Process and apparatus for checking cigarette packs for the correct positioning of material strips
AssigneeFocke & Co. (GmbH & Co.)
InventorsHeinz Focke, Ralf Sinnerbrink
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Process and apparatus for checking (cigarette) packs for the correct positioning of material strips. In order to check the correct position of a material strip (11) on a cigarette pack (10), at least two sensors are used to compare spaced-apart measurement or checking points (19, 20) in terms of the relative position in relation to one another. This gives the relative position of the material strip (11). If the latter is in a skewed position, the relevant cigarette pack (10) is separated out.
Claims9
A method for detecting the positioning of a label attached to a surface of a pack and presenting a raised contour thereon, the method comprising the steps of:
- moving a plurality of said packs along a conveying path with an edge of said label disposed transverse to a conveying direction;
- detecting, using at least two sensors, reflections from at least two locations on each said moving pack, wherein each said reflection is indicative of a distance between one of said sensors and one of said locations, wherein each said location is either on said label or on said surface, and wherein said locations are spaced apart transverse to the conveying direction and define scanning paths extending along each said moving pack and intersecting spaced-apart points on said edge of said label;
- converting said reflections into electrical signals varying in accordance with the surface contour of said pack along said paths;
- forming first derivatives of said electrical signals, wherein said first derivatives exhibit peaks representative of the relative locations in the conveying direction of said spaced-apart points on said edge;
- using an offset in the conveying direction between said location of said points to evaluate the orientation of said edge of said label;
- and
- separating said pack from the conveying path if the orientation of said edge is different from a predetermined orientation.
An apparatus for detecting the positioning of a label attached to a surface of a pack and presenting a raised contour thereon, the apparatus comprising:
- a conveyor for moving a plurality of said packs along a conveying path with an edge of said label disposed transverse to a conveying direction;
- a plurality of sensors for detecting reflections from at least two locations on each said moving pack, wherein each said reflection is indicative of a distance between one of said sensors and one of said locations, wherein each said location is either on said label or on said surface, and wherein said locations are spaced apart transverse to the conveying direction and define scanning paths extending along each said moving pack and intersecting spaced-apart points on said edge of said label;
- electrical circuitry for converting said reflections into electrical signals varying in accordance with the surface contour of said pack along said paths;
- an evaluation unit for forming first derivatives of said electrical signals, wherein said first derivatives exhibit peaks representative of the relative locations in the conveying direction of said spaced-apart points on said edge, said evaluation unit determining from an offset in the conveying direction of the location of said two points the orientation of said edge of said label;
- and
- a removal device for separating said pack from the conveying path if the orientation of said edge is different from a predetermined orientation.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.