US 12,372,382 B2
Magnetostrictive EMAT for in-motion inspection of railroad wheels
Borja Lopez Jauregui, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Assigned to Innerspec Technologies, Forest, VA (US)
Filed by Borja Lopez Jauregui, Lynchburg, VA (US)
Filed on Sep. 2, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/902,068.
Prior Publication US 2024/0077340 A1, Mar. 7, 2024
Int. Cl. G01D 5/48 (2006.01); B61K 9/12 (2006.01); B61L 27/57 (2022.01)
CPC G01D 5/485 (2013.01) [B61K 9/12 (2013.01); B61L 27/57 (2022.01)] 10 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for detecting surface and internal defects on the tread of a rail wheel riding on a railroad track comprising:
a magnetostrictive EMAT transducer that generates Shear Horizontal waves by means of a magnetostrictive strip;
an attachment that connects the magnetostrictive EMAT transducer to a railroad track so the tread of the wheel of a moving train makes contact and applies downward pressure on the magnetostrictive strip so as to momentarily pressure couple the strip to the wheel of the train as it rolls on the track using at least one spring;
an ultrasonic instrument connected to the magnetostrictive EMAT transducer to pulse it and receive and record the ultrasonic signals.