Segregating foreign objects from a stream of tobacoo

Abstract

A method and apparatus for segregating foreign objects out of a tobacco stream. The tobacco stream is fed into a conveyor and conveyed past a foreign-object detecting device which detects a foreign object in the tobacco stream. A diverter is arranged in the conveyor to divert the tobacco stream downstream of the detector. A mechanical valve arrangement in the region of the diverter transfers a portion of the tobacco stream containing the detected foreign object out of the tobacco stream such that the tobacco stream containing the foreign object is not diverted and the remainder of the stream is diverted.

1 . A method for segregating foreign objects out of a tobacco stream, comprising: 
 conveying the tobacco stream past a foreign-object detecting device;    detecting a foreign object in the tobacco stream with the foreign-object detecting device;    diverting the tobacco stream; and    transferring a portion of the tobacco stream containing the detected foreign object out of the tobacco stream in a region of the diverter such that the tobacco stream containing the foreign object is not diverted and the remainder of the stream is diverted.    
   
   
       2 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the transferring step includes using a mechanical valve arrangement to transfer out the portion of the tobacco stream containing the detected foreign object  
   
   
       3 . The method according to  claim 2 , wherein the using step includes using a mechanical valve arrangement including several valve elements.  
   
   
       4 . The method according to  claim 3 , wherein the using step includes actuating the valve elements separately in dependence on the presence of a foreign object in a portion of the tobacco stream.  
   
   
       5 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the conveying step includes conveying the tobacco stream in a feeding conveyor; and the transferring step includes guiding the portion of the tobacco stream containing the foreign at least partially out of the feeding conveyor downstream of the foreign-object detecting device in response to results of the foreign-object detecting device.  
   
   
       6 . The method according to  claim 5 , wherein the diverting step includes diverting the portions of the tobacco stream which are free of foreign objects in the region of the diverter.  
   
   
       7 . The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the conveying step includes pneumatically conveying the fed-in tobacco stream at least in the region of the foreign-object detecting device.  
   
   
       8 . An apparatus for segregating foreign objects out of a tobacco stream, comprising: 
 a feeding conveyor for conveying the tobacco stream in a conveying direction;    a foreign-object detecting device inside the feeding conveyor for detecting foreign objects in the tobacco stream;    a diverter to divert the tobacco stream; and    a mechanically operating valve arrangement arranged downstream of the foreign-object detecting device and in the region of the diverter, wherein the valve arrangement is operative to transfer out a portion of the tobacco stream containing a foreign object from the tobacco stream in the region of the diverter.    
   
   
       9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the mechanically operating valve arrangement is arranged transverse to the conveying direction of the tobacco stream.  
   
   
       10 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the valve arrangement comprises several valve elements.  
   
   
       11 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the valve elements are actuatable separately in dependence on the presence of a foreign object in a portion of the tobacco stream.  
   
   
       12 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , further including a plurality of drives each operating a respective one of the separate valve elements.  
   
   
       13 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the several valve elements are arranged side-by-side in a row.  
   
   
       14 . The apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein the valve elements are comprised of flaps.  
   
   
       15 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein the mechanical valve arrangement is responsive to the foreign-object detector to transfer the portion of the tobacco out of the feeding conveyor.  
   
   
       16 . The apparatus according to  claim 8 , further including a compressed air source or a vacuum source coupled to the feeding conveyor to pneumatically convey the tobacco stream inside the feeding conveyor.