Pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus with cathode ray tube digital display

Claim 2

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: electrical pulse means for cyclically generating an electrical high frequency pulse; electro-acoustic transducer means adapted to be coupled to a workpiece; means coupling said electrical pulse means to said transducer means for causing said transducer means, responsive to the receipt of a high frequency pulse, to cyclically transmit an ultrasonic search signal into the workpiece and subsequently to receive an echo signal arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by the respective search signal, said transducer means providing an echo responsive electrical signal; a cathode ray tube having a display screen; means coupled to said transducer means and to said cathode ray tube for receiving said echo responsive electrical signal and providing a scan display thereof on said screen, and means coupled to said pulse means and to said means for receiving said echo responsive electrical signal and being actuated cyclically during the period between the receipt of an echo signal and the next succeeding transmission of an ultrasonic search signal for providing on said screen a digital display of a quantity correlated with said echo signal.

Claim 3

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: an electrical pulse generator adapted to provide when energized an electrical high frequency pulse; electro-acoustic transducer means coupled to said pulse generator and adapted to be coupled acoustically to a workpiece for transmitting into the workpiece an ultrasonic search signal responsive to the energization of said pulse generator, and for receiving a search signal responsive echo signal arising from an acoustic discontinuity in the workpiece intercepted by the respective search signal, such echo signal being transformed by said transducer means to an electrical output signal; first electrical circuit means including a cathode ray tube coupled to said transducer means for receiving said output signal and for providing on the screen of said cathode ray tube a two-coordinate scan display of said output signal; second electrical circuit means adapted to produce a digital display on said screen coupled to said first electrical circuit means for providing a digital indication of a quantity correlated with said output signal, and third electrical circuit means coupled to said first circuit means and to said second electrical circuit means for providing on said screen during a first portion of A predetermined timing cycle said scan display and during a second portion of said timing cycle said digital indication.

Claim 4

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: an electrical pulse generator adapted to provide when energized an electrical high frequency pulse; electro-acoustic transducer means coupled to said pulse generator and adapted to be coupled acoustically to a workpiece for transmitting into the workpiece an ultrasonic search signal responsive to the energization of said pulse generator, and for receiving a search signal responsive echo signal arising from an acoustic discontinuity in the workpiece intercepted by the respective search signal, such echo signal being transformed by said transducer means to an electrical output signal; first electrical circuit means including a cathode ray tube coupled to said transducer means for receiving said output signal and for providing on the screen of said cathode ray tube a two-coordinate scan display of said output signal; second electrical circuit means adapted to produce a digital display on said screen coupled to said first electrical circuit means for providing a digital indication of a quantity correlated with said output signal, and third electrical circuit means coupled to said first circuit means and to said second electrical circuit means for providing on said screen during a first portion of A predetermined timing cycle said scan display and during a second portion of said timing cycle said digital indication.

Claim 5

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said first electrical circuit means including a vertical and a horizontal deflection amplifier for providing electron beam deflection on said cathode ray tube screen; said third electrical circuit means including switching means coupled to said amplifiers, to said first electrical circuit means and to said second electrical circuit means and controlled by timing means for causing during said first portion said scan display and during said second portion said digital indication.

Claim 6

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 3, said scan display being an A-scan representation indicating echo responsive signal amplitude versus time.

Claim 7

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 4, said digital indication being correlated with the amplitude of the echo signal displayed by said scan display.

Claim 8

A pulse-echo ultrasonic apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said digital indication being correlated with the time interval between the transmission of said search signal into the workpiece and the receipt of a search signal responsive echo signal by said transducer means.

Claim 9

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said scan display being produced at one location of said screen and said digital indication at another location of said screen.

Claim 10

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 2, said second circuit means adapted to produce a digital indication comprising a plurality of digital characters, and control means coacting with said third circuit means for causing during said second portion of said timing cycle sequentially the display of one of said characters.

Claim 11

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: timing means for producing cyclically a pulse signal and thereby establish a predetermined timing cycle; pulse generator means coupled to said timing means for producing an electrical high frequency pulse responsive to the receipt of a pulse signal from said timing means; electro-acoustic transducer means coupled to said pulse generator means and adapted to be acoustically coupled to the surface of a workpiece for transmitting into the workpiece an ultrasonic search signal responsive to the energization of said transducer means by said high frequency pulse from said pulse generator means and for receiving a search signal responsive echo signal arising from an acoustic discontinuity in the workpiece intercepted by the respective search signal, such echo signal being transformed by said transducer means to an electrical signal; electrical receiving means coupled to said transducer means for receiving said electrical signal and providing an analog output signal; time sweep means coupled to said timing means for producing a time sweep signal responsive to the pulse signal produced by said timing means; a signal display circuit which includes the interconnection of multiplexing means, deflection amplifiers and a cathode ray tube; character signal generating means coupled to said receiving means for receiving therefrom said output signal and for generating in response thereto signals for producing on said cathode ray tube a digital character display whose numerical value is responsive to said output signal; means coupling said signals for producing said digital character display, said output signal and said sweep signal to said multiplexing means, and means coupling said timing means to said multiplexing means for causing said multiplexing means to be conditioned during a first portion of said timing cycle for providing to said deflection amplifiers said sweep signal and said analog output signal and conditioned during a second portion of said timing cycle for providing to said deflection amplifiers said signals for producing said digital character Display; whereby to cause on said cathode ray tube during each cycle alternatingly a two-coordinate display of said analog signal versus time and a display of said digital characters.

