Electro-optical methods and apparatus for high speed, multivariate measurement of individual entities in fiber or other samples

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the properties of single entities having a size comparable to that of textile fibers and neps, each entity having a length (major axis) and at least first and second physical features spaced apart one from the other along the entity length, said apparatus comprising:

• a source of single entities;
• a fluid stream having a fluid flow;
• means for delivering a single entities one at a time from said source to said fluid stream;
• means for orienting the entities so that each entity along the entity length is generally parallel with the direction of the fluid flow, has a leading entity end and has a trailing entity end;
• a sample region disposed in the fluid stream downstream of said orienting means;
• a collimated beam of light disposed to pass through said sample region;
• first light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample region for receiving light from the collimated beam of light;
• second light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample region for receiving light from the collimated beam of light, said first and second light sensor means being dimensioned and positioned to detect the extinction of light caused by entities passing through said sample region;
• third light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample region and being dimensioned and positioned for receiving forward light scattering caused by entities passing through said sample region.

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the properties of single entities having a size comparable to that of textile fibers and neps, each entity having a length and two ends, said apparatus comprising:

• a source of single entities;
• means for separating and delivering single entities from the source to a entity output;
• a first conduit having first and second ends and being disposed for receiving entities from the entity output into the first end of the first conduit;
• an accelerating nozzle disposed on the second end of the first conduit;
• a sample chamber disposed adjacent to said accelerating nozzle;
• suction means for applying suction to the sample chamber to create a fluid stream flowing at a flow rate from said separating and delivering means through the first conduit and through the sample chamber, whereby entities are drawn through the first conduit, accelerated through the nozzle and transported through the sample chamber, said nozzle and flow rate being dimensioned so that said entities are straightened and aligned by the acceleration of the nozzle and the entities are aligned along their length to be parallel with the direction of the fluid flow;
• a collimated beam of light disposed to pass through said sample chamber;
• first light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample chamber for receiving light from the collimated beam of light;
• and
• second light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample chamber for receiving light from the collimated beam of light, said first and second light sensor means being dimensioned and positioned to detect the extinction of light caused by entities passing through said sample chamber.

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the properties of single entities, each entity having a length and two ends, said apparatus comprising:

• a source of single entities;
• means for separating and delivering single entities from the source to an entity output;
• a first conduit having first and second ends and being disposed for receiving entities from the entity output into the first end of the first conduit;
• an accelerating nozzle disposed on the second end of the first conduit;
• a sample chamber disposed adjacent to said accelerating nozzle;
• suction means for applying suction to the sample chamber to create a fluid stream flowing at a flow rate from said separating and delivering means through the first conduit and through the sample chamber, whereby entities are drawn through the first conduit, accelerated through the nozzle and transported through the sample chamber, said nozzle and flow rate being dimensioned so that said entities are straightened and aligned by the acceleration of the nozzle and the entities are aligned along their length to be parallel with the direction of the fluid flow;
• a collimated beam of light disposed to pass through said sample chamber;
• first light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample chamber for receiving light from the collimated beam of light;
• second light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample chamber for receiving light from the collimated beam of light, said first and second light sensor means being dimensioned and positioned to detect the extinction of light caused by entities passing through said sample chamber;
• and
• third light sensor means disposed adjacent to said sample region and being dimensioned and positioned for receiving forward light scattering caused by entities passing through said sample region.

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the properties of single entities having a size comparable to that of textile fibers and neps, each entity having a length, width characteristics and two ends, said apparatus comprising:

• a source of single entities;
• a first conduit for transporting said single entities;
• a second conduit for receiving and transporting said single entities from said first conduit;
• an opening formed between said first and second conduits;
• a fluid stream formed within said first and second conduits, traversing said opening, and creating a fluid flow in said conduits;
• means for delivering single entities one at a time from said source to said fluid stream, said entities being transported by said fluid stream;
• means for orienting the entities so that each entity along the entity length is generally parallel with the direction of the fluid flow, has a leading entity end and has a trailing entity end;
• a single collimated beam of light directed through said opening and across said fluid stream such that said collimated beam of light will impinge upon single entities passing said opening;
• at least one sensor for receiving light after the light impinges upon said single entities and for generating a sensor signal from one sensor corresponding to the width characteristics of each entity, said light sensor being disposed for measuring light extinction caused by entities passing said opening and through said single collimated light beam;
• and
• output means responsive to the sensor signal for generating extinction data corresponding to the light extinction caused by single entities passing said opening and through said single collimated light beam.

An apparatus for rapidly measuring the properties of single entities having a size comparable to that of textile fibers and neps, each entity having a length (major axis) and at least first and second physical features spaced apart from the other along the entity length, said apparatus comprising:

• a source of single entities;
• a conduit for transporting said single entities;
• an opening formed in said conduit;
• a fluid stream formed within said conduit, traversing said opening, and creating a fluid flow;
• means for delivering single entities one-at-a-time from said source to said fluid stream said entities being transported by said fluid stream;
• means for orienting the entity so that each entity along the entity length is generally parallel with the direction of the fluid flow, has a leading entity end and has a trailing entity end;
• means for detecting when the first physical feature of each entity passes a first point in said opening in said conduit;
• means for detecting when the first physical feature of each entity passes a second point in said opening in said conduit downstream of the first point;
• means for detecting when the second physical feature of each entity passes the first point in said opening in said conduit;
• means for detecting when the second physical features passes the second point in said opening in said conduit;
• means for determining a first time for each entity passing said opening in said conduit, the first time corresponding to the time required for the first physical feature of each entity to pass from the first point to the second point;
• means for determining a second time for each entity passing said opening in said conduit, the second time corresponding to the time required for the second physical feature of each entity to pass from the first point to the second point;
• and
• means for producing movement data as to each entity based upon the first time and the second time.