DEVICE AND METHOD FOR TESTING MATERIALS

Abstract

The invention relates to a device and a method for testing materials, and is characterized in that the device comprises application units (2) for interaction modules (1) and an exchange system for the interaction modules, and the device is designed such that the application units (2) automatically feed interaction modules (1) to the exchange system after a control signal and the exchange system is designed to feed the interaction modules to a test position.

Claims

1. Device for testing materials, wherein the device comprises application units (2) for interaction modules (1) and an exchange system for interaction modules, and the device is designed such that the application units (2) automatically feed interaction modules (1) to the exchange system after a control signal and the exchange system is designed to feed the interaction modules to the measuring area.

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a dispensing system for used interaction modules and the exchange system is further configured to feed used interaction modules to the dispensing system after a measurement, and the dispensing system preferably further comprises at least one storage unit for storing the dispensed interaction modules.

3. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises sensors and/or comprises interaction modules and in particular these interaction modules in turn comprise sensors, by means of which measurements can be taken, preferred sensors being chemical indicators or electric sensors, in particular co-operating with a power source and a data memory or elements used for wireless data transmission.

4. Device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a control unit which automatically knows which measurement task is about to be performed, feeds the interaction module to the corresponding measuring area and generates and exports an address or code for a data memory.

5. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises a device for testing fluids comprising a fluid inlet and at least two, preferably three or more, fluid outlets, and each of these fluid outlets can be separately connected to the fluid inlet via a multi-way valve which is capable of assuming at least two functionally different positions so that the fluid flows into one of the fluid outlets respectively depending on the position of the multi-way valve.

6. Device according to claim 1, wherein the interaction modules are dispensed in a controlled manner by means of controlled closing or dispensing mechanism, and in particular an application unit is a bottomless container in which the interaction modules are disposed one above the other, and which is mounted above the exchange system so that interaction modules easily drop onto the exchange system.

7. Device according to claim 1, wherein the application units are configured to accommodate magazines in which several interaction modules may be disposed, and in particular these magazines are of a design similar to that of slide magazines, and the magazines are preferably already fixedly mounted in the device or constitute a storage device for the application units.

8. Device according to claim 1, wherein the exchange system comprises a holder structure for holding the interaction modules and a motion control system, in particular a ram or a rotating mechanism, for moving the interaction modules, and the device preferably comprises a control unit for controlling the exchange system, and the exchange system is configured in particular to move a belt or a rail containing the interaction modules, in particular linearly and/or in a circular motion.

9. Device according to claim 1, wherein it is configured to dispense individual application units in a defined order so that, depending on the application, an interaction module from one application unit is introduced into the exchange system first of all followed by an interaction module from another application unit.

10. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured so that the application units can be changed during operation, and in particular the device further comprises a motion control system for the application units which is configured to enable the application units to be moved from one position to another.

11. Device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises a marker unit and is configured to automatically identify the interaction modules and/or the application units, in particular by means of characters, barcodes, RFID elements, engraving or other patterns, and in particular the device is also configured so that the markings can be scanned by means of a scanner element and a computer unit equipped with user software, the latter two being contained in the device in particular, and the position and/or function of the interaction modules and/or the application units in the device is ascertained on the basis of this scanned information or is stored as data.

12. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a sealing unit which is configured to provide a seal between the interaction module and the measuring area, and the interaction modules are moved into the measuring position by means of a lifting or screwing motion onto the housing wall of the device where they are held firmly pressed, or it is not the interaction modules which is moved but rather the sealing unit.

13. Device according to claim 1, wherein it comprises at least two interaction modules, each having a different structure and each of which is configured to take different measurements, preferred interaction modules being interaction modules containing a filter and/or a screen for a filter pressure test, interaction modules having a capillary for measuring the viscoelastic behavior of a fluid or interaction modules having a slot-shaped opening for producing a film sample for optical measurements.

14. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device is designed so that it is not the entire material flow that is measured and instead, a part of the material flow is branched off and measured, and this part is then preferably returned to the material flow.

15. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device further comprises cleaning modules which are intermingled with the interaction modules or disposed in a separate application unit, and the cleaning modules are designed in particular so that the region of the interaction modules used for measuring purposes or the entire open cross-section is filled with a cleaning material so that any impurities can be removed by the sliding movement of the cleaning module through the device, and the cleaning materials comprise in particular brushes, blades, scrapers, preferably made from metals, alloys, steel, plastics, fabrics, fleece, wood, glass or other materials.

16. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises an interaction module which is configured to measure the flow properties of a material in order to determine both viscous and elastic flow behavior, and the relevant interaction modules have at least one capillary in particular which is straight or curved or spiral-shaped in particular, and in particular the device is configured to impart a mechanical vibrating motion to the capillary and measure the loss modulus the vibrations in particular.

17. Device according to claim 1, wherein the device comprises a tempering system which is configured to pre-heat the interaction modules upstream of the measuring area and/or provide cooling downstream of the measurement operation, and the interaction modules are preferably cooled after being ejected.

18. Interaction module for use in a device according to claim 1, wherein the interaction modules comprise a support and a measuring part which is held and optionally stabilized by this support, and the support is a part produced by injection casting, and the measuring part is preferably fixed to the support during the manufacturing process by casting or welding, and in particular the materials for the measuring part are placed in a half-piece of the support and then back-injected.

19. Interaction module according to claim 1, wherein the interaction module comprises structures and/or recesses extending out from its side walls which are designed to positively fit in structures formed in an application unit and/or the exchange system for guiding purposes to ensure a reliable and exact guiding action for the interaction modules in the device.

20. Interaction module according to claim 1, wherein the support and/or the measuring part are made from materials from the group including plastics, metal, ceramic, composite materials or combinations of these materials, in particular by means of milling, casting or sintering, and the interaction module preferably comprises a number of different regions suitable for taking measurements.

21. Method for testing materials with a device according to claim 1, comprising the steps: storing a plurality of interaction modules in an application unit, dispensing the interaction modules from the application unit to an exchange system, feeding the dispensed interaction modules to a measurement position by means of the exchange system, feeding the used interaction modules away after taking the measurement by means of the measuring system.

Description

[0097] Examples of preferred embodiments of the device proposed by the invention are illustrated in the appended drawings.

[0098] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically illustrating a preferred embodiment;

[0099] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a view in section of this embodiment;

[0100] FIG. 3 is a side view illustrating a detail of this embodiment;

[0101] FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred application;

[0102] FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate preferred interaction modules;

[0103] FIG. 9 illustrates a preferred cleaning module.

[0104] Firstly; it should be pointed out that the same parts described in the different embodiments are denoted by the same reference numbers and the same component names and the disclosures made throughout the description can be transposed in terms of meaning to same parts bearing the same reference numbers or same component names. Furthermore, the positions chosen for the purposes of the description, such as top, bottom, side, etc., relate to the drawing specifically being described and can be transposed in terms of meaning to a new position when another position is being described.

[0105] In the drawings, only some of the interaction modules are indicated by reference number (1). Some interaction modules are expressly not provided with reference numbers because this would otherwise make for less clarity.

[0106] FIG. 1 is a side view schematically illustrating a preferred embodiment. The interaction modules 1 are disposed one above the other in the application unit and can be dispensed in a downward direction to an exchange system 3. The exchange system is a rail 3 with a driving mechanism 6 for example, the lateral guide of which is denoted by reference (3). In the drawing, the device is mounted on a unit for testing molten plastics for example, which starts on the right-hand side with the angled inlets and on the left-hand side extends out beyond the inventive embodiment. The measuring area lies behind the circular plate with four screws.

[0107] After the measurement, the used interaction modules are fed away from the measuring point by the dispensing system 4 and are then available for subsequent analysis.

