TAGGANT INSPECTION SYSTEM

Abstract

A system is provided for checking a presence and integrity of taggant applied to components of aerosol-generating articles during manufacture of the aerosol-generating articles on a manufacturing line, the system including: a first sensor configured to detect a taggant applied to a surface of a material web and to determine that the taggant has been applied to meet a predetermined continuity of application quality condition; and a second sensor located downstream of the first sensor on the manufacturing line, the second sensor configured to inspect portions of the material web after the material web has been cut into portions and to confirm at least one of a predetermined profile of the taggant and a predetermined concentration of the taggant. A method of checking a presence and integrity of taggant applied to components of aerosol-generating articles during manufacture of the articles on a manufacturing line is also provided.

Claims

1.-15. (canceled)

16. A system for checking a presence and integrity of taggant applied to components of aerosol-generating articles during manufacture of the aerosol-generating articles on a manufacturing line, the system comprising: at least one first sensor configured to detect a taggant applied to a surface of a material web and to determine that the taggant has been applied to meet a predetermined continuity of application quality condition; and at least one second sensor located downstream of the at least one first sensor on the manufacturing line, the at least one second sensor configured to inspect portions of the material web after the material web has been cut into portions and to confirm at least one of a predetermined profile of the taggant and a predetermined concentration of the taggant.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein the material web is tipping paper.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein the taggant is applied to the material web in a form of at least one substantially continuous band along a length of the material web.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to indicate a fault condition if the at least one first sensor detects an interruption in the at least one substantially continuous band.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to indicate a fault condition if the at least one first sensor detects a variation outside a predetermined range in an amount of taggant per unit length applied along the at least one substantially continuous band or in an amount of taggant per unit length applied along at least one of the at least two substantially continuous bands.

21. The system according to claim 16, wherein the cut portions of the material web are configured as circumferential wrappers in rod-shaped articles, and wherein the taggant is present on exterior surfaces of the circumferential wrappers.

22. The system according to claim 21, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to inspect each circumferential wrapper at only one rotational orientation of a rod-shaped article with respect to a longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped article.

23. The system according to claim 16, wherein the at least one first sensor or the at least one second sensor or the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are configured to operate using electromagnetic waves having a wavelength or having wavelengths in at least one of an ultraviolet spectrum, a visible light spectrum, and an infra-red spectrum.

24. The system according to claim 23, wherein the at least one first sensor and the at least one second sensor are configured to operate using electromagnetic radiation of different wavelengths.

25. The system according to claim 16, wherein the taggant is a phosphorescent taggant having a predetermined emission half-life, and wherein the at least one first sensor is configured to detect a phosphorescent response from the taggant but not to verify or determine the emission half-life of the phosphorescent taggant.

26. The system according to claim 25, wherein the at least one second sensor is configured to verify or determine the emission half-life of the phosphorescent taggant.

27. A method of checking a presence and integrity of taggant applied to components of aerosol-generating articles during manufacture of the aerosol-generating articles on a manufacturing line, the method comprising: providing at least one first sensor; operating the at least one first sensor to detect a taggant applied to a surface of a material web and to determine that the taggant has been applied to meet a predetermined continuity of application quality condition; providing at least one second sensor located downstream of the at least one first sensor on the manufacturing line; and operating the at least one second sensor to inspect portions of the material web after the material web has been cut into portions and to confirm at least one of a predetermined profile of the taggant and a predetermined concentration of the taggant.

28. The method according to claim 27, wherein the at least one first sensor indicates a fault condition if the at least one first sensor detects a variation outside a predetermined range in an amount of taggant per unit length applied along at least one substantially continuous band.

29. The method according to claim 27, wherein the taggant is a phosphorescent taggant having a predetermined emission half-life, and wherein the at least one first sensor detects a phosphorescent response from the taggant but does not verify or determine the emission half-life of the phosphorescent taggant.

30. The method according to claim 29, wherein the at least one second sensor verifies or determines the emission half-life of the phosphorescent taggant.

Description

[0155] Examples will now be further described with reference to the figures in which:

[0156] FIG. 1 shows an aerosol-generating article manufacturing line in schematic form, comprising a rod-making section and a combiner section;

[0157] FIG. 2 shows the combiner section of FIG. 1 in cross-sectional view;

[0158] FIG. 3 shows an arrangement where a band of material web runs past a pair of first sensors;

[0159] FIG. 4 shows an arrangement where rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles on the surface of a conveyor drum pass under a second sensor;

[0160] FIG. 5 shows an arrangement where a band of material web runs past three first sensors;

[0161] FIG. 6 shows an arrangement where a band of material web runs past a pair of first sensor front ends electrically connected to a controller; and

[0162] FIG. 7 shows an arrangement where double length rods on the surface of a conveyor drum pass under two second sensors.

