Ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coating products

Abstract

The application provides an ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coating products, which comprises a support assembly, a central shaft, a support wheel roller, an outer cylinder and a driving assembly. The support wheel roller has a hollow area and is provided with a linear array ultrasonic probe. The outer cylinder is sleeved on the support wheel roller. The two cooperate to make the coating product to be detected bear uniform force in the width direction. The outer cylinder is provided with an inlet / outlet port and a flexible coupling coating, which reduces ultrasonic wave attenuation and improves detection sensitivity. The driving assembly realizes stable driving through a belt wheel belt assembly, ensures that the linear velocity of the coating product to be detected and the cylinder part is the same, and avoids local stretching. In addition, a rotation locking structure is arranged between the support monomer and the central shaft to improve stability. A plurality of roller groups are distributed in a ring shape at equal distances to increase the support area. The cylinder part is provided with an observation hole to facilitate observation of the internal situation. The mechanism can realize continuous and high-precision ultrasonic scanning detection, improve detection efficiency and product quality control level.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of coating inspection technology, and in particular to an ultrasonic rapid scanning inspection mechanism for coated products. Background Technology

[0002] In the manufacturing process of lithium batteries, the coating of electrode slurry onto current collectors (such as copper foil and aluminum foil) is a core process that determines cell performance and yield. Coating quality, specifically including coating thickness consistency, coating areal density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.), directly affects battery safety, cycle life, and energy density. Therefore, effective and precise monitoring of coating quality is crucial.

[0003] Currently, traditional quality inspection methods are mostly offline sampling inspections. Specifically, coated electrode sheets are first rolled up, and then sampled for inspection in subsequent processes. However, this method has significant drawbacks. It is difficult to accurately detect coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and the type and location of coating defects. Furthermore, it is difficult to precisely locate the specific position of electrode sheets with quality problems. Moreover, if a systemic coating quality problem is detected in the entire roll, the entire roll of expensive electrode material will be scrapped, resulting in a serious waste of raw materials such as active materials and current collectors, increasing production costs. Simultaneously, by the time a coating quality problem is discovered, a large number of electrode sheets may have already been produced between the point of origin and the inspection point, making it impossible to correct the problem in a timely manner. This hinders real-time monitoring and closed-loop feedback of the production process, impacting production efficiency and failing to meet the current demands for efficient and precise production.

[0004] To overcome the shortcomings of offline inspection, online inspection technology has become an inevitable development direction. Among them, ultrasonic testing technology is regarded as the best solution for non-destructive online quality inspection due to its advantages such as being able to penetrate materials, being sensitive to defects such as bubbles, and enabling non-contact or micro-contact measurement.

[0005] Chinese patent CN115524401A discloses an ultrasonic sensor for detecting the internal state of lithium-ion batteries. It uses a water-filled roller as a coupling medium to transmit sound waves from a linear ultrasonic probe to the encapsulated lithium-ion battery, thereby assessing the battery's state of charge, internal defects, and electrolyte wetting. However, CN115524401A focuses on evaluating the internal state of finished batteries, emphasizing a static or quasi-static detection method. Its device design does not consider synchronous and rapid scanning with continuously moving electrode strips, failing to achieve true online and rapid detection. It does not fall under the category of real-time quality inspection of electrodes that are not yet rolled up and continuously transported at high speed during the coating process. In other words, the existing technology lacks a dedicated mechanism that can be directly integrated into the coating production line to perform real-time, efficient, and high-precision ultrasonic scanning detection of coating quality (coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.) during continuous electrode transport.

[0006] Therefore, we propose an ultrasonic rapid scanning testing mechanism for coated products. Summary of the Invention

[0007] The purpose of this invention is to provide an ultrasonic rapid scanning inspection mechanism for coated products, addressing the technical problems of low inspection efficiency, difficult quality control, and serious raw material waste caused by the lack of dedicated equipment in the existing technology capable of real-time, efficient, and high-precision ultrasonic inspection during continuous electrode conveying. Specifically, this invention provides a dedicated mechanism that can be directly integrated into the coating production line to perform real-time, efficient, and high-precision ultrasonic scanning inspection of coating quality (coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.) during continuous electrode conveying.

