Method and apparatus for thermal control of a multiple chamber test system
AssigneeQualmark Corporation
InventorsJames A. Provost, Matthew Giaraffa, Wendell K R Hutchings
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A multiple chamber test system is provided. The multiple chamber test system includes a plurality of test chambers that each include a vibration table. In addition, each of the test chambers is provided with thermally controlled air from a common source. An output plenum for providing thermally controlled air to the test chambers may include a flow control device, to provide the same or similar thermal conditions in each of the test chambers. Where pneumatic actuators are used to impart movement to the vibration tables, the exhaust air from the actuators can be prevented from mixing with the thermally controlled chamber air.
Claims20
A test system, comprising:
- a plurality of test chambers disposed within a test cabinet;
- an air circulation system, including:
- a fan that draws air through an air intake and provides the air to an outlet plenum;
- a plurality of air outlets, each of the air outlets delivering a portion of the air from the outlet plenum to a corresponding one of the test chambers;
- and
- a plurality of vibration tables, wherein each of the test chambers includes at least one of the vibration tables.
A multiple chamber test system, comprising:
- a cabinet;
- a plurality of test chambers disposed within the cabinet and accessible through at least one door of the cabinet;
- a plurality of vibration tables, each test chamber including at least one of the vibration tables;
- and
- an air circulation system, including at least a fan and a plurality of air outlets, wherein each test chamber in the plurality of test chambers is associated with at least one of the air outlets.
A method for providing airflow through a multi-chambered environmental test system, comprising:
- drawing air into an air circulation system of the test system, through an intake that is in communication with a plurality of test chambers of the test system;
- forcing the air through an air outlet plenum, wherein the air outlet plenum includes a plurality of air outlets in series, and wherein each test chamber in the plurality of test chambers is associated with one of the air outlets;
- and
- selectively diverting air from the air outlet plenum through each of the air outlets to provide an equal amount of the air to each of the test chambers.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.