JPS60114184A - Optical inspector of rod article of tobacco processing industry - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention relates to a conveyor member for conveying articles in a single layer through an inspection area at right angles to an axis, and a 2-t. 1. An apparatus for optically inspecting rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, comprising: an optical inspection device, said inspection device directing the article toward a predetermined length section of each article passing through an inspection zone; 7t illumination device and a photoelectric sensor element, which detects the quality of the articles passing through the inspection zone (maintaining current information and catching the light beam passing through the inspection zone). Concerning things of the form .

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Rod-shaped articles in the tobacco processing industry include first filter cigarettes and other filtered snuff crystals. Moreover, the tobacco rod without a filter, Chigarillo, and the filter end P
Another article of the tobacco processing industry, such as, is also a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry. In the following, for the sake of brevity, only the filter galette is discussed, and therefore, in most cases, other articles of Aiko 2'L et al. are not discussed.

It is known that filter filter garlets are inspected in optical inspection devices to see whether the filter is present and properly connected to the cigarette stub. Defective filters, deformations of the gullet or insufficiently connected adhesive points in the filter area generate a defective signal based on the above-mentioned inspection, by means of which the corresponding cigarettes are sorted. From German Patent Application No. 25-2082, a device for inspecting the filter end of a cigarette is known, which device has at least two light sources, the light source being a The motion of Garrett intersects the path at various angles and is assigned to the light source of J'L, 1
It also has a photocell that catches the light rays emitted from the light source. Defective filters, filters that are not properly combined with tobacco sticks,
When defects occur at the filter end of the cigarette, such as a deformed and poorly bonded wrapper edge, the amount of light captured by the photocell is varied to provide an evaluation of the defective article.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the invention to improve an optical inspection device of the type described above, which makes it possible to discern the quality of the inspected articles without considerable technical outlay.

Means for Solving the Problem 71 Means for solving the above-mentioned problem is such that the illumination device produces a parallel light beam, and the light beam is transmitted from a first side.
It has a section for directing the article to a predetermined length section as it passes through the inspection area, and is further provided with a mirror device on the side opposite the illumination device. The mirror device deflects the parallel beam of light and directs it from the second 9) 1j anew onto the length section of the article to be inspected in the inspection zone, and further includes a photoelectric sensor element. but,
Relative to the mirror arrangement, the parallel after the second passage through the examination area is located in the optical path of the light beam.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the part producing the parallel light beam diffuses the light beam coming from the illumination element so that the diameter of the parallel light beam is greater than the diameter of the article to be inspected. It is formed in Jt. By means of this method, each object to be inspected casts a shadow on a part of the light beam each time, and the part that is not shaded by the parallel light beam is the inspection area. An article of different (1111 to Information about I() et al.

2.1], the optical path of the parallel light beam extends in a plane perpendicular to the article axis. This reduces the space for the device from 8 to 44. According to the present invention,
Lasers, such as helium and neon, can be used as lighting devices.
There are lasers installed. The high energy density light beam produced by a helium-neon laser is:1. In order to obtain a reliable measurement result, a parallel beam of light can be formed whose diameter is larger than the diameter of the article to be examined and has sufficient beam energy.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, a total internal reflection prism 3t is provided as the mirror arrangement. As a result, the angles of the reflection planes 7 and the planes are in a constant order with respect to each other, so that alignment of the optical paths is easily performed.

In order to obtain particularly reliable information about the quality of the cigarettes in the filter range, according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the illumination device and the mirror device are deflected by the mirror device. The latter parallel beam of light is arranged so that it intersects the latter beam at a substantially right angle in a predetermined length section of the article to be inspected, or the apparatus is It is placed facing the inspection area. With this type of design, the article to be inspected is inspected from two sides, so that all deformations, protruding paper edges and the like are caught. Furthermore, according to an embodiment of the invention, at least one row of diodes is provided as photoelectric sensor element, which ensures that displacements of the article edges are detected. A row of diodes is formed in a straight line for this purpose.

First of all, an optical lens system is used as a component for producing a parallel beam of light and for directing it onto a predetermined length section of a 7 t article passing through the inspection area. used.

Operation According to the invention, the light beam coming from the illumination element is directed in a parallel beam onto the length section of the article passing through the inspection area. After the parallel beam of light has traversed the transport path of the article to be inspected, it is deflected by means of a mirror arrangement and directed again from another direction onto the length section of the article passing through the inspection zone. After passing through the inspection zone twice, the parallel beam of light detects, by means of a photoelectric sensor element, an information content about the state of the respective article to be IL-inspected in the inspection zone.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a schematic side view of an inspection device f1t according to the present invention. The conveying member is shown in the form of a four-position drum 1, which rams with four sigma rams carry the articles to be inspected, such as filter gullets 2, in one row in an axially parallel receptacle. As shown in FIG. The filter portion 6 and the connection point between the filter portion and the tongue portion protrude laterally in the axial direction beyond the end face side of the ram 1 with a gate. The filter cigarette is held on the ram 1 with a recess υ' so that the filter cigarette can be subjected to a predetermined optical inspection in the inspection area 3.

