Material testing machine and shooter

Abstract

To provide a material testing machine capable of smoothly conveying a test specimen after test completion, and a shooter.SOLUTION: A material testing machine includes a testing machine body for applying test force to a test specimen, and a shooter for slidably conveying the test specimen after test completion by the testing machine body. An inner surface along a first direction inclined downward is formed in the shooter. The inner surface has a bottom part on which the test specimen after the test completion is placed, and a pair of side parts. The pair of side parts are erected upward from both ends of the bottom part in a with direction orthogonal to the first direction, and in the bottom part, a center in the width direction is smoothly curved in a direction located lower than both ends in the width direction.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 7

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a material testing machine and a chute. [Background technology]

[0002] There is known a test piece recovery device for a material testing machine that slides and transports the test piece to recover the test piece after the test is completed. For example, Patent Document 1 describes a material testing machine that is provided with a chute that extends diagonally downward below the chuck of the lower crosshead. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Jpn. Jpn. Published No. 53-050466 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned chute has a shape with a flat bottom surface and a pair of flat side surfaces that intersect with the bottom surface. Because the bottom surface is flat, when the test object falls onto the side surface of the chute, it is likely to be in a position that generates a large frictional force between the test object and the side surface of the chute, which may hinder smooth transport of the test object.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above circumstances, and has an object to provide a materials testing machine and a chute that are capable of smoothly transporting test pieces after testing is completed. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present invention relates to a material testing machine comprising a testing machine body that applies a test force to a test specimen, and a chute that slides and transports the test specimen after testing by the testing machine body, the chute having an inner surface that is inclined downwardly along a first direction, the inner surface having a bottom on which the test specimen is placed after testing, and a pair of side portions, the pair of side portions being raised upward from both ends of the bottom in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the bottom portion smoothly curved in a direction such that the centre in the width direction is located lower than the both ends in the width direction.

[0007] A second aspect of the present invention relates to a chute for sliding and transporting a test specimen after testing, the chute having an inner surface formed along a first direction that slopes downward, the inner surface having a bottom on which the test specimen is placed after testing and a pair of side portions, the pair of side portions being raised upward from both ends of the bottom in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the bottom portion smoothly curved in a direction such that the centre in the width direction is located lower than the both ends in the width direction. Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the test specimen tends to slide around the center of the smoothly curved bottom, so that the specimen tends to fall less toward the side and the friction between the specimen and the side is likely to be small. Therefore, it is possible to provide a materials testing machine and a chute that can smoothly transport the specimen after the test is completed. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the configuration of a tensile tester. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in FIG. [Figure 4] 13 is a diagram showing the chute 70 as viewed from the second direction side. FIG. [Diagram 5] FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. [Figure 7] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII of FIG. [Figure 8] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a tensile testing machine. [Figure 9] 10 is a flowchart illustrating an example of a process of a control unit. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] [1. Overall configuration of the tensile testing machine] FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of the configuration of a tensile tester 1 according to the present embodiment. The tensile testing machine 1 of the present embodiment performs a tensile test by applying a test force to a test piece T, which is a plate-shaped test piece of a metal material to be tensile tested, to measure mechanical properties such as the tensile strength, yield point, elongation, and reduction of area of ​​the test piece T. The test force is a tensile force. The tensile tester 1 corresponds to an example of a "material testing machine." The test piece T corresponds to an example of a "test body."

[0012] The tensile tester 1 includes a tester body 10, a test piece recovery device 30, and a test piece recovery shelf 50.

[0013] The testing machine body 10 has a base 11. A table 12 is provided on the top of the base 11. A pair of support pillars 13 are erected on the table 12. A cross yoke 14 is suspended on the top of the support pillars 13. A threaded rod (not shown) is provided inside the support pillar 13. The threaded rod is constituted by a ball screw, and both ends of a crosshead 15 are connected to the threaded rod. The crosshead 15 rises and falls relative to the table 12 by the rotation of the threaded rod. A load cell 16 is installed on the crosshead 15. A joint 17 is attached to the load cell 16, and an upper grip 18 is connected to the lower end of the joint 17. The upper grip 18 has a pair of gripping teeth 18a, 18b, each of which can be opened and closed by a cylinder device (not shown). When the gripping teeth 18a, 18b close, the upper part of the test piece T is gripped.

