Determining tobacco weight

Abstract

Apparatus is disclosed for determining the weight of tobacco in a tobacco product (10), the tobacco product comprising a tobacco component (16) and a plurality of non-tobacco components (12, 14, 18, 20, 22). The apparatus comprises means (26) for determining the total weight of the tobacco product (10), means (30) for producing an x-ray image of the tobacco product, means (34) for determining weights of the non-tobacco components from the x-ray image, and means (34) for determining the weight of the tobacco component based on the total weight of the tobacco product and the weights of the non-tobacco components. This may allow an accurate determination of tobacco weight to be achieved. Furthermore, measurements can be taken where components are present which might interfere with microwave measurements.

1 . An apparatus arranged to determine a weight of tobacco in a tobacco product, the tobacco product comprising a tobacco component and a plurality of non-tobacco components, the apparatus comprising:
 a weighing device arranged to determine a total weight of the tobacco product;   an imaging device arranged to produce an x-ray image of the tobacco product; and   a processor arranged to:
 determine weights of the non-tobacco components from the x-ray image i , and 
 determine a weight of the tobacco component based on the total weight of the tobacco product and the weights of the non-tobacco components. 
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco product is a heated tobacco product. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco component comprises reconstituted sheet tobacco. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco product comprises a component which produces a microwave response independent of product density when irradiated with microwaves. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the tobacco component is at least partially over-wrapped with a metal or metalized foil. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to subtract the weight of each of the non-tobacco components from the total weight of the tobacco product. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to determine a dimension of each of the non-tobacco components, and to calculate the weight of each of the non-tobacco components based on the dimension. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the processor is arranged to analyse the x-ray image to determine the dimension of each of the non-tobacco components, wherein the dimension is at least one of a length or a diameter of the non-tobacco component. 
     
     
         9 . (canceled) 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the processor is arranged to calculate a volume or an area of each of the non-tobacco components based on the dimension. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein a diameter of a non-tobacco component is a predetermined value and a length of the non-tobacco component is determined from the x-ray image. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to determine the weight of a non-tobacco component based on a volume or area of the non-tobacco component and a predetermined value of density or area density for the non-tobacco component. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a storage device which stores predetermined values of density or area density of non-tobacco components for each of a plurality of different types of tobacco product, wherein the processor is arranged to look up the predetermined values of density or area density in the storage device for a product of a type which is under test. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the processor is arranged to determine a type of product which is under test based on characteristics of the tobacco product in the x-ray image. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the imaging device comprises:
 a source of x-ray radiation arranged to irradiate the tobacco product; and   a sensor arranged to detect x-ray radiation from the tobacco product and to produce the x-ray image.   
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the imaging device is arranged to produce a composite x-ray image from image data produced by the sensor at a plurality of different axial positions of the tobacco product. 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is an analysing apparatus for offline analysis of tobacco products. 
     
     
         22 . The apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the apparatus is part of a tobacco product making or combining machine. 
     
     
         23 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the weighing device is part of the making or combining machine. 
     
     
         24 . The apparatus according to  claim 22 , wherein the weight of the tobacco component is used to control filling of the tobacco component of tobacco products produced by the tobacco product making or combining machine. 
     
     
         25 . A method of determining a weight of tobacco in a tobacco product, the tobacco product comprising a tobacco component and a plurality of non-tobacco components, the method comprising:
 determining a total weight of the tobacco product;   producing an x-ray image of the tobacco product;   determining weights of the non-tobacco components from the x-ray image; and   determining a weight of the tobacco component based on the total weight of the tobacco product and the weights of the non-tobacco components.