Automated Ozone Deterioration Evaluation for Vulcanized Rubber
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for evaluating ozone deterioration in vulcanized rubber materials are labor-intensive and prone to variations due to sensory judgments, requiring manual observation and removal of samples from ozone chambers.
Innovation Solution
A system that captures digital image data of vulcanized rubber samples over time using camera devices within an ozone test tank, processing this data to determine changes in surface state without the need for manual observation or sample removal, thereby reducing working hours and improving accuracy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If manual observation and removal of test samples from ozone chambers is performed, then sensory judgment can be made, but working man-hours increase and evaluation accuracy varies due to human judgment differences
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses image capture devices to create digital copies (images) of the test sample surface state instead of direct human sensory observation. These images serve as accurate replicas that can be analyzed without removing samples from the ozone chamber, eliminating manual intervention while preserving evaluation accuracy.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical system of manual sample removal, physical observation, and human judgment with an automated image-based measurement system. Cameras capture surface states, and image processing algorithms automatically analyze crack development, substituting human sensory judgment with objective digital analysis.
2Ease of operation
If test samples are removed from ozone chambers for observation, then surface state can be checked, but the process becomes labor-intensive and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The test sample evaluation system performs self-observation through integrated image capture devices that automatically monitor the sample surface state within the ozone chamber. The system serves itself by capturing, storing, and analyzing images without requiring external manual intervention for sample removal or observation.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables continuous monitoring of test sample surface state by capturing images at multiple time points without interrupting the ozone exposure process. This continuous observation maintains the test conditions while gathering evaluation data, eliminating the need to stop the test for sample removal and observation.
3Measurement precision
If optical microscopes or video cameras are used to observe test piece surface, then quantitative evaluation of ozone cracks is possible, but samples must be removed from test tanks increasing working complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates image capture and analysis functionality directly into the ozone testing system, creating a multi-functional device that both exposes samples to ozone and automatically monitors their surface state. This universal system eliminates the need for separate observation equipment and procedures, reducing overall test complexity while maintaining quantitative evaluation capability.
Data Source
AI summary
A test sample of a vulcanized rubber material is placed under a preset placement condition in a fixing frame in a test tank having a predetermined ozone concentration, and digital image data is acquired by capturing at a fixed point, over time, with at least one camera device, images of a surface of the test sample that has been placed in the test tank; and determining a change in a surface state of the test sample between a plurality of points in time by analyzing, with a computation device, the image data that has been acquired. Such evaluation method for evaluating ozone deterioration of a vulcanized rubber material can accurately determine a change over time in ozone deterioration while reducing working man-hours.