Method for analyzing a separation in a deformable structure
First Claim
1. A method for determining the depth of a separation in the material of a test deformable structure, comprising the steps of:
- reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the separation in the test deformable structure and thereby forming a bulge in a surface of the test deformable structure due to the separation in the material of the test deformable structure, until the bulge crosses a predetermined plane;
determining the size of the separation in the test deformable structure;
providing a reference deformable structure having at least one reference separation in the material of the reference deformable structure at a predetermined depth;
reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the reference separation in the reference deformable structure and thereby forming a reference bulge in a surface of the reference deformable structure, until the bulge crosses a predetermined plane;
comparing the pressure at which the bulge formed in the surface of the test deformable structure crossed the predetermined plane with the pressure at which the reference bulge formed in the surface of the reference deformable structure crossed the predetermined plane; and
determining the depth of the separation in the test deformable structure.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A deformable structure is subjected to a plurality of reduced pressures, causing a bulge in the surface of the deformable structure above a separation in the deformable structure. The cross sectional area of the bulge is measured for each reduced pressure in a plane parallel to the surface of the deformable structure. When the cross sectional area of the bulge does not increase with a reduction in the pressure, the cross sectional area of the bulge approximates the area of the separation. The depth of the separation is calculated using the change in cross sectional area of the bulge per change in pressure.
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Citations
11 Claims
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1. A method for determining the depth of a separation in the material of a test deformable structure, comprising the steps of:
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reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the separation in the test deformable structure and thereby forming a bulge in a surface of the test deformable structure due to the separation in the material of the test deformable structure, until the bulge crosses a predetermined plane; determining the size of the separation in the test deformable structure; providing a reference deformable structure having at least one reference separation in the material of the reference deformable structure at a predetermined depth; reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the reference separation in the reference deformable structure and thereby forming a reference bulge in a surface of the reference deformable structure, until the bulge crosses a predetermined plane; comparing the pressure at which the bulge formed in the surface of the test deformable structure crossed the predetermined plane with the pressure at which the reference bulge formed in the surface of the reference deformable structure crossed the predetermined plane; and determining the depth of the separation in the test deformable structure. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A method for determining the depth of a separation in the material of a test deformable structure, comprising the steps of:
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reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the separation in the test deformable structure and thereby forming a bulge in a surface of the test deformable structure due to the separation in the material of the test deformable structure, until the bulge attains a predetermined size parameter; providing a reference deformable structure having at least one reference separation in the material of the reference deformable structure and at a predetermined depth; reducing the pressure in the vicinity of the reference separation in the reference deformable structure and thereby forming a reference bulge in a surface of the reference deformable structure, until the bulge attains a predetermined size parameter; comparing the pressure at which the bulge formed in the surface of the test deformable structure attained the predetermined size parameter with the pressure at which the reference bulge formed in the surface of the reference deformable structure attained the predetermined size parameter to determine the depth of the separation in the test deformable structure. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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Specification