US3913381A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method and apparatus for testing cigarettes or the like
Assignee: Körber AG
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Filing: 1973-07-05
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Granted: 1975-10-21
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Expires: 1993-07-05
Abstract
Abstract Filter cigarettes or analogous rod-shaped smokers'' products are tested while travelling sideways in the flutes of a conveyor past a stationary cover which partially seals the flutes from the atmosphere. During travel past the cover, the interior of each flute is maintained above or below atmosphric pressure and the interior of the wrapper of an article in such flute is maintained below or above atmospheric pressure so that the air flows from the flute into the interior of a leaky wrapper or from the interior of a leaky wrapper into the flute. The changes in air pressure in the flutes and/or in the wrappers are monitored by a transducer which furnishes signals serving for segregation of articles having defective wrappers. The flutes can be subdivided into several portions, as considered in the axial direction of wrappers, and each such portion can be maintained at a different pressure.
Inventors
- 👤 Uwe Heitmann
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-31 23:16
CPC Classifications
A; A24; A24C; A24C5/00; A24C5/32; A24C5/34; A24C5/3418
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 22
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of testing cigarettes or analogous articles having or consisting of open-ended tubular wrappers, comprising the steps of maintaining a first body of gas in the interior of the wrapper of an article to be tested at a first pressure; simultaneously maintAining a second body of gas around the wrapper of said article to be tested at at least one second pressure, one of said first and second pressures exceeding and the other of said first and second pressures being less than atmospheric pressure so that the gas flows from the higherpressure body, through the leaky part or parts of a defective wrapper, and to the lower-pressure body whereby the pressure of gas in said lower-pressure body increases and the pressure of gas in said higher-pressure body decreases; and monitoring the changes of gas pressure in at least one of said bodies.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
143 words
A method of testing cigarettes or analogous articles having or consisting of open-ended tubular wrappers, comprising the steps of maintaining a first body of gas in the interior of the wrapper of an article to be tested at a first pressure; simultaneously maintAining a second body of gas around the wrapper of said article to be tested at at least one second pressure, one of said first and second pressures exceeding and the other of said first and second pressures being less than atmospheric pressure so that the gas flows from the higherpressure body, through the leaky part or parts of a defective wrapper, and to the lower-pressure body whereby the pressure of gas in said lower-pressure body increases and the pressure of gas in said higher-pressure body decreases; and monitoring the changes of gas pressure in at least one of said bodies.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pressure of said second body of gas is less than atmospheric pressure.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
19 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein the pressure of said second body of gas exceeds atmospheric pressure.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
57 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of subdividing said second body of gas into a plurality of at least partially segregated bodies each of which surrounds a different portion of the wrapper, as considered in the axial direction of said article, and maintaining said at least partially segreated bodies at different pressures.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
29 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said second body of gas surrounds only a portion of the wrapper as considered in the axial direction of said article.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
17 words
A method as defined in claim 5, wherein said portion is an intermediate portion of the wrapper.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
33 words
A method as defined in claim 1, further comprising the step of moving said article sideways while said first and second bodies of gas are respectively maintained at said first and second pressures.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
A method as defined in claim 1, wherein said monitoring step comprises determining the pressure of said first body of gas.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles having or consisting of open-ended tubular wrappers, comprising sealing means having parts arranged to engage the wrapper of an article to be tested in the region of each end of the wrapper to restrict the flow of a gas between the interior of the wrapper and the atmosphere by way of the open ends of the thus engaged wrapper; means for maintaining in the thus engaged wrapper a first body of gas at a first pressure; means for confining around the thus engaged wrapper a second body of gas at at least one second pressure, one of said first and second pressures exceeding and the other of said first and second pressures being less than atmospheric pressure so that the gas flows from the higher-pressure body, through the leaky part or parts of a defective wrapper, and to the lower-pressure body whereby the pressure of gas in said lower-pressure body increases and the pressure of gas in said higher-pressure body decreases; and means for monitoring the changes of gas pressure in at least one of said bodies.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
184 words
Apparatus for testing cigarettes or analogous articles having or consisting of open-ended tubular wrappers, comprising sealing means having parts arranged to engage the wrapper of an article to be tested in the region of each end of the wrapper to restrict the flow of a gas between the interior of the wrapper and the atmosphere by way of the open ends of the thus engaged wrapper; means for maintaining in the thus engaged wrapper a first body of gas at a first pressure; means for confining around the thus engaged wrapper a second body of gas at at least one second pressure, one of said first and second pressures exceeding and the other of said first and second pressures being less than atmospheric pressure so that the gas flows from the higher-pressure body, through the leaky part or parts of a defective wrapper, and to the lower-pressure body whereby the pressure of gas in said lower-pressure body increases and the pressure of gas in said higher-pressure body decreases; and means for monitoring the changes of gas pressure in at least one of said bodies.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
38 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for confining comprises a chamber spacedly surrounding at least a portion of the wrapper and means for maintaining the body of gas in said chamber at said second pressure.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
16 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for confining further comprises wrapper supporting means.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
35 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said supporting means includes cradles located at the ends of said chamber, as considered in the axial direction of the wrapper which is engaged by said sealing means.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
28 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said chamber is shorter than the distance between the open ends of a wrapper which is engaged by said sealing means.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the pressure of said second body in said chamber is less than atmospheric pressure.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
21 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein the pressure of said second body of gas in said chamber exceeds atmospheric pressure.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
67 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for confining further comprises means for subdividing said chamber into a plurality of smAller chambers which are at least partially sealed from each other and said means for maintaining the body of gas in said second chamber at said second pressure includes means for maintaining the interior of said smaller chambers at second pressures different from each other.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
44 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 10, wherein said means for confining further comprises conveyor means defining a first portion of said chamber and stationary cover means adjacent to the path of movement of said conveyor means and defining the remaining portion of said chamber.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
33 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein said means for monitoring includes transducer means arranged to measure the gas pressure in the interior of the wrapper which is engaged by said sealing means.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
40 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 18, wherein said transducer is connected with said sealing means and said sealing means is provided with channel means communicating with at least one end of the wrapper which is engaged by said sealing means.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
32 words
Apparatus as defined in claim 9, wherein at least one of said means for maintaining and said means for confining includes means for regulating the pressure of the respective body of gas.
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) | 1978-10-20 | 1979-04-21 | 1979-10-21 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-10-20 | 1983-04-21 | 1983-10-21 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-10-20 | 1987-04-21 | 1987-10-21 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |