Method of and apparatus for ascertaining the density of a stream of fibrous material

US5762075A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• HAUNI MASCHINENBAU GMBH · DE

Inventors

• Reinhard Hoppe · Tespe, DE
• Henning Moller · Hamburg, DE
• Andreas Noack · Friedrichstadt, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Feb 12, 1997
• Grant date: Jun 9, 1998
• Expiry date: Feb 12, 2017

Classification

• Technology area (CPC A): Human Necessities
• CPC primary: A24C5/3412
• WIPO field: Other consumer goods
• WIPO sector: Other fields

Abstract

The density of a wrapped rod-like filler of tobacco or filter material for tobacco smoke is ascertained by causing successive increments of the filler to traverse beams of X-rays which, after having penetrated through small portions of the filler, impinge upon detectors forming a linear array and serving to generate (first) signals denoting the intensities of the respective beams. Such intensities are affected by the densities of the respective portions of the filler. The first signals are processed in a circuit together with one or more additional signals denoting the intensity or intensities of one or more beams which bypass the filler, and with one or more further signals furnished by one or more detectors which are shielded from the source of X-rays. The thus obtained (second) signal denotes the densities of successive increments of the filler and is used to correct the density of the filler, if and when necessary. The processing of first, additional and further signals in the circuit can involve a summing with or without preceding logarithmizing, or multiplying of the first signals and logarithmizing the thus obtained product.