Office Action 1: Notice of Allowance (2025-09-30)

CLAIMS:
IN THE CLAIMS

Please amend the claims as follows:Claim t (Currently Amended): A measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] for measuring \[\[the\]\] fineness and/or maturity of cotton fibers, said measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] comprising:\[\[-\]\] a measuring chamber \[\[(2)\]\] configured to accommodate a sample \[\[(C)\]\] ofcotton fibers, said measuring chamber \[\[(2)\]\] extending between a first end \[\[(21)\]\] closed by a wall having one or more vent holes and a second end \[\[(22)\]\] opposed to the first end and~~(2==said=fst=end = being~eesedby=a waH=(23=)=haviagenner=mere-vent4hes=(3,=andsttid-seeend-end-(212-)-being(0)(-100)~~ accumulated in the reservoir \[\[(5)\]\] into the inner channel \[\[(40)\]\], and consequently into the measuring chamber \[\[(2)\]\], with a predetermined flow rate.

Claim 2 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according to claim 1,wherein said pump \[\[(6)\]\] is placed upstream of the measuring chamber \[\[(2)\]\] and the reservoir and is a diaphragm pump or a hydraulic pump.

Claim 3 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according toclaim 1, wherein said flow regulator \[\[(7)\]\] is piezoelectric.

Claim 4 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according to the-preceding claim 3,wherein said pump \[\[(6)\]\] is a variable speed pump having a flow rate greater than 1 1/min.

Claim 5 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according to claim 1,wherein said reservoir \[\[(5)\]\] has a capacity between 0.05 and 20 liters.

Claim 6 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according to claim 1,wherein said reservoir \[\[(5)\]\] is maintained at a pressure regulated between 0.05 and 4 ba.

Claim 7 (Currently Amended): The measuring device \[\[(1)\]\] according to claim 6,wherein said flow regulator \[\[(7)\]\] is configured to vary \[\[the\]\] an air flow rate from 4 l/min to 1 1/min between a first compression condition and a second compression condition according to a closed-loop feedback control.

OFFICE ACTION:
DETAILED ACTION
Notice of Pre-AIA  or AIA  Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Summary
Claims 1-7 were pending.  Claim 1 is amended herein by an Examiner’s Amendment.  Claims 1-7 are allowed.  This is a First Action Notice of Allowance.
Examiner’s Amendment
An examiner’s amendment to the record appears below. Should the changes and/or additions be unacceptable to applicant, an amendment may be filed as provided by 37 CFR 1.312. To ensure consideration of such an amendment, it MUST be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee.
Authorization for this examiner’s amendment was given in an interview with Yanhong Hu on 18 Sep 2025.
Start of the Examiner’s Amendment:
Claim 1 (Amended): A measuring device for measuring fineness or maturity of cotton fibers, said measuring device comprising:
a measuring chamber configured to accommodate a sample of cotton fibers, said measuring chamber extending between a first end closed by a wall having one or more vent holes and a second end opposed to the first end
a tubular plunger configured to penetrate within said measuring chamber through said second end to run at least two strokes of predetermined lengths; said plunger having an inner channel extending between a tail portion and a perforated head portion placing said inner channel in fluid communication with said measuring chamber;
a seal between an outer surface of the tubular plunger and an inner surface of the measuring chamber;
a linear actuator connected to the tubular plunger;
a reservoir placed upstream of said inner channel and in fluid communication with said inner channel;
a pump configured to fill said reservoir with air from an environment; [[
a flow regulator placed downstream of said reservoir and upstream of said inner channel; said flow regulator being configured to ensure that the air accumulated in the reservoir moves into the inner channel, and consequently into the measuring chamber, with a predetermined flow rate[[;]]
a pressure sensor configured to determine the pressure in said inner channel; and
a processor configured to determine the fineness or maturity of the cotton fibers from the output of the pressure sensor.
End of the Examiner’s Amendment.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 1-7 are allowed.
The following is an examiner’s statement of reasons for allowance:  Independent claim 1 contains allowable subject matter.  None of the prior art of record teaches or suggests the claimed invention.  Specifically not found in the prior art of record are the limitations of a measuring chamber that has holes on one side and a tubular plunger with a perforated head portion closing the other side wherein the tubular plunger has an inner channel, wherein the tubular plunger is connected to a linear actuator, a pressure sensor measuring the pressure in the inner channel, a pump leading to a reservoir, leading to a regulator, leading to the inner channel, and a processor configured to determine fineness or maturity of cotton fibers from the output of the pressure sensor, in combination with the other limitations of claim 1.  The closest prior art of record is US 5,907,394; US 5,892,142; CN 102116727 A; CN 2085518 U; and EP 0311569 A1.  All of these references teach measuring maturity or fineness of cotton fibers in a tube with a piston at one end, but none of them teaches all of the limitations discussed above.
Claims 2-7 are allowed due to their dependence on claim 1.
Any comments considered necessary by applicant must be submitted no later than the payment of the issue fee and, to avoid processing delays, should preferably accompany the issue fee.  Such submissions should be clearly labeled “Comments on Statement of Reasons for Allowance.”
Conclusion



