US 12,305,311 B2
Fiber preparation machine
Christian Griesshammer, Berlingen (CH); Tobias Wolfer, Altnau (CH); and Petr Cevona, Usti nad Orlici (CZ)
Assigned to Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG, Winterthur (CH)
Filed by Maschinenfabrik Rieter AG, Winterthur (CH)
Filed on Aug. 4, 2021, as Appl. No. 17/393,526.
Claims priority of application No. 00974/20 (CH), filed on Aug. 5, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2022/0042212 A1, Feb. 10, 2022
Int. Cl. D01G 31/00 (2006.01); D01G 15/40 (2006.01); D01G 23/04 (2006.01)
CPC D01G 31/00 (2013.01) [D01G 23/04 (2013.01); D01G 15/40 (2013.01)] 7 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A fiber preparation machine for processing a fiber material, comprising:
a store or a filling chute for storing the fiber material before or after processing;
a camera directed into an interior of the store or the filling chute, the camera comprising an optical axis oriented at an angle (α) with respect to an axis that is perpendicular to a surface of the fiber material in a range of plus 30 degrees to minus 30 degrees;
the camera having a resolution for detecting a particle having an extension of 0.1 mm2 on the surface of the fiber material;
a housing separate from and attachable to an outer wall surface of the store or filling chute, the housing defining an enclosed interior volume, the camera disposed within the housing;
the housing comprising a rear wall, an opposite front face, and lateral side walls, the front face defined by a transparent boundary material that extends to and is flush with the lateral side walls, the front face defining a region of the outer wall surface of the store or filling chute such that the store or filling chute is closed by the transparent boundary material and the fiber material flowing through the store or filling chute contacts and cleans the transparent boundary material, the transparent boundary material detachable from the outer wall surface of the store or filling chute when the housing is removed from the store or filling chute;
wherein the housing with the camera configured therein comprises a universal unit for use on different fiber preparation machines;
a light source within the housing directed through the transparent boundary material into the interior of the store or the filling chute, the light source is aligned with the optical axis of the camera.