Systems and methods for continuous mode force testing
AssigneeNextInput, Inc.
InventorsMichael Dueweke, Allan Liu, Dan Benjamin
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Described herein is a method and system for testing a force or strain sensor in a continuous fashion. The method employs a sensor, a test fixture, a load cell, a mechanical actuator and tester hardware and software to simultaneously record signal outputs from the sensor and load cell as functions of time. The method provides time synchronization events for recording data streams between, for example, a linear ramp of the force on, or displacement of, the sensor and for extracting performance characteristics from the data in post-test processing.
Claims20
A testing system, comprising:
- a test fixture configured to include electrical connection to a force or strain sensor;
- a mechanical actuator configured to apply a force to the force or strain sensor;
- a load cell configured to measure an amount of the force applied to the force or strain sensor;
- a controller configured to operate the mechanical actuator and simultaneously record respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and the load cell;
- and
- wherein simultaneously recording the respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and the load cell comprises sampling the respective output signals in a burst mode, wherein the burst mode is defined by a sampling frequency and a sampling period;
- wherein the respective output signal from the force or strain sensor is sampled with a first sampling frequency and a first sampling period;
- and
- wherein the respective output signal from the load cell is sampled with a second sampling frequency and a second sampling period.
The system of 10, wherein the controller is further configured to use a transition from the first force value to a ramped force and a transition from the ramped force to the second force value as temporal data synchronization points between the respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and the load cell.
A testing system, comprising:
- a test fixture configured to include electrical connection to a force or strain sensor;
- a mechanical actuator configured to apply a force to the force or strain sensor;
- a load cell configured to measure an amount of the force applied to the force or strain sensor;
- a controller configured to operate the mechanical actuator and simultaneously record respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and the load cell;
- and
- a robotic arm, wherein the mechanical actuator is controlled by the robotic arm.
A method for testing a force or strain sensor, comprising:
- connecting the force or strain sensor to a test fixture, wherein the test fixture is configured to include electrical connection to the force or strain sensor;
- operating a mechanical actuator to apply a force to the force or strain sensor;
- simultaneously recording respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and a load cell, wherein the load cell is configured to measure an amount of the force applied to the force or strain sensor;
- and
- wherein simultaneously recording the respective output signals from the force or strain sensor and the load cell comprises sampling the respective output signals in a burst mode, wherein the burst mode is defined by a sampling frequency and a sampling period;
- wherein the respective output signal from the force or strain sensor is sampled with a first sampling frequency and a first sampling period;
- and
- wherein the respective output signal from the load cell is sampled with a second sampling frequency and a second sampling period.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.