Lamp device on a production machine for the manufacture of products of the tobacco-processing industry as well as associated lamp

• US 7,168,430 B2
• Filed: 05/21/2004
• Issued: 01/30/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Körber-Stiftung)
• Original Assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau AG (Körber-Stiftung)
• Inventors: Grothaus, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): O'Shea; Sandra
• Assistant Examiner(s): Tsidulko; Mark
• Application Number:
  US10/849,799
• Publication Number:
  US 20050007762A1
• Time in Patent Office: 984 Days
• Field of Search: 362/234, 362/253, 362/800, 315/312, 315/316, 315/322, 315/323, 315/324, 131/280, 131/290, 131/299
• US Class Current: 131/280
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/00 Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
• CPC Class Codes: A24C 5/31 with special arrangements coming into operation during starting, slowing-down or breakdown of the machine, e.g. for diverting or breaking the continuous rod

Abstract

Machine for making tobacco-processing industry products includes a plurality of lamps arranged on components of the machine. Each lamp includes at least one visible light-emitting power semiconductor light source. An electronic mode control unit is electrically connected to and controlling the lamps. The electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide uniform continuous light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide periodically interrupted light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products. This Abstract is not intended to define the invention disclosed in the specification, nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Claims

1. A machine for making tobacco-processing industry products, the machine comprising:

a plurality of lamps arranged on components of the machine;

each lamp comprising at least one visible light-emitting power semiconductor light source; and

an electronic mode control unit electrically connected to and controlling the lamps,

wherein the electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide uniform continuous light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide periodically interrupted light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and

wherein the electronic mode control unit is electrically connected to a central drive control system of the machine.

2. The machine of claim 1, wherein the lamps are controllable based on operating states of the machine.

3. A method of illuminating portions of the machine for making tobacco-processing industry products of claim 1, the method comprising:

arranging the plurality of lamps on components of the machine; and

controlling the plurality of lamps with the electronic mode control unit.

4. A machine for making tobacco-processing industry products, the machine comprising:

a plurality of lamps arranged on components of the machine;

each lamp comprising at least one visible light-emitting power semiconductor light source; and

an electronic mode control unit electrically connected to and controlling the lamps,

wherein the electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide uniform continuous light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and is structured and arranged to control the lamps so as to provide periodically interrupted light for illuminating at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products, and

wherein the electronic mode control unit is electrically connected to control elements of a control station of the machine.

5. The machine of claim 4, wherein the periodically interrupted light is controlled according to a machine control cycle, whereby virtual images are produced which show movement cycles of at least one of the components and the tobacco-processing industry products.

6. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is adapted to be switched to a switching state in which at least one of the lamps is supplied with a control signal having a pulse sequence.

7. The machine of claim 6, wherein the pulse sequence comprises a pulse frequency which is asynchronous relative to a frequency of a machine cycle of the machine.

8. The machine of claim 7, wherein the switching state occurs during a continuous light mode of the electronic mode control unit.

9. The machine of claim 6, wherein the pulse sequence comprises a pulse frequency which is synchronous relative to a frequency of a machine cycle of the machine.

10. The machine of claim 9, wherein the switching state occurs during a stroboscope light mode of the electronic mode control unit.

11. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is adapted to generate a control signal controlling at least one of the lamps, and wherein the control signal has a mark-to-space ratio (P/P) of a pulse sequence which is kept constant relative to a variable machine control cycle of the machine.

12. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is adapted to generate a control signal controlling at least one of the lamps, and wherein the control signal has a mark-to-space ratio (P/P) of a pulse sequence which is independent of a variable machine control cycle of the machine.

13. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is adapted to generate a control signal controlling at least one of the lamps, and wherein the control signal has a mark-to-space ratio (P/P) of a pulse sequence which is variably adjustable within a predetermined range so as to vary a light intensity of at least one of the uniform continuous light and the periodically interrupted light.

14. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is adapted to be switched to a switching state in which at least one of the lamps is supplied with a control signal having a pulse sequence generated with an adjustable phase displacement, and wherein the adjustable phase displacement occurs between a control cycle of the electronic mode control and a machine control cycle of the machine.

15. The machine of claim 14, wherein the switching state occurs during a stroboscope light mode of the electronic mode control unit.

16. The machine of claim 4, wherein the electronic mode control unit is structured and arranged to individually control each of the lamps.

17. The machine of claim 4, wherein each lamp comprises at least one LED.

18. A method of illuminating portions of the machine for making tobacco-processing industry products of claim 4, the method comprising;

arranging the plurality of lamps on components of the machine; and

controlling the plurality of lamps with the electronic mode control unit.