Patent ID: 6748791
Filing Date: 2004-06-15
Classification: G01M,G01N

Abstract:
An apparatus for detecting defects in composite structures, comprising:(a) a head for striking a suspect area on the composite structure, (b) an accelerometer sensor mounted inside the head for detecting impact of the head against the composite structure and producing an impact signal, (c) a circuit connected to the sensor for converting the impact signal into a representative alphanumeric readout value by determining whether the impact was adequate to reliably measure characteristics of the impact signal representing the integrity of the composite, the circuit including a threshold comparator to make such determination, and, if the impact was adequate by rising above a predetermined threshold value, measuring with a clock the length of time that the impact was above the threshold value, the clock producing the readout value in the form of the measured, elapsed time or an equivalent value; and (d) an alphanumeric readout for displaying the readout value.