[0008] This invention provides an ultrasonic rapid scanning testing mechanism for coated products, including a support assembly, a central shaft, a support roller, an outer cylinder, and a drive assembly. The support roller has a hollowed-out area, within which a linear array ultrasonic probe is installed. The support assembly provides stable support for the entire mechanism, ensuring stable installation of the central shaft. The central shaft connects two support units, serving as a key transmission component. The support roller is fixedly sleeved on the central shaft, and its outer wall has multiple roller sets parallel to the central shaft axis. This not only provides stable support and transmission but also disperses the pressure generated during the transport of the coated product, reducing localized wear and extending service life. The outer cylinder is sleeved on the support roller and rotates relative to the central shaft via a bearing assembly, enabling continuous transport of the coated product. The cooperation between the outer cylinder and the support roller ensures uniform force on the coated product in the width direction, preventing tension or compression from affecting the testing results. The drive assembly drives the outer cylinder to rotate, ensuring that the rotational linear velocity of the outer cylinder matches the transport speed of the coated product, preventing friction between the outer cylinder and the product, and providing power for the entire testing process. This device enables ultrasonic testing during the transport of coated products without stopping the transport, greatly improving testing efficiency. It is particularly suitable for real-time monitoring of the quality of coated products on continuous production lines, accurately detecting the consistency of coating thickness, coating surface density, and the type and location of coating defects. This helps to promptly identify and address coating quality issues, improving product pass rates. At the same time, the linear array ultrasonic probe makes the testing process more stable and reliable, reducing testing errors caused by human operation or environmental factors.

[0009] The ultrasonic rapid scanning and testing mechanism for coated products provided by this invention highly integrates support, guidance, drive, and ultrasonic testing functions into one unit. The linear array ultrasonic probe is built into the support roller, resulting in a compact and reliable structure that can be directly integrated into the coating production line. It performs synchronous scanning and testing on coated products being transported at high speed and continuously, achieving a leap from offline sampling inspection to online non-destructive full inspection. Simultaneously, it can acquire high-resolution data on the surface and interior of the electrode sheets, effectively identifying coating defects such as micron-level bubbles, delamination, and pinholes. It can not only accurately detect the coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and the type and location of coating defects in the coated products under test, but also precisely locate the specific position of electrode sheets with quality problems. This facilitates production traceability and real-time adjustment of process parameters, avoiding large-scale material scrap due to undetected coating quality issues and significantly reducing production costs.

[0010] In other embodiments, the outer cylinder includes a cylindrical section and shaft sections connected to both ends of the cylindrical section's axis and extending outwards. The shaft sections are sleeved on a central shaft. The coated product to be tested is in close contact with the cylindrical section, and the height of the contact arc surface between the coated product to be tested and the cylindrical section is lower than the apex of the cylindrical section. The ultrasonic waves emitted by the linear array ultrasonic probe effectively pass through the contact surface between the coated product to be tested and the cylindrical section. This structural design optimizes the sound wave transmission path, ensuring that the sound waves from the linear array ultrasonic probe can effectively pass through the contact interface between the coated product to be tested and the cylindrical section. Combined with immersion coupling, the coupling liquid can be stably retained during immersion testing, preventing liquid loss due to equipment rotation or flow. That is, no matter how the cylindrical section rotates, the area to be tested is always submerged below the liquid surface, effectively eliminating air and thus ensuring stable acoustic coupling and testing results.

[0011] In other embodiments, the cylinder is provided with an inlet / outlet, and a coupling fluid is provided inside the cylinder. The inlet / outlet facilitates the addition or removal of the coupling fluid into the cylinder. The coupling fluid plays an important role in ultrasonic testing by transmitting ultrasonic waves and reducing the attenuation of ultrasonic waves during propagation, thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the test. At the same time, the design of the inlet / outlet takes into account sealing and ease of operation, preventing the coupling fluid from leaking or external impurities from entering the cylinder.

[0012] In other embodiments, a flexible coupling coating is provided on the radial outer wall of the cylinder, and the flexible coupling coating is cured onto the outer surface of the cylinder by a curing process. The flexible coupling coating has good elasticity, and applying a certain pressure to the flexible coupling coating can improve the acoustic coupling effect between the cylinder and the coated product under test, further improving the sensitivity and accuracy of ultrasonic testing. Furthermore, its thickness and uniformity are strictly controlled to ensure the reliability of the test results.

[0013] In other embodiments, the support unit has a mounting hole for the central shaft to pass through, and a rotation locking structure is also provided between the support unit and the central shaft. The mounting hole allows the central shaft to easily pass through the support unit and be fixed, and the rotation locking structure ensures that the central shaft will not move axially or rotate during operation, improving the stability and accuracy of the entire mechanism. Key connections, pin connections, or threaded connections can be used.

[0014] In other embodiments, the bearing assembly includes an inner bearing and an outer bearing. The inner bearing is disposed between the central shaft and the shaft portion, and the outer bearing is disposed between the shaft portion and the mounting hole. The bearing assembly is used to reduce friction and wear between the outer cylinder and the central shaft, improve operating efficiency and stability, and the inner and outer bearings respectively bear the radial and axial forces between the outer cylinder and the central shaft, ensuring the stable operation of the entire mechanism.

