JP2989171B2 - Cigarette inspection device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can inspect the state of the tip of a continuously manufactured cigarette, and can easily and reliably detect the occurrence of falling of cigarettes from the tip of the cigarette. The present invention relates to a cigarette inspection device.

[0002]

[Related Background Art] Cigarettes (cigarettes)
Generally, cut tobacco, which is continuously supplied at a controlled filling amount, is continuously rolled up in the longitudinal direction using a long wrapping paper, and then the bar-wound tobacco (tobacco rod) is sequentially rolled to a predetermined length. Cut and supply to filter attachment. Then, with this filter attachment, a filter is attached to one end of the cigarette intermediate having the predetermined length, thereby producing a cigarette with a filter.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, for example, a plurality of cigarettes are arranged side by side while sequentially performing a predetermined role, and are sequentially transported in a pipeline. A cigarette transport path 1 composed of a transport drum, a filter plug supply unit 2 for supplying filter chips F to the transport path 1, and a paper supply unit for supplying chip paper P, which is a roll of the filter chips F, to the transport path 1. 3 still,
The cigarette transport path 1 includes cutter mechanisms 4 and 5 for cutting cigarettes and filter chips F, and chip paper P.
The paper wrapping mechanism 6 for mounting the filter tip F on the cigarette by using is installed.

[0004] The filter attachment having the above-mentioned structure has a so-called double cigarette D, which corresponds to the length of two cigarettes sequentially cut out from the stick cigarette.
Is supplied. In the filter attachment, the double cigarette D is first divided into two using the cutter mechanism 4, and a filter chip F is supplied between the cigarettes S to produce a cigarette intermediate I. Then, the filter tip F is wound around the rear end of the cigarette S using the tip paper P, thereby obtaining a cigarette DFS with a filter having a filter attached to the rear end of the cigarette S. Next, the center of the filter tip F in the filter cigarette DFS is cut by using the cutter mechanism 5, whereby two filter cigarettes FS are simultaneously obtained. One of the filter-attached cigarettes FS, which has been cut off by the above-mentioned cutting, is turned over, and then assembled together with the other filter-attached cigarettes FS, sent to the next step, and packaged.

[0005]

In the cigarette FS manufactured as described above, when the cigarette is conveyed through the cigarette conveying path 1 including the plurality of conveying drums while being subjected to predetermined processing, Due to the undesired twist or the like added to S, the tobacco cut may fall off from the tip. Such shredded tobacco drastically degrades the quality of the product as a cigarette and must therefore be eliminated before its packaging.

Therefore, conventionally, the rear part (near the last stage) of the cigarette conveying path 1 formed by the plurality of conveying drums.
And an optical sensor for detecting the tip of the tobacco at the tip of the cigarette FS. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the optical sensor includes photodiodes (light emitting elements) 6a and 6b that irradiate light to the front end of the cigarette FS in an oblique direction, and the photo sensors 6a and 6b sandwiching the front end of the cigarette FS. Photodiodes (light receiving elements) 7 arranged opposite to the diodes 6a and 6b, respectively.
a, 7b. Then, the tobacco cut from the tip of the cigarette FS falls down first, so that the light from the photodiodes 6a and 6b is not interrupted by the tip of the cigarette FS and the photodiodes 7a and 7b are not blocked.
When the light is received by b, it is detected as the occurrence of a drop of the tobacco.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the outputs of the photodiodes 7a and 7b are ORed, and when light is detected by one of the photodiodes 7a and 7b, the photodiode 8 in the output stage is turned off. By driving the light emission, a detection signal (exclusion signal) of occurrence of premature drop is output. When such an exclusion signal is output, the cigarette FS
The discharge mechanism (not shown) operates in synchronization with the transport of the cigarette FS, and selectively removes the cigarette FS in which the falling edge has occurred.

