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:
Jul. 05, 1994
Filed:
Feb. 24, 1993
Billy J Keen, Jr, Chesterfield, VA (US);
Philip Morris Incorporated, New York, NY (US);
Abstract
A method and apparatus for orienting elongated components, where the components are initially oriented in a random manner with respect to the ends of the components. Improperly oriented components are separated from properly oriented ones and are transferred to a turnaround device; this device rotates the improperly oriented components 180.degree. about a transverse axis running from one end of the component to the other end of the component. The stream of rotated elongated components is then reintegrated with the stream of elongated components which were initially properly oriented. All of the elongated components are then removed from the orienting apparatus. The output stream of properly oriented elongated components coincides with the input stream of randomly oriented elongated components.