Method and apparatus for measuring friction and wear characteristics of materials
US5795990A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Jul 30, 1997 |
| Grant date | Aug 18, 1998 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Jul 30, 2017 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC G)Physics
- CPC primaryG01N2203/0405
- WIPO fieldMeasurement
- WIPO sectorInstruments
Abstract
A tester of the invention has a horizontal base with a vertical column that supports vertical guides for guiding a carriage that supports a rotary drive mechanism for an upper specimen which is secured in a chuck and engages a lower specimen supported by an interchangeable bowl. The tester is also provided with a computerized measuring system for precisely measuring characteristics to be tested. The main distinguishing feature of the tester of the invention is a that a flexible coupling that may have at least one degree of freedom (preferably three) is installed in a link between a rotary motion unit and the chuck for fixing the upper specimen. In other words, the upper specimen is fixed in a self-aligning manner so that its flat working surface is always maintained in full surface-to-surface contact with the lower specimen. In addition, a provision of the flexible coupling in the link between the drive unit and the zone of friction contact makes it possible to decrease strictness in requirement of manufacturing accuracy of guides and other parts of the tester.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.