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:
Oct. 14, 2014
Filed:
Oct. 07, 2011
Hung Phan, Clemmons, NC (US);
Tim Goodman, Clemmons, NC (US);
Greg Williams, Kernersville, NC (US);
Gary Wood, Rural Hall, NC (US);
Brent Carter, High Point, NC (US);
Hung Phan, Clemmons, NC (US);
Tim Goodman, Clemmons, NC (US);
Greg Williams, Kernersville, NC (US);
Gary Wood, Rural Hall, NC (US);
Brent Carter, High Point, NC (US);
R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Abstract
In a supplying system using containers for supplying groups of filter elements to smoking article assembling equipment, each container has a unique source of information that travels with the container. An unloader receives and unloads the containers. An automated data reader is proximate the unloader for reading the source of information for each container before it is unloaded. A computerized controller uses the information read by the automated data reader to obtain information from a database. The information from the database is compared to information from another source to verify that the proper filter elements are being supplied. The computerized controller allows, or instructs, the unloader to unload correctly supplied filter elements, and stops the unloader from unloading incorrectly supplied filter elements.