Tobacco product component recovery system

Abstract

A smoking article production apparatus and method for producing smoking articles is provided, each smoking article including serially engaged filter rod and tobacco rod sections. A rotatable drum includes a longitudinally-extending receiving surface defining a plurality of channels for receiving smoking articles arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the drum. An inspection device is arranged to inspect each smoking article in the channels of the drum and to determine whether any of the smoking articles are defective. Any defective smoking articles are directed away from the drum. A rotatable sampling drum is in communication with the drum and is configured to receive defective smoking articles therefrom. A severing device is disposed adjacent the sampling drum to sever each defective smoking article to separate a portion of the tobacco rod section from the remainder of the defective smoking article including the filter section. An associated method is also provided.

That which is claimed: 
     
         1 . A smoking article production apparatus for producing smoking articles, each smoking article including a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section, said apparatus comprising:
 at least one rotatable drum defining a longitudinal axis and a receiving surface extending along the longitudinal axis, the receiving surface defining a plurality of channels each being configured to receive a smoking article such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum;   an inspection device arranged to inspect each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum and to determine whether any of the smoking articles are defective, and to direct any defective smoking articles away from the at least one drum;   a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum and configured to receive the defective smoking articles therefrom; and   a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum and configured to sever each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum includes one of a final cutting drum, an inspection drum, and a weight-related analysis drum. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a density of at least one of the filter section and the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density to a predetermined density range, such that each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density outside the predetermined density range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a density profile along a length of the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, and to compare the determined density profile to a model density profile, such that each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density profile deviating from the model density profile is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein the weight-related sensor arrangement comprises a microwave density transducer arrangement. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the length-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the final cutting drum and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article received by the final cutting drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a counting arrangement associated therewith. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein the counting arrangement is configured to count a predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum and to designate the predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum as the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an inspection drum and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein the length-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine an actual length of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the inspection drum and to compare the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, such that each smoking article received by the inspection drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and the inspection device comprises one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement associated therewith. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the one of the pressure-related sensor arrangement and the flow-related sensor arrangement is configured to determine a pressure drop and a flow loss, respectively, along the smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum from an air flow directed through and along a length of the smoking article, and to compare one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article to a predetermined one of a pressure drop range and a flow loss range along the smoking article, such that each smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum and having the one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article outside the predetermined one of the pressure drop range and the flow loss range along the smoking article is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the pressure-related sensor arrangement comprises a pressure transducer arrangement. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the flow-related sensor arrangement comprises a flow transducer arrangement. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a transfer arrangement configured to direct defective smoking articles, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum to the sampling drum. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the severing device and the sampling drum is configured to direct the severed portion of the tobacco rod section away from the remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article comprises tobacco lengthwise-wrapped with a wrapping paper, and the apparatus further comprises a slitting device configured to lengthwise slit the wrapping paper. 
     
     
         20 . The apparatus according to  claim 19 , further comprising a recovery device configured to recover the tobacco from the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article following slitting of the wrapping paper. 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and wherein the inspection device is configured to determine a condition of the smoking article selected from the group consisting of:
 whether the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a loose fill of the tobacco about an end of the tobacco rod section opposite to the filter section;   whether the filter section is missing from the smoking article;   whether a wrapping paper lengthwise-wrapping tobacco to form the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a tear;   whether the wrapping paper is improperly wrapped about the tobacco   whether the filter section includes improperly formed air dilution perforations; and   whether a tipping paper is improperly wrapped about an interface between the filter section and the tobacco rod section.   
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein the inspection device comprises an optical sensor arrangement configured to optically inspect the smoking articles, and wherein any smoking article determined to affirmatively have one of the conditions is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         23 . A method of producing smoking articles, each smoking article including a filter section serially engaged with a tobacco rod section, said method comprising:
 receiving a smoking article in each of a plurality of channels defined by a receiving surface of at least one rotatable drum, the receiving surface extending along a longitudinal axis of the at least one drum, such that the smoking article is arranged in parallel with the longitudinal axis of the at least one drum;   inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum using an inspection device and determining whether any of the smoking articles are defective;   receiving any defective smoking articles from the at least one drum with a rotatable sampling drum in communication with the at least one drum; and   severing each of the defective smoking articles received by the sampling drum using a severing device disposed adjacent to the sampling drum, so as to separate at least a portion of the tobacco rod section from a remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section.   
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein receiving the smoking article comprises receiving the smoking article in each of the plurality of channels defined by the receiving surface of the at least one rotatable drum selected from the group consisting of a final cutting drum, an inspection drum, and a weight-related analysis drum. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a density of at least one of the filter section and the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, using the weight-related sensor arrangement, and comparing the determined density to a predetermined density range, and wherein each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density outside the predetermined density range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a weight-related analysis drum and the inspection device comprises a weight-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a density profile along a length of the tobacco rod section of the smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum, using the weight-related sensor arrangement, and comparing the determined density profile to a model density profile, and wherein each smoking article received by the weight-related analysis drum and having the determined density profile deviating from the model density profile is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         27 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum using a weight-related sensor arrangement including a microwave density transducer arrangement. 
     
