DESC:TITLE OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Device for Measuring Cotton Properties using an Optical System.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The present invention relates to a device for measuring cotton properties and more particularly to a device for measuring the properties of color, trash and moisture on the both sides of the cotton samples.

PRIORITY CLAIM

[0003] This application for complete specification claims priority from the provisional application No. 201641041063 for the same invention titled Device for Measuring Cotton Properties using an Optical System.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

[0004] The present application claims priority from the Provisional Application No. 201641041063 filed on 01.12.2016, the full disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference herein.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0005] High volume fibre testers are meant for testing the fibre properties rapidly. High volume fibre testers test various properties of fibre samples like length, strength, color, optical trash, moisture, maturity, micronaire etc. Color and trash properties are most important as cotton color affects the final fabric appearance directly. Also the trash available in the cotton affects various processing stages and also affects fabric appearance.

[0006] Traditionally, high volume fibre testers will have one module available for measuring the color and trash properties of cotton samples. A pressure arm presses the cotton samples from top and the color and trash measurement module at the bottom of a glass window measures the cotton color and trash properties. The cotton color and trash properties are measured using an optical system.

[0007] Only the cotton color and trash properties on the bottom side of the cotton sample is measured by using only one color module at the bottom. For measuring the cotton color and trash properties on the other side of the cotton sample, users need to turn the cotton sample manually and measure the cotton color and trash properties again.

[0008] CN204594865U discloses an optical method fibre inspection device, which measures concurrently on the top side and bottom side of a same fibre sample utlizing a pair of optical measurement heads with their sample windows towards each other, the fibre sample is pressed between the sample windows of the two optical measurement heads during the testing process, thus the test time is reduced by half. But a failure of one of the two optical measurement heads in the disclosed device especially the movable optical measurement head will make the measurement impossible to carry out.

[0009] Hence, there is a need to develop a device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system and the present invention satisfies these needs, as well as others, and generally overcomes the deficiencies found in the background art.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION

[0010] The main object of the present invention is to provide a device for measuring the properties of color, trash and moisture on the both sides of the cotton samples using an optical system where the human operation is to be eliminated via the arrangement of two color modules and two pressure plates separately and adjacently, and the measurement is not affected by the failure of one of the two color modules and two pressure plates and also saving the measurement time.

[0011] Other objects of the invention will be apparent from the description of the invention herein below.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] Accordingly the present invention relates to a device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system comprising two color modules of first color module (2) and second color module (8), two pressure plates of first pressure plate (1) and second pressure plate (7), a platform and a tray (15) wherein the two color modules are arranged adjacently to each other, one of the two color modules is located below the platform and the other one of the two color modules is located above the platform, one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the one of the two color modules and is arranged above the platform, and the other one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the other one of the two color modules and is arranged below the platform.

[0013] In an embodiment of the present invention, the structures of the two color modules (2 & 8) are the same.

[0014] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first color module (2) comprises light sources (3&4), a glass window (5), an optical detector (6) and the second color module (8) comprises light sources (9& 10), a glass window (11) and an optical detector (12).

[0015] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the structures of the two pressure plates (1&7) are the same.

[0016] In a still another embodiment of the present invention, the structures of the two pressure plates (1&7) are different, the cross-sectional shapes of the two pressure plates overlay the cross-sectional shapes of the glass window of the corresponding color modules.

[0017] In another embodiment of the present invention, the tray (15) has two tray openings (18).

[0018] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the platform has a middle opening.

[0019] In a still another embodiment of the present invention, the platform has two platform openings.

[0020] In another embodiment of the present invention, the first pressure plate (1) has a moisture measurement sensor (16) and the second pressure
plate (7) has a moisture measurement sensor (17).

[0021] In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the light sources of the two color modules are light emitting diodes.

[0022] The present invention completes the cyclic measurement of both sides of two cotton samples by means of the two color modules and the two pressure plates, thus saving the measurement time, and a failure of one of the two color modules, two pressure plates will not affect the measurement of the cotton properties.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0023] 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 the arrangement of the present invention.

Figure 2 shows the arrangement where the tray positioned for testing the first cotton sample.

Figure 3 shows the arrangement where the tray moves forward in such a way that the first cotton sample in the tray reaches the position below the
second color module and the second cotton sample in the tray reaches the position above the first color module.

Figure 4 shows the stage where the top side and bottom side of the first cotton sample are measured by the first color module and second color module already.

