Wedge block for TOFD (Time of Flight Diffraction) detection

Abstract

The utility model discloses a wedge block for TOFD (Time of Flight Diffraction) detection. The wedge block comprises a wedge block body, the coupling surface of the wedge block body is provided with an anti-abrasion ball, and the anti-abrasion ball protrudes out of the coupling surface and can rotate in any direction; a water inlet hole which is communicated with the coupling surface is formed in the wedge block body and is communicated with a coupling water supply device; the coupling structure further comprises a flow guide groove formed in the coupling face, and the water inlet hole is communicated with the flow guide groove. In the utility model, the flow guide groove communicated with the water inlet hole is arranged on the coupling surface. Coupling water can flow in the flow guide grooves through tension, so that a larger water distribution range is formed, and the coverage area of the coupling water is larger. Compared with a point water outlet mode in the prior art, the coupling water spraying device has the advantages that linear water outlet and even surface water outlet are optimized, the coupling water spraying efficiency is greatly improved, and the problem that the coupling water cannot cover a working area is solved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to a wedge block used for ultrasonic nondestructive flaw detection. Background Art

[0002] Ultrasonic nondestructive testing, especially TOFD (Time Of Flight Diffraction), is a method that relies on the diffraction energy obtained from the "end angles" and "end points" of the internal structure of the test piece (mainly defects) to detect defects. It is used for defect detection, quantification and location.

[0003] The wedge in ultrasonic testing is a special wedge-shaped piece. Its main function is to refract the ultrasonic beam into the test piece at a given angle through acoustic contact between the transducer and the test piece.

[0004] Currently, the primary coupling method for TOFD inspection is water jet coupling. Both manual and electric inspections require a dedicated inspector to perform water jet coupling. Furthermore, due to inconsistent surface roughness and variable operating angles, handheld water jet coupling can cause inconsistent water layer thickness at certain inspection locations, leading to poor coupling and data loss. During the TOFD process, the scanner's movement causes friction between the wedge and the surface of the object being inspected, reducing the wedge's service life. Utility Model Content

[0005] In view of this, the utility model provides a wedge for TOFD detection, which can prevent the wedge from being worn and automatically supply coupling water.

[0006] In order to solve the above technical problems, the technical solution of the present invention is to adopt a wedge block for TOFD detection, including a wedge block body; anti-wear balls are provided on the coupling surface of the wedge block body, and the anti-wear balls protrude from the coupling surface and can rotate in any direction; a water inlet hole is opened on the wedge block body to reach the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole is connected to the coupling water supply device; and it also includes a guide groove opened on the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole is connected to the guide groove.

[0007] As an improvement, a mounting through hole for installing anti-wear balls is opened on the wedge block body, and the mounting through hole is located at the opening of the coupling surface and is shrinkaged so that the diameter of the opening is smaller than the diameter of the anti-wear balls, and the internal diameter of the mounting through hole is at least equal to the diameter of the anti-wear balls.

[0008] As a further improvement, it further comprises a fixing rod, which is inserted into the installation through hole to push the anti-wear ball part out of the coupling surface.

[0009] As another further improvement, the fixing rod is threadably engaged with the mounting through hole.

[0010] As an improvement, a spherical hole is formed on the end surface of the fixing rod that contacts the anti-wear ball, and the curvature of the spherical hole is consistent with the curvature of the anti-wear ball.

[0011] As an improvement, the fixing rod includes a front section and a rear section, and the front section and the rear section are connected by a spring.

[0012] As an improvement, the coupling surface is rectangular, and the anti-wear balls are arranged on the four corners of the coupling surface.

[0013] As an improvement, the guide groove is annular and arranged around the working area of the ultrasonic probe.

[0014] As an improvement, the wedge block body is provided with a slope surface for installing an ultrasonic probe, and the slope surface is provided with a probe installation hole.

[0015] As an improvement, the angle between the slope surface and the coupling surface is one of 30°, 45° or 60°.

[0016] The utility model is beneficial in that:

[0017] The TOFD wedge with the above-mentioned structure features anti-wear balls on the coupling surface of the wedge body. These balls protrude from the coupling surface and can rotate in any direction, preventing wear on the coupling surface. Furthermore, to better distribute coupling water, the wedge body includes a water inlet opening that connects to the coupling surface and is connected to the coupling water supply. A diversion groove is also provided on the coupling surface, and the water inlet opening connects to the diversion groove.

