IP Library › Granted Patent US 12,153,018
Granted Patent B2
US 12,153,018 · App. 17/660,275 · Granted Nov 26, 2024

Processing system, processing method, and storage medium

Inventors: Hiromasa Takahashi (Minato, JP); Masahiro Saito (Yokohama, JP)
Assignee: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
G01N29/041G01N29/2431G01N29/34G01N2291/267
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12,153,018
App. No.
17/660,275
Granted
Nov 26, 2024
Kind
B2
Abstract

A processing system according to an embodiment includes a processing device. The processing device receives a detection result of a reflected wave from a detector that includes multiple detection elements arranged in a first direction and a second direction crossing each other, and performs a probe that includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a welding object and detecting the reflected wave. The processing device performs a first determination of determining a joint and a non-joint at multiple points along the first and second directions of the welding object based on the detection result. The processing device performs a second determination of determining an appropriateness of a result of the first determination based on the detection result or the result of the first determination.

Claims (63)

1. A processing system, comprising:

a processing device that

receives a detection result of a reflected wave from a detector, the detector including a plurality of detection elements arranged in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing each other, the detector performing a probe that includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a welding object and detecting the reflected wave,

performs a first determination of determining a joint and a non-joint at a plurality of points along the first and second directions of the welding object based on the detection result, and

performs a second determination of determining an appropriateness of a result of the first determination based on the detection result or the result of the first determination, wherein

in the second determination, the processing device:

calculates a first evaluation value based on the detection result or the result of the first determination; and

determines the appropriateness of the result of the first determination by using the first evaluation value and a previous first evaluation value.

2. The system according to claim 1 , wherein

in the second determination, the processing device:

calculates a second evaluation value based on a plurality of the previous first evaluation values; and

determines the appropriateness of the result of the first determination by comparing a difference between the first evaluation value and the second evaluation value to a first threshold.

3. The system according to claim 1 , further comprising:

the detector,

the detector re-performing the probe of the welding object when the processing device determines the result of the first determination to be inappropriate.

4. The system according to claim 2 , wherein

the processing device determines a goodness of a weld of the welding object based on the result of the first determination,

when the processing device determines the weld to be good and determines the result of the first determination to be inappropriate, the detector re-performs the probe of the welding object by using a first condition, and

when the processing device determines the weld to be defective and determines the result of the first determination to be inappropriate, the detector re-performs the probe of the welding object by using a second condition.

5. The system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

a coating device coating a couplant onto the welding object,

the detector contacting the welding object coated with the couplant.

6. The system according to claim 3 , further comprising:

an arm, the detector being located at a distal end of the arm; and

a control device controlling the detector and the arm,

the control device causing the detector to contact the welding object by driving the arm.

7. The system according to claim 6 , further comprising:

an imaging device,

the imaging device acquiring an image by imaging the welding object,

the control device detecting a position of a weld portion of the welding object based on the image, and causing the detector to contact the detected position.

8. The system according to claim 1 , wherein

the processing device derives data related to the welding object based on the result of the first determination, and

the processing device employs the data when the result of the first determination is determined to be appropriate.

9. The system according to claim 8 , wherein

the data includes at least one of a surface area of a weld portion, a diameter of the weld portion, or a determination result of a goodness of the weld of the welding object.

10. A processing system, comprising:

a processing device that

receives a detection result of a reflected wave from a detector, the detector including a plurality of detection elements arranged in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing each other, the detector performing a probe that includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a welding object and detecting the reflected wave,

performs a first determination of determining a joint and a non-joint at a plurality of points along the first and second directions of the welding object based on the detection result, and

performs a second determination of determining an appropriateness of a result of the first determination based on the detection result or the result of the first determination, wherein

in the second determination, the processing device:

determines the result of the first determination to be appropriate when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as a first category by a first model; and

determines the result of the first determination to be inappropriate when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as a second category by the first model.

11. The system according to claim 4 , further comprising:

the detector,

the detector re-performs the probe of the welding object by using a first condition when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as the second category by the first model, and

the detector re-performs the probe of the welding object by using a second condition when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as a third category by the first model.

12. A processing method, comprising:

receiving a detection result of a reflected wave from a detector, the detector including a plurality of detection elements arranged in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing each other, the detector performing a probe that includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a welding object and detecting the reflected wave;

performing a first determination of determining a joint and a non-joint at a plurality of points along the first and second directions of the welding object based on the detection result; and

performing a second determination of determining an appropriateness of a result of the first determination based on the detection result or the result of the first determination, wherein

the second determination includes calculating a first evaluation value based on the detection result or the result of the first determination, and determining the appropriateness of the result of the first determination by using the first evaluation value and a previous first evaluation value.

13. The method according to claim 12 , wherein

the probe of the welding object is re-performed using the detector when the result of the first determination is determined to be inappropriate.

14. A processing method, comprising:

receiving a detection result of a reflected wave from a detector, the detector including a plurality of detection elements arranged in a first direction and a second direction, the first direction and the second direction crossing each other, the detector performing a probe that includes transmitting an ultrasonic wave toward a welding object and detecting the reflected wave;

performing a first determination of determining a joint and a non-joint at a plurality of points along the first and second directions of the welding object based on the detection result; and

performing a second determination of determining an appropriateness of a result of the first determination based on the detection result or the result of the first determination, wherein

the second determination includes

determining the result of the first determination to be appropriate when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as a first category by a first model, and

determining the result of the first determination to be inappropriate when the detection result or the result of the first determination is classified as a second category by the first model.

15. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to perform the processing method according to claim 12 .

16. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium storing a program, the program causing a computer to perform the processing method according to claim 14 .

Assignments (1)
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Jul 1, 2022
From: TAKAHASHI, HIROMASA; SAITO, MASAHIRO
To: KABUSHIKI KAISHA TOSHIBA
Reel/Frame 060424/0793 →
Priority Claims (1)
JP 2019-197979 · Oct 30, 2019 · national
Continuity (2)
Continuation PCTJP2020039474 · Oct 21, 2020
Related Publication 20220244220A1 · Aug 4, 2022
Cited By (1)
US 12,741,342