Figure 5 shows the arrangement of the first pressure plate and second pressure plate where the first moisture measurement sensor and second moisture measurement sensor are attached to the first pressure plate and second pressure plate respectively.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0024] 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.

[0025] The device for measuring the cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system of the present invention comprises two color modules, two pressure plates, a platform and a tray wherein the two color modules are arranged adjacently each other, one of the two color modules is located below the platform and the other one of the two color modules is located above the platform, one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the one of the two color modules and is arranged above the platform, and the other one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the other one of the two color modules and is arranged below the platform.

[0026] For clarity, the two color modules are marked as a first color module 2 and a second color module 8 , the two pressure plates corresponding to the two color modules are marked as a first pressure plate 1 and a second pressure plate 7. The first color module 2, second color module 8, first pressure plate 1, second pressure plate 7 as well as “first light source”, “first optical detector” and the like below represent the corresponding relationship between components and not for limitation.

[0027] In one embodiment, as shown in figure 1, the first color module 2 and second color module 8 are arranged adjacently each other, the first color module 2 is arranged at the bottom and the first pressure plate 1 is arranged above the first color module 2. The first color module 2 includes the first light sources 3 and 4, first glass window 5 and one or more first optical detectors 6. Adjacent to this setup, the second color module 8 is positioned at the top and the second pressure plate 7 is arranged below the second color module 8. The second color module 8 includes the second light sources 9 and 10, second glass window 11 and one or more second optical detectors 12. The first pressure plate 1 is vertically aligned with the first color module 2 and the second pressure plate 7 is vertically aligned with the second color module 8. The number of the first optical detector 6 or second optical detector 12 can be one, two or three.

[0028] As shown in figures 1-3, the first color module 2 is kept below the platform (not shown) and the first color module 2 has a first glass window 5. Above the platform, the first pressure plate 1 is arranged in such a way that when a first cotton sample 13 or a second cotton sample 14 is kept over the tray 15 and the tray 15 is positioned automatically that the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is directly above the first glass window 5 of the first color module 2, the first pressure plate 1 moves down and presses the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 so that the cotton color and trash properties are measured by the first color module 2 for the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14. The first color module 2 includes one or more first light sources and one or more first optical detectors for measuring the cotton color and trash properties. In one embodiment, the first color module 2 includes the first light sources 3 and 4. The first light sources 3 and 4 may be a light emitting diode. The first light sources 3 and 4 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the first glass window 5, the lights emitted from the first light sources 3 and 4 pass through the first glass window 5 at the same angle, irradiate the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 on the tray 15 and are reflected by the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 on the tray 15. The first optical detector 6 is arranged facing the first glass window 5 at the bottom of the first color module 2. The first optical detector 6 receives lights reflected from the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14.

[0029] Similarly, as shown in figures 1, 3 and 4, the second color module 8 is kept above the platform (not shown) and the second color module 8 has a second glass window 11. Below the second glass window 11 of the second color module 8, the second pressure plate 7 is arranged in such a way that the second pressure plate 7 and the platform are almost in the same plane, when the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is kept over the tray 15 and the tray 15 is positioned automatically that the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is directly below the second glass window 11 of the second color module 8, the second pressure plate 7 moves up and presses the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 so that the cotton color and trash properties are measured by the second color module 8 for the top side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14. The second color module 8 includes one or more second light sources and one or more second optical detectors for measuring the cotton color and trash properties. In one embodiment, the second color module 8 includes a second light sources 9 and 10. The second light sources 9 and 10 may be a light emitting diode. The second light sources 9 and 10 are arranged symmetrically with respect to the second glass window 11, the lights emitted from the second light sources 9 and 10 pass through the second glass window 11 at the same angle, irradiate the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 on the tray 15 and are reflected by the top side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 on the tray 15. The second optical detector 12 is arranged facing the second glass window 11 on the top of the second color module 8. The second optical detector 12 receives lights reflected from the top side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14.

[0030] The structures of the first color module 2 and second color module 8 are preferably the same. In one embodiment, the structures of the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 are preferably the same, the cross-sectional shapes of the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 may be one of the square, circle or ellipse. The structures of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 are preferably the same. The cross-sectional shapes of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 can be the same as the cross-sectional shapes of the first pressure plate 1 or the second pressure plate 7. A size of the cross-sectional shape of the first pressure plate 1 may be greater than or equal to a size of the cross-sectional shape of the first glass window 5, and a size of the cross-sectional shape of the second pressure plate 7 may be greater than or equal to a size of the cross-sectional shape of the second glass window 11. The cross-sectional shapes of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 are preferably circle. In another embodiment, the first glass window 5 and second glass window 11 can be replaced by a transparent plastic, or replaced by other materials that are basic transparent for the light wavelength section used by the measurement. In yet another embodiment, the structures of the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 can be different, the cross-sectional shapes of the first pressure plate 1 or the second pressure plate 7 may be one of the square, circle or ellipse. The cross-sectional shapes of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 can be the same as the cross-sectional shapes of the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 respectively. The cross-sectional shapes of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 can also be the same. In this situation, the cross-sectional shapes of the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 can overlay the cross-sectional shapes of the first glass window 5 and the second glass window 11 respectively.