[0018] The coupling surface is equipped with a diversion groove connected to the water inlet. The coupling water is forced to flow through the diversion groove due to tension, creating a wider water distribution range and increasing the coverage area of the coupling water. Compared to the point-dispensing method mentioned above, the present utility model optimizes the water dispensing method to a linear or even surface-dispensing method, greatly improving the efficiency of the coupling water dispensing and avoiding the problem of coupling water not being able to cover the working area. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0019] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the utility model.

[0020] Figure 2 This is a three-dimensional structural diagram of the utility model from another angle.

[0021] Figure 3 It is a front view of the utility model.

[0022] Figure 4 for Figure 3 AA cross-sectional view.

[0023] Figure 5 A perspective view of the mounting holes.

[0024] Figure 6 Schematic diagram of the structure of the fixed rod.

[0025] Markings in the figure: 1 wedge body, 2 anti-wear ball, 3 fixing rod, 4 probe mounting hole, 5 connecting hole, 6 connecting hole, 7 mounting through hole, 8 water inlet hole, 9 guide groove, 10 spherical hole. 31 front section, 32 rear section, 33 disc spring. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0026] In order to enable those skilled in the art to better understand the technical solution of the present invention, the present invention is further described in detail below in conjunction with specific implementation methods.

[0027] Prior art Chinese patent application CN201520776469.4 discloses a wedge for ultrasonic phased array flaw detection of pipeline girth welds, comprising a trapezoidal wedge body, a damping block, two water injection pipes, and a ball; the bottom surface of the trapezoidal wedge body is an arcuate surface, and one side surface is provided with two mounting holes for installing a water inlet pipe and a plurality of connection holes for connecting the wedge block to an ultrasonic probe, a plurality of water injection channels are provided below the mounting holes, and the two water injection pipes are respectively installed in the mounting holes; the arcuate surface is provided with at least four ball mounting holes, and the ends of the water injection channels pass into the arcuate surface to form a water outlet hole; the ball is arranged in the ball mounting hole; the other side surface of the trapezoidal wedge body is provided with a mounting groove for the damping block, and the damping block is arranged in the mounting groove.

[0028] The aforementioned prior art relies on water outlets to dispense coupling water. In actual applications, it has been found that the point-by-point water outlets make it difficult to control the location of the coupling water during operation. This is particularly true when working on inclined surfaces, where the coupling water may not cover the detection location, resulting in coupling failure.

[0029] In order to solve the above technical problems, Figure 1 、 Figure 2 As shown, the utility model provides a wedge for TOFD detection, including a wedge body 1; an anti-wear ball 2 is provided on the coupling surface of the wedge body 1, and the anti-wear ball 2 protrudes from the coupling surface and can rotate in any direction; a water inlet hole 8 is opened on the wedge body 1 to reach the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole 8 is connected to the coupling water supply device; and it also includes a guide groove 9 opened on the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole 8 is connected to the guide groove 9.

[0030] In this utility model, a diversion groove 9 is provided on the coupling surface, connected to the water inlet 8. The coupling water is able to flow through the diversion groove 9 due to tension, thus forming a larger water distribution range and increasing the coverage area of the coupling water. Compared with the point-dispensing method mentioned above in the prior art, the present utility model optimizes the water dispensing method to a linear or even surface-dispensing method, greatly improving the efficiency of the coupling water dispensing and avoiding the problem of the coupling water not being able to cover the working area.

[0031] More specifically, the guide groove 9 is annular and arranged around the working area of the ultrasonic probe, for example Figure 2 At the same time, the annular guide groove 9 enables the coupled water to flow in two directions at the same time, thereby improving the circulation efficiency.

[0032] In some embodiments, as Figures 3-5 As shown, to facilitate the installation of the anti-wear ball 2, the wedge body 1 is provided with a mounting hole 7 for receiving the anti-wear ball 2. The opening of the mounting hole 7 on the coupling surface is tapered, so that its opening diameter is smaller than that of the anti-wear ball 2, while the inner diameter of the mounting hole 7 is at least equal to that of the anti-wear ball 2. This arrangement ensures that the anti-wear ball 2 can rotate freely and prevents it from falling out. More specifically, the inner corners of the opening are rounded during the tapering process to better match the shape of the anti-wear ball 2.

[0033] Of course, it is worth noting that the height of the anti-wear balls 2 protruding from the coupling surface must be within the height range of the coupling water.

[0034] In order to better fix the anti-wear ball 2, a fixing rod 3 is also included, which is inserted into the installation through hole 7 to push the anti-wear ball 2 out of the coupling surface. The fixing rod 3 is threaded with the installation through hole 2, which makes installation and disassembly more convenient.

