System, method and apparatus for fiber sample preparation for image analysis

• US 20070103668A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 11/01/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Original Assignee: Board of Regents of the University of Texas System (University of Texas System)
• Inventors: Xu, Bugao, Yu, Wurong
• Granted Patent: US 7,588,438 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 356/36
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 1/04 in the solid state, e.g. by cutting
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 15/1433 using image recognition
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/0049 of filaments in gas
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 2015/1497 Particle shape
• CPC Class Codes: G01N 33/36 Textiles
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 83/913 Filament to staple fiber cutting
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/0453 By fluid application
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/222 With receptacle or support for cut product
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 83/8828 Plural tools with same drive means

Abstract

The present invention is an apparatus, system and method for preparing samples for analysis including a mechanical fiber cutting apparatus. The mechanical fiber cutting apparatus has two or more cutter blades under the control of a blade moving mechanism. A fiber chamber is positioned to receive the one or more cut fibers created by the cutting action of the two or more cutter blades. The pressurized gas source connected to the fiber chamber transfers the one or more cut fibers into a sample preparation housing. The one or more cut fibers are distributed randomly onto a sample slide within the sample preparation housing.

Claims

1. A mechanical fiber cutting apparatus comprising:

a housing comprising two or more cutter blades under the control of a blade moving mechanism, wherein the cutting action of the two or more cutter blades create one or more cut fibers;

a fiber chamber positioned to receive the one or more cut fibers; and

a pressurized gas source connected to the fiber chamber to transfer the one or more cut fibers in a random distribution onto a sample slide within a sample preparation housing.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the blade moving mechanism is a pneumatic ram, a hydraulic ram, an electric motor and combinations thereof.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more cutter blades comprise 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 or more blades.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more cutter blades are spaced substantially parallel and substantially vertically.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the two or more cutter blades individually comprise a conventional razor blade, a blade, a serrated blade, a metal wire, a plastic fiber, a composite fiber, a plastic blade, or a composite material.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the sample preparation housing is connected to the fiber chamber through a conduit to transfer the one or more cut fibers.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the conduit comprises an inlet pressure fitting to allow the increases in pressure and an outlet aperture to allow a reduction in the pressure.

8. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pressurized gas source is a compressor, a tank, a gas line, or a combination thereof.

9. A system for analyzing one or more fiber samples comprising:

a cutter housing comprising two or more cutter blades under the control of a blade moving mechanism, wherein the cutting action of the two or more cutter blades create one or more cut fibers, a fiber chamber positioned to receive the one or more cut fibers, and a pressurized gas source connected to the fiber chamber that transfers the one or more cut fibers in a random distribution onto a sample slide within a sample preparation housing; and

an imaging system for imaging the one or more cut fibers distributed randomly on the sample slide.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the imaging system comprises:

a digital imaging device positioned to capture one or more images of one or more fibers on the sample slide; and

an image processing device that determines the intensity of one or more regions of the one or more images, compares the intensity of one of the one or more regions to the intensity of another of the one or more regions, and labels the region.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the blade moving mechanism is a pneumatic ram, a hydraulic ram, an electric motor and combinations thereof.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the two or more cutter blades comprise 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36;

37, 38, 39, 40 or more blades.

13. The system of claim 10 further comprising a computer system in communication with the imaging system, the cutter housing, the digital imaging device, the image processing device or c combination thereof.

14. A method of preparing a fiber sample for analysis comprising the steps of:

positioning one or more fibers onto a mechanical fiber cutting apparatus comprising a housing having two or more cutter blades under the control of a blade moving mechanism, a fiber chamber in contact with the housing and a sample preparation housing and a pressurized gas source in communication with the fiber chamber to transfer the one or more fibers from the fiber chamber to the sample preparation housing;

cutting the one or more fibers with the mechanical fiber cutting apparatus to form one or more cut fibers that are deposited into the fiber chamber; and

transferring the one or more cut fibers onto a sample slide within the sample preparation housing in a random distribution by the release of one or more pulses from the pressurized gas source.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein the blade moving mechanism is a pneumatic ram, a hydraulic ram, an electric motor and combinations thereof.

16. The method of claim 14, wherein the pressurized gas source is a compressor, a tank, a gas line, or a combination thereof.

17. The method of claim 14, wherein the two or more cutter blades comprise 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40 or more blades.

18. The method of claim 14, wherein the two or more cutter blades are spaced substantially parallel and substantially vertically.

19. The method of claim 14, wherein the two or more cutter blades individually comprise a conventional razor blade, a blade, a serrated blade, a metal wire, a plastic fiber, a composite fiber, a plastic blade, or a composite material.

20. The method of claim 14, wherein the sample preparation housing is connected to the fiber chamber through a conduit to transfer the one or more cut fibers.