[0031] The tray 15 has two same tray openings 18, the size of the tray opening 18 is greater than or equal to the size of the plate surface of the first pressure plate 1 or the second pressure plate 7. The second pressure plate 7 can pass through the two tray openings 18 and come into contact with the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14. The tray 15 moves along the platform. The structure of the platform can be designed to have a middle opening, a direction of a length of the middle opening is in accordance with a moving direction of the tray 15. A width of the middle opening is greater than or equal to the size of the tray opening 18 of the tray 15 in a direction of the width of the middle opening, so the tray 15 is placed on the planes on both sides of the middle opening of the platform. The structure of the platform can also be designed to have two same platform openings, the two platform openings are corresponding to the tray openings 18 of the tray 15, the shapes of the platform openings are the same as the shapes of the tray openings 18, but a size of the platform opening is greater than or equal to the size of the tray openings 18.

[0032] Once the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the first color module 2, the tray 15 moves further and provides the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 to the second color module 8.

[0033] Once the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is presented to the second color module 8, the second pressure plate 7 moves up, passes through the tray openings 18 of the tray 15 which carrying the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14, and presses the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 against the second glass window 11 of the second color module 8. The top side of the first cotton sample 13 or the second cotton sample 14 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the second color module 8.

[0034] Simultaneously, when the tray 15 carrying the first cotton sample 13 and the second cotton sample 14 moves until the first cotton sample 13 is presented to the second color module 8 and the second cotton sample 14 is presented to the first color module 2, the bottom side of the second cotton sample 14 and the top side of the first cotton sample 13 are measured for cotton color and trash properties by the first color module 2 and second color module 8 respectively and simultaneously. Once the second color module 8 completes the measurement of the top side of the first cotton sample 13 and the first color module 2 completes the measurement of the bottom side of the second cotton sample 14, the tray 15 moves further so that the remaining side i.e. the top side of the second cotton sample 14 will be measured by the second color module 8 by means of the second pressure plate 7 pressing the second cotton sample 14 against the second glass window 11 of the second color module 8.

[0035] In another embodiment, with reference to figure 1, locations of the first color module 2 and the second color module 8 can be interchanged, the first color module 2 and second color module 8 are arranged adjacently each other, the first color module 2 is arranged at the top and the first pressure plate 1 is arranged below the first color module 2. Adjacent to this setup, the second color module 8 is positioned at the bottom and the second pressure plate 7 is arranged above the second color module 8. The first pressure plate 1 is vertically aligned with the first color module 2 and the second pressure plate 7 is vertically aligned with the second color module 8. The first color module 2 comprises the first light sources 3 and 4, first glass window 5 and one or more first optical detectors 6. The second color module 8 comprises the second light sources 9 and 10, second glass window 11 and one or more second optical detectors 12. The number of the first optical detector 6 or second optical detector 12 can be one, two or three.

[0036] In one embodiment, as shown in figure 5, the first pressure plate 1 comprises a first moisture measurement sensor 16 fitted to its plate surface, and the second pressure plate 7 comprises a second moisture measurement sensor 17 fitted to its plate surface. Thus, when the first pressure plate 1 and the second pressure plate 7 press the second cotton sample 14 and first cotton sample 13 for testing cotton color and trash properties respectively, the first moisture measurement sensor 16 fitted to the first pressure plate 1 and the second moisture measurement sensor 17 fitted to the second pressure plate 7 measure moisture in the second cotton sample 14 and first cotton sample 13. For example, when the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or second cotton sample 14 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the first color module 2, the first moisture measurement sensor 16 fitted to the first pressure plate 1 measures the moisture on the top side of the first cotton sample 13 or second cotton sample 14. Similarly when the top side of the first cotton sample 13 or second cotton sample 14 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the second color module 8, the second moisture measurement sensor 17 fitted to the second pressure plate 7 measures the moisture on the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 or second cotton sample 14 respectively.

