Patents by Inventor François Baechler

François Baechler has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 6848149
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a device for identifying and expelling foreign material in a stream of fibres consisting of compressed textile fibres. To provide a method and a device which continuously check the stream of fibres in industrial use also at high speeds, the checking conditions being constant over a long period, the stream of fibres is compressed in portions (62), driven by positive fit, optically detected and inspected for the presence of foreign material. The device has at least one roller-shaped element (14, 15) provided with teeth (21, 22) for engagement in the stream of fibres, between which teeth (21, 22) light-transmitting elements (23, 24) are arranged.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 11, 2000
    Date of Patent: February 1, 2005
    Assignee: Uster Technologies AG
    Inventor: François Baechler
  • Patent number: 6199289
    Abstract: The invention concerns a device for measuring the thickness and or unevenness of wadding or non-wovens. The device has a guide element (30) for the wadding or non-wovens and a thickness sensor (26, 27, 28) which presses the wadding or non-wovens against the guide element and can move relative to the latter, the position of the sensor providing a measure of the thickness and/or unevenness of the wadding or non-wovens. To achieve a simpler and cheaper design without sacrificing measurement accuracy, an individual sensor is provided with a translation element (31) which converts the deflections of the individual sensor in one direction into a path signal available in another direction. This allows signals corresponding to the deflections of several individual sensors to be added together and applied to a single common path measurement system (32).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 1998
    Date of Patent: March 13, 2001
    Assignee: Zellweger Luwa AG
    Inventor: François Baechler
  • Patent number: 5870890
    Abstract: The invention relates to a method and device for detecting the mass of fiber material (5) which is processed in a rotor spinning machine to form yarn. In order to obtain a measurement signal which is a function of the mass of fiber material and which can also be used for controlling or monitoring a spinning station without requiring an independent measuring device, this measurement signal is detected in the spinning station of a rotor spinning machine on the feed trough (1) thereof.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 1997
    Date of Patent: February 16, 1999
    Assignee: Zellweger Luwa AG
    Inventor: Francois Baechler
  • Patent number: 5501100
    Abstract: A device for measuring the mass of fiber slivers contains an entry part for the fiber sliver to be measured and a measuring part adjoining the entry part. Arranged on the measuring part are two measuring members working on different measurement principles, specifically a so-called fiber-sliver mechanically, and so-called active-pneumatic measuring member for measuring the pneumatic pressure generated by the fiber sliver at a contraction. In addition to measuring the mass of fiber slivers, the device can be used for obtaining a characteristic variable for their composition or for separate regulation and monitoring in a control stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 23, 1994
    Date of Patent: March 26, 1996
    Assignee: Zellweger Luwa AG
    Inventors: Francois Baechler, Klaus Strehler, Isidor Harzenmoser, Ju/ rg Zehr
  • Patent number: 5499546
    Abstract: A device for measuring the mass of fiber slivers contains an entry part for the fiber sliver to be measured and a measuring part adjoining the entry part. Arranged on the measuring part are two measuring members working on different measurement principles, specifically a so-called fiber-sliver mechanically, and so-called active-pneumatic measuring member for measuring the pneumatic pressure generated by the fiber sliver at a contraction. In addition to measuring the mass of fiber slivers, the device can be used for obtaining a characteristic variable for their composition or for separate regulation and monitoring in a control stage.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 2, 1995
    Date of Patent: March 19, 1996
    Assignee: Zellweger Luwa AG
    Inventors: Francois Baechler, Klaus Strehler, Isidor Harzenmoser, Jurg Zehr
  • Patent number: 5428870
    Abstract: A drawing unit contains two drawing zones, one of which is variable and driven by two motors. The desired draw is set by means of a control of the speed of one of the motors, preferably of the motor for the predrawing zone. This control of the speed is carried out by way of a draw correction value which is calculated from the deviation between the desired draw and the actual draw calculated from the speed of the fibre sliver at the entrance and at the exit of the drawing unit. This draw regulation allows a rapid reaction to fluctuations in the draw, simple correcting measures and drift-free operation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 5, 1993
    Date of Patent: July 4, 1995
    Assignee: Zellweger Luwa AG
    Inventors: Hansjorg Rutz, Francois Baechler
  • Patent number: 5233727
    Abstract: In a textile fiber preparation machine, thickness and/or unevenness characteristics of a lap (W) formed by a web or wadding of textile fibers being fed in the machine are determined for individual longitudinal strips spaced across the width of the lap. A plurality of individual sensors (2) are arranged next to one another over the width of the lap (W) and press the lap (W) against a stationary guide (4,5, 6--6'). Each of the sensors (2) is movable toward and away from the guide and is resiliently biased toward the guide. The amount of movement of an individual sensor (2) away from the guide by the lap is a measure of the thickness of the lap portion being contacted by that sensor. The use of individual sensors arranged end to end across the width of the lap improves sensitivity so that even brief changes in thickness when the lap has a high transport speed can be measured reliably. Furthermore, the apparatus can be adapted quickly and simply to changing lap widths.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 19, 1991
    Date of Patent: August 10, 1993
    Assignee: Zellweger Uster AG
    Inventor: Francois Baechler
  • Patent number: 5123280
    Abstract: A sliver measuring device includes a pair of rollers (6, 7) which limit two sides of a rectangular measuring space (3). A third side of the measuring space (3) is closed off by a guide roller (8) or by a guide plate. A measuring element (5) for the thickness or non-uniformity of the sliver is arranged on a fourth side of the measuring space. The rollers (6, 7) serve to compact the sliver in the measuring space. The measuring element (5) is formed by a leaf spring provided with strain gauges. Since the sliver is actively driven at the measuring point, this leads to an increase in the compaction of the sliver and thus to an increase in the measuring accuracy dependent upon the compaction. On the other hand, the inertia of the measuring element is very low.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 29, 1991
    Date of Patent: June 23, 1992
    Assignee: Zellweger Uster AG
    Inventor: Francois Baechler
  • Patent number: 4864853
    Abstract: The apparatus comprises a compression member (T) and a measuring device arranged thereon for measuring the thickness of a fibre sliver passing through a measuring duct (4). The measuring device is formed by a leaf spring (BF) provided with resistance strain gauges. The measuring duct (4) is provided in a measuring member (MT) arranged removably on the sliver hopper (T) and the measuring member is equipped with a compressed air nozzle (19).Simple range adaptation to varying sliver numbers can thus be effected, on the one hand, and the measuring member can easily be cleaned and cooled, on the other hand.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 16, 1987
    Date of Patent: September 12, 1989
    Assignee: Zellweger Uster Ltd.
    Inventors: Werner Grunder, Francois Baechler, Erwin Murbach