Apparatus and method for scanning and sorting tobacco leaves

Abstract

An apparatus for scanning and sorting tobacco leaves includes a conveyor to convey a flow of tobacco leaves. The flow of tobacco leaves includes acceptable and unacceptable leaves and undesirable particles. An air flow source lifts and accelerates the flow of leaves and particles to a speed at which the leaves and particles are separated. A duct contains the lifted and accelerated flow. A scanning device scans the flow in the duct and generates a signal upon detection of an unacceptable leaf and/or undesirable particle. A rejection device responds to the signal and forces the unacceptable leaf and/or undesirable particle from the duct. A method of scanning and sorting tobacco leaves includes conveying a flow of tobacco leaves including acceptable and unacceptable leaves and undesirable particles, lifting and accelerating the flow to a speed at which the leaves and particles are separated, scanning the separated leaves and particles to detect unacceptable leaves and undesirable particles, and forcing unacceptable leaves and/or undesirable particles from the accelerated flow of leaves. The flow may be accelerated to a speed of between 4,000-6,000 ft/min. The scanning device may be an optical or laser scanning device that scans the flow between 2,000-12,000 times per second.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.