TEST BED FOR IN-SITU STUDIES

• US 20090326822A1
• Filed: 06/25/2008
• Published: 12/31/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Original Assignee: The Boeing Co.
• Inventors: Koch, William John IV, Housen, Kevin Richard, Rao, Nikhil Kanuru
• Granted Patent: US 7,945,388 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/3
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/0052 measuring forces due to impact G01L5/0061, G01L5/14 take precedence; impact testing of structures G01M7/08; impact testing of material G01N3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01W 1/14 Rainfall or precipitation gauges measuring volume in general G01F

Abstract

An impact test system for collecting hail storm data comprises a vehicle, a video recorder, a container, a plurality of dynamic force sensors, an atmospheric instrument system, a mounting fixture, and a data processing system. The plurality of dynamic force sensors is capable of detecting force generated by an impact of an object. The plurality of markers is capable of being used to determine an orientation of an incoming object. The mounting fixture is capable of holding a test specimen. The data processing system is capable of collecting data from the plurality of dynamic force sensors, the atmospheric instrument system, and the video recorder.

Claims

1. An impact test system comprising:

a vehicle;

a video recorder mounted on the vehicle;

a container mounted on the vehicle;

a test bed mounted on the vehicle;

a plurality of dynamic force sensors mounted to the test bed, wherein the plurality of dynamic force sensors is capable of detecting any force generated by any impact of an object on the plurality of dynamic force sensors;

an atmospheric instrument system mounted on the vehicle;

a plurality of markers on the test bed configured to be used in conjunction with the video recorder to determine an orientation of an incoming object;

a mounting fixture capable of holding a test specimen on a first portion of the test bed; and

a data processing system capable of collecting data from the plurality of dynamic force sensors, the atmospheric instrument system, and the video recorder;

wherein the plurality of markers is located on a second portion of the test bed and wherein the video recorder is mounted on the vehicle and is positioned to record video of any incoming object that impacts on the portion of the test bed on which the plurality of markers is located.

2. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein each of the plurality of dynamic force sensors is a piezo-electric force transducer.

3. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the container is capable of holding a set of hail stones without allowing the set of hail stones to melt.

4. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the test specimen is a composite test panel.

5. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the test specimen is selected from one of a flat composite test panel and a composite structure with contours.

6. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the atmospheric instrument system is mounted on the vehicle and measures at least one of temperature, pressure, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction.

7. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the set of objects is a set of hail stones and wherein the data processing system is capable of identifying at least one of impact speed and size of the set of hail stones.

10. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the set of objects is a set of hail stones and wherein the data processing system identifies a set of terminal velocities for the set of hail stones.

11. The impact test system of claim 1, wherein the object is a hail stone and further comprising:

a set of temperature sensors capable of measuring a temperature of the hail stone.

8. (canceled)

12. The impact test system of claim 8, wherein the plurality of dynamic force sensors are mounted to the test bed within a grid formed by the plurality of markers.

9. (canceled)

13. An apparatus comprising:

a test bed; and

a plurality of dynamic force sensors mounted on the test bed;

wherein each of the plurality of dynamic force sensors has a housing for containing a plurality of sensors connected to a piezo-electric film to detect changes in a force over time where the force is detected through a protective sheet over the piezo-electric film.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a plurality of markers located on the test bed.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a vehicle, wherein the test bed is mounted on the vehicle.

16. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a video recorder mounted on the vehicle, wherein the video recorder is capable of capturing video of hail during a hail storm;

a container capable of holding a set of hail stones; and

an atmospheric instrument system mounted on the vehicle.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 further comprising:

a mounting fixture attached to the test bed; and

a test specimen mounted on the mounting fixture.

18. The apparatus of claim 16 further comprising:

a data processing system capable of collecting data from the plurality of dynamic force sensors, the atmospheric instrument system, and the video recorder.

19. A method for collecting hail storm data, the method comprising:

placing a vehicle in a hail storm, wherein the vehicle has a video recorder capable of capturing video of hail during the hail storm;

collecting a set of hail stones in a container mounted on the vehicle and capable of holding the set of hail stones from the hail storm;

connecting a plurality of dynamic force sensors, capable of detecting a force generated by an impact of a hail stone from the hail storm, and an atmospheric instrument system to a data processing system;

affixing a plurality of markers configured to determine, in conjunction with a video recorder, an orientation of an incoming hail stone from the hail storm;

mounting a fixture capable of holding a test specimen and a data processing system to the vehicle; and

collecting a plurality of data measured by the plurality of dynamic force sensors, the atmospheric instrument system, the video recorder, and the data processing system.

20. The method of claim 19, wherein each of the plurality of dynamic force sensors is a piezo-electric force transducer.