EP2687111B1 - Verfahren zur Inspektion eines langgestreckten Elements aus Fasermaterial - Google Patents

Verfahren zur Inspektion eines langgestreckten Elements aus Fasermaterial Download PDF

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Publication number
EP2687111B1
EP2687111B1 EP13176710.5A EP13176710A EP2687111B1 EP 2687111 B1 EP2687111 B1 EP 2687111B1 EP 13176710 A EP13176710 A EP 13176710A EP 2687111 B1 EP2687111 B1 EP 2687111B1
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Prior art keywords
profile
capsule
elongated element
average
standard deviation
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English (en)
French (fr)
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EP2687111A2 (de
EP2687111A3 (de
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Eura Trivisonno
Michele Cuppini
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GD SpA
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GD SpA
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Priority claimed from IT000394A external-priority patent/ITBO20120394A1/it
Priority claimed from IT000395A external-priority patent/ITBO20120395A1/it
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Priority to PL13176710T priority Critical patent/PL2687111T3/pl
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/32—Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes; Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition
    • A24C5/34—Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes
    • A24C5/3412—Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes by means of light, radiation or electrostatic fields
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
    • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter-tips, filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces for cigars or cigarettes
    • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
    • A24D3/0295—Process control means

Definitions

  • the invention relates to a method for inspecting an elongated element, in particular a rod-shaped elongated element made of fibrous material for determining the quality of a capsule of non-fibrous material inserted into the elongated element.
  • fibres of filtering material are intended (for example cellulose acetate) intended for forming a continuous rod of filter in a machine, either single or double line, for producing smoking articles such as cigarette filters, and alternatively the tobacco fibres intended for forming a rod of tobacco in a machine, either single or double line, for producing smoking articles such as cigarettes.
  • the rod-shaped elongated element can therefore be a continuous filter rod, or a portion of rod-shaped filter, or a portion of filter in a smoking article, or a continuous rod of tobacco, or a portion of a rod of tobacco in a cigarette.
  • a cigarette is one of the products of the tobacco industry, comprising a part of tobacco wound by paper joined to a portion of filter, which is able to retain the substances generated by the combustion of the tobacco.
  • the capsules can be breakable by mechanical action, and i.e. crushing, by a user immediately before consumption of the smoking article. The user is thus able to decide whether to consume a cigarette or not, the filter of which is aromatised.
  • Proposing making portions of rods of tobacco is also known in which capsules containing aromatising additive substances are mixed with tobacco fibres.
  • the aromatising additive substances are provided in liquid form and are contained in microcapsules but the microcapsules comprise in this case a heat-sensitive shell.
  • the action of the heat generated by the combustion of the tobacco fibres weakens the shell of the capsule that, upon breaking, releases the aromatising substance that is suitable for soaking the tobacco fibres. The user can thus take advantage of an aromatised smoking article in which the aroma is dispersed only at the moment of consumption.
  • inspection methods have been proposed for checking that the position of the capsule or of the capsules, that is or are inserted into the fibrous raw material conforms to the required quality standards.
  • the inspection can occur on-line, i.e. during production by control of all the elongated elements produced, or off-line, at the end of the production process only on certain selected elongated elements, if more precise but also slow measuring instruments than those used on-line are needed.
  • each elongated element has to be inserted inside each elongated element at reference positions established a priori, both longitudinally and radially with respect to a longitudinal axis of the element. If ideal reference positions established a priori for each capsule are considered, an acceptability interval is supplied that is defined between a minimum acceptability position and a maximum acceptability position, inside which a capsule is considered to be present and of acceptable quality. If the capsule is present but outside the acceptability interval, the elongated element is to be rejected in because it does not conform to quality requisites.
  • each capsule is thus controlled by sensors that are able to detect a characteristic property of the elongated element with which the sensor interacts, when the capsule enters the measuring field of the sensor, the characteristic property being detected as a variation of the output signal of the sensor.
  • Such variations are obtained by "scanning" in several point the elongated element and typically equidistant acquisitions are made over the entire length of an elongated element, for example every mm. This also applies in the case of a continuous rod or of portions of filter rod, or in the case of a continuous rod of tobacco or of portions of tobacco rod, or in the case of a multiportion element, in which several elongated elements are joined together. In fact, it is always possible to define the start and finish of each elongated element, even if joined to others, during production.
  • microwave resonators have been successfully proposed that are usable as density and humidity sensors, which have already been used for many years during production for measuring the weight of the continuous rod of tobacco.
  • WO2009/099793 A2 discloses a system and associated method for analyzing a filter element of at least one of a filter rod and a smoking article.
