Impact Systems, Inc.

Voith Patent Gmbh

Measurex Corporation

Voith Paper Patent Gmbh

Voith Sulzer Papiertechnik Patent Gmbh

Delphian Corporation

Pekka M Typpo

Gunnar Wennerberg

Tor G Larsen

Lee M Chase

Herbert Holik

Harold James Welch

Rudolf Muench

Thomas Ischdonat

Wolfgang Griech

Willy Knabe

Niels Hardt

Florian Wegmann

Jörg Bröckel

A method for the contactless determination of the thickness of a web of material, for example a web of fibrous material using a sensor array including at least two optical measurement units between which the web can be guided. Each of the optical measurement units includes a measurement plate on the side facing the web. The optical measurement units, which are arranged on opposite sides of the web, are used to measure the distance of the measurement units from the web, and an evaluation unit is used to determine the thickness of the web from the determined distances between the optical measurement units and the web and the distance between the optical measurement units arranged on opposite sides of the web.

Method and device for contactless determination of the thickness of a web of material, including correction of the alignment error

Device and process for determining a distance to an object. The device includes a low coherence light source, at least one lens arranged to focus light from the low coherence light source onto the object and to collect light reflected and scattered from the object, and a window arranged between the lens and the object. An apertured element includes a circular aperture structured and arranged to form a circular light beam from the reflected and scattered light, and a detector system is structured and arranged to receive the circular light beam. The detector system is sensitive to light beam diameter. Further, a determining device is structured and arranged to determine a distance to the object based upon signals from the detector system.

Device and process for optical distance measurement

A method for determining the quantity of coating applied to a material web includes directing radiation onto the material web coated with the coating, interacting the radiation with the coating, determining, using a measurement signal produced using the detected radiation, the quantity of the coating on and/or in the material web, and detecting the radiation, after its interaction, in various frequency bands to produce a specific measurement signal for each frequency band. The frequency bands include a frequency common to all frequency bands. The frequency bands are selected such that, with any given quantity of the applied coating, at least one of the specific measurement signals varies more with the structure of the applied coating than another of the specific measurement signals. The specific measurement signals of the various frequency bands are mathematically linked with each other to determine the quantity of the coating.

Method for determining the coating quantity on a material web

A system for the computer-aided measurement of quality and/or process data during the production and/or conversion of a material web, in particular paper or board web, by way of correlation with raw measured data. The raw measured data is present in the form of other quality and process data during the production or conversion process. Measurements of quality parameters in the laboratory may also be incorporated in the raw measured data. The raw measured data is combined to form data sets which in each case are determined simultaneously. Specific laboratory or quality measurements are selected as target data which, by way of at least one soft-sensor algorithm running in a computer-based operation and linking unit, can be calculated from the other data serving as input data, and each data set containing measured data, which relates approximately to the same monitored volume of web and raw material, in particular paper and paper raw material.

System for computer-aided measurement of quality and/or process data in a paper machine

A gloss sensor for optically measuring the gloss of a moving surface includes a housing having an exterior surface which is generally parallel with the moving surface. A light source is carried by the housing and configured for emitting a source beam of light. At least one light detector is carried by the housing. An optical prism is mounted to the housing at the exterior surface. The prism is configured to split the source beam into a reference beam which is reflected by the prism internally within the housing to the one or more light detectors, and a measurement beam which passes through the prism and is reflected by the moving surface to the one or more light detectors.

Gloss sensor for a paper machine

Device and method of measuring a position of an irregular surface. The method includes projecting a spot along a first axis onto the irregular surface, focusing an image of the spot along a second axis onto a detector, wherein the second axis is non-coaxially arranged with respect to the first axis, processing signals from the detector, and calculating the position of the irregular surface based on at least one isolated desired frequency component of the signals.

Optical triangulation device and method of measuring a variable of a web using the device

A material web attribute detection system with the material web having a first side and a second side. The system includes a radiation source located proximate to the first side of the material web and emitting radiation toward the material web, and a radiation detection array located proximate to the second side of the material web and producing a plurality of signals based on the radiation detected from the radiation source. A processor is included which utilizes the plurality of signals to determine a lateral offset and a gap size of the radiation detection array relative to the radiation source. The processor can then compensate for the radiation detection array and radiation source relative misalignment using the plurality of signals, the lateral offset and the gap size.

