Sonic inspection method and apparatus

Claim 2

An ultrasonic apparatus for examining an irregularly contoured body of human or animal matter comprising a receptacle for receiving said body and a layer of coupling fluid interposed between said body and receptacle, said receptacle being formed by a thin, flexible sheet having a low resistance to the transmission of sonic waves, support means for said receptacle to permit said receptacle to substantially conform to the contour of said body, said support means including a frame and a web of spaced, flexible strands suspended from said frame to receive and support said flexible sheet and transducer means mounted exteriorly of said receptacle and adjacent thereto for transmissing sound energy to said body and receiving sound energy reflected therefrom.

Claim 3

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said transducer means includes a sonic transducer and transducer mounting means in contact with said receptacle to maintain said transducer spaced relative to said body and receptacle to maintain said receptacle in the area of poor resolution adjacent the transducer.

Claim 4

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 1 wherein said support means includes transducer guide means for supporting said sheet and mounting said transducer means for movement in a path along the surface of said sheet, said transducer guide means including a pair of spaced end blocks adapted for seating engagement with the sheet, curved, flexible guide rod means extending between said end blocks in parallel spaced relationship; and transducer supporting means for supporting said transducer means for sliding engagement upon said guide rod means, and said transducer means includes a transducer holder mounted by said transducer supporting means for contact with said sheet, a transducer mounted within said holder and recessed from the contact point between said holder and sheet, and means to introduce a continuous supply of couplant into said holder between said transducer and sheet.

Claim 5

An ultrasonic apparatus for examining a body of human or animal matter, said body having an irregularly contoured surface in the area of the body to be examined, comprising receptacle means adapted to support said body, a small volume of sonic wave coupling fluid contained within said receptacle means of sufficient volume to form a layer of fluid between said receptacle means and the surface of said body in the area to be inspected without imparting substantial buoyancy to said body, said receptacle means including flexible material having a low resistance to the transmission of sonic waves and adapted to substantially conform to the contour of the surface of said body in the area to be inspected to permit the formation of a layer of coupling fluid between the surface of said body in the area of inspection and the surface of said flexible material of sufficient volume to preclude the destruction of near field resolution resulting from interaction between said flexible material and the surface of said body, sonic transducer means mounted exteriorly of said receptacle means and adjacent thereto for transmitting sound energy to said body through said flexible material and layer of coupling fluid and receiving sound energy reflected from said body, and transducer mounting means in contact with said flexible material and operative to maintain said transducer means spaced relative to said body and flexible material to maintain said flexible material in the area of poor resolution adjacent said transducer means.

Claim 6

An ultrasonic apparatus for examining a body of human or animal matter, said body having an irregularly contoured surface in the area of the body to be examined, comprising receptacle means adapted to support said body, a small volume of sonic wave coupling fluid contained within said receptacle means of sufficient volume to form a layer of fluid between said receptacle means and the surface of said body in the area to be inspected without imparting substantial buoyancy to said body, said receptacle means including flexible material having a low resistance to the transmission of sonic waves and adapted to substantially conform to the contour of the surface of said body in the area to be inspected to permit the formation of a layer of coupling fluid between the surface of said body in the area of inspection and the surface of said flexible material of sufficient volume to preclude the destruction of near field resolution resulting from interaction between said flexible material and the surface of said body, sonic transducer means mounted exteriorly of said receptacle means and adjacent thereto for transmitting sound energy to said body through said flexible material and layer of coupling fluid and receiving sound energy reflected from said body, and transducer mounting means in contact with said flexible material and operative to maintain said transducer means spaced relative to said body and flexible material to maintain said flexible material in the area of poor resolution adjacent said transducer means.

Claim 7

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 4 wherein said transducer mounting means includes transducer guide means in contact with said receptacle means for mounting said sonic transducer means for movement in a path along the surface of said receptacle means.

Claim 8

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 5 wherein said transducer mounting means includes a transducer holder mounted on said guide means and in contact with said flexible material, said sonic transducer means being mounted in said holder and recessed from the contact point between said holder and flexible material, and means to introduce a continuous supply of couplant into said holder between said sonic transducer means and said flexible material.

Claim 9

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 5 wherein said receptacle means is supported by said transducer guide means, said flexible material forming the walls of said receptacle means and being adapted to conform substantially to the contour of said body, said receptacle means including an opening contoured to receive only a section of an animal or human bearing the area to be inspected.

Claim 10

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 7 wherein liquid sealing means are secured to said receptacle means adjacent the peripheral edges of said opening.

Claim 11

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 4 which includes means for providing a couplant between said transducer means and said flexible material.

Claim 12

The ultrasonic apparatus of claim 4 wherein support means are provided to support said body in spaced relation to said flexible material to cause said coupling fluid to form a layer sufficient to preclude the destruction of near field resolution resulting from interaction between said body and flexible material.

Claim 17

The method according to claim 12 wherein said fluid couplant is maintained at a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of said body.

Claim 18

The method according to claim 12 wherein a sonic couplant is introduced between said source of sonic waves and said flexible material layer.

Claim 19

The method according to claim 14 wherein said fluid couplant constitutes a 27 percent- 33 percent saturated salt water solution maintained at a temperature substantially equal to the temperature of said body.