Nondestructive test for flexible composites
AssigneeThe Gates Corporation
InventorsJohn Graeme Knox, Tulin K. Markes
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Abstract
A method for testing internal differences in reinforced flexible composites including placing a flexible composite on a rigid support structure, tapping the composite with a tapper of predetermined mass, determining a value representative of the impact duration of the tap and/or computing a value representative of the local stiffness of the composite. The composite may be a power transmission belt or portion thereof with tensile cord reinforcement. The method is useful for comparing the degree of penetration of elastomer into the tensile cord, for example in a cast polyurethane toothed belt.
Claims15
A method of testing internal structural variations within a flexible, elastomeric-matrix, composite article comprising an elastomeric matrix and a reinforcing fiber structure embedded therein, said method comprising the steps of:
- mounting said composite article in a fixed position;
- tapping the article;
- determining the impact duration of the tap;
- and
- comparing the impact duration to a reference value.
A method of testing internal structural variations comprising:
- placing a flexible, elastomeric-matrix, composite article on a rigid support structure,
- tapping the composite with a tapper of predetermined mass,
- determining a value representative of the impact duration or contact time of the tap, and
- comparing the impact duration or contact time to a reference value;
- wherein the composite article comprises an elastomeric matrix and a reinforcing fiber structure embedded therein.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.