Method and device for quality controlling packets
AssigneeG.D Societa' Per Azioni
InventorsLuca Cerati, Gaetano de Pietra
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A method and device for quality controlling packets of cigarettes, whereby, as a packet is fed, in use, through a quality control station, an optical detecting unit acquires data relative to given portions of the packet, which portions are coated with material optically detectable at wavelengths outside the visible range; the data detected by the optical detecting unit is compared with reference data, and the outcome of the comparison is used to determine acceptance or rejection of the packet; in this way, the condition of the packet can be determined regardless of the graphics on the packet.
Claims30
1) A method of quality controlling a packet;
- the method comprising a feed step to feed the packet (2) along a feed path (P) through a quality control station (19;
- 20);
- an optical detecting step to detect at least one detected data item relative to at least one given portion (15;
- 37) of the packet (2);
- and a comparing step to compare the detected data item with at least one reference data item to determine rejection or acceptance of the packet (2);
- the method being characterized in that the given portion (15;
- 37) comprises at least a pigment, which is optically detectable at at least one given wavelength outside the visible range;
- the detected data item being detected by receiving electromagnetic radiation having said given wavelength from said pigment.
13) A device for quality controlling a packet;
- the device comprising at least one optical detector (29;
- 30) for optically detecting at least one data item relative to at least one given portion (15;
- 37) of the packet (2);
- and a comparing unit (34) for comparing the detected data item with at least one reference data item to determine rejection or acceptance of the packet (2);
- the device being characterized in that the optical detector (29;
- 30) is designed to detect the detected data item by receiving electromagnetic radiation, which, in use, comes from at least a pigment of the given portion and has at least one given wavelength outside the visible range;
- the comparing unit being designed to elaborate said detected data item relating to said electromagnetic radiation coming from the pigment.
20) A packet having at least one given portion (15;
- 37) optically detectable at at least one given wavelength outside the visible range;
- the given portion (15;
- 37) comprising at least one first line, and at least one second line crosswise to the first line;
- the first and second line extending at least from a first edge (8, 9) to a second edge (8, 10) of the packet (2).
21) A packet having a given portion (15;
- 37) optically detectable at at least one given wavelength outside the visible range;
- the given portion (15;
- 37) comprising at least one first line (16), and at least one second line (17) crosswise to the first line (16);
- the first line (16) extending from a first edge (9) to a second edge (10) of the packet (2), and the second line (17) extending from a third edge (8) to a fourth edge (8) of the packet (2).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.