Patent ID: 6967721
Filing Date: 2005-11-22
Classification: G01N

Abstract:
1. A method for non-invasively optically determining bulk density and uniformity of web configured material during in-line processing, comprising the steps of: (a) illuminating a volume segment of the web configured material situated on and transported by a transport mechanism during the in-line processing, by light exiting an illumination mechanism of an optical unit, whereby (i) part of said light interacts with and is scattered by said volume segment of the web configured material, forming web material scattered light, (ii) part of said light passes through said volume segment of the web configured material, forming through web material light, and, (iii) part of said light is reflected by said volume segment of the web configured material and by said material transport mechanism, forming reflected light; (b) collecting and detecting (i) at least part of said web material scattered light, by a primary light collector-detector of said optical unit, forming a plurality of detected web material scattered light, (ii) at least part of said through web material light, by said primary light collector-detector of said optical unit, forming detected through web material light, and, (iii) at least part of said reflected light, by a reflected light collector-detector of said optical unit, forming detected reflected light; (c) converting (i) said plurality of detected web material scattered light into a corresponding plurality of web material scattered light raw electrical signals, raw signal set (S) (d) sending (i) said plurality of web material scattered light raw electrical signals, raw signal set (S) (e) process correcting (i) said plurality of web material scattered light raw electrical signals, raw signal set (S) and (f) calculating a value of the bulk density of the web configured material from (i) said web material scattered light process corrected signal set, (S)