Optical Inspection of Cigarette Tipping Material Alignment
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Solution Overview
Problem
The manufacturing process of filtered cigarettes often results in defects such as misalignment, contamination, and improper adherence of tipping and wrapping materials, which are not readily detectable before packaging, affecting the quality and integrity of the product.
Innovation Solution
A filtered smoking article inspection system that includes a transport device and an inspection device with an imaging system to optically inspect the cigarettes for defects, determining whether the tipping material is misaligned, wrinkled, contaminated, or improperly applied, and automatically removing defective cigarettes from the production line.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed automated manufacturing is used to produce filtered cigarettes, then productivity is improved, but manufacturing precision deteriorates due to defects in tipping material alignment and adherence
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary action by implementing an inspection system that detects defects in tipping material alignment, adherence, and contamination before the cigarettes are packaged. The system includes imaging devices that capture images of the tipping material on filterless cigarettes, and a defect detection algorithm that identifies issues such as misalignment, wrinkles, and contamination. This allows defective cigarettes to be removed from the production line before packaging, ensuring high manufacturing precision while maintaining high-speed automated production.
2Manufacturing precision
If comprehensive inspection of tipping material is performed, then manufacturing precision is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the taking out principle by extracting only the essential inspection functions needed to detect tipping material defects. The system uses imaging devices positioned to capture specific regions of interest (the tipping material on filterless cigarettes) and employs a defect detection algorithm that focuses on identifying specific defect types such as misalignment, wrinkles, and contamination. This targeted approach achieves comprehensive inspection without requiring overly complex device architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent applies the copying principle by using imaging devices to create visual copies (images) of the tipping material on filterless cigarettes. These images are then processed by a defect detection algorithm that analyzes the copied visual information to identify defects. This allows the inspection system to examine the tipping material indirectly through images rather than requiring direct physical measurement, simplifying the overall device complexity while maintaining detection accuracy.
3Manufacturing precision
If automated defect removal is implemented, then manufacturing precision is improved, but loss of time increases due to additional processing steps
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the continuity of useful action principle by integrating the inspection and defect removal processes into the continuous flow of cigarette production. The imaging devices capture images of tipping material on filterless cigarettes as they move through the production line, and defective cigarettes are removed automatically without interrupting the overall production flow. This ensures that the useful action of defect detection and removal continues seamlessly alongside the main manufacturing process, minimizing time loss while maintaining high product quality.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively identifies and removes defective cigarettes before packaging, improving the physical integrity and aesthetic quality of the products and allowing for prompt correction of manufacturing issues.
Implementation Method 1
an inspection device operably engaged with the transport device and configured to optically inspect each smoking article
Data Source
AI summary
An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.