Method and apparatus for evaluating the drying properties of un-dried wood
US5307679A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventor
Key dates
| Filing date | Mar 25, 1992 |
| Grant date | May 3, 1994 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Mar 25, 2012 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2291/0238
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A method of evaluating un-dried lumber for its propensity to degrade, during drying couples an acoustic pulse to un-dried lumber and measures the speed of the propagating of the pulse through the lumber. Preferably, the pulse is directed transversely to the lumber's grain. The pulses may be generated by a calibrated weight striking the lumber's surface and detected at two points on the lumber by means of acoustically coupled accelerometers. A timer, triggering on similar portions of the acoustic pulse as detected at the two points provides the necessary information to deduce speed. A speed threshold is determined empirically by studying samples of the lumber type and the speed of acoustic pulses through them and drying them to determine their propensity to degrade.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.