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:
Nov. 26, 2002
Filed:
Oct. 10, 2000
Gregory S. Hein, Des Moines, IA (US);
Other;
Abstract
A method for detecting structural flaws in a structural member that includes plastic composite matrix material involves taking a quantity of matrix material that is substantially free of any non-optic glass fibers, molding the matrix material into a structural loadbearing member having a length and opposite end surfaces, placing a plurality of straight continuous spaced elongated fiber optic strands having the same length as the loadbearing member in the matrix material before molding, loading the structural member to exert stress and strain thereon, exposing one of the ends of the fiber optic strands to a source of light, viewing the opposite ends of the fiber optic strands to determine if light is being emitted therefrom by passing through the fiber optic strands, and making an evaluation of any structural flaws in the member by determining whether light from the light source has been fully transmitted through the fiber optic strands.