EP0524379B1 - Tobacco containing filaments and method and apparatus for their preparation - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a film thread containing tobacco according to the preamble of patent claim 1 and to a method and an apparatus for producing film threads containing tobacco according to patent claims 5 and 14 respectively.

In the tobacco processing industry, a large number of processing options for residues from tobacco processing are known. For example, from DE-PS 17 82 854 a nozzle with a plurality of nozzle channels for producing tobacco rods from tobacco waste, which on the one hand has an outlet at each mouth region of each nozzle channel, which is provided only over part of the circumference of the corresponding nozzle channel. On the other hand, each nozzle channel can have an outlet insert in its mouth region, which has different friction coefficients on opposite sides. If a raw mass containing tobacco is now pressed through the nozzle orifices, essentially helical tobacco rods are produced which, however, have only a low stability and a low filling power.

DE-OS 1 692 917 discloses a method for producing smoking tobacco with a nozzle head in which there is a rotatable, frustoconical insert.

From DE-PS 1 432 576 a process for the production of smoking tobacco for the recycling of tobacco components, which are obtained in the processing of tobacco, is known. Here, the raw tobacco mass is rolled out between two rollers, the resulting tobacco rod being torn into individual pieces due to different peripheral speeds or ejection speeds of the tobacco material. This method also has only unstable results, which also have a relatively low filling power.

Another method is known from EP 0 039 647 B1, in which a raw mass containing tobacco is pressed through an extrusion device through a type of mesh screen, with threads or tobacco strands containing tobacco being produced. Another method and device DE 33 39 247 C1 describes the manufacture of crimped fiber pieces from reprocessed tobacco. An extrusion device extracts a raw material containing tobacco from a special nozzle head, in which there is a frustoconical insert, which is divided into thread-like intermediate products. The resulting tobacco-containing threads also have the disadvantages of the prior art discussed above. This also applies to the method according to DE 40 05 656 A1, which essentially relates to a drying or expansion device downstream of the device according to DE 33 39 247 C1.

EP 216 926 A1 relates to a process for the production of film threads containing tobacco, and similarly to the process according to DE-PS 1 432 576, a tobacco mass is rolled out between a pair of rollers to form a web of material containing tobacco, in order to then be knocked off by one of the Rollers to be stripped. Here too, the stability and filling power of the product leave something to be desired.

From DE 31 18 472 A1, finally, a tobacco product and a method for its production are known, a raw mass containing tobacco material being pressed out of a nozzle mouth via a mandrel. The resulting tobacco material tube has approximately the diameter of a commercially available cigarette. At certain intervals, which corresponds to the length of commercially available cigarettes, a portion of a raw material containing tobacco which closes the tobacco material tube is introduced via a channel axially through the mandrel. In this way, a continuous tube of tobacco material is created, which can be separated at the points specified by the closing tobacco portions, in order to give tobacco portions that correspond to a finished cigarette. Here, however, the completely different smoking behavior and lack of acceptance by the consumer are disadvantageous.

Extruded tobacco material is known from generic EP-A-0 325 476, which can take a variety of different external shapes. In this case, an extruded tobacco sheet is preferably first produced, which can later be cut into strips, chopped or otherwise processed in order to produce a filler material which can be added to a leaf cut material, for example for filling cigarettes. The outer shape of the extruded tobacco material depends on the extruder nozzle and can be in the form of a strand, cut, film, tube, cylinder or cylinder with longitudinal channels. While the said tobacco extrudate consists of tobacco particles, water, binders and humectants, and the known extruded tobacco materials are quite remarkable in terms of their filling factor and mechanical stability, improvements can still be achieved in this regard.

The invention is therefore based on the problem of proposing a film thread containing tobacco and a method and a device for its production which do not have the disadvantages of the known prior art listed above.

In particular, it is an object of the present invention to propose a method and a device with which the film threads containing tobacco according to the invention can be produced, which have increased stability and an increased filling power.

According to the invention, the object of the present invention is achieved by a film thread containing tobacco according to claim 1, by a method according to claim 5 and by a device according to claim 14.