However, the falling edge detecting mechanism configured as described above only binarizes whether or not the light emitted from the photodiodes 7a and 7b is blocked by the tip of the cigarette FS. For example, there is a problem that it is not possible to detect a minute tip-down or a local tip-down state. In particular, since it is determined whether or not light is blocked by the front end of the cigarette FS, the tip-down state of the cut tobacco at the periphery of the front end of the cigarette FS is exclusively monitored. Therefore cigarette FS
Even if a drop occurs at the center of the front end portion, there is a problem that if the light is blocked by the peripheral portion, the light cannot be detected.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to easily and surely detect the falling state of various forms of a cut cigarette at the tip of a cigarette. An object of the present invention is to provide a highly practical cigarette inspection device that can greatly contribute to the improvement of the production quality of cigarettes.

[0010]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cigarette inspecting apparatus for inspecting whether or not a cigarette tip has fallen from a cigarette tip. Thus, a regulating guide that contacts the rear end of the cigarette conveyed side by side and aligns the cigarette, and a leading end of the cigarette separated by a predetermined distance from the cigarette conveyed aligned by the regulating guide A laser light is locally applied to the tip of the cigarette provided at a position facing the
Detecting reflected light and detecting the ray at the cigarette tip
Laser measurement for optically measuring the distance to the light irradiation site
And a distance meter, said further with the conveyance of the cigarette
The tip of the cigarette, which is sequentially detected by scanning the tip of the cigarette in the diameter direction by a laser measuring device ,
The present invention is characterized in that there is provided a first-fall determining means for determining whether or not the first tobacco has fallen from the front end of the cigarette according to a distance to a laser beam irradiation site .

According to the present invention, as described in claim 2,
The cigarette is held in parallel with the rotation axis of the drum on the peripheral surface of the drum, and is incorporated in a device configured to transport the cigarette by rotation of the drum. And the regulating position regulates the holding position of the cigarette held and conveyed by the drum.

A preferred embodiment of the present invention is described in claim 3.
Measurement of the distance to the tip of the cigarette by the laser length measuring device , in synchronization with the transport timing of the cigarette, the tip of the cigarette is a measurement target area by the laser length measuring device , In other words, the method is characterized in that it is performed only when the laser beam is guided to the laser beam irradiation site .

According to a preferred aspect of the present invention, as described in claim 4 , the average value of the distance from the tip of the cigarette to the laser beam irradiation site sequentially obtained by scanning the tip of the cigarette is determined. Is characterized in that the occurrence of falling of the tobacco is detected by comparing with the judgment threshold value. Alternatively, as described in claim 5 , a laser beam at the tip portion which is sequentially obtained by scanning the tip portion of the cigarette.
Is characterized in that the distance to the irradiated part is compared with a predetermined limit value to detect the occurrence of falling of the tobacco. Furthermore Leh at tip portions sequentially obtained by scanning the tip of the cigarette as described in claim 6
The method is characterized in that the difference between the maximum distance and the minimum distance in the distance to the irradiation area of the light is compared with a predetermined threshold value, and the occurrence of falling of the tobacco is detected.

[0014]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A cigarette inspection apparatus according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

This cigarette inspecting apparatus is, for example, a filter-attached cigarette D in a cigarette transporting path 1 composed of a plurality of transport drums in a filter attachment configured as shown in FIG.
The central portion of the filter chip F in the FS is cut by using the cutter mechanism 5 and is incorporated in a drum portion for transporting the two filter-equipped cigarettes FS obtained by this.

As shown schematically in FIG. 1, the cigarette inspection apparatus is provided along the peripheral surface of a drum 11 and is conveyed while being held on the peripheral surface of the drum 11 in parallel with its rotation axis. Cigarette (cigarette F with filter
S) a regulating guide 12 for regulating the holding position of the cigarette FS by contacting the rear end portion, specifically, the rear end surface of the filter F, thereby aligning the cigarette FS conveyed by the drum 11; I have.