[0014] A lower grip 19 is disposed below the upper grip 18. The lower grip 19 is fixed to the upper surface of the table 12. The lower grip 19 has a pair of gripping teeth 19a, 19b, each of which can be opened and closed by a cylinder device (not shown) to grip the lower part of the test piece T. The upper grip 18 and the lower grip 19 grip the test piece T, and the crosshead 15 is raised to apply a test force to the test piece T. The testing machine body 10 continues to apply the test force until the test piece T is broken at the top and bottom by the test force. After the tensile test is completed, the test piece T is torn into two broken pieces T1 gripped by the upper grip 18 and the lower grip 19, respectively. The broken pieces T1 correspond to an example of a "test specimen after the test is completed".

[0015] The test piece recovery device 30 is a device that recovers the two broken pieces T1 from the testing machine main body 10 and transfers them to the test piece recovery shelf 50. The test piece recovery device 30 is, for example, a robot arm having a mechanism for gripping the broken pieces T1. The robot arm is preferably configured to be capable of transporting in three axial directions, which makes it easy to recover the broken pieces T1 and store them in the test piece recovery shelf 50 arranged in a grid pattern.

[0016] [2. Configuration of test specimen collection shelf] 2 is a front view of the test strip collection shelf 50. In the following explanation, the horizontal direction on the entrance side of the broken pieces T1 in the test strip collection shelf 50 will be referred to as the front (front side). In other words, the front is the direction in which the test strip collection device 30 is located when viewed from the test strip collection shelf 50. The direction opposite to the front will be referred to as the rear (rear side), and the horizontal direction perpendicular to the front and rear will be referred to as the left-right direction.

[0017] The test specimen collection shelf 50 has a base 51. The base 51 can be fixed with bolts to the floor of a building in which the tensile tester 1 is installed. A horizontal, flat bottom frame 52 is fixed to the upper end of the base 51. A pair of left and right side frames 53 that rise vertically upward are provided at both ends in the left-right direction of the bottom frame 52. A horizontal upper frame 54 is hung across the upper ends of the pair of side frames 53. By providing such a test specimen collection shelf 50, it becomes easier to find the corresponding broken fragments T1 when there is an abnormality in the post-test data, etc., and subsequent reanalysis, etc. becomes easier.

[0018] In the test strip collection shelf 50, a plurality of chutes 70 are provided in a space surrounded by the bottom frame 52, the pair of side frames 53, and the top frame 54. When the chutes 70 receive the broken pieces T1 from the test strip collection device 30, the chutes 70 slide and transport the broken pieces T1. The plurality of chutes 70 are arranged at equal intervals in the left-right direction. The plurality of chutes 70 are arranged at equal intervals in the up-down direction. In other words, the plurality of chutes 70 are arranged in a lattice pattern when viewed from the front.

[0019] Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line III-III in Fig. 2. As shown in Fig. 3, the side frame 53 has a front pillar portion 53a extending vertically. The side frame 53 also has a rear pillar portion 53b extending vertically behind the front pillar portion 53a. The front pillar portion 53a and the rear pillar portion 53b are provided symmetrically in the left-right direction on the pair of side frames 53 (see Fig. 2).

[0020] 2 and 3, the front pillars 53a are formed with a plurality of front fastening portions 53a1. The front fastening portions 53a1 protrude inward in the left-right direction from the pair of front pillars 53a. The front fastening portions 53a1 are formed at equal intervals in the up-down direction.

[0021] A shaft supporter 57a is fastened to each of the front fastening portions 53a1. A circular hole 57a1 is formed in the shaft supporter 57a penetrating in the left-right direction. A shaft 58a extending in the left-right direction is inserted into the hole 57a1 of a pair of shaft supporters 57a provided at the same height in a pair of front column portions 53a. In a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction, the shaft 58a is circular. The shaft 58a is rotatable about an axis in the left-right direction relative to the shaft supporter 57a.

[0022] A plurality of rear fastening portions 53b1 are formed on the rear column portion 53b. The rear fastening portions 53b1 are formed in the same manner as the front fastening portions 53a1. That is, the rear fastening portions 53b1 are shaped to protrude inward in the left-right direction from the pair of rear column portions 53b. The multiple rear fastening portions 53b1 are formed at equal intervals in the up-down direction. The rear fastening portions 53b1 are formed in the same number as the front fastening portions 53a1.

