Panel performance test system

• US 6,053,052 A
• Filed: 12/16/1997
• Issued: 04/25/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 11/16/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Timberco, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Timberco, Inc.
• Inventors: Starostovic, Edward J.
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US08/991,119
• Time in Patent Office: 861 Days
• Field of Search: 73/849, 73/851, 73/852, 73/853, 73/855
• US Class Current: 73/851
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 3/20 by applying steady bending forces G01N3/26, G01N3/28 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/46 Wood
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 35/02 using a plurality of sample containers moved by a conveyor system past one or more treatment or analysis stations G01N35/0098 and G01N35/0099 take precedence

Abstract

The invention is a performance testing system for wood-based panels. The testing includes performance of a material under a load concentrated in a single area, performance of edge support systems under a concentrated load and performance of a material under static bending conditions. The system is computerized and automatically applies a load to a panel to be tested, reads and records deflection of the panel without operator involvement, and provides a printed test report.

Claims

1. A panel performance testing system, comprising:

a support frame, a load-applying assembly, a clamping assembly, a linear measurement device, and a computer;

said support frame for supporting and clamping a non-moving panel to be tested;

said frame comprising a horizontal support section supporting said clamping assembly;

said clamping assembly for supporting a first major surface of the panel along spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel and clamping against a second opposite major surface of the panel along the spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel;

said clamping assembly including three substantially C-shaped clamps, each of said clamps having a bottom frame member and a releasable bottom frame extension for supporting said first major surface of the panel and a top portion and a releasable top portion extension for clamping against said second major surface of the panel;

said load-applying assembly supported on said support frame for applying a load to said second major surface of the panel, said load-applying assembly including a load cell for developing and transmitting a load-indicating signal corresponding to the applied load;

said linear measurement sensor for measuring the magnitude of deflection of the panel under the applied load;

said sensor comprising a linear displacement transducer for developing and transmitting a deflection-indicating signal corresponding to the deflection of the panel and a failure-indicating signal corresponding to rupture of the panel under the applied load;

said computer operatively connected to said load cell and said transducer, and configured to receive and process said load-indicating signal and said deflection-indication signal into data records of test loads, deflections and ruptures.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein said load-applying assembly is an hydraulically actuated system having an hydraulic ram, a universal joint, a rod, and a loading disk, said ram for applying the load, said load cell contacting said ram, said rod connecting said load cell to said universal joint and said loading disk connected to said universal joint and contacting the panel to be tested.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein said loading disk is a loading block, said loading block capable of applying a uniform load across the width of the panel.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein said bottom frame member of each said clamp has a substantially flat bottom member front face, and said top portion of each said clamp has a substantially flat top portion front face, an elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a first plate beneath said bottom surface, a second plate beneath said first plate and a hose sandwiched between said first plate and said bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said hose operatively connected to a pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said hose.

5. The system of claim 4, wherein:

said releasable bottom frame extension includes a front end and a back end, said back end of said bottom frame extension releasably attached to said bottom frame front face of said bottom frame member, and said releasable top portion extension includes a front end, a back end, a second elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a presser plate beneath said second bottom surface, a pinner plate beneath said presser plate of said second bottom surface and a second hose sandwiched between said first plate and said second bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said back end of said top portion extension releasably attached to said top portion front face of said top portion of each said clamp;

said second hose operatively connected to said pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said second hose in synchrony with said first hose.

6. A static bending measuring system for a wood-based panel, comprising:

a hydraulic subsystem for applying a continuous load to a non-moving panel to be tested up to a rupture load;

a load cell, operatively associated with the hydraulic subsystem, for measuring the applied load;

a linear displacement transducer for measuring a deflection of the panel under the applied load; and

a computer for storing and executing a load/deflection measuring program, and at least one input device, and operatively coupled to the hydraulic subsystem, said load cell and said transducer, for recording and processing data relating to the applied load and the corresponding displacement, said computer having a central processing unit, a memory medium and data storage means for storing data records;

said computer comprising

said load/deflection measuring program in execution on said computer for controlling a static bending test;

said program, operatively communicating with said central processing unit, memory and data storage, for controlling the applied load, receiving displacement-indicating signals from said transducer and load-indicating signals from said load cell, receiving a rupture-indicating signal from said load cell, processing the load-indicating signals, the displacement-indicating signals and the rupture-indicating signal to derive test data of applied load, measured deflection corresponding to the applied load, and a maximum load, and using the test data to compute a measure of the bending of the panel.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein said measure of bending is an MOE, MOR, IB, EI or a combination thereof.

