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:
Mar. 11, 2003
Filed:
May. 30, 2000
Heinz Focke, Verden, DE;
Michael Czarnotta, Bremen, DE;
Focke & Co., (GmbH & Co.), Verden, DE;
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for checking that batches of cigarettes are complete and that the cigarettes are sufficiently filled. In spite of careful manufacturing, when cigarettes are produced and batches of cigarettes are filled in cigarette packs ( ) using high-performance machines, it is possible that some of the packs of cigarettes manufactured have cigarettes missing or contain cigarettes which are not sufficiently filled with tobacco. The invention provides an improved, non-contact method of checking the batches of cigarettes or the individual cigarettes. According to this method, the intensity signal of a CCD camera or a CCD-line-scanning chip in subareas of the front ends ( ) of the cigarettes and/or the spaces between them is measured and analysed in the front end area of the batch of cigarettes. The inventive method therefore provides a means of checking that batches of cigarettes are complete and that the cigarettes are sufficiently filled in high-performance machines such as pocket conveyors or revolving folders.