[0015] In other embodiments, the drive assembly includes a rotary drive device, a rotary shaft, and multiple pulley and belt assemblies. The rotary shaft is rotatably positioned between two support units. The rotary drive device is connected to the rotary shaft via a first pulley and belt assembly, and the rotary shaft is connected to the shaft portions at both ends via two second pulley and belt assemblies. The rotary drive device provides a power source, transmitting power to the rotary shaft via the pulley and belt assemblies, and then to the outer cylinder, achieving stable drive of the outer cylinder. Since the same rotary drive device simultaneously drives the shaft portions on both sides of the cylinder to rotate, the rotational stability is improved. It also ensures that the linear velocity of the coated product under test in contact with the cylinder remains the same, avoiding friction between the roller and the coated product under test, which could cause tensile / compressive damage to the coated product and the flexible coupling coating, affecting the testing results.

[0016] In other embodiments, the first pulley and belt assembly is located in the middle of the rotating shaft. Positioning the first pulley and belt assembly in the middle of the rotating shaft allows for smoother and more uniform power transmission, preventing vibrations or unbalanced forces from occurring on the rotating shaft during operation, which could affect the stability and accuracy of the entire mechanism.

[0017] In other embodiments, multiple roller groups are arranged in a ring with equal spacing, and each roller group has multiple individual rollers spaced apart along the central axis. The ring-shaped equidistant distribution of the roller groups ensures that the coated product under test receives uniform support during transport, reducing local stress concentration and deformation. The design of the rollers spaced apart along the central axis further increases the support area and improves transmission efficiency.

[0018] In other embodiments, an observation hole is also provided on the axial sidewall of the cylinder. This allows operators to observe the internal conditions of the cylinder, such as the level of the coupling fluid, enabling them to understand the operating status of the equipment in a timely manner and take appropriate measures. The observation hole is located near the vertical apex of the cylinder.

[0019] In other embodiments, the ultrasonic rapid scanning testing mechanism for coated products further includes an air-coupled linear ultrasonic probe located on the side of the coated product to be tested away from the linear ultrasonic probe.

[0020] Air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probes use air as the coupling medium, making them particularly suitable for wet coatings that are not yet dry after application. During testing, the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe is suspended directly above the wet coating, while the linear array ultrasonic probe is positioned on the back side of the substrate, enabling non-contact transmission detection of the wet coating. Furthermore, air coupling fundamentally avoids the contamination caused by traditional water immersion or spray coupling, and eliminates the risk of physical damage associated with solid-contact coupling, ensuring that the coated surface remains intact throughout the testing process.

[0021] The linear array ultrasonic probe and the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe form a dual-sided layout, which can independently receive ultrasonic reflected signals and also collaboratively acquire transmitted signals that penetrate the entire coating layer and substrate. The transmission mode has extremely high sensitivity to coating thickness, areal density, and defects, and can effectively respond to deep, weak interface changes that are difficult to capture by traditional reflection methods. The fusion analysis of reflected and transmitted signals can corroborate each other and complement blind spots, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of the test results. Attached Figure Description

[0022] Figure 1 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 2 This is the front view of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 3 for Figure 2 A sectional view of section AA in the middle.

[0025] Figure 4 This is a side view of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 5 for Figure 4 Sectional view of section BB Figure 6 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the present invention (after removing the outer cylinder).

[0027] Figure 7 This is a cross-sectional view of the structure in Embodiment 2 of the present invention.

[0028] in: 100, Support assembly; 200, Central shaft; 300, Support roller; 400, Outer cylinder; 500, Bearing assembly; 600, Drive assembly; 700, Linear array ultrasonic probe; 800, Coated product to be tested; 810, Contact surface; 900, Air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe; 110. Support unit; 111. Mounting hole; 112. Rotary locking structure; 310. Roller assembly; 311. Roller unit; 320. Hollowed-out area; 410. Cylinder; 420. Shaft; 411. Inlet / outlet; 412. Flexible coupling coating; 413. Observation hole; 510. Inner bearing; 520. Outer bearing; 610. Rotary drive device; 620. Rotary shaft; 630. Pulley and belt assembly; 631. First pulley and belt assembly; 632. Second pulley and belt assembly. Detailed Implementation

