Apparatus and method for measuring the relative differential length in a sheet of material
AssigneeEastman Kodak Company
InventorErnest A. Graff
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring the relative differential length of a sample of a web or sheet material. The apparatus includes a substantially flat surface adapted to support the sample. Air is removed between the sample and the substantially flat surface to position the sample in an unrestrained state. A translation member translates a plurality of non-contact sensors in a first direction along the length of the sample, whereby the plurality of non-contact sensors sense the distance from a reference plane to the sample and generate a signal representative of the distance sensed. A data collection system collects the generated signals and determines a relative differential length of the sample from the generated signals.
Claims4
A method for measuring the relative differential length of a sample of a web or sheet material, the sample having a top surface and a bottom surface, the method comprising the steps of:
- stationarily positioning the sample on a substantially flat surface such that the bottom surface of the sample is adjacent the substantially flat surface;
- removing air disposed between the bottom surface of the sample and the substantially flat surface such that the sample is in an unrestrained state;
- translating a plurality of non-contact sensors in a first direction along the length of the sample;
- sensing the distance from a reference plane to the top surface of the sample;
- generating a plurality of signals which are representative of the distance sensed;
- and
- determining a length from the generated signals, the length corresponding to the relative differential length of the sample.
An apparatus for measuring the relative differential length of a sample of a web or sheet material, the sample having a top surface and a bottom surface, the apparatus comprising:
- a substantially flat surface adapted to support the sample;
- air exhausting means for removing air disposed between the sample and the substantially flat surface to dispose the sample in an unrestrained state;
- a plurality of non-contact sensor adapted to sense the distance from a reference plane to the sample and generate a signal representative of the distance sensed;
- a translation member adapted to translate the plurality of non-contact sensors in a first direction along the length of the sample;
- and
- a data collection system for collecting the generated signals and determining a relative differential length of the sample from the generated signals.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.