System for analyzing a smoking article filter associated with a smoking article, and associated method
First Claim
1. A system, comprising:
- an emitter and a sensor configured to receive a smoking article filter therebetween,the emitter being configured to emit an initial signal, the initial signal having a frequency between about 0.1 teraHertz and about 10 teraHertz, toward the smoking article filter;
the sensor being configured to detect a resultant signal resulting from interaction of the initial signal with the smoking article filter while traveling therethrough;
a movement apparatus configured to linearly displace the smoking article filter along a longitudinal axis thereof and simultaneously rotate the smoking article filter about the longitudinal axis relative to the sensor and the emitter while the emitter emits the initial signal; and
an analysis unit configured to receive the resultant signal from the sensor, determine a filter status based on the resultant signal, and output an indicium indicative of the filter status.
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Abstract
A system and associated method for analyzing a smoking article filter is provided. An emitter emits an initial signal toward a smoking article filter. The initial signal may have a frequency between about 0.1 teraHertz and about 10 teraHertz. A sensor may detect a resultant signal resulting from interaction of the initial signal with the smoking article filter. An analysis unit may receive the resultant signal from the sensor, determine a filter status based on the resultant signal, and output an indicium indicative of the filter status. The filter status may include a capsule presence within the smoking article filter, a capsule absence from the smoking article filter, a proper insertion of a capsule into the smoking article filter, a defective insertion of a capsule into the smoking article filter, a proper capsule within the smoking article filter, and a defective capsule within the smoking article filter.
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Citations
19 Claims
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1. A system, comprising:
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an emitter and a sensor configured to receive a smoking article filter therebetween, the emitter being configured to emit an initial signal, the initial signal having a frequency between about 0.1 teraHertz and about 10 teraHertz, toward the smoking article filter; the sensor being configured to detect a resultant signal resulting from interaction of the initial signal with the smoking article filter while traveling therethrough; a movement apparatus configured to linearly displace the smoking article filter along a longitudinal axis thereof and simultaneously rotate the smoking article filter about the longitudinal axis relative to the sensor and the emitter while the emitter emits the initial signal; and an analysis unit configured to receive the resultant signal from the sensor, determine a filter status based on the resultant signal, and output an indicium indicative of the filter status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A method, comprising:
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positioning a smoking article filter between a sensor and an emitter; emitting an initial signal having a frequency between about 0.1 teraHertz and about 10 teraHertz toward the smoking article filter with the emitter; linearly displacing the smoking article filter along a longitudinal axis thereof; rotating the smoking article filter about the longitudinal axis simultaneously with linearly displacing the smoking article filter while emitting the initial signal; detecting a resultant signal resulting from interaction of the initial signal with the smoking article filter while traveling therethrough with the sensor; determining a filter status based on the resultant signal; and outputting an indicium indicative of the filter status. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification