Patent ID: 6920793

Claim:
An apparatus for inspecting a seal of a package in a gaseous environment wherein the apparatus includes at least one airborne ultrasonic system including at least one airborne ultrasonic transmitting transducer spaced from at least one airborne ultrasonic receiving transducer, means for moving a package or said at least one airborne ultrasonic transmitting transducer relative to one another such that ultrasonic energy from said at least one airborne ultrasonic transducer passes through a seal of the package before being received by said at least one airborne ultrasonic receiving transducer, analyzer means for receiving signals from said at least one airborne ultrasonic receiving transducer for providing an indication of integrity of the seal, and means for preventing ultrasonic energy from passing about the edge of the package adjacent the seal such that said at least one airborne ultrasonic receiving transducer receives only ultrasonic energy passing through the seal from said at least one airborne ultrasonic transmitting transducer.