Patent ID: 7018096

Claim:
A temperature probe for measuring the internal temperature of a mass of packed tobacco product, said temperature probe comprising: an elongated tubular shaft having a hollow interior; an insulating structure mounted on said elongated shaft; a heat conducting structure coupled to said insulating structure; a thermocouple coupled to said heat conducting structure and extending into the hollow interior of said elongated shaft; a control device electrically communicated to said thermocouple and operable to determine a temperature from said thermocouple; and a lifting mechanism coupled to the elongated tubular shaft and the control device that moves the heat conducting structure and the elongated tubular shaft between a raised position and a lowered position, wherein when said heat conducting structure is disposed within a mass of packed tobacco product said heat conducting structure transmits thermal energy from the mass to said thermocouple and said insulating structure thermally isolates said heat conducting structure front said tubular shaft.