US 7,584,670 B2
	System, apparatus and method for testing under applied and reduced loads
Jeffrey Lynn Myers, Middletown, Ohio (US)
Assigned to General Electric Company, Schnectady, N.Y. (US)
Filed on Feb. 15, 2008, as Appl. No. 12/31,916.
Application 12/031916 is a division of application No. 11/002211, filed on Dec. 03, 2004, granted, now 7,353,715.
Prior Publication US 2008/0127744 A1, Jun. 05, 2008
This patent is subject to a terminal disclaimer.
Int. Cl. G01N 3/32 (2006.01)

U.S. Cl. 73—808

16 Claims

1. A system which cyclically applies and reduces a load on a test specimen to thereby subject the test specimen to cyclic testing, wherein the system comprises a fluidic mechanical muscle having a sheath with a flexible mesh secured at each end of the sheath and a bladder disposed within the sheath that inflates to cause contraction of the fluidic mechanical muscle and deflates to cause extension of the fluidic mechanical muscle to cyclically apply and reduce the load on the test specimen.