[0029] The specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0030] Example 1 like Figures 1-6As shown, this embodiment discloses an ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products, including a support assembly 100, a central shaft 200, a support roller 300, an outer cylinder 400, and a drive assembly 600. The support roller 300 has a hollowed-out area 320, within which a linear array ultrasonic probe 700 is installed, enabling ultrasonic detection during the transport of the coated product 800 to be tested. This ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products is designed to achieve efficient and accurate quality inspection of the coated product 800. By creating a hollowed-out area 320 on the support roller 300 and installing a linear array ultrasonic probe 700, ultrasonic detection can be performed in real-time during the transport of the coated product 800 without stopping the transport, thus greatly improving detection efficiency. This design is particularly suitable for real-time monitoring of the quality of coated products 800 under test on continuous production lines. It can accurately detect the consistency of coating thickness and surface density, as well as the type and location of coating defects. It can also precisely locate the physical coordinates of coating quality problems along the electrode length, facilitating timely detection and handling of quality issues, enabling production traceability and immediate adjustment of process parameters, and improving product yield. Furthermore, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 covers the width of the coated product 800 under test. Instead of mechanically driving the probe for two-dimensional planar scanning, it electronically switches array elements or controls the beam deflection to cover the entire width range in one pass. This fully electronic scanning mechanism significantly reduces the frequency of moving parts, upgrading single-point line-by-line scanning to linear array parallel scanning, thus multiplying detection efficiency and meeting the high-speed continuous production requirements of coating production lines.

[0031] Specifically, the support assembly 100 in this embodiment includes two parallel and spaced support units 110. The support assembly 100 provides stability and accuracy for the entire mechanism. The two parallel and spaced support units 110 can ensure the stable installation of the central shaft 200 and provide sufficient support force so that the entire mechanism can remain stable when operating at high speed.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the central shaft 200 is connected between two support units 110. The two ends of the central shaft 200 are connected to the support units 110 to reduce friction and wear.

[0033] like Figure 3 , Figures 5-6 As shown, in this embodiment, the support roller 300 is fixedly sleeved on the central shaft 200, and the outer wall of the support roller 300 is provided with a plurality of roller groups 310 parallel to the axis of the central shaft 200; the support roller 300 is used to provide stable support and transmission.

[0034] During the transport of the coated product 800 under test, radial pressure is applied to the outer cylinder 400. Given the large axial span of the outer cylinder 400, and to reduce the attenuation of ultrasonic signals due to its wall thickness, the outer cylinder 400 is typically designed to be relatively thin. This results in insufficient structural rigidity, making it prone to deformation under pressure. Therefore, a support roller 300 is installed inside the outer cylinder 400 to provide internal support and enhance its resistance to deformation. The multiple roller units 311 included in the support roller 300 further increase the contact area with the inner wall of the outer cylinder 400, ensuring uniform and effective support, thereby effectively suppressing deformation of the outer cylinder 400.

[0035] It should be noted that, in order to improve the transmission efficiency of ultrasonic signals, a flexible coupling coating 412 is cured on the outer surface of the outer cylinder 400. During ultrasonic testing, the flexible coupling coating 412 undergoes elastic deformation under the pressure of the coated product 800 under test, thereby actively filling the microscopic gaps at the contact surface between the two, effectively eliminating residual trace amounts of air at the contact surface, and forming a tight acoustic coupling with the surface of the coated product 800 under test, thus significantly improving the transmission efficiency of ultrasonic waves and the integrity of the detection signal.

[0036] like Figure 3 and Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the outer cylinder 400 is sleeved on the support roller 300, and the outer cylinder 400 and the central shaft 200 rotate relative to each other via a bearing assembly 500. The outer cylinder 400 achieves relative rotation with the support roller 300, thereby driving the coated product 800 to be tested for conveying. The outer cylinder 400 is sleeved on the support roller 300 and achieves relative rotation with the central shaft 200 via the bearing assembly 500. This design allows the outer cylinder 400 to maintain synchronous rotation with the support roller 300 during operation, while also being able to rotate independently of the central shaft 200, thus achieving continuous conveying of the coated product 800 to be tested. The bearing assembly 500 in this embodiment ensures the stability of the outer cylinder 400 even during high-speed operation. Combined with the precise fit between the outer cylinder 400 and the support roller 300, this design ensures uniform force on the tested coated product 800 in the width direction, effectively preventing damage caused by excessive stretching or compression of the tested coated product 800 and the flexible coupling coating 412 due to localized stress concentration. This protection is crucial because any physical deformation will alter the uniformity and internal structure of the tested coated product 800 and the flexible coupling coating 412, leading to abnormal attenuation or waveform distortion of the ultrasonic signal. Ultimately, this results in distorted detection signals, a decreased signal-to-noise ratio, and even misjudgments of critical quality aspects such as coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defect status of the tested coated product 800.

[0037] like Figure 2 and Figure 5As shown, the drive assembly 600 in this embodiment is used to drive the outer cylinder 400 to rotate. The drive assembly 600 in this embodiment consists of a rotary drive device 610, a rotating shaft 620, and multiple pulley and belt assemblies 630, enabling stable driving of the outer cylinder 400. The rotary drive device 610 uses a high-efficiency and stable power source such as an electric motor or hydraulic motor. Electric motors or hydraulic motors have advantages such as high efficiency, stability, and ease of control, and can meet the power requirements for the rotation of the outer cylinder 400. At the same time, these power sources also have good speed regulation performance, allowing adjustment of the rotation speed of the outer cylinder 400 according to actual needs, thereby achieving different detection requirements. The design of the pulley and belt assembly 630 ensures smooth power transmission. The pulley and belt assembly 630 consists of pulleys and belts; the rotation of the pulleys drives the movement of the belt, thereby achieving power transmission. This design has advantages such as simple structure, smooth transmission, and low noise, ensuring the stability of the outer cylinder 400 during rotation.

