IP Library › Granted Patent US 12699032
Granted Patent B1
US 12699032 · App. 17/965,047 · Granted Aug 4, 2026

Load test apparatus with integrated thermal conditioning

Inventor: Christopher Sheridan Kelly (Colorado Springs, CO)
Assignee: UNITED LAUNCH ALLIANCE, L.L.C.
G01N3/60G01N2203/0017G01N2203/0019
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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 12699032
App. No.
17/965,047
Granted
Aug 4, 2026
Kind
B1
Abstract

A system and method for conducting thermal condition testing on a test object or objects where a first test fixture in contact with a test object has a first temperature and a second test fixture in contact with the test object has a second temperature. The test object or objects may also be secured to the text fixtures which permits a force or load placed on one or both test fixtures to be applied to the test object or objects while subjected to a temperature gradient from the test fixtures. The applied force or load may be tensile of compressive.

Claims (40)

1 . A test apparatus comprising:

a first test fixture, comprising a first body having a first interface surface and a first fluid pathway disposed in the first body proximate the first interface surface, the first fluid pathway configured to receive a first fluid having a first temperature, wherein a first surface of a test object is removably couplable to the first interface surface of the first test fixture when the test object contacts the first interface surface; and

a second test fixture, comprising a second body having a second interface surface, wherein a second surface of the test object is removably couplable to the second interface surface of the second test fixture when the test object contacts the second interface surface,

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the first test fixture is configured to apply a thermal load supplied by the first fluid having the first temperature to the test object, and

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, at least one of the first test fixture and the second test fixture is configured to apply a tensile load or a compressive load to the test object.

2 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a second fluid pathway associated with the second body, the second fluid pathway configured to receive a second fluid having a second temperature,

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the second test fixture is configured to apply a thermal load supplied by the second fluid having the second temperature to the test object.

3 . The test apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the second fluid pathway is disposed in the second body proximate the second interface surface.

4 . The test apparatus of claim 2 , wherein the first temperature is different from the second temperature.

5 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first and second interface surfaces are flat.

6 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising a heating element associated with the second test fixture and configured to heat the second interface surface,

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the heating of the second interface surface is a thermal load supplied to the test object.

7 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , further comprising an insulating envelope enclosing at least a portion of the first body.

8 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the test object is removably couplable to the first interface surface of the first test fixture via a first attachment mechanism associated with the first body, wherein the second surface of the test object is removably couplable to the second interface surface of the second test fixture via a second attachment mechanism associated with the second body,

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the thermal load is applied to the test object via the first attachment mechanism, and

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the tensile load or the compressive load is applied to the test object from at least one of the first test fixture via the first attachment mechanism and the second test fixture via the second attachment mechanism.

9 . A method of conducting a test on one or more test objects, comprising:

providing a first test fixture having a first body with a first interface surface, and a first fluid pathway disposed within the first body proximate the first interface surface, wherein the first fluid pathway is configured to receive a first fluid having a first temperature;

providing a second test fixture having a second body with a second interface surface;

placing a test object having a first surface and a second surface between the first body and the second body, wherein the first surface of the test object is removably couplable to the first interface surface of the first test fixture when the test object contacts the first interface surface, and wherein the second surface of the test object is removably couplable to the second interface surface of the second test fixture when the test object contacts the second interface surface; and

circulating the first fluid at a first temperature through the first fluid pathway,

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the first test fixture is configured to apply a thermal load supplied by the first fluid having the first temperature to the test object, and

wherein, when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, at least one of the first test fixture and the second test fixture is configured to apply a tensile load or a compressive load to the test object.

10 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising removably coupling the first surface of the test object to the first interface surface of the first test fixture via a first attachment mechanism associated with the first body and removably coupling the second surface of the test object to the second interface surface of the second test fixture via a second attachment mechanism associated with the second body; and

when the first surface of the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, applying the tensile load or the compressive load to the test object from at least one of the first test fixture via the first attachment mechanism and the second test fixture via the second attachment mechanism.

11 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising varying the first temperature of the first fluid while the tensile load or compressive load is applied.

12 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising varying the tensile load or the compressive load while the first temperature of the first fluid is maintained constant.

13 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising varying the first temperature of the first fluid while the tensile load or the compressive load is maintained constant.

14 . The method of claim 10 , further comprising varying the first temperature of the first fluid and varying the applied tensile load or the applied compressive load.

15 . The method of claim 10 , wherein applying the tensile load or the compressive load to the test object comprises securing the first test fixture or the second test fixture to a fixed object and applying the tensile load or the compressive load to the other of the first test fixture and second test fixture.

16 . The method of claim 9 , further comprising providing a second fluid pathway associated with the second body and circulating a second fluid through the second fluid pathway.

17 . The method of claim 16 , wherein a second temperature of the second fluid is different from the first temperature of the first fluid.

18 . The method of claim 10 , wherein the tensile load or the compressive load is applied at an angle relative to the first interface surface and the second interface surface.

19 . The method of claim 14 , further comprising enclosing the first body within an insulating material, wherein the insulating material defines an inner space, and wherein the method further comprises releasing cryogenic liquid into the inner space.

20 . The test apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the test object is a first test object,

wherein a first surface of a second test object is removably couplable to the first interface surface of the first test fixture when the second test object contacts the first interface surface,

wherein a second surface of the second test object is removably couplable to the second interface surface of the second test fixture when the second test object contacts the second interface surface,

wherein, when the first surface of the first test object is uncoupled from the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the first test object is uncoupled from the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the first test object is interchangeable with a second test object,

wherein, when the first surface of second the test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the second test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, the first test fixture is configured to apply a thermal load supplied by the first fluid having the first temperature to the second test object, and

wherein, when the first surface of the second test object is coupled to the first interface surface of the first test fixture and the second surface of the second test object is coupled to the second interface surface of the second test fixture, at least one of the first test fixture and the second test fixture is configured to apply a tensile load or a compressive load to the second test object.