Method Of Evaluating The Consequences Of An Impact On A Piece Of Structural Composite Material, For Test Purposes

Patent Publication Number: WO 2005045389 A1

Title: Method of evaluating the consequences of an impact on a piece of structural composite material, for test purposes

Filing Date: September 17, 2004

Priority Date: November 5, 2003

Inventor(s): Pascale Brassier, Patrick Peres

Original Assignee / Applicant(s): Pascale Brassier, Eads Space Transp, Patrick Peres

Link to Patent: WO2005045389A1

Summary:

This invention provides a method to evaluate the effects of low speed, low energy impacts on structures made of composite material. In this invention, a Pressurex® film is coated or laminated over a structure made of composite material and the impact is analyzed by observing the color change of the film in response to the pressure experienced by it. This color change or intensity is then correlated with the force of the impact received by the film, after due pre-test calibrations. The invention, in its embodiments, uses Pressurex® films of different pressure sensitivities – Low (25 – 100 bars), Medium (100 – 500 bars) and High (500 – 1300 bars).