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Publication Number
US-12050160-B2
Publication Date
2024-07-30
Expiration Date
Abstract
Systems and methods for detecting leaks in flexible packets with a test bed, a pressure chamber to apply a first pressure and a second pressure to the packet, producing a first volume and second volume for the packet. An illumination source and an illumination detector to produce a first image dataset of the packet at the first pressure and a second image dataset of the packet at the second pressure, a processor connected to the illumination detector to receive the first and second image datasets and determine the first volume and the second volume and use the first volume and the second volume to determine a change in volume, compare the change of volume with a threshold and when the change of volume is greater than the threshold determine the packet is leak-free and when the change of volume is less than the threshold determines the packet has a leak.
Core Innovation
The invention relates to a leak detection system for detecting leaks in flexible packets using a pressure chamber and structured illumination imaging. A test bed supports at least one packet comprising at least one flexible portion, and the pressure chamber applies a first pressure and a second pressure to the packet producing a first volume and a second volume of the flexible portion.
An illumination source produces structured illumination incident on the packet at the first pressure and the second pressure, and an illumination detector captures illumination reflected from the packet to produce a first image dataset and a second image dataset. A processor determines the first volume and the second volume by analyzing the image datasets to create a first surface representing the flexible portion of the packet and a second surface representing a plane immediately around the flexible portion.
The processor uses the first and second surfaces to determine the first and second volumes, uses the first volume and the second volume to determine a change in volume of the flexible portion between the first and second pressures, and compares the change of volume with a threshold. The processor determines that the packet is leak-free when the change in volume is greater than the threshold and determines that the packet has at least one leak when the change in volume is less than the threshold.
In further embodiments, a third pressure and a fourth pressure are applied to produce third and fourth volumes, and first and second changes in volume are determined between the first and second pressures and between the third and fourth pressures. The processor compares the first change of volume with a first threshold and the second change of volume with a second threshold to determine leak-free versus at least one first leak and at least one second leak, where the first leak is a fine leak and the second leak is a gross leak.
Claims Coverage
The partial content includes three independent claims (a leak detection system, a leak detection method, and a further leak detection system with additional pressures). Across these independent claims, the core inventive features are the structured illumination imaging under multiple pressures, surface-based volume determination, and threshold-based classification of leak-free versus at least one leak, including fine versus gross leak.
Pressure-driven flexible-region volume determination
A test bed supports at least one packet comprising at least one flexible portion, and a pressure chamber applies a first pressure and a second pressure to the packet producing first and second volumes of the flexible portion.
Structured illumination imaging at multiple pressures
An illumination source produces structured illumination incident on the packet at the first pressure and the second pressure, and an illumination detector captures illumination reflected from the packet to produce first and second image datasets.
Surface-based volume computation from image datasets
The processor determines the first volume and second volume by analyzing the first and second image datasets to create a first surface representing the flexible portion of the packet and a second surface representing a plane immediately around the flexible portion, and uses the first and second surfaces to determine the first and second volumes.
Threshold-based leak classification using change in volume
The processor uses the first volume and the second volume to determine a change in volume of the flexible portion between the first and second pressures, compares the change of volume with a threshold, and determines the packet is leak-free when the change of volume is greater than the threshold and determines the packet has at least one leak when the change of volume is less than the threshold.
Triangular prism volume determination from paired surfaces
Creating the first surface and projecting each triangular area of the first surface onto the second surface forms a triangular prism between the surfaces, and calculating the volume of each triangular prism and adding the volumes determines the volumes of the flexible portion at each pressure.
Multi-threshold fine versus gross leak determination
A third pressure and a fourth pressure produce third and fourth volumes, the processor determines first and second changes in volume between the respective pressure pairs, compares them with a first threshold and a second threshold, and determines at least one first leak and at least one second leak, where the first leak is a fine leak and the second leak is a gross leak.
Across the independent claims, leak detection is achieved by applying multiple pressures to a flexible packet, capturing structured illumination image datasets at each pressure, reconstructing a flexible-region surface and an adjacent plane, computing volumes including triangular prism-based computation, determining change in volume, and classifying leak-free versus having at least one leak via threshold comparisons, with further classification into fine versus gross leaks when additional pressure pairs and thresholds are used.
Stated Advantages
Not explicitly described in patent.
Documented Applications
Not explicitly described in patent.
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