  • At least one sensor element is adapted to interact with the filter element so as to determine an object insertion status with respect thereto and to generate an output signal in response.
  • the object insertion status includes at least one of an object presence within the filter element, an object absence from the filter element, a proper insertion of an object into the filter element, a defective insertion of an object into the filter element, a proper object within the filter element, and a defective object within the filter element.
  • An analysis unit is in communication with the at least one sensor element and responsive to the output signal therefrom to generate an indicia corresponding to the object insertion status.
  • the profile obtained by reconstructing a density of an elongated element such as a filter rod from equidistant samples acquired from a microwave resonator shows that at the position of each capsule present in the filter rod, a maximum peak of detected density is present. It follows that it is possible to identify the presence/absence or percentage of movement with respect to the ideal position of each capsule by merely comparing the maximum density position with the corresponding acceptability interval.
  • the presence/movement of the capsule with respect to the ideal position is not the only parameter that determines the quality of the smoking article, inasmuch as the presence of a non-intact capsule in the fibrous raw material compromises the quality of the smoking article much more.
  • a capsule that is breakable by crushing releases the aromatising substance early with respect to the moment of consumption, by breaking of the capsule during or after the process of production of the filtering material incorporating the capsule, the user may no longer be able to choose whether to consume or not an aromatised smoking article, inasmuch as the filtering material presents itself to the user already aromatised at the moment of consumption.
  • a heat-sensitive capsule mixed with the tobacco fibres breaks before or after the production process of the smoking article, the user will have at the moment of consumption of a smoking article the tobacco of which is devoid of the required aromatic qualities.
  • the aromatising substances are in fact very volatile, the smoking article will present itself to the user already aromatised, but only weakly.
  • the obtained profile reconstructing a humidity curve of an elongated element such as a filter rod shows that at the position of each capsule a peak of maximum of the detected humidity is present, if the capsules are intact, which increases if a non-intact capsule is present.
  • the density profile is modified in the presence of a broken capsule, as is clearly shown by the experimental tests shown in Figures 1 and in Figures 2 , that respectively show a density profile and a humidity profile of a first and a second elongated element, and i.e. a filter rod, containing 4 capsules.
  • the reference density profile is indicated of a first elongated element in which the capsules are intact, with 2 the density profile is indicated that is detected in the presence of a second elongated element in which capsules two and four are broken.
  • each capsule it is possible to identify the intactness of each capsule, by comparing the maximum density or humidity peak at the position in which each capsule is present, with respect to a corresponding reference profile, for example defined as a threshold profile or as a predefined width threshold band, within which the detected profile has to be comprised.
  • a corresponding reference profile for example defined as a threshold profile or as a predefined width threshold band, within which the detected profile has to be comprised.
  • the filtering material can contain variable quantities of acetate or triacetin.
  • the density profiles of intact capsules inside filters can also be rather different from one another and all this implies that determining the threshold profile or the width of the tolerance band is complex, inasmuch as a threshold profile defined for one production batch could be too strict (and thus impose the rejection of good quality elongated elements) or too loose (and thus consider elongated elements to be rejected to be of good quality) even for a similar production batch.
  • WO 2011/083406 setting up a plurality of different types of optical, laser, capacitive, inductive or microwave sensors, that interact on line or off-line with a continuous rod or portions of filter and is able to detect components inside the filtering material.
  • the configuring parameters of this plurality of sensors are stored in a library of the control system of the machine PLC, associated with each production batch or with each brand and such configuring parameters can be varied during operation of the system to improve the sensitivity of the system, in response to statistics on the number of filtering elements considered to be of acceptable quality or else rejected.
  • the variation of the configuring parameters especially if complex sensors are considered that need calibrating procedures and involve several configurable parameters of the sensor and possibly need the intervention of a machine operator, it is not often always possible during production in an automatic machine but may require a machine stop and thus lower machine production in an unrequested manner.
  • the variation of the configuring parameters of the sensors might not, however, be suitable for determining non-intact capsules in the filtering material, given the extreme variability of the features of both the filtering material and of the capsules.
  • a further problem of the known methods of inspection is that it is not possible to define correctly elongated elements with non-intact capsules, if the inspection is conducted after some time has elapsed after the breakage of the capsule. This occurs above all with off-line inspections, in which the elongated elements selected for inspection are also inspectable after some time has elapsed since production.
  • modifying the configuring parameters of the sensors used in the measurement does not enable non-intact capsules in an elongated element to be identified.
