JPH0626848Y2 - Ultrasonic probe - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial application] The present invention relates to an ultrasonic probe suitable for ultrasonic flaw detection on a vertical surface.

[Conventional technology]

In order to confirm the soundness of the welded structure container 10 as shown in the front view of FIG. 4, the axial welded portion 11 and the circumferential welded portion 12 of the vertical side wall of the welded container 10 are subjected to ultrasonic waves from both directions perpendicular to and parallel to the welding line. For example, as shown in the schematic view of FIG. 5, at least one of the lower A direction and the upper B direction perpendicular to the welded portion 12
And at least one of D in C direction and left parallel rightward, the ultrasonic probe 1 ₀ by the incidence of ultrasonic wave to hit the inside to the vertical sidewall surface of the container 10 of the test object blemished flaw detection I'm going.

Thus in order to incident ultrasonic waves from the ultrasonic probe 1 ₀ in the container 10, it is necessary the intervention of water, oil such as a liquid couplant between the probe 1 ₀ and the container 10, Conventionally,
When performing flaw detection work manually, couplant is applied manually in advance, but automation of flaw detection work and couplant application can be performed from the viewpoint of radiation exposure reduction, work time reduction, and reliability improvement in the recent nuclear field. are being performed, have come up with a problem that results in a couplant out between probe 1 ₀ and the container 10 probe this case.

That is, as an automatic coating means for couplant, as shown in the longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 6, from the couplant supply hole 3 provided at the center of the surface of the probe main body 1 on which the transducer 2 is placed, to the bottom corner. Since the couplant branch hole 6 is provided for the couplant 8 and the couplant 8 uses a liquid having a low viscosity to prevent the inclusion of bubbles, the couplant 8 is supplied to the couplant supply hole 3 from the supply hose 9, but most of them are affected by gravity. It flows only in the lower couplant branch hole 6 and creates a gap between the container 10 and the probe body 1, which causes a serious problem that ultrasonic waves do not enter the container 10. In addition, since a large amount of couplant 8 is also flown upward, the probe main body 1 rises to make the flaw detection unstable, and the post-treatment of couplant 8 is difficult.

Therefore, a probe without the lower couplant branch hole 6 has been developed, but it cannot be applied to all the flaws in FIG. 5, and a dedicated probe is required for each, which is very troublesome.

Further, in order to solve the problem, as shown in the partial cutaway side view of FIG. 7, it is considered that an attachment 13 provided with a couplant supply hole 14 is used separately from the probe main body 1, but in this case, In addition, since it is necessary to replace the attachment 13 each time the flaw detection direction is changed, and the apparatus becomes large and heavy, there is a disadvantage that the radiation exposure and the work time cannot be shortened even if the bending angle is automated.

[Problems to be solved by the device]

The present invention has been proposed in view of such circumstances,
No matter which direction the probe is oriented in the vertical plane, there will be no breakage of couplant between the object to be inspected and the probe. It is an object of the present invention to provide an ultrasonic probe which does not require wasteful replacement of a probe, an attachment, etc., and which can reliably and effectively detect flaws in different directions with a single probe.

[Means for Solving the Problems]

To this end, the present invention provides a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped probe main body in which a transducer is arranged on the surface side and a couplant supply hole is formed from the center of the surface to the inside, and the couplant supply is provided in the probe main body. Four ball plenums, which communicate with the holes and have a space for accommodating one closing ball, are formed in a cross shape toward the four corners of the probe main body, and the probe from the tip of each ball plenum. A couplant branch hole having a diameter smaller than that of the ball plenum extended to the four corners of the bottom surface of the main body, and a taper shape which is communicated with the tips of the couplant branch hole at the four corners of the bottom surface of the probe body and is formed inwardly It is characterized by comprising a recess and two closing balls that are housed in the ball plenum and fall into the two ball plenums by the action of gravity in accordance with the flaw detection posture of the probe main body.

[Action]

2 stored in the ball plenum with the above configuration
According to the posture of the probe body depending on the direction of the probe, the two closing balls fall by gravity into the two lower ones of the four ball plenums, which causes the lower couplant branch. When the holes are closed and supplied to the couplant supply holes from the outside, the couplant flows from the upper two ball plenums to the branch holes communicating therewith, and through the upper tapered recesses to the bottom surface of the probe body. It hangs down by gravity between the surface of the vertical object to be inspected and does not always cause couplant break.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the ultrasonic probe of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Fig. 1 is a front view thereof, Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line II-II of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is Fig. 2. FIG. 3 is a bottom view taken along line III-III in FIG.

