Zellweger Uster, Inc.

Uster Technologies Ag

Uster Technologies,

Michael E Galyon

Hossein M Ghorashi

Youe-Tsyr Chu

Frederick M Shofner

Joseph C Baldwin

Mark A Overbay

Youe-T Chu

Gordon F Williams

James T Wender

Preston S Baxter

Weichang C Zhao

Luo Cheng

Glenn E Irick, Sr

Masood A Khan

Johnathan W Craps

Mark G Townes

C Roger Riley

Joe H Mansfield

Joseph H Mansfield

David B Patelke

Anja C Schleth

Benjamin M Kacenas

T Vaughn Blalock

Glenn E Irick

Muhammad Imran Sharafat

Glen E Irick, Sr

Youe T Chu

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

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

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

An apparatus for delooping fibers in a fluid flow preferably includes a cyclone for receiving entities from a fiber individualizer and delivering individual fibers to a sensor. The fluid flow rate to the cyclone is set to optimize operation of the individualizer and the flow rate from the cyclone is set to optimize operation of the sensor. A nozzle is provided in the sensor for mechanically delooping the fibers so they are sensed in a straight condition. In addition, electronics associated with the sensor detects sensor signals corresponding to looped fibers and electronically &ldquo;deloops&rdquo; the fibers to produce data, such as the actual length of a fiber that was presented to the sensor in a looped condition.

Methods and apparatus for mechanically and electronically correcting presentation of entities in a fluid flow

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

An apparatus measures moisture content of cotton based upon rates of electrical charges flowing through the cotton. The apparatus includes a moisture sensor having first electrodes, second electrodes, and ground electrodes which are interdigitated between the first and second electrodes. The apparatus also includes a moisture content determination circuit that provides first electrical charges to the first electrodes, and second electrical charges to the second electrodes. The moisture content determination circuit determines the rate of electrical charge flowing from each of the first and second electrodes through the cotton to the ground electrodes, and determines the moisture content of the cotton based upon the rates of electrical charges flowing through the cotton. By thus applying first electrical charges to the first electrodes and second electrical charges to the second electrodes, the apparatus accurately measures the moisture content of the cotton over a wide range of moisture contents. This wide range is achieved by setting the first electrical charges on the first electrodes to a level which is optimal for moisture levels at the upper end of the desired measurement range, and by setting the second electrical charges on the second electrodes to a level which is optimal for moisture levels at the lower end of the desired measurement range.

Moisture sensor

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

Michael E Galyon