초록 ▼

The invention relates to a continuous or instrumented indentation device for a material. The indentation device includes an indenter, a bearing means for the material to be indented, a means for moving the indenter and/or the bearing means for contacting the indenter with the material to be indented

The invention relates to a continuous or instrumented indentation device for a material. The indentation device includes an indenter, a bearing means for the material to be indented, a means for moving the indenter and/or the bearing means for contacting the indenter with the material to be indented, and for pressing the indenter into the material, and a means for measuring the force and movement of the indenter when the indenter is pressed into the material. The bearing means includes a convex surface for receiving the material to be indented and is oriented towards the indenter so that the material is capable of bearing on the convex surface. The indenter may comprise a one-piece structure. The means for measuring the movement of the indenter when the indenter is pressed into the material includes at least three movement sensors angularly arranged at an equal distance about the indenter.

대표청구항 ▼

1. A device for continuous or instrumented indentation of a material, comprising: an indentor;means for supporting the material to be indented;means for displacing at least one of the indentor or the means for supporting the material, for putting said indentor in contact with said material and drivi

1. A device for continuous or instrumented indentation of a material, comprising: an indentor;means for supporting the material to be indented;means for displacing at least one of the indentor or the means for supporting the material, for putting said indentor in contact with said material and driving the material into the indentor; andmeans for measuring the force and the displacement of the indentor while the indentor is pressed into the material, wherein:(a) said means for supporting the material comprises a convex surface along a longitudinal axis of said indentor for receiving said material, the convex surface being oriented towards the indentor so that said material is capable of resting on the convex surface in a point-like or quasi point-like manner;(b) said means for supporting the material is free of other means for retaining the material in place;(c) said indentor is a one-piece indentor and comprises an indentation tip which is formed as a single piece with a body of said indentor; and(d) said means for measuring the displacement of the indentor while the indentor is pressed into the material comprises at least three displacement sensors angularly positioned equidistant from one another around said indentor, and positioned along a fictitious circle centred on the longitudinal axis of the indentor. 2. The device according to claim 1, wherein said convex surface is a surface of a sphere or of a sphere portion. 3. The device according to claim 2, wherein the means for supporting the material further comprises a plate on which the sphere or sphere portion rests. 4. The device according to claim 3, wherein the plate includes means for at least one of blocking or attaching said sphere or sphere portion. 5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the convex surface is formed as a single piece with a supporting plate. 6. The device according to claim 1, wherein said indentor comprises tungsten carbide. 7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the displacement sensors are contactless capacitive type sensors. 8. The device according to claim 1, further comprising means for recording a distance measured by each of the displacement sensors, and for calculating the average of the three measured distances, the average being considered as the sinkage depth value of the indentor in the material. 9. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a second indentor, wherein the convex surface is formed by a tip of the second indentor which extends in along the longitudinal axis in opposition to the first indentor. 10. The device according to claim 9, wherein the device is the form of a pair of claws, each indentor being integral with a jaw of the pair of claws. 11. The device according to claim 9, wherein only one of the indentors is provided with force measurement means. 12. The device according to claim 9, wherein only one of the indentors is provided with displacement measurement means. 13. The device according to claim 9, wherein both indentors are provided with force and displacement measurement means.