Abstract: A strain testing apparatus which places tensile forces on a sheet, a film, or the like samples in at least two axes and generally in a radial direction. The multi-axial strain testing apparatus comprises a clamping assembly having at least two clamping members, and a sample securing portion arranged in a substantially radial manner about a point. The multi-axial strain testing apparatus can advantageously be employed to test crack growth propagation and flex fatigue in rubber polymer and elastomer samples.

Abstract: The present invention provides an ultrasonic transducer having uniform characteristics. Because the characteristics of a pair of ultrasonic transducer are equalized with each other, measuring accuracy of an ultrasonic flowmeter can be improved. Electrical connection from an electrode surface 13 of a piezoelectric body 11 to an external electrode is achieved not by soldering but by an electroconductive elastic body 16. As a result, variations of the frequency characteristics due to thermal load on the piezoelectric body 11 can be reduced, and this makes it possible to obtain an ultrasonic transducer with uniform characteristics, and measuring accuracy of an ultrasonic flowmeter using a pair of the ultrasonic transducer can be improved.

Abstract: A single fabric testing apparatus is capable of measuring mechanical and thermal characteristics of a specimen previously carried out in separate testing apparatuses. The single apparatus is provided with a plurality of mechanical and temperature sensors and a heatable top plate. In use, a ram moves the top plate vertically downwards to press a fabric specimen against a bottom plate. The plate is surrounded by a fixed upstanding peripheral skirt against which an outer periphery of the specimen is bent to enable shearing and bending characteristics to be measured. The bottom plate is biased upwards by a spring which is compressed until the top plate is arrested by a fixed frame member. Further downward movement of the ram enables compressibility of the specimen to be determined. A rotatable section of the top plate can be turned by a stepping motor to determine the surface friction characteristics of the specimen.

Abstract: A dielectric layer 32 variable in dielectric constant in dependence upon the strain is formed on at least a part of an outer peripheral surface of a bar 31 having a circular cross section. Interdigital electrodes are faced to the dielectric layer to thereby form a single capacitor. The interdigital electrodes have a plurality of linear electrodes 34a and 34b inclined at a predetermined inclination angle with respect to a center axis of the bar. Preferably, the dielectric layer is provided with a cylindrical insulator 33 faced thereto with a small gap kept therebetween, and the linear electrodes are formed on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical insulator. The linear electrodes may be formed directly on the surface of the dielectric layer.

Abstract: A fretting fixture accessory for a_test machine (10) that induces high-cycle fatigue (at kilohertz vibration rates) in a specimen of a material under test. The fretting fixture (20) is clamped to the test specimen (21), for the purpose of testing for fretting damage. The fixture (20) is designed to provide both the normal and shearing forces that result in fretting damage.

Abstract: An evaluation device and an evaluation method for detecting quality of concrete structures comprising a conductive impact device, a sensing film, a receiver, an operation device and an auxiliary circuit, the device and the method is characterized by calculating a penetration time of the conductive film before measuring the depth of a crack in the concrete, and the evaluation work which conventionally requires dual receivers only needs now a single receiver for completion of the work. Therefore, cost and works for evaluation and signal analysis are reduced; this largely enhances the evaluation efficiency and technical level.

Abstract: A portable device for measuring the shear properties of a material specimen under applied dynamic circumferential forces against the specimen perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of said specimen. The device may further apply a dynamic force against an end of the specimen. The device includes clamps that hold the specimen at its proximal and distal end, wherein the circumferential force applied to the specimen is affectively applied between the two clamps. The temperature of the specimen may be held constant by controlling the temperature within an environmental chamber through the use of a closed loop PID control system. The force against the specimen is dynamically loaded by a dynamic load reaction frame consisting of a shear load actuator and load reaction structure. A microprocessor-based controller operates the dynamic load reaction frame under closed loop control.

Abstract: A sensor of the pedaling force of a power-assisting bike includes a transmission system provided with at least one pair of screw gears. One of the screw gears is activated by the pedaling force to rotate at an original location and the other driven by a screw gear engaging with to rotate and shift along a shaft, with a resilience member fitted at an end side. An annular magnet is fitted around the end of the shaft of the resilience member and the screw gear, capable to shift together with said screw gear. A Hall sensor is provided on a fixed side of the annular magnet. Thus, the lateral force produced by the screw gears can detect an axially shifting distance of the screw gear and give out a voltage signal to control a motor to output motive power for the bike.

Abstract: The invention relates to an apparatus (1) for testing tire compounds, which comprises a road drum (3) and a specimen (5), rotating about respective parallel axes (X, Y) and being in rolling contact with each other. The specimen (5) of rubber to be analysed is mounted at the end of a spindle operated by a motor (6): advantageously the spindle is housed inside a closed casing (63) so as not to be exposed to water or other agents during the tests. This results in an apparatus wherein the spindle driving the specimen may be supported by non-sealed and hence low-friction bearings, thereby not altering the results of the tests carried out.

Abstract: A method for determining fracture toughness KIC of materials ranging from metallic alloys, brittle ceramics and their composites, and weldments. A cylindrical specimen having a helical V-groove with a 45° pitch is subjected to pure torsion. This loading configuration creates a uniform tensile-stress crack-opening mode, and a transverse plane-strain state along the helical groove. The full length of the spiral groove is equivalent to the thickness of a conventional compact-type specimen. KIC values are determined from the fracture torque and crack length measured from the test specimen using a 3-D finite element program (TOR3D-KIC) developed for the purpose. In addition, a mixed mode (combined tensile and shear stress mode) fracture toughness value can be determined by varying the pitch of the helical groove. Since the key information needed for determining the KIC value is condensed in the vicinity of the crack tip, the specimen can be significantly miniaturized without the loss of generality.

