EP0370231A1 - Optische Einrichtung für die Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten - Google Patents

Optische Einrichtung für die Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0370231A1
EP0370231A1 EP89119339A EP89119339A EP0370231A1 EP 0370231 A1 EP0370231 A1 EP 0370231A1 EP 89119339 A EP89119339 A EP 89119339A EP 89119339 A EP89119339 A EP 89119339A EP 0370231 A1 EP0370231 A1 EP 0370231A1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
cigarette
measurement
scanning beam
cigarettes
values
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Granted
Application number
EP89119339A
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0370231B1 (de
Inventor
Riccardo Senesi
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SASIB SpA Bologna
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SASIB SpA Bologna
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Publication date
Application filed by SASIB SpA Bologna filed Critical SASIB SpA Bologna
Publication of EP0370231A1 publication Critical patent/EP0370231A1/de
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Publication of EP0370231B1 publication Critical patent/EP0370231B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/32—Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes; Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition
    • A24C5/34—Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes
    • A24C5/3412—Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes by means of light, radiation or electrostatic fields

Definitions

  • the invention relates to an optical device for checking the cigarette tips, comprising a stationary measurement head associated with a conveyor means which causes the cigarettes to pass after each other transversely to their longitudinal axes in front of said measurement head, with the cigarette tips to be checked facing said head, as well as a device for processing the measured values and a device for discarding the defective cigarettes, under the control of said processing device.
  • optical devices for checking the cigarette tips has acquired primary importance because the devices of this type have the considerable advantage of avoiding any physical contact with the cigarette tips, thus avoiding any damage thereto during the checking step.
  • a device for checking cigarette tips wherein the measurement head forms real images of the front surface of said tips, which, for this purpose, are suitably illuminated.
  • Normal cigarettes are discriminated from the defective ones by means of suitable processing devices and thanks to the fact that the real images of the former exhibit a constant average luminosity, whereas the luminosity of the real images of the defective cigarettes decreases abruptly.
  • optical checking device of the type described initially, wherein the measurement head is provided with a bundle of optical fibres which is divided into two branches, one of which is connected to a source of light and the other to a detecting sensor.
  • the invention aims to provide an optical device for checking the cigarette tips, of the type described in the preamble permitting to overcome the disadvantages of said known devices by means of a simple, inexpensive and extremely efficient construction, providing quite reliable measurement values for discriminating the defective cigarettes from the normal ones.
  • the invention solves this problem by means of an optical checking device of the type described in the preamble, the measurement head of which comprises means to generate a scanning beam directed against the front surface of the cigarette tips, and a sensor for detecting the scanning beam reflected by the cigarette tips.
  • the processing device to which the measured values are fed, is provided with discriminating means having an entered gate-value, and with means for correcting the values which have been measured along the front surface of each cigarette tip directed towards the measurement head, for deducting said measured values from one of said values, particularly from the maximum value.
  • the sensor for detecting the reflected scanning beam is connected to an electronic processor through an interposed device for synchronizing the inflow of measurement signals, a constant number of measurement being provided for each cigarette tip regardless of the speed of travel of said cigarette in front of the measurement head.
  • the optical device for checking the cigarette tips is a distance-detector, the intensity of the reflected scanning beam depending upon the distance between the point of incidence on the surface of the cigarette tip and the measurement head.
  • the disadvantages connected to color-shade variations of tobacco are avoided, while - by referring the measurement values along the tip of a cigarette to one of said measurement values, preferably the maximum value, i.e. by subtracting from the maximum measurement value the other measurement values - the dependence of measurements on the different distances of cigarettes from the measurement head, due to lack of alignment between the cigarettes, is avoided, thus permitting a comparison with the entered gate-value which is correct at all times.
  • the invention relates, additionally, to further characteristics which improve further said optical device for checking the cigarette tips, and which are the subject of the other sub-claims.
  • the device of Figure 1 comprises a measurement head indicated generally at 1, in front of which are passed the cigarettes 2 being transported transversely to their longitudinal axes by an associated conveyor device (not shown).
  • the conveyor device may be of any type and, particularly, it may be constituted by the drum of a device for the application of a filter-tip to the cigarettes.
  • the measurement head comprises a casing 3 which accommodates a source 4 which generates a scanning beam 5, and a sensor 6 for detecting the reflected scanning beam 5′.
  • the source 4 which generates the scanning beam 5 is oriented so that said beam 5 is aligned substantially parallelly to the longitudinal axis of a cigarette 2 and impinges against the face of the tip of the cigarette 2, that is directed towards the head, while said beam is focussed at the face of the tip of the cigarette 2 by means of a focussing lens 7.
