Multi-Angle Optical Inspection for Tobacco Rods
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing optical inspection systems in the tobacco processing industry are prone to incorrect evaluations due to interfering particles, which can lead to intact products being mistakenly identified as defective.
Innovation Solution
A device and method for electromagnetic, particularly optical, control of rod-shaped products using two recording devices aligned at an angle to each other, allowing surface imaging from different viewing angles, with data comparison to distinguish between product surface irregularities and interfering particles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Measurement precision
If optical inspection is performed in a control zone, then product quality can be monitored, but interfering particles may cause incorrect assessments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by creating a controlled inspection environment with specific lighting conditions and protective measures. The control zone is locally optimized with controlled illumination and protected from airborne particles, while the rest of the system operates normally. This localized approach ensures high measurement precision without requiring complete system redesign.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements preliminary anti-action by taking preventive measures against interfering particles before they can affect the inspection. The control zone is designed to protect against particle contamination in advance, and the system compensates for potential particle interference through coordinated imaging from multiple angles, ensuring reliable assessments before false defects can occur.
2Reliability
If multiple recording devices are used to capture images from different directions, then false positives from particles can be distinguished, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges multiple recording devices into a coordinated inspection system that captures images from different directions simultaneously. By combining the data from these devices and processing them together, the system achieves reliable defect detection while managing complexity through integrated control and coordinated operation of the multiple sensors.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary processing system that receives images from multiple recording devices and processes them to distinguish true defects from particle interference. This intermediary layer manages the complexity by providing a centralized processing point that coordinates the multiple sensors and produces a unified reliable assessment.
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
This approach ensures accurate evaluation by identifying irregularities only when both recordings pinpoint the same location on the product surface, avoiding false positives from particles in the control zone, thus preventing intact products from being sorted as defective.
Implementation Method 1
an optoelectric sensor means with a series of optoelectric detector means assigned to different length sections of the illuminated article surface for detecting the light reflected from the article surface
Data Source
Figure 1~2
AI summary
The device has an analyzing unit (9) for analyzing receivers received by receiver units (2, 3). The receiver units are aligned in different directions on a monitoring area (1), where one of the receiver units is aligned on a product (4). The receiver units are aligned perpendicular to each other on the monitoring area. An illuminating unit (7) illuminates the monitoring area. A conveying unit (8) conveys the products one behind the other in a single row through the monitoring area. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a machine for a tobacco processing industry (2) a method for optical monitoring of products of the tobacco processing industry.