8. The system of claim 7, wherein said computer further processes said measure into a printed test result report.

9. A method of testing the bending of a panel under an applied load, said method comprising the computer-assisted steps of:

applying a continuous uniform load to a first major surface of the non-moving panel up to a rupture load, a second opposite major surface of the panel supported at its lateral edges at a predetermined span interval depending upon the nominal thickness of the panel,

measuring deflections of the panel upon application of the load and developing deflection-indicating signals corresponding to deflections;

measuring said applied load corresponding to the deflections and developing load-indicating signals corresponding the said applied load;

measuring said applied load at the rupture of the panel and developing a maximum load-indicating signal;

interpreting said load-indicating signals, said deflection-indicating signals and said maximum load-indicating signal to derive test data of the bending of the panel; and

printing a report of the test data.

10. An apparatus for measuring bending of a panel material under application of a continuous standard load, the panel having a width, a length and a depth, said apparatus comprising:

first and second roller bearing supports for supporting a first major surface of a panel at two spaced apart finite locations;

a load-applying assembly for imparting a continuous uniform load to a second opposite major surface of the panel across the width of the panel midway between said first and second supports, said assembly comprising a loading block and an hydraulic means for applying force to said loading block;

a load cell operatively connected to said loading block for measuring the load applied through said loading block imparted to the panel, said load cell developing and transmitting load-indicating signals corresponding to said applied load and a rupture-indicating signal corresponding to rupture of the panel under the applied load;

a transducer operatively connected to said load-applying assembly for measuring a displacement of the assembly upon applying load to the panel, said displacement corresponding to a deflection sustained by the panel as a result of the applied load, said transducer developing and transmitting a displacement-indicating signals corresponding to said displacement;

a computer for storing and executing a load/deflection measuring program and having a display and at least one user input device, and operatively coupled to said load-applying assembly, said load cell and said transducer for recording and processing data relating to said applied load and said displacement, said computer having a central processing unit, a memory medium and data storage means for storing data records, said load/deflection measuring program in execution on said computer for controlling a static bending test, said program, operatively communicating with said central processing unit, memory and data storage means, for controlling the applied load, for receiving said displacement-indicating signals, said corresponding load-indicating signals and said rupture-indicating signal, for processing said displacement-indicating signals, said load-indicating signals and said rupture-indicating signals to derive test data of applied load, measured deflection and maximum load, and using said test data to compute a measure of the bending of the panel.

11. A method of testing edge support systems for joining panels together by applying load to the system, said method comprising the steps of:

storing in a data table in a memory medium, predetermined standard load and deflection parameters corresponding to end use and span rating of panels;

entering end use and span rating data for panels to be tested;

supporting first and second panels at first, second and third supports spaced apart at finite locations, said first and second panels being joined at edges forming an edge support joint;

clamping said joined panels at said first, second and third supports;

said clamping including, for each support, (i) positioning above each support a hose and a plate having a plurality of protruding pins, positioned and secured to the bottom of said hose, (ii) inflating and expanding said hose, and thereby (iii) displacing downward said plate until said pins contact and penetrate the panel;

determining a predetermined standard load for the panels to be tested depending upon the end use and span rating and a corresponding standard deflection;

imparting the standard load to said joined panels midway between said first and second supports and proximate said edge support joint;

measuring the load applied to the panel and developing a load-indicating signal corresponding the said applied load;

measuring a deflection of the joined panels as a result of applying the load to said joined panels, and developing a deflection-indicating signal corresponding to the measured deflection;

interpreting said load-indicating signal and said deflection-indicating signal to derive test data of applied load and measured deflection;

analyzing said measured deflection and said predetermined standard deflection to determine whether the measured deflection of the panel is greater than the standard deflection;

providing a test result; and

printing a report of the test result.

12. The system of claim 11, further comprising a clamping assembly for supporting and clamping the panel;

said clamping assembly for supporting a first major surface of the panel along spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel and clamping against a second opposite major surface of the panel along the spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel;

said clamping assembly including three substantially C-shaped clamps, each of said clamps having a bottom frame member and a releasable bottom frame extension for supporting said first major surface of the panel and a top portion and a releasable top portion extension for clamping against said second major surface of the panel.

