US3690149A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Electropneumatic cigarette inspection
Assignee: Individual
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Filing: 1970-06-22
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Granted: 1972-09-12
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Expires: 1990-06-22
Abstract
Abstract Cigarettes that are to be tested for defects are fed in succession, side by side, and equally interspaced, on a transfer means driven continuously and transversely to the cigarettes to temporarily drive each cigarette axially to position an end of each cigarette to be tested into a mouthpiece which communicates with a testing chamber containing a pressure transducer sensing element. The chamber communicates alternately and periodically with the atmosphere and with a pressurized gas source which establishes, in the chamber, a maximum value of pressure in relation with the condition of the cigarette being examined. A transducer responds to the maximum value of pressure with an electric signal that is correlated with a recurrence signal of constant frequency and a rejection signal is generated for the actuation of a device which expels, from the row of cigarettes tested, those cigarettes for which the maximum pressure value reached was less than a predetermined pressure value considered as a lower limit for the criterion of acceptance of the cigarettes under test.
Inventors
- 👤 Giovanni Pezzi
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-26 09:24
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/32; A24C5/34; A24C5/3418
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 10
Claim 1
Independent Claim
210 words
A device for electropneumatically inspecting cigarettes for detecting defects which attenuate or affect cigarette draw resistance comprising means for continuously advancing a row of cigarettes to be tested, means for sequentially applying to one end of each cigarette of the row and during this continuous advance a contRolled-flow gas pressure, means for generating a signal for each cigarette representative of the minimum pressure that would occur with an acceptable cigarette, a transducer coupled to respond to the gas pressure fed to an end of a cigarette to generate a signal which varies with the instantaneous values of the pressure applied, first network means coupled to compare the signal from said transducer with said signal representative of minimum pressure which would occur with an acceptable cigarette and emit a signal of validity every time the transducer generates a signal representative of a pressure equal to or greater than the predetermined constant value signal means for generating recurring frequency signals synchronized with the testing rate of the cigarette and a second network means coupled to detect the presence or absence of validity signals in concurrence with the recurring frequency signals and to emit a rejection signal every time a validity signal in phase with the associated recurring frequency signal is not present.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
210 words
A device for electropneumatically inspecting cigarettes for detecting defects which attenuate or affect cigarette draw resistance comprising means for continuously advancing a row of cigarettes to be tested, means for sequentially applying to one end of each cigarette of the row and during this continuous advance a contRolled-flow gas pressure, means for generating a signal for each cigarette representative of the minimum pressure that would occur with an acceptable cigarette, a transducer coupled to respond to the gas pressure fed to an end of a cigarette to generate a signal which varies with the instantaneous values of the pressure applied, first network means coupled to compare the signal from said transducer with said signal representative of minimum pressure which would occur with an acceptable cigarette and emit a signal of validity every time the transducer generates a signal representative of a pressure equal to or greater than the predetermined constant value signal means for generating recurring frequency signals synchronized with the testing rate of the cigarette and a second network means coupled to detect the presence or absence of validity signals in concurrence with the recurring frequency signals and to emit a rejection signal every time a validity signal in phase with the associated recurring frequency signal is not present.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
19 words
The structure of claim 1 wherein said transducer is responsive to pressure changes occurring between zero and 0.4 Kg/sq.cm.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The structure of claim 2 wherein said second network means which emits the rejection signal comprises a two input ''''NOR'''' type of gate to generate a signal during the concurrence of a corresponding recurring signal at the input terminals.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The structure of claim 3 including the structure of a memorizing shift register circuit coupled to receive at the input the rejection signals emitted by said ''''NOR'''' type of gate and feed said signals after a predetermined time to a cigarette rejecting element.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
The structure of claim 4 including a one-slot multivibrator coupled to generate said recurring frequency signals and a photoelectric cell circuit coupled to initiate activation of said one-slot multivibrator.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
191 words
The structure of claim 5 wherein said means for continuously advancing a row of cigarettes to be tested and the means for sequentially applying to at least one end of each cigarette a controlled flow gas pressure comprising a fluted reel, a fixed hollow shaft coupled to rotatably support said fluted reel and through which there can be exerted on the cigarettes a retaining pneumatic suction along a selected arc of rotation of the reel, two head discs coupled to said reel, one of said discs serving as a support for a ring of plungers aligned with the flutes of the reel, a fixed axial cam coupled to move said plungers axially in sequence with each cigarette until said cigarette is engaged in a corresponding mouthpiece mounted on the other disc in alignment with the flutes of the reel and communicating chambers arranged in a ring fashion on said other disc, said other disc being positioned to slide against a fixed distributing ring, pressure test passageway coupled to said distributing ring for housing the transducer coupled to receive a regular flow of pressurized air fed to an end of a cigarette.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
31 words
The structure of claim 6 including a passageway coupled to said distributing ring to selectively couple said chamber with the atmosphere to return the pressure sensed by said transducer to zero.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The structure of claim 7 including a passageway selectively coupled to a source of pressurized air to disengage a cigarette from a flute of a reel.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
51 words
The structure of claim 8 wherein said photoelectric cell circuit comprises a disc driven by said reel and having cut-outs arranged in the form of a circle wherein each cut-out of said circle of cut-outs of the disc initiates the generation of a trip signal for the actuation of the multivibrator.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1975-09-12 | 1976-03-13 | 1976-09-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1979-09-12 | 1980-03-13 | 1980-09-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1983-09-12 | 1984-03-13 | 1984-09-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |