Container filling machine

A method for detecting the integrity of discrete articles for personal treatment to be loaded in a container, said method comprising:

• a) providing a measurement capacitor;
• b) providing a reference capacitor;
• c) detecting a difference in capacitance change between the measurement capacitor and the reference capacitor when a discrete article for personal treatment passes through the measurement capacitor;
• d) determining the integrity of the discrete article for personal treatment at least in part on the basis of the difference in capacitance change
• e) upon determining that the discrete article for personal treatment is defective, causing the discrete article for personal treatment to be removed from continued travel towards the container.

A sensing device suitable for use with a container filling machine for detecting the integrity of discrete articles for personal treatment to be loaded in a container, said sensing device comprising:

• a) a pair of capacitor plates positioned in a substantially opposing relationship for creating therebetween an electric field, in response to voltage impressed across the plates which is of less than 100V;
• b) a processing unit in communication with said pair of capacitor plates, said processing unit being operative for:
• i) detecting a change in capacitance as a discrete article for personal treatment passes through said electric field;
• ii) determining the integrity of the discrete article for personal treatment at least in part on the basis of said change in capacitance
• iii) upon a determination that the discrete article for personal treatment is defective, causing the discrete article for personal treatment to be removed from continued travel towards the container.

A container filling machine for loading discrete articles for personal treatment into a container, the container filling machine comprising:

• a) a sensing device operative for detecting the integrity of discrete articles for personal treatment to be loaded in the container, the sensing device comprising:
• i) a measurement capacitor;
• ii) a reference capacitor;
• and
• iii) a processing unit in communication with the measurement capacitor and the reference capacitor for detecting a difference in capacitance change between the measurement capacitor and the reference capacitor as a discrete article for personal treatment passes through the measurement capacitor;
• iv) determining the integrity of the discrete article for personal treatment at least in part on the basis of the difference in capacitance change;
• b) a rejection device for removing the discrete article for personal treatment from continued travel towards the container when the discrete article for personal treatment has been detected by the sensing device as being defective.

A container filling machine for detecting the integrity of discrete articles for personal treatment to be loaded in a container, the container filling machine comprising:

• a) a capacitive sensing device;
• and
• b) a processing entity operative for:
• i) deriving a characteristic capacitance change signature associated with a given type of discrete article for personal treatment, the characteristic capacitance change signature being derived at least in part on a basis of capacitance measurements obtained by passing a plurality of integrally formed discrete articles for personal treatment of the given type through the capacitive sensing device;
• ii) once the characteristic capacitance change signature has been derived, determining the integrity of a subsequent discrete article for personal treatment belonging to the given type at least in part on a basis of a capacitance measurement obtained for the discrete article for personal treatment belonging to the given type and the characteristic capacitance change signature.