The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 08, 1994
Filed:
Nov. 07, 1991
Evelyn M Andrews, Macon, GA (US);
Gregory J Bricker, Macon, GA (US);
Ernest E Collins, Gray, GA (US);
John N Jewell, Macon, GA (US);
Dennis L Sinksen, Macon, GA (US);
Darrel R Stephens, Lizella, GA (US);
Charles H Wysowski, Bonaire, GA (US);
Brown & Williamson Tobacco Corporation, Louisville, KY (US);
Abstract
The present invention comprises a method for improving the quality of products produced in a cigarette manufacturing process. Selected machine operating parameters for at least one machine are monitored, as well as the product being produced. Samples of the product being produced are automatically obtained and tested for quality parameters. Machine operators are notified when to manually test samples of the product for quality parameters. The machine operators can request a test of a quality parameter. The actual test measurements of the quality parameters for either the automatically obtained samples or the manually tested samples are compared against expected values and alarms are presented and the testing is resequenced when the measured quality parameters fail to meet the expected values. Also, employee solution procedures are presented to aid in problem resolution. The time periods and downtime reason when each machine is inoperative is recorded. A hierarchial set of machine operator video displays is produced. A master video display is presented to each machine operator. Also, displays are available for the machine supervisors showing information about all the machines he is supervising. Further, machines can be monitored by sets of tandem machines operating together.