As shown in FIG. 1, an optical inspection device 7 has an illumination device 8, a mirror device 9 and a photoelectric sensor element 11. The illumination device according to the invention consists of a light source 12 in the form of a helium-neon laser and an optical lens arrangement consisting of a lens 13.13a. The light beam 14 emerging from the helium-neon laser is diffused by a lens 13 and subsequently placed in the optical path of the optical lens 1.
3 a into a parallel beam of light and directed onto the examination area 3 .

The mirror device 9 is arranged relative to the illumination device 8.
In the embodiment according to FIG. 1, it consists of two reflectors 17, 17a, which reflect the parallel light beam 16 at approximately right angles to the light beam entering the sensor element 11. The vehicle then passes through inspection area 3 twice. The sensor element 11, in the illustrated embodiment, consists of one or two parallel diode arrays 18, which diode arrays are arranged behind a shielding plate 19 in order to create a confined dimmed light condition. A row of diodes 18 arranged as photoelectric transformers is connected to a conventional type J. The value device is
As a function of the amount of light falling on one row of diodes, a corresponding control signal is generated, by means of which a defective article is notified. two parallel diodes-1
The arrangement of the rows 18 is shown in the side view of FIG. 2 in the direction of the arrow - of FIG. Also shown in FIG. 2 is a reflected parallel beam of light designated 16a.

Further, with reference to FIG. 1, the mode of operation of the above-mentioned device will be described below.

As soon as the filter cigarette 2a to be inspected reaches the inspection area 3 and is approximately in the position shown in FIG. 1, it is inspected by the optical inspection device shown.

When the filter cigarette 2a to be inspected traverses the parallel light beam 16 coming from the illumination device 8, in the case of a correct filter cigarette 2a, an old area 22 occurs, which shadow area is indicated by a dashed line in FIG. .

A parallel light beam 16 having a shadow area 22, which gives information about the quality of the filter cigarette (2a) to be inspected, is first reflected twice at the reflector 17 and then twice at the reflector 17a (. The beam 16a is returned to the inspection area at an angle of approximately 90 degrees.
The parallel light beam 16a is directed to the filter cigarette 2 to be inspected in the inspection area 3.
The filter gullet 2 newly crosses the longitudinal section of a, and in this case, the width of the shadow range in the parallel light beam is to be inspected.
A shadow area 22, which is exactly the same as the diameter of a, is again covered by the filter cigarette 2a. Inspection area δ
In the case of the filter cigarette 2a, the shadow range 22a created in the parallel light beam 16a by passing through the inspection area 3 for the second time is correctly formed. It hasn't changed compared to ℃・. Therefore, the diode array 18 catches the amount of light given to the correct filter cigarette 2a, so that the evaluation device 21 does not generate a defect signal.

By the way, if the green wrapping paper that connects the filter part 6 to the tobacco part is not properly connected and protrudes in the radial direction like a flag, then such a wrapping paper piece 23 will cause a parallel light beam 16. This causes the shadow range 22 to be enlarged. This shadow area is shown in FIG. 1 by a fine dotted line. The parallel light beam 16 is reflected by the reflecting mirrors 17 and 17a,
Even when the second reflected light beam 16a passes through the inspection area 3, the shadow area expanded as described above does not change, and therefore the light beam 16a is correspondingly reduced by the diode array 18. t
The amount of light is captured.

The evaluation device 21 now generates a defect signal, with which the corresponding filter cigarette is evaluated. As can be seen from FIG. 1, even if a piece of wrapping paper 23 is caught only once in the optical path of the parallel beam 16 and is not seen in the reflected beam 16a, such a piece of wrapping paper 23 is definitely detected by the inspection device of the invention. be detected.

In FIG. 1, a deformed portion of the filter cigarette 2a to be inspected located in the shadow of the light beam 16 is designated by 24. Such a deformation is not recognized by the parallel light beam emanating from the illumination device and gives rise in this light beam 16 to a shaped area 22 which disguises a correct filter cigarette 2a. Such a deformed portion 24 catches the parallel light beam 16a only after the parallel light beam 16 is reflected by the reflecting mirrors 17, 17a.

This deformed portion 24 produces an enlarged shadow range 22a in the parallel light beam 16a. This shadow range is indicated by a fine dotted line. Such an enlargement of the shape range also reduces the amount of light reaching the diode array, so that a defect signal is generated by the evaluation device 21, with which the corresponding defect filter cigarette is evaluated. In short, the inspection device according to the invention carries out, by simple means, a reliable and accurate inspection of the filter cigarettes 2 passing through the inspection zone on the four-position drum 1.

FIG. 3 shows a further embodiment of the inspection device according to the invention, again in a schematic side view. In this case, the illumination device 8a consists of a light source 26 producing a diffused light beam and a lens arrangement 27, which collects the diffused light beam into a parallel light beam 28 and directs it towards the examination area 3.