[0023] Each rear fastening portion 53b1 has fastening holes 53b2, 53b3, and 53b4 at different heights. A pair of shaft supporters 57b are fastened to the pair of rear fastening portions 53b1 at the same height in the pair of rear column portions 53b using any of the fastening holes 53b2, 53b3, and 53b4. A circular hole 57b1 penetrating in the left-right direction is formed in the shaft supporter 57b. A single shaft 58b extending in the left-right direction is inserted into the hole 57b1 of the pair of shaft supporters 57b at the same height in the pair of rear column portions 53b. In a cross section perpendicular to the left-right direction, the shaft 58b is circular. The shaft 58b can rotate around an axis in the left-right direction relative to the shaft supporter 57b.

[0024] The shafts 58a and 58b are formed with screw holes for fastening bolts or the like, which are holes extending in the radial direction. A plurality of screw holes are formed at predetermined intervals in the axial direction of the shafts 58a and 58b. In detail, a plurality of screw holes are formed according to the number of shooters 70. The screw holes are formed at positions in the same phase in the circumferential direction of the shafts 58a and 58b. Each shooter 70 is fastened to the shaft 58a and the shaft 58b with a bolt or the like. The shaft 58a fastened to each shooter 70 is located at a higher position than the shaft 58b. As a result, the shooter 70 is hung on the shafts 58a and 58b in an inclined state. In addition, the test piece collection shelf 50 can change the angle of inclination of the shooter 70 by switching the fastening destination of the pair of shaft supporters 57b among the fastening holes 53b2, 53b3, and 53b4.

[0025] [3.Shooter configuration] The chutes 70 are long and thin structures. Each chute 70 is disposed in such a manner that its longitudinal direction corresponds to a first direction A. The first direction A is a direction that is inclined downward and rearward. The chutes 70 convey the received broken pieces T1 in the first direction A.

[0026] FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the chute 70 as viewed from the side in the second direction B. The second direction B is the opposite direction to the first direction A. The chute 70 has a housing 80. The housing 80 is a member formed by bending a metal plate. The chute 70 also has a sleeve 90 that is used by being placed over the housing 80. The sleeve 90 is made of a metal plate having a thickness smaller than that of the housing 80. In this embodiment, the housing 80 is made of a cold-rolled steel plate and a general structural rolled steel material. In this embodiment, the sleeve 90 is made of a stainless steel material.

[0027] FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the housing 80. The housing 80 has a bottom surface 81. The bottom surface 81 is a flat plate-like portion parallel to the first direction A. The bottom surface 81 is also parallel to the width direction. The width direction is perpendicular to the first direction A and the second direction B and is horizontal. In this embodiment, the width direction coincides with the left-right direction. A hole 81a is formed in the front part of the bottom surface 81 for fastening the housing 80 to the shaft 58a. A long hole 81b is formed in the rear part of the bottom surface 81 for fastening the housing 80 to the shaft 58b. The long hole 81b is a hole having a shape elongated in the first direction A and the second direction B. By using the long hole 81b, the fastening destination of the shaft supporter 57b is switched among the fastening holes 53b2, 53b3, and 53b4, and the shaft 58b moves up and down to accommodate the change in the interval between the shafts 58a and 58b.

[0028] The housing 80 has a pair of side surfaces 82. Each of the pair of side surfaces 82 is a flat plate-like portion parallel to the first direction A and the vertical direction. The pair of side surfaces 82 are raised upward from both ends in the width direction of the bottom surface 81. A notch 82a that is cut from top to bottom is formed at the end of the side surface 82 on the first direction A side. The notch 82a is located rearward of the rear column portion 53b.

[0029] The housing 80 has a cushioning material holding portion 83. The cushioning material holding portion 83 stands upward from an end portion of the bottom surface 81 on the first direction A side, perpendicular to the bottom surface 81. A cushioning material 84 is attached to the cushioning material holding portion 83. The cushioning material 84 is, for example, a vibration-damping rubber sheet or the like.