     
         28 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining an actual length, using the length-related sensor arrangement, of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the final cutting drum, and comparing the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, and wherein each smoking article received by the final cutting drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         29 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises a final cutting drum interacting with a cutting device to cut the smoking articles to a selected length and the inspection device comprises a counting arrangement associated therewith, and wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises counting a predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum, using the counting arrangement, and designating the predetermined amount of the smoking articles received by the final cutting drum as the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         30 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an inspection drum and the inspection device comprises a length-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining an actual length, using the length-related sensor arrangement, of at least one of the filter section of the smoking article, the tobacco rod section of the smoking article, and the entire smoking article, received by the inspection drum, and comparing the determined actual length to a predetermined length range, and wherein each smoking article received by the inspection drum and having the determined actual length outside the predetermined length range is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         31 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum and the inspection device comprises one of a pressure-related sensor arrangement and a flow-related sensor arrangement associated therewith, wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a pressure drop and a flow loss, using the one of the pressure-related sensor arrangement and the flow-related sensor arrangement, respectively, along the smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum from an air flow directed through and along a length of the smoking article, and comparing one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article to a predetermined one of a pressure drop range and a flow loss range along the smoking article, and wherein each smoking article received by the integrity inspection drum and having the one of the pressure drop and the flow loss along the smoking article outside the predetermined one of the pressure drop range and the flow loss range along the smoking article is one of the defective smoking articles. 
     
     
         32 . The method according to  claim 31 , wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum comprises determining a pressure drop and a flow loss, using the one of a pressure transducer arrangement and a flow transducer arrangement, respectively. 
     
     
         33 . The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising directing defective smoking articles, following determination thereof, from the at least one drum to the sampling drum, using a transfer arrangement. 
     
     
         34 . The method according to  claim 23 , further comprising directing the severed portion of the tobacco rod section away from the remaining portion of the defective smoking article including the filter section, using at least one of the severing device and the sampling drum. 
     
     
         35 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article comprises tobacco lengthwise-wrapped with a wrapping paper, and the method further comprises lengthwise slitting the wrapping paper using a slitting device. 
     
     
         36 . The method according to  claim 35 , further comprising recovering the tobacco from the portion of the tobacco rod section of each defective smoking article, using a recovery device, following slitting of the wrapping paper. 
     
     
         37 . The method according to  claim 23 , wherein the at least one drum comprises an integrity inspection drum, and wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the at least one drum further comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an inspection device configured to determine a condition of the smoking article selected from the group consisting of:
 whether the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a loose fill of the tobacco about an end of the tobacco rod section opposite to the filter section;   whether the filter section is missing from the smoking article;   whether a wrapping paper lengthwise-wrapping tobacco to form the tobacco rod section of the smoking article includes a tear;   whether the wrapping paper is improperly wrapped about the tobacco   whether the filter section includes improperly formed air dilution perforations; and   whether a tipping paper is improperly wrapped about an interface between the filter section and the tobacco rod section.   
     
     
         38 . The method according to  claim 37 , wherein inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an inspection device further comprises inspecting each of the smoking articles in the channels of the integrity inspection drum using an an optical sensor arrangement configured to optically inspect the smoking articles, and wherein any smoking article determined to affirmatively have one of the conditions is one of the defective smoking articles.