Ultrasonic transducer assembly installation device and methods

摘要

Transducer assemblies and associated methods are provided for facilitating alignment of ultrasonic transducers with respect to pipes onto which the transducers are installed. The transducer assembly can include a transducer housing having a track on along which the transducers can be slidingly engaged. The transducer assembly can include attachment structures having alignment features used to align the transducers parallel to the axial centerline of the pipe while ensuring that the reception/emission sides of the transducers are oriented normal to the outer surface of the pipe. In some embodiments a transducer assembly alignment system can be used to align two transducer assemblies on circumferentially opposite sides of a pipe.

主权项

1. An ultrasonic transducer assembly comprising:
a transducer; a transducer housing having:
a first end and a second end,a top wall,a first side wall connected to the top wall,a second side wall connected to the top wall, anda track in or on the top wall, the track extending along a portion of a length of the transducer housing between the first and the second end; and a positioning device capable of slidable engagement with the track, the positioning device having:
a positioning body;a channel portion extending from the positioning body and capable of receiving at least a portion of the top wall adjacent the track;a track-clamping device capable of releasably fixing the positioning device to the top wall at a position along the length of the transducer housing, the track-clamping device having a user input portion; anda transducer-engaging device capable of adjustably connecting the positioning body to the transducer, the transducer-engaging device capable of adjusting a distance between the transducer and the track; wherein rotation of the track-clamping device in a first direction releasably fixes the positioning device to the top wall, wherein rotation of the track-clamping device in a second direction releasably unfixes the positioning device from the top wall, and wherein the transducer-engaging device is not supported by the track-clamping device.