Abstract: A method and device for examining rod-shaped products of the cigarette industry, having a cylindrical lateral surface and two end faces formed by two filter elements arranged at opposite ends, the product having smokable material between the two end faces, by: a) irradiating the lateral surface using examination light whereby the examination light penetrates through the lateral surface at least partially into the product and at least partially exits again through one end face, the beams of which are incident on the lateral surface at an angle of at least 30° in relation to the longitudinal extension of the product; b) acquiring the examination light exiting the end face of the product using an electro-optical receiver, the main viewing direction of which is directed onto the end face; and c) evaluating the brightness or light intensity of the examination light exiting the end face and acquired by the electro-optical receiver.

Abstract: A method for producing and/or packaging cigarettes, in a system in which at least one production unit is fed packaging units from a lower packaging level, and the production unit packages the packaging units in associated packaging units from a higher level, and the packaging units from the higher packaging level each comprise one or more packaging units from the lower packaging level. A camera records images of the packs of the packaging units from the lower level which are to be fed, or have been fed, to the production unit, and a camera records images of the packs of the packaging units from the higher level which are respectively assigned to the packaging units from the lower level, and the recorded images of the packs of the respectively associated packaging units are each assigned to a common identifier, preferably to a machine-internal counting number of the production unit.

Abstract: A method and a device for the optical testing of objects during the production and/or packaging of cigarettes, in particular of cigarette packs and/or blanks for cigarette packs and/or overprints and/or print substrates on or for cigarette packs, with the aid of a suitable testing device. For at least one feature characterizing the test object, in particular in a visual respect, a set of feature-value alternatives for the corresponding feature that are stored in a memory is displayed on a display means. By means of an input device, one of the displayed feature values of the set of feature-value alternatives is selected. The testing device is automatically set up or preset for the subsequent testing operations, in particular an evaluating device and/or an illuminating device and/or a suitable light detector of the testing device, the selection of the feature value influencing the setting up of the testing device.

Abstract: A method for producing and/or packaging cigarettes, in a system in which at least one production unit is fed packaging units from a lower packaging level, and the production unit packages the packaging units in associated packaging units from a higher level, and the packaging units from the higher packaging level each comprise one or more packaging units from the lower packaging level. A camera records images of the packs of the packaging units from the lower level which are to be fed, or have been fed, to the production unit, and a camera records images of the packs of the packaging units from the higher level which are respectively assigned to the packaging units from the lower level, and the recorded images of the packs of the respectively associated packaging units are each assigned to a common identifier, preferably to a machine-internal counting number of the production unit.

Abstract: A method and a device for the optical testing of objects during the production and/or packaging of cigarettes, in particular of cigarette packs and/or blanks for cigarette packs and/or overprints and/or print substrates on or for cigarette packs, with the aid of a suitable testing device. For at least one feature characterizing the test object, in particular in a visual respect, a set of feature-value alternatives for the corresponding feature that are stored in a memory is displayed on a display means. By means of an input device, one of the displayed feature values of the set of feature-value alternatives is selected. The testing device is automatically set up or preset for the subsequent testing operations, in particular an evaluating device and/or an illuminating device and/or a suitable light detector of the testing device, the selection of the feature value influencing the setting up of the testing device.

Abstract: A method for testing moving products having at least two layers, such as cigarette packages wrapped with film, wherein at least one layer of the product, namely an inner layer which is arranged further inwards, is covered at least regionally by at least one, at least partially transparent product layer, namely an outer layer which is arranged further outwards, wherein the outer layer of the product is illuminated under an angle of incidence of about 35°, with light, in which the light that is reflected at this layer comprises at least 70%, at least 90%, or at least 95%, of linearly s-polarized light, the s-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer and/or the p-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer are recorded in each case using at least one suitable electrooptic recording element in the form of an image or partial image of the product and wherein the recorded s-polariz

