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Transducer and systems for high speed measurement of shock loads

  • US 4,805,461 A
  • Filed: 10/02/1987
  • Issued: 02/21/1989
  • Est. Priority Date: 10/02/1987
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. An optical stress transducer for use in measuring high stresses applied at high loading rates with a time resolution of at least one microsecond, and having the ability to discern stress from nonhydrostatically applied loads, the transducer comprising:

  • a transducer piece made of a luminescent crystalline material that exhibits a frequency shift in luminescent output as a function of stress, the transducer piece substantially comprising a single crystal within a detection area, said transducer piece being specifically positioned in a known orientation relative to the direction of at least one applied force;

    the transducer piece having first and second faces which are substantially flat and parallel and adapted to receive applied force, the faces being separated by a thickness dimension which is substantially uniform over the faces of the transducer piece;

    the transducer piece also having at least one minimum lateral dimension which defines a minimum width across the faces of the transducer piece;

    said minimum lateral dimension being sufficient so that a strain rarefaction wave which propagates inwardly from an outer edge of the transducer piece during high stress conditions, does not reach the detection area of the transducer piece within a time period sufficient for information indicating stress to be detected from said detection area;

    a first support piece having an inner face which is substantially flat and engages the transducer piece to apply an approximately uniform stress over the first face of the transducer piece; and

    a second support piece having an inner face which is substantially flat and engages the transducer piece to apply an approximately uniform stress over the second face of the transducer piece.

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