Patent ID: 6542234
Filing Date: 2003-04-01
Classification: A24B,A24C,G01N

Abstract:
A method of detecting the particles of a tobacco particle stream in the production of smokable articles comprising the following features:a) scanning the tobacco particle stream by means of a first fine-beam light barrier having a beam diameter (Ds), b) which is smaller than the dimensions of the tobacco particles; c) evaluating an average dimension (a) and an average volume (V) of the tobacco particles from the distribution of the dimensions (ai) of the tobacco particles determined by darkening of the fine-beam light barrier; d) determining the velocity (v) of the tobacco particles by using a second fine-beam light barrier arranged at a defined spacing (b12) away from said first fine-beam light barrier, said velocity computed from the flight time (t12) between said two fine-beam light barriers and their known spacing (b12); e) wherein a particle time window is defined for each detected particle in which no further particles are registered.