Southwest Research Institute

Other

Peter Mark Lee

Carlos Sanchez

Daniel Christopher Bitsis, Jr

Riccardo Meldolesi

Ronghua Wei

Craig M Wall

Jianliang Lin

Anthony S Perkins

Kevin L Hoag

Nicholas J Mueschke

John W Miller

Gregory A T Hansen

Greg Hansen

Nigil Satish Jeyashekar

Michael Moneer

An electrically insulated block-on-rotating-ring test unit and method, to evaluate the effects of electrical potential on material pairs and fluids under mechanical load and in sliding contact. The fluids may comprise lubricants and oils utilized in electrical vehicles.

Electrically insulated block-on-rotating-ring test unit and method

A tribometer and technique for determining torque at a physical interface of multiple rotating components. The tool and technique include aligning components about a rotational axis for independent rotation of each component. The components are in physical interface during the rotating with a resultant frictional torque. The torque may be measured by one or more torque meters during the rotating. This measured torque may be compared against an estimated torque for tool accuracy. Further, parameters such as load, temperature, component material, rotating rpm differentials and others may be varied to determine effect on measured frictional torque.

Frictional torque determination technique

A device and method for measuring temperature during tribological examination of sample materials. More specifically, the device includes a sample holder that provides for surface temperature measurement for sample materials undergoing tribological testing.

Device and method to measure temperature during tribological examination of materials

An engine vibration imager and method of testing engine stability. An accelerometer, mounted to an engine block, is configured to detect engine vibration and generate a signal indicative of detected vibration. An amplifier, electrically coupled to the accelerometer, is configured to amplify the signal indicative of detected vibration. A light indicator, electrically coupled to the amplifier, is configured to emit light upon receiving the amplified signal. The engine vibration imager also includes an indicator disk including timing marks on a first surface of the indicator disk. The indicator disk is rotatable by the crankshaft and light emitted from the light indicator is visible at the first surface of the indicator disk and indicates on the indicator disk a point in the combustion cycle in which engine vibration is detected.

Engine vibration imager

A dynamic testing system for sealing devices includes a shaft that is reciprocated in a bore through a body. The shaft includes a first seal assembly and a second seal assembly disposed a distance apart on the shaft. When the shaft is inserted into the bore, the first seal assembly and the second seal assembly form a fluid-tight seal between the external surface of the shaft and the internal surface of the bore&#x2014;this forms a fluid-tight cavity between the seal assemblies. Sealing devices in each of the first seal assembly and the second seal assembly experience chemical attack and mechanical wear. One or more axial force measurement sensors measure the force applied by a prime mover to reciprocate the shaft within the bore. Data acquisition circuitry collects the force information and generates a graphical output that plots friction force against reciprocating cycle count.

Sealing device test systems and methods

A Ti&#x2014;Si&#x2014;C&#x2014;N coating for a piston ring and a method forming such coating, wherein the deposited coating exhibits a thickness in the range of 10.0 micrometers to 20.0 micrometers and exhibits a coefficient of friction of less than 0.15 and a wear rate of less than 10&#xd7;10mm/N/m. The coefficient of friction being measured on a Plint TE77 and the wear rate being measured against an alumina ball of 0.25 inches in diameter at a load of 1 N at 100 rpm in a dry environment. The deposited Ti&#x2014;Si&#x2014;C&#x2014;N coating includes nanocrystalline phases in an amorphous matrix.

Ti&#x2014;Si&#x2014;C&#x2014;N piston ring coatings

A method of damping pulsations produced by an engine or other driver, so that gas flow can more accurately be measured by a gas flow meter. A damping device is placed between the driver and the flow meter, and has an enclosed volume, an input tube, and an output tube. Particular dimensions of the damping device, namely the volume of the chamber and the diameter and length of the input tube, are calculated to result in a desired damping efficiency.

Pulsation damping for damping pulsations upstream of a gas flow meter

A testing rig and method of testing a bearing with the rig, wherein the rig includes a bearing housing, wherein said bearing housing includes an opening and a drive shaft extending into said opening, wherein the drive shaft is rotatable around a bearing axis. The testing rig also includes a vertical actuator mounted on the bearing housing for applying a vertical load to the bearing housing and a horizontal actuator mounted on the bearing housing for applying a horizontal load to the bearing housing. In addition, the testing rig includes a first misalignment actuator coupled to the first actuator for applying a first misalignment load to the bearing housing and a second misalignment actuator coupled to the bearing housing for applying a second misalignment load to the bearing housing.

Two-directional radial load and misalignment testing device

An apparatus including a piston bore, exhibiting a longitudinal axis, and a piston, including a piston head and a piston shaft. The piston being axially displace-able within the piston bore along the longitudinal axis. The piston bore and a first surface of the piston head form a first working volume and displacement of the piston alters the first working volume. The apparatus also includes a first plurality of injectors coupled to the first working volume and a first common rail. The first plurality of injectors are configured to inject a hydraulic fluid from the common rail into the first working volume. The first common rail is configured to store the hydraulic fluid at an elevated pressure of 1,000 bar or greater. The apparatus includes a flow path between the first working volume and a reservoir for the hydraulic fluid.

Apparatus for generating and applying linear forces

A method of measuring direction of rotation of a tappet of an engine valve train. Two opposing notches are machined or otherwise formed in the outer surface of the tappet. Two sensors proximate the outer surface of the tappet are operable to detect the change in distance resulting from the notches as the tappet rotates. There is a predetermined difference angle of separation between the arc distance between the notches and the arc distance between the sensors. Each sensor outputs a square wave output having pulses whose width represents detection of the notches by the sensor. The location of the pulses of the two square wave outputs is compared to determine direction of rotation of the tappet.

System and method for measuring rotation speed and direction of tappets (lifters) of an engine valve train

A comb for selectively separating strands of hair for individual treatment includes an elongated base and a plurality of teeth positioned at spaced-apart locations along the length of the base. Each tooth includes a shaft which extends outwardly from the base to a free end. The teeth include a hair-engaging portion at the free end of a shaft which is substantially linearly straight and smooth from the base to the hair-engaging portion. The hair-engaging portion is positioned to engage only selected strands of hair while allowing non-selected strands to fall freely from between the teeth as the comb is lifted, moving the teeth in a direction toward the base through the lock of hair. Each hair-engaging portion includes a tine member which extends outwardly from the shaft to define a substantially open hook throat. Each tine member is on a common side of each tooth so that the selected strands may be released from each hook throat by a single longitudinal movement of the base. The teeth having a hair-engaging portion may be positioned separately on the base from other teeth which may not have a hair-engaging portion, or both types of teeth may be positioned in an alternating arrangement together on a single side of the base.

Growing community of inventors

Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, United States of America

Peter Mark Lee