Zellweger Uster, Inc.

Uster Technologies Ag

Uster Technologies,

Spinlab Partners, Ltd.

Hossein M Ghorashi

Michael E Galyon

Youe-Tsyr Chu

Mark A Overbay

James T Wender

C Roger Riley

Preston S Baxter

Joseph H Mansfield

Gordon F Williams

Weichang C Zhao

Luo Cheng

Glenn E Irick, Sr

Peyman Dehkordi

Ian F Oxley

Johnathan W Craps

Kent A Rinehart

Joe H Mansfield

David B Patelke

Anja C Schleth

Stefan Weidmann

Michael H Reynolds

Joseph M Yankey

T Vaughn Blalock

Glenn E Irick

Martin M Inman

James D Needham

Muhammad Imran Sharafat

Glen E Irick, Sr

Daniel J Rairigh

Youe T Chu

Norbert J Ackermann, Jr

A fiber testing instrument having a fiber loading station that is sized to accommodate a fiber sample within a desired size range, a fiber extraction device for extracting a portion of the fiber sample for a first battery of fiber tests, a fiber transport device for conveying at least the remaining portion of the fiber sample, and a micronaire chamber for receiving the conveyed fiber sample, where the micronaire chamber is sized to test any fiber sample within the desired size range.

Auto micronaire

The apparatus is for measuring at least one of color and trash in a fiber sample. A light emitting diode light source generates an incident light that is directed toward the fiber sample, and reflected by the fiber sample, thereby producing a reflected light. A sensor receives the reflected light and produces a signal. A controller controls the light source and the sensor, and at least one of receives and adjusts the signal. At least one of the incident light, the reflected light and the signal is conditioned to compensate for differences between the light emitting diode light source and a xenon light source. Thus, drawbacks of the xenon light source used to date can be avoided.

LED-based fiber property measurement

A method of determining a testing volume for a micronaire measurement by containing a fiber sample within a micronaire chamber having a length and at least one movable end wall. A flow is initiated along the length of the micronaire chamber. The fiber sample is compressed within the micronaire chamber by advancing the movable end wall, and the advancement of the movable end wall is stopped when at least one property of the flow attains a set point. The position of the movable end wall defines the testing volume. In this manner, there is provided a convenient method of setting a testing volume and acquiring the information needed to take a micronaire measurement.

Micronaire measurement

An apparatus for processing a sample including fibers and trash, having a cylinder rotating in a first direction for receiving the sample. The cylinder has a surface with rigid pins. The pins engage and retain the fibers of the sample. A collection surface receives the trash that falls from the cylinder. A counter-flow of air moves in a separation region between the cylinder and the collection surface in a direction that is substantially perpendicular to and towards the underside of the cylinder. The counter-flow of air has at each position within the separation region an air-flow velocity that is sufficient for the counter-flow of air to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the pins up toward the cylinder and thereby engaging the fibers with the cylinder, and yet insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward through the counter-flow of air.

Trash separator

A fiber sample conditioning system having a comb for engaging and retaining fibers to form a beard, and at least two rotating brushes for brushing the fibers simultaneously from opposite sides of the beard in a direction along the fibers away from the comb.

Dual opposing fiber brushing

An apparatus for processing a sample of fibers and trash, having a cylinder for receiving the sample. Pins extend from the surface of the cylinder and retain the fibers. A knife extends along the cylinder adjacent the pins, and removes the trash that is not retained by the pins. The trash is separated from the sample along a downward direction. A counter-flow of air in an upward direction is directed towards the cylinder, where the velocity is sufficient to blow the fibers that are not originally retained by the pins up toward the cylinder, and yet is insufficient to prevent gravity from pulling the trash downward.

A method for determining a corrected weight of a mixed volume, by gravimetrically measuring a total weight of the mixed volume, creating an image of the mixed volume, detecting at least one selected component within the image of the mixed volume, estimating a component weight of the at least one selected component from the image of the mixed volume, and subtracting the component weight from the total weight to yield the corrected weight.

Visual weight compensation

A fiber instrument for measuring properties of a fiber sample, the fiber instrument having a surface for receiving the fiber sample, a hand for pressing the fiber sample against the surface, an illumination source for selectively illuminating the fiber sample with more than one peak wavelength, where each of the peak wavelengths is independently controllable as to an applied intensity of the peak wavelength, a sensor for capturing images of the fiber sample while it is illuminated, and a controller for controlling at least the sensor and the illumination source. By providing multiple peak wavelengths of illumination that are each independently controllable as to illumination intensity, the fiber instrument as described herein is better able to detect both foreign material within the fiber sample, and color gradations of the fiber sample.

