Process and apparatus for the checking of cigarettes

US4955948A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Focke & Co. · DE

Inventors

• Heinz Focke · Verden, DE
• Josef Schulte · Aschendorf, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Jun 29, 1989
• Grant date: Sep 11, 1990
• Expiry date: Jun 29, 2009

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y10S131/908
• WIPO field: Handling
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

For the checking of cigarettes for their correct formation in terms of a sufficient tobacco content, electrooptical test processes have been employed for a relatively long time. The use of these processes has hitherto made it necessary to employ high-performance sensitive sensors in order to obtain definite test results. The new process and the corresponding apparatus are intended to make it possible to check cigarettes by the reflection process, especially in a cigarette conveyor (cigarette turret), in which accurate results can be obtained in short test times by means of a simple test device. By means of a special arrangement of the electrooptical sensors for the checking of the cigarettes in test units moved relative to the cigarettes to be checked, it is possible for the cigarettes to be checked for a correct tobacco content, by contactless sensing, either during stationary phases or during rotational movement of the cigarette conveyor (cigarette turret). At the same time, the high reflecting capacity of cigarette paper is utilized for checking the tobacco content.