[0108] FIG. 2 is a side view illustrating a section through this embodiment. The path of the interaction modules 1 through the device and how they are stored in the application unit 2 are clear to see in this view. The driving mechanism 6, which is a ram in this instance, pushes the interaction modules 1 forward on the rail of the exchange system 3, the bottom region of which is denoted by reference (3). Whenever the ram is retracted and is no longer positioned underneath the outlet of the application unit, a new interaction module 1 drops down onto the rail 3 of the exchange system.

[0109] The interaction modules are fed one after the other to the measurement position 5 denoted by (1/5), where they can be used to take measurements, e.g. as screens for a filter pressure test, during which a molten plastic is pressed via what in this instance is a conical opening though the interaction module 1 and the pressure in the opening is measured. In particular, it is preferable to provide a unit which presses the interaction module firmly against the opening at this point to prevent any material from escaping.

[0110] The used interaction modules 1 are pushed onwards and tip into the dispensing system 4 which is similar to a chute in terms of shape and function. Due to gravitational force, the interaction modules 1 slide downwards and at the end of the dispensing system 4 (not illustrated here) can be collected or fed away by separate units, for example.

[0111] Interaction modules may also be actively removed by means of a robot arm and actively directed to other apparatus for analysis, e.g. an oven for ashing by means of a controller programmed accordingly.

[0112] FIG. 3 illustrates in greater detail how the interaction modules 1 are guided as explained above.

[0113] FIG. 4 illustrates a preferred application. The device together with a filter pressure test assembly is mounted upstream of an autosampler in this instance. The application unit 2 and dispensing system 4 are clearly illustrated.

[0114] FIGS. 5 to 8 illustrate preferred interaction modules. The bottom part of the drawing shows a plan view of the relevant module in each case and the top part shows a side view along section A-A.

[0115] FIG. 5 illustrates an interaction module 1 with a circular screen or filter, such as might be used for a filter pressure test, for example.

[0116] FIG. 6 illustrates an interaction module 1 with a vertical capillary, such as might be used to measure the viscoelastic behavior of a fluid, for example.

[0117] FIG. 7 illustrates an interaction module 1 with a spiral-shaped capillary, such as might be used for measuring the viscoelastic behavior of a fluid when a longer flow path is needed, for example.

[0118] FIG. 8 illustrates an interaction module 1 with a slotted nozzle, such as might be used for taking optical measurements, for example.

[0119] FIG. 9 illustrates a preferred cleaning module. It has a circular surface at the top and underneath is provided with cleaning brushes, for example made from metal. These brushes are able to clean along the route taken by the interaction modules through the device as the cleaning module is moved through the device.

[0120] The embodiments illustrated as examples represent possible variants of the device, and it should be pointed out at this stage that the invention is not specifically limited to the variants specifically illustrated, and instead the individual variants may be used in different combinations with one another and these possible variations lie within the reach of the person skilled in this technical field given the disclosed technical teaching.

[0121] Furthermore, individual features or combinations of features from the different embodiments illustrated and described may be construed as independent inventive solutions or solutions proposed by the invention in their own right.

[0122] The objective underlying the independent inventive solutions may be found in the description.

[0123] All the figures relating to ranges of values in the description should be construed as meaning that they include any and all part-ranges, in which case, for example, the range of 1 to 10 should be understood as including all part-ranges starting from the lower limit of 1 to the upper limit of 10, i.e. all part-ranges starting with a lower limit of 1 or more and ending with an upper limit of 10 or less, e.g. 1 to 1.7, or 3.2 to 8.1 or 5.5 to 10.

[0124] Above all, the individual embodiments of the subject matter illustrated in the drawings constitute independent solutions proposed by the invention in their own right. The objectives and associated solutions proposed by the invention may be found in the detailed descriptions of these drawings.

[0125] For the sake of good order, finally, it should be pointed out that, in order to provide a clearer understanding of the structure of the device, it and its constituent parts are illustrated to a certain extent out of scale and/or on an enlarged scale and/or on a reduced scale.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

[0126] 1 Interaction module [0127] 2 Application unit [0128] 3 Rail [0129] 4 Dispensing system [0130] 5 Measurement position [0131] 6 Driving mechanism