Patent · US Expired

Endoscopic apparatus for flaw detection on a circular knitting machine

US5133198A · kind A · utility

6Cited by
9References
11Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateSep 6, 1990
Grant dateJul 28, 1992
Priority date
Expiry dateSep 6, 2010

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC G)Physics
  • CPC primaryG01N21/954
  • WIPO fieldMeasurement
  • WIPO sectorInstruments

Abstract

The apparatus has particular use in the detection of flaws in articles being knitted on a circular knitting machine and aplies in particular to the manufacturing of footwear. The apparatus comprises a light source, an electro-optical sensor receiving light coming from the light source after the light has been reflected by the knitted fabric, or after it has passed through that knitted fabric. Devices are provided for processing the data produced by the electro-optical sensor. According to the invention, there is provided a linear endoscope fixedly mounted along the rotation axis of the machine, whose viewing cone is matched to a distal lens and is oriented radially towards the knitted fabric. The photosensitive zone of the electro-optical sensor is located at the image plane of a lens located at a proximal end of the endoscope.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.