[0030] FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the sleeve 90. Note that FIG. 6 is a perspective view from the second direction B side, and is viewed from a different direction than FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 4 and FIG. 6, the sleeve 90 has an inner surface 91. The inner surface 91 is a curved surface parallel to the first direction A. When viewed from the second direction B side, the inner surface 91 has a smoothly curved U-shape. In this embodiment, the inner surface 91 is formed into a U-shape by curving the sheet metal constituting the sleeve 90 with the inner surface 91 facing inward. The inner surface 91 is polished to reduce friction with the broken pieces T1.

[0031] 4 and 6, the inner surface 91 has a pair of side portions 91a. The side portions 91a are flat surfaces of the inner surface 91 that are parallel to the first direction A and the vertical direction. The pair of side portions 91a face each other.

[0032] The inner surface 91 has a bottom 91b. The bottom 91b is a curved surface that continues to the lower ends of the pair of side portions 91a. The bottom 91b is parallel to the first direction A. The bottom 91b is recessed downward. That is, in the bottom 91b, a center 91b1 in the width direction is smoothly curved in a direction that is lower than both ends 91b2 in the width direction. In this embodiment, a part of the bottom 91b near the center 91b1 is a flat plate parallel to the width direction. In this embodiment, the bottom 91b is curved in an arc shape from both ends 91b2 in the width direction to the flat plate-like part near the center 91b1. The pair of side portions 91a are raised upward from both ends 91b2 in the width direction of the bottom 91b. The side portions 91a and the bottom 91b are smoothly connected. The two ends 91b2 correspond to "both ends of the bottom 91b".

[0033] The sleeve 90 is provided with a pair of first bent portions 92. The first bent portions 92 are portions of the sleeve 90 that are bent and expanded outward in the width direction from upper edges 91a1 of a pair of side portions 91a. The first bent portions 92 are provided over the entire length of the side portions 91a in the first direction A.

[0034] The sleeve 90 is provided with a pair of second bent portions 93. The second bent portions 93 are portions of the sleeve 90 that are bent and expanded outward in the width direction from end portions 91a2 of the pair of side portions 91a on the second direction B side.

[0035] 4, the sleeve 90 is attached to the housing 80. More specifically, the sleeve 90 is attached to the inside of the pair of side surfaces 82 with the side portions 91a along the side surfaces 82 and the bottom portion 91b along the bottom surface 81.

[0036] 3 and 4, when the sleeve 90 is attached to the housing 80, the pair of first bent portions 92 contact the pair of side surfaces 82 from above. The pair of second bent portions 93 contact the pair of side surfaces 82 from the side in the second direction B. This causes the sleeve 90 to be caught on the housing 80 and positioned.

[0037] Fig. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken along line VII-VII in Fig. 3. The cross-section VII-VII is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the first direction A in the chute 70. Fig. 7 also shows an inner surface 191 of a comparative example in which the side 191a and the bottom 191b are flat and the side 191a and the bottom 191b are bent vertically to be connected, as shown imaginarily by a two-dot chain line. Fig. 7 also shows an inner surface 191 of a comparative example in which the side 191a and the bottom 191b are flat and bent vertically to be connected, as shown imaginarily by a two-dot chain line. The side 91a and the side 191a are spaced apart from each other by a distance D1 in the width direction.

[0038] 7, the broken piece T1 is delivered to the chute 70 while being inserted inside the inner surface 91, that is, into a space surrounded by a pair of side portions 91a and a bottom portion 91b. In this embodiment, the distance D1 between the pair of side portions 91a is formed smaller than the width W1 of the test piece T and the broken piece T1. Therefore, the broken piece T1 is inserted from the front side into the inner surface 91 while standing so that the direction of the width W1 is along the vertical direction.

[0039] As shown in Fig. 7, the lower end of the broken piece T1 inserted inside the inner surface 91 contacts the bottom 91b. The bottom 91b is smoothly curved in a direction in which the center 91b1 in the width direction is located lower than both ends 91b2 in the width direction, so that the lower end of the broken piece T1 tends to slide in the first direction A while contacting the vicinity of the deepest center 91b1 due to gravity. In contrast, the lower end of the broken piece T1 inserted into the inner surface 191 of the comparative example tends to slide in the width direction on the flat bottom 191b toward the side 191a.