13. The system of claim 12, wherein said bottom frame member of each said clamp has a substantially flat bottom member front face, and said top portion of each said clamp has a substantially flat top portion front face, an elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a first plate beneath said bottom surface, a second plate beneath said first plate and a hose sandwiched between said first plate and said bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said hose operatively connected to a pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said hose.

14. The system of claim 13, wherein:

said releasable bottom frame extension includes a front end and a back end, said back end of said bottom frame extension releasably attached to said bottom frame front face of said bottom frame member, and

said releasable top portion extension includes a front end, a back end, a second elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a presser plate beneath said second bottom surface, a pinner plate beneath said presser plate of said second bottom surface and a second hose sandwiched between said first plate and said second bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said back end of said top portion extension releasably attached to said top portion front face of said top portion of each said clamp;

said second hose operatively connected to said pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said second hose in synchrony with said first hose.

15. A panel performance testing system, comprising:

a support frame, a load-applying assembly, a clamping assembly, a linear measurement device, and a computer;

said support frame for supporting and clamping a panel to be tested;

said frame comprising a horizontal support section supporting said clamping assembly;

said clamping assembly for supporting a first major surface of the panel along spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel and clamping against a second opposite major surface of the panel along the spaced apart parallel frame members extending substantially across the width of the panel;

said clamping assembly including three substantially C-shaped clamps, each of said clamps having a bottom frame member and a releasable bottom frame extension for supporting said first major surface of the panel and a top portion and a releasable top portion extension for clamping against said second major surface of the panel, wherein said bottom frame member of each said clamp has a substantially flat bottom member front face, and said top portion of each said clamp has a substantially flat top portion front face, an elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a first plate beneath said bottom surface, a second plate beneath said first plate and a hose sandwiched between said first plate and said bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said hose operatively connected to a pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said hose;

said load-applying assembly supported on said support frame for applying a load to said second major surface of the panel, said load-applying assembly including a load cell for developing and transmitting a load-indicating signal corresponding to the applied load;

said linear measurement sensor for measuring the magnitude of deflection of the panel under the applied load;

said sensor comprising a linear displacement transducer for developing and transmitting a deflection-indicating signal corresponding to the deflection of the panel and a failure-indicating signal corresponding to rupture of the panel under the applied load;

said computer operatively connected to said load cell and said transducer, and configured to receive and process said load-indicating signal and said deflection-indication signal into data records of test loads, deflections and ruptures.

16. The system of claim 15, wherein;

said releasable bottom frame extension includes a front end and a back end, said back end of said bottom frame extension releasably attached to said bottom frame front face of said bottom frame member, and said releasable top portion extension includes a front end, a back end, a second elongate, substantially rectangular bottom surface, a presser plate beneath said second bottom surface, a pinner plate beneath said presser plate of said second bottom surface and second hose sandwiched between said first plate and said second bottom surface;

said second plate coextensive with said first plate and having a flat, substantially rectangular elongate top member and a downwardly depending perpendicular member having a plurality of protruding, linearly aligned and spaced apart pins;

said back end of said top portion extension releasably attached to said top portion front face of said top portion of each said clamp;

said second hose operatively connected to said pneumatic system for inflating and deflating said second hose in synchrony with said first hose.

17. A static bending measuring system for a wood-based panel, comprising:

a hydraulic subsystem for applying a continuous load to a panel to be tested up to a rupture load;

a load cell, operatively associated with the hydraulic subsystem, for measuring the applied load;

a linear displacement transducer for measuring a deflection of the panel under the applied load; and

a computer for storing and executing a load/deflection measuring program, and at least one input device, and operatively coupled to the hydraulic subsystem, said load cell and said transducer, for recording and processing data relating to the applied load and the corresponding displacement, said computer having a central processing unit, a memory medium and data storage means for storing data records;

said computer comprising

said load/deflection measuring program in execution on said computer for controlling a static bending test;

said program, operatively communicating with said central processing unit, memory and data storage, for controlling the applied load, receiving displacement-indicating signals from said transducer and load-indicating signals from said load cell, receiving a rupture-indicating signal from said load cell, processing the load-indicating signals, the displacement-indicating signals and the rupture-indicating signal to derive test data of applied load, measured deflection corresponding to the applied load, and a maximum load, and using the test data to compute a measure of the bending of the panel, wherein said measure of bending is an MOE, MOR, IB, EI or a combination thereof.

18. The system of claim 17, wherein said computer further processes said measure into a printed test result report.