  • the object of the present invention is to devise a method for inspecting elongated elements made of fibrous raw material that is able to identify the presence and intactness of capsules made of non fibrous material that are inserted into the fibrous raw material, which is free of the problems disclosed above and at the same time is easy and cost-effective to develop.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide a method for inspecting that maintains the same configuration of the measuring sensors during operation of the inspection system over time.
  • a further object is to provide a method for inspecting that enables non-intact capsules to be determined both immediately after breakage of the capsules and a long time after breakage and which is independent of the moment in which the inspection is conducted.
  • An inspection unit (not illustrated) of an elongated element (not illustrated) for smoking articles comprises one or more sensors that are able to interact with the elongated element to detect at least a first and a second measurable physical quantity.
  • the elongated element is rod-shaped and is made of a first "fibrous raw material", as defined previously.
  • the inspection unit comprises a control device that receives the signal/s detected by the sensor or by the plurality of sensors and is able to process the signals to determine the presence of at least one capsule made of non-fibrous material inserted inside the fibrous element.
  • the capsule is spherical or elongated and contains one or more aromatising additives, like menthol, as defined previously.
  • a first and a second profile are processable that are obtainable respectively by the first and second measurable physical quantity.
  • a microwave resonator (not illustrated) is a device which has a determined geometry, makes a resonant microwave field by means of an emitting antenna and enables the properties of the material inserted into this field to be measured by an analysis of the variations of the frequency received from a receiving antenna.
  • By varying the frequency at which the microwave field is emitted by measuring the power received at each emitted frequency and processing the peak value and the band width of the response curve at half the peak height, it is possible to determine a first measurable physical quantity such as the density, and i.e. the mass, and a second measurable physical quantity such as humidity of the material subjected to inspection.
  • a microwave resonator can be considered to be a measuring unit provided with two virtual sensors that are able to measure two characteristic parameters simultaneously.
  • the cylindrical microwave resonators have an axial hole for receiving the material to be subjected to inspection and they are particularly used for measuring the density and humidity of a continuous filter rod or of portions thereof, in a single or double-line machine for producing cigarette filters or the density and humidity of a rod of tobacco or portions thereof, in a single or double line machine for producing tobacco rods.
  • the continuous rod or the portion is supplied through the hole and pass through the microwave resonator for the inspection.
  • the cylindrical resonators can also be advantageously used in off-line apparatuses comprising the inspection unit, typically designed for thorough statistical or quality analyses of samples, of portions of filters or of rods of tobacco taken from the machines during production.
  • Resonators with different geometries, for example planar geometries can on the other hand be advantageously positioned in machine zones, for example drums for transferring elongated elements, in which the cylindrical resonators would be too bulky.
  • the following discussion refers to a method for inspecting that provides density to be obtained as a first measurable physical quantity and humidity to be obtained as a second measurable physical quantity, from a microwave resonator.
  • density and humidity sensors could be used, other than a microwave resonator, because more suitable for detecting variations of a specific fibrous raw material or more suitable because of small dimensions, or also sensors for detecting measurable parameters that are different from density or humidity, for example NIR-type optical sensors.
  • the profile for example the humidity profile, that is obtainable from a microwave resonator during inspection of an elongated element, shown in the attached figures, is shaped differently from the profile that is obtainable by an optical sensor during inspection of the elongated element (for example the presence of a capsule could be defined by a minimum in the profile and not by a maximum), it is pointed out that the method of the present invention is invariant compared with the type of sensor and the type of measured parameter considered.
  • the inspection unit uses the method of the present invention for inspecting an elongated element in a fibrous raw material and determining the capsule quality features of non fibrous material inserted into the elongated element.
  • a programme is provided in association with the inspection unit, which comprises a code for implementing the inspection method according to the invention when this programme is run in the inspection unit itself.
  • the programme can be for example performed by the control device of the inspection unit when stored in the inspection unit.
  • a quality feature of the capsule such as intactness is evaluated by comparing the first or the second profile with a respective first and second threshold reference, which are established dynamically.
  • the first threshold reference is established by statistical processing of the first profile
  • the second threshold reference is established by statistical processing of the second profile, the first and the second statistical processing being performed on profiles obtained in the preceding inspection cycle defined by a predetermined number of previously inspected elements.
  • Each statistical processing is thus performed upon conclusion of each inspection cycle, is based on profiles obtained from the predetermined number of inspected elongated elements of the inspection cycle, the results of which are provided for the elongated elements inspected in the subsequent inspection cycle.
  • the first or the second profile is processed to identify a maximum value, the corresponding position of which is that of the capsule in the elongated element.
  • the search zone of the elongated element is thus that in which the first or the second profile are processed in order to define the position of the capsule.
