Methods of and apparatus for levitating an eddy current probe

Patent · 03 May 1988

OSTI ID:866580

Stone, William J ^[1]

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1. Kansas City, MO

An eddy current probe is supported against the force of gravity with an air earing while being urged horizontally toward the specimen being examined by a spring and displaced horizontally against the force of the spring pneumatically. The pneumatic displacement is accomplished by flowing air between a plenum chamber fixed with respect to the probe and the surface of the specimen. In this way, the surface of the specimen can be examined without making mechanical contact therewith while precisely controlling the distance at which the probe stands-off from the surface of the specimen.

• Research Organization: Kansas City Plant (KCP), Kansas City, MO (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: AC04-76DP00613
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by Department of Energy (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4742299
• Application Number: 06/919,166
• OSTI ID: 866580
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

/324/73/269/
accomplished
air
apparatus
chamber
contact
contact therewith
controlling
current
current probe
displaced
displaced horizontally
displacement
distance
earing
eddy
eddy current
examined
fixed
flowing
force
gravity
horizontally
levitating
mechanical
mechanical contact
methods
plenum
plenum chamber
pneumatic
pneumatically
precisely
precisely control
probe
respect
specimen
spring
stands-off
supported
surface
therewith
urged