[0163] FIG. 1 shows a manufacturing line 100 comprising a rod-making section 200 and a combiner section 300. In the rod-making section 100, rod-shaped components A, B and C are placed onto a continuous band of wrapper material supported by a garniture tape. The garniture tape, wrapper material and rod-shaped components then pass longitudinally along direction T1 through a shaping assembly that curves the garniture tape and the supported band of wrapper material around the segments A, B and C so as to form a continuous rod CR. The continuous rod CR is then cut into individual wrapped rods 1 by a cutter 210.

[0164] Component A may be a filter rod, component B may be a hollow acetate tube, and component C may be a tobacco rod, although this is just a non-limiting example.

[0165] After cutting, the individual wrapped rods 1 are passed on to the combiner section 300, shown in more detail in FIG. 2. The individual wrapped rods 1 travel through the combiner section 300 in an overall general direction T2. In the illustrated example, the individual wrapped rods 1 are disposed substantially transverse to the direction T2.

[0166] The combiner section 300 is configured to take individual wrapped rods 1 that have been cut from the continuous rod CR and to arrange the individual wrapped rods 1 pair-wise, each pair of individual wrapped rods 1 being disposed along a straight line generally transverse to the direction of travel T2. Each pair of individual wrapped rods 1 is linearly arranged so that a segment A of one individual wrapped rod 1 is closest to a segment A of its corresponding individual wrapped rod 1 in the pair, with a space between respective segments A of the pair.

[0167] A further rod-shaped segment D is then placed in the space between the individual wrapped rods 1 of each pair, and a tipping paper (not shown in FIG. 1) is wrapped around the rod-shaped segment D and the facing ends of each pair of individual wrapped rods 1 so as to form a double length rod (not shown in FIG. 1). The rod-shaped segment D may be a mouthpiece.

[0168] The double rods are then cut in half through the tipping paper and the rod-shaped segment D so as to form individual aerosol-generating articles 310.

[0169] FIG. 2 shows a cross-section through the combiner section 300 of FIG. 1. A placement device 320 takes individual wrapped rods 1 from the rod-making section 200 and arranges the individual wrapped rods 1 pairwise in an end-to-end configuration in grooves on a surface of a first conveyor drum 330. Generally, the individual wrapped rods 1 are temporarily held in the groove of the conveyor drum 330 by pneumatic suction.

[0170] The pairs of individual wrapped rods 1 are passed along direction T2 by way of a sequence of rotating conveyor drums 331, 332, 333 and 334. During passage along direction T2, the individual wrapped rods 1 are positioned precisely relative to each other so as to provide a gap between segment A ends of each pair of individual wrapped rods 1. Operational details of conveyor drums in combiner machines are known to those skilled in the art, and need not be described in detail in the present disclosure.

[0171] Rod-shaped segments D, for example mouthpieces, are placed in the spaces between segment A ends of respective pairs of individual wrapped rods 1 on conveyor drum 334 by way of conveyor drums 340, 341 and 342.

[0172] The pairs of individual wrapped rods 1 with their centrally-disposed rod-shaped segments D are then passed further along direction T2 by way of conveyor drums 335 and 336.

[0173] At conveyor drum 335, each pair of individual wrapped rods 1 with its centrally-disposed rod-shaped segment D is provided with a tipping paper that is wrapped around the rod-shaped segment D and the facing ends of each pair of individual wrapped rods 1 so as to form double length rods 9, which are then passed on to conveyor drum 336 and then on to conveyor drum 6. The double length rods 9 are subsequently cut in half through the tipping paper and the rod-shaped segment D so as to form individual aerosol-generating articles 310.

[0174] Instead of forming double length rods 9 from end-to-end arranged individual wrapped rods 1 and centrally-disposed rod-shaped segments D, it is also possible for a combiner 300 to be configured to transport individual wrapped rods 1 as a single, rather than a double, stream along direction T2. In this alternative, rod-shaped segments D are individually attached to segment A ends of each individual wrapped rod 1 by way of tipping paper, and no subsequent cutting step is required. However, combiners 300 that process double length rods 9 generally have a greater throughput than combiners that only process single rods.

[0175] The general operation of the rod-making section 200 and the combiner section 300 is known to those skilled in the art, and will not be described in further detail in the present disclosure.

