CN-122029421-A - Method and inspection device for checking whether an article having a ventilation zone has a manufacturing defect

CN122029421ACN 122029421 ACN122029421 ACN 122029421ACN-122029421-A

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for checking an aerosol-generating article for manufacturing defects, the method comprising the method steps of a) providing the aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone having perforations, the article further comprising a longitudinal axis, B) subjecting the perforations to pulses of light while rotating the aerosol-generating article about the longitudinal axis, C) determining any light reflected by the perforations, and D) assessing whether manufacturing defects are present in the perforations of the ventilation zone based on the reflected light. The method provides a simple way of checking whether an aerosol-generating article has manufacturing defects in the ventilation zone.

Inventors

M. Dale berello

Assignees

菲利普莫里斯生产公司

Dates

Publication Date: 20260512
Application Date: 20241104
Priority Date: 20231109

Claims (15)

1. A method for inspecting an aerosol-generating article for manufacturing defects, the method comprising the method steps of: a) Providing said aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone having perforations, said article further comprising a longitudinal axis, B) Subjecting the perforations to a pulse of light while rotating the aerosol-generating article about the longitudinal axis, C) Determining any light reflected by the perforations, and D) And evaluating whether a manufacturing defect exists in the perforation of the ventilation zone based on the reflected light.
2. Method for inspection according to the preceding claim, wherein during method step D) the reflected light determined in method step C) is compared with a reference range for the reflected light.
3. A method for inspection according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the intensity of the reflected light is indicative of a manufacturing defect, preferably wherein the lack of reflected light is indicative of a correct perforation without a manufacturing defect.
4. The method for inspection according to any of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of perforations are arranged in an outer wall of the ventilation zone, and wherein the light pulses applied in method step B) are at least partially reflected in method step C) by one or both of a portion of the outer wall located adjacent to the perforations or a portion of the outer wall located within the perforations.
5. The method for inspection according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ventilation zone is defined by a light reflective package, and wherein the light pulses applied in method step B) are at least partially reflected in method step C) by a portion of the light reflective package located adjacent to the perforations.
6. The method for inspecting of any of the preceding claims 4 or 5, wherein one or both of an area of the outer wall reflecting the light pulses and an area of a light reflective package reflecting the light pulses increases with increasing manufacturing defects.
7. A method for inspecting according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein a plurality of perforations are arranged in the outer wall of the ventilation zone, each of the perforations having an actual width extending between opposite side walls of the outer wall, an actual depth extending from the exterior of the outer wall through the outer wall towards the interior of the aerosol-generating article, and an actual position on the circumference of the outer wall, and wherein the intensity of the reflected light is indicative of one or more of a deviation of the actual width from a correct width, a deviation of the actual depth from a correct depth, a deviation of the actual position from a correct position of the perforations, and a deviation of the actual number of perforations from a correct number of perforations.
8. The method for inspection according to the preceding claim, wherein in method step C) the intensity of the reflected light is increased if one or more of the actual width increases with the deviation of the correct width, the actual depth increases with the deviation of the correct depth, and the actual position increases with the deviation of the correct position.
9. The method for inspecting according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the perforations are arranged in an outer wall of the ventilation zone, wherein the outer wall comprises a light reflective material, preferably wherein the light reflective material comprises one or more materials selected from cellulose acetate, cardboard, crimped paper and polymeric materials.
10. A method for inspection according to any of the preceding claims, wherein the ventilation zone is defined by a light reflective package, preferably a paper package or a cardboard package.
11. The method for inspection according to any of the preceding claims 9 or 10, wherein the reflected light detected in method step C) is reflected from one or both of a light reflective package and a light reflective material of an outer wall of the ventilation zone.
12. A method for manufacturing an aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone having perforations, the method comprising a method for checking the aerosol-generating article for the presence of manufacturing defects according to any of the preceding claims.
13. Method for manufacturing according to the preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating article is transported to an inspection drum via a loading drum during method step a), and wherein the perforations are subjected to light pulses when the aerosol-generating article is rotated on the inspection drum, wherein the radius of the inspection drum is larger than the radius of the loading drum, preferably wherein the radius of the inspection drum is at least 5 times the radius of the loading drum.
14. Method for manufacturing according to the preceding claim, wherein the aerosol-generating article is housed in a rotating hand of the inspection drum, wherein the inspection drum is rotated in a first direction, and wherein the rotating hand is rotated in a second direction, the first direction of rotation being opposite to the second direction of rotation.
15. An inspection apparatus configured to perform the method for inspection according to any one of claims 1 to 11, the inspection apparatus comprising A first visual inspection system and a second visual inspection system, Said first visual inspection system comprising a first pulsed light source and a first light detector, and said second visual inspection system comprising a second pulsed light source and a second light detector, -Both the first pulsed light source and the second pulsed light source are configured for subjecting the perforation to the light pulses during method step B), and both the first light detector and the second light detector are configured for determining any light reflected by the perforation during method step C), and -An inspection control unit configured for performing method step D).

