Ultrasonic search unit construction

Claim 2

An electro-acoustic ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including the combination of: a piezoelectric transducer means having a pair of parallel faces on the opposite sides thereof for transmitting ultrasonic energy in response to an electrical signal applied to said faces and for generating an electrical signal between said faces in response to received ultrasonic energy, and acoustic dampening means for said transducer means, said dampening means including fibers of a dense, non-resonant material compressed together into a rigid mass and acoustically coupled to one of said faces.

Claim 3

The search unit of claim 1, wherein said material is metal.

Claim 4

The search unit of claim 2, said dampening means further including a solder penetrating and binding at least a portion of the exterior surface of said compressed metal fibers onto said face.

Claim 5

The search unit of claim 2 wherein said metal fibers of said dampening means are produced substantially of lead.

Claim 6

The search unit of claim 2, wherein said fibers of said dampening material having a strand diameter less than 0.05 inches.

Claim 7

An ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including: a search unit housing, a piezoelectric transducer disposed in said housing and having front and rear faces, said transducer being adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy from said faces in response to a driving signal and to generate an electrical signal in response to ultrasonic energy incident upon said faces, an acoustical dampening structure in said housing in intimate contact with the rear face of said transducer, said dampening structure including a bundle of pressed metal fibers bonded to said transducer.

Claim 8

An ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including: a search unit housing, a piezoelectric transducer disposed in said housing and having front and rear faces, said transducer being adapted to transmit ultrasonic energy from said faces in response to a driving signal and to generate an electrical signal in response to ultrasonic energy incident upon said faces, an acoustical dampening structure in said housing in intimate contact with the rear face of said transducer, said dampening structure including a bundle of pressed metal fibers bonded to said transducer.

Claim 9

The ultrasonic search unit of claim 6 wherein said metal fibers are lead and are selected to have a strand diameter less than 0.05 inches and are compacted into an integral rigid mass.

Claim 10

The search unit of claim 7, wherein said pressed metal fibers are bonded to said transducer by a solder, said solder at least partially penetrating into the body of said pressed metal fibers.

Claim 11

An ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including the combination of: piezoelectric transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy in response to an electrical signal, and for generating an electrical signal in response to received ultrasonic energy, and acoustic dampening means for said transducer means, said dampening means including fibers of a dense, non-resonant material, said fibers being compressed together and acoustically coupled to one side of said transducer means, said compressed fibers being arranged in a substantially straight columnar configuration normal to said transducer means.

Claim 12

An ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including the combination of: piezoelectric transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy in response to an electrical signal, and for generating an electrical signal in response to received ultrasonic energy, and acoustic dampening means for said transducer means, said dampening means including fibers of a dense, non-resonant material, said fibers being compressed together and acoustically coupled to one side of said transducer means, said compressed fibers being arranged in a substantially straight columnar configuration normal to said transducer means.

Claim 13

An electro-acoustic ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including the combination of: piezoelectric transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy in response to an electrical signal and for generating an electrical signal in response to received ultrasonic energy, said transducer means being formed with parallel plane surfaces on the opposite sides for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy in directions normal thereto, and acoustic dampening means for said transducer means including fibers of a dense, non-resonant material, said fibers being disposed in intimate contact with one of said surfaces and disposed in a straight columnar configuration substantially perpendicular to said surfaces.

Claim 14

An electro-acoustic ultrasonic search unit for use in an ultrasonic nondestructive testing system, said search unit including the combination of: piezoelectric transducer means for transmitting ultrasonic energy in response to an electrical signal and for generating an electrical signal in response to received ultrasonic energy, said transducer means being formed with parallel plane surfaces on the opposite sides for transmitting and receiving ultrasonic energy in directions normal thereto, and acoustic dampening means for said transducer means including fibers of a dense, non-resonant material, said fibers being disposed in intimate contact with one of said surfaces and disposed in a straight columnar configuration substantially perpendicular to said surfaces.