Reed monitoring assembly, drawing-in machine incorporating such a reed monitoring assembly and process for monitoring a reed with such a reed monitoring assembly

A reed monitoring assembly for monitoring a weaving reed, said weaving reed having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side opposite to the first longitudinal side and a plurality of dents juxtaposed along a longitudinal direction of the weaving reed, the dents defining a height direction of the weaving reed and, between each pair of two adjacent dents, a reed gap, the weaving reed defining also a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the height direction, the reed monitoring assembly including

• an optical device with at least
• a first camera array for taking images of a first portion of the weaving reed, the first camera array facing the first longitudinal side of the weaving reed,
• a controller for controlling the optical device and for receiving image data from the optical device;
• and
• mounting means allowing a relative movement between the weaving reed and the optical device, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the weaving reed, wherein the optical device includes
• an illumination device for illuminating the first portion of the weaving reed and
• a second camera array, for taking images of a second portion of the weaving reed, the second camera array facing the second opposite longitudinal side of the weaving reed.

A process for monitoring a weaving reed with a reed monitoring assembly, said weaving reed having a first longitudinal side, a second longitudinal side opposite to the first longitudinal side and a plurality of dents juxtaposed along a longitudinal direction of the weaving reed, the dents defining a height direction of the weaving reed and, between each pair of two adjacent dents, a reed gap, the weaving reed defining also a transverse direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction and to the height direction, wherein said reed monitoring assembly comprises an optical device and a controller and wherein the process includes at least the following steps:

• a) taking at least a first image of at least partially two dents and one reed gap in-between, on the first longitudinal side of the weaving reed, with the optical device of the reed monitoring assembly;
• b) taking at least a second image of at least partially two dents and one reed gap in-between, on the second longitudinal side of the weaving reed, with the optical device of the reed monitoring assembly;
• c) sending, to the controller of the reed monitoring assembly, image data corresponding to the first image;
• d) sending, to the controller of the reed monitoring assembly, image data corresponding to the second image;
• e) moving the weaving reed with respect to the optical device, along an axis parallel to the longitudinal direction of the weaving reed.