A TRANSFERRING AND INSPECTING UNIT OF A GROUP OF ELONGATED ELEMENTS

摘要

A transferring and inspection unit (1) is proposed for transferring and inspecting a group (2) of elongated elements (3) that are rod-shaped for smoking articles that comprises a forming pocket (5), having a longitudinal axis (T), which is provided with a hollow housing (7) suitable for housing a group (2) of elongated elements (3) to be inspected; a transporting conveyor (4) of the forming pocket (5) which is configured to advance the pocket (5) along an advancing path (P) through a first inspection position (6); a first tridimensional inspecting optical assembly (15, 16) configured to perform in respective successive scanning instants a plurality of first tridimensional optical scans by projecting a first light blade (12) over a first head face (2a) of the group (2), during advancing of the forming pocket (5) through the first inspection position (6); a processing device (8) configured to obtain, for each first tridimensional scan, a respective first scanning line (13) associated with the respective scanning instant and to reconstruct a first tridimensional profile of the first head face (2a) on the basis of the plurality of the first scanning lines (13), positioned in respective first reference positions. The forming pocket (5) comprises a first front face (5a) that in turn comprises a first shaped surface (28; 28'; 44) e the first optical assembly (15, 16) is configured to perform simultaneously with each first tridimensional scan of the first head face (2a) also a respective first tridimensional scan of the first shaped surface (28; 28'; 44) to obtain a respective further scanning line (14); the processing device (8) is in addition configured to calculate the reference position of each first scanning line (13) analysing the respective further scanning line (14).