Sara Lee Corporation

Dennis Starnes

John R Everhart

James Moore Schenck

Edmund L Pace

George S Noonkester

Glenn Robert Pierce

David L Kamp

Jimmy Franklin Plyler

John J Frye

Jimmy L Plyler

A moving fabric web vision inspection system. The apparatus includes at least two electronic cameras on one side of the moving fabric web for measuring the light intensity of a predetermined area of the moving fabric web. A high frequency, backlight, contrast panel on the other side of the moving fabric web provides reference point for the cameras to detect a defect. A controller connected to each of the electronic cameras generates a stop signal if the light intensity of the predetermined area of the moving fabric web deviates from a predetermined value. The predetermined value corresponds to a detected defect in the moving fabric web. Finally, a repair station downstream from the cameras allows an operator to repair a defect detected by the vision inspection system.

Operator-free fabric web inspection system

A fabric roll letoff for unrolling and inspecting a fabric roll. The apparatus includes: a continuous belt for supporting the fabric roll. A drive system for rotates the belt to letoff the fabric web. The drive system includes a drive roller; a idle roller; and a tension roller. The continuous belt rotates the fabric roll to unroll the fabric web at a constant velocity for subsequent processing. In the preferred embodiment, a pair of unloader arms is connected to the belt drive for receiving the fabric roll and for positioning the fabric roll onto the belt drive. Also, in the preferred embodiment, a guide frame is positioned downstream from the belt drive for directing the fabric web through an inspection area.

Large fabric roll letoff

Growing community of inventors

Concord, NC, United States of America

Dennis Starnes