MEASURING DEVICE FOR DETECTING PRODUCT STRIPS ON A FABRIC

Abstract

A measuring device for detecting product strips on a fabric, e.g., a paper-including or textile-including fabric, includes a sensor, that records optical, magnetic or electrical properties of the fabric, which converts the recorded property to a measuring signal, a device for establishing a signal threshold value, and a signal device which emits an optical and/or an acoustical signal when a change in the measuring signal beyond the threshold value is taking place. Using this measuring device, strip positions and strip widths may be recorded of the strips applied to the fabric which are not visible to the human eye.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a measuring device configured as a mobile handheld unit, in a top view onto a fabric.

FIG. 2 schematically illustrates a measuring device, which includes a displacement-measuring system, in a view similar to that of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 schematically illustrates the measuring device illustrated in FIG. 2 taken from the left.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The measuring device designated as 100 in its entirety in FIG. 1 is used to detect product strip 1 on a fabric 2. Product strips 1 may be, e.g., strips of a product applied to fabric 2 in liquid form, and which cannot be detected by the naked eye. If the fabric is a nonwoven layer, for example, which is to be used for hygienic articles such as diapers, the product strips may include a material that confers a wetness resorbing effect on the nonwoven fabric layer.

Measuring device 100 includes a housing 3 that is provided with a handle 4.

A sensor is provided in housing 3, which records properties of the fabric that are influenced by product strip 1 and converts them into a measuring signal.

The sensor may be provided as a capacitively working sensor. It includes a plate-type capacitor device, which is configured such that, in the measuring position of measuring device 100, which is located right up against the fabric, or closely above it, the electrical field generated by the plate-type capacitor device penetrates an area of fabric 2.

The plate-type capacitor device is operated, using an electronic circuit, e.g., in a conventional manner, such as that described in German Published Patent Application No. 41 00 869, which is expressly incorporated herein in its entirety by reference thereto.

Measuring device 100 also includes a device for establishing a signal threshold value and a signal device 5 that emits an optical and/or an acoustical signal when there is a change in the measuring signal beyond the threshold value.

Furthermore, a display 6 is accommodated in the housing which indicates the threshold value as well as the currently recorded measuring signal.

In addition, measuring device 100 has an internal energy supply, which may be provided, for example, in the form of batteries or rechargeable accumulators in handle 4.

In order to ascertain the strip positions and the strip widths, measuring device 100 is displaced by operating personnel e.g., manually, transversely to the longitudinal extension of product strip 1, over fabric 2, as is indicated by double arrow P. In order to obtain reproducible results, the manual displacement of measuring device 100 is made with it in contact with fabric 2.

In the transition from a stripless area 7 to an area furnished with a product strip 1, there is a change in the capacitive properties of the area of fabric 2, that is penetrated by the electrical field of the plate-type capacitor device of measuring device 100. According to empirical tests carried out before the measurement, the threshold value is set such that the measuring signal generated using the sensor in stripless areas is on one side of the threshold value, and in areas furnished with product strips is on the other side of the threshold value.

When the edge of a strip is swept over, there is a transition of the measuring signal from the one side of the threshold value to the other, which activates signal device 5. Consequently, the position of strip edge 8, which has just been swept over, may be marked by the operating personnel.

The measuring device 100 described above may provide that, using it in separation from a production device, the strip positions and the strip widths of product strips 1 may be ascertained. It is particularly suitable for a random sample-like measurement on fabrics 2 that are standing still.

In contrast, the measuring device 200 illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 is provided, e.g., for recording the strip positions and the strip widths of product strips 1 in response to a continuously advancing fabric, e.g., a fabric web 9.

In order to do this, measuring device 200 working according to the same measuring principle as measuring device 100 is coupled to a displacement-measuring system 10. It includes a spindle 11 that collaborates with housing 3 of measuring device 200, and a rail device 12 that guides housing 3, so that housing 3 is displaceable over the entire width of fabric web 9 by the rotary operation of spindle 11, transversely to the longitudinal extension of product strips 1, as indicated by double arrow P. The strip positions and/or the strip widths may be recorded by correlating the measuring signal of measuring device 200 with a scaling 13 provided on rail device 12. It is also possible to supply the measuring signal to a data processing installation, which also controls a stepper motor that is provided for the rotary operation of spindle 11, and which may thus allocate the measuring signals to positions of housing 3.

As inferrable from FIG. 3, the positioning of measuring device 200 may take place in an area in which the advancing fabric web is tensioned to form a plane, which may be accomplished by driven guide rolls 14, 15 that are connected before and after measuring device 200 and tension the fabric webs.

LIST OF REFERENCE SYMBOLS

• 100, 200 measuring device
• 1 product strip
• 2 fabric
• 3 housing
• 4 handle
• 5 signal device
• 6 display
• 7 stripless area
• 8 strip edge
• 9 fabric web
• 10 displacement-measuring system
• 11 spindle
• 12 rail device
• 13 scaling
• 14 guide roll
• 15 guide roll
• P double arrow

Claims

1. A measuring device for detecting product strips on a fabric, comprising: a sensor configured to detect at least one of (a) optical, (b) magnetic and (a) electrical properties of the fabric, the sensor configured to convert a detected property to a measurement signal;a device configured to establish a signal threshold value; anda signal device configured to emit at least one of (a) an optical and (b) an acoustical signal when a change in the measurement signal beyond the threshold value is taking place.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the fabric is arranged as at least one of (a) a paper-including fabric and (b) a textile-including fabric.

3. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is arranged as a capacitive sensor.

4. The measuring device according to claim 3, wherein the sensor includes a plate-type capacitor device.

5. The measuring device according to claim 4, wherein the plate-type capacitor device includes an open plate-type capacitor.

6. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the signal device includes at least one of (a) an illumination device and (b) a loudspeaker.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a display configured to display the threshold value and the measurement signal.

8. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising an internal energy supply.

9. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a connection connectable to an energy supply.

10. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a signal output connectable to an external data processing installation.

11. The measuring device according to claim 1, further comprising a USB connection connectable to an energy supply and to an external data processing installation.

12. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is arranged as a mobile handheld unit.

13. The measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring device is coupleable to a displacement-measurement system.

14. The measuring device according to claim 13, wherein the displacement-measurement system includes a device configured displace the sensor transversely to a longitudinal extension of a product strip over the fabric.

15. The measuring device according to claim 13, wherein the displacement-measurement system includes a position signal output at which a signal is present that is a function of a sensor position.

16. The measuring device according to claim 15, wherein the position signal output is connected to the data processing installation.

17. A system, comprising: a measurement device configured to detect a product strip on a fabric, the measurement device including: a sensor configured to detect at least one of (a) optical, (b) magnetic and (c) electrical properties of the fabric, the sensor configured to convert a detected property to a measurement signal;a device configured to establish a signal threshold value; anda signal device configured to emit at least one of (a) an optical and (b) an acoustical signal when a change in the measurement signal beyond the threshold value is taking place; anda displacement-measurement system, the measuring device coupled to the displacement-measurement system.

18. A method for detecting product strips on a fabric, comprising: detecting at least one of (a) optical, (b) magnetic and (c) electrical properties of the fabric;converting a detected property to a measurement signal;establishing a threshold value; andemitting at least one of (a) an optical and (b) an acoustical signal when a change in the measurement signal beyond the threshold value is taking place.