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Ignition system for a smoking machineRelated Patent Categories: Tobacco, Tobacco Users' Appliance, Device Used For Smoking, Combined Or Convertible, With Igniter And/or Match ScratcherIgnition system for a smoking machine description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060096607, Ignition system for a smoking machine. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
[0001] The present invention relates in general to improvements in and relating to smoking machines for smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigars and cigarillos. More particularly, the invention relates to an improved ignition system for igniting smoking articles for smoking by a smoking machine. [0002] Regular testing of cigarettes on a smoking machine is an important part of any cigarette manufacturing process. A smoking machine serves to create a repeatable standardised environment for the analytical smoking of cigarettes. International and national standards, including ISO standard 3308 (2000), have been put in place for standardising the operation of smoking machines. [0003] A smoking machine typically comprises at least one holder for a cigarette, and a puffing means for drawing air in controlled fashion through the cigarette in regular short puffs in order to smoke the cigarette. The smoking machine typically comprises or is adapted to engage with at least one lighter tool which comprises a heat source such as a resistive coil for lighting the cigarette. The machine usually also comprises or is adapted to engage with a variety of other tools, including tools for measuring or observing particular smoking characteristics, such as puff profile and leak check tools and/or air velocity tools. [0004] It is desirable that the lighter tool should be capable of lighting the cigarette at the first attempt. Multiple attempts at lighting the cigarette may result in pre-charring, which may alter the smoking characteristics of the cigarette or otherwise disrupt any measurements which are to be taken. ISO standard 3308 (2000) indeed requires that a smoking machine should be capable of lighting cigarettes at the first attempt and without pre-charring. Furthermore, the need for multiple attempts at lighting is clearly inefficient. [0005] Evidently, the distance separating the heat source of the lighter tool from the cigarette end will have a profound effect on the success of ignition. If the heat source is too remote from the cigarette end, then the chances of successful lighting at first attempt will be diminished. On the other hand, if the heat source is too close to the cigarette, then the ignition process may result in heat damage to the cigarette which may alter its smoking characteristics. Actual contact between the heat source and the cigarette during ignition is particularly undesirable and is not permitted under ISO standard 3308 (2000). Typically, a separation of 0.5-1.0 mm between the heat source and the cigarette end at the point of ignition is viewed as desirable. [0006] Some difficulty has however been encountered in achieving precision positioning (to within about 1.0 mm) of the cigarette and lighter tool. Once a cigarette has been loaded into a smoking machine, the position of the unlit tip with respect to the smoking machine depends primarily upon the length of the cigarette and the depth of insertion of the cigarette into the smoking machine. Owing to the tolerances of manufacturing processes, the lengths of individual cigarettes from a batch typically vary within a range of 1-2 mm, giving rise to a corresponding uncertainty in the predicted length of a cigarette from the batch. Meanwhile, the depth of insertion of a given cigarette into a given smoking machine may also vary by around 1-2 mm, depending primarily on the force with which the cigarette is inserted into the machine. The combined effect of these uncertainties is an overall uncertainty of up to 4 mm in the predicted location of any single cigarette tip with respect to the smoking machine. Precision positioning of the lighter tool with respect to each cigarette tip, based on the predicted location of the cigarette tip, is therefore impossible. [0007] Various attempts have been made to address this problem. According to one method, individual cigarettes are adjusted by hand following insertion into the smoking machine, such that each cigarette protrudes by a predetermined distance from the machine. This method successfully achieves uniform positioning of cigarettes within the smoking machine for the purposes of ignition, but is time-consuming and inefficient. Attempts have also been made to design lighter tools which are capable of reliably lighting cigarettes over a range of distances varying by several millimetres. Although the benefits of automation are preserved, such tools however have costly power requirements in operation, and may cause heat damage to cigarettes. [0008] There remains therefore a need for an improved apparatus for automatically and reliably lighting cigarettes for smoking by a smoking machine. [0009] According to one aspect of the present invention therefore, there is provided an ignition system for a smoking machine, comprising a heat source that is adapted for emitting heat for igniting one end of a smoking article which is held by a smoking machine; an automatic sensor which is adapted for detecting the position of said end of the smoking article; and control means in communication with said sensor, which are adapted for automatically adjusting the operation of said heat source and/or for automatically adjusting relative movement of said heat source and/or of said article, depending on the position of said end as detected by said sensor, such as to enable successful ignition of said end by said heat source. [0010] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a smoking