  • the capsule is present and in a correct position if, on the other hand, the position of the capsule is present and is arranged inside an acceptability zone, in which, according to specifications established a priori, the capsule has to be positioned in order to be able to meet predefined quality criteria.
  • This acceptability zone is thus an interval of the elongated element comprised inside or coinciding with the interval that defines the research zone. If a capsule is outside the corresponding envisaged acceptability zone, the elongated element containing the capsule must be rejected, if the inspection unit is connected to the control system of the automatic machine, and runs an online control, during production of the machine.
  • this capsule can also be further analysed to evaluate the intactness thereof, as we shall see below. It is understood that if the research zone coincides with the acceptability zone, the intactness analysis is conducted only on capsules present and positioned according to predefined quality criteria.
  • the capsule could also be moved radially with respect to the longitudinal axis of the capsule. For the sake of simplicity, the radial movement is not considered here.
  • Elongated elements have been experimentally inspected that are called FILTER 24 that are 108 mm in length, comprising a plurality of portions of a predetermined length joined together, each comprising a respective capsule made of non fibrous material with which a corresponding ideal reference position is associated. Determining the intactness of a capsule inserted into an elongated element comprising a plurality of portions has to be repeated for each capsule, or for the corresponding research zones or acceptability zones along the elongated element in which the capsules are provided.
  • the inspection unit associates with each capsule quality features thereof, such as intactness, and places the quality features at the disposal of the control unit of the machine, if the inspection unit is in line, in such a manner that the control unit of the machine can reject the elongated element with the defective capsule, if necessary.
  • first and the second profile are compared with a respective first and second threshold reference, established dynamically.
  • a first threshold reference by statistical processing of the first profile an average reference profile of the first profile is established and with this average reference profile a first tolerance reference band is associated in which the average reference profile is comprised, bounded by a minimum limit profile and by a maximum limit profile, which are a function of the average reference profile.
  • the second threshold reference is established by a statistic of the second profile, calculating an average reference profile of the second profile obtained from this predetermined number of filtering elements inspected previously.
  • a second tolerance reference band bounded by a minimum limit profile and by a maximum limit profile according to the average reference profile, is associated and comprises the average reference profile of the second profile.
  • the capsule as will be explained better below, is intact only if the first profile is inside the first tolerance reference band and the second profile is inside the second tolerance reference band.
  • the predetermined number of elongated elements inspected for the statistical determination of the first and second reference, respectively for the first profile and for the second profile is 100.
  • An inspection cycle comprises inspecting the profiles of the predetermined number of elongated elements, and i.e. 100, and at the end of each inspection cycle the threshold profiles calculated by statistical processing replace those calculated in the previous cycle.
  • the first profile is obtained by sampling a signal that expresses the first measurable physical quantity and i.e. the density.
  • a set plurality of samples are thus acquired, interpolated along the longitudinal extent of the elongated element, that enable the first density profile to be reconstructed.
  • What has been said applies equally to the reconstruction of the second profile that is obtainable by the second measurable physical quantity and i.e. by the humidity.
  • Sampling of the signal of the first and/or the second measurable physical quantity is conducted in equidistant positions, each mm in the represented figures, of the longitudinal extent of the elongated element and along the entire elongated element and each ith sample of the first and/or of the second profile corresponds to a corresponding longitudinal ith position of the elongated element.
  • an acquisition can be made at each machine revolution or at different intervals of time, provided sampling is carried out in equidistant positions.
  • the control unit of the inspection unit or the control unit of the automatic machine that is able to supply the sampling command performs suitable processing on the machine speed and on the sampling instant to respect this constraint.
  • All the acquired samples of a number of inspected elements of an inspection cycle are stored in the inspection unit, both for the first and for the second profile.
  • each acquired ith sample of the first and/or second profile is stored associated with the corresponding ith position of the elongated element.
  • a two-dimensional table of stored samples is thus stored, ordered by each inspected element "k" and by the position "i" of the sample in the element.
  • the stored samples are processed and the average reference profile of the first and/or the second profile can thus be calculated.
  • an average ith sample is calculated that is obtained from "i" samples of all the inspected elements of the first profile and/or of the second profile stored in the ith position, and the average reference profile is reconstructed by interpolating this plurality of average ith samples.
  • Figure 3 and in Figure 4 we have said that respectively with 5 there is indicated the average reference density profile, whereas with 10 there is indicated the average reference humidity profile.
  • Standard deviation of the first profile and/or of the second profile is like what has been said above, calculated at the end of the inspection cycle.
