CN117545376A

CN117545376A - Device and method for producing rods for the tobacco processing industry, rod-shaped articles and use of such a device

Info

Publication number: CN117545376A
Application number: CN202280044959.8A
Authority: CN
Inventors: J·布勒旺斯卡; H·沃斯; T·詹瑟; J-H·克林德沃斯; M·埃尔根迪; M·斯塔默; H·蒂勒; M·克努佩尔; K·埃克特; D·哈尼布斯; S·沃尔夫; M·克劳斯; A·舒伯特; S·斯托菲尔斯
Original assignee: Kolber Technology Co ltd
Current assignee: Kolber Technology Co ltd
Priority date: 2021-06-23
Filing date: 2022-06-20
Publication date: 2024-02-09
Also published as: DE102021116209A1; WO2022268684A1; KR20240024854A; EP4337032A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100) and a method for producing rods for the tobacco processing industry, a rod-shaped article and an application of the device. The apparatus comprises a rod making machine having a rod-containing providing unit (102) and a rod forming unit (104) arranged downstream of the rod-containing providing unit (102), wherein the rod-containing providing unit (102) provides a rod of material made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit (104) is arranged for wrapping the rod of material that can be provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102) with a wrapping strip (21) in a format unit (104). The device further comprises a providing device (106