CITED REFERENCE SUMMARIES: Ref US5907394A: Claims:
A physical property measuring apparatus for testing fibers comprising: fiber sample holding means for holding a sample quantity of fiber in a cluster at a predetermined location, said cluster extending substantially from a line along said holding means, instrument housing means having a slotted opening and first reciprocable drive means for selectively translating said housing means in opposite directions relative to said sample holding means, said slotted opening having opposed first and second perimeter edges; air drafting means for drawing an air flow through said slotted opening as said housing means advances upon said sample holding means, said air flow facilitating penetration of the sample cluster into said slotted opening; light source means along the first perimeter edge of said slotted opening for transmitting light across said slotted opening; photo sensor means along the second perimeter edge of said slotted opening for receiving light from said source means and for generating signals proportional to light transmission between said first and second perimeter edges that are processed for determination of fiber length properties; first clamping means having cooperative stationary and moving jaws adjacent said slotted opening for clamping a fiber cluster therebetween while said clamped fiber cluster remains held by said sample holding means; second clamping means having cooperative stationary and moving jaws adjacent said first clamping means for clamping said fiber cluster therebetween while said clamped fiber remains clamped by said first clamping means; second reciprocable drive means for displacing said second clamping means relative to said first clamping means while said first and second clamping means are simultaneously clamped upon the same filter cluster; and, load measuring means for measuring a force exerted by said clamped fiber cluster in opposition to relative displacement between said first and second clamping means and generating signals proportional to values of said force.
fiber sample holding means for holding a sample quantity of fiber in a cluster at a predetermined location, said cluster extending substantially from a line along said holding means,
instrument housing means having a slotted opening and first reciprocable drive means for selectively translating said housing means in opposite directions relative to said sample holding means, said slotted opening having opposed first and second perimeter edges;
air drafting means for drawing an air flow through said slotted opening as said housing means advances upon said sample holding means, said air flow facilitating penetration of the sample cluster into said slotted opening;
light source means along the first perimeter edge of said slotted opening for transmitting light across said slotted opening;
photo sensor means along the second perimeter edge of said slotted opening for receiving light from said source means and for generating signals proportional to light transmission between said first and second perimeter edges that are processed for determination of fiber length properties;
first clamping means having cooperative stationary and moving jaws adjacent said slotted opening for clamping a fiber cluster therebetween while said clamped fiber cluster remains held by said sample holding means;
second clamping means having cooperative stationary and moving jaws adjacent said first clamping means for clamping said fiber cluster therebetween while said clamped fiber remains clamped by said first clamping means;
second reciprocable drive means for displacing said second clamping means relative to said first clamping means while said first and second clamping means are simultaneously clamped upon the same filter cluster; and,
load measuring means for measuring a force exerted by said clamped fiber cluster in opposition to relative displacement between said first and second clamping means and generating signals proportional to values of said force.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 1 further comprising displacement distance measuring means for generating signals proportional to values of the relative displacement distance between said first and second clamping means; and, signal processing means to coordinate measured force values to the displacement distance values for determination of fiber elongation properties.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 2 wherein the photo sensor signals proportional to light transmission are processed to determine variations in fiber length.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 2 wherein the photo sensor signals proportional to light transmission are processed to determine the position of a breaking plane across a substantially predetermined number of fibers within said fiber cluster, said first reciprocable drive means positioning said first clamping means on one side of said breaking plane and said second clamping means on an opposite side of said breaking plane.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein said first reciprocable drive means for said housing comprises a first precision linear bearing for support of said housing means along a planar translation path.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 5 wherein said second reciprocable drive means comprises a second precision linear bearing for translating said second clamping means relative to said first clamping means.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 1 wherein said moving jaws respective to said first clamping means are loaded against the first clamping means stationary jaws by linear air motors having translation movement substantially normal to translation movement of said housing means.
A property measuring apparatus as described by claim 7 wherein said moving jaws respective to said second clamping means are loaded against the second clamping means by linear air motors having translation movement substantially normal to translation movement of said housing means.
Ref US5892142A: Claims:
A fiber processing system having a fluidized transport system for transfer of a fiber-entrained air flow through said processing system, the improvement comprising: means for extracting a test sample of fiber from a fiber entrained air flow within said transport system; means for depositing said test sample of fiber in a test chamber; and, means for determining the micronaire value of said sample, said means for determining the micronaire value of said sample having: means for determining the quantity of test sample fiber deposited in said test chamber by measuring a first pressure loss of a first known air flow rate through a first known volume of fiber accumulated in said test chamber; means for confining a predetermined quantity of sample fiber within a known test volume of said test chamber; means for inducing a known test flow rate of air through said fiber in said known test volume; and means for determining a test air pressure loss by said test flow rate of air passing through said test volume of fiber.