  • an ith standard deviation is calculated obtained from ith samples of all the inspected elements of the first profile stored in the ith position, and standard deviation is obtained by interpolating said plurality of standard ith deviations.
  • each average ith sample and standard ith deviation replace the deviations calculated in the previous cycle.
  • the minimum limit profile and maximum limit density profile and humidity profile of Figures 3 and 4 respectively indicated by 7 and 6 and by 12 and 11, obtained by using Formulas 3 to 6 for each ith position, in which the average ith sample and the standard ith deviation are calculated.
  • the profiles of Figures 3 and 4 refer to elongated elements containing four capsules but the processing of the profiles for each capsule can also be made only in the zone of the elongated element in which, according to specifications established a priori, the capsule has to be present and/or in an acceptable position, ie. in the research zone and/or acceptability zone.
  • Figures 5 and 6 shown the density profile 2 and the humidity profile 4 of the elongated element with broken capsules two and four, superimposed on the tolerance limits calculated according to the method of the present invention, in particular the average density profile 5 and humidity profile 10, the maximum limit density profile 6 and humidity profile 11 and the minimum limit density profile 7 and humidity profile 12 are superimposed on the density profiles 2 and humidity profiles 4.
  • the elongated element would have capsules two and four intact, inasmuch as the density profile 2 is inside the reference band identified by the minimum limit profile 7 and by the maximum limit profile 6. Otherwise, the humidity profile of Figure 6 correctly identifies capsules two and four as capsules that are not intact, inasmuch as the humidity profile is not inside the corresponding tolerance reference band, but is outside at least in some portions of the research zone. In other words, in order to be able to be intact after the capsule is inspected, the first and also the second profile have to be entirely comprised in the tolerance reference band.
  • both the first and the second profile have to be examined for the purposes of determining intactness.
  • the capsules would have erroneously been considered to be intact.
  • the humidity analysis correctly identifies the non intactness of a capsule. From what has been said so far, it is noted that the statistical processing of the first and of the second profile enables capsules that are not intact to be identified very simply in an elongated element.
  • the first threshold profile and the second threshold profile associated with a reference band calculated dynamically by statistical processing, are always able to adapt to the type of elongated elements considered and to great variability in the weight of the elongated element and/or of the capsule. It is therefore not necessary, during on-line production, to perform demanding operations of reconfiguring of the detection sensors or of the parameters of these sensors, inasmuch as the inspection unit is able to adapt itself to the properties of the samples that are fed to the inspection unit and are to be inspected, except for a configuration transient during a first acquisition cycle of the predetermined number of elongated elements.
  • the inspection of the elongated elements is able to adapt to properties of each elongated element that are not foreseeable a priori, for example a change of production batch. Further, the more similar the specifications of a production batch are to the specifications of the next production batch, the more the inspection method will be able to adapt swiftly to the new batch.
  • the first profile and the second profile are moved to the ideal reference position of the capsule along the elongated element.
  • the first threshold reference is established by statistical processing of the first profile 2
  • the second threshold reference is established by statistical processing of the second profile 4, but the statistical processing of the first profile 2 and of the second profile 4 is performed on moved profiles of the previous inspection cycle.
  • the profile of the maximums 8 is spaced away from the profile 6, constructed as a function of the average profile and of the standard deviation according to Formula 4.
  • the profile of the minimums 9 is far from the profile 7 constructed as a function of the average profile and of the standard deviation according to the Formula 3.
  • the profile of the maximums 8 is near the profile 6 and the profile of the minimums 9 is near the profile 7.
  • the movement is performed for each profile acquired that is stored moved and the calculation of the average profile and of standard deviation is based on moved profiles and not on profiles as originally obtained. Possible disturbance is thus eliminated in statistical processing that is due to movement of the profile from the ideal position.
  • the calculation of the average profile and of standard deviation is performed at the conclusion of the inspection cycle on profiles obtained during the inspection cycle itself, each moved profile realigned on an ideal position and then stored for statistical processing performed at the end of the acquisition cycle.
  • the first profile and the second profile obtained from the first physical quantity and from the second physical quantity are on the other hand used, just as acquired, to identify the position of the capsule in the elongated element but are moved, for the comparison respectively with the first threshold reference and the second threshold reference, established according to the statistical processing of the moved profiles, stored during the previous acquisition cycle.
  • a first and a second profile is reconstructed by the ith samples acquired, as has already been illustrated previously with reference to non-moved profiles.
  • the position of the capsule in the elongated element is identified.
  • the ith samples are, however, moved so as to make the ideal position of the capsule coincide with the identified position.
