The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Oct. 17, 2006

Filed:

Sep. 14, 2004
Applicants:

Lawrence D. Favro, Huntington Woods, MI (US);

Robert L. Thomas, Huntington Woods, MI (US);

Xioayan Han, Plymouth, MI (US);

Inventors:

Lawrence D. Favro, Huntington Woods, MI (US);

Robert L. Thomas, Huntington Woods, MI (US);

Xioayan Han, Plymouth, MI (US);

Assignee:

Wayne State University, Detroit, MI (US);

Attorneys:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
G01J 5/02 (2006.01);
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
Abstract

A defect detection system for thermally imaging a structure that has been energized by sound energy. The system includes a transducer that couples a sound signal into the structure, where the sound signal causes defects in the structure to heat up. In one embodiment, a hard metal disk is positioned between the transducer and the structure to help couple the sound energy from the transducer into the structure. A predetermined force is applied to the transducer and a pulse duration and a pulse frequency of the sound signal are selected so that the sound energy induces acoustic chaos in the structure, thus generating increased thermal energy. A thermal imaging camera images the structure when it is heated by the sound signal.


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