machine comprising holding means for holding a smoking article such as to expose one end thereof, puffing means positioned adjacent the other end of the smoking article for drawing air through the smoking article, and an ignition system in accordance with the invention for igniting said one end of the smoking article such that the article can be smoked by the smoking machine. [0011] In use of the present invention, the sensor acts to detect the position of the end of the smoking article, and communicates information in this regard to the control means. Based on this information, the control means makes automatic adjustments as necessary to the operation of the heat source, and/or to relative movement of the heat source and/or said smoking article, such as to enable successful ignition of the smoking article by the heat source. Successful ignition may denote ignition at the first or the second, preferably the first, attempt. Furthermore, successful ignition may denote ignition of the smoking article without any undesired heat damage to the article and/or without contact between the smoking article and the heat source during emission of heat by the heat source. [0012] Said ignition system may be adapted for igniting a plurality of smoking articles. Thus, said ignition system may comprise a plurality of heat sources, each of which is associated with a respective automatic sensor in the manner hereinbefore described. [0013] It will be understood that the heat source may emit heat for igniting the end of said smoking article by conduction, by convection or by radiation, or by any combination of conduction, convection and radiation. More typically, said heat source may emit heat by radiation or convection or by a combination of radiation and convection. Said heat source may, for example, comprise a heatable coil, plate, element or other surface, such as a resistive coil, resistive plate, or other resistive heating element or surface heated thereby. Such a heat source will emit heat for igniting the end of said smoking article by a combination of electromagnetic radiation and convection of heated air. The power of said heat source may be in the region of 30-100 W, such as between 40-60 W, such as about 50 W. Alternatively, said heat source may comprise a laser, or an incandescent bulb such as a halogen bulb, for example a halogen bulb of about 120-200 W, which will emit heat for igniting the end of said smoking article primarily by electromagnetic radiation. Heat sources of all of these types are known in the art. Said heat source may conveniently be powered by electricity. [0014] As will be appreciated by the skilled man, once the location of the end of the smoking article has been accurately determined, a variety of adjustments may be made to the components of the ignition system and/or the smoking machine so as to ensure successful ignition of the smoking article by the ignition system. [0015] The distance separating said heat source from said end of the article during emission of heat from the heat source is typically a key parameter affecting the reliability and success of ignition, regardless of the manner in which heat is emitted by the heat source. Thus, said control means may be adapted to automatically adjust relative movement of said heat source and/or said smoking article, such that a predetermined distance separates said heat source from said end of the smoking article, whereby said end of the smoking article can be successfully ignited by the heat source. [0016] Suitably, therefore, said heat source may be capable of movement with respect to said smoking article, and said control means may be adapted for controlling movement of said heat source, whereby the heat source under the control of said control means can be moved into or halted at a selected position. Alternatively, or in addition, said control means may be adapted for controlling movement of a smoking article held by a smoking machine, whereby said smoking article under the control of said control means can be moved into or halted at a selected position. By thus controlling relative movement of said heat source and/or said smoking article in view of the known position of said end of the smoking article, a predetermined distance separating said heat source from said end of the smoking article may readily be achieved. [0017] Said sensor may be arranged such as to detect the end of a smoking article when said end is disposed at said predetermined distance from the heat source, or when said end is positioned such that after subsequent movement of said smoking article and/or said heat source along a pre-set locus, said end will be disposed at said predetermined distance from the heat source. Alternatively, said ignition system may be arranged such that following detection of said end of the smoking article by said sensor, said heat source and/or said smoking article are moved under the control of the control means such as to achieve said predetermined distance between said heat source and said end of the smoking article. [0018] Suitably, said control means may be adapted to ensure that said heat source and said smoking article remain out of contact with one another during emission of heat by the heat source. [0019] Additionally or alternatively, said control means may be adapted to automatically adjust the operation of said heat source following detection of the end of a smoking article by the sensor, such as to enable successful ignition of said end of the smoking article by the heat source. Parameters of the operation of the heat source which may affect the reliability and success of ignition include the temperature of the heat source; the channelling of heat from the heat source to the end of the smoking article; the level and wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation that is applied by the heat source to the end of the smoking article; the length