# US 2009/0260402 A1 · Monitoring apparatus > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2009/0260402 A1 - Document ID: US20090260402A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 12/385,451 - Filed: 2009-04-08 - Published: 2009-10-22 - Earliest claimed: 2008-04-17 - Assignees: Eltex of Sweden AB - Inventors: Brian Hicks; Jonas Hansson; Johan Ostman - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20090260402A1 ## CPC - D05C 15/18: Thread feeding or tensioning arrangements - B65H 57/12: Tubes - B65H 63/0324: {using photo-electric sensing means, i.e. the defect signal is a variation of light energy} - B65H 2701/31: Textiles threads or artificial strands of filaments - D05C: EMBROIDERING; TUFTING (making non-woven fabrics D04H; sewing D05B) - B65H: HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL, e.g. SHEETS, WEBS, CABLES ## Abstract The present invention relates to an apparatus for monitoring the yarn or yarns in a carpet making machine or the like, a so-called tufting machine, in which the yarn or yarns are applied on a bed material, e.g. a bed weft, during movement of the yarn or yarns from a yarn magazine, e.g. a creel with a number of yarn bobbins (B) on a number of posts (S) in one or more storeys, to the bed material each through its transparent or translucent tube (R), e.g. a hose, at least one light emitter (4) and one light receiver (6) being positioned at each tube (R) for yarn which is to be in motion and to be monitored, and the light receivers (6) are rehearsed to convert received light into an electric signal which is connected to an electronic circuit for triggering an alarm and possible stoppage of the machine when the electric signal indicates that the yarn in its tube (R) is not in motion. ## Claims ### Claim 1 An apparatus for monitoring the yarn or yarns in a machine for manufacturing carpets in which the yarn or the yarns are applied on a bed material, under movement of the yarn or yarns from a yarn magazine, with a number of yarn bobbins on a number of posts in one or more stories to the bed material each through its at least partly transparent or translucent tube, wherein at least one light emitter and one light receiver are positioned at each tube for yarn which is to be in motion and be monitored, and the light receivers are rehearsed to convert received light into an electric signal which is connected to an electronic circuit for triggering an alarm and possibly stoppage of the machine when the electric signal indicates that the yarn in its tube is not in motion. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light emitter and the light receiver are positioned substantially on either side of each tube for yarn which is to be in motion. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein each tube includes two light emitters and two light receivers which are positioned on the outside of the tubes substantially in register with one another so that a substantial portion of the tube is illuminated and thereby monitored. ### Claim 4 (depends on 3) The apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the light emitters are disposed in a part of a bracket, through which the tubes extend, and the light receiver is disposed in another part of the bracket. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The apparatus as claimed in claim 4, wherein the bracket is disposed for a plurality of tubes extending in side-by-side relationship, and is divided into a transmitter part and a receiver part, the transmitter part includes two light emitters for each tube and the receiver part includes two light receivers for each tube and the tubes with associated light emitters and light receivers are screened off from one another. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The apparatus as claimed in claim 5, wherein the light emitters in the bracket part are connected in series, and the light receivers for each tube are connected to an electronic circuit for evaluating the signal from the light receivers for triggering or activating an alarm or on stoppage of the machine when a threshold value is exceeded. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The apparatus as claimed in claim 6, wherein the electronic circuits are interconnected with one another to a host monitoring unit for establishing those light receivers which are to be monitored and thereby are allocated to those tubes in which yarn is to be in motion during a desired period of time. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, wherein the host monitoring unit includes a display screen and means for supplying the desired establishment configuration to the processors of the different apparatuses for selection of those light receivers which are to emit a signal, and display of information as to the reason for an alarm and possible machine stoppage. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the lights emitters and the light receivers comprise IR type light emitters. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the light emitter and the light receivers at one tube are screened-off from the light emitter and the light receiver at other tubes.