Electricity: measuring and testing – Determining nonelectric properties by measuring electric...
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2003-01-28
Le, N. (Department: 2858)
Electricity: measuring and testing
Determining nonelectric properties by measuring electric...
C324S076120, C324S457000, C324S464000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06512355
ABSTRACT:
GOVERNMENT INTEREST
The invention described herein may be manufactured, used and licensed by or for the U.S. Government.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention is directed to a device and method for inspection and detection of a fiber material by applying a high voltage to the material and observing its high-voltage waveform.
DESCRIPTION OF RELATED ART
There is a need in the art to detect low impedance fiber in extremely low concentrations. Current detectors, such as the ETI high-voltage plate, detect only the presence of low impedance fibers and provide no further differentiation or other information.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the invention to provide a device and method for discerning material type or measuring differences in material quality caused by differences in crystalline structure.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a device and method for detection and quality control.
To achieve these and other objects, the present invention is directed to a device for taking data representative of a material for analysis of the material, the device comprising: a voltage supply for supplying a voltage; testing means for receiving the material and for applying the voltage across the material to obtain a resulting waveform; and detecting means for detecting the resulting waveform to produce an output representing the resulting waveform.
The present invention is further directed to a method of taking data representative of a material for analysis of the material, the method comprising: (a) applying the voltage across the material to obtain a resulting waveform; and (b) detecting the resulting waveform to produce an output representing the resulting waveform.
The invention employs the principle that all solids, at least in theory, display innate resistance, capacitance, and inductance (RCL) properties. More specifically, all material can be analyzed in terms of an equivalent circuit having resistive, capacitive, and inductive elements. A crystalline material should have such elements in series. The equivalent circuits, and thus the materials themselves, display responses having distinctive patterns when energized with high voltage.
Thus, when a material is activated with sufficient voltage, distinct wave forms should appear. The differential patterns should be discernible by rise time, frequency content, duration, and fall time.
The invention allows detection of fiber in extremely low concentrations. It also allows detection and differentiation of any material of sufficient conductivity to initiate an arc.
The invention allows inspection analysis of known materials for density and crystalline structure and also allows detection of material types in an unknown environment. Minor differences in crystalline structure within material types will affect the equivalent circuits and will thus be measurable. Hardness, crystalline structure, and thickness can be discerned.
The invention can be used in a production environment to monitor material quality.
REFERENCES:
patent: 4125805 (1978-11-01), Nagamatsu
patent: 4338568 (1982-07-01), Yang
patent: 4980645 (1990-12-01), Soma et al.
patent: 5155437 (1992-10-01), Frus
patent: 5198773 (1993-03-01), Latta
patent: 6078180 (2000-06-01), Jenkinson
Kinne William E.
Ross Albert P.
Biffoni Ulysses John
Deb Anjan K.
Le N.
Ranucci Vincent J.
The United States of America as represented by the Secretary of
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