Methods and apparatus for examination of surface temperature distribution

Claim 1

An arrangement for monitoring the temperature distribution across the surface of a body, said surface having a relatively low thermal emissivity, said arrangement comprising; a transfer member formed of a material of relatively low thermal conductivity and having a contact surface of relatively high thermal emissivity, said transfer member being a roller arranged to roll over said body surface, said contact surface of said roller being the rim (or rolling surface) thereof, said rolling carrying said rolling surface into, and subsequently out of, contact with said body surface, so that said rolling surface is first brought into contact with said body surface thereby effecting a transference of heat in the form of a thermal image from the latter to the former, and is thereafter removed therefrom; and a pyroelectric vidicon camera tube arranged to receive and measure thermal radiation emitted by said roller's rolling surface so as to monitor the temperature distribution of said rolling surface, thereby effectively monitoring the temperature distribution across said body surface.

Claim 9

A method of evaluating properties of a material forming an article by monitoring the temperature distribution across the surface of the article, said surface having a relatively low thermal emissivity, said method comprising the steps of: contacting said surface with a movable transfer member formed of a material of relatively low thermal conductivity and having a contact surface of relatively high thermal emissivity; allowing heat to transfer by conduction from said article to said transfer member, thereby creating on said transfer member's contact surface a thermal image of said article's surface temperature distribution, said thermal image thus giving rise to a corresponding temperature distribution on said contact surface; removing said transfer member from contact with said article; and measuring the thermal radiation emitted by different areas of said transfer member's contact surface so as to monitor the surface temperature distribution of said contact surface, thereby effectively monitoring the temperature distribution across said article's surface.

Claim 10

A method of evaluating properties of a material forming an article by monitoring the temperature distribution across the surface of the article, said surface having a relatively low thermal emissivity, said method comprising the steps of: contacting said surface with a movable transfer member formed of a material of relatively low thermal conductivity and having a contact surface of relatively high thermal emissivity; allowing heat to transfer by conduction from said article to said transfer member, thereby creating on said transfer member's contact surface a thermal image of said article's surface temperature distribution, said thermal image thus giving rise to a corresponding temperature distribution on said contact surface; removing said transfer member from contact with said article; and measuring the thermal radiation emitted by different areas of said transfer member's contact surface so as to monitor the surface temperature distribution of said contact surface, thereby effectively monitoring the temperature distribution across said article's surface.