[0040] Therefore, the inclination angle A1 of the broken piece T1 when the broken piece T1 is inserted into the inner surface 91 of this embodiment is likely to be smaller than the inclination angle A2 of the broken piece T1 when the broken piece T1 is inserted into the inner surface 191 of the comparative example. The inclination angles A1 and A2 are the difference between the angle along the width W1 of the broken piece T1 and the vertical direction. Since the inclination angle A1 is likely to be smaller than the inclination angle A2 of the comparative example, in this embodiment, the normal force and friction force acting between the broken piece T1 and the side portion 91a are likely to be smaller than those of the comparative example. Therefore, the broken piece T1 is likely to slide on the inner surface 91 and is likely to be smoothly transported in the first direction A.

[0041] In addition, since the inclination angle A1 of this embodiment is likely to be smaller than the inclination angle A2 of the comparative example, the broken piece T1 inserted into the inner surface 91 is unlikely to be in a position stretched between the pair of side portions 91a. In contrast, the broken piece T1 inserted into the inner surface 191 of the comparative example is likely to be in a position stretched between both side portions 191a, and may become clogged inside the inner surface 191 of the comparative example. That is, in this embodiment, the broken piece T1 is unlikely to become clogged inside the inner surface 91, and is likely to be smoothly transported in the first direction A.

[0042] The broken pieces T1 that slide along the inner surface 91 in the first direction A come into contact with the cushioning material 84 and come to rest. Thus, the broken pieces T1 remain within the chute 70. In this manner, the chute 70 of this embodiment not only slides the broken pieces T1 to transport them in the first direction A, but can also store the broken pieces T1. The broken pieces T1 stored in the chute 70 can be easily removed via the notches 82a in the side surface 82 (see FIGS. 3 and 5).

[0043] [4. Control system configuration] 8 is a block diagram of the tensile tester 1. The tensile tester 1 is provided with a control device 100. The control device 100 is connected to the tester body 10 and the test piece recovery device 30 so as to be able to transmit and receive signals therebetween. The signals received are appropriate signals required for control or testing, such as a measurement signal output by the load cell 16. The signals sent to the tester body 10 or the test piece recovery device 30 are control signals for cylinder devices (not shown) of the grippers 18 and 19, control signals for a motor of a screw rod (not shown), and control signals for the test piece recovery device 30.

[0044] The control device 100 includes a control unit 101. The control unit 101 includes a processor 110 and a memory 120. The processor 110 is a computer equipped with a central processing unit (CPU), a micro-processing unit (MPU), and the like. The memory 120 includes a read only memory (ROM), a random access memory (RAM), and the like. The memory 120 stores a control program 121.

[0045] The control device 100 has an operation panel 130. The operation panel 130 includes a display device such as an LCD (Liquid Crystal Display) and an input device such as buttons and a numeric keypad. The operation panel 130 may include a touch panel that serves as both a display device and an input device. The operation panel 130 displays various images on the display device according to instructions from the control unit 101. The operation panel 130 detects operations on the input device and transmits a detection signal to the control unit 101.

[0046] The control unit 101 includes a test execution unit 111 and a recovery unit 112 as functional elements or functional units. These functional elements of the control unit 101 are realized, for example, by a processor 110 of the control unit 101, which is a computer, executing a control program 121 stored in a memory 120. The control program 121 can be stored in any computer-readable storage medium. Alternatively, all or part of the above-mentioned functional elements of the processor 110 can be configured by hardware including one or more electronic circuit components. Such electronic circuits can be programmed hardware such as a DSP (Digital Signal Processor) or an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array), or a SoC (System-on-a-Chip)-FPGA.

[0047] The test execution unit 111 controls each part of the testing machine main body 10 to apply a test force to the test piece T to perform a tensile test. The recovery unit 112 controls the test piece recovery device 30 to transport the broken pieces T1 after the tensile test is completed from the grippers 18, 19 to the chute 70 of the test piece recovery shelf 50.

[0048] [5. Processing of control unit] Fig. 9 is a flowchart showing an example of the processing of the control unit 101. The processing shown in Fig. 9 starts when the test piece T is set in the grippers 18 and 19 and an operation is performed on the operation panel 130 to instruct the start of a test.

[0049] First, the test execution unit 111 applies a test force to the test piece T and executes a tensile test (S1). The test execution unit 111 continues to apply the test force to the test piece T until the test piece T breaks into broken pieces T1. Whether or not the test piece T breaks can be determined, for example, based on whether or not the detection value of the load cell has changed significantly. By executing step S1, the grippers 18 and 19 are in a state where they each grip one of the broken pieces T1.