  • the first and the second profile reconstructed from moved ith samples is used for comparing with the first threshold reference and the second threshold reference, obtained from moved profiles of the previous inspection cycle.
  • the ith samples are further stored. In this manner the average ith profile and the ith standard deviation are calculated according to Formulas 3 to 6 on moved "i" start samples.
  • the two-dimensional table of the samples ordered for each inspected "k" element and for the "i" position of the sample in the element stores the moved ith samples.
  • Capsules two and four are therefore not intact even by means of a density measurement whereas, as said before, with reference to Figures 5 and 6 , they would be found to be non intact owing only to the humidity measurement.
  • the first threshold reference in association with the density shown in Figure 9 now expresses, after movement of the profiles, a stricter but more precise limit.
  • the second threshold reference in association with the humidity shown in Figure 10 which already without moving the profiles, according to what was said in reference to Figure 6 , was able to identify correctly a non intact capsule, all the more so, indicate the lack of intactness in capsules two and four.
  • the method of the present invention is even more advantageous if an elongated element is considered with capsules that are not intact, analysed a long time after the breakage of the capsules.
  • Figures 11 and 12 show the density profile 2 and the humidity profile 4 of the elongated element with broken capsules two and four analysed 10 days after the breakage in the capsule, superimposed on the maximum limit profile (6 for the density profile and 11 for the humidity profile) and minimum limit profile (7 for the density profile and 12 for the humidity profile) calculated according to Formulas 3 to 6 but without the step of moving the profiles for statistical processing. It is noted that the capsules would all have been considered to be intact, both using the density profile 2 and the humidity profile 4 with respect to the corresponding tolerance bands. The comparison between the density profile and the corresponding reference profile, the humidity profile and the corresponding reference profile would not have highlighted differences with respect to the reference profile.
  • the inspection method according to the invention is advantageously usable not only in an on-line inspection unit but also and above all in an off-line inspection unit to which elongated elements to be inspected can be supplied even some time after production.

Claims (14)

  1. Verfahren zum Inspizieren eines langgestreckten Elementes für Raucherartikel, bei dem das Element stabförmig ausgebildet und aus einem faserigen Rohmaterial besteht, umfassend die folgenden Schritte:
    - Erhalten eines ersten Profils (2) einer ersten messbaren physikalischen Quantität, wobei die erste messbare physikalische Quantität die Dichte ist, und eines zweiten Profils (4) mit einer zweiten messbaren physikalischen Quantität, wobei die zweite messbare physikalische Quantität die Feuchtigkeit ist, mithilfe wenigstens eines Sensors, der mit dem langgestreckten Element entlang desselben langgestreckten Elements interagiert;
    - Verarbeiten von wenigstens einem des ersten Profils (2) und des zweiten Profils (4), um das Vorhandensein von wenigstens einer Kapsel zu bestimmen, die aus nicht-faserigem Material besteht, zum Beispiel aus einem Aromatisierungszusatz, der in das langgestreckte Element eingeführt ist;
    - falls die Kapsel vorhanden ist, das Evaluieren, ob die Kapsel unversehrt ist, indem das erste (2) bzw. zweite Profil (4) mit einem ersten (16, 17) und einem zweiten Grenzreferenzwert (21, 22) verglichen wird; dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass das Verfahren ferner Folgendes aufweist:
    - Bewegen des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) in eine ideale Referenzposition der Kapsel entlang des langgestreckten Elements;
    - während der arbeitsmäßigen Funktionsweise Feststellen des ersten Grenzreferenzwertes (16, 17) durch statistisches Verarbeiten des ersten Profils (2) und Feststellen des zweiten Grenzreferenzwertes (21, 22) durch statistisches Verarbeiten des zweiten Profils (4);
    - wobei das erste und zweite statistische Verarbeiten jeweils an bewegten Profilen eines vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus erfolgt, der von einer vorbestimmten Anzahl von Inspektionselementen definiert ist.
  2. Verfahren nach Anspruch 1, bei dem der Schritt des Erstellens des ersten Grenzreferenzwertes (16, 17) durch statistisches Verarbeiten des ersten Profils (2) den Schritt des Berechnens eines Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15) des ersten Profils (2) in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus umfasst und das Assoziieren mit dem Durchschnittsreferenzprofil (15) eines ersten Toleranzreferenzbandes (16, 17), in dem das Durchschnittsreferenzprofil (15) enthalten ist, eingeschlossen von einem minimalen Grenzwertprofil (15) und durch ein maximales Grenzwertprofil (16) als eine Funktion des Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15) des ersten Profils (2); und wobei ferner/optional der Schritt des Feststellens des zweiten Grenzreferenzwertes (21, 22) durch statistisches Verarbeiten des zweiten Profils (4), das die weiteren Schritte des Berechnens eines Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (20) des zweiten Profils (4) in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus aufweist, und das Assoziieren mit dem Durchschnittsreferenzprofil (20) eines zweiten Toleranzreferenzbandes (21, 22), in dem das Durchschnittsreferenzprofil (20) enthalten ist, eingeschlossen von einem minimalen Grenzwertprofil (22) und einem maximalen Grenzwertprofil (21) als eine Funktion des Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (20) des zweiten Profils (4).
