DESC:COMPLETE SPECIFICATION

TITLE OF THE INVENTION

[0001] A method to integrate two different hairiness measurement modules in an evenness tester

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to the method of integrating two different hairiness measurement modules which produces two different outputs of hairiness properties thereby getting an efficient resultant information which is useful for the user to understand about the distribution of hairs on the surface of yarn.

PRIORITY CLAIM

[0003] This application for complete specification claims priority from the provisional application No. 201641039265 filed on 17th Nov 2016, for the same invention titled “A method to integrate two different hairiness measurement modules in an evenness tester”.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Evenness testers used in spinning industry are meant for testing the evenness of yarns, slivers and roving materials. There are many parameters of yarns measured in the evenness tester. The parameter hairiness measured in the yarn is considered as one of the most important property as it influences the downstream processes and also the appearance of the final product.

[0005] The hairiness in yarns is due to many reasons. Hairiness depends on short and loose / unwrapped fibres in the textile material, process parameters in various spinning preparation machinery, condition of machinery etc.

[0006] Hairiness cannot be avoided simply considering it is unwanted as certain level of hairiness is required for feel good factor. Only longer hairs create problems in downstream processes like weaving, knitting and dyeing. Also longer hairs are disturbing in nature and thereby affect comfort while wearing.

[0007] Evenness testers presently available in market test hairiness properties of yarns in two different methods. One of the methods most commonly used is expressing hairiness as an Index, which is called “Hairiness Index” (Hi). Hairiness Index is defined as the total length of all hairs expressed in for a unit length of yarn. Many evenness tester manufacturers measure Hairiness Index properties of yarn.

[0008] Another method of measuring hairiness properties is called as “Hair Count”. Hair Count is expressed as the number of hairs for a given length of yarn with its length distribution.

[0009] Hairiness Index measures all the hairs protruding from the surface of the yarn. Alternatively, Hair Count measures the number of hairs for each defined hair length like for example hairs in 1mm, 2mm etc per unit length of yarn.

[0010] Both the measurements are usually done by different measuring modules and the information is produced to the user after processing the measured data. There are no methods available which combine the information from these two measurement modules and provide useful information to the user with which user can further improve the quality of the textile materials produced.

[0011] US5875419A explains about the method of measuring hairiness over the surface of the yarn. More specifically, the prior art explains about the method in which the yarn is moved past a light source to create a yarn shadow, and an imaging device captures the yarn shadow. The imaging device includes a number of separate, closely-spaced light sensing elements, each with an output level related to the amount of light shining on the element. A selected sensing element output level is established as indicative that an element is blocked by the yarn. The width of a number of closely-spaced portions of the yarn is determined, at two different selected sensing elements output levels, to distinguish the yarn hairs from the yarn core. In this prior art, only the method of distinguishing the yarn core and the hairiness is explained which is helpful for measuring hairiness more accurately. This did not disclose any method of combining two different hairiness measurements.

[0012] WO2014085940A1 explains about characterizing the hair length distribution of a yarn, wherein hairiness lengths on the yarn are measured initially and the Hairiness lengths resulting from the hairiness length measurements are stored. A ranking list of the stored hairiness lengths is established. The ranking list is numerically specified. At least one value of the numerical specification is output as a characteristic for the frequency distribution. The prior art claims that such characterization is simpler than by means of the previously conventional hairiness length classes. In this prior art also, the hairiness property is measured from one module and the resulting information is processed mathematically for arriving outputs. Information from two different modules measured and combined together is not disclosed anywhere.

[0013] CN203894173U explains about a device for determining hairiness characteristics of yarn which comprises photoelectric yarn sensor device and has an optical axis. The optical axis is located away from the longitudinal axis of the yarn with a certain distance between the optical axis and the longitudinal axis, for example, 2-6 mm. The device allows capturing the yarn hairiness of even very long hairs at a higher resolution. This prior art only explains about the positioning of the yarn sensor device for hairiness measurement which helps for accurate hairiness measurement at higher resolution. In this prior art also, there no two different hairiness measurement modules are integrated.

