Optical Inspection of Cigarette Paper Band Widths

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Solution Overview

Problem

Cigarette wrappers with reduced Ignition Propensity (IP) and acceptable freeburn characteristics are difficult to control due to the challenges in managing the permeability, composition, width, and spacing of circumferential banded regions during high-speed paper production, necessitating a system for inspecting and analyzing the integrity of these features.

Innovation Solution

A method and system for capturing and analyzing image data of cigarette paper during the band application process, using an image capture module with a trigger device, illuminating device, and image capturing device to measure the widths of transverse banded regions, filtering noise, and comparing the data to target ranges to ensure acceptable reduced IP and freeburn characteristics.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Productivity

If high-speed paper production is used to increase productivity, then manufacturing efficiency is improved, but manufacturing precision of banded regions deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepaper production speedVSAvoidband width and spacing control

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The patent applies preliminary action by capturing images of the banded paper web immediately after banding and analyzing the band dimensions before the paper is fully processed. This allows for real-time verification and adjustment of band width and spacing while the paper is still in production, ensuring precision requirements are met despite high-speed manufacturing conditions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Manufacturing precision

If automated image capture and analysis is implemented to improve manufacturing precision, then measurement accuracy is improved, but device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveband width measurement accuracyVSAvoidimage capture and analysis system

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The patent replaces complex mechanical measurement systems with an automated optical image capture and analysis system. Instead of using physical gauges or manual measurement devices, the system uses digital imaging and software-based image processing to automatically measure band width and spacing, reducing mechanical complexity while improving measurement accuracy and consistency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If real-time image analysis is implemented to ensure quality assurance, then product reliability is improved, but loss of time in processing increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvequality assurance of banded regionsVSAvoidimage processing time

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSLoss of time

Solution Approach 1:

The patent implements continuous image capture and analysis during the paper production process, rather than performing discrete inspections after production. The image analysis system operates continuously alongside the paper manufacturing, enabling real-time quality verification without interrupting or significantly delaying the production flow, thus maintaining both reliability and efficiency.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #20Continuity of useful action

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

Enables accurate determination of whether the cigarette paper will exhibit acceptable reduced IP and freeburn characteristics, ensuring compliance with manufacturing specifications and legal requirements by providing real-time analysis and quality assurance.

Implementation Method 1

an image capturing device disposed along the paper web path at or downstream the point where the bands are applied

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectReflection: Reflection

Implementation Method 2

an illuminating device and an image capturing device disposed along the paper web path

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLight emission: Light

Data Source

PatentUS7595880B2Optical data capture and quality assurance

Publication Date: 2009.09.29 LORILLARD LICENSING CO LLC

AI summary

A method and system for capturing and analyzing an image of a moving web of cigarette paper having a plurality of transverse banded regions. The captured images of the moving web of cigarette paper are analyzed to determine various characteristics of a population of cigarettes made with the cigarette paper. Each captured image is decomposed into a matrix of grey scale values associated with individual pixels of the image. The values are further processed to determine a width of a banded region on the cigarette paper. The average widths of banded regions, as well as the standard deviation of widths may be analyzed and correlated to freeburn and ignition propensity characteristics of a population of cigarettes formed from the measured cigarette paper.