  3. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2, bei dem der Schritt des Evaluierens der Unversehrtheit der Kapsel das Vergleichen des ersten Profils (2) mit dem ersten Toleranzreferenzband (16, 17) und des zweiten Profils (4) mit dem zweiten Toleranzreferenzband (21, 22) aufweist, wobei die Kapsel unversehrt ist, falls das erste Profil (2) innerhalb des ersten Toleranzreferenzbandes (16, 17) ist und das zweite Profil innerhalb des zweiten Toleranzreferenzbandes (21, 22) ist.
  4. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, bei dem das minimale Grenzwertprofil (17) und das maximale Grenzwertprofil (16) des ersten Bandes (16, 17) eine Funktion des Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15) des zweiten Profils (2) und der Standardabweichung des ersten Profils (2) in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus gemäß der folgenden Formel ist: minimales Grenzwertprofil = Durchschnittsreferenzprofil des ersten Profils − 3 mal Standardabweichung ;
    Figure imgb0011
     maximales Grenzwertprofil = Durchschnittsreferenzprofil des ersten Profils + 3 mal Standardabweichung .
    Figure imgb0012
  5. Verfahren nach Anspruch 2 oder 3, bei dem das minimale Grenzwertprofil (22) und das maximale Grenzwertprofil (21) des zweiten Bandes (21, 22) eine Funktion des durchschnittlichen Referenzprofils (20) des zweiten Profils (4) und der Standardabweichung des zweiten Profils (4) in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus gemäß der folgenden Formeln ist: minimales Grenzwertprofil = durchschnittliches Referenzprofil des zweiten Profils − 3 mal Standardabweichung ;
    Figure imgb0013
     maximales Grenzwertprofil = durchschnittliches Referenzprofil des zweiten Profils + 3 mal Standardabweichung .
    Figure imgb0014
  6. Verfahren nach irgendeinem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei dem das Verarbeiten des ersten Profils (2) oder des zweiten Profils (4) zum Bestimmen des Vorhandenseins der wenigstens einen Kapsel die Schritte aufweist: Identifizieren der Position der Kapsel in dem langgestreckten Element, und insbesondere wobei das Identifizieren der Position der Kapsel das Identifizieren eines Maximalwertes des ersten Profils (2) bzw. des zweiten Profils (4) in dem langgestreckten Element umfasst, die entsprechende Bestimmung des Maximalwertes in dem langgestreckten Element entsprechend der Position der Kapsel, das Vergleichen der Position, die mit einer minimalen Referenzposition identifiziert ist, und einer maximalen Referenzposition, die eine ideale Referenzposition umfasst, wobei die Kapsel vorhanden ist, falls die identifizierte Position in einer Untersuchungszone zwischen der minimalen Referenzposition und der maximalen Referenzposition enthalten ist.
  7. Verfahren nach Anspruch 6, bei dem das Bewegen des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) zu einer idealen Referenzposition das Überlagern der identifizierten Position der Kapsel mit der idealen Referenzposition umfasst, und wobei das Durchführen der statistischen Verarbeitung des ersten Profils (2) und des zweiten Profils (4) an den bewegten Profilen für jedes inspizierte langgestreckte Element des vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus die Schritte des Bewegens des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) auf eine solche Weise umfasst, dass die identifizierte Position der Kapsel mit der idealen Referenzposition überlagert wird, und das Durchführen des statistischen Verarbeitens des ersten Profils und des zweiten Profils auf der Basis der bewegten Profile.
  8. Verfahren nach Anspruch 7, soweit abhängig von Anspruch 2 oder soweit abhängig von Anspruch 4 oder 5, das ferner die weiteren Schritte des Speicherns des ersten bewegten Profils und des zweiten bewegten Profils umfasst, und das Berechnen des Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15;20) des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) und/oder der Standardabweichung des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) aus den gespeicherten bewegten Profilen umfasst.
