Patent CZ-300817-B6 (CZ)
Title: Inspection station, system for optically detecting the characteristics of paper, system for the manufacture of cigarette paper and method for inspecting paper containing banded regions and non-banded regions
Inventor: BOKELMAN GORDON H
IPC: G01N21/89
Filed: 1998-07-10
Abstract: In the present invention, there is disclosed an inspection station (70) for inspecting a web structure (17) containing bands (34), comprising; a source (78) for generating electromagnetic radiation; a conduit for directing said electromagnetic radiation from said source (78); a distribution assembly (92) for receiving the electromagnetic radiation directed from said source (78) by said conduit, and directing said electromagnetic radiation onto the web structure (17) to induce reflections from a surface of said web structure; a line scan camera (84) for receiving said reflections, and generating output signals; and a processing unit (72, 76) for processing said output signals and ascertaining the characteristics of said bands from said output signals. There is also disclosed a system for optically detecting the characteristics of paper containing banded regions and non-banded regions (34), comprising: an inspection station (70) including a light source (78) for projecting a stripe of light laterally across a web structure (17) to generate reflected radiation indicative of said characteristics, and a camera (84) for receiving said reflected radiation to generate output signals; at least one processing unit (72, 76) for processing said output signals generated by said camera (84) to detect said characteristics, and for periodically transferring said detected characteristics to a computer workstation (150); and said computer workstation including statistical computing means for reporting said characteristics. There is further disclosed system for the manufacture of cigarette paper including banded regions and non-banded regions (34), including; a central tank 53 of fibrous slurry for the delivery of slurry to a head end (51), which forms a web structure (17) of said slurry material; a band application assembly (99) located downstream (54) of said head end (51) for forming one or more banded regions (Bi1 through Bi5) on said web structure (17); and an inspection station (70) located downstream of said band application assembly (99) for determining the characteristics of said banded regions and said non-banded regions (34), and the spatial relationship between said banded regions and said non-banded regions (34). There is further disclosed a method for inspecting paper containing banded regions and non-banded regions (34), including the steps of: directing light from a light source (78) laterally across a web structure (17) of said paper, said light forming reflections when it impinges on a surface of said web structure(17); receiving said reflections by a camera (84) to generate output signals; processing said output signals in a processing unit (72, 76) to generate one or more of the following properties: width of one or more banded regions (Bi1 through Bi5); spacing between one or more adjacent sets of banded regions (Bi1 through Bi5); contrast of one or more banded regions (Bi1 through Bi5); periodically communicating said one or more properties to a computer workstation (150).