Split-Coil Rod Inspection for High-Speed Susceptor Detection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing aerosol generating devices face issues with susceptor positioning and orientation deviations due to manufacturing tolerances, leading to inconsistent aerosol delivery and high-speed production challenges, necessitating rapid and accurate quality control of rod-shaped articles.
Innovation Solution
An inspection device with an inductive sensor using movable semi-coils to detect susceptor characteristics within a drum, enabling rapid measurement of susceptor presence, size, and orientation through impedance changes, facilitated by a control unit and compressed air system for efficient article handling.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high-speed production is implemented (5000 components per minute), then productivity increases, but the time window for quality inspection becomes extremely short (about 200 milliseconds)
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces mechanical inspection methods with an inductive sensor system that uses electromagnetic fields to detect susceptor characteristics. This substitution enables rapid, non-contact measurement that can operate within the 200-millisecond inspection window at high production speeds of 5000 components per minute
Solution Approach 2:
The inspection system performs detection during the natural rotation and positioning of components in the drum, utilizing the existing motion and positioning infrastructure rather than requiring separate inspection cycles. This allows quality control to occur as part of the normal production flow without adding time penalties
2Ease of manufacture
If manufacturing tolerances are relaxed to improve ease of manufacture, then production complexity decreases, but susceptor positioning and orientation deviations increase leading to inconsistent aerosol delivery
Solution Approach 1:
The inductive sensor provides real-time feedback on susceptor presence, position, and orientation by measuring impedance changes. This feedback mechanism enables detection of positioning deviations even when manufacturing tolerances are relaxed, allowing quality control without requiring tighter manufacturing specifications
Solution Approach 2:
The system monitors changes in electrical impedance parameters of the inductive sensor coil to detect susceptor characteristics. By measuring parameter variations (impedance magnitude and phase) rather than physical dimensions, the system can detect positioning and orientation issues without requiring precise mechanical manufacturing
3Measurement precision
If traditional inspection methods are used to detect susceptor defects, then measurement accuracy may be sufficient, but inspection speed is too slow for high-volume production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces slow mechanical or visual inspection methods with an inductive sensing system that uses electromagnetic fields. This substitution enables simultaneous measurement of multiple susceptor characteristics (presence, position, orientation) at high speed without sacrificing measurement precision
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses periodic electromagnetic excitation signals from the inductive sensor coil to probe susceptor characteristics. The periodic nature of the excitation and resulting impedance measurements enables rapid data acquisition that can keep up with high-speed production while maintaining measurement accuracy through signal processing
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
Ensures rapid and accurate detection of susceptor defects, allowing for real-time quality control of rod-shaped articles, reducing waste and ensuring consistent aerosol production by identifying and segregating defective components.
Implementation Method 1
an inductive sensor positioned at a seat of the plurality, the inductive sensor including a coil defining an inner volume large enough to receive therein an end of the rod-shaped article, the inductive sensor being adapted to sense a characteristic of a susceptor in the rod-shaped article
Implementation Method 2
The inductive heating device comprises an induction source which produces an alternating electromagnetic field which induces heat generating eddy currents and hysteresis losses in a susceptor
Implementation Method 3
an induction source which produces an alternating electromagnetic field which induces heat generating eddy currents and hysteresis losses in a susceptor
Implementation Method 4
an induction source which produces an alternating electromagnetic field which induces heat generating eddy currents and hysteresis losses in a susceptor
Data Source
AI summary
The present invention relates to an inspection device for the quality control of rod-shaped articles, the device comprising: ⋅a drum (4) defining an outer surface (13,40) and including a plurality of seats (41), each seat (41) of the plurality adapted to receive a rod-shaped article; ⋅an inductive sensor (5) located at a seat (41) of the plurality, the inductive sensor (5) including a coil (51) defining an inner volume (50) large enough to receive therein an end of the rod-shaped article, the inductive sensor (5) being adapted to sense a characteristic of a susceptor (12) in the rod-shaped article; ⋅wherein the coil (51) includes a first semi-coil and a second semi-coil, the first semi-coil and/or the second semi-coil being movable from a first operative position where the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil are in contact to each other forming the coil (51) where current can flow to a second operative position where the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil are separated from each other and no current can flow, and vice-versa; ⋅the first semi-coil being located below the outer surface (13,40) of the drum (4) and the second semi-coil being located above the outer surface (13,40) of the drum (4); and ⋅an actuator (6) adapted to move the first semi-coil and the second semi-coil from the first operative position to the second operative position and vice-versa.