of time for which heat is applied to the end of the smoking article for igniting the article; and the timing of the application of heat to the end of the smoking article for igniting the article with respect to the "puff cycle" of a smoking machine. By adjusting any or all of these parameters, the control means may serve to enable successful ignition of a smoking article by the heat source without any or any further adjustments in relative movement of the heat source and/or said smoking article. Said control means may therefore be adapted for calculating the type and extent of any adjustments to any of these parameters which may be required for enabling successful ignition, in view of the known position of the end of the smoking article (as detected by said sensor), and for securing the performance of such adjustments. It will be appreciated however that said control means may be adapted for adjusting any or all of the aforementioned parameters of the operation of the heat source in addition to adjusting relative movement of said heat source and/or said smoking article. [0020] Where said heat source is adapted for emitting heat by air convection for igniting said end of the smoking article, said control means may be adapted to automatically adjust the temperature of the heat source, the adjustment depending upon the location of said end, as detected by the sensor. Clearly, where said end is located at a greater distance from said heat source, successful ignition can nonetheless be achieved through increasing the temperature of the heat source. Conversely, where said end is located at a smaller distance from said heat source, successful ignition without undue heat damage to the smoking article can nonetheless be attained through decreasing the temperature of the heat source. [0021] Variation in the temperature of the heat source may for example be achieved by adjusting the power input which energises the heat source. Thus, said control means may comprise a regulator or switch operably connected to said heat source, whereby the power input to said heat source may be controlled. In particular, where the heat source is powered by electricity, said control means may be adapted for controlling the average voltage or amperage supplied to said source such as to up- or down-regulate the temperature of said heat source. Thus, said control means may for example comprise a variable resistor, a switch means, or a pulse width modulator such as an FET. Alternatively, or in addition, said control means may comprise a cooling means such as a heat sink which is operable when required to reduce the temperature of the heat source. [0022] Alternatively, or in addition, said control means may be adapted to adjust the channelling of heat from said heat source to said end of the smoking article, by selectively dispersing heat away from the end of the smoking article and/or selectively directing heat towards the smoking article, as required. Thus, for example, said control means may comprise channelling means such as a plurality of adjustable fins, which channelling means can be positioned in a first orientation whereby the channelling means serve to disperse heat away from the end of the smoking article and/or in a second orientation whereby the channelling means serve to direct heat towards the end of the smoking article, which channelling means may optionally be removable. Thus, for example, where the end of the smoking article is positioned at a greater distance from the heat source, said channelling means may be adjusted such as to direct heat towards the end of the smoking article, in order to enable successful ignition of said smoking article by the heat source. Conversely, where the end of the smoking article is positioned at a smaller distance from the heat source, said channelling means may be adjusted such as to disperse heat away from the end of the smoking article, in order to enable successful ignition of said smoking article by the heat source. [0023] Said greater distance may denote a distance of more than about 2 mm, or more than about 1.5 mm, or more than about 1 mm. Said smaller distance may denote a distance of less than about 1 mm, or less than about 0.5 mm. [0024] Where said heat source is (alternatively or in addition) adapted for emitting heat for igniting said end of the smoking article by electromagnetic radiation, said control means may be adapted for automatically adjusting the level and/or the wavelength range of electromagnetic radiation that is applied by the heat source to the end of the smoking article for igniting the article, the adjustment depending upon the position of said end as detected by the sensor. When exposed to electromagnetic radiation, the end of a smoking article (which is typically primarily composed of tobacco) will absorb radiation in particular wavelength ranges according to its absorption spectrum. Radiation absorbed by the end of the smoking article will serve to heat the end towards and beyond its ignition temperature, which may lead to ignition. It is evident therefore that by selectively irradiating said end of the smoking article with radiation in a wavelength range which is absorbed by the end, and/or by increasing the overall level of radiation that is applied to said end of the smoking article, the heating effect of the electromagnetic radiation on the end of the smoking article will be enhanced. Conversely, by selectively irradiating said end of the smoking article with radiation in a wavelength range which is not absorbed or not efficiently absorbed by the end, and/or by decreasing the overall level of radiation that is applied to said end of the smoking article, the heating effect of the electromagnetic radiation on the end of the smoking article will be diminished. Continue reading about Ignition system for a smoking machine... 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