Measuring and testing – Sheet – woven fabric or fiber
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-23
2002-06-18
Larkin, Daniel S. (Department: 2856)
Measuring and testing
Sheet, woven fabric or fiber
C271S186000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06405589
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The invention relates to an arrangement for examining textile material sections, more particularly toweling goods, with visual inspection by an examiner, the examining arrangement comprising a laying area arranged in the field of vision of the examiner, in which the material section can be positioned so that it is laid flat for examination of the first side of the material section. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for examining textile material sections.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In the manufacture of textile goods, it is necessary in many cases at the end of the actual processing to undertake a final quality control of the workpieces in order to prevent the distribution of faulty workpieces. To this end, the workpieces are visually inspected by an examiner and can then be divided into different quality grades. Only the best quality grades are supplied to the customers. Average quality grades require secondary processing and can then be distributed. The worst quality grades represent reject goods. A final control of this type is particularly necessary in the processing of toweling products, for example in the manufacture of hand towels, since the loops of the toweling goods can easily be pulled during the processing, for example in the cutting and sewing machines, so that the quality of the toweling goods does not fulfil the level required for distribution.
For economic production, large problems arise if both sides of a flat material section need to be examined for the final quality control. This is necessary, for example, in toweling hand towels, since both sides of the toweling hand towel need to fulfil the stipulated quality standard. Since it is necessary to lay the toweling hand towel out flat for the inspection, it has been customary to date for one side of the hand towel to be visually inspected by an examiner following the sewing procedures and for the hand towel to then be manually turned over and laid flat, so that the second side can also be quality controlled. A plurality of manual working steps are required for this examination procedure, which in view of the high labor costs results in a considerable increase in the production costs. In addition, the turning of the material sections represents a working step which is physically strenuous for the examiner and also disturbs the examiner's concentration.
SUMMARY AND OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is therefore the primary object of the present invention to provide an examining arrangement, by means of which the examination of textile material sections can be rendered more cost-effective. It is also the object of the present invention to provide a simple examination method for textile material sections.
In accordance with the invention, an examining arrangement is provided with a laying area arranged in the field of vision of the examiner, in which the material section can be positioned so that it is laid flat for examination of the first side of the material section. A turning device is provided, by means of which the material section, starting from the position for examining the first side of the material, can be reversed in such a manner that the material section can be positioned so that it is laid flat for the examination of the second side of the material in a laying area, which is arranged in the field of vision of the examiner. In this manner, the material section can be reversed by operating the turning device substantially without manual intervention by the examiner; this means that a mechanical reversal of the material section takes place following the quality control of the first side of the material section, so that the second side can then also be quality controlled by the examiner.
In principle, the structural design of the turning device is to be adapted to suit the respective specified requirements of a production line (the specific structural design may be one of several options).
It is particularly advantageous if the turning device comprises at least one gripping member, which is arranged above the laying area in the examining arrangement. The gripping member can be attached in the region of an edge of the material section and can be displaced substantially parallel to the surface of the laying area in the transverse and/or longitudinal direction of the material section. In order to reverse the material section, the gripping member is fixed to the edge of the material section and is displaced above the material section laid on the laying area. As a result of the displacement of the gripping member, the fixed edge of the material section is moved over the region of the material section resting upon the laying area. During the turning process, two material layers are thus formed, the upper material layer being drawn under the influence of the displacement movement of the gripping member over the lower material layer; the lower material layer rests upon the laying area, so that a relative movement between the lower and upper layers results. Once the gripping member has been moved far enough in one direction, a complete reversal of the material section can be attained without manual intervention.
The manner in which the gripping member is constructed is irrelevant according to the invention. More particularly, different mechanisms can be used in order to attain a fixing of the material section to the gripping member. For example, suction nozzles are conceivable, which can exert a suction effect upon the material section. It is particularly advantageous if the gripping member is constructed in the manner of tongs and can mechanically clamp the material section in certain areas by closure of the gripping member. Mechanically operating gripping members of this type can be constructed, for example, as linearly fixing gripper strips or can be constructed in the form of a plurality of local gripping tongs arranged adjacent to one another.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the turning device comprises two gripping members which secure the material section substantially locally and which can be attached in the region of the corners of a material section in each case. In this manner, the structural outlay for the construction of the gripping member as a whole is minimized. In addition, it is possible to ensure an adequate and more particularly uniform clamping of the material edge in the region between the fixed material corners by corresponding measures, for example by a resilient mounting of at least one of the gripping members.
If it is to be possible to examine material sections of different widths in the examining arrangement, it is advantageous if the lateral distance between the two gripping members is variable. In this manner, the distance between the two gripping members can be adjusted to the distance between the corners of the material section. To this end, a linear drive for example, by means of which the gripping member can be linearly displaced in order to reverse the material sections, can be mounted on a carriage, which is adjustable in the transverse direction to the displacement movement. In this respect, it is sufficient in order to adjust the distance between the two gripping members if one linear drive is mounted so as to be stationary and a second linear drive is adjustable relative to the first linear drive.
If solely the active movement of the gripping member which is displaced above the laying area is used to reverse the material sections, then relatively large laying areas are required, since the edge of the material section which lies opposite the edge secured in the gripping member is not moved. It is therefore advantageous if at least one conveyor belt extends in the laying area, whose operation allows for the positioning of the material section in the laying area. To this end, for example, the top side of a rotating conveyor belt can be constructed as the laying area.
When the material section is reversed, the conveyor belt is then driven in the opposite direction to the direction of movement of the gripping member, so
Behr Roland
Muessig Karl
Larkin Daniel S.
McGlew and Tutle, P.C.
Texpa Maschinenbau GmbH & Co.
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