Description

Method and inspection device for checking whether an article having a ventilation zone has a manufacturing defect Technical Field The present invention relates to a method for checking whether a manufacturing defect is present in an aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone with perforations. The invention also relates to an inspection device for performing the method for inspection. The aerosol-generating article may comprise an aerosol-forming substrate and may be adapted to produce an inhalable aerosol upon heating. Background Aerosol-generating articles are known in the art in which an aerosol-forming substrate, such as a tobacco-containing substrate, is heated rather than combusted. Generally, in such heated smoking articles, an aerosol is generated by transferring heat from a heat source to a physically separate aerosol-forming substrate or material that may be positioned in contact with the heat source, either internally, around or downstream of the heat source. During use of the aerosol-generating article, volatile compounds are released from the aerosol-forming substrate by heat transfer from the heat source and entrained in air drawn through the aerosol-generating article. As the released compound cools, the compound condenses to form an aerosol. Aerosol-generating articles having a ventilation zone comprising perforations are known. These ventilation zones allow ambient air to enter the aerosol-generating article during the user's suction. This allows for better mixing of the airflow from the aerosol-forming substrate with ambient air for facilitating aerosol formation. The amount of air that can enter the aerosol-generating article during the user's puff depends on the number, location and shape of the perforations. During the manufacturing process for aerosol-generating articles, these perforations may be difficult to form with low variability. It is desirable to provide a method for checking an aerosol-generating article having a venting area for the presence of manufacturing defects that can be operated efficiently and at high speed and that provides a uniform venting area for the aerosol-generating article. It is also desirable to provide a method for checking an aerosol-generating article for manufacturing defects when manufacturing the article. Disclosure of Invention According to an embodiment of the present invention, a method for checking an aerosol-generating article for manufacturing defects is provided. The method may comprise method step a) providing an aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone having perforations, the article further comprising a longitudinal axis. The method may further comprise method step B) subjecting the perforations to a light pulse while rotating the aerosol-generating article about the longitudinal axis. The method for inspection may comprise method step C) of determining any light reflected by the perforations. The method for checking may comprise a method step D) of evaluating whether a manufacturing defect is present in the perforations of the ventilation zone based on the reflected light. A further embodiment of the invention provides a method for checking an aerosol-generating article for manufacturing defects. The method for inspection comprises method step a) providing an aerosol-generating article comprising a ventilation zone having perforations, wherein the article further comprises a longitudinal axis. The method for inspecting further comprises method step B) subjecting the perforations to light pulses while rotating the aerosol-generating article about the longitudinal axis. The method for inspection further comprises a method step C) of determining any light reflected by the perforations, and a method step D) of evaluating whether there is a manufacturing defect in the perforations of the ventilation zone based on the reflected light. Such a method for checking the aerosol-generating article for the presence of manufacturing defects may be employed during the manufacture of the aerosol-generating article. The method can be used in a rapid manner. This method for checking the aerosol-generating article for the presence of manufacturing defects may allow for a rapid change of the manufacturing process based on the detected manufacturing defects. The method may allow for detection of manufacturing defects in the perforations of the ventilation zone. The method may allow for detection of manufacturing defects in the vented zone during or immediately after the manufacturing process of the vented zone. The method may allow for checking whether a plurality of perforations are defective in manufacture in a ventilation zone by subjecting different perforations in the same ventilation zone of an aerosol-generating article to a pulse of light while rotating the same aerosol-generating article. This may allow to check within a short period of time whether most perforations in the ventilation zone of the same aerosol-generatin