The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 04, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 07, 1997
Bridgestone/Firestone, Inc., Akron, OH (US);
Abstract
A friction testing machine and method for measuring friction characteristics between a test sample and a friction surface. The machine and method are particularly suited for measuring the coefficient of friction between a rubber specimen or a tread element and different friction surfaces at different sliding velocities, contact pressures and orientations. A preferred embodiment of machine is self-contained and portable, configured for easy and quick changing of the friction surface, and provides for rotating the test sample about an axis normal to the sliding surface and the direction of movement of the sample relative to the friction surface. In general, a friction test machine according to the invention comprises a sample holder configured to hold a sample in frictional engagement with a friction surface, and a motion device for effecting relative movement between the friction surface and sample holder in a first direction. Also provided is a variable weight loading device on the sample holder for loading the sample holder such that a selected load can be applied to the sample normal to the friction surface, and a force measurement device for obtaining a measurement indicative of the frictional force resisting such relative movement between the sample holder and the friction surface effected by the motion device.