The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jul. 23, 1996
Filed:
Nov. 02, 1994
Frederick M Shofner, Knoxville, TN (US);
Michael E Galyon, Knoxville, TN (US);
Joseph C Baldwin, Knoxville, TN (US);
Youe-T Chu, Knoxville, TN (US);
Zellweger Uster, Inc., Knoxville, TN (US);
Abstract
An apparatus and method for measuring characteristics of entities in a sample of textile material, including trash, provides a sample of textile material to a processor where entities are individualized and thereafter transported to a sensor system. Characteristic signals are generated by the sensor signal corresponding to sensed characteristics of the entities, including trash, and a computer analyzes the characteristic signals to identify signals corresponding to trash and to classify the trash signals as corresponding to one of several types of trash. Based on the characteristic signals, the computer determines an entity length, diameter and speed and also determines a peak value of a characteristic signal corresponding to an entity. Based on these measurements, trash is characterized as to one of several types of trash.