[0035] In order to make the anti-wear ball 2 rotate more smoothly and to position the anti-wear ball 2, a spherical hole 10 is opened on the end surface of the fixing rod 3 that contacts the anti-wear ball 2. The curvature of the spherical hole 10 is consistent with the curvature of the anti-wear ball 2. A lubricant can be applied to the spherical hole 10 to prevent the anti-wear ball from getting stuck during rotation.

[0036] Furthermore, since the workpiece surface is not perfectly flat, installing the anti-wear balls 2 may result in a misalignment between the coupling surface and the workpiece surface. To address this issue, the present invention provides a fixed rod 3 comprising a front section 31 and a rear section 32, connected by a spring. This arrangement allows the anti-wear balls to float a certain amount, adapting to the uneven workpiece surface. The spring can be a disc spring 33, making the structure more compact.

[0037] In this embodiment, the coupling surface is rectangular, and the anti-wear balls 2 are arranged at the four corners of the coupling surface to avoid blocking the working area of the ultrasonic probe while ensuring sliding.

[0038] In this embodiment, the anti-wear balls 2 can be round balls made of wear-resistant materials such as steel balls and ceramic balls.

[0039] To facilitate ultrasonic probe installation, the wedge body 1 in this embodiment features a sloped surface for mounting the ultrasonic probe. This sloped surface has a probe mounting hole 4. The angle between the sloped surface and the coupling surface is one of 30°, 45°, or 60°. Once the ultrasonic probe is mounted on the sloped surface, it automatically forms the desired working angle with the workpiece surface.

[0040] In order to facilitate connection with the bracket, connection holes 5 and 6 are provided on both sides of the wedge body 1.

[0041] Connect the water inlet hole 8 on the wedge to the outlet pipe of the coupling water supply. During flaw detection, the anti-wear balls 2 roll against the workpiece surface, preventing the coupling surface from directly rubbing against the workpiece surface, thereby reducing wear on the wedge. Simultaneously, the coupling water is diverted through the water inlet hole 8 into the diversion groove 9, quickly forming a coupling water layer on the coupling surface to achieve coupling between the wedge and the workpiece.

[0042] The above are merely preferred embodiments of the present invention. It should be noted that the above preferred embodiments should not be construed as limiting the present invention. The scope of protection of the present invention shall be determined by the scope defined in the claims. Persons skilled in the art will appreciate that improvements and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention, and such improvements and modifications shall also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A wedge for TOFD testing, characterized by: It includes a wedge block body; anti-wear balls are provided on the coupling surface of the wedge block body, the anti-wear balls protrude from the coupling surface and can rotate in any direction; a water inlet hole is opened on the wedge block body to reach the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole is connected to the coupling water supply device; it also includes a guide groove opened on the coupling surface, and the water inlet hole is connected to the guide groove.

2. A TOFD detection wedge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wedge block body is provided with an installation through hole for installing the anti-wear ball. The installation through hole is located at the opening of the coupling surface and is shrinkage-treated so that the diameter of the opening is smaller than the diameter of the anti-wear ball, and the inner diameter of the installation through hole is at least equal to the diameter of the anti-wear ball.

3. A TOFD detection wedge according to claim 2, characterized in that: It also includes a fixing rod, which is inserted into the installation through hole to push the anti-wear ball part out of the coupling surface.

4. A TOFD detection wedge according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixing rod is threadably matched with the mounting through hole.

5. The TOFD detection wedge according to claim 3, characterized in that: A spherical hole is formed on the end surface of the fixing rod that contacts the anti-wear ball, and the curvature of the spherical hole is consistent with the curvature of the anti-wear ball.

6. A TOFD detection wedge according to claim 3, characterized in that: The fixing rod comprises a front section and a rear section, and the front section and the rear section are connected by a spring.

7. The TOFD detection wedge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The coupling surface is rectangular, and the anti-wear balls are arranged on the four corners of the coupling surface.

8. The TOFD detection wedge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The guide groove is annular and arranged around the working area of the ultrasonic probe.

9. The TOFD detection wedge according to claim 1, characterized in that: The wedge block body is provided with a slope surface for installing an ultrasonic probe, and the slope surface is provided with a probe installation hole.

10. A TOFD detection wedge according to claim 9, characterized in that: The included angle between the slope surface and the coupling surface is one of 30°, 45° or 60°.

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