Fixture for testing a test specimen

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11009435-B2
Application number	US-201916413855-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 16, 2019
Priority date	May 16, 2019
Publication date	May 18, 2021
Grant date	May 18, 2021

Abstract

A test fixture configured to attach to and apply a tensile force to a test specimen. The test fixture may include a first clevis section and a second clevis section that are each configured to be attached to the test specimen. Each of the first and second clevis sections may include a fixed block and a movable block. Connectors connect the clevis sections together and hold the test specimen. The first and second clevis sections may be moved apart to apply a force to the attached test specimen to test one or more properties of the test specimen.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A test fixture for testing a test specimen, the test fixture comprising:
a first clevis section and a second clevis section each configured to connect to and extend along opposing sides of the test specimen, each of the first clevis section and the second clevis section comprising:
a fixed block with a receptacle;
a movable block sized to be positioned at the receptacle and comprising a base and an arm, the base having a thickness that is greater than a thickness of the arm to form a gap between the fixed block and the arm when the movable block is connected to the fixed block at the receptacle;
a first connector that connects the base to the fixed block;
a second connector that extends through the gap and connects the arm to the fixed block; and
the gap sized to receive the test specimen with the fixed block positioned along a first side of the gap and the movable block positioned along an opposing second side of the gap.

2. The test fixture of claim 1 , further comprising adapters connected to the fixed blocks of the first clevis section and the second clevis section, the adapters positioned at outer ends of the fixed blocks and away from the receptacles that are positioned at inner ends of the fixed blocks.

3. The test fixture of claim 2 , wherein the adapters, the first connectors, and the second connectors are positioned along a straight line that extends through the first and second clevis sections.

4. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first connectors extend through the movable block and are spaced away from the gaps and the second connectors are exposed within the gaps.

5. The test fixture of claim 1 , further comprising openings in the movable blocks and openings in the fixed blocks with the second connectors positioned in each of the openings when the movable blocks are attached to the fixed blocks.

6. The test fixture of claim 5 , wherein the first connectors comprise shafts sized to extend through the openings in the movable blocks and heads that are larger than the openings to prevent insertion of the heads into the openings.

7. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the fixed blocks and the movable blocks of the first clevis section and the second clevis section comprise a same shape and size.

8. The test fixture of claim 1 , wherein the first connectors are fixedly connected to the fixed blocks and the second connectors are removably connected to the fixed blocks, with the first connectors configured to remain connected to the fixed blocks and the second connectors configured to be disconnected from the fixed blocks when the movable blocks are removed from the fixed blocks.

9. A test fixture for testing a test specimen, the test fixture comprising:
first and second fixed blocks each comprising an outer end, an inner end and a receptacle at the inner end;
first and second movable blocks with the first movable block sized to be connected to the first fixed block and the second movable block sized to be connected to the second fixed block;
first and second connectors configured to attach the first movable block to the first fixed block and the second movable block to the second fixed block, respectively;
a first gap formed between the first fixed block and the first movable block at the inner end of the first fixed block, the first gap sized to receive a first end of the test specimen and sized to prevent contact between the test specimen and either of the first fixed block and the first movable block; and
a second gap formed between the second fixed block and the second movable block at the inner end of the second fixed block, the second gap sized to receive a second end of the test specimen and sized to prevent contact between the test specimen and either of the second fixed block and the second movable block.

10. The test fixture of claim 9 , wherein the receptacles of the first and second fixed blocks extend through a centerline of the first and second fixed blocks.

11. The test fixture of claim 9 , wherein the first fixed block and the first movable block form a first clevis section that extends along opposing sides of the test specimen and the second fixed block and the second movable block form a second clevis section that extends along opposing sides of the test specimen.

12. The test fixture of claim 9 , wherein a centerline of the first gap is aligned with a centerline of the first fixed block and a centerline of the second gap is aligned with a centerline of the second fixed block.

13. The test fixture of claim 9 , wherein the test specimen is an additive manufactured material for use with a vehicle.

14. The test fixture of claim 9 , wherein the first and second movable blocks comprise bases and arms, the bases having a greater thickness than the arms for the arms to be spaced away from the first and second fixed blocks to form the first and second gaps.

15. A method of testing a test specimen with a test fixture, the method comprising:
positioning a first section of the test specimen at a first clevis section;
inserting a first connector that extends from a first fixed block of the first clevis section into a first opening in the first section of the test specimen;
attaching a first movable block to the first fixed block and positioning the first section of the test specimen in a first gap formed between the first fixed block and the first movable block;
positioning a second section of the test specimen at a second clevis section;
inserting a second connector that extends from a second fixed block of the second clevis section into a second opening in the second section of the test specimen;
attaching a second movable block to the second fixed block and positioning the second section of the test specimen in a second gap formed between the second fixed block and the second movable block; and
separating the first clevis section and the second clevis section and applying a tensile force to the test specimen while the first section of the test specimen is attached to the first connector and spaced away from the first fixed block and the first movable block and while the second section of the test specimen is attached to the second connector and spaced away from the second fixed block and the second movable block.

16. The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting the first connector through openings in the first movable block and the first fixed block and through the first opening in the first section of the test specimen.

17. The method of claim 15 , further comprising attaching the first movable block to the first fixed block at a first connection point and attaching the second movable block to the second fixed block at a second connection point, with the first and second connection points and the first and second openings being aligned along a straight line.

18. The method of claim 15 , further comprising preventing either of the first movable block and the second movable block from applying pressure to the test specimen.

19. The method of claim 15 , further comprising inserting a shaft of a third connector through the first movable block and into the first fixed block and attaching the first movable block to the first fixed block with the shaft being positioned away from the test specimen.

20. The method of claim 15 , further comprising sliding the first movable block over a third connector that extends outward from the first fixed block and attaching the first movable block to the first fixed block and with the connector being positioned away from

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Coad Dennis Lynn
• Senderos Bruno Zamorano
• King Garnel
• Meier Stefanie Anita
• Rodriguez Rogie I

Classifications

• G01N3/08

  by applying steady tensile or compressive forces (G01N3/28 takes precedence) · CPC title

• G01N2203/0017

  Tensile · CPC title

• G01N3/04 Primary

  Chucks · CPC title

• G01N2203/0405

  Features allowing alignment between specimen and chucks · CPC title