Method and apparatus for detecting foreign matter within a layer of tabacco

An apparatus to detect foreign matter in a layer of tobacco, comprising:

• tobacco inspection means comprising an emitter means for irradiating the layer of tobacco with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of selected wavelengths within the range from about 800 nm to 2400 nm capable of penetrating into the layer of tobacco and a receiver means for receiving near infrared radiation from the irradiated layer of tobacco;
• analyzing means responsive to the tobacco inspection means for determining a plurality of separate values representative of a plurality of preselected wavelength bands of near infrared radiation received by the receiver means;
• storage means for storing reference data representative of an average of a plurality of different tobacco samples containing no foreign matter, the tobacco samples comprising tobaccos expected to be present in the irradiated layer of tobacco;
• and
• comparator means responsive to the analyzing means for comparing the values determined by the analyzing means with the reference data stored in the storage means to determine whether the layer of tobacco contains foreign matter.

An apparatus to detect solid foreign matter in tobacco, comprising:

• tobacco inspection means comprising an emitter means for irradiating tobacco with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of selected wavelength bands within the range from about 800 nm to 2400 nm capable of penetrating into the layer of tobacco and a receiver means for receiving near infrared radiation from the layer of tobacco;
• analyzing means responsive to the tobacco inspection means for determining a plurality of separate values representative of a plurality of preselected wavelength bands of near infrared radiation received by the receiver means;
• storage means for storing reference data representative of a plurality of different tobacco samples;
• and
• comparator means responsive to the analyzing means for comparing the values determined by the analyzing means with the reference data stored in the storage means to determine whether the tobacco contains foreign matter.

An apparatus for detecting foreign matter in tobacco comprising:

• distributor means for forming a layer of tobacco;
• conveyor means for conveying the layer of tobacco along a predetermined path of travel from the distributor means rapidly through an inspection zone;
• emitter means positioned adjacent the conveying means for irradiating the layer of tobacco being conveyed through the inspection zone with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of preselected wavelengths in the range of about 1200 nm to about 2400 nm;
• receiving means positioned adjacent the conveyor means and being located to receive near infrared radiation reflected from the irradiated layer of tobacco being conveyed through the inspection zone;
• comparator means for comparing the near infrared radiation received by the receiving means with a predetermined reference representative of a plurality of selected tobacco samples to determine whether the layer of tobacco in the inspection zone contains foreign matter within the layer of tobacco;
• and
• reject means responsive to the comparator means for rejecting tobacco containing foreign matter.

An apparatus for manufacturing smoking articles comprising:

• distributor means for forming a layer of tobacco in an inverted channel;
• conveyor means in the top of the inverted channel for conveying the layer of tobacco along the inverted channel;
• trimming means positioned adjacent the inverted channel for trimming excess particles off the layer of tobacco being conveyed along the inverted channel;
• tobacco inspection means positioned downstream of the trimming means and comprising an emitter means positioned below the inverted channel for irradiating the tobacco being conveyed along the inverted channel and a receiver means positioned below the inverted channel for receiving radiation from the tobacco being conveyed along the inverted channel;
• tobacco rod forming means for forming a tobacco rod from the layer of tobacco being conveyed along the inverted channel;
• smoking article forming means for forming smoking articles from the tobacco rod;
• and
• reject means responsive to the tobacco inspection means for rejecting smoking articles containing foreign matter.

A method for detecting foreign matter within a layer of tobacco, comprising the steps of:

• conveying a layer of tobacco along a predetermined path of travel through an inspection zone;
• irradiating the layer of tobacco as it is conveyed through the inspection zone with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of selected wavelength bands within the range from about 800 nm to 2400 nm capable of penetrating into the layer of tobacco and separately receiving a plurality of near infrared radiation bands exiting the tobacco;
• and
• comparing the infrared radiation received from the tobacco in the inspection zone with a predetermined reference representative of a plurality of different tobacco samples containing no foreign matter to determine whether the irradiated layer of tobacco contains foreign matter, the plurality of different tobacco samples comprising tobaccos expected to be present in the irradiated layer of tobacco.

A method for detecting foreign matter in a layer of tobacco, comprising the steps of:

• irradiating the layer of tobacco with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of selected wavelengths within the range from about 800 nm to 2400 nm capable of penetrating into the layer of tobacco;
• receiving near infrared radiation from the irradiated layer of tobacco;
• analyzing the received near infrared radiation to determine a plurality of separate values representative of a plurality of preselected wavelength bands of near infrared radiation;
• and
• comparing the values determined by analyzing the received near infrared radiation with stored reference data representative of an average of a plurality of different tobaccos containing foreign matter, the different tobaccos comprising tobaccos expected to be present in the irradiated layer of tobacco.

A method for forming smoking articles devoid of foreign matter comprising:

• forming a layer of tobacco;
• conveying a layer of tobacco along a predetermined path of travel through an inspection zone;
• irradiating the layer of tobacco as it is conveyed through the inspection zone with near infrared radiation comprising a plurality of selected wavelengths within the range from about 800 nm to 2400 nm capable of penetrating into the layer of tobacco and separately receiving a plurality of near infrared radiation bands exiting the tobacco;
• and
• comparing infrared radiation received from the tobacco in the inspection zone with a predetermined reference representative of a plurality of different tobaccos contain no foreign matter to determine whether the layer of tobacco contains foreign matter;
• forming a smoking article from the layer of tobacco;
• and
• rejecting smoking articles containing foreign matter in response to the comparing step.