Advantageous embodiments and process variants are defined by the subclaims.

According to the present invention, a film thread containing tobacco is made available, which is produced using tobacco particles, water, binders and humectants, the individual film threads being at least partially open on the longitudinal side and in particular provided with a longitudinal slit. This configuration ensures that the film threads according to the invention are very stable and have an outstanding filling power. These advantageous properties are based on the static stability of a circular or partial circle cross section, which can absorb and distribute all shear, bending and compressive forces particularly well. On the other hand, this shape ensures that the finished film threads can be smoked like natural tobacco cut material. The burning behavior of the film threads according to the invention is particularly uniform and therefore advantageous.

During the manufacturing process, twisting and / or crimping of the film threads already occurs if the manufacturing process management is appropriate. The twisting and / or crimping is increased by the subsequent drying process, because the film threads according to the invention are at least partially open on the long side. By twisting or crimping the films of the invention their filling power continues to increase. The burning behavior and other properties required of cut tobacco can also be positively influenced by this.

The film threads according to the invention are produced in such a way that they have a C, U or O-shaped cross section. The film threads according to the invention advantageously have a length of approximately 1 to approximately 100 mm, lengths of between 5 and 30 mm being preferred. Other lengths have proven to be unusable, since they are not suitable for further processing in a cigarette later, because they are either too small and cannot be held in the tobacco structure of the cigarette or because of their oversized length they tend to form pellets and become suitable for processing Oppose part. The diameter of the film threads according to the invention should be between approximately 0.5 and approximately 3 mm, preferably between 1 and 2 mm. These dimensions correspond approximately to the dimensions of the usually used tobacco, which is why the experience gained in the processing of tobacco can be used. The wall thickness of the film threads should be approximately 0.1 to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.15 to 0.2 mm. Within the scope of these dimensions, it is possible to give the film threads according to the invention a natural burning behavior and the required stability. The listed advantages of the expediently used dimensions apply in principle alternatively to all dimensions of the film threads.

The process according to the invention for producing the film threads takes place with the extrusion of a raw mass consisting of tobacco particles, binders, humectants and water, the extrusion taking place through at least one small opening. Movable inner cores according to the invention are provided within the small openings, the raw mass being pressed through a gap between the opening edge and the inner core. The inner core can be mounted asymmetrically in the opening, so that a coder U-shaped cross section is created. A large number of different cross sections can be produced for the film threads according to the invention by variations.

If the inner core is rotated within the opening, coarser tobacco particles that settle between the bore and the inner core are ground, thus preventing the nozzle outlet opening from becoming blocked. The opening or the openings through which the raw mass is pressed have a diameter of in particular approximately 0.5 to approximately 3 mm. Although other opening sizes are practicable, this creates film threads whose dimensions do not correspond to the natural cut tobacco that is usually used. In addition, the film threads would become too rigid with increasing dimensions and thus become brittle and be more difficult to process.

Analogous to the rotation of the inner cores, it is also possible to move the inner cores axially back and forth in the channels upstream of the openings, the inner cores preferably being able to dip out of or into the openings. The advantages achieved are comparable to those of the procedure with the rotating inner cores.

The advantages mentioned can be further improved if the inner cores both rotate and are moved back and forth.

If the inner cores within the openings or channels e.g. Arranged cyclically asymmetrically or symmetrically, it is possible to design the film threads alternately in an O-shape to a C-shape.

Temperatures of approx. 20 ° C to approx. 160 ° C and pressures between approx. 10 bar and approx. 200 bar are used during the extrusion and the shaping process. Within the framework of these parameters, it is possible to process the raw mass containing tobacco gently and to achieve the required density for the film threads so that they have the desired stability and the other desired properties.

The tobacco particles used have grain sizes that are smaller than about 0.4 mm. This ensures that the gap between the Inner core and the opening or the inner core and the channels upstream of the openings is not added. If there are tobacco particles in the raw material that are larger than the approx.0.4 mm mentioned, then rotating or reciprocating the inner cores has a positive effect in that larger tobacco particles are ground and crushed, thereby preventing that Inhomogeneities occur in the film threads or the gaps between the openings and the inner cores are even added.

