DEVICE FOR SENSORIAL EVALUATION OF CONSUMER PRODUCT APPLICATION FEEL

• US 20140163905A1
• Filed: 12/10/2012
• Published: 06/12/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 12/10/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hercules, LLC (Ashland Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Hercules Incorporated (Ashland Global Holdings, Inc.)
• Inventors: Vaynberg, Konstantin Abraham, Buckley, Jennifer M., Durst, Matthew Reuben, Owens, Brian, Weathers, Stephen James, Wilkins, Daniel Appel
• Granted Patent: US 10,303,842 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 702/41
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 25/00 Testing or calibrating of apparatus for measuring force, torque, work, mechanical power, or mechanical efficiency
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/16 for measuring several components of force
• CPC Class Codes: G16Z 99/00 Subject matter not provided for in other main groups of this subclass

Abstract

A product testing assembly is described. The product testing assembly may include a substrate, at least one measuring device, and at least one data processing system. The substrate has at least one surface configured to receive an application of a product to be tested. The at least one measuring device is configured to sense measured quantities as product is applied to the substrate and output one or more signals representative of a sequence of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the substrate by the application of the product to be tested. The at least one data processing system has one or more processors configured to receive the one or more signals representative of the sequence of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface of the substrate, and to convert the one or more signals into an output signal representative of one or more application performance characteristics of the product to be tested.

Claims

1. A product testing assembly, comprising:

a panel configured to support at least one of a substrate and a test subject having at least one surface configured to receive an application of a product to be tested; and

at least one measuring device configured to sense measured quantities as product is applied to the at least one of the substrate and the test subject and output one or more signals representative of a sequence of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface by the application of the product to be tested; and

at least one data processing system having one or more processors configured to receive the one or more signals representative of the sequence of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface, and to convert the one or more signals into an output signal representative of one or more quantitative application performance characteristics of the product to be tested.

2. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more quantitative application performance characteristics are correlated with subjective factors indicative of the product'"'"'s application feel.

3. The product testing assembly of claim 1, further comprising at least one output device receiving the output signal and rendering the output signal into a visual format perceivable by a human.

4. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the application performance characteristics are selected from a group including speed and acceleration of application, a number of cycles, a duration of each cycle, distance of each cycle, and an average duration of the cycles of application of the product to the surface, and wherein the at least one data processing system is configured to detect within the signals a periodic application of the product having one or more cycle as represented by sequential changes in location of force applied to the surface, and to calculate at least one application performance characteristic selected from the group consisting of speed and acceleration of application, the number of cycles, a duration of each cycle, distance of each cycle, and an average duration of the cycles.

5. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the application performance characteristics includes quantity of work, and wherein the at least one data processing system is configured to calculate the quantity of work with the signals based on force applied to the surface and distance covered between a first location and a second location.

6. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the application performance characteristics includes speed and acceleration of application, and wherein the at least one data processing system is configured to calculate the speed and acceleration of application with the signals based on a detection of movement of force applied to the surface between a first location and a second location during a duration of time.

7. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the application performance characteristics include a total amount of product applied to the surface, an average rate of product applied to the surface, and wherein the at least one data processing system is configured to calculate at least one of a total amount of product applied to the surface, and an average rate of product applied to the surface based on a detection of a time period of application of force in a direction normal to the surface, and a residual force applied to the surface following application of the product.

8. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the application performance characteristics are selected from a group including average force per cycle in at least one dimension, minimum force range per cycle in at least one dimension, and maximum force range per cycle in at least one dimension, and wherein the at least one data processing system is configured to detect within the signals a periodic application of the product having one or more cycle as represented by sequential changes in location of force applied to the surface, and to calculate at least one application performance characteristic selected from the group consisting of average force per cycle in at least one dimension, minimum force range per cycle in at least one dimension, and maximum force range per cycle in at least one dimension.

9. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the measuring device is connected to the panel.

10. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the panel has a first surface and a second surface with the first surface opposing the second surface, and wherein the product testing assembly further comprises one or more clamps bearing on the first surface.

11. The product testing assembly of claim 10, wherein the measuring device is connected to the second surface of the panel.

12. The product testing assembly of claim 1, further comprising an applicator attached to the measuring device, the measuring device configured to sense the measured quantities as the applicator applies the product to the substrate.

13. The product testing assembly of claim 12, further comprising a remote sensing device configured to monitor the real-time coordinates of the applicator in at least three dimensions as the applicator applies the product to the substrate.

14. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the measuring device is configured to record a sound of application as the product is being applied to the surface.

15. The product testing assembly of claim 1, wherein the one or more processors are configured to collect and time-stamp sensorial data from a user during the application of the product to the surface.

16. A method, comprising:

receiving, by a processor of at least one data processing system, a sequence of data indicative of measured quantities as a product is applied to a surface of at least one of a substrate and a test subject, the measured quantities representative of a sequence of forces and/or moments being applied to the surface by the application of the product; and

translating, by the processor, the sequence of data indicative of measured quantities into an output signal representative of one or more application performance characteristics of the product.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the product is selected from a group consisting of a consumer product, and an industrial product.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the product is paint.