rotation of the pillow member can be carried out smoothly. . Further, the ultrasonic medium fluid (for example, water) can be easily replenished by using the void in the pillow member.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view of the first embodiment of the ultrasonic probe of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view of the first embodiment, FIG. 3 is a top view of the first embodiment, and FIG. FIG. 5 is a front view of the second embodiment, and FIG. 5 is a top view of the second embodiment. In the figure, 1 and 2 are drive wheels, 3 is a pillow, 8 is an ultrasonic oscillator, and 27 is water.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1 A pillow member movable along the surface of the object to obtain an internal defect signal, with a flexible membrane transparent to ultrasonic waves to irradiate ultrasonic waves from the surface toward the inside of the object. In an ultrasonic probe having a pillow member covered and rotatable via a driving means, and an ultrasonic medium fluid and an ultrasonic oscillator inside the pillow member in order from the flexible membrane side, the interior of the pillow member in,
Further, drive wheels that are long in the direction perpendicular to the direction of movement are supported at the front and rear ends of the moving direction by drive wheel support shafts, and the flexible membrane is configured such that the drive wheel support shafts are rotatable at the side surfaces thereof. An ultrasonic probe comprising a cavity at a predetermined position and an ultrasonic oscillator capable of scanning in a direction perpendicular to the direction of movement.