US 12,439,954 B2
Method and device for identifying capsule defects in a filter of the tobacco processing industry
Udo Schlemm, Hamburg (DE); and Jörn Eggers, Quickborn (DE)
Assigned to TEWS ELEKTRONIK GMBH & CO. KG, Hamburg (DE)
Appl. No. 18/035,818
Filed by TEWS Elektronik GmbH & Co. KG, Hamburg (DE)
PCT Filed Oct. 27, 2021, PCT No. PCT/EP2021/079812
§ 371(c)(1), (2) Date May 8, 2023,
PCT Pub. No. WO2022/101010, PCT Pub. Date May 19, 2022.
Claims priority of application No. 102020129732 (EP), filed on Nov. 11, 2020.
Prior Publication US 2023/0404133 A1, Dec. 21, 2023
Int. Cl. A24C 5/18 (2006.01); A24C 5/34 (2006.01); A24D 3/02 (2006.01); G01N 22/02 (2006.01); G01N 22/04 (2006.01)
CPC A24C 5/3412 (2013.01) [A24C 5/1814 (2013.01); A24C 5/1821 (2013.01); A24C 5/1892 (2013.01); A24D 3/0216 (2013.01); A24D 3/0295 (2013.01); G01N 22/02 (2013.01); G01N 22/04 (2013.01)] 16 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A method for identifying capsule defects in a tobacco filter, comprising:
measuring values for at least one of a density and a moisture content of the tobacco filter along a longitudinal direction of the tobacco filter using a microwave measurement device;
comparing the measured values with a threshold value;
determining a presence of a capsule defect in the filter if the measured values undershoot the threshold value;
determining a value for a degree of fluctuation of the measured values in at least one of: (i) a region in front of a measurement location; and (ii) a region behind the measurement location in which at least one measured value is below the threshold value,
comparing the value for the degree of fluctuation with a predetermined capsule threshold value, wherein,
the capsule defect is a broken capsule when the value for the degree of fluctuation exceeds the capsule threshold value, and
the capsule defect is a missing capsule when the value for the degree of fluctuation undershoots the capsule threshold value.