[0050] Next, the recovery unit 112 controls the test piece recovery device 30 to receive the broken pieces T1 gripped by the upper gripper 18 (S2). Next, the recovery unit 112 controls the test piece recovery device 30 to transfer the broken pieces T1 received in step S2 to a predetermined one of the chutes 70 of the test piece recovery shelf 50 (S3). The broken pieces T1 transferred to the chutes 70 by executing step S3 slide along the inner surface 91 and are transported in the first direction A, and are received by the cushioning material 84 and come to a standstill.

[0051] Next, the recovery unit 112 controls the test piece recovery device 30 to receive the broken piece T1 gripped by the lower gripper 19 (S4). Next, the recovery unit 112 controls the test piece recovery device 30 to transfer the broken piece T1 received in step S4 to the chute 70 adjacent to the chute 70 to which the broken piece T1 was transferred in step S3 (S5). The broken piece T1 transferred to the chute 70 in step S5 slides along the inner surface 91 and is transported in the first direction A, and is received by the cushioning material 84 and comes to a standstill.

[0052] In this embodiment, the chutes 70 are arranged in a grid pattern on the test strip collection shelf 50, making it easy to control the test strip collection device 30 in steps S3 and S5. For example, the collection unit 112 can transfer a set of broken pieces T1 to two adjacent chutes 70 by shifting the position at which the broken pieces T1 are transferred from the test strip collection device 30 by a predetermined distance in the left-right direction.

[0053] By executing step S5, two broken pieces T1 corresponding to one tensile test or one test piece T are stored in two adjacent chutes 70. This makes it easier to perform analysis using the two corresponding broken pieces T1 after the test is completed. Note that the set of steps S4 and S5 may be executed prior to steps S2 and S3, and the broken piece T1 gripped by the lower gripper 19 may be delivered to the chutes 70 first.

[0054] Execution of step S5 ends the process of FIG. 9. The tensile tester 1 may be an automatic tensile tester having a test piece transport device that automatically sets the test piece T to the grippers 18 and 19 under the control of the test execution unit 111. Furthermore, after execution of step S4 or step S5, the test execution unit 111 may execute a process of setting a new test piece T to the grippers 18 and 19, and after execution of step S5, the process from step S1 may be repeated without operation on the operation panel 130. In this case, a set of two broken pieces T1 corresponding to one tensile test can be stored in a set of two adjacent shooters 70 one after another. For this reason, it becomes easier to perform analysis using the two broken pieces T1 corresponding to each tensile test after the end of the test for multiple tensile tests.

[0055] [6. Other embodiments] The tensile tester 1 according to the embodiment described above is merely an example of an embodiment of a material testing machine according to the present invention, and any modification and application is possible without departing from the spirit and scope of the present invention.

[0056] In the above-mentioned embodiment, the case where the material testing machine is the tensile testing machine 1 has been described, but the configuration of the material testing machine is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment. The material testing machine may perform a material test by applying a test force to the test piece T. Therefore, the testing machine body 10 may be configured to apply a test force to the test piece T by a power such as hydraulic pressure, instead of a threaded rod and a motor. In addition, for example, the material testing machine may be a fatigue testing machine, a compression testing machine, a bending testing machine, or a torsion testing machine. In addition, although it has been described that the test piece T breaks into two broken pieces T1 after the test is completed, the test piece T does not have to break by the test.

[0057] In the above embodiment, the test piece T is described as a plate-shaped test piece made of a metal material having a width W1 larger than the distance D1 between the side portions 91a on the inner surface 91 of the chute 70, but the configuration of the test piece is not limited to the above embodiment. The width W1 of the test piece T may be smaller than the distance D1 between the side portions 91a. The test piece T may also be a test piece made of a material other than a metal material, such as resin or rubber. The test piece T is not limited to a plate-shaped test piece, and may also be an arc-shaped test piece, a tubular test piece, a rod-shaped test piece, a linear test piece, or a test piece of other shape.