The raw mass has an easily processable consistency if the ratio between the tobacco content, the binder and the humectant on the one hand and the water content on the other hand is in the range from approx. 80: approx. 20 to approx. 60: approx. 40, preferably 70:30.

If the direction of rotation of the inner core or the direction of rotation of the inner cores is changed at intervals during manufacture, nucleation for blockages in the particularly narrow zones of the gaps between the inner cores and the opening edges or the inner cores and the channel walls can be excluded. This makes the manufacturing process even more effective and the quality of the film threads becomes more uniform. The best process results can be achieved if the diameter of the inner core is between approx. 0.05 and approx. 0.15 mm smaller than the channel diameter or the opening diameter, whereby the channel or opening diameter is between approx. 0.5 and approx 3 mm.

The device for solving the problem has an extruder and a downstream tool with at least one channel, preferably a plurality of channels, which open into an opening. Such a tool is known in connection with the production of plastic pipes from US-A-2,780,835. Inner cores are provided within the channels, which have a somewhat smaller cross section near the openings than the channels or openings. According to the invention, the inner cores are fastened to a piston rod which can be moved back and forth, the inner cores being arranged asymmetrically within the openings or channels and touching them completely or almost completely.

The inner cores are designed as rotating shafts or as piston rods. The rotating shafts can be rotated together by a motor via a gear.

The inner cores designed as shafts can also be connected together to the reciprocating piston rod. A drive shaft can be passed through the piston rod. As a rule, the shafts or inner cores are moved back and forth by approx. 1.5 mm and cover a simple total distance of approx. 3 mm.

The geometric dimensions of the individual technical components of the device are dimensioned such that film threads with the dimensions given above can be produced.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Folienfadens;

Fig. 2

einen Querschnitt des Folienfadens nach Fig. 1;

Fig. 3

eine Seitenansicht eines geraden Folienfadens;

Fig. 4

einen gekräuselten Folienfaden;

Fig. 5

einen gedrillten Folienfaden;

Fig. 6a und 6b

eine Seiten- bzw. Vorderansicht eines Kanales bzw. einer Öffnung mit asymmetrisch angeordnetem, beweglichen Innenkern der Vorrichtung zur Herstellung der Folienfäden;

Fig. 7

ein Werkzeug mit rotierenden Innenkernen, und

Fig. 8

ein Werkzeug mit sich hin- und herbewegenden Innenkernen.

The present invention is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures. Further features and advantages of the present invention are disclosed. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a film thread;

Fig. 2

a cross section of the film thread of FIG. 1;

Fig. 3

a side view of a straight film thread;

Fig. 4

a crimped film thread;

Fig. 5

a twisted film thread;

6a and 6b

a side or front view of a channel or an opening with asymmetrically arranged, movable inner core of the device for producing the film threads;

Fig. 7

a tool with rotating inner cores, and

Fig. 8

a tool with floating inner cores.

In FIGS. 1 to 5, a tubular, that is to say hollow, film thread is generally identified by reference number 10.

A preferred embodiment of a film thread 10 containing tobacco can be seen from FIG. 1. The tubular film thread shown has a slot 12 formed over its entire length. This creates a C-shaped profile over the entire length of the film thread 10. The wall thickness 14 of the film thread 10 shown is between 0.1 and approximately 0.3 mm, preferably between approximately 0.15 and 0.2 mm. The diameter 16 of the film thread is between approximately 0.5 and 3 mm, preferably between 1 and approximately 2 mm. The total length of the thread will generally not exceed 100 mm. Film thread lengths of up to 30 mm can be processed like cut tobacco and are therefore preferably produced with these dimensions.

1, which is essentially C-shaped, is both twisted and crimped. In this way, the filling capacity of the film thread according to the invention is significantly increased. The stability of the film thread is mainly determined by the shape of the cross section.

Fig. 2 shows a section through the C-shaped film thread 10 with the longitudinal slot 12. It can clearly be seen that the film thread is hollow in its interior. The thickness of the wall 13 of the film thread 10 is usually not uniform, but rather decreases towards the longitudinal slot 12.