[0176] Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, embodiments of the present disclosure particularly relate to a part of the manufacturing line 100 where a material web 2, for example tipping paper, is dispensed from a bobbin 4 at a relatively high speed. The material web 2 passes a first sensor 10 at the relatively high speed, and is then cut into tipping paper portions at drum 339 by a cutter 5. The cut tipping paper portions of the material web 2 are then used to join the individual wrapped rods 1 to their respective rod-shaped segments D (either to form individual rods or double length rods 9) at the interface between drums 335 and 339. The individual wrapped rods 1 and the rod-shaped segments D are joined by wrapping the cut tipping paper portions around the interface between the individual wrapped rods 1 and the rod-shaped segments D with an adhesive or the like. The rods are then transferred via conveyor drum 336 to conveyor drum 6, where they pass a second sensor 20 at a relatively low speed. In this context, the speeds of travel past the respective first sensor 10 and second sensor 20 are defined relative to each other, i.e. the speed of travel of the material web 2 past the first sensor 10 is much higher than the speed of travel of the rods past the second sensor 20.

[0177] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment where a band of material web 2 to which a taggant has been applied in two substantially continuous bands 3, 33 along the length of the material web 2. The two continuous bands 3, 33 of taggant have been applied to an upper surface of the band of material web 2 substantially parallel to each other, and also substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction of the band of material web 2. In the embodiment of FIG. 3, two first sensors 10, 11 are provided, with one first sensor 10 configured to inspect one of the continuous bands 3 of taggant, and the other first sensor 11 configured to inspect the other of the continuous bands 33 of taggant. The first sensor 10 comprises an emitter configured to emit a pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation 350 towards the band 3 of taggant on the material web 2, and a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation 360 emitted by the band 3 of taggant on the material web 2 in response to the pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation 350. When the pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation 350 is on, photons are absorbed by the band 3 of taggant as a result of electron transitions in the taggant. When the pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation 350 is off, the electrons in the taggant will return to a lower energy state, resulting in emission of the electromagnetic radiation 360 that is detected by the first sensor 10. Similarly, the other first sensor 11 comprises an emitter configured to emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation 351 towards the other band 33 of taggant on the material web 2, and a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation 361 emitted by the other band 33 of taggant on the material web 2. The receivers of the first sensors 10, 11 may continue to be operational both when the emitters of the first sensors 10, 11 are on and when the emitters of the first sensors 10, 11 are off. While the emitters of the first sensors 10, 11 are on, and for a short period thereafter, the receivers of the first sensors 10, 11 may indicate a maximum emission signal, after which a received and detected intensity of received electromagnetic radiation 360, 361 will start to decrease from the maximum level, indicating the presence of sufficient taggant in the band 3 of taggant. By appropriate selection of the pulse width and frequency of the pulsed beam of electromagnetic radiation 350, 351 in combination with a speed of travel of the band of material web 2 past the first sensors 10, 11, it is possible to determine whether or not the taggant has been applied to meet a predetermined continuity of application quality condition.

[0178] The first sensors 10, 11 are preferably not configured to detect a predetermined profile of the taggant. Alternatively or in addition, the first sensors 10, 11 are preferably not configured to detect a predetermined concentration of the taggant. Detecting a predetermined profile of a taggant is generally a slower process than detecting a taggant continuity of application quality condition, since detecting the predetermined profile usually requires analysing a rate of decay of intensity of electromagnetic radiation 360, 361 emitted by the taggant and performing appropriate calculations. This analysis typically takes a time of the order of milliseconds. Similar considerations apply to detecting a predetermined concentration of the taggant. Accordingly, band of material web 2 can be run past the first sensors 10, 11 at a higher speed than would be possible if it was necessary for the first sensors 10, 11 to detect a predetermined profile or concentration of the taggant. This means that the speed of travel of the band of material web 2 past the first sensors 10, 11 is not unduly limited, thus improving speed of manufacture of the aerosol-generating articles.

[0179] If the first sensor or sensors 10, 11 detects an interruption or discontinuity in the band or bands of taggant 3, 33 applied to the band of material web 2, then a signal may be given to reject an aerosol-generating article 310 comprising a tipping paper 400 bearing the interrupted or discontinuous band or bands of taggant 3, 33. In extreme situations, such as the first sensor or sensors 10, 11 detecting that no taggant 3 is present at all on an extended length of material web 2, the manufacturing line 100 may be temporarily stopped so as to allow a replacement bobbin 4 of material web 2 to be installed.

[0180] FIG. 4 shows in detail a plurality of rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles 310 on the conveyor drum 6 of FIG. 2. Each aerosol-generating article 310 comprises an individual wrapped rod 1 joined to a rod-shaped segment D by a cut portion of the band of material web 2 (not shown in FIG. 4) configured as a tipping paper 400. In the illustrated embodiment, the band of material web 2 has only a single continuous band 3 of taggant. The aerosol-generating articles 310 are held in grooves 410 on the surface of the conveyor drum 6, for example by way of pneumatic suction.

