Patent ID: 9699416
Date: 2017-07-04
CPC Classifications: A24C,B65B,H04N

Claim:
1. A cigarette inspection apparatus comprising: a camera for acquiring, as an inspection image, an image of a filter-side end face of a bundle of filter-tipped cigarettes arranged side by side with axes of the filter-tipped cigarettes within the bundle being parallel relative to each other, said camera being located near a transfer path of the bundle and directed in an axial direction of the bundle of filter-tipped cigarettes arranged side by side, an analyzer for receiving the inspection image to analyze the cigarettes within the bundle for axial displacement, a determination section configured to obtain, in the inspection image, diameters of the individual cigarettes arranged side by side within the bundle and compare the obtained diameters of the cigarettes with normal diameters associated with the respective cigarettes in the inspection image to determine whether or not any one of the cigarettes arranged side by side within the bundle is protruding from the filter-side end face of the bundle, the normal diameters being determined beforehand in accordance with respective locations of the cigarettes in the inspection image.