In the figure, the inclined surface of the one side toward the ultrasonic probe 1 ₀ surface 1 of the rectangular probe body 1 constituting a ', together with the transducer 2 is mounted and fixed, compared to the center of the surface A couplant supply hole 3 having a relatively large diameter is formed up to about half the thickness. Further, inside the probe main body 1, four ball plenums 5a having a space which communicates with the inner depth of the couplant supply hole 3 and can accommodate one closing ball 4 each,
5b, 5c, and 5d are formed in a cross shape toward the four corners, and from each of the tip portions thereof, couplant branch holes 6a, 6b, 6c, and 6d each having a smaller diameter than that of the probe body bottom surface 1 "are formed. It extends toward the four corners. In addition, branch holes 6a, 6b, 6c, and
Rectangular tapered recesses 7a, 7b, 7c, 7d communicating with 6d and becoming shallower inward are formed.

In such a device, two balls 4 are movably inserted into the couplant supply hole 3 and the ball plenums 5a to 5d, and each ball plenum 5a to 5d can accommodate only one ball 4, Depending on the posture of the probe main body 1 depending on the probe direction, the ball 4 has a ball plenum 5a.
Gravity enters into the two things below ~ 5d.

That is, in the case shown in the figure, flaw detection is performed in the direction A from the bottom to the top in the direction of gravity in the direction of arrow G in FIG. 5, and the two balls 4 are located below the ball plenums 5a and 5b.
One falls into the inside by gravity and enters. Then, the balls 4 block the couplant branch holes 6a and 6b, respectively, so that the couplant 8 supplied from the outside to the couplant supply hole 3 is provided with an upper ball plenum 5
Flows from c, 5d to the Couplant branch holes 6c, 6d and hangs by gravity between the bottom surface 1 ″ of the probe main body and the vertical surface of the container 10 via the tapered recesses 7c, 7d, and constantly hangs down. The couplant 8 is supplied between the probe surface 1 ″ and the container 10, so that good coupling between the probe main body 1 and the container 10 is obtained.

In the case of flaw detection in the B direction, contrary to the above case, the balls 4 fall one by one into the ball plenums 5c and 5d due to gravity, and only the couplant branch holes 6a and 6b that are on the upper side in the gravitational direction are couplanted. In the case of flaw detection in the C direction, the ball 4 is the ball plenum 5a,
5c, the same action is performed, and in the case of D-direction flaw detection, the ball 4 falls into the ball plenums 5b, 5d and the same action is performed.

[Effect of device]

In short, according to the present invention, a rectangular parallelepiped probe main body in which a transducer is disposed on the surface side and a couplant supply hole is formed from the center of the surface to the inside, and the couplant in the probe main body Blocking ball 1 communicating with the supply hole
Four ball plenums were formed in a cross shape toward the four corners of the probe main body with a space for accommodating individual pieces, and extended from the tip of each ball plenum to the four corners of the bottom surface of the probe main body. A couplant branch hole having a diameter smaller than that of the ball plenum, tapered recesses formed at the four corners of the bottom surface of the probe body that communicate with the tip of the couplant branch hole and are formed inwardly shallowly, and are housed in the ball plenum. Since the probe main body is provided with two closing balls that fall into two ball plenums by gravity depending on the flaw detection posture of the probe main body, the flaw can be detected in any direction in the vertical plane. There is no disconnection of the couplant between the object and the probe, and the couplant only needs to be supplied in the minimum necessary amount for easy post-processing, and unnecessary replacement of the probe and the attachment is unnecessary. Since flaw detection probe different directions in the probe to obtain a ultrasonic probe reliably and performed effectively, the present invention is intended on extremely valuable industrial.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing an embodiment of the ultrasonic probe of the present invention,
2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along line II-II in FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a bottom view taken along line III-III in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a flaw-detected object of the ultrasonic probe of the present invention. And FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing the flaw detection direction with respect to the above. FIG. 6 and FIG. 7 are a longitudinal sectional view and a partially longitudinal side view showing different conventional ultrasonic probes, respectively. 1 0 _...... ultrasonic probe 1 ...... probe body, 2 ...... vibrator, 3 ...... couplant supply hole, 4 ...... occluding ball, 5
a to 5d ... Ball plenum, 6a to 6d ... Couplant branch hole, 7a to 7d ... Tapered recess, 8 ... Couplant, 10 ... Vessel, 11 ... Axial weld, 12 ...
… Circumferential welds.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A rectangular parallelepiped probe main body in which a vibrator is arranged on the front surface side and a couplant supply hole is formed from the center of the surface to the inside, and the couplant supply hole in the probe main body. And four ball plenums that are formed in a cross shape toward the four corners of the probe main body and have a space for accommodating one blocking ball, and the probe main body from the tip of each ball plenum. Of the ball plenum that is extended to the four corners of the bottom of the probe, and tapered recesses that communicate with the tips of the couplant branch holes at the four corners of the bottom of the probe body and that are formed inwardly shallowly. An ultrasonic probe comprising: a ball plenum, and two obstruction balls that are housed in the ball plenum and fall into the two ball plenums by gravity depending on the flaw detection posture of the probe main body.