Ultrasonic inspection system

Claim 2

In an ultrasonic inspection system having means for remotely controlling the position of an ultrasonic transducer from a console that is situated at least about 100 feet away, said positioning means carrying only an ultrasonic transducer connected to said console by a transmission line of arbitrary length through which said console energizes said transducer with high-voltage pulses, and through which said console receives from said transducer low-voltage echo pulses, means at said console for transmitting an energizing pulse to said transducer through said transmission line, said pulse generating means being comprised of a capacitor, means for precharging said capacitor prior to generating each pulse, first timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line at the time a drive pulse is to begin, and second timed switching means for shunting discharge current from said capacitor away from said transmission line when a drive pulse is to terminate, whereby transmission lines normally used over short distances may be extended to over 100 feet without requiring any change at said transducer, and the system still remains operative.

Claim 3

Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line is comprised of a first silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said first silicon-controlled rectifier in response to a synchronizing pulse, and said second timed switching means for shunting discharge current away from said transmission line is comprised of a second silicon-controlled rectifier and delay means for firing said second silicon-controlled rectifier in response to said synchronizing pulse.

Claim 4

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for firing said first and second silicon-controlled rectifiers are separate, and each includes a separate but similar delay means for firing the separate silicon-controlled rectifiers, the delay means for each silicon-controlled rectifier being adapted to begin timing a delay on the same edge of said sync pulse but for a different delay period, whereby the duration of a drive pulse generated is determined by the difference in delay periods of said separate delay means, and any change in the delay period of one due to changing conditions will appear substantially the same in the delay period of the other.

Claim 5

Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said means for precharging said capacitor comprises an emitter-follower transistor.

Claim 6

Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said transistor has its base connected to its emitter by a diode poled opposite the base-emitter junction of said transistor, its emitter connected to said capacitor, its collecter connected to a source of collector voltage by two load resistors in series, a resistor connected between said base and a junction between said series load resistors, and its base is connected to a junction between said silicon-controlled rectifiers and said capacitor, whereby said capacitor recharges automatically when conduction through said silicon-controlled rectifiers becomes extinguished due to discharge of said capacitor below a predetermined level.

Claim 9

Apparatus as defined in claim 6 wherein said first timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line is comprised of a first silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said first silicon-controlled rectifier in response to a synchronizing pulse, and said second timed switching means for shunting discharge current away from said transmission line is comprised of a second silicon-controlled rectifier and delay means for firing said second silicon-controlled rectifier in response to said synchronizing pulse.

Claim 10

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for firing said first and second silicon-controlled rectifiers are separate, and each includes a separate but similar delay means for firing the separate silicon-controlled rectifiers, the delay means for each silicon-controlled rectifier being adapted to begin timing a delay on the same edge of said sync pulse but for a different delay period, whereby the duration of a drive pulse generated is determined by the difference in delay periods of said separate delay means, and any change in the delay period of one due to changing conditions will appear substantially the same in the delay period of the other.

Claim 11

Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said means for precharging said capacitor comprises an emitter-follower transistor.

Claim 12

Apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said transistor has its base connected to its emitter by a diode poled opposite the base-emitter junction of said transistor, its emitter connected to said capacitor, its collector connected to a source of collector voltage by two load resistors in series, a resistor connected between said base and a junction between said series load resistors, and its base is connected to a junction between said silicon-controlled rectifiers and said capacitor, whereby said capacitor recharges automatically upon conduction through said silicon-controlled rectifiers being extinguished due to discharge of said capacitor below a predetermined level.

