Method for automatically controlling the quality of cigarettes produced in a manufacturing process

Abstract

A method is disclosed for controlling the quality of cigarettes produced in a manufacturing process by periodically extracting a sample of filter sections from a plurality of filter sections to be used to manufacture such cigarettes, testing the sampled filter sections to determine the value of certain specified quality parameters; by periodically extracting a sample of completed cigarettes from a plurality of finished cigarettes, testing the selected cigarettes to determine the value of certain specified quality parameters which are related to the quality parameters of the filter segments which have been measured, and; by adjusting the operational controls of the cigarette making machinery in the manufacturing process according to a pre-established algorithm to correct for any undesirable variance between the measured values of the quality parameters computed from the filter segments sampled and the measured values of the related quality parameters computed from the completed cigarettes sampled and by repeating this process to ensure the quality of cigarettes being manufactured.

1 . A method for automatically controlling the quality of cigarettes produced in a manufacturing process which comprises the steps of: 
 a. automatically sampling and testing at least one component part to be used in manufacturing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter of said at least one component part;    b. automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter of said completed cigarettes, wherein the quality parameter of said completed cigarettes has a desired relationship to the quality parameter of said component part;    c. communicating the measured values of the quality parameters measured for said component part and said completed cigarettes to a computer;    d. evaluating said measured values of the quality parameter measured for said component part and said completed cigarettes by said computer in relation to stored data enabling said computer to:    (i) determine, according to a first pre-establish algorithm, whether an adjustment of the operational controls of at least one machine in the manufacturing process is required so that the relationship between the measured value of the quality parameter of said component part and the measured value of the quality parameter of said completed cigarettes will be optimal and if so, to determine, according to said first pre-established algorithm, the degree to which an adjustment of the operational controls of said at least one machine in the manufacturing process should be adjusted, and; 
 (ii) send an electronic signal by said computer to said at least one machine in the manufacturing process to make said adjustment in such degree as was determined by said computer;  
   e. adjusting said one machine in the manufacturing process in accordance with said electronic signal sent by said computer.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said automatic testing and sampling of a component part is done at regular intervals during said manufacturing process and wherein said automatic testing and sampling of completed cigarettes is done at regular intervals during said manufacturing process.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said automatic testing and sampling of a component part is done at intervals of less than five minutes during said manufacturing process and wherein said automatic testing and sampling of completed cigarettes is done at intervals of less than five minutes during said manufacturing process.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein said completed cigarettes automatically tested and sampled are completed cigarettes which are manufactured from the component parts drawn from the same sub-population as the sub-population of component parts which have been automatically tested and sampled.  
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one component part includes automatically sampling and testing filter sections.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter includes measuring the circumference of the tobacco component of said completed cigarettes, and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections includes measuring the circumference of said filter sections.  
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the pressure drop across said filter sections and where the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the ventilation of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one component part further includes automatically sampling and testing tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed at least one quality parameter of at least one component part includes measuring the density of tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 9  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the weight of said filter sections and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the weight of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one quality component of at least one component part includes measuring the weight of tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 11  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the weight of said filter sections and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the weight of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising the steps of 
 a. measuring during the production process by an in-line measuring device, the value of at least one quality parameter of at least one component part which quality parameter of said component part has a known relationship to at least one quality parameter measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes;    b. communicating said measured value of at least one quality parameter of said component part measured by said in-line measuring device to said computer;    c. evaluating said measured value of said quality parameter of said component part by said in-line measuring device in relation to the values of a least one quality parameter measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes by said computer to determine whether said measured value of at least one quality parameter of said component part measured by said in-line measuring device is accurate and if not, enabling said computer to: 
 (i) determine, according to a second pre-establish algorithm, whether a recalibration of said in-line measuring device is required and if so, to determine, according to said second pre-established algorithm, the degree to which such recalibration is required, and;  
 (ii) send an electronic signal by said computer to said at least one machine in the manufacturing process to recalibrate such in-line measuring device in such degree as was determined by said computer;  
   d. recalibrating said in-line measuring device in accordance with said electronic signal from said computer.    
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein said component parts include tobacco rod segments and filter sections.  
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the quality parameter measured by said in-line measuring device includes the density of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the weight of said completed cigarettes and wherein the quality parameters of filter sections measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said filter sections includes the weight of said filter sections.  
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the quality parameter measured by said in-line measuring device includes the weight of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the weight of said completed cigarettes and wherein the quality parameters of filter sections measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said filter sections includes the weight of said filter sections.  
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein the quality parameter of a said component part measured by said in-line measuring device includes the circumference of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the circumference of the tobacco component of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       18 . A method for automatically controlling the quality of cigarettes produced in a manufacturing process which comprises the steps of: 
 f. automatically sampling and testing at least one component part to be used in manufacturing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter of said at least one component part;    g. automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter of said completed cigarettes, wherein the quality parameter of said completed cigarettes has a desired relationship to the quality parameter of said component part;    h. communicating the measured values of the quality parameters measured for said component part and said completed cigarettes to a computer;    i. evaluating said measured values of the quality parameter measured for said component part and said completed cigarettes by said computer in relation to stored data enabling said computer to: 
 (i) determine, according to a first pre-establish algorithm, whether an adjustment of the operational controls of at least one machine in the manufacturing process is required so that the relationship between the measured value of the quality parameter of said component part and the measured value of the quality parameter of said completed cigarettes will be optimal and if so, to determine, according to said first pre-established algorithm, the degree to which an adjustment of the operational controls of said at least one machine in the manufacturing process should be adjusted;  
 (ii) generate a set of video displays to indicate the adjustment which should be made in the operational controls of said at least one machine in the manufacturing process, and;  
 (iii) communicate said set of video displays to a video display terminal;  
   j. displaying on a video display terminal said set of video displays indicating the adjustment which should be made in the operational controls of said at least one machine in the manufacturing process.    
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said automatic testing and sampling of a component part is done at regular intervals during said manufacturing process and wherein said automatic testing and sampling of completed cigarettes is done at regular intervals during said manufacturing process.  
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 18  wherein said automatic testing and sampling of a component part is done at intervals of less than five minutes during said manufacturing process and wherein said automatic testing and sampling of completed cigarettes is done at intervals of less than five minutes during said manufacturing process.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20  wherein said completed cigarettes automatically tested and sampled are completed cigarettes which are manufactured from the component parts drawn from the same sub-population as the sub-population of component parts which have been automatically tested and sampled.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 18  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one component part includes automatically sampling and testing filter sections.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes to measure the value of at least one quality parameter includes measuring the circumference of the tobacco component of said completed cigarettes, and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections includes measuring the circumference of said filter sections.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the pressure drop across said filter sections and where the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the ventilation of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one component part further includes automatically sampling and testing tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one quality component of at least one component part includes measuring the density of tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the weight of said filter sections and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the weight of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing at least one quality parameter of at least one component part includes measuring the weight of tobacco rod segments.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing filter sections further includes measuring the weight of said filter sections and wherein the step of automatically sampling and testing completed cigarettes further includes measuring the weight of said completed cigarettes.  
   