[0014] The present invention provides a method to integrate two different hairiness modules for measuring the hairiness properties of a textile material and the outputs from both the hairiness modules are combined together and processed to provide an efficient resultant information which will be useful for the user to understand more clearly and accurately about the distribution of hairs in the textile material which helps to take accurate corrective actions for deviations.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0015] The main object of the present invention is to provide a method for integrating two modules which measures hairiness properties in two different methods to arrive an efficient resultant information which is useful for the user to understand about the distribution of hairs on the surface of yarn.

[0016] Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the invention herein below.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0017] Accordingly, the present invention relates to a method for integrating two modules which measures hairiness properties in two different methods to arrive an efficient resultant information which is useful for the user to understand about the distribution of hairs on the surface of yarn.

[0018] In an aspect of the present invention , the textile material (3) which contains hairs (8) on the surface is passed through the first hairiness measurement module (1) which is a Hairiness Index module and then through the second hairiness module (2) which is a Hair Count module. The Hairiness Index module information (5) and the Hair Count module information (6) are combined together by a processing unit (4). The processed information is provided as an output which is called the Resultant Information (7).

[0019] In another aspect of the present invention, the Hairiness Index module (1) is kept above the Hair Count module (2). The textile material (3) with hairs (8) is passed through the Hairiness Index module (1) first and then passed through the Hair Count module (2).

[0020] In yet another aspect of the present invention, the Hairiness Index module (1) is kept below the Hair Count module (2). The textile material (3) with hairs (8) is passed through the Hair Count module (2) first and then passed through the Hairiness Index module (1).

[0021] In a still another aspect of the present invention, the Hairiness Index module (1) and the Hair Count module (2) are integrated and stacked one over the other in an evenness tester (9) where the textile material (3) is tested for various properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0022] The present invention is described in the detailed description and not by way of limitation, in the figures of the accompanying drawings, and in which

Figure 1 shows two hairiness measurement modules integrated with each other to provide an efficient resultant information.

Figure 2 shows two hairiness measurement modules integrated with each other where the Hairiness Index module is kept above the Hair count module

Figure 3 shows two hairiness measurement modules integrated with each other where the Hairiness Index module is kept below the Hair count module

Figure 4 shows the representation of the textile material with hairs protruding out of the surface of yarn.

Figure 5 shows the evenness tester with two Hairiness measurement modules are integrated and stacked one over the other.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0023] For the better understanding of the object, technical solution and advantage of the present invention, the present invention will be further explained in detail with respect to embodiments and accompanying drawings below. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein only be used for explaining the present invention but not used to limit the present invention.

[0024] The evenness testers today has hairiness measurements in different methodologies. One way of measuring hairiness is through optical principle where the scattered light from the surface of the yarn due to hairs falls over the receiver which helps to measure the hairiness property and this is usually called as Hairiness Index. Usually Hairiness Index depicts the property of all hairs over the surface of the yarn irrespective of hair lengths. Another way of measuring hairiness is to count the number of hairs for each hair length. Like for example, the number of 3mm hairs, 4mm hairs etc are reported which helps to understand the distribution of hairs over the surface of the yarn. This way of measuring hairiness is usually called as Hair Count. Some instruments measures Hairiness and Hair Count together by keeping both the modules one over the other.

[0025] The present invention integrates both the Hairiness Index module and the Hair Count module, combines the information received from both the modules and gets processed by means of a processing unit and provides an efficient resultant information which is useful for the user to understand the hairiness properties more clearly so as to take corrective action more accurately in case of deviation in hairiness properties.

[0026] In an embodiment of the present invention as represented in figure 1, the textile material (3) which contains hairs (8) on the surface is passed through the first hairiness measurement module (1) which is a Hairiness Index module and then through the second hairiness module (2) which is a Hair Count module. The Hairiness Index module information (5) and the Hair Count module information (6) are combined together by a processing unit (4). The processed information is provided as an output which is called the Resultant information (7).

[0027] The first hairiness module(1) measures the number of hairs present in the yarn for each hair(8) length. The second hairiness module (2) measures the overall information about the hairs from the surface of the yarn. For example, consider the first hairiness module (1) measures the hairs from 3mm hair length. The second hairiness module(2) measures all length of hairs from the surface of the yarn and provides an overall hairiness information. These two information from the first and second hairiness modules are combined together in a processing unit (4) to provide an efficient resultant information (7) which may be the hairiness information below 3mm hair length. Generally the hairs below 3mm are essential hairs which provide comfort during wearing the fabrics made out of such yarns.

