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:
Jul. 30, 2013
Filed:
Mar. 12, 2010
Douglas A. Geese, Churubusco, IN (US);
Douglas A. Geese, Churubusco, IN (US);
Fort Wayne Metals Research Products Corporation, Fort Wayne, IN (US);
Abstract
A test apparatus and method for determining at least one characteristic of a test specimen. An exemplary test specimen is a shape memory metal alloy and an exemplary characteristic is a transformation temperature of the shape memory metal alloy. The test apparatus may include a chiller unit including a tank containing a chilling medium, such as isopropyl alcohol or denatured alcohol, which holds a removable fixture tray that can accommodate up to ten specimens, or more. The fixture tray holds the test specimens in an initial deformed condition, and the cooling medium may be gradually heated to induce transformation of the specimens. The test apparatus may include a vision-based optical system which includes a camera that tracks the specimens within its field of view.