The drum 11 is provided with a plurality of semicircular arc-shaped grooves (not shown) provided in parallel at equal angular intervals in the circumferential direction, for example, and a filter is provided in these grooves by using a negative pressure. By adsorbing and holding the cigarette FS, a plurality of filter-attached cigarettes FS are sequentially conveyed side by side. In particular, in this drum 11, it is cut as described above and supplied in a state opposite to each other.
The filter-attached cigarettes FS are arranged in the axial direction of the drum 11 and are simultaneously transported. Therefore, the regulation guides 12 are provided along the center of the peripheral surface of the drum 11 in correspondence with the two filter cigarettes FS.

These regulating guides 12 are provided with guide portions 12a which extend from the supply end side of the filter-attached cigarette FS to the transport portion thereof and are curved outward in the axial direction of the drum 11. Then, the guide portion 12a guides the rear end face of the filter F of the cigarette FS with the filter so that the cigarette FS is transferred to the drum 11
Of the cigarette FS by the drum 11 so as to align the holding position of the cigarette FS.
Are arranged and transported.

On the other hand, an optical sensor 13 is provided at a position facing the front end of the cigarette FS held and transported by the drum 11 at a predetermined distance from the cigarette FS whose holding position is defined as described above. I have. Specifically, the optical sensor 13 is separated from the regulation guide 12 that regulates the holding position of the cigarette FS by a fixed distance (the sum of the length L of the cigarette FS and a predetermined detection reference distance do). It is provided in the position where it was. Incidentally the optical sensor 13, for example, the locally irradiated with laser light L having a predetermined beam diameter toward the distal end of the cigarette FS, rates at the tip of the cigarette FS receives the reflected light
It is composed of a laser length measuring device for measuring the distance d to the irradiation part of the light .

Since the optical sensor 13 comprising the laser length measuring device transports the cigarette FS by the rotation of the drum 11 as shown in FIG.
The tip of the cigarette FS is scanned in the diametrical direction along with the above-mentioned transport while the length measurement position is fixed, and the laser beam irradiation section at the tip is
The distance d to the position will be measured continuously. At this time, the photodiodes (light emitting devices) 6a, 6 shown in FIG.
b and phototransistors (light receivers) 7a and 7b are used together, and as shown in FIG. 3, light La and L are obliquely applied to the edge of the tip of the cigarette FS as shown in FIG.
It is of course possible to irradiate b and detect whether or not these lights La and Lb are blocked by the tip of the cigarette FS, and to judge simultaneously the falling of the notched tobacco at the tip of the cigarette FS.

As described above, the detection of the tip of the cut cigarette based on the distance d to the tip of the cigarette FS measured using the laser beam L is performed as follows. still,
The measurement of the distance d to the leading end of the cigarette FS by the laser light L is performed at a timing at which the leading end of the cigarette FS is irradiated with the laser light L in synchronization with the transport of the filtered cigarette FS by the drum 11. . Incidentally, the control of the measurement timing is performed by, for example, the laser light L
May be performed in synchronization with the transport of the cigarette FS, or the collection timing of the distance data continuously measured using the laser light L may be synchronized with the transport of the cigarette FS. May be controlled. Regardless of the control mode, the point is that only the distance d when the tip of the cigarette FS is scanned is continuously obtained, and is used for the falling edge determination process described below.

This early-fall determination processing is executed by the early-fall determination unit 14 shown in FIG.
When the distance d measured by scanning the front end of the cigarette FS is given as [d1, d2, d3, to dn] as shown in FIG.
The distance (reference distance) to do is set as do, and the above-mentioned drop distance a is obtained by [measurement distance]-[reference distance] = [drop distance], and the average value A of these drop distances is obtained as its evaluation value. You. However, if the measurement distance is shorter than the reference distance,
It is desirable to eliminate the protruding portion of the cut tobacco from the evaluation of the falling edge by replacing the falling distance with zero (0). Specifically, d1−do = a1, d2−do = a2, d3−do = a3,.
Assuming that dn-do = an, the drop distance a at each portion in the diameter direction of the tip of the cigarette FS is obtained, and the average value A is obtained as A = (a1 + a2 + a3 +... + an) / n. Then, the average value A is compared with a predetermined determination threshold value Ao, and when the average value A is less than the determination threshold value Ao, the average value A may be cut to determine that the falling edge of the tobacco has occurred. In other words, the drop amount a of the tobacco cut from the tip reference surface of the cigarette FS is sequentially obtained by scanning the tip portion in the diameter direction, and the average drop amount of the tobacco cut from the average value A is obtained. Determine the occurrence.