[0181] A second sensor 20 is mounted adjacent to the conveyor drum 6. The second sensor 20 comprises an emitter configured to emit a beam of electromagnetic radiation 430 towards the band 3 of taggant on the tipping paper 400, and a receiver configured to receive electromagnetic radiation 440 emitted by the band 3 of taggant on the tipping paper 400.

[0182] The conveyor drum 6 is configured to rotate about an axis 420. Preferably, the conveyor drum 6 is configured to rotate continuously. The speed of travel of the rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles 310 past the second sensor is less than the speed of travel of the band of material web 2 past the first sensor or sensors 10, 11. This means that there is sufficient time for the incident beam of electromagnetic radiation 430 to elicit a photoluminescent response from the taggant 3 on the tipping paper 400 and for the rate of decay of intensity of emitted electromagnetic radiation from the taggant 3 to be analysed. For example, the incident beam of electromagnetic radiation 430 may be directed at the taggant 3 on the tipping paper 400 for a first predetermined time, sufficient to excite electrons in the taggant 3 to a higher energy state, and the emitter in the second sensor may then be switched off. The electrons in the taggant 3 will then return to a lower energy state, emitting photons as the electromagnetic radiation 440 that is detected by the receiver in the second sensor 20. An emission half-life of the taggant 3 can be determined by measuring an intensity of the electromagnetic radiation 440 emitted by the taggant 3 and determining a time taken for the intensity to fall by 50% from a peak value at a time when the emitter in the second sensor 20 is switched off. The emission half-life of the taggant 3 can be correlated with a predetermined profile of the taggant 3. Alternatively or in addition, the emission half-life of the taggant can be correlated with a predetermined concentration of the taggant 3.

[0183] The conveyor drum 6 continues to rotate so that the next aerosol-generating article 310 passes under the second sensor 20, and the emitter of the second sensor 20 is switched on again to repeat the process described above.

[0184] Importantly, because the first sensor or sensors 10, 11 have already checked the predetermined continuity of application quality condition, there is no need to the aerosol-generating articles 310 to be rotated within the grooves 410 of the conveyor drum 6 when being inspected by the second sensor 20. It will already have been established by the first sensor or sensors 10, 11 that the band of taggant 3 has been applied evenly all the way around the tipping paper 400 on the aerosol-generating article 310. Accordingly, the second sensor 20 need only inspect the taggant 3 on the aerosol-generating articles 310 at a single rotational orientation of the aerosol-generating article 310 with respect to a longitudinal axis of the aerosol-generating article 310. This improves the speed of manufacture of the aerosol-generating articles, since the conveyor drum 6 can rotate more quickly than would be the case if it were necessary to inspect the taggant 3 on the tipping paper 400 in multiple rotational orientations of the aerosol-generating article.

[0185] If the second sensor 20 determines that the taggant 3 does not elicit the correct response to the incident beam of electromagnetic radiation 430, for example because the concentration of taggant 3 is too low, or because the taggant 3 is contaminated, then a signal may be given to reject the aerosol-generating article 310 (or double length rod 9) comprising the tipping paper 400 with the defective taggant 3.

[0186] Although the illustrated embodiment shows individual aerosol-generating articles 310, it will be understood that double length rods 9 could be conveyed by the drum, and two second sensors 20 could be provided so as to inspect the taggant on each half of the respective double length rods 9.

[0187] The taggant 3 may be applied to the band of material web 2 on the manufacturing line 100, for example by way of a spray nozzle. Alternatively, the band of material web 2 may have the taggant 3 applied before feeding into the manufacturing line 100. The band of material web 2 may have taggant 3 applied during manufacture, or prior to being wound onto the bobbin 4.

[0188] Preferably, the taggant 3 is applied to a surface of the band of material web 2 that will form an exterior surface of a tipping paper 400 on an aerosol-generating article 310. This means that electromagnetic radiation does not have to penetrate the tipping paper 400 before eliciting a photoluminescent response. This is also of benefit when the aerosol-generating article 310 is inserted into an aerosol-generating device (not shown) where electromagnetic radiation is used to identify a predetermined profile of the taggant 3 so as to identify a type or provenance of the aerosol-generating article 310.

[0189] However, there may be implementations where the taggant 3 is applied to a surface of the band of material web 2 that will form an interior surface of a tipping paper 400 on an aerosol-generating article 310. Although it is necessary for electromagnetic radiation to penetrate the tipping paper 400 in these implementations, locating the taggant 3 on the interior surface of the tipping paper 400 may help to prevent the taggant 3 from being inadvertently removed from the tipping paper 400 by rough handling or exposure to moisture.