  9. Verfahren nach irgendeinem vorhergehenden Anspruch, bei dem das Erhalten eines ersten Profils (2) und/oder eines zweiten Profils (4) das Erhalten einer vorbestimmten Mehrzahl von Proben jeweils von einem ersten Signal umfasst, das von der ersten messbaren physikalischen Quantität erhältlich ist, und eines zweiten Signals, das von der zweiten messbaren physikalischen Quantität erhältlich ist, und das Rekonstruieren des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) durch Interpolieren dieser vorbestimmten Mehrzahl von getesteten Werten.
  10. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9, das ferner das Durchführen dieses Testens in einer vorbestimmten Mehrzahl von äquidistanten Positionen entlang der Längsausdehnung des langgestreckten Elementes von jeder i-ten Probe des ersten (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) gemäß einer korrespondierenden i-ten Längsposition des langgestreckten Elementes umfasst.
  11. Verfahren nach Anspruch 9 oder 10, das ferner den Schritt umfasst: Identifizieren einer Position der Kapsel in dem langgestreckten Element, Bewegen des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten rekonstruierten Profils (4) durch Überlagern der identifizierten Position der Kapsel mit der idealen Position; wobei das Verfahren ferner den Schritt des Speicherns umfasst, für jedes k-te inspizierte Element eines Inspektionszyklus von jeder erhaltenen und bewegten i-ten Probe des ersten (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) im Zusammenhang mit der korrespondierenden i-ten Position des langgestreckten Elementes.
  12. Verfahren nach Anspruch 11, soweit abhängig von Anspruch 2, bei dem das Berechnen eines Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15) des ersten Profils (2) und/oder eines Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (20) des zweiten Profils (4) in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus Folgendes umfasst, in jeder i-ten Position Berechnen einer durchschnittlichen i-ten Probe des ersten Profils (2) oder des zweiten Profils (4), die von den i-ten bewegten Proben des ersten Profils (2) oder des zweiten Profils (4) erhalten sind, die in der i-ten Position gespeichert sind, und das Rekonstruieren des Durchschnittsreferenzprofils (15, 20) durch Interpolieren dieser Mehrzahl von durchschnittlichen i-ten Proben, die von i-ten Proben des ersten Profils (2) oder des zweiten Profils (4) erhalten sind, die in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus bewegt wurden.
  13. Verfahren nach Anspruch 11, soweit von Anspruch 4 oder von Anspruch 5 abhängig, wobei das Berechnen der Standardabweichung des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) Folgendes aufweist, in jeder i-ten Position ein Berechnen einer Standardabweichung des i-ten ersten Profils und/oder des zweiten Profils, erhalten von den i-ten bewegten Proben, die in der i-ten Position des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4) gespeichert sind, und das Rekonstruieren der Standardabweichung des ersten Profils und/oder des zweiten Profils durch Interpolieren dieser Mehrzahl der i-ten Proben der Standardabweichung des ersten Profils (2) und/oder des zweiten Profils (4), die in dem vorhergehenden Inspektionszyklus bewegt wurden.
  14. Inspektionseinheit eines langgestreckten Elementes für Raucherartikel, bei dem das Element stangenförmig geformt ist und aus einem faserigen Rohmaterial besteht, umfassend einen oder mehrere Detektionssensoren für eine erste messbare physikalische Quantität und für eine zweite messbare physikalische Quantität, wovon ein erstes Profil bzw. ein zweites Profil erhältlich sind, das von einer Steuereinrichtung der Inspektionseinheit verarbeitet werden kann, um das Vorhandensein von wenigstens einer Kapsel aus nicht-faserigem Material zu bestimmen, zum Beispiel eines aromatisierenden Additivs, das in das faserige Element eingeführt ist, und wobei die Inspektionseinheit in einem Programm gespeichert ist, das einen Code zum Implementieren eines Inspektionsverfahrens nach irgendeinem der Ansprüche 1 bis 13 umfasst, wenn dieses Programm in der Inspektionseinheit abläuft.
EP13176710.5A 2012-07-20 2013-07-16 Verfahren zur Inspektion eines langgestreckten Elements aus Fasermaterial Active EP2687111B1 (de)

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WO2016027350A1 (ja) * 2014-08-21 2016-02-25 日本たばこ産業株式会社 カプセル検査装置
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CN105866140B (zh) * 2016-05-27 2019-02-12 山东中烟工业有限责任公司 一种爆珠滤棒中爆珠的微波测定方法
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CN109738334B (zh) * 2019-03-05 2020-12-15 山东中烟工业有限责任公司 测定爆珠滤棒中爆珠缺失的方法、可读存储介质及设备
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