Cigarette perforation apparatus and method
US5052414A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Apr 26, 1990 |
| Grant date | Oct 1, 1991 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Apr 26, 2010 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB23K26/0821
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
Various arrangements are disclosed for perforation by laser of cigarettes carried on a fluted drum without rolling. In one arrangement (FIGS. 1-3) rings of reflectors (8, 14) movable with the drum (12) intercept and direct a continuous laser beam (18). In another arrangement (FIGS. 4,5) cigarettes (28) are perforated while being conveyed past a fixed focus pulsed beam (32) which has a selected profile and is redirected between passing cigarettes to perforate cigarette at other positions. Other arrangements include using a rotating disc (FIGS. 6-8) or rotary stepped reflector (FIGS. 9, 13, 14) to share a beam between different cigarettes or produce two rows of perforations on a cigarette, using a continuous reflective surface (FIGS. 10, 11) to reflect a rotating beam at passing cigarettes, and causing a beam to partially track a moving cigarette (FIG. 12).
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.