Method and apparatus for testing resin to determine age
AssigneeMitsubishi Semiconductor America, Inc.
InventorWilliam M. Palcisko
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A method and apparatus for testing a pellet of resin to determine its age comprises preheating the pellet and subjecting it to a deformation force in a measurement fixture for a predetermined time period. At the expiration of the predetermined time period, the deformation of the pellet is measured and compared to an expected deformation of the resin as a function of the resin age to determine the age of the pellet.
Claims29
A method of determining the age of a pellet of resin comprising the steps of:
- (a) treating the pellet of resin;
- (b) subjecting the treated pellet to a deformation force for a predetermined time period;
- (c) measuring deformation of the pellet at the expiration of the predetermined time period;
- and
- (d) comparing the measured deformation of the pellet to a predetermined expected deformation of the resin as a function of the age of the resin to determine the age of the pellet.
An apparatus for testing a pellet of resin to determine its age, comprising:
- a source of heat for preheating the pellet;
- and
- a fixture including a base on which the entire resin pellet is supported, a mass selectively positioned so as to exert a deformation force on the pellet, and a scale for measuring pellet deformation in response to the deformation force.
A method of determining the deformation properties of a resin as a function of age, comprising the steps of:
- (a) treating a pellet of the resin of a known age;
- (b) subjecting the treated pellet to a deformation force for a predetermined time period;
- (c) measuring deformation of the pellet at the expiration of the predetermined time period;
- (d) recording the deformation of the pellet as a function of the known age;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for pellets of varying ages to determine the deformation properties of the resin as a function of age.
A method of determining the deformation properties of a resin as a function of age, comprising the steps of:
- (a) treating a pellet of the resin of a known age;
- (b) subjecting the treated pellet to a deformation force for a predetermined time period;
- (c) measuring deformation of the pellet at the expiration of the predetermined time period;
- (d) recording the deformation of the pellet as a function of the known age;
- and
- (e) repeating steps (a) through (d) for the pellet at various times over the life of the pellet to determine the deformation properties of the resin as a function of age.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.