Claim 12

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: timing means for producing cyclically a pulse signal and thereby establish a predetermined timing cycle; pulse generator means coupled to said timing means for producing an electrical high frequency pulse responsive to the receipt of a pulse signal from said timing means; electro-acoustic transducer means coupled to said pulse generator means and adapted to be acoustically coupled to the surface of a workpiece for transmitting into the workpiece an ultrasonic search signal responsive to the energization of said transducer means by said high frequency pulse from said pulse generator means and for receiving a search signal responsive echo signal arising from an acoustic discontinuity in the workpiece intercepted by the respective search signal, such echo signal being transformed by said transducer means to an electrical signal; electrical receiving means coupled to said transducer means for receiving said electrical signal and providing an analog output signal; time sweep means coupled to said timing means for producing a time sweep signal responsive to the pulse signal produced by said timing means; a signal display circuit which includes the interconnection of multiplexing means, deflection amplifiers and a cathode ray tube; character signal generating means coupled to said receiving means for receiving therefrom said output signal and for generating in response thereto signals for producing on said cathode ray tube a digital character display whose numerical value is responsive to said output signal; means coupling said signals for producing said digital character display, said output signal and said sweep signal to said multiplexing means, and means coupling said timing means to said multiplexing means for causing said multiplexing means to be conditioned during a first portion of said timing cycle for providing to said deflection amplifiers said sweep signal and said analog output signal and conditioned during a second portion of said timing cycle for providing to said deflection amplifiers said signals for producing said digital character Display; whereby to cause on said cathode ray tube during each cycle alternatingly a two-coordinate display of said analog signal versus time and a display of said digital characters.

Claim 13

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said two-coordinate display being displayed at one location of the screen of said cathode ray tube and said digital character display at another location.

Claim 14

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said two-coordinate display being an A-scan display of the echo responsive signals.

Claim 15

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 9, and means causing said digital character display to be correlated with the amplitude of said output signal.

Claim 16

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said digital character generating means including means for cyclically generating signals adapted to be used as one of the numerals 0 to 9.

Claim 17

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 9, said digital character display comprising a plurality of digits, and control means coupled for causing one digit to be produced on the screen of said cathode ray tube during each second portion of a respective timing cycle.

Claim 18

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: a. timing means for establishing a time cycle; b. first means which include in combination: b-1. pulse generating means coupled to said timing means for cyclically being excited by said timing means and producing in response thereto cyclically electrical pulse signals at an ultrasonic frequency; b-2. electro-acoustic means coupled to said pulse generating means for receiving said electrical pulse signals and in response thereto transmitting ultrasonic search signals into a workpiece to which said transducer means is acoustically coupled, and providing echo responsive electrical signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by said search signals; b-3. receiving means coupled to said transducer means for receiving said echo responsive electrical signals and providing in response thereto electrical output signals; b-4. sweep generating means coupled to said timing means for cyclically producing a sweep signal responsive to said pulse generating means being excited; b-5. first multiplexing means coupled for receiving said output signals and said sweep signals; c. second means comprising second multiplexing means coupled to said first means for receiving therefrom analog signals; d. digital character generation means which include analog to digital converting means coupled to said second multiplexing means for converting the analog signals received by said second multiplexing means to electrical signals suitable for displaying digital characters on the screen of a cathode ray tube; e. means coupling said signals suitable for displaying said digital characters to said first multiplexing means; f. display means which include electron beam and deflection amplifier means and a cathode ray tube having a display screen coupled to said first multiplexing means, and g. means coupling said timing means to said first multiplexing means and to said digital character generation means for causing on said screen alternatingly during each time cycle a two-coordinate display of said output signals versus time and a display of digital characters responsive to analog signals provided by said first means to said second means.

