New Universal Sample Clamp

When penetrating, extruding or cutting a sample during a test it is common that the sample sometimes needs to be held down manually in order to avoid it being lifted up with the withdrawing probe or fixture.

The penetration of a margarine sample, the cutting of a piece of meat or the backward extrusion of a thick moisturising cream are typical examples when this may occur.

The resulting measured forces of this occurrence will be displaying the weight of the material (and/or its supporting packaging) being lifted rather than the forces necessary to withdraw from the sample. If lifting of the sample occurs the graph that is obtained will not therefore reflect the entire true textural profile of the sample.

To assist with this problem we have designed a Universal Sample Clamp. This clamp is able to hold down a multitude of sample types, shapes and sizes, including the packaging which may contain the sample. The sample is placed on the base of the clamp. In the case of circular samples, the concentric rings will provided a means of central placing of the sample or its circular container. The top clamp can then be lowered down onto the sample and secured at a suitable clamping position using the post screws. A circular orifice provides suitable access for a cylinder probe up to 50mm in diameter, whilst the linear hole running through this provides access for a standard blade. The clamp has been designed to sit diagonally on the base of the instrument to optimise the available space under the orifice for maximum sample size flexibility.

This item is a Registered Community Design demonstrating Stable Micro Systems continued innovation and progression of texture analysis solutions.