[0037] A method to use the device for measuring cotton properties using an optical system of the present invention includes the following stages:

[0038] A first stage, as shown in figure 2, the tray 15 carrying the first cotton sample 13 and the second cotton sample 14 moves along the platform (not shown) until the first cotton sample 13 is directly above the first glass window 5 of the first color module 2. The first pressure plate 1 moves down and presses the first cotton sample 13. The first light sources 3 and 4 of the first color module 2 pass light over the first cotton sample 13 and the first optical detector 6 receives the light and the required cotton properties are measured. At this stage, the bottom side of the first cotton sample 13 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the first color module 2.

[0039] A second stage, as shown in figure 3, the tray 15 moves forward in such a way that the first cotton sample 13 in the tray 15 reaches the position below the second color module 8 and the second cotton sample 14 in the tray 15 reaches the position above the first color module 2. The second pressure plate 7 moves up, passes through the tray opening 18 of the tray 15 which carrying the first cotton sample 13, and presses the first cotton sample 13 over the second glass window 11. The second light sources 9 and 10 of the second color module 8 pass light over the first cotton sample 13 and the second optical detector 12 receives the light and the required cotton properties are measured. At this stage, the top side of the first cotton sample 13 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the second color module 8. Simultaneously, the first pressure plate 1 moves down and presses the second cotton sample 14 over the first glass window 5 of the first color module 2. Similar to the explanations given in figure 2, in this stage cotton color and trash properties are measured for the bottom side of the second cotton sample 14 by the first color module 2.

[0040] A third stage, as shown in figure 4, the second cotton sample 14 reaches the position below the second color module 8. The second pressure plate 7 moves up, passes through the tray opening 18 of the tray 15 which carrying the second cotton sample 14, and presses the second cotton sample 14 over the second glass window 11. The second light sources 9 and 10 of the second color module 8 pass light over the second cotton sample 14 and the second optical detector 12 receives the light and the required cotton properties are measured. At this stage, the top side of the second cotton sample 14 is measured for cotton color and trash properties by the second color module 8. With this stage, both the top and bottom sides of the first cotton sample 13 and second cotton sample 14 are measured for cotton color and trash properties by the first color module 2 and second color module 8. After this stage, the tray 15 moves backward to home position for the user to change the cotton samples.

[0041] Therefore, the present invention completes the cyclic measurement of both sides of the first cotton sample 13 and second cotton sample 14 by means of the first color module 2 and second color module 8, thus saving the measurement time, and a failure of one of the first color module 2, second color module 8, first pressure plate 1 and second pressure plate 7 will not affect measurement.

[0042] In figures 2 and 3, a down arrow represents a downward movement of the first pressure plate 1, and a dashed outline on the left of the down arrow represents the first pressure plate 1 in a home position. In figures 3 and 4, an up arrow represents an upward movement of the second pressure plate 7, and a dashed outline on the left of the up arrow represents the second pressure plate 7 in a home position.

[0043] The above-mentioned embodiments only express the implementations of the present invention, where the description is more specific and detailed, but should not be understood to be the limitation of the present invention. It should be pointed that deformations and improvements can be made for one having ordinary skill in the art without departing from the concept and the scope of the present invention.

,CLAIMS:CLAIMS

We Claim:

1. A device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system comprising two color modules of first color module (2) and second color module (8), two pressure plates of first pressure plate (1) and second pressure plate (7), a platform and a tray(15) wherein the two color modules are arranged adjacently to each other, one of the two color modules is located below the platform and the other one of the two color modules is located above the platform, one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the one of the two color modules and is arranged above the platform, and the other one of the two pressure plates is vertically aligned with the other one of the two color modules and is arranged below the platform.

2. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structures of the two color modules (2&8) are the same.

3. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first color module (2) comprises light sources (3&4), a glass window (5), an optical detector (6) and the second color module (8) comprises light sources (9& 10), a glass window (11) and an optical detector (12).

4. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the structures of the two pressure plates (1&7) are the same.

5. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the structures of the two pressure plates (1&7) are different, the cross-sectional shapes of the two pressure plates overlay the cross-sectional shapes of the glass window of the corresponding color modules.

6. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the tray (15) has two tray openings (18).

7. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform has a middle opening.

8. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the platform has two platform openings.

9. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the first pressure plate (1) has a moisture measurement sensor (16) and the second pressure plate (7) has a moisture measurement sensor (17).

10. The device for measuring cotton properties in the cotton samples using an optical system as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light sources of the two color modules are light emitting diodes.