Adjustable Travel-Limiting Assembly for Drop-Weight Damage Testing

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing drop hammer systems for inflicting impact damage on composite materials suffer from inconsistencies in damage depth, leading to undesirable variations that are difficult to control and predict.

Innovation Solution

A deflection-limited drop hammer system with an adjustable travel-limiting assembly for the impact tip, allowing precise control of maximum penetration depth to achieve a target dent depth, using a specified maximum energy.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If a traditional drop hammer system is used with calibrated weight and drop height, then the desired impact damage depth can be achieved, but inconsistencies in composite material test articles lead to uncontrolled variations in impact damage depth

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveimpact damage depth consistencyVSAvoidtest article variability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The system changes the controlling parameter from impact energy (weight × height) to penetration depth by introducing a travel-limiting assembly with depth stop. This directly controls the maximum penetration depth of the impact tip, making the process insensitive to variations in test article properties.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The travel-limiting assembly acts as an intermediary mechanism between the impactor and the test article. It mediates the impact process by physically limiting the travel of the impact tip, ensuring consistent penetration depth regardless of variations in the test article or impact energy.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

2Manufacturing precision

If the impact energy is increased to ensure sufficient damage depth, then the target dent depth can be achieved, but the risk of unplanned damage and exceeding maximum energy increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvetarget dent depth accuracyVSAvoidunplanned damage risk

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The travel-limiting assembly provides preliminary anti-action by pre-establishing a physical barrier (depth stop) that prevents the impact tip from exceeding the maximum allowed penetration depth. This proactive measure eliminates the risk of unplanned damage before it can occur.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #9Preliminary anti-action

Solution Approach 2:

The system provides beforehand cushioning by incorporating a travel-limiting assembly that acts as a safety mechanism. This assembly cushions against potential harm by limiting the maximum travel of the impact tip, ensuring that even if impact energy is excessive, the penetration depth remains controlled.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

3Manufacturing precision

If the travel of the impact tip is controlled to achieve precise penetration depth, then consistent impact damage can be ensured, but the system complexity increases with the travel-limiting assembly

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepenetration depth controlVSAvoidsystem structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The system segments the impactor into distinct components: the impact tip, the travel-limiting assembly with depth stop, and the support structure. This segmentation allows the travel-limiting assembly to be a separate, adjustable module that can be configured independently to achieve precise penetration depth control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

Ensures consistent and accurate impact damage by controlling the travel of the impact tip, reducing the risk of unplanned damage and improving the reliability of structural testing.

Implementation Method 1

a gravity-based impact test system

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGravity: Gravitation

Implementation Method 2

the infliction of damage to a surface or component under test, such that the properties and characteristics of the damaged test article can be determined or observed

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectImpact force: Impact Force

Data Source

PatentUS12422345B2Drop-weight impact damage infliction for a surface or component under test

Publication Date: 2025.09.23 GULSTREAM AEROSPACE CORP

AI summary

A system and related methodology for inflicting structural impact damage to an article are disclosed. Certain embodiments of the system include: a main support body; a guide tube having a lower end region couplable to the main support body, and having a hollow interior passageway; an adjustable weight assembly receivable and moveable within the hollow interior passageway; an impact tip receivable within an opening formed in a lower end section of the main support body, the impact tip movable within the opening such that an exposed length of the impact tip protrudes outside of the main support body; and a travel-limiting assembly associated with the impact tip. The travel-limiting assembly is adjustable to define a variable maximum penetration depth of the impact tip relative to the article.