Eastman Chemical Company

Michael Joseph Pearce

Andrew Ervin McLeod

Scott Gregory Gaynor

Brian Douglas Seiler

Vincent Alvin Nicely

Daniel Charles Alsmeyer

Clarissa Tatum

Kevin Todd Barham

James Andrew Dickenson

Barry Louis Ornitz

Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.

Fibers with surface markings used for coding

Disclosed are fibers comprising one or more branded fibers which exhibit surface markings in a repeated pattern along the length of the branded fibers. The branded fibers can be incorporated into yarns or fiber bands to represent supply chain information of the yarns, fiber bands, and/or articles made from the yards or fiber bands. In a specific example, branded fibers can be incorporated into an acetate tow band. The branded fibers can be recovered from a cigarette filter, the repeated pattern decoded, and supply chain information associated with the acetate tow used to make the cigarette filter, such as manufacturer, customer, ship to location, and even the acetate tow bale, can be obtained.

A safety device for detecting elastically scattered radiation comprises: an excitation source of substantially monochromatic radiation having a controllable output, a detector for detecting elastically scattered radiation collected from a specimen illuminated by the excitation source, and a signal conditioning circuit that comprises a transducer and a comparator. An output transducer signal representative of the elastically scattered radiation is compared with a predefined threshold signal. If the output transducer signal is less than the threshold signal, a control output signal coupled to the excitation source causes the output of the source to be reduced. The safety device is included in an analyzer apparatus, preferably a Raman spectrometry apparatus that further includes an optical probe. The probe comprises a fluid-tight body that encloses three optical channels, preferably comprising optical fibers, that carry monochromatic radiation to a specimen and separately collect inelastically and elastically scattered radiation from the illuminated specimen. In a method for controlling a radiation source in an analyzer apparatus, a specimen is analyzed by an excitation source having a controllable output, preferably a laser. Elastically scattered radiation from the illuminated specimen is collected, detected, and transduced into an output transducer signal representative of the scattered radiation. If the output transducer signal is less than a predefined threshold signal, a control output signal coupled to the laser causes its output to be reduced.

Elastic radiation scatter-detecting safety device analyzer apparatus

A method for quantitatively monitoring in situ by Raman spectrometry one or more selected constituents of a chemical composition comprises: simultaneously irradiating with a substantially monochromatic radiation source a reference material and a chemical composition containing one or more constituents, the radiation being transmitted from the source to the chemical composition by an excitation conduit connecting the source to an optical probe that interfaces with the composition; simultaneously acquiring at more than one wavelength convolved Raman spectra of the reference material and the chemical composition by means of a spectrograph, which is connected to the optical probe by a collection conduit; choosing the standard Raman spectrum of the reference material; determining the convolution function of the convolved spectra from the convolved Raman spectrum and the standard Raman spectrum of the reference material; applying the convolution function to adjust the convolved Raman spectrum of the composition to produce the standard Raman spectrum of the chemical composition; and applying predetermined calibration means to the standard Raman spectrum of the chemical composition, by which the chemical constitution of the composition at the time of acquisition of the convolved Raman spectra can be ascertained.

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Blountville, TN, United States of America

Michael Joseph Pearce