Zellweger Uster, Inc.

Mark A Overbay

Hossein M Ghorashi

Michael E Galyon

Gordon F Williams

Youe-Tsyr Chu

Joseph H Mansfield

Luo Cheng

Glenn E Irick, Sr

Glen E Irick, Sr

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.

Gin process control

Subsampling fiber testing system

A fiber quality monitoring apparatus is constructed with a sample window for viewing a fiber sample. As the fiber sample passes the sample window, a bulb is strobed to produce a light pulse that is directed toward and reflected by the fiber sample. When the light pulse reaches a desired intensity, a first photo diode generates a synchronization signal. A second photo diode detects reflected light with a wavelength between about 500 nanometers and about 600 nanometers and produces a reflection signal. A third photo diode detects reflected light with a wavelength between about 430 nanometers and about 530 nanometers and produces a color signal. A charge coupled device camera is positioned to receive the reflected light pulse. The charge coupled device camera has an array of pixels which receive the reflected light pulse. Pixels receiving the reflected light pulse at an intensity below a desired value are designated as dark pixels and pixels receiving the reflected light pulse at an intensity greater than the desired level are designated as light pixels. A prism focuses the reflected light pulse received by the second and third photo diodes, and a transparent block encloses the strobing Xenon bulb and the first photo diode so that the light pulse is conducted from the Xenon bulb to the first diode. Processing means analyze the color signal and the reflection signal and produce a composite value, and a percentage value representing the percentage of dark pixels in the array of dark and light pixels. Furthermore, the processing means recognizes and classifies patterns of dark pixels in the array of light and dark pixels, and controls fiber processing equipment in response to the composite and percentage values.

Fiber quality monitor

A fiber classing device having a sample window for viewing a fiber sample. A light source provides light that is directed toward and reflected by the fiber sample, producing reflected light. A photo sensitive detector is positioned to receive the reflected light, and it detects lightness, redness, and yellowness of the fiber sample. Processing means assign a preliminary grade to the fiber sample based at least in part on the lightness and yellowness of the fiber sample. The processing means also selectively adjust the preliminary grade to a final grade based at least in part on the redness of the fiber sample. The photo sensitive detector has one or more of a spectrometer, a camera, or a set of three photo diodes. A first photo diode detects light with a wavelength of between about 505 nanometers and about 605 nanometers, corresponding to the lightness of the fiber sample. A second photo diode detects light with a wavelength of between about 430 nanometers and about 530 nanometers, corresponding to the yellowness of the fiber sample. The third photo diode detects light with a wavelength of between about 550 nanometers and about 650 nanometers, corresponding to the redness of the fiber sample. The processing means analyzes the information from the photo sensitive detector to determine the mean redness, variance in lightness, variance in redness, variance in yellowness, contrast in lightness, percent of yellow spots, and contrast in yellowness of the fiber sample. The selective adjustment from the preliminary grade to the final grade is based at least in part on these parameters.

Fiber color grading system

High volume fiber testing system

Fiber strength testing system

Fiber micronaire testing system

Growing community of inventors

Knoxville, TN, United States of America

Mark A Overbay