[0058] In the above embodiment, the chute 70 is provided on the test piece collection shelf 50, but the configuration of the chute is not limited to the above embodiment. The chute 70 only needs to transport the test specimen after the test is completed. For example, the chute 70 may be provided on the testing machine main body 10. The broken pieces T1 do not need to be delivered to the chute 70 by the test piece collection device 30. For example, the chute 70 may be provided below the gripping teeth 19a, 19a and configured to directly receive the broken pieces T1 that have fallen from the gripping teeth 18a, 18b, 19a, 19a. In this way, when the chute 70 is provided on the testing machine main body 10, the test piece collection device 30 and the test piece collection shelf 50 can be omitted.

[0059] In the above embodiment, the two broken pieces T1 corresponding to one tensile test are described as being delivered to two adjacent shooters 70, but the operation of the material testing machine is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the two broken pieces T1 corresponding to one tensile test may be delivered to one shooter 70. In this case, the two broken pieces T1 may be delivered one after another each time a tensile test is performed to the shooter 70 adjacent to the shooter 70 that delivered the two broken pieces T1 of the previous tensile test. The same applies when the test piece T does not break during the test.

[0060] In the above embodiment, the chute 70 is configured to slide and transport the broken pieces T1 received from the test piece recovery device 30 and store the broken pieces T1, but the configuration of the chute 70 is not limited to the above embodiment. That is, the chute 70 may be configured to transport the transferred broken pieces T1 to the outside of the chute 70 without including the cushioning material holding portion 83 and the cushioning material 84. In addition, the chute 70 is described as being composed of two members, the housing 80 and the sleeve 90, but may be composed of one member having an inner surface 91. Furthermore, in the chute 70, the detailed shape of the inner surface 91 is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, the bottom 91b may not have a flat portion and may be a smooth curved surface as a whole. In addition, the shape of the bottom 91b in a cross section perpendicular to the first direction may be any shape that is smoothly curved and has a center 91b1 recessed downward, such as a circular arc shape or an arc shape corresponding to a semicircle.

[0061] The configuration shown in Fig. 8 is an example, and the specific implementation form is not particularly limited. In other words, it is not necessary for one processor 110 to execute the control program 121 to realize each functional element, and each functional element may be realized by a different processor. In addition, the control device 100 may be provided in the testing machine main body 10, the test strip recovery device 30, or another device that can be connected to these devices for communication. In addition, the functions of the control device 100 may be realized by control means provided in multiple devices.

[0062] The processing units in the flowchart shown in Fig. 9 are divided according to the main processing contents in order to facilitate understanding of the processing of the control unit 101. There is no limitation to the manner of division or names of the processing units shown in the flowchart of Fig. 9, and the processing units can be further divided according to the processing contents, or one processing unit can be divided to include further processes. Furthermore, the processing order of the above flowchart is not limited to the example shown in the figure.

[0063] Furthermore, unless otherwise specified, the descriptions of directions such as horizontal, vertical, orthogonal, parallel, and perpendicular in the above-described embodiments include a range in which the same action and effect is achieved as in those directions.

[0064] [7. Aspects] It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that the exemplary embodiments described above are examples of the following aspects.

[0065] (Section 1) A material testing machine according to one embodiment includes a testing machine main body that applies a test force to a test specimen, and a chute that slides and transports the test specimen after testing by the testing machine main body, the chute having an inner surface that slopes downward along a first direction, the inner surface having a bottom on which the test specimen is placed after testing, and a pair of side portions, the pair of side portions being raised upward from both ends of the bottom in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the bottom portion smoothly curved in a direction such that the center in the width direction is located lower than the both ends in the width direction.

[0066] According to the material testing machine described in paragraph 1, the test specimen after the test tends to slide smoothly around the center of the curved bottom. Therefore, the test specimen is less likely to fall toward the side after the test, and friction between the test specimen and the side is less likely to occur. This makes it possible to provide a material testing machine that allows the test specimen to be transported smoothly after the test.

[0067] (Section 2) In the material testing machine described in paragraph 1, the distance between the pair of side portions in the width direction is smaller than the width of the test piece.

[0068] According to the material testing machine described in the second aspect, the space required for installing the chute can be reduced, and the test specimen can be smoothly transported with reduced tipping after the test is completed.

