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:
Jul. 25, 2017
Filed:
Oct. 27, 2015
Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX (US);
Sergey A. Vinogradov, San Antonio, TX (US);
Charles E. Duffer, San Antonio, TX (US);
Glenn M. Light, San Antonio, TX (US);
SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSTITUTE, San Antonio, TX (US);
Abstract
A probe for use in magnetostrictive testing of tubular structures. The probe has a handle and an outer tube, the latter having an expandable probe head for insertion into the tubular structure. A pair of magnetostrictive sensors is mounted in or on the probe head. A flexible bladder is located inside the outer tube in the area of the probe head, and communicates with a pressurizing cartridge in the probe handle via a bladder tube. The bladder is operable to expand, causing the probe head to expand, which moves the sensors toward the inner wall of the tubular structure. The probe is also equipped with a couplant injector that delivers coupling fluid to any gaps between the inner surface of the tubular structure and the outer surface of the probe.