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US 5,490,527 AGranted
Apparatus for sampling filter cigarettes during the manufacturer thereof
AssigneeJapan Tobacco Inc.
InventorsTakayuki Irikura, Makoto Kakiuchi
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A sampling apparatus of the present invention comprises a sampling drum located in the vicinity of a drum train of a filter attachment, a suction carrier arranged on the outer peripheral surface of the sampling drum and having a sampling groove, a suction channel in the sampling drum for supplying a suction pressure to the sampling groove, and a shutter in the sampling drum for opening and closing the suction channel, the sampling groove periodically approaching one of filter cigarettes transported on the drum train as the sampling drum rotates.
Claims9
An apparatus for sampling manufactured filter cigarettes from a conveyor line thereof, the conveyor line transporting the filter cigarettes, said apparatus comprising:
- a transportation drum rotatably located in the conveyor line, said transportation drum transporting received filter cigarettes while attracting the filter cigarettes under a first suction pressure;
- a sampling drum rotatably arranged in the vicinity of said transportation drum, said sampling drum having a sampling groove capable of periodically approaching one of the filter cigarettes transported on said transportation drum to receive the filter cigarette while said sampling drum is rotating;
- supply means for supplying a second suction pressure to the sampling groove as the sampling groove passes a predetermined rotational angle zone on the side of said transportation drum while said sampling drum is rotating, said supply means including a suction channel defined in said sampling drum and connected to the sampling groove;
- differential pressure means for producing a differential pressure between a positive suction pressure on said transportation drum and the second suction pressure in the sampling groove as the sampling groove passes the rotational angle zone, the filter cigarette on said transportation drum being attracted and received by the sampling groove on the basis of the differential pressure, wherein said positive suction pressure is a suction pressure greater than zero;
- release means for removing the second suction pressure in the sampling groove after the rotational angle zone is passed by the sampling groove;
- collecting means for collecting the filter cigarette in the sampling groove from said sampling drum after the second suction pressure in the sampling groove is removed;
- and
- valve means for opening and closing the suction channel of said supply means;
- wherein said sampling drum includes a rotatable drum shell having the sampling groove and a control sleeve fixed in the drum shell, the drum shell rotating in a manner such that an inner peripheral surface thereof is airtightly in sliding contact with an outer peripheral surface of the control sleeve, and the suction channel includes a suction hole, formed in the drum shell and having one end opening into the sampling groove and another end opening in the inner peripheral surface of the drum shell, and an aperture defined in the control sleeve and opening over the rotational angle zone, the aperture being opened and closed by said valve means;
- wherein said valve means includes an arcuate shutter constituting part of the outer peripheral surface of the control sleeve and being movable in an axial direction of the control sleeve, and an actuator in the control sleeve for moving the shutter to open and close the aperture;
- wherein said valve means further includes a circumferential groove formed on the outer surface of the shutter and connecting means for connecting the circumferential groove to the atmosphere, and the suction hole of the drum shell passes the circumferential groove of the shutter as the drum shell rotates when the shutter is in a position to close the aperture.
8 more elements
An apparatus for sampling manufactured filter cigarettes from a conveyor line thereof, the conveyor line transporting the filter cigarettes, said apparatus comprising:
- a transportation drum including a drum shell having a plurality of suction grooves rotatably located in the conveyor line, said transportation drum transporting received filter cigarettes while attracting the filter cigarettes under a first suction pressure;
- a sampling drum rotatably arranged in the vicinity of said transportation drum, said sampling drum having a sampling groove capable of periodically approaching one of the filter cigarettes transported on said transportation drum to receive the filter cigarette while said sampling drum is rotating;
- supply means for supplying a second suction pressure to the sampling groove as the sampling groove passes a predetermined rotational angle zone on the side of said transportation drum while said sampling drum is rotating, said supply means including a suction channel defined in said sampling drum and connected to the sampling groove;
- suction pressure reducing means for reducing the first suction pressure on said transportation drum to a third suction pressure when the filter cigarette on said transportation drum passes over said sampling drum so that a differential pressure between the third suction pressure and the second suction pressure in the sampling groove is produced, said suction pressure reducing means including a suction chamber defined in said transportation drum and supplied with the first suction pressure and a throttle wall disposed inside of said drum shell of the transportation drum so as to define a gap which forms a communication between the suction chamber and a suction groove of the drum shell in order to produce the third suction pressure, and the filter cigarette on said transportation drum being attracted and received by the sampling groove on the basis of the differential pressure;
- release means for removing the second suction pressure in the sampling groove after the rotational angle zone is passed by the sampling groove;
- and
- collecting means for collecting the filter cigarette in the sampling groove from said sampling drum after the second suction pressure in the sampling groove is removed.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.