  • the source 4 of the scanning beam may be any suitable source for generating a concentrated light beam, for example, a laser beam or a simple beam of light.
  • the invention uses a source generating a laser beam whose frequency is comprised in the infrared spectrum.
  • the sensor 6 is constituted by any type of photo-electric sensor suitable for the type of source being used and is so oriented as to detect a reflected scanning beam 5′ which is at an angle to the incident scanning beam 5, said reflected beam being focussed on the surface of the detecting sensor 6 by means of a lens 8.
  • the analog electric signal generated by the detecting sensor 6 is fed to an electronic processing circuit indicated generally at 9.
  • the processing device 9 is formed by a micro-processor 10.
  • the detecting sensor 6 is connected to an inlet 110 of the micro-processor 10 through an operational amplifier 11 and a successive analog/digital converter 12, while an additional inlet 210 of the micro-processor 10 has connected thereto a device for entering the gate-value 13, for example a device which is known as digit-switch.
  • the microprocessor 10 and the analog/digital converter 12 have connected thereto a device for synchronizing the inflow of the measured signals, indicated generally at 14.
  • This device comprises a tachometer generator 15 which is connected to the inlet of a voltage/frequency converter 16 through an operational amplifier 17.
  • the microprocessor 10 has connected to the outlet thereof a rejection circuit 18 which controls a solenoid valve 19 of the device for discarding the defective cigarettes (not shown in detail).
  • the scanning beam 5 When a cigarette 2 is passed in front of the measurement head 1, the scanning beam 5 impinges against the face of a cigarette tip and the reflected scanning beam 5′ is detected by the sensor 6 wherein it generates an electric analog signal.
  • This analog signal is transmitted through the operational amplifier 11 to the analog/digital converter 12 to be transmitted as a digital signal to the microprocessor 10.
  • the conversion of the analog signal into a digital signal through the analog/digital converter 12 is controlled by the inflow-synchronizing device 14 for the measured values.
  • the conversion of the analog signal is effected only when the voltage/frequency converter 16 emits an activating signal to the analog/digital converter.
  • the tachometer generator 15 which controls the voltage/frequency converter, the conversion frequency of the analog to digital signals, effected by the converter 12, and therefore the flow of measurement signals to the microprocessor 10, are rendered linearly dependent on the cigarette production rate and, therefore, on their speed of travel in front of the measurement head 1.
  • the number of measurement points i.e. the number of measurement values along the travel of the scanning beam 5 over the front face of a cigarette tip, are rendered constant and independent of the cigarette production rate.
  • the device 14 for synchronizing the flow of measurement values should be regulated, advantageously, so as to obtain, preferably, 60 to 80 and particularly 70, analogic/digital conversions (i.e. measurement points) each cigarette.
  • the microprocessor 10 will store in a programmable memory, for example, a R.A.M. (random access memory) or the like, the measurement signals which have been converted into digital signals. Thereafter, these stored signals will be processed, determining the maximum measurement value and subtracting from this maximum measurement value the values of the individual measurements.
  • a programmable memory for example, a R.A.M. (random access memory) or the like.
  • the measurement signals of the intensity of the reflected beam 5′ are converted into signals each of which indicates the degree of filling up of a cigarette with respect to the edge of the cigarette tip that is directed towards the measurement head, at the point of the tip's face of the cigarette filling up that is associated with said signal and with respect to a point of the cigarette tip's face having a maximum fill-up degree.
  • the measurement signals thus obtained are independent of the distance of each cigarette from the measurement head, so that the measurement values thus obtained for each cigarette may be compared by the microprocessor 10, with no possibility of errors, with the entered gate-value. If a series of measurement values concerning one cigarette exhibit more than four values which exceed the gate-value, the microprocessor will consider this cigarette as defective and emits a signal to activate the solenoid valve 19 of the discarding device, whereby said cigarette will be rejected.
  • the measurement values obtained by means of said device not only may be rendered independent of the distance of the cigarettes from the measurement head, but they are also independent of changes in the color-shades of tobacco, by virtue of the fact that the measurement is not referred to the brightness of said signal, but it is a distance measurement proper which can be carried out very rapidly, reducing the possibility of errors to negligible levels.
  • Figures 2 to 4 show graphical depictions of measurements concerning the filling up of the tips of three different cigarettes.
  • the ordinate A of each diagram indicates the value of the measurement signal
  • the abscissa B indicates the sequential number of the respective measurement along the path of travel of the scanning beam impinging the front face of the cigarette tip.
  • the depicted curve therefore, shows graphically the degree of fill-up at the various scanned spots.
  • the cigarette concerned in the measurements of Figures 2 and 3 are cigarettes with defective fill-up, shown by the valleys in the respective diagram at the regions indicated generally by the arrow R1 and by the arrows R2 and R2′, whilst the cigarette concerned in the measurement of Figure 4 is a normally filled up cigarette.
  • the source 4 of the scanning beam could generate a beam of micro-waves or ultrasonic waves to be focussed at the cigarette tip's face, in combination with a corresponding sensor to detect the reflected beam.

