Smoking article package inspection system and associated method

US10063814B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• R.J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY · US

Inventors

• Gary L. Wood · Rural Hall, US
• Chris Campbell · Dallas, US
• Hung V. Phan · Simi Valley, US
• Hugh Gates · Winston-Salem, US
• Jim Belk · King, US
• Zach Francis · High Point, US
• Reginald Thomas · Tobaccoville, US
• Luke Hutchens · East Bend, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Mar 12, 2014
• Grant date: Aug 28, 2018
• Expiry date: Jul 11, 2035

Classification

• Technology area (CPC G): Physics
• CPC primary: G06T2207/30144
• WIPO field: Measurement
• WIPO sector: Instruments

Abstract

A smoking article package inspection system configured to inspect a smoking article package is provided. The system includes imaging devices configured to capture images of the smoking article package and an analysis unit configured to analyze the images captured by the imaging devices and determine whether the smoking article package is defective. The imaging devices may be positioned and configured to capture images of the smoking article package at least one of: before and after enclosing a plurality of smoking articles in the smoking article package, before and after printing an identifier on the smoking article package, and before and after wrapping the smoking article package with an outer wrapper. A related method is also provided.