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. 17, 2017
Filed:
May. 15, 2014
R.j. Reynolds Tobacco Company, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Franklin Forrest Brantley, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Eddie Lee Nuckols, Mocksville, NC (US);
Darrell Thomas Dixon, Clemmons, NC (US);
Timothy Frederick Thomas, High Point, NC (US);
Calvin Wayne Henderson, Lewisville, NC (US);
Balager Ademe, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY, Winston-Salem, NC (US);
Abstract
An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.