Claim 13

In an ultrasonic inspection system having means for remotely controlling the position of an ultrasonic transducer from a console situated at least about 100 feet away, said positioning means carrying only an ultrasonic transducer connected to said console by a transmission line of arbitrary length through which said console energizes said transducer with high-voltage pulses, and through which said console receives from said transducer low-voltage echo pulses, the combination comprising a skate remotely controlled from said main console for positioning an ultrasonic transducer, a pulse generating means located at said console for producing timed drive pulses required to cause said transducer to transmit a sonic wave, and connected to said transducer through said transmission line, said pulse generating means comprising timing means for firing a first silicon-controlled rectifier to discharge a precharged capacitor into said transmission line when a drive pulse is to be generated and for firing a second silicon-controlled rectifier to shunt discharge current from said capacitor to ground when said drive pulse being generated is to terminate, whereby transmission lines normally used over short distances may be extended to over 100 feet without requiring any change at said transducer, and the system still remains operative.

Claim 14

In an ultrasonic inspection system having means for remotely controlling the position of an ultrasonic transducer from a console situated at least about 100 feet away, said positioning means carrying only an ultrasonic transducer connected to said console by a transmission line of arbitrary length through which said console energizes said transducer with high-voltage pulses, and through which said console receives from said transducer low-voltage echo pulses, the combination comprising a skate remotely controlled from said main console for positioning an ultrasonic transducer, a pulse generating means located at said console for producing timed drive pulses required to cause said transducer to transmit a sonic wave, and connected to said transducer through said transmission line, said pulse generating means comprising timing means for firing a first silicon-controlled rectifier to discharge a precharged capacitor into said transmission line when a drive pulse is to be generated and for firing a second silicon-controlled rectifier to shunt discharge current from said capacitor to ground when said drive pulse being generated is to terminate, whereby transmission lines normally used over short distances may be extended to over 100 feet without requiring any change at said transducer, and the system still remains operative.

Claim 15

In an ultrasonic inspection system having means for remotely controlling the position of an ultrasonic transducer from a console at least about 100 feet away, said positioning means carrying only an ultrasonic transducer connected to said console by a transmission line of arbitrary length through which said console energizes said transducer with high-voltage pulses, and through which said console receives from said transducer low-voltage echo pulses, means for transmitting an energizing pulse to said transducer through said transmission line, comprising a capacitor, means for precharging said capacitor, first timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line at the time a drive pulse is to begin, and second timed switching means for shunting discharge current from said capacitor away from said transmission line when a drive pulse is to terminate, whereby transmission lines normally used over short distances may be extended to over 100 feet without requiring any change at said transducer, and the system still remains operative, said timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line being comprised of a first silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said first silicon-controlled rectifier, and said timed switching means for shunting discharge current from said capacitor away from said transmission line being comprised of a second silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said second silicon-controlled rectifier.

Claim 16

In an ultrasonic inspection system having means for remotely controlling the position of an ultrasonic transducer from a console at least about 100 feet away, said positioning means carrying only an ultrasonic transducer connected to said console by a transmission line of arbitrary length through which said console energizes said transducer with high-voltage pulses, and through which said console receives from said transducer low-voltage echo pulses, means for transmitting an energizing pulse to said transducer through said transmission line, comprising a capacitor, means for precharging said capacitor, first timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line at the time a drive pulse is to begin, and second timed switching means for shunting discharge current from said capacitor away from said transmission line when a drive pulse is to terminate, whereby transmission lines normally used over short distances may be extended to over 100 feet without requiring any change at said transducer, and the system still remains operative, said timed switching means for discharging said capacitor into said transmission line being comprised of a first silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said first silicon-controlled rectifier, and said timed switching means for shunting discharge current from said capacitor away from said transmission line being comprised of a second silicon-controlled rectifier and means for firing said second silicon-controlled rectifier.

Claim 17

Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said means for firing said first and second silicon-controlled rectifiers are separate, and each includes a separate but similar delay means for firing the separate silicon-controlled rectifiers in response to a single input timing pulse, the delay means for each silicon-controlled rectifier being adapted to begin timing a delay on the same edge of said input pulse but for a different delay period, whereby the duration of a drive pulse transmitted to said transducer over said line is determined by the difference in delay periods of said separate delay means, and any change in the delay period of one due to changing conditions common to both will appear substantially the same in the delay period of the other.