Claims
- 1. Apparatus for measuring strain rate of a sample of material used in sports balls, comprising:
(a) a fixed base on which the sample is mounted; (b) a striker for delivering an impact to the sample in a first direction; (c) a first detector connected with said base for measuring the reaction force of the impact from the sample; and (d) a second detector connected with said base for measuring the displacement of the sample in said first direction, whereby said reaction force and said displacement can be processed to determine the time dependent strain of the material.
- 2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said second detector comprises at least one optical detector.
- 3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, wherein said impact delivered to said sample is variable in accordance with the momentum of said striker which produces said impact.
- 4. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, and further comprising means for mounting said sample on said base.
- 5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said mounting means comprises a lower platen connected with said base and an upper platen arranged on said sample, said sample being sandwiched between said upper and lower platens.
- 6. Apparatus as defined in claim 5 wherein said first detector comprises a load cell arranged between said lower platen and said base.
- 7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6, wherein said lower platen comprises a bolt having a head portion supporting said sample and an axis colinear with a central axis of said striker and extending in said first direction.
- 8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said load cell has an annular configuration and is coaxially arranged about a shaft of said bolt below said head portion.
- 9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8, and further comprising a cylindrical alignment sleeve arranged between said bolt shaft and said load cell, said alignment sleeve extending into an opening in said base to maintain said sample mounting means and said load cell in alignment with said central axis of said striker.
- 10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7, wherein said optical detector directs a light beam against a bottom surface of said upper platen for measuring displacement of said upper platen in response to the impact on said sample.
- 11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein a plurality of optical detectors are connected with said base in spaced relation about a perimeter thereof for detecting displacement of said upper platen in a plurality of locations.
- 12. Apparatus as defined in claim 4, wherein said base has a U-shaped cross-sectional configuration to define a channel within which said sample is mounted.
- 13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said first detector comprises a load cell arranged in said channel and extending between side walls of said base, and said sample is arranged on said load cell and extends between said base side walls, whereby said sample is afforded lateral displacement toward open ends of said channel upon impact by said striker, said lateral displacement being detected as a measurement of strain of said sample normal to said first direction.
- 14. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, and further comprising a mounting block arranged in said channel and wherein said first detector comprises a load cell mounted on said mounting block, said mounting block having a pair of samples connected with opposite surfaces thereof, said pair of samples being further connected with adjacent side walls of said base, respectively, to suspend said block within said channel.
- 15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14, wherein said samples have a rectangular configuration and are of the same size and configuration, said samples being sandwiched between said block and said base side walls with a major dimension thereof being parallel to said first direction and a minor dimension thereof being normal to said first direction, whereby displacement of said samples is measured with respect to said major dimension.
- 16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15, wherein said samples are bonded to said block and to said side walls, respectively.
- 17. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said base includes a top wall extending between upper ends of said side walls, and further comprising a mounting block which straddles said top wall and wherein said first detector comprises a load cell mounted on said mounting block, said sample being connected with a lower surface of said base top wall and an upper surface of a lower portion of said mounting block, whereby said mounting block is suspended in said channel by said sample.
- 18. Apparatus as defined in claim 12, wherein said sample has a major dimension arranged normal to said first direction, said sample having top and bottom surfaces bonded to said base top wall and mounting block lower portion, respectively, whereby displacement of said sample is a function of tensile strain thereof.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/236,459 filed on Sep. 29, 2000.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60236459 |
Sep 2000 |
US |