[0038] In this embodiment, it is necessary to ensure that the conveying speed of the coated product 800 under test is strictly synchronized with the rotational linear speed of the outer cylinder 400. Any speed difference will introduce unnecessary sliding friction or additional stress at the contact surface 810 between the coated product 800 under test and the flexible coupling coating 412, thereby causing tensile or compressive deformation of the coated product 800 under test and the flexible coupling coating 412. This may not only cause physical damage, but also act as interference, directly changing the inherent acoustic characteristics (such as density and acoustic impedance) of the coated product 800 under test and the flexible coupling coating 412, thereby causing changes in the propagation speed of the ultrasonic signal, abnormal echo amplitude, or waveform distortion. Ultimately, this leads to baseline drift of the detection signal, a decrease in the signal-to-noise ratio, and a significant increase in the risk of misjudging key quality indicators such as coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defect status of the coated product 800 under test.

[0039] In this embodiment, the outer cylinder 400 includes a cylinder portion 410 and a shaft portion 420 connected to both ends of the cylinder portion 410 and extending outward. The shaft portion 420 is sleeved on the central shaft 200. The cylinder portion 410 contacts the coated product 800 to be tested, and the height of the contact surface 810 between the coated product 800 to be tested and the cylinder portion 410 is lower than the apex of the cylinder portion 410. The linear array ultrasonic probe 700 scans the contact surface 810, so that the coated product 800 to be tested can be in close contact with the cylinder portion 410. At the same time, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 can accurately scan the contact surface 810, thereby achieving accurate ultrasonic detection. Specifically, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 emits ultrasonic waves to the coated product 800 to be tested and receives ultrasonic reflection signals.

[0040] It should be noted that in Example 1, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 emits ultrasonic waves to the coated product 800 under test and receives the ultrasonic reflection signals. The quality of the coated product 800 is detected based on these ultrasonic reflection signals, specifically including the physical thickness and areal density of the coating, and whether defects such as bubbles / pinholes, delamination / peeling, and impurities / clumps appear in the coating. The principle for detecting the physical thickness of the coating is as follows: the propagation speed of ultrasonic waves in the coating is relatively fixed. By measuring the time interval between the echo reflected from the coating surface and the echo reflected from the coating-current collector interface, the physical thickness of the coating can be directly calculated. The principle for detecting the areal density of the coating is as follows: areal density is closely related to the acoustic impedance and ultrasonic wave attenuation of the coating. The areal density of the coating can be measured using the amplitude method or the sound velocity method. The denser the coating (the greater the areal density), the stronger the attenuation of ultrasonic waves, and the smaller the amplitude of the echo returned from the coating-current collector interface. Changes in the elastic modulus and density of the coating also cause slight changes in the sound velocity, thus affecting the echo time. The detection principle for bubbles / pinholes is as follows: Bubbles / pinholes are filled with air, and their acoustic impedance differs greatly from that of the coating material. Ultrasonic waves are strongly reflected at the interfaces above and below the defect, causing the ultrasonic reflection signal penetrating the substrate to weaken or disappear. Simultaneously, an additional strong echo signal is generated at the defect location. Delamination / separation refers to separation within the coating or between the coating and the current collector. Delamination / separation creates a very obvious new interface. The detection principle for delamination / separation is as follows: Ultrasonic waves are strongly reflected at the delamination / separation point, and their echo time is between the surface echo and the substrate echo, making them easily identifiable. The detection principle for impurities / agglomerates is as follows: The density and acoustic characteristics of impurities / agglomerates differ from those of normal coatings, causing localized echo anomalies or acoustic scattering.

[0041] In addition, based on the array element layout of the linear ultrasonic probe 700 and the conveying speed of the coated product 800 under test, the coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defect location of the coated product 800 under test can be detected.

[0042] At the same time, such as Figure 3 As shown, in this embodiment, the height of the contact surface 810 between the coated product 800 under test and the cylinder 410 is lower than the vertical apex of the cylinder 410. This structure aims to utilize the shape of the cylinder 410 itself to form a stable local liquid pool together with the coupling fluid, thereby ensuring that the ultrasonic waves are always completely covered by the coupling fluid along the transmission path of the contact surface 810. If the height of the contact surface 810 is located at the vertical apex of the cylinder 410, the coupling fluid will be difficult to retain due to the surface tension and gravity of the liquid, and will easily be lost due to rotation or slight leakage, resulting in interruption of acoustic coupling, signal attenuation, and ultimately making ultrasonic testing ineffective.

