Oil detection process and apparatus

Abstract

An inspection station for detecting oil or lubricant contamination in a manufactured product, the inspection station having (a) a conveyor for advancing manufactured product, and (b) an infrared detection apparatus, including (i) a high intensity infrared light source for directing at the manufactured product, and (ii) a high speed NIR spectrometer sensor tuned to detect an emitted signal from a taggant disposed in the oil or lubricant.

1 . (canceled) 
     
     
         2 . An inspection station for detecting a taggant in a product, the inspection station comprising:
 a first conveyor configured to advance a product;   a light source configured to supply an infrared light to the product; and   a detector positioned proximate the first conveyor and configured to detect an emission from a taggant disposed in the product and configured to identify contaminated product based on the emission from the taggant.   
     
     
         3 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , further comprising:
 a second conveyor engaged with the first conveyor and the detector; and   a controller configured to control the second conveyor to eject the contaminated product.   
     
     
         4 . The inspection station of  claim 3 , wherein the second conveyor is a drum conveyor. 
     
     
         5 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the taggant is an Indocyanine Green complex. 
     
     
         6 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the first conveyor is a drum conveyor. 
     
     
         7 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the product is held on the first conveyor by vacuum. 
     
     
         8 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the detector is configured to detect structural imperfections in the product. 
     
     
         9 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the product is a manufactured product. 
     
     
         10 . The inspection station of  claim 9 , wherein the manufactured product is a tobacco rod. 
     
     
         11 . The inspection station of  claim 10 , wherein the first conveyor includes a plurality of flutes, the plurality of flutes configured to receive a plurality of tobacco rods. 
     
     
         12 . The inspection station of  claim 11 , wherein each of the plurality of flutes is configured to receive one or two tobacco rods. 
     
     
         13 . The inspection station of  claim 12 , wherein a device upstream of the first conveyor is configured to arrange all of the tobacco rods, such that the tobacco rods face the same direction on the first conveyor. 
     
     
         14 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the light source is an infrared light source and the detector is a high speed near-infrared (NIR) spectrometer sensor. 
     
     
         15 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the taggant is a Stokes-shifting taggant that absorbs infrared radiation at a first wavelength and fluoresces at a second wavelength, different from the first wavelength. 
     
     
         16 . The inspection station of  claim 15 , wherein the first wavelength is about 760 nanometers to about 810 nanometers and the second wavelength is about 810 nanometers to about 960 nanometers. 
     
     
         17 . The inspection station of  claim 15 , wherein the first wavelength is about 805 nanometers and the second wavelength is about 840 nanometers. 
     
     
         18 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the taggant is mixed in an oil, a lubricant, or both the oil and the lubricant. 
     
     
         19 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the taggant is oil soluble. 
     
     
         20 . The inspection station of  claim 17 , wherein a concentration of the taggant in the oil, the lubricant, or both the oil and the lubricant is about 10 ppm to about 100 ppm. 
     
     
         21 . The inspection station of  claim 2 , wherein the detector is configured to detect the taggant at manufacturing speeds of at least 2000 feet per minute.