means for extracting a test sample of fiber from a fiber entrained air flow within said transport system;
means for depositing said test sample of fiber in a test chamber; and,
means for determining the micronaire value of said sample, said means for determining the micronaire value of said sample having: means for determining the quantity of test sample fiber deposited in said test chamber by measuring a first pressure loss of a first known air flow rate through a first known volume of fiber accumulated in said test chamber; means for confining a predetermined quantity of sample fiber within a known test volume of said test chamber; means for inducing a known test flow rate of air through said fiber in said known test volume; and means for determining a test air pressure loss by said test flow rate of air passing through said test volume of fiber.
means for determining the quantity of test sample fiber deposited in said test chamber by measuring a first pressure loss of a first known air flow rate through a first known volume of fiber accumulated in said test chamber;
means for confining a predetermined quantity of sample fiber within a known test volume of said test chamber;
means for inducing a known test flow rate of air through said fiber in said known test volume; and
means for determining a test air pressure loss by said test flow rate of air passing through said test volume of fiber.
A fiber processing system as described by claim 1 wherein said means for confining said predetermined quantity of fiber with said test volume comprises a controllably translated wall structure.
An apparatus for measuring the micronaire value of a fibrous material comprising: a variable volume test chamber; fiber sample delivery means for channeling a fluid size d flow stream of fibrous material into said test chamber; means for accumulating fibrous material carried by said flow stream within a first test zone in said test chamber; first pressure measurement means for measuring fluid pressure loss through an accumulation of fiber in said first test zone; control means for blocking the flow stream channel of said fibrous material into said test chamber responsive to a predetermined first pressure loss through said first test zone; fiber compaction means for compacting the quantity of fiber accumulated in said test chamber prior to blocking of said flow stream channel, the accumulated fiber quantity being compacted within a second test zone of said test chamber having a known volume; air flow means for flowing a known flow rate of air through the accumulated fiber in said second test zone; second pressure measurement means for measuring a second fluid pressure loss value for air flow through said accumulated fiber in said second test zone at said known flow rate; and, data processing means programmed to determine a micronaire value of said accumulated fiber using the measured value of said second fluid pressure loss.
a variable volume test chamber;
fiber sample delivery means for channeling a fluid size d flow stream of fibrous material into said test chamber;
means for accumulating fibrous material carried by said flow stream within a first test zone in said test chamber;
first pressure measurement means for measuring fluid pressure loss through an accumulation of fiber in said first test zone;
control means for blocking the flow stream channel of said fibrous material into said test chamber responsive to a predetermined first pressure loss through said first test zone;
fiber compaction means for compacting the quantity of fiber accumulated in said test chamber prior to blocking of said flow stream channel, the accumulated fiber quantity being compacted within a second test zone of said test chamber having a known volume;
air flow means for flowing a known flow rate of air through the accumulated fiber in said second test zone;
second pressure measurement means for measuring a second fluid pressure loss value for air flow through said accumulated fiber in said second test zone at said known flow rate; and,
data processing means programmed to determine a micronaire value of said accumulated fiber using the measured value of said second fluid pressure loss.
An apparatus as described by claim 3 further comprising means for discharging said accumulated fiber from said second test zone after measuring said second fluid pressure loss value.
An apparatus as described by claim 4 further comprising weight measuring means for receiving the accumulated fiber discharged from said second test zone, measuring the weight thereof and transmitting the value of said weight to said data processing means.
An apparatus as described by claim 3 wherein said means for accumulating fibrous material within said first test zone comprises a perforated piston.
An apparatus as described by claim 3 wherein said means for accumulating fibrous material within said first test zone comprises a selectively positioned screen element.
An apparatus as described by claim 7 wherein said selectively positional screen element further comprises a selectively positioned passageway for discharging said accumulated fiber from said second test zone.
An apparatus for measuring the micronaire value of a fibrous material comprising: a variable volume test chamber having a walled perimeter between an open end and a closed end; a fibrous material confinement wall having an area of perforations through said wall between internal and external sides of said wall; means for consolidating a bed of fibrous material along an internal side of said confinement wall and over said perforations; means for translating the open end of said test chamber into said consolidated bed of material and over said area of perforations so as to isolate a sample portion of said consolidated bed within said test chamber, means within said test chamber for compacting said isolated sample portion of said consolidated bed with a predetermined compaction load; means for determining the volume of said isolated sample of fibrous material compacted under said predetermined load; means for flowing a known flow rate of air through said isolated sample of fibrous material; means for measuring the air pressure loss of said known flow rate through said isolated sample of fibrous material; data processing means programmed to determine a micronaire value from values respective to the volume of the isolated and compacted sample, said known air flow rate and said air pressure loss.
