Universal grip system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9733172-B2
Application number	US-201414286926-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	May 23, 2014
Priority date	May 23, 2014
Publication date	Aug 15, 2017
Grant date	Aug 15, 2017

Abstract

Provided are universal grip systems and method of using universal grip systems to test coupons. According to various examples, a universal grip system includes two grips and two guide posts for supporting the two grips and allowing the two grips to move with respect to each other. Each grip may include one or two wedges. The wedges are used to engage the coupons during testing and provide anti-buckling support and/or anti-rotation support. The wedges are slidably coupled within corresponding grips, which allows the universal grip system to engage and disengage the coupons by moving one grip with respect to another. The grips may be constructed from thermally neutral materials, such as invar 36. The grips may thermally isolated from the guide posts by, for example, a set of spacers disposed between the grips and linear bearing slidably coupled to the guide posts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A universal grip system comprising:
a grip assembly comprising:
a first wedge slidably supported in the grip assembly; and
a second wedge slidably supported in the grip assembly,
wherein the first wedge and the second wedge include:
a base portion and a tip portion;
a grip zone at the tip portion for gripping a coupon between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge during testing, and
a support zone adjacent to the grip zone for preventing buckling and rotation of the coupon during testing, the support zone extending from the tip portion and away from the base portion of each of the first wedge and the second wedge;
wherein the spacing between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge is wider at the support zone than at the grip zone; and
wherein the spacing between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge is uniform within the support zone and within the grip zone;

a first guide post; and
a second guide post,
wherein the grip assembly is slidably coupled to the first guide post and the second guide post such that the grip assembly is movable in a sliding direction.

2. The universal grip system of claim 1 , wherein the first wedge is movable with the first grip in a second sliding direction not parallel to the first sliding direction.

3. The universal grip system of claim 2 , wherein the first grip further comprising a third wedge slidably supported in the first grip, and wherein the third wedge is movable with the first grip in a third sliding direction not parallel to the first sliding direction.

4. The universal grip system of claim 3 , further comprising a base clip engaging the first wedge and the third wedge and allowing the first wedge and the third wedge to move with respect to each other in a direction normal to the first sliding direction.

5. The universal grip system of claim 3 , further comprising a link plate, wherein the link plate aligns the first wedge and the third wedge relative to each other within a plane parallel to the first sliding direction.

6. The universal grip system of claim 5 , wherein the link plate is removable.

7. The universal grip system of claim 3 , further comprising an actuator interface having a surface engaging the first wedge and the third wedge.

8. The universal grip system of claim 1 , wherein the first grip further comprises a first guide block, the first guide block slidably supporting the first wedge.

9. The universal grip system of claim 8 , wherein the first grip further comprises a second guide block, the second guide block slidably supporting an additional wedge or fixedly supporting a positioning block.

10. The universal grip system of claim 8 , wherein the first grip further comprises a retainer clip engaging the first guide block and first wedge allowing the first wedge to slide relative to the first guide block.

11. The universal grip system of claim 1 , wherein the first grip comprises a thermally neutral material, and wherein the second grip comprises the thermally neutral material.

12. The universal grip system of claim 1 ,
wherein the first grip is thermally insulated from the first guide post and second guide post, and
wherein the second grip is thermally insulated from the first guide post and second guide post.

13. The universal grip system of claim 12 , wherein the first grip and the second grip are thermally insulated from the first guide post and the second guide post by ceramic spacers.

14. The universal grip system of claim 13 , wherein the first grip is slidably coupled to the first guide post using a first linear bearing, and wherein one of the ceramic spacers is disposed between the first linear bearing and the first grip.

15. The universal grip system of claim 1 , wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are made from a material having a coefficient of thermal expansion less than 6×10 −6 inch/inch ° F.

16. The universal grip system of claim 1 , wherein the first wedge and the second wedge are made from a nickel-iron alloy.

17. A method for testing of a coupon, the method comprising:
securing the coupon using a universal grip system comprising a grip assembly, the grip assembly comprising a first wedge slidably supported in the grip assembly and a second wedge slidably supported in the grip assembly,
wherein securing the coupon comprising sliding the first wedge and the second wedge in the grip assembly to engage the coupon with the first wedge and the second wedge;
wherein the first wedge and the second wedge include:
a base portion and a tip portion
a grip zone at the tip portion for gripping a coupon between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge during testing, and
a support zone adjacent to the grip zone for preventing buckling and rotation of the coupon during testing, the support zone extending from the tip portion and away from the base portion of each of the first wedge and the second wedge;
wherein the spacing between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge is wider at the support zone than at the grip zone; and
wherein the spacing between the interior surfaces of the first wedge and the second wedge is uniform within the support zone and within the grip zone;

transmitting a load to the coupon based on a signal from a control system; and
releasing the coupon from the universal grip system,
wherein releasing the coupon comprising sliding the first wedge away from the second wedge in the grip assembly and disengaging the coupon from the first wedge and the second wedge.

18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the first grip and the second grip are each supported by a first guide post and a second guide post as the first grip moves relative to the second grip during securing the coupon, transmitting the load, and releasing the coupon.

19. The method of claim 18 , wherein the first grip and the second grip are each thermally insulated from the first guide post and the second guide post.

Assignees

• Boeing Co

Inventors

• Kismarton Max U

Classifications

• B25B5/08

  using cams · CPC title

• G01N2203/0447

  Holders for quick insertion/removal of test pieces · CPC title

• G01N3/04

  Chucks · CPC title

• B25B5/003 Primary

  Combinations of clamps · CPC title

• G01N3/02 Primary

  Details · CPC title