Patent · US Expired

Cigarette manufacture

US5002072A · kind A · utility

1Cited by
5References
10Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateMar 1, 1989
Grant dateMar 26, 1991
Priority date
Expiry dateMar 1, 2009

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S131/91
  • WIPO fieldOther consumer goods
  • WIPO sectorOther fields

Abstract

A cigarette making machine includes one or more conveyor bands (12,14,28) or other parts of non-metallic material from which pieces can break off and become entrained in the tobacco, including means (30,42) for detecting such pieces in the tobacco by directing a radiation beam towards the tobacco, and including means 40 for ejecting tobacco or finished cigarettes including such detected pieces, the parts in question being made of a material, or having a material incorporated in then or coated on them, which is either opaque or partially opaque to the detection beam, or which produces a detectable secondary emission detected by the detecting means.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.