Patents by Inventor Eddie Lee Nuckols

Eddie Lee Nuckols has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Patent number: 9788570
    Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Date of Patent: October 17, 2017
    Assignee: R. J. REYNOLDS TOBACCO COMPANY
    Inventors: Franklin Forrest Brantley, Eddie Lee Nuckols, Darrell Thomas Dixon, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Calvin Wayne Henderson, Balager Ademe
  • Publication number: 20140247339
    Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: May 15, 2014
    Publication date: September 4, 2014
    Applicant: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Franklin Forrest Brantley, Eddie Lee Nuckols, Darrell Thomas Dixon, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Calvin Wayne Henderson, Balager Ademe
  • Patent number: 8760508
    Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Date of Patent: June 24, 2014
    Assignee: R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company
    Inventors: Franklin Forrest Brantley, Eddie Lee Nuckols, Darrell Thomas Dixon, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Calvin Wayne Henderson, Balager Ademe
  • Publication number: 20120120229
    Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a cigarette package. A transport device is configured to transport individual cigarette packages to an inspection position such that at least a portion of the cigarette package is visibly accessible for optical inspection. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each cigarette package, at least about the visibly accessible portion thereof, as the cigarette package is transported through the inspection position, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected cigarette package is defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 16, 2010
    Publication date: May 17, 2012
    Inventors: Franklin Forrest Brantley, Darrell Thomas Dixon, Larry Dean McCann, Eddie Lee Nuckols
  • Publication number: 20110169942
    Abstract: An inspection system and associated method are provided for inspecting a smoking article having a smokable rod and a filter element serially secured together by a tipping material circumscribing a longitudinal periphery of the filter element and a portion of a longitudinal periphery of the smokable rod adjacent to the filter element. A transport device is configured to transport individual as-formed smoking articles from a first to a second position such that the tipping material associated with each smoking article is accessible at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article. An inspection device is configured to optically inspect each smoking article, at least about the portion of the longitudinal periphery of the smoking article having the tipping material, as the smoking article is transported between the first and second positions, and to automatically determine from the optical inspection whether the inspected smoking article is defective.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 13, 2010
    Publication date: July 14, 2011
    Inventors: Franklin Forrest Brantley, Eddie Lee Nuckols, Darrell Thomas Dixon, Timothy Frederick Thomas, Calvin Wayne Henderson, Balager Ademe