[0190] Advantageously, the first sensor or sensors 10, 11 are positioned at a point in the production line 100 immediately before the band of material web 2 is cut into portions. This ensures that the continuity of application quality condition is determined after the band of material web 2 has been dispensed from the bobbin 4 and passed over a number of tensioning rollers, since these handling steps might themselves damage the band of applied taggant 3 and introduce unwanted discontinuities. By performing the continuity of application quality condition check immediately before cutting the band of material web 2 into portions, a more reliable indication of continuity of application quality around the tipping paper 400 on a finished aerosol-generating article is obtained.

[0191] FIG. 5 shows an implementation where a band of material web 2 bearing a single band of taggant 3 passes under three first sensors 10, 12, 13 arranged in a line along a direction of travel of the band of material web 2. For bands of material web 2 having two bands of taggant 3, 33 (as shown in FIG. 3), a corresponding plurality of first sensors 10, 12, 13 may be provided to check the continuity of application quality condition of the band of taggant 33 on the other edge of the band of material web 2. In the implementation of FIG. 5, the plurality of first sensors 10, 12, 13, arranged in line, means that each first sensor 10, 12, 13 checks a different section of the band of taggant 3, 33, thus enabling the band of material web 2 to travel even faster past the first sensors 10, 12, 13 in comparison to an implementation where the continuity of taggant application is checked by a single first sensor 10, thereby increasing production speed.

[0192] FIG. 6 shows a particular implementation of two first sensors 10, 11 in the form of front ends arranged side-by-side with the band of material web 2 passing below the two first sensors 10, 11. The band of material web 2 has two bands of taggant 3, 33. The two first sensor 10, 11 front ends are electrically connected to a controller 600. The controller 600 drives the first sensor 10, 11 front ends and receives signals from the first sensor 10, 11 front ends. Each first sensor 10, 11 front end comprises an emitter in the form of a laser diode or LED to emit electromagnetic radiation, and a receiver in the form of a photodiode or phototransistor to receive electromagnetic radiation. Each first sensor 10, 11 front end may be narrower than 36 mm in order to accommodate the narrowest commercial bands of material web 2 used for tipping paper. Different widths of bands of material web 2 may be accommodated by adjusting a spacing between the first sensor 10, 11 front ends. The control unit 600 may include, for each of the first sensor 10, 11 front ends, a programmable logic controller (PLC) connector 610 and a diagnostic connector 620.

[0193] FIG. 7 shows a particular implementation of two second sensors 20, 21 in the form of front ends arranged side-by-side above a conveyor drum 6 conveying double length rods 9 each formed from two individual wrapped rods 1 arranged end-to-end with an intervening rod-shaped segment D and joined by a tipping paper 400 with two bands of taggant 3, 33. The two second sensor 20, 21 front ends are electrically connected to a controller (not shown). The controller drives the second sensor 20, 21 front ends and receives signals from the second sensor 20, 21 front ends. Each second sensor 20, 21 front end comprises an emitter in the form of a laser diode or LED to emit electromagnetic radiation, and a receiver in the form of a photodiode or phototransistor to receive electromagnetic radiation emitted by the taggant 3, 33 in response to the electromagnetic radiation emitted by the laser diode or LED of the respective second sensor 20, 21 front end. The second sensor 20, 21 front ends may operate on a different measuring principle to the first sensor 10, 11 front ends. Instead of just checking for a fall-off of electromagnetic radiation from a maximum level, the receivers of the second sensor 20, 21 front ends are configured to determine a rate of decay of intensity of the photoluminescent response from the taggant 3, 33. For example, an emission half-life of a phosphorescent taggant 3, 33 can be determined by measuring a time taken for an intensity of electromagnetic radiation emitted as a phosphorescent response by the taggant 3, 33 to reduce by 50% from a peak value when the emitters of the second sensor 20, 21 front ends is switched off.

[0194] For the purpose of the present description and of the appended claims, except where otherwise indicated, all numbers expressing amounts, quantities, percentages, and so forth, are to be understood as being modified in all instances by the term about. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein. In this context, therefore, a number A is understood as A5% of A. Within this context, a number A may be considered to include numerical values that are within general standard error for the measurement of the property that the number A modifies. The number A, in some instances as used in the appended claims, may deviate by the percentages enumerated above provided that the amount by which A deviates does not materially affect the basic and novel characteristic(s) of the claimed invention. Also, all ranges include the maximum and minimum points disclosed and include any intermediate ranges therein, which may or may not be specifically enumerated herein.