3 is therefore neither twisted nor crimped.

The film thread 10 according to FIG. 4 is only crimped, but not twisted.

The film thread 10 according to FIG. 5 is only twisted without being crimped.

6a and 6b show a single opening 54 of a tool according to the invention for producing the film threads containing tobacco according to the invention. In longitudinal section according to Fig. 6a to recognize the course of a channel 62 between a wall 52 of the channel 62 and an inner core 56. The inner core 56 executes a rotational movement around the arrow 60 and / or a back and forth movement along the double arrow 58. Furthermore, the movement of the inner core 56 contributes, among other things, to twisting and crimping the film thread 10.

Further reasons for the twisting and crimping are the different extrudate speeds in the outlet gap 62, caused by the asymmetrical inner core 56, and irregular extrudate flow, caused by coarser tobacco particles, which briefly settle between the inner core 56 and the wall 52 of the channel 62. The movement of the inner core 56 prevents the gap 62 from becoming clogged. Larger tobacco particles are ground. Nucleation, from which blockages in the gap 62 can result, is prevented.

From Fig. 6b it can be seen that the inner core formed as a shaft 56 is arranged asymmetrically within the bore. The resulting gap 62 leads to the film thread emerging from the gap 62 being given the desired C-shape. In the area in which the inner core 56 bears against the wall 52 of the opening 54 or the wall 52 of the channel, the slot 12, the C-shape of the film thread 10, is created.

7 shows a tool which is intended for carrying out the method or for producing the film threads. An extrusion device or a press screw is arranged in front of the illustrated tool, as is well known in the prior art in a wide variety of variations.

The tool has a gear housing 11, into which a shaft 1 opens. The shaft 1 transmits its rotary movement via a central gearwheel 2 to three peripheral gearwheels 12. These peripheral gearwheels 12 are coupled with 36 gearwheels 3 in terms of transmission technology. The gears 3 are in engagement with their adjacent gears, so that a plurality of gears 3 can be driven via relatively few peripheral gears 12.

Needle holding shafts 7 are connected to the gears 3 and rotate together with the gears 3. Devices for clamping needles 10 are provided on the ends of the needle holding shafts 7 opposite the gear wheels 3. The clamped needles 10 also rotate with the needle holding shafts 7 and the gears 3. The needles 10 pass through a cavity 5 into nozzle outlet bores 9, which are provided in a cover plate 6. The mouths of the nozzle outlet bores 9 correspond to the opening 54 according to FIGS. 6a and 6b. The needles 10 are to be compared with the inner core 56 according to FIGS. 6a and 6b.

Via an opening in the tool, a raw mass is introduced along the arrow 4 into the tool, which passes through existing channels or bores into the cavity 5. From here, the raw mass is passed through the nozzle outlet bores 9 and exits through a gap at the end of the nozzle outlet bores 9 between the needles 10 and the opening. The raw mass introduced along the arrow 4 consists of tobacco particles, water, binders and humectants, the tobacco content, the binder and the humectant compared to the water content being about 80: about 20 to about 60: about 40, preferably 70:30 .

The raw mass is heated and introduced under pressure into the tool, which can be provided with a heater in order to keep the raw mass at a constant temperature until it emerges from the openings of the nozzle outlet bores 9. The temperatures that are usually used are between approx. 20 ° C and approx. 160 ° C. The pressure is between approx. 10 bar and approx. 200 bar.

The diameter of the needles 10 is generally approximately 0.05 to approximately 0.15 mm smaller than the diameter of the nozzle outlet bores 9, the diameter of the nozzle outlet bores being between approximately 0.5 and approximately 3 mm.

The lower part of FIG. 7 shows a section through the upper part of the tool shown in FIG. 7 at the level of the introduction area of the raw mass, that is, at the level of arrow 4. The introduction hole is clear can be seen through which the raw mass containing tobacco is introduced along arrow 4. In addition, the needle holding shafts 7 and their arrangement can be seen. The fastening screws 8 for holding the cover plate 6 enable maintenance-friendly assembly and disassembly of the tool. This makes it possible to make the cavity 5 accessible, via which the raw mass containing tobacco is distributed and passed to all the nozzle outlet bores 9. In addition, the clamping devices for the needles 10, which are provided on the needle holding shafts 7, are accessible in this way.