Abstract: A method for testing moving products having at least two layers, such as cigarette packages wrapped with film, wherein at least one layer of the product, namely an inner layer which is arranged further inwards, is covered at least regionally by at least one, at least partially transparent product layer, namely an outer layer which is arranged further outwards, wherein the outer layer of the product is illuminated under an angle of incidence of about 35°, with light, in which the light that is reflected at this layer comprises at least 70%, at least 90%, or at least 95%, of linearly s-polarized light, the s-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer and/or the p-polarized component of the light reflected by the outer layer and/or of the light reflected by the inner layer are recorded in each case using at least one suitable electrooptic recording element in the form of an image or partial image of the product and wherein the recorded s-polariz

Abstract: In order to check a material web (12), in particular a film web, with regard to the correct arrangement of a tear-off strip (11) extending in the longitudinal direction of the material web (12), ultrasonic transmitters are used, specifically an ultrasonic transmitter (11) on the one hand and an ultrasonic receiver (19) on the other hand. The sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the material web (12) in such a way that, if appropriate, focused ultrasonic waves are aimed specifically at the region of the tear-off strip (11). If a tear-off strip (11) is missing, an appropriate signal is generated by the ultrasonic receiver (19).

Abstract: In order to check a material web (12), in particular a film web, with regard to the correct arrangement of a tear-off strip (11) extending in the longitudinal direction of the material web (12), ultrasonic transmitters are used, specifically an ultrasonic transmitter (11) on the one hand and an ultrasonic receiver (19) on the other hand. The sensors are arranged on opposite sides of the material web (12) in such a way that, if appropriate, focused ultrasonic waves are aimed specifically at the region of the tear-off strip (11). If a tear-off strip (11) is missing, an appropriate signal is generated by the ultrasonic receiver (19).

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the inspection of objects, such as cigarette packs (10), with respect to the proper positioning of blanks placed upon them, such as band strips (12), by means of an inspection means (39). Known inspection means have the disadvantage that they are very expensive. The invention provides a cost-efficient alternative. To this end, blanks are illuminated laterally at one or more border edges (22) while the inspection means (39) scans the blank (12) at an essentially frontal aspect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the inspection of objects, such as cigarette packs (10), with respect to the proper positioning of blanks placed upon them, such as band strips (12), by means of an inspection means (39). Known inspection means have the disadvantage that they are very expensive. The invention provides a cost-efficient alternative. To this end, blanks are illuminated laterally at one or more border edges (22) while the inspection means (39) scans the blank (12) at an essentially frontal aspect.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for checking that batches of cigarettes are complete and that the cigarettes are sufficiently filled. In spite of careful manufacturing, when cigarettes are produced and batches of cigarettes are filled in cigarette packs (11) using high-performance machines, it is possible that some of the packs of cigarettes manufactured have cigarettes missing or contain cigarettes which are not sufficiently filled with tobacco. The invention provides an improved, non-contact method of checking the batches of cigarettes or the individual cigarettes. According to this method, the intensity signal of a CCD camera or a CCD-line-scanning chip in subareas of the front ends (24) of the cigarettes and/or the spaces between them is measured and analysed in the front end area of the batch of cigarettes.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for the inspection of objects, such as cigarette packs (10), with respect to the proper positioning of blanks placed upon them, such as band strips (12), by means of an inspection means (39). Known inspection means have the disadvantage that they are very expensive. The invention provides a cost-efficient alternative. To this end, blanks are illuminated laterally at one or more border edges (22) while the inspection means (39) scans the blank (12) at an essentially frontal aspect.

Abstract: For the purpose of checking packs (10), in particular cigarette packs, for the correct configuration of the outer appearance, the packs (10) are moved past stationary optoelectronic checking means, namely cameras (32, 33). The latter register outer surfaces of the packs (10). The checking means, namely cameras (32, 33), are triggered by the pack to be checked via an activating sensor (39). A downstream ejector (34) is actuated by a further sensor, namely by a defect sensor (42), which reacts to a defective pack.