Filing Information

Inventor(s)	Fernando Benini ·
Assignee(s)	BENINI FERNANDO ·  View assignee updates
Attorney/Agent(s)	Spencer & Kaye ·
Primary Examiner	John K. Corbin ·
Assistant Examiner	Punter; Wm. H. ·
Application Number	US5691919
Filing date	06/01/1976
Issue date	05/23/1978
Predicted expiration date	06/01/1996
U.S. Classifications	356/209  · 250/202  ·
International Classifications	G01N 2148  ·
Kind Code	A
International Classifications	356209;212;237 ·

Patent Family

Abstract

The device for the testing through optical inspection of the cigarette ends comprises two probes made of optical fibres, which probes are arranged orthogonally with respect to each other. A first probe inspects the end surface of the cigarette being tested by directing against the said end surface a beam of light, and picking up the light reflected, the intensity of which depends from the end surface itself and from the distance of said end surface with respect to the said first probe. A second probe inspects a portion of the side surface of the cigarette comprising also the end being tested, by directing against the side surface a beam of light which provides for an inspection field of which only one part is interested by the cigarette end, and picking up the light reflected by the said side surface, the intensity of which depends from the length of the portion of cigarette end which is covered by the field of inspection and which depends from the actual length of the cigarette or from its axial positioning with respect to the probes. The light reflected by the end surface and the light reflected by the side surface are transformed into electric signals, which are compared in algebraic relationship the one with the other, and the resulting signal is used as a measure for the testing of the cigarette end.

Independent Claims | See all claims (3)

1. 1. A method for the testing through optical inspection of cigarette ends, comprising the steps of:a) axially illuminating the end surface of the cigarette by a first source of light having a constant intensity, and utilizing the light reflected by the said end surface as a measure for the testing;b) illuminating a portion of the side surface of the same cigarette end by another source of light perpendicular to said first source of light and having a constant intensity, providing a predetermined field of inspection of which only one part covers said side surface, and utilizing the light reflected by the said side surface to compensate the variations of the said measure for the testing which are consequent to variations in the distance of the cigarette with respect to the said first source of light.
2. 3.3. A device for the testing through optical inspection of cigarette ends, comprising:a. a first fixed probe constructed of optical fibres and directed axially against the end surface of the cigarette to be tested, said first probe serving both for illuminating the said surface end and for picking the reflected light to convey it to a first photoelectric transducer connected to an electric circuit, for the conversion of the light reflected from the end surface of the cigarette into an electric signal presenting a component which corresponds to the distance between the said first probe and the cigarette end;b. a second fixed probe constructed of optical fibres and directed perpendicularly to the axis of the said first probe and to the axis of the cigarette, said second probe serving both for illuminating an inspection field of which only one part is provided by a portion of the side surface of the end of the cigarette to be tested, and for receiving the light reflected from the said portion of the side surface of the cigarette to convey it to a second photoelectric transducer connected to an electric circuit for the conversion of the light reflected by the side surface of the cigarette into an electric signal corresponding to the portion of said side surface being illuminated;c. means for comparing the said electric signals the one with respect to the other, so as to generate a resulting signal which is used as a measure for the testing of the cigarette end.