a variable volume test chamber having a walled perimeter between an open end and a closed end;
a fibrous material confinement wall having an area of perforations through said wall between internal and external sides of said wall;
means for consolidating a bed of fibrous material along an internal side of said confinement wall and over said perforations;
means for translating the open end of said test chamber into said consolidated bed of material and over said area of perforations so as to isolate a sample portion of said consolidated bed within said test chamber,
means within said test chamber for compacting said isolated sample portion of said consolidated bed with a predetermined compaction load;
means for determining the volume of said isolated sample of fibrous material compacted under said predetermined load;
means for flowing a known flow rate of air through said isolated sample of fibrous material;
means for measuring the air pressure loss of said known flow rate through said isolated sample of fibrous material;
data processing means programmed to determine a micronaire value from values respective to the volume of the isolated and compacted sample, said known air flow rate and said air pressure loss.
An apparatus as described by claim 9 wherein said variable volume test chamber comprises a cylinder having a substantially closed axial end and an open axial end, said open axial end having an edged circumference.
An apparatus as described by claim 10 wherein said means within said test chamber for compacting said isolating sample comprises a rod displaced piston within said cylinder.
An apparatus as described by claim 11 comprising means for displacing said rod and piston with a predetermined displacement force.
An apparatus for measuring the micronaire value of a fibrous material comprising: a test zone within a walled enclosure means having first and second opposite ends; a pressure differential measuring zone within said test zone between said first and second opposite ends; a sample inflow duct penetrating said walled enclosure between said first end and said pressure differential measuring zone; first displacement means disposed within said test zone for selective positioning between said first opposite end and said pressure measuring zone, said first displacement means having opposite faces and gas flow passages between said opposite faces thereof; second displacement means disposed within said test zone for selective positioning between said second opposite end and said pressure measuring zone, said second displacement means having opposite faces and gas flow passages between said opposite faces thereof; and, air draft means for drawing an air flow from said inflow duct, through said pressure measuring zone and said second piston means.
a test zone within a walled enclosure means having first and second opposite ends;
a pressure differential measuring zone within said test zone between said first and second opposite ends;
a sample inflow duct penetrating said walled enclosure between said first end and said pressure differential measuring zone;
first displacement means disposed within said test zone for selective positioning between said first opposite end and said pressure measuring zone, said first displacement means having opposite faces and gas flow passages between said opposite faces thereof;
second displacement means disposed within said test zone for selective positioning between said second opposite end and said pressure measuring zone, said second displacement means having opposite faces and gas flow passages between said opposite faces thereof; and,
air draft means for drawing an air flow from said inflow duct, through said pressure measuring zone and said second piston means.
An apparatus as described by claim 13 comprising selectively engaged flow obstruction means in said inlet flow duct.
An apparatus as described by claim 14 comprising a sample discharge duct penetrating said walled enclosure between said second opposite end and said pressure differential measuring zone.
An apparatus as described by claim 15 further comprising sample weighing means that is supplied by said discharge duct.
An apparatus as described by claim 16 wherein said pressure differential measuring zone is delineated by a plurality of first apertures in the enclosure wall of said test zone, and first apertures being distributed proximately of a first plane across said test zone and, a plurality of second apertures in said cylinder wall distributed proximately of a second plane across said test zone, said first and second plane having a substantially parallel separation.
An apparatus as described by claim 17 wherein said first apertures open from said test zone into a first manifold and said second apertures open from said test zone into a second manifold.
An apparatus as described by claim 18 and further comprising pressure differential measuring means for generating pressure differential signals corresponding to pressure differential measurement values, within said pressure differential measuring zone said signals being transmitted to an apparatus control system.
An apparatus as described by claim 19 wherein said control system is disposed to control the operation of said flow obstruction means and the positioning of said first and second displacement means in response to said pressure differential signals.
An apparatus as described by claim 20 wherein said weighing means generates fiber sample weight signals corresponding to the weight value of a fiber sample, said signals being transmitted to said apparatus control system.
An apparatus as described by claim 21 wherein said control system includes operating program means for determining a micronaire value by combining pressure differential signals with said fiber sample weight signals.
An apparatus for measuring the micronaire value of a fibrous material comprising: a cylinder bore within a cylinder wall means having axially separated first and second bore ends; a pressure differential measuring zone within said cylinder bore between said first and second bore ends: a sample inflow duct penetrating said cylinder bore between said first bore end and said pressure measuring zone; a sample discharge duct penetrating said cylinder bore between said second bore end and said pressure measuring zone; first piston me
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