Fiber property measurement

A method for standardizing a reading taken on a fiber sample, including the steps of measuring a moisture content of the fiber sample, taking the reading on the fiber sample, and correcting the reading to a standardized reading that adjusts for a difference between the reading at the measured moisture content of the fiber sample and a standardized reading at about 7.5% moisture content.

Standard moisture correction for fiber testing

An apparatus for measuring a moisture content value within a volume. A frequency generator generates at least one source signal at frequencies of no more than about one kilohertz. Probes are disposed with surfaces in physical contact with the volume, where no direct current flows between the probes through the volume. One of the probes is electrically connected to the frequency generator as a source probe, and adapted to receive the source signal and emit the source signal into the volume, thereby creating an electrical field having characteristics that are dependent at least in part on a moisture content of the volume. Another of the probes operates as a receiver probe for sensing the electrical field and producing an output signal having an output property that is dependent at least in part on the source signal and the moisture content within the volume. Means are provided for producing a moisture content value for the volume, where the moisture content value is based at least in part on the output property of the output signal.

Ultra low frequency moisture sensor

A fiber testing station. Electrically conductive first fiber retaining means engage first ends of fibers, where the fibers extend in substantially one direction from the first fiber retaining means to distal second ends of the retained fibers. The first fiber retaining means are electrically isolated from the fiber testing station. First length measurement means measure first relaxed lengths of the retained fibers between the first fiber retaining means and the second ends of the retained fibers. Electrically conductive second fiber retaining means engage the second ends of the retained fibers. The second fiber retaining means are electrically isolated from the fiber testing station. Moisture measurement means take electrical measurements along the retained fibers between the first fiber retaining means and the second fiber retaining means, and thereby determine a moisture content of the retained fibers. Tension means pull the first fiber retaining means and the second fiber retaining means away from one another, and thereby stretch the retained fibers until the retained fibers break at a fracture point.

Integrated moisture, length, and strength tester

A fiber property testing system for classing fiber samples based on properties of the fiber samples. Loading means receive unloaded cassettes and load the fiber samples into the unloaded cassettes to produce loaded cassettes. Testing means receive the loaded cassettes, remove fiber subsamples from the loaded cassettes, and perform property testing measurements on the fiber samples and the fiber subsamples. Unloading means unload the tested fiber samples from the loaded cassettes to produce the unloaded cassettes. Conveyance means receive the loaded cassettes from the loading means and deliver the loaded cassettes to the testing means, and receive the unloaded cassettes from the unloading means and deliver the unloaded cassettes to the loading means. Control means control delivery and receipt of the loaded cassettes and the unloaded cassettes, receive and correlate information generated during the property testing measurements, and class the fiber samples based on the information.

Automated classing system

An apparatus that individualizes fibers within a feed stream without breaking the fibers. A first stage, having first pinch rollers, receives the feed stream and provides it to a second stage. The second stage receives the feed stream from the first stage, and provides a thinned stream to a third stage. Second stage apron belts draw the feed stream under tension from the first stage into the second stage. Second pinch rollers draw the feed stream under tension from the second stage apron belts and provide the thinned stream to the third stage. The third stage receives the thinned stream from the second stage and provides individualized fibers. Third stage apron belts draw the thinned stream under tension from the second stage into the third stage. Third pinch rollers draw the thinned stream under tension from the third stage apron belts and provide the individualized fibers.

Fiber individualizer

A gin process control system including sensing stations for sensing the physical properties of cotton as it progresses through a gin. A moisture sensor determines, over a wide range of values, the amount of moisture in the cotton. A quality monitor determines the color of the cotton, color distribution, and the amount and type of trash or other impurities which may be entrained in the cotton. A micronaire unit determines both micronaire and cotton maturity. A fiber length tester provides information on the length distribution, breaking strength, and elongation of the cotton fibers. Cotton samples are gathered from the gin flow stream and presented to the sensing stations in a variety of manual, semi-automated, and automated fashions. In a fully automated unit, the sensing stations are connected directly to the gin. The sensing stations are also in communication with the gin process control system, which uses the data from the sensing stations to automatically control the operation of the gin. Alternately, the sensing stations are assembled into a stand-alone unit. In a semi-automatic version of the stand-alone unit, samples are manually gathered and presented to the unit in cassettes for automated subsampling and testing by the sensing stations. In this semi-automatic version, the sensing stations may be in a configuration identical to that of the fully automatic, on-line unit. In a manual version of the stand-alone unit, the samples are manually gathered and manually placed into contact with the various sensing stations. The information reported by the stand-alone units can be used to manually control the operation of the gin.

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Hossein M Ghorashi