Landscapes

  • Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • General Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
  • Toxicology (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Length Measuring Devices By Optical Means (AREA)
EP89119339A 1988-11-25 1989-10-18 Optische Einrichtung für die Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten Expired - Lifetime EP0370231B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT8812591A IT1225366B (it) 1988-11-25 1988-11-25 Dispositivo ottico di controllo delle teste di sigarette
IT1259188 1988-11-25

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0370231A1 true EP0370231A1 (de) 1990-05-30
EP0370231B1 EP0370231B1 (de) 1995-03-01

Family

ID=11141962

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP89119339A Expired - Lifetime EP0370231B1 (de) 1988-11-25 1989-10-18 Optische Einrichtung für die Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten

Country Status (3)

Country Link
EP (1) EP0370231B1 (de)
DE (1) DE68921425T2 (de)
IT (1) IT1225366B (de)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0518141A3 (en) * 1991-06-13 1993-04-21 Eastman Kodak Company Cigarette inspection method
EP0553699A1 (de) * 1992-01-30 1993-08-04 Hauni Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft Prüfanordnung zum Prüfen der Enden von Zigaretten
EP0585686A1 (de) * 1992-09-03 1994-03-09 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Optische Prüfvorrichtung beim Füllen von Zigaretten
EP0634112A3 (de) * 1993-07-13 1996-06-19 Gd Spa Optische Prüfvorrichtung für die Füllung von Zigaretten.
EP0630586A3 (de) * 1993-06-28 1996-06-26 Gd Spa Optische Prüfvorrichtung für die Füllung von Zigaretten.
EP0843974A3 (de) * 1996-11-20 1999-06-16 SASIB TOBACCO S.p.A. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur berührungslosen Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten oder dergleichen
EP1772067A1 (de) * 2005-10-07 2007-04-11 G.D Societ Per Azioni Verpackungsmaschine und Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Kontrollieren von Endbereichen von Zigaretten
EP2636320A1 (de) * 2012-03-07 2013-09-11 HAUNI Maschinenbau AG Messvorrichtung und Messverfahren zur Bestimmung einer Messgröße an einem Ende eines stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
EP2677273A1 (de) * 2012-06-14 2013-12-25 HAUNI Maschinenbau AG Messvorrichtung und Verfahren zur optischen Prüfung einer Stirnfläche eines queraxial geförderten stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
EP2679950A1 (de) * 2012-06-14 2014-01-01 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Bewertung einer Stirnfläche eines stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE19921721A1 (de) 1999-05-12 2000-11-16 Focke & Co Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Prüfen von Zigarettenköpfen

Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3812349A (en) * 1973-04-06 1974-05-21 Laser Sciences Inc Apparatus for inspecting cigarettes or the like
US4165939A (en) * 1975-01-22 1979-08-28 Tsn Company, Inc. Apparatus for inspection and dimensional measurement by sequential reading
GB2141229A (en) * 1983-06-03 1984-12-12 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Method and apparatus for scanning the exterior of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry
GB2176598A (en) * 1985-06-11 1986-12-31 Koerber Ag Method and apparatus for optically testing the ends of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry

Patent Citations (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3812349A (en) * 1973-04-06 1974-05-21 Laser Sciences Inc Apparatus for inspecting cigarettes or the like
US4165939A (en) * 1975-01-22 1979-08-28 Tsn Company, Inc. Apparatus for inspection and dimensional measurement by sequential reading
GB2141229A (en) * 1983-06-03 1984-12-12 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Method and apparatus for scanning the exterior of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry
GB2176598A (en) * 1985-06-11 1986-12-31 Koerber Ag Method and apparatus for optically testing the ends of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
EP0518141A3 (en) * 1991-06-13 1993-04-21 Eastman Kodak Company Cigarette inspection method
EP0553699A1 (de) * 1992-01-30 1993-08-04 Hauni Maschinenbau Aktiengesellschaft Prüfanordnung zum Prüfen der Enden von Zigaretten
EP0585686A1 (de) * 1992-09-03 1994-03-09 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Optische Prüfvorrichtung beim Füllen von Zigaretten
EP0630586A3 (de) * 1993-06-28 1996-06-26 Gd Spa Optische Prüfvorrichtung für die Füllung von Zigaretten.
US5596187A (en) * 1993-06-28 1997-01-21 G.D Societa' Per Azioni Optical method for examining the open end of a cigarette to determine its uniformity of filling with tobacco
EP0634112A3 (de) * 1993-07-13 1996-06-19 Gd Spa Optische Prüfvorrichtung für die Füllung von Zigaretten.
EP0843974A3 (de) * 1996-11-20 1999-06-16 SASIB TOBACCO S.p.A. Verfahren und Vorrichtung zur berührungslosen Prüfung des Endes von Zigaretten oder dergleichen
EP1772067A1 (de) * 2005-10-07 2007-04-11 G.D Societ Per Azioni Verpackungsmaschine und Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Kontrollieren von Endbereichen von Zigaretten
EP2636320A1 (de) * 2012-03-07 2013-09-11 HAUNI Maschinenbau AG Messvorrichtung und Messverfahren zur Bestimmung einer Messgröße an einem Ende eines stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
US20130235372A1 (en) * 2012-03-07 2013-09-12 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Measuring device and method for determining a measured variable at one end of a rod-shaped product
CN103300471A (zh) * 2012-03-07 2013-09-18 豪尼机械制造股份公司 确定烟草加工工业产品端部的参量的测量设备和测量方法
EP2677273A1 (de) * 2012-06-14 2013-12-25 HAUNI Maschinenbau AG Messvorrichtung und Verfahren zur optischen Prüfung einer Stirnfläche eines queraxial geförderten stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
EP2679950A1 (de) * 2012-06-14 2014-01-01 Hauni Maschinenbau AG Vorrichtung und Verfahren zur Bewertung einer Stirnfläche eines stabförmigen Produkts der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
CN103504472A (zh) * 2012-06-14 2014-01-15 豪尼机械制造股份公司 检验烟草加工业横轴向输送棒状产品的端面的设备和方法

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE68921425T2 (de) 1995-09-14
IT8812591A0 (it) 1988-11-25
EP0370231B1 (de) 1995-03-01
DE68921425D1 (de) 1995-04-06
IT1225366B (it) 1990-11-13

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