Patent ID: 6234024
Filing Date: 2001-05-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
An ultrasonic inspection system for inspecting an aircraft stiffener comprising an immersion system including in combination:motor drive wheels;a fore and aft motor drive assembly;said fore and aft motor drive assemblies operating synchronously;a spring loaded platform;said fore and aft motor drive assemblies mounted on said spring-loaded platform for pushing said fore and aft motor drive assemblies against the aircraft stiffener;a non-movable fixed drive wheel disposed opposite said motor drive wheels; the interaction of said motor drive wheels providing translational movement of the stiffener through said immersion system;said immersion system including an immersion tank having an edge probe within said immersion tank for inspecting the edge of said aircraft stiffener and five further probes to inspect the entire cross section of the aircraft stiffener, said five further probes including cap radius and flange radius probes for inspecting the cap radius and flange radius of an aircraft stringer each of said cap radius and flange radius probes consisting of a pair of vertically opposed shoes containing 7 through transmission ultrasonic channels;fore and aft position encoder assemblies operating synchronously;said fore position encoder assembly actuated as said aircraft stringer moves through said immersion system; and,said aft position encoder assembly activated when said aircraft stringer disengages from said fore position encoder assembly until said aircraft stringer disengages from said aft position encoder assembly.