[0043] Since the upper part of the coated product 800 to be tested is coated, and the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 in this embodiment is used to detect the coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.) of the coated product 800, in order to protect the undried wet coating layer and prevent it from peeling off or being damaged due to its downward orientation, the coated product 800 to be tested needs to be transported with the coating layer facing upwards. Therefore, the uncoated lower part of the coated product 800 to be tested contacts and passes through the upper part of the outer cylinder 400. Accordingly, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 is set to face upwards to perform ultrasonic testing on the transmission path of the contact surface 810 located below the vertical apex of the cylinder 410.

[0044] In this embodiment, the cylindrical portion 410 is provided with an inlet / outlet port 411, and a coupling fluid is disposed inside the cylindrical portion 410. The inlet / outlet port 411 allows for convenient addition or removal of the coupling fluid into the cylindrical portion 410. The coupling fluid plays a crucial role in ultrasonic testing by transmitting sound waves and optimizing signals. It first eliminates air, establishing a sound transmission path, and then achieves acoustic impedance matching with the test object (such as the coated product 800 under test), thereby significantly reducing energy loss of sound waves at the interface and ensuring detection sensitivity and signal-to-noise ratio. Commonly used types include deionized water and silicone oil; the specific type should be selected based on parameters such as the material of the coated product 800 under test and the detection frequency.

[0045] In addition, the design of the inlet / outlet 411 also needs to consider its sealing and ease of operation to prevent the coupling fluid from leaking or external impurities from entering the cylinder 410.

[0046] In this embodiment, a flexible coupling coating 412 is cured onto the radial outer wall of the cylinder 410 using a curing process. This process ensures a stable bond between the flexible coupling coating 412 and the cylinder 410, guaranteeing its durability and reliability during the testing process. The flexible coupling coating 412 has a specific elastic modulus, enabling it to undergo adaptive deformation during testing. It tightly adheres to the contact interface between the coated product 800 under test and the cylinder 410, effectively filling microscopic gaps, reducing acoustic impedance mismatch and energy loss during ultrasonic wave propagation, and improving the coupling efficiency and signal quality of ultrasonic testing, thereby enhancing detection sensitivity and accuracy. Simultaneously, the flexible coupling coating 412 has uniform thickness in both the axial and circumferential directions to ensure the consistency of the ultrasonic wave propagation path, avoiding sound wave scattering and signal distortion caused by thickness deviations. The flexible coupling coating 412 is free of defects such as bubbles and impurities inside and on its surface to ensure the integrity of sound wave transmission, further improving detection sensitivity and accuracy. The material of the flexible coupling coating 412 includes, but is not limited to, silicone.

[0047] like Figure 5As shown, in this embodiment, the support unit 110 is provided with a mounting hole 111 for the central shaft 200 to pass through, and a rotary locking structure 112 is also provided between the support unit 110 and the central shaft 200. The design of the mounting hole 111 allows the central shaft 200 to easily pass through the support unit 110 and be fixed. The rotary locking structure 112 ensures that the central shaft 200 will not move axially or rotate during operation, thereby improving the stability and accuracy of the entire mechanism. The rotary locking structure 112 can be connected by a key, pin, or thread.

[0048] like Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the bearing assembly 500 includes an inner bearing 510 and an outer bearing 520. The inner bearing 510 is disposed between the central shaft 200 and the shaft portion 420, and the outer bearing 520 is disposed between the shaft portion 420 and the mounting hole 111. The bearing assembly 500 is used to reduce friction and wear between the outer cylinder 400 and the central shaft 200, thereby improving operating efficiency and stability. The inner bearing 510 and the outer bearing 520 can respectively bear the radial force and axial force between the outer cylinder 400 and the central shaft 200, thus ensuring the stable operation of the entire mechanism.

[0049] like Figures 2-3 as well as Figure 5 As shown, in this embodiment, the drive assembly 600 includes a rotary drive device 610, a rotary shaft 620, and multiple pulley and belt assemblies 630. The rotary shaft 620 is rotatably disposed between two support units 110. The rotary drive device 610 is connected to the rotary shaft 620 via a first pulley and belt assembly 631, and the rotary shaft 620 is connected to the shaft portions 420 at both ends via two second pulley and belt assemblies 632. The drive assembly 600 provides stable drive for the outer cylinder 400. A rotary drive device 610 provides a power source, transmitting power to a rotating shaft 620 via a first pulley and belt assembly 631. The rotating shaft 620 then transmits power to the shafts 420 at both ends via two second pulley and belt assemblies 632, thereby driving the outer cylinder 400 to rotate. Since the same rotary drive device 610 simultaneously drives the shafts 420 and cylinder 410 on both sides of the cylinder 410, this symmetrical drive design ensures the synchronicity and stability of the outer cylinder 400's rotational motion, thus guaranteeing that the linear velocity of the contact surface between the coated product 800 and the cylinder 410 is strictly consistent. This effectively avoids localized stretching or compression of the coated product 800 and the flexible coupling coating 412 due to speed differences, preventing such deformation from introducing additional stress and altering the material's acoustic properties. This fundamentally eliminates testing errors in key coating quality parameters such as coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.) caused by signal distortion.