   
       30 . The method of  claim 27  further comprising the steps of 
 a. measuring during the production process by an in-line measuring device, the value of at least one quality parameter of at least one component part which quality parameter of said component part has a known relationship to at least one quality parameter measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes;    b. communicating said measured value of at least one quality parameter of said component part measured by said in-line measuring device to said computer;    c. evaluating said measured value of at said quality parameter of said component part by said in-line measuring device in relation to the values of a least one quality parameter measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes by said computer to determine whether said measured value of at least one quality parameter of said component part measured by said in-line measuring device is accurate and if not, enabling said computer to: 
 (i) determine, according to a second pre-establish algorithm, whether a recalibration of said in-line measuring device is required and if so, to determine, according to said second pre-established algorithm, the degree to which such recalibration is required, and;  
 (ii) send an electronic signal by said computer to said at least one machine in the manufacturing process to recalibrate such in-line measuring device in such degree as was determined by said computer;  
   d. recalibrating said in-line measuring device in accordance with said electronic signal from said computer.    
   
   
       31 . The method of  claim 30  wherein said component parts include tobacco rod segments and filter sections.  
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the quality parameter measured by said in-line measuring device includes the density of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the weight of said completed cigarettes and wherein the quality parameters of filter sections measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said filter sections includes the weight of said filter sections.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the quality parameter measured by said in-line measuring device includes the weight of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the weight of said completed cigarettes and wherein the quality parameters of filter sections measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said filter sections includes the weight of said filter sections.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 31  wherein the quality parameter of a said component part measured by said in-line measuring device includes the circumference of said tobacco rod segments and wherein the quality parameters of completed cigarettes measured by said automatic testing and sampling of said completed cigarettes includes the circumference of the tobacco component of said completed cigarettes.