In the illustrated tool, the needles 10 protrude beyond the opening ends of the nozzle outlet bores 9.

The tool shown in FIG. 7 functions as follows: The raw mass is fed into the tool along the arrow 4 from an extruder upstream of the tool shown. The raw material enters the cavity 5 via appropriately designed lines and channels or bores. The raw material is distributed in the cavity 5 in such a way that a large number of nozzle outlet bores 9 can be supplied with the raw material. While the raw material exits through the nozzle outlet bores 9 between the walls of the nozzle outlet bores 9 and the needles 10, which are provided asymmetrically in the nozzle outlet bores 9, the needles 10 are rotated.

The asymmetrical position of the needles 10 within the nozzle outlet bores 9 creates the advantageous C-shape of the film threads. The rotation of the needles 10 allows tobacco components in the raw mass which have an excessive grain size, for example larger than 0.4 mm, to be ground and torn. This prevents the outlet openings 9 from becoming blocked. If the direction of rotation of the needles is changed cyclically, jammed or seized components of the raw material can be released again and ejected from a bore 9 together with the body of a film thread. The rotation also contributes to the twisting and crimping of the film threads.

8 shows a further embodiment of a tool. Here the needles 24 are not rotated, but are moved axially back and forth via a piston rod 15.

Otherwise, the tool according to FIG. 8 also consists of a nozzle housing 16, into which, however, the piston rod 15 opens from above. At the other end of the piston rod 15, the mounting plate 22 and the needle mounting ring 23 are provided. Inside the nozzle housing 16 there is a cavity 17 so that there is play for the required back and forth movement and so that the raw mass containing tobacco introduced into the tool along the arrow 18 can reach the nozzle outlet bores 19.

The arrangement of the needles 24 in the outlet bores 19 again corresponds to the shape shown in FIGS. 6a and 6b. The needles 24 also protrude beyond the openings of the nozzle outlet bores 19 in the cover plate 25.

In order to be able to replace the needles 24, 23 clamping devices are present in the needle mounting ring. These clamping devices are realized by screws which, when tightened, clamp a needle 24 selectively or in terms of area. Relief bores 21 are provided in the mounting plate 22 and in the needle mounting ring 23, so that the tobacco-containing raw material has an escape volume available during the reciprocating movement of the piston rod 15 and the parts attached to it. If relief bores 21 of this type were not present, the entire raw mass would have to be transported via the gaps located on the outside, considerable shear or bending forces being exerted on the thin needles 24 and high peak pressure values occurring.

The lower part of FIG. 8 shows two partial circular sections. The left partial circular section is set at the height of the clamping devices, while the right partial circular section runs axially through the bore through which the raw material containing tobacco is introduced into the tool.

The needle mounting rings 23 can be seen in the left part of the lower illustration in FIG. 8. In addition, the needles 24 can be seen, which are held by the clamping devices.

In the right partial section of the lower illustration in FIG. 8, the mounting plate 22 can be seen, in which relief bores 21 are created. Screws 20 are provided for fastening the needle fastening rings 23 to the mounting plate 22. The raw tobacco mass to be processed is introduced into the tool along arrow 18.

The manufacturing process used in the tool according to FIG. 8 proceeds in accordance with the process as has been described for the tool according to FIG. 7. The rotational movement of the needles 10 according to FIG. 7 is only replaced by the back and forth movement of the needles 24 according to FIG. 8.

A tool is also conceivable in which the needles can carry out a rotational movement as well as a back and forth movement. For this purpose, the tools according to FIGS. 7 and 8 are combined. So z. B. the shaft 1 according to FIG. 7 in addition to the rotational movement of a reciprocating movement. The gearbox is then designed in such a way that it is also able to transmit this movement to the needles 9.