[0050] In this embodiment, the first pulley belt assembly 631 is located at the center of the rotating shaft 620. Positioning the first pulley belt assembly 631 at the center of the rotating shaft 620 allows for smoother and more uniform power transmission. If the first pulley belt assembly 631 deviates from the center of the rotating shaft 620, it may cause vibration or unbalanced forces during operation, thereby affecting the stability and accuracy of the entire mechanism.

[0051] like Figure 6 As shown, in this embodiment, multiple roller groups 310 are arranged in a ring with equal spacing, and multiple roller units 311 are arranged on the roller groups 310 at intervals along the central axis 200. The ring-shaped equidistant distribution design of the roller groups 310 enables the coated product 800 to be tested to receive uniform support force during transportation, reducing local stress concentration and deformation. At the same time, the design of the roller units 311 at intervals along the central axis 200 can further increase the support area and improve the transmission efficiency.

[0052] In this embodiment, an observation hole 413 is also provided on the axial sidewall of the cylinder 410. This allows operators to easily observe the internal conditions of the cylinder 410, such as the level of the coupling fluid and the contact status of the coated product 800 under test. Through the observation hole 413, operators can promptly understand the operating status of the equipment and identify potential problems, thereby taking appropriate measures to address them. The observation hole 413 is located near the apex of the cylinder 410 in the vertical direction.

[0053] The specific working principle is as follows: First, coupling fluid is added into the cylinder 410 through the inlet / outlet 411, while ensuring that the coupling fluid covers the contact surface between the coated product 800 to be tested and the cylinder 410. The purpose of adding coupling fluid is to transmit ultrasonic waves and reduce the attenuation of ultrasonic waves during propagation, thereby improving the sensitivity and accuracy of the detection.

[0054] By activating the rotary drive device 610, which provides a power source, the power is transmitted to the rotating shaft 620 via the pulley and belt assembly 630, and then to the outer cylinder 400, thereby driving the outer cylinder 400 to rotate. The relative rotation between the outer cylinder 400 and the support roller 300 ensures that the coated product 800 under test remains stable during transport and allows for continuous ultrasonic testing.

[0055] The coated product 800 to be tested contacts the cylinder 410 and is conveyed by a traction device. The rotational speed of the cylinder 410 needs to match the conveying speed of the coated product 800 to maintain the same linear velocity. This ensures that the coated product 800 remains stable during conveying and does not undergo stretching or compression deformation due to speed differences, thus affecting the accuracy of the test results. The traction device needs to move the coated product 800 uniformly to avoid stretching or compression, and also facilitate speed matching of the outer cylinder 400.

[0056] The linear array ultrasonic probe 700 continuously emits ultrasonic beams and receives ultrasonic reflection signals from inside the coated product 800 under test. The linear array ultrasonic probe 700 performs dynamic ultrasonic testing on the continuously passing coated product 800 in an online manner. By acquiring and processing ultrasonic data in real time, it achieves full-process, continuous monitoring and evaluation of the coating quality of the coated product 800 under test. Coating quality includes coating thickness consistency, coating surface density consistency, and coating defects (bubbles, pinholes, delamination, etc.).

[0057] As can be seen from the above description of the working principle, the ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products in this embodiment has advantages such as simple structure, smooth transmission, and accurate detection. It can realize continuous ultrasonic scanning of a single-layer coated product 800, improving detection efficiency and accuracy, and providing strong support for quality control during the production process of the coated product 800.

[0058] Example 2 like Figure 7 As shown, unlike Embodiment 1, this embodiment also includes an air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900, located on the side of the coated product 800 to be tested away from the linear array ultrasonic probe 700. In Embodiment 1, the coated product 800 to be tested only has a linear array ultrasonic probe 700 on one side, and the coating thickness, areal density, and defects can only be analyzed by analyzing the ultrasonic reflection signal. In Embodiment 2, a dual-sided layout is formed by the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 and the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900. It can independently receive ultrasonic reflection signals and also collaboratively acquire transmission signals that penetrate the entire coating layer and substrate. The transmission mode has extremely high sensitivity to coating thickness, areal density, and defects, and can effectively respond to deep weak interface changes that are difficult to capture by traditional reflection methods. The fusion analysis of reflection and transmission signals can corroborate each other and complement blind spots, significantly improving the accuracy and reliability of the test results.