Sensor with alignment self compensation

A material sheet attribute detection system, the material sheet having a first side and a second side, the system includes a radiation source located proximate to the first side of the material sheet, the radiation source emitting radiation toward the material sheet, a radiation detection array located proximate to the second side of the material sheet, the radiation detection array producing at least one signal based on the radiation detected from the radiation source and a processor utilizing the at least one signal to determine a position of the material sheet.

Nuclear gauge for measuring a characteristic of a sheet material with sheet position and alignment compensation

Apparatus and process for determining the properties of a material web. The apparatus includes at least one radiation source, and at least one detection device adapted to detect radiation emitted from the at least one radiation source that at least one of penetrates and is reflected by the material web. The detection device can include at least one detection area unevenly divided into a plurality of individual sensors. Further, the material web can be a paper web. The invention relates to a device and a process for determining the properties of a material web, particularly a paper web, having at least one radiation source and at least one detection device for radiation that is emitted by the radiation source and that penetrates and/or is reflected by the material web, said detection device having at least one detection area unevenly divided into a large number of individual sensors.

Apparatus and process for determining the properties of a material web

A caliper gauge for moving sheet material such as paper which measures the thickness of the paper accommodates bumps or holes in the paper by providing at least one side of the caliper gauge with a long continuous smooth arm which because of its mounting in close proximity to the moving sheet, which is partially made possible by the use of air bearings for the upper and lower portions of the gauge, provides a gradual wedge-shaped opening which thus allows the transfer of the momentum of the bump or hole in the paper to gradually overcome the inertia of the measuring arm which is pushed away from the paper. The arm itself is made of a single piece of sapphire and is universally pivoted by the use of a polyimide material adhered to the top of the arm which gives the arm at least 2.degree. of dimensional freedom while still maintaining it aligned in the moving direction of the paper.

Contacting thickness gauge for moving sheet material

For measuring basis weight of a moving web in the cross direction scanner of a paper-making machine, an encapsulated nuclear source of Promethium 147 is used because of its wide area of emission. To conserve space it is mounted on a vertical axis. The source in a horizontal plane parallel to the moving web from a stowed position where the source is shielded to an active position where the source emits through an aperture, through the moving web, and to a detector. The x-y array planar type detector uses four detector segments symmetrically arranged around a center and compensates for belt direction misalignment (the belt driving the cross direction scanners) by mathematically manipulating the electrical signals from each detector to eliminate the error term.

Nuclear gauge for measuring a characteristic of moving sheet material

A gloss sensor for determining the gloss of a surface, for example, of moving paper being produced by a paper making machine. The gloss sensor normally is installed in a scanner which scans the moving paper in a crosswise direction. It includes a standard TAPPI light source which impinges upon the paper at a specified angle and the intensity of the detected reflected light is related to gloss. Calibration is provided by an oscillating angle light source which with the same lamp has a direct reference path to the detector. Compensation for tilting or shifting paper is provided by the same oscillating light source which when the paper tilts or shifts still allows a reflected light beam to reach the detector. Change of angle from the standard TAPPI angle due to parallel paper shifts is compensated.

Gloss sensor resistant to tilting and shifting paper and with improved

A caliper gauge for relatively thin moving sheet material is provided by the use of a pair of outer ring air bearings flexibly supported which tend to flatten the sheet. An inner central portion of each ring respectively carries active and passive magnetic circuit means with the passive means being supported by an elongated strap of Kevlar which is elongated in the machine direction of the sheet material. This provides for very low unsprung weight.

Thickness gauge having a low unsprung weight for moving sheet material

A measuring gauge for error compensation of a measured characteristic of a moving sheet measures X, Y lateral displacement of the upper and lower transducer heads of a moving scanner in a cross direction across the paper. This is accomplished by the use of two pairs of eddy current sensors centered on a target on the opposed transducer head. Such eddy current transducers sense the pairs of edges of an aperture in the opposed transducer. Alternatively, slope portions of the lower transducer head are sensed. Other correction inputs are provided by measuring the distance from each transducer head to the moving sheet to provide a 'Z' correction. All of the foregoing are then utilized along with caliper measurements, if necessary, to provide a corrected characteristic.

Error compensation for measuring gauges

A caliper gauge for relatively thin moving sheet material is provided by the use of an outer ring type air bearing, flexibly supported, which is flexibly connected again to an inner air bearing carrying the magnetic measuring components. The outer air bearing (with its juxtaposed mate) tends to flatten the sheet so that minimum movement is required of the independently actuated inner air bearing. Thus, great accuracy is achieved and tearing or marking of the sheet material, such as super calendered or coated grades of paper, is avoided.

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Cupertino, CA, United States of America

Pekka M Typpo