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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Nov. 06, 2012
Filed:
Jul. 30, 2009
Kaoru Shibata, Utsunomiya, JP;
Noriaki Shigematsu, Utsunomiya, JP;
Mitsutaka Igaue, Utsunomiya, JP;
Yushi Aoki, Utsunomiya, JP;
Noriko Kurimoto, Utsunomiya, JP;
Kaoru Shibata, Utsunomiya, JP;
Noriaki Shigematsu, Utsunomiya, JP;
Mitsutaka Igaue, Utsunomiya, JP;
Yushi Aoki, Utsunomiya, JP;
Noriko Kurimoto, Utsunomiya, JP;
Honda Motor Co., Ltd., Tokyo, JP;
Abstract
The intensity of first reflected ultrasonic waves reflected from an end of a first electrode tip is measured while the electrode tip is separated from a workpiece. The intensity of second reflected waves reflected from the end of the electrode tip is measured while the electrode tip contacts with the workpiece. Based on the above intensities, an intensity ratio (reflectance) and the fraction of the waves entering the workpiece are determined from the following equations: reflectance=(intensity of second reflected waves)/(intensity of first reflected waves) fraction of waves entering the workpiece=1−reflectance. From a predetermined correlative relationship between a contact area of a region enabling ultrasonic waves to be incident on the workpiece and the determined fraction of the entering waves, a ratio (contact area ratio) is determined between a total area of the region and a contact area of the region contacting with the workpiece.