APPARATUS, SYSTEMS, AND METHODS FOR INSPECTING A PART

• Main Authors: Bingham, Jill P, Kennedy, James C, Georgeson, Gary E, Garvey, Jeffry J, Stewart, Alan F, Motzer, William P, Brady, Steven K, Lea, Scott W
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.02.2019
• Subjects: CLADDING OR PLATING BY SOLDERING OR WELDING; CUTTING BY APPLYING HEAT LOCALLY, e.g. FLAME CUTTING; INVESTIGATING OR ANALYSING MATERIALS BY DETERMINING THEIRCHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROPERTIES; MACHINE TOOLS; MEASURING; METAL-WORKING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; OPTICAL ELEMENTS, SYSTEMS, OR APPARATUS; OPTICS; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PHYSICS; SOLDERING OR UNSOLDERING; TESTING; TRANSPORTING; WELDING; WORKING BY LASER BEAM

Described herein is an apparatus, for shielding light generated by a laser during non-destructive inspection of an object. The apparatus includes a light shield at least partially enveloping the laser and defining a first opening through which light generated by the laser passes from the laser to the object. The light shield is opaque and includes at least one first biasing mechanism. The apparatus also includes at least one first light seal coupled to the light shield about the first opening of the light shield. The at least one first biasing mechanism is configured to urge resilient deformation of the at least one first light seal against the object. When the at least one first light seal is resiliently deformed against the object, light generated by the laser is constrained within a light containment space defined between the light shield, the at least one first light seal, and the object.