Thus, according to the present apparatus for judging the falling of the cut tobacco from the front end of the cigarette FS, the depth of the cut tobacco at the front end can be directly evaluated. Even if the light La, Lb emitted from the oblique direction is still blocked by the tip of the cigarette FS, it is possible to reliably detect the tip-down. In other words, even when the tip of the cigarette FS is dropped only at the center of the front end of the cigarette FS, this can be easily and reliably detected. Moreover, whether or not the light La, Lb is blocked, in other words, the light L, by the phototransistors 7a, 7b.
Since it is not a digital (binary) determination of whether or not a and Lb are received, the actual fall of the tobacco from the reference plane is evaluated to determine the fall ahead.
The determination accuracy can be made very high.

Instead of detecting the average value of the drop amount described above, it is also possible to determine the preceding drop by comparing with the allowable limit value of the drop amount, for example, as shown in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 4 (c), it is also possible to determine the degree of the irregularities from the change in the distance d when the tip of the cigarette FS is scanned, and to determine whether the cigarette FS has fallen.

That is, as shown in FIG.
The tip of S is scanned and the distance d to the tip is [d1, d
2, d3, to dn]. Then, the limit value D with respect to the distance is set to [do +
ao], and the distances [d1, d2, d3, to dn] measured as described above are sequentially compared with the limit value D. Then, when the distance d exceeding the limit value D is measured, this may be determined as the tip of the cut cigarette from the cigarette FS.

Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 4C, the minimum distance dmin and the maximum distance in the distances [d1, d2, d3,... Dn] to the tip of the cigarette FS measured by scanning the tip of the cigarette FS. d
The distance difference Dp-p is determined as Dp-p = dmax-dmin, and the distance difference Dp-p is compared with a predetermined determination threshold W set in advance. Then, the distance difference Dp-p is equal to the determination threshold W.
Is exceeded, it may be determined that this is due to the tip of the cut tobacco from the tip of the cigarette FS.

In this manner, even if the judgment of the falling of the cigarette FS is executed, the occurrence of the falling of the cigarette from the tip of the cigarette FS can be detected simply and accurately as in the previous embodiment. Incidentally, each of the above-described determination processes may be selectively executed by the early-fall determination unit 14, but all of them are executed to comprehensively determine each determination result, that is, the early-fall is determined by any of the determinations. When it is detected, this may be recognized as the occurrence of early fall.

The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment. For example, in the embodiment, the tip of the cigarette FS is scanned using the laser beam L composed of one beam, but the scanning lines are made plural by using a plurality of laser measuring devices provided in parallel. Is also possible.
Not only cigarette FS with filter. It is also possible to perform the drop detection similarly for a so-called double-cut cigarette without a filter. In this case, it is only necessary to execute the drop detection for each of both ends.

Further, a judgment threshold value Ao for the average dip amount A obtained from the distance d, a limit value D for the measured distance,
Further, the determination threshold value W for the distance difference Dp-p or the like may be determined in advance according to the actual measurement value of the quality determination for various falling-down states, the evaluation criteria, and the like. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the gist thereof.

[0030]

As described above, according to the present invention, measurement is performed by the optical sensor provided opposite to the front end of the cigarette at a predetermined distance from the cigarette conveyed in alignment with the regulating guide. Since the presence or absence of the tip of the cut tobacco from the cigarette tip is determined according to the distance to the cigarette tip, even a local tip can be easily and reliably detected. Becomes In particular, since the occurrence of a drop is determined according to the distance to the tip rather than the binary determination process of determining whether light is blocked by the tip of the cigarette, the detection accuracy can be dramatically increased.