[0028] Consider the following example, wherein two samples from a Ring spinning machine produced are having significantly different hairiness properties when measured in the first hairiness module (1) whereas the hairiness property when measured in another methodology in the second hairiness module (2) did not show any significant differences between two samples. The example results are given below.
Sample Hairiness Index Hair Count
(1mm) Hair Count
(2mm) Hair Count
(3mm) Hair Count
(4mm) Hair Count
(5mm)
Sample 1 3.50
15005 5234 3530 545 105
Sample 2 4.20
15405 5326 3602 532 90
The above information from both the modules i.e. the first hairiness module called Hairiness Index module and the second hairiness module called Hair Count module are combined together by the processing unit (4) to provide an efficient “Resultant information”(7).

[0029] The processing unit (4) carries the feature of collecting the information from both the hairiness modules, store the information and provide the efficient “Resultant information” (7) based on logics. The processing unit (4) can essentially be an algorithm, software, a hardware or combination of them. The resultant information (7) arrived from the hairiness index module information (5) and hair count module information (6) comprises mathematical formulae or logical decisions.

[0030] The logics can be arithmetic or through any other methods. One way of deriving the “Resultant information” is given below which is done through arithmetic logics.
First step includes deriving “Total hair length per 1 mm of yarn from 3 mm hair length” which is calculated as follows.

Second step is to find out the “Resultant information” which is calculated as follows.

With the above steps, the “Resultant information” along with the Hairiness Index and Hair Count information is consolidated in the following table.

Sample Hairiness Index Hairs Length per 1mm of yarn from 3mm hair length Resultant Information
Sample 1
3.50 0.13295 3.37
Sample 2 4.20
0.13384 4.07

[0031] It is well noted that, the efficient “Resultant information” which provides information about the hairs over the surface of the yarn upto 3mm is higher in Sample 2 than Sample 1. It means that the comfort properties of the fabric if made out of yarn Sample 2 will be better compared to Sample 1. This kind of integration of information from two different Hairiness measurement modules is very useful for user to easily identify the yarn quality. The above calculation is just an example and simplest form of integrating the information from two different hairiness measurement modules and likewise any such kind of integrated information can be generated.

[0032] In another embodiment as represented in figure 2, the Hairiness Index module (1) is kept above the Hair Count measurement module (2). The textile material (3) with hairs (8) is passed through the Hairiness Index module (1) first and then passed through the Hair Count module (2).

[0033] In yet another embodiment as represented in figure 3, the Hairiness Index module (1) is kept below the Hair Count module (1). The textile material (3) with hairs (8) is passed through the Hair Count module (2) first and then passed through the Hairiness Index module (1).

[0034] Figure 4 represents the structure of the textile material (3) where the surface of the textile material (3) has hairs (8) projected out. Hairs (8) possess different hair lengths as illustrated in figure 4.

[0035] In a still another embodiment as represented in figure 5, the Hairiness Index module (1) and the Hair Count module (2) are integrated and stacked one over the other in an evenness tester (9) where the textile material (3) is tested CLAIMS
,CLAIMS:We Claim:

1. A method of integrating two different hairiness measurement modules in an evenness tester (9) comprising hairiness index module (1), hair count module (2), hairiness index module information (5), hair count module information (6), processing unit(4) characterized by the stacking of the hairiness index module (1) and the hair count module (2) one over the other and any one of the two modules (1 or 2) occupy the top or the bottom position wherein the hairiness index module information (5) and the hair count module information (6) are combined together by a processing unit (4) which processes and provides an efficient resultant information (7) for the user to understand the hairiness properties of the textile material (3) clearly and take corrective action accurately in case of deviation in the hairiness properties.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hairiness index module (1) is placed above the hair count module (2).

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hairiness index module (1) is placed below the hair count module (2).

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the hairiness index module (1) and hair count module (2) are integrated and stacked one over the other in an evenness tester (9).

5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the resultant information (7) arrived from the hairiness index module information (5) and hair count module information (6) comprises mathematical formulae or logical decisions.

6. The method according to claim 1, wherein the processing unit (4) can be an algorithm, software, hardware or the combination of them.