Patent ID: 9402416
Filing Date: 2016-08-02
CPC Classification: A24C,A24D,G06K,G06T

Claim Text:
1. A system for assessing the acceptability of product filter rods, filters or filter elements which comprise a longitudinally extending core of filtering material including a longitudinal channel extending from an end of the core; the system comprising: (a) means for advancing a flow of product filter rods, filters or filter elements such that each filter rod, filter or filter element in the flow is oriented with the end of the filter rod, filter or filter element from which the longitudinal channel extends exposed; (b) means for capturing an image of an exposed end of a filter rod, filter or filter element in the advancing flow; (c) means for comparing the captured image with a stored image of a standard rod, filter or filter element; (d) means which determines, from differences between the captured image and the stored image of the standard rod, filter or filter element, a value for one or more of: and compares the or each determined value with a predetermined value to thereby assess whether the filter rod, filter or filter element is acceptable, wherein the value is or values are determined based on portions of the captured image which are different when the captured image is compared to the stored image of the standard rod, filter or filter element.