[0031] According to the second aspect of the invention, while easily regulate the holding position of the cigarette can be performed earlier drop detection, also good accuracy by a simple According to the invention of claim 3
It can measure the distance to the comb gullet tip.

According to the fourth, fifth and sixth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to easily determine the occurrence of the falling edge according to the distance to the tip of the cigarette. Can be played.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a cigarette inspection device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing a state of scanning of a cigarette tip in the cigarette inspection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the principle of measuring the distance to a cigarette selection unit in the cigarette inspection device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a concept of a process of determining a falling edge based on a measured distance d to a cigarette tip.

FIG. 5 is a diagram schematically illustrating a schematic configuration of a filter attachment and a filter mounting process in the tobacco hoisting apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an optical arrangement of a photodiode (light-emitting device) and a phototransistor (light-receiving device) in a conventional falling edge detection device.

FIG. 7 is a circuit configuration diagram of the point drop detector shown in FIG. 6;

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 Conveying drum 12 Regulation guide 13 Optical sensor (laser length measuring device) 14 Falling edge judgment part FS cigarette with filter

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-6-197746 (JP, A) JP-A-60-114184 (JP, A) JP-A-50-157600 (JP, A) JP-A-58-1007164 (JP, A) , A) JP-B-56-32907 (JP, B2) JP-B-59-25594 (JP, B2) JP-B-58-5517 (JP, Y2) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁶ , DB Name) A24C 5/34

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A cigarette inspecting device for inspecting the occurrence of dropping of a tobacco from a cigarette tip, wherein the regulating guide abuts a rear end of the cigarette conveyed side by side to align the cigarette. A laser beam is provided at a position facing the tip of the cigarette at a predetermined distance from the cigarette conveyed aligned and conveyed by the regulation guide, and the tip of the cigarette is irradiated with laser light.
While irradiating locally, the reflected light is detected to
A laser length measuring device that optically measures the distance to the laser beam irradiation portion at the tip of the cigarette; and the cigarette tip is scanned in the diameter direction by the laser measuring device along with the transport of the cigarette. Then order
The laser light at the cigarette tip to be detected next
A cigarette inspecting device, comprising: a falling edge judging means for judging whether or not the cigarette tip has fallen from the tip of the cigarette according to the distance to the irradiated part . 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the cigarette is held on a peripheral surface of the drum in parallel with a rotation axis of the drum, and is conveyed along with the rotation of the drum. 2. The cigarette inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the cigarette inspection device is provided along the rear surface of the filter and abuts on a rear end surface of a filter attached to a rear end of the cigarette to restrict a holding position of the cigarette by the drum. 3. A measurement of the distance to the cigarette tip by the laser measuring instrument, in synchronization with the conveyance timing of the cigarette, the cigarette tip the laser length
Cigarette inspection device according to claim 1, characterized in that it is only performed when it is guided to the measurement target region by the vessel. 4. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said falling edge determining means scans a tip portion of said cigarette in a diametrical direction thereof and calculates an average value of a distance to said laser beam irradiation portion at said tip portion by a predetermined value. The cigarette inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the occurrence of the dropping of the tobacco is detected by comparing with a determination threshold value. Wherein said destination drop judging means, the distance to the irradiation area of the laser light in the tip end portion sequentially obtained by scanning over the tip of the cigarette in its diameter direction, and a predetermined limit value 2. The cigarette inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the detection of the occurrence of the dropping of the cut tobacco is compared. Wherein said destination drop determination unit, in the distance to the irradiation area of the laser beam at the distal end successively determined by scanning across the tip the diameter direction of the cigarette, the maximum distance and the minimum 2. The cigarette inspection device according to claim 1, wherein the difference from the distance is compared with a predetermined threshold value to detect the occurrence of tipping of the tobacco.