Claims (20)

1. A tobacco-containing hollow and/or hose-like sheet filament (10) of tobacco particles, water, binders and humectants, characterized in that said sheet filament (10) is at least partially open lengthwise, in particular is provided with a longitudinal slit (12).
2. The sheet filament as set forth in claim 1, characterized in that said sheet filament in itself is twisted and/or crimped.
3. The sheet filament as set forth in any of the claims 1 or 2, characterized in that said sheet filament (10) has a cross-sectional shape in the form of a C, U or O.
4. The sheet filament as set forth in any of the claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the length of said sheet filament (10) amounts to 1 to 100 mm, preferably 5 to 30 mm, and/or the diameter amounts to 0.5 to 3 mm, preferably 1 to 2 mm, and/or the wall thickness amounts to 0.1 to 0.3 mm, preferably 0.15 to 0.2 mm, on an average, particularly the walls of said sheet filament having in cross-section a differing or unequal thickness.
5. A method of preparing tobacco-containing sheet filaments, particularly as set forth in any of the claims 1 to 4, from a raw mass of tobacco particles, binders, humectants and water, in which the raw mass is extruded through at least one orifice, characterized in that said raw mass is extruded through a gap (62) between said or each orifice and a moving torpedo (56; 10; 24).
6. The method as set forth in claim 5, characterized in that said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) rotate within said orifices (54: 9; 19), the orifices having a diameter in particular between 0.5 and 3 mm.
7. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 or 6, characterized in that said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) reciprocate in said orifices (54: 9; 19) or in the corresponding passages or bores and protrude preferably at least at times from said orifice (54) or bore (9;19).
8. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 7, characterized in that said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) extend at least at times asymmetrically in said orifices or passages (54: 9; 19).
9. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 8, characterized in that said raw mass is processed at temperatures between 20°C and 160°C and/or pressures between 10 bar and 200 bar.
10. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 9, characterized in that said raw mass contains tobacco particles having maximum grain sizes of up to 0.4 mm.
11. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 10, characterized in that in extruding said raw mass, an amount of water is admixed to a portion of tobacco, binder and humectant in a ratio of 80:20 to 60:40, preferably 70:30.
12. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 11, characterized in that the direction of rotation of said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) is changed at intervals, for example, cyclically.
13. The method as set forth in any of the claims 5 to 12, characterized in that the diameter of the torpedoes used is 0.05 to 0.15 mm smaller than the diameter of the passage (52) or port of said passage (54: 9; 19), the passage diameter being between 0.5 and 3 mm.
14. An apparatus for the preparation of tobacco-containing sheet filaments, in particular as set forth in any of the material claims, particularly for implementing said method as set forth in any of the process claims, comprising an extruder and a die which follows the latter, comprising at least one, preferably several passages merging in an orifice, within said passages (52; 9; 19) movable torpedoes (56; 10; 24) being provided having at the orifice of said passages a cross-section somewhat smaller than that of said passages or orifices thereof, characterized in that said torpedoes or shafts (56; 10; 24) are secured to a piston rod (15) which is reciprocatable, said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) being arranged asymmetrically within said orifices or passages (52; 9; 19) and in contact therewith nearly completely or portionwise.
15. The apparatus as set forth in claim 14, characterized in that said torpedoes (56; 10) are rotating shafts.
16. The apparatus as set forth in claim 15, characterized in that said shafts (56; 10) are driven by a motor via a transmission (1, 2, 12, 3, 7).
17. The apparatus as set forth in any of the claims 14 to 16, characterized in that said torpedoes or shafts (56; 10; 24) are rotatable and reciprocatable via a transmission (1, 2, 12, 3, 7).
18. The apparatus as set forth in any of the claims 14 to 17, characterized in that the diameter of said orifices (54; 9; 19) is between 0.5 and 3 mm, preferably between 1 and 2 mm.
19. The apparatus as set forth in any of the claims 14 to 18, characterized in that the diameter of said torpedoes (56; 10; 24) is 0.05 to 0.15 mm smaller than the diameter of said passage (52; 9; 19).
20. The apparatus as set forth in any of the claims 14 to 19, characterized in that said passages (52; 9; 19) taper nozzle-like, e.g. conically, towards their exit orifice.

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