[0059] The air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 uses air as the coupling medium, making it particularly suitable for wet coatings that are not yet dry after application. During testing, the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 is suspended directly above the wet coating. Its working distance is determined comprehensively based on the probe's nominal focal length, the center frequency of the array elements, and the acoustic characteristics of the coating to ensure stable transmission of the ultrasonic signal. Meanwhile, the linear array ultrasonic probe 700 is located on the back side of the substrate, enabling non-contact transmission detection of wet coatings. The air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 fundamentally avoids the contamination problems caused by traditional water immersion in coated products and eliminates the risk of physical damage from solid-state contact coupling, ensuring that the coated surface remains intact and undamaged throughout the testing process.

[0060] Furthermore, in Example 2, a dual-linear array transceiver structure is constructed using a linear array ultrasonic probe 700 and an air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900. Utilizing phased-array beam deflection and dynamic focusing technology, the incident angle and receiving direction of the acoustic beam can be adjusted in real time, ensuring that the center of the transmitting beam and the receiving aperture are always precisely aligned. This mechanism effectively suppresses acoustic beam misalignment caused by production line transmission jitter, coating width fluctuations, or substrate thickness variations, ensuring that the transmitted signal amplitude stably reflects the acoustic attenuation characteristics of the coating itself, rather than mechanical alignment errors. The thickness consistency evaluation results obtained as a result have better repeatability and comparability, significantly improving the reliability of the system's detection under continuous production conditions.

[0061] In one embodiment of Example 2, a linear array ultrasonic probe 700 emits ultrasonic waves to the coated product 800 under test and receives the reflected ultrasonic signals, while an air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 receives the transmitted ultrasonic signals that pass through the coated product 800 under test. Alternatively, the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 can also emit ultrasonic waves to the coated product 800 under test and receive the reflected ultrasonic signals.

[0062] The effective aperture width of the air-coupled linear array ultrasonic probe 900 is matched with that of the linear array ultrasonic probe 700, allowing a single scan to cover a section of the entire width of the product, achieving 100% full coverage inspection of the entire roll of coated products.

[0063] The above description is an explanation of the present invention and not a limitation thereof. The scope of the present invention is defined by the claims. Within the scope of protection of the present invention, any form of modification may be made.

Claims

1. An ultrasonic rapid scanning inspection mechanism for coated products, characterized in that, include: A support assembly comprising two parallel, spaced-apart support units; The central axis connects the two support units; The support roller is fixedly sleeved on the central shaft, and the outer wall of the support roller is provided with multiple roller groups parallel to the axis of the central shaft; The outer cylinder is sleeved on the support roller, and the outer cylinder and the central shaft rotate relative to each other through a bearing assembly; Drive assembly, which is used to drive the outer cylinder to rotate; The support roller has a hollowed-out area, and a linear array ultrasonic probe is installed in the hollowed-out area.

2. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The outer cylinder includes a cylindrical section and a shaft section connected to both ends of the cylindrical section's axis and extending outward. The shaft section is sleeved on the central shaft. The cylindrical section contacts the coated product to be tested, and the height of the contact surface between the coated product to be tested and the cylindrical section is lower than the apex of the cylindrical section. The linear array ultrasonic probe scans the coated product to be tested at the contact surface.

3. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The cylindrical section is provided with an inlet / outlet, and a coupling fluid is provided inside the cylindrical section.

4. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 2, characterized in that: A flexible coupling coating is provided on the radial outer wall of the cylinder.

5. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The support unit is provided with a mounting hole for the central shaft to pass through, and a rotation locking structure is also provided between the support unit and the central shaft.

6. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 5, characterized in that: The bearing assembly includes an inner bearing and an outer bearing. The inner bearing is disposed between the central shaft and the shaft portion, and the outer bearing is disposed between the shaft portion and the mounting hole.

7. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The drive assembly includes a rotary drive device, a rotary shaft, and multiple pulley and belt assemblies. The rotary shaft is rotatably disposed between the two support units. The rotary drive device is connected to the rotary shaft via a first pulley and belt assembly, and the rotary shaft is connected to the shaft portions at both ends via two second pulley and belt assemblies.

8. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 7, characterized in that: The first pulley belt assembly is located at the center of the rotating shaft.

9. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The multiple roller groups are arranged in a ring at equal intervals, and the roller groups are provided with multiple roller units that are spaced apart along the central axis.

10. The ultrasonic rapid scanning detection mechanism for coated products as described in claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes an air-coupled linear ultrasonic probe, which is located on the side of the coated product to be tested away from the linear ultrasonic probe.

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