Apparatus and Methods for Testing Suction Cups Mounted to a Track

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016290888-A1
Application number	US-201514677647-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Apr 2, 2015
Priority date	Apr 2, 2015
Publication date	Oct 6, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

An apparatus ( 100 ) for testing suction cups ( 138 ) mounted on a track ( 162 ) is disclosed. The apparatus ( 100 ) comprises a base ( 102 ) comprising a first surface ( 104 ) and a second surface ( 106 ) opposite the first surface ( 104 ). The apparatus further comprises ports ( 108 ) penetrating the base ( 102 ) from the first surface ( 104 ) to the second surface ( 106 ) and vacuum sensors ( 112 ) pneumatically coupled to the ports ( 108 ). The ports ( 108 ) in the base ( 102 ) are arranged in a geometric pattern ( 110 ).

First claim

1 . An apparatus ( 100 ) for testing suction cups ( 138 ) mounted on a track ( 162 ), the apparatus ( 100 ) comprising:
a base ( 102 ) comprising a first surface ( 104 ) and a second surface ( 106 ) opposite the first surface ( 104 ); ports ( 108 ) penetrating the base ( 102 ) from the first surface ( 104 ) to the second surface ( 106 ), wherein the ports ( 108 ) in the base ( 102 ) are arranged in a geometric pattern ( 110 ); and vacuum sensors ( 112 ) pneumatically coupled to the ports ( 108 ).

2 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 further comprising a logic circuit ( 114 ) in communication with the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

3 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 2 further comprising means ( 118 ) for causing the logic circuit ( 114 ) to select a mode of receiving signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

4 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 3 , wherein the mode of receiving signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) is one of:
receiving signals from at least two of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) in fluid communication with one of the suction cups ( 138 ), or receiving signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) with each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) in fluid communication with a single one of the suction cups ( 138 ).

5 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 3 further comprising a visual indicator ( 116 ) in communication with the logic circuit ( 114 ), wherein the visual indicator ( 116 ) is configurable responsive to at least one signal received by the logic circuit ( 114 ) from at least one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

6 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 5 , wherein the visual indicator ( 116 ) comprises components ( 121 ) individually configurable to one of a plurality of states responsive to the at least one signal received by the logic circuit ( 114 ) from the at least one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

7 - 11 . (canceled)

12 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 45 , wherein the user interface ( 134 ) further comprises a mode selector ( 140 ) configured to control the means ( 118 ) for selecting the mode of acquiring signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

13 - 14 . (canceled)

15 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 further comprising blind slots ( 126 ) on the first surface ( 104 ) of the base ( 102 ), wherein the blind slots ( 126 ) at least partially overlap the ports ( 108 ).

16 - 20 . (canceled)

21 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 1 , wherein the base ( 102 ) further comprises a first end ( 180 ), a second end ( 182 ) opposite the first end ( 180 ), and a mounting lock ( 152 ) coupled to the first surface ( 104 ) of the base ( 102 ) at the first end ( 180 ).

22 . (canceled)

23 . The apparatus ( 100 ) of claim 21 , wherein the base ( 102 ) further comprises a receiver ( 164 ) coupled to the first surface ( 104 ) at the second end ( 182 ).

24 - 27 . (canceled)

28 . A method of testing suction cups ( 138 ) mounted on a track ( 162 ), the method comprising:
generating a vacuum in at least one of the suction cups ( 138 ) while fluid-communication paths between the suctions cups ( 138 ) and vacuum sensors ( 112 ) concurrently exist; and collecting signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the fluid-communication paths between the suction cups ( 138 ) and the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) comprise a plurality of the fluid-communication paths between one of the suction cups ( 138 ) and a plurality of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the fluid-communication paths between the suction cups ( 138 ) and the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) comprise a single fluid-communication path between one of the suction cups ( 138 ) and a corresponding one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ).

31 - 35 . (canceled)

36 . The method of claim 28 , wherein:
collecting the signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) comprises collecting a plurality of the signals from each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) and recording magnitude values of the plurality of the signals, and each of the plurality of the signals has a corresponding magnitude value.

37 . The method of claim 36 further comprising comparing the corresponding magnitude value of each of the plurality of the signals from each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to a performance threshold.

38 . The method of claim 37 further comprising generating an error message if the corresponding magnitude value of each of the plurality of the signals from each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) is outside the performance threshold.

39 . The method of claim 36 further comprising:
calculating a mean value of the magnitude values of the plurality of the signals from each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to obtain a mean magnitude value;
calculating a divergence of the magnitude values from the mean magnitude value to obtain a single-sensor divergence value for each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ); and
comparing the single-sensor divergence value for each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to a single-sensor divergence threshold.

40 . The method of claim 39 further comprising displaying performance indicators based on comparing the single-sensor divergence value for each of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to the single-sensor divergence threshold.

41 . (canceled)

42 . The method of claim 28 , wherein:
collecting the signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) comprises collecting a first plurality of the signals from a first one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) in fluid communication with a first one of the suction cups ( 138 ) and recording first magnitude values of the first plurality of the signals, each of the first plurality of the signals has a corresponding first magnitude value, collecting the signals from the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) further comprises collecting a second plurality of the signals from a second one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) in fluid communication with the first one of the suction cups ( 138 ) and recording second magnitude values of the second plurality of the signals, and each of the second plurality of the signals has a corresponding second magnitude value.

43 . The method of claim 42 further comprising:
calculating a mean value of the first magnitude values of the first plurality of the signals from the first one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to obtain a first mean magnitude value and a mean value of the second magnitude values of the second plurality of the signals from the second one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) to obtain a second mean magnitude value;
calculating a mean of the first mean magnitude value and the second mean magnitude value to obtain a multi-sensor mean magnitude value;
calculating a divergence of the first mean magnitude value and the second mean magnitude value from the multi-sensor mean magnitude value to obtain a multi-sensor divergence value for the first one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ) and the second one of the vacuum sensors ( 112 ); and
comparing the multi-sensor divergence value to a multi-sensor divergence threshold.

44 . (canceled)

45 . The apparatus of claim 5 further comprising a user interface ( 134 ), wherein the visual indicator ( 116 ) is an element of the user interface.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Ludwig Scott Alan
• Mickelson Derek

Classifications

• G01M3/26 Primary

  by measuring rate of loss or gain of fluid, e.g. by pressure-responsive devices, by flow detectors · CPC title

• G01M13/00 Primary

  Testing of machine parts · CPC title

• G01M3/34 Primary

  by testing the possibility of maintaining the vacuum in containers, e.g. in can-testing machines · CPC title