Claim 19

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus comprising: a. timing means for establishing a time cycle; b. first means which include in combination: b-1. pulse generating means coupled to said timing means for cyclically being excited by said timing means and producing in response thereto cyclically electrical pulse signals at an ultrasonic frequency; b-2. electro-acoustic means coupled to said pulse generating means for receiving said electrical pulse signals and in response thereto transmitting ultrasonic search signals into a workpiece to which said transducer means is acoustically coupled, and providing echo responsive electrical signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by said search signals; b-3. receiving means coupled to said transducer means for receiving said echo responsive electrical signals and providing in response thereto electrical output signals; b-4. sweep generating means coupled to said timing means for cyclically producing a sweep signal responsive to said pulse generating means being excited; b-5. first multiplexing means coupled for receiving said output signals and said sweep signals; c. second means comprising second multiplexing means coupled to said first means for receiving therefrom analog signals; d. digital character generation means which include analog to digital converting means coupled to said second multiplexing means for converting the analog signals received by said second multiplexing means to electrical signals suitable for displaying digital characters on the screen of a cathode ray tube; e. means coupling said signals suitable for displaying said digital characters to said first multiplexing means; f. display means which include electron beam and deflection amplifier means and a cathode ray tube having a display screen coupled to said first multiplexing means, and g. means coupling said timing means to said first multiplexing means and to said digital character generation means for causing on said screen alternatingly during each time cycle a two-coordinate display of said output signals versus time and a display of digital characters responsive to analog signals provided by said first means to said second means.

Claim 20

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said second multiplexing means being coupled for receiving an analog signal corresponding to the amplitude of the echo responsive electrical output signals provided by said receiving means.

Claim 21

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said second multiplexing means being coupled for receiving a signal responsive to the operation of said sweep generating means.

Claim 22

A pulSe-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said second multiplexing being adapted to receive a plurality of analog signals from said first means, and means coupling said timing means to said second multiplexing means for selectively providing the appropriate analog signal to said digital character generation means.

Claim 23

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 15, said digital character generation means including means for providing signals for displaying a plurality of multi-digit information.

Claim 24

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus as set forth in claim 19, each digit being written by causing the electron beam to traverse a seven-segment path.

Claim 25

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus which includes a cathode ray tube comprising: means for cyclically transmitting an ultrasonic search signal into a workpiece and receiving in response thereto echo responsive signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by the respective search signals; means coupled for receiving said echo responsive signals and producing in response thereto echo information containing analog signals for display on the screen of the cathode ray tube, and means coupled for receiving said analog signals and providing in response thereto further signals for producing on said screen both a display of said analog signals and a display of digital characters whose numerical value is correlated with said analog signals.

Claim 26

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus which includes a cathode ray tube comprising: means for cyclically transmitting an ultrasonic search signal into a workpiece and receiving in response thereto echo responsive signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by the respective search signals; means coupled for receiving said echo responsive signals and producing in response thereto echo information containing analog signals for display on the screen of the cathode ray tube, and means coupled for receiving said analog signals and providing in response thereto further signals for producing on said screen both a display of said analog signals and a display of digital characters whose numerical value is correlated with said analog signals.

Claim 27

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus which includes a cathode ray tube as set forth in claim 21, said means coupled for receiving said analog signals causing said displays to be visible substantially simultaneously.

Claim 28

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus which includes a cathode ray tube comprising: means for cyclically transmitting an ultrasonic search signal into a workpiece and receiving in response thereto echo responsive signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by the respective search signals; means coupled for receiving said echo responsive signals and producing in response thereto echo information containing analog signals for display on the screen of said cathode ray tube; means coupled for receiving said analog signals and providing in response thereto further signals for producing on the screen a correlated display of digital characters, and means coupled for receiving said analog signals and said further signals for causing on said screen alternatingly a display of said analog signals and of at least one of said correlated digital characters.

Claim 29

A pulse-echo ultrasonic test apparatus which includes a cathode ray tube comprising: means for cyclically transmitting an ultrasonic search signal into a workpiece and receiving in response thereto echo responsive signals arising from an acoustic discontinuity intercepted by the respective search signals; means coupled for receiving said echo responsive signals and producing in response thereto echo information containing analog signals for display on the screen of said cathode ray tube; means coupled for receiving said analog signals and providing in response thereto further signals for producing on the screen a correlated display of digital characters, and means coupled for receiving said analog signals and said further signals for causing on said screen alternatingly a display of said analog signals and of at least one of said correlated digital characters.

Claim 34

A method for examining a workpiece as set forth in claim 25, said numerical value being commensurate with the amplitude of said echo responsive signal.

Claim 35

A method for examining a workpiece as set forth in claim 25, said scan display being displayed on one portion of said screen and said characters on another portion of said screen.

Claim 36

A method for examining a workpiece as set forth in claim 25, said scan display and said digital characters being displayed at a frequency causing both to be visible substantially simultaneously for observation.