Abstract: Transmitting and receiving circuit for an ultrasonic flowmeter, comprising at least two ultrasonic transducers arranged for the transmission and receipt of ultrasonic signals in opposite directions across a measuring distance, a signal source for controlled production of electrical signals for transmission to the ultrasonic transducers and detection means for deriving transmission time measurements, used to calculate the flow, measuring of which is desired. The transmitting and receiving circuit includes an amplifier with a first inverting input terminal for connection to an ultrasonic transducer, a second non-inverting input terminal for connection to the signal source, an output terminal for connection with the detection means, and a feedback connection between the output terminal and the first input terminal.

Abstract: A method for obtaining the average ambient air pressure outside of a building places a pressure sensor on each major outside wall of the building or around the outer circumference of a one sided (e.g., round) building. The pressure reading from each pressure sensor is obtained and the pressure readings are added together to obtain a total reading. The total reading is divided by the number of pressure readings making up the total, the result being the approximate average ambient air pressure outside of the building.

Abstract: Illustrated and described is an ultrasonic flowmeter for flowing media, that operates according to the transit time method, with a measuring tube and at least one transmitting and/or receiving head, in connection with which the transmitting and/or receiving head has a housing and an ultrasonic transducer with which ultrasonic signals can be emitted into the flowing medium and ultrasonic signals can be received from the flowing medium. The ultrasonic flowmeter for flowing media is characterized in that a damping device with at least one damping element is arranged around the sides of the housing of the transmitting and/or receiving head and at least partly adjacent to it, and the damping device is provided in a recess of the measuring tube.

Abstract: First, a sample holder 13, 57 is lowered such that a sample is held. Next, a roller 11 or a plate-shaped member 56 is lowered and pressed to an adhesive surface 15A of a sample 15. At this time, a tape 23 is disposed between the roller 11 or the plate-shaped member 56 and the adhesive surface 15A of the sample 15, and a fixed pressure load is applied to the sample 15. Then after a fixed period of time has passed, the tape 23 is pulled from the sample 15 by the raising of the roller 11 or the plate-shaped member 56 and an adhesive strength is measured with a load cell 25 according to the tension of the tape 23 at that time. After measuring, a take-up reel 21, 52 is rotated so as to wind up a predetermined pitch of the tape 23, and an unused portion of the tape 23 is reeled out to the tip of the roller 11 or the plate-shaped member 56.

Abstract: A method for analyzing creep characteristic of a plastic molded substance is provided wherein the creep characteristic can be analyzed of an actual plastic molded substance having various shape and fastening conditions with high precision. The main stress value for each section of the analysis target is read out, hydrostatic stress &sgr;m of each section is calculated from the main stress value, and the stress condition is determined to be tensile stress when &sgr;m is positive and to be compressive stress when &sgr;m is negative. Tensile or compressive characteristic value is assigned based on the stress condition at each section, and creep is calculated for a predetermined time period based on the characteristic value. By employing characteristic values depending on the stress conditions of each section, precision of creep characteristic analysis is greatly enhanced.

Abstract: Torque in a torsion member, such as a rotating shaft, is sensed by a piezoelectric element that is attached to the torsion member. The piezoelectric element has a resonant frequency that varies with changes in the torque and is part of a transducer oscillator that produces a first signal. A reference oscillator has a similar piezoelectric element and produces a second signal having a frequency that varies in response to environmental parameters. The first and second signals are heterodyned, thereby cancelling the effects due to environmental parameters acting on both piezoelectric elements and producing a resultant signal that has a frequency which corresponds to the torque applied to the torsion member.

Abstract: The invention relates to a fluid meter comprising an outside wall of determined thickness to which a flange connected to a pipe is fixed via fixing members which penetrate into holes organized respectively in the thickness of said flange and in said outside wall in order to install said meter on said pipe, said meter having an opening for fluid feed which is organized in the outside wall and behind which there is provided a “feed” chamber into which the fluid coming from the feed opening flows, wherein the fluid meter also has studs disposed inside the feed chamber so as to modify the fluid flow, and in which internal perforations are provided in alignment with the holes for receiving portions of said fixing members.

Abstract: The present invention provides for measurements of the principal strain magnitudes and directions, and maximum shear strain that occurs in a porous specimen, such as plastic, ceramic or porous metal, when it is loaded (or subjected to a load). In one embodiment the invention includes a capacitive delta extensometer arranged with six sensors in a three piece configuration, with each sensor of each pair spaced apart from each other by a predetermined angle, such as 120 degrees.

Abstract: A taut wire sensor includes an actuator that is movably coupled to a housing. The actuator includes a taut wire terminal. The actuator has two contacts that are maintained in a spaced apart orientation by the mating of parts, which are held in place by a spring element. The actuator deforms when force is applied to the taut wire terminal of the sensor. When the actuator deform, an electrical connection is made between the two contacts to produce an alarm indication by the sensor. The orientation of the actuator is maintained by the mating of parts which are also held by a spring element. One of the contacts in the actuator is a flexible contact pin that is adapted to bend when high force is applied to the taut wire terminal. The sensor housing also includes a movement limiter that overcomes a weakness in prior sensors which employ compensating flowable materials to adjust sensor position.

Abstract: This relative-pressure sensors has virtually no zero offset at relative humidities up to near the saturation limit. The sensor has a diaphragm (11) having a surface on which a electrode (13) is deposited and a substrate (12) having a bore (23) for guiding reference air from af first surface to an opposite surface. The first surface is polished and provided with at least an addional electrode (15). The substrate and the diaphragm are soldered or brazed together along the periphery by means of a spacer (20) to form a chamber which is covered from inside with a thin layer (24) of hydrophobic material that is introduced through the bore after the soldering or brazing.