As the mirror device 9a, in the case of FIG. It is located in a central location. Before the prism 29 reaches the photoelectric sensor element 11,
The reflected light beam 28a is aligned so as to intersect the unreflected light beam 28 in the inspection area 3 at a substantially right angle. The outer limit line of the parallel light beam 28 does not show the course of the light inside the prism 29 in order to improve visibility. The mode of operation of the device shown in FIG. 3 corresponds entirely in relation to the mode of operation shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 shows that the displacement of the filter cigarette 2 to be tested has no influence on the measurement results even in a lateral position. A filter cigarette 31 displaced laterally from the center of the inspection area 3 produces a shadow area 32 in the parallel light beam 26, the limit of this shadow area being on one side by the dash-dotted center line and on the other side by a fine line. Indicated by a dotted line.

After the parallel light beam 28 with the shape area 32 has been reflected in the prism 29, such a shadow area, which remains unchanged in the reflected parallel light beam 28a, is a filter cigarette to be accurately inspected again. 31, so that when the inspection beam passes through the inspection zone 3 twice, the information about the speed of light remains unchanged. In short, the device according to the invention has no influence on the measurement results even if the filter cigarette to be tested is displaced in the testing area. In contrast, defects in the filter cigarette to be inspected are reliably detected and a defect signal is generated. Of course, when using the aforementioned diode string as a photoelectric transformer,
If it is a problem to find broken or bent filter ends, it is also possible to catch the displacement of the filter gullet ends. A second such device can be placed before or after the aforementioned device in case the cigarette monitoring also catches peripheral sections that are not yet obtained during two scheduled passes of the light beam. Advantageously, the light beam of this device traverses the filter gullet to be inspected at a different angle. In short, defect-free inspection of filter gullet can be realized with high sensitivity.

Effects of the Invention The advantage obtained by the invention is that the article to be inspected is passed through a diffuse and parallel beam of relatively large diameter.
This results in the quality of the entire length section of the 1tC article being obtained at the same time. Only one illumination device and only one optoelectronic sensor element are required, since the parallel beam of light first passes through the inspection area and is then deflected back to the inspection area and the optoelectronic sensor element. Dena ℃
・. I41 et xt7:, by photoelectric sensor member.
The evaluation of the fill constant signal is only l'i(j).The 4M real-time evaluation of the quality of the articles to be inspected as they pass through the inspection area can be done without extra expense in equipment and switching technology. I'll get the information.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a schematic side view of a first embodiment of an inspection device according to the invention; FIG. 2 is a view in the direction of arrow H in FIG. 1 (2);
FIG. 3 is a side view of the second embodiment.

Claims (1)

Claims: 1. Tobacco processing industry having a conveying member for conveying articles in a single layer through an inspection zone perpendicular to the axis and an optical inspection device directed towards the inspection zone. An apparatus for optically inspecting rod-shaped articles, the inspection apparatus comprising an illumination device and a photoelectric sensor member directed toward a predetermined length section of each article passing through an inspection zone. and in which the sensor element is adapted to maintain information corresponding to the quality of the article passing through the inspection area and to catch the light rays passing through the inspection area,
The illumination device (δ, 8a) emits parallel light beams (16, 28
) and for directing the light beam from the first side onto a predetermined length section of the respective article (2, 2 &) passing through the inspection zone. Furthermore, a mirror device (9, 9a) is provided on the side located opposite the illumination device, and the mirror device deflects the parallel light beam and directs the parallel light beam anew from the second side. It is designed to be directed towards the length division of the article to be inspected in the inspection area;
Further, a photoelectric sensor section 451 (11) includes a mirror device (
9, 9a), in the optical path of the parallel light beam (16a, 28a) after passing through the inspection zone (3) for the second time; A device that optically inspects items. 2 Members for producing parallel light flux (13, 13a
, 27) diffuses the luminous flux emitted from the illumination member and inspects the diameter of the parallel luminous flux (16, 28).
2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the device is configured to have a diameter larger than the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter greater than the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter of the diameter. 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, in which the optical path of the parallel light beams (16, 16a, 28, 26a) extends in a plane perpendicular to the article axis. A laser (12) is installed as a lighting member.
・℃・zuJ' in the dimensions of claims 1 to 3
L or the device described in item 1. 5. As a mirror device (9a), total reflection solism (29
) is provided in any one of claims 1 to 4. 6 The lighting device (8, 8a) and the mirror device (9, 9a) are
The parallel light flux (16a, 28a) after being deflected by the sharp part J (9, 9a) is the object to be inspected (2, 2a).
are arranged with respect to each other so as to intersect substantially at right angles with the light beams which have not yet been deflected Jt in a given length section of the field of view, and are arranged identically with each other in the inspection area (3). The device according to any one of paragraphs 1 to 5. (2) The device according to claim 1, wherein at least one diode array (18) is provided as the electric sensor member (11). 8. Device according to claim 7, in which the diode array (18) is formed linearly. 9. The article (2,
2a), wherein an optical lens mechanism (13, 13a, 27) is provided as a member for directing the light beam to a predetermined length section of the invention. The device according to item 1.