R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company

Hugh Gates

Gary Lee Wood

Hung Phan

Chris Campbell

David E Hall

Frank Brantley

Reggie Thomas

Reginald Thomas

Luke Hutchens

Jim Belk

Zach Francis

A package coding system for a cigarette manufacturing process is provided. An imprinting device imprints an alphanumeric code on each of a series of cigarette packages. A conveyor device conveys the cigarette packages in a feed direction. An inspection device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and inspects the alphanumeric code imprinted on each cigarette package conveyed by the conveyor device to determine whether any of the cigarette packages includes a defect in the imprinted alphanumeric code, and thus comprises a defective cigarette package. A removal device is operably engaged with the conveyor device and is configured to be in communication with the inspection device. The removal device is configured to remove the defective cigarette package from the series of cigarette packages conveyed by the conveyor device in response to identification thereof by the inspection device. An associated method is also provided.

Cigarette package coding system and associated method

A smoking article package inspection system configured to inspect a smoking article package is provided. The system includes imaging devices configured to capture images of the smoking article package and an analysis unit configured to analyze the images captured by the imaging devices and determine whether the smoking article package is defective. The imaging devices may be positioned and configured to capture images of the smoking article package at least one of: before and after enclosing a plurality of smoking articles in the smoking article package, before and after printing an identifier on the smoking article package, and before and after wrapping the smoking article package with an outer wrapper. A related method is also provided.

Smoking article package inspection system and associated method

Growing community of inventors

Winston-Salem, NC, United States of America

Hugh Gates