[0069] (Section 3) In the material testing machine described in paragraph 1 or 2, the chute comprises a sleeve having the inner surface formed thereon, and a housing to which the sleeve is removably attached, the housing having a bottom surface aligned along the first direction and a pair of side surfaces raised upward from the bottom surface and aligned along the first direction, and the sleeve is attached to the inside of the pair of side surfaces.

[0070] According to the material testing machine described in paragraph 3, even if the inner surface is worn down due to contact with the test piece after the test is completed, only the sleeve can be replaced. This makes maintenance of the chute easier.

[0071] (Section 4) In the material testing machine described in paragraph 3, the sleeve is provided with a pair of first bending portions and a pair of second bending portions, the pair of first bending portions extending outward in the width direction from upper edges of the pair of side portions and contacting the pair of side surfaces of the housing from above, and the pair of second bending portions extending outward in the width direction from ends of the pair of side portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction and contacting the side surfaces from the second direction sides.

[0072] According to the material testing machine described in the fourth aspect, the sleeve can be configured to be detachable from the housing with a simple structure.

[0073] (Section 5) In the material testing machine according to claim 3 or 4, the thickness of the sleeve is smaller than the thickness of the side surface.

[0074] With the material testing machine described in paragraph 4, even if the inner surface becomes worn due to contact with the test object after the test is completed, only the sleeve, which is thinner than the side of the housing, lighter and easier to handle, can be replaced. This makes maintenance of the chute easier.

[0075] (Section 6) Another embodiment of the chute is a chute for sliding and transporting a test specimen after testing, and has an inner surface that is inclined downward along a first direction, the inner surface having a bottom on which the test specimen is placed after testing and a pair of side portions, the pair of side portions being raised upward from both ends of the bottom in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, and the bottom portion being smoothly curved in a direction such that the center in the width direction is located lower than the both ends in the width direction.

[0076] According to the chute described in paragraph 6, the specimen after the test tends to slide smoothly around the center of the curved bottom. Therefore, the specimen tends to fall less toward the side after the test, and the friction between the specimen and the side tends to be small. Therefore, it is possible to provide a chute that can smoothly transport the specimen after the test. [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 1 Testing Machine 10 Testing machine body 70 Shooter 80 Case 81 Bottom 82 Side 90 Sleeve 91 Inside 91a Side 91a1 Upper edge 91a2 end 91b bottom 91b1 center 91b2 Ends (bottom ends) 92 First bending section 93 Second bending section A 1st direction B Second direction T Test piece (test specimen) T1 Fragment (specimen after test)

Claims

1. A tester body applies a test force to a test specimen, and a chute slides and transports the test specimen after the test is completed by the tester body. The chute has an inner surface that is inclined downward along a first direction, The inner surface has a bottom portion on which the test specimen is placed after the test is completed, and a pair of side portions, The pair of side portions are raised upward from both ends of the bottom portion in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, The bottom portion is smoothly curved in a direction such that the center in the width direction is located lower than both ends in the width direction. Material testing machine.

2. The distance between the pair of side portions in the width direction is smaller than the width of the test specimen.

2. A material testing machine according to claim 1.

3. The chute includes a sleeve having the inner surface formed thereon, and a housing to which the sleeve is detachably attached, The housing has a bottom surface aligned along the first direction and a pair of side surfaces extending upward from the bottom surface and aligned along the first direction, The sleeve is attached to the inside of the pair of side surfaces.

3. A material testing machine according to claim 1 or 2.

4. The sleeve is provided with a pair of first bent portions and a pair of second bent portions, the pair of first bent portions are expanded outward in the width direction from upper edges of the pair of side portions and contact the pair of side surfaces of the housing from above, The pair of second bent portions are expanded outward in the width direction from end portions of the pair of side portions in a second direction opposite to the first direction, and contact the side surfaces from the second direction side.

4. A material testing machine according to claim 3.

5. The thickness of the sleeve is smaller than the thickness of the side surface.

4. A material testing machine according to claim 3.

6. A chute that slides and transports the test specimen after the test is completed, An inner surface is formed along a first direction that is inclined downward, The inner surface has a bottom portion on which the test specimen is placed after the test is completed, and a pair of side portions, The pair of side portions are raised upward from both ends of the bottom portion in a width direction perpendicular to the first direction, The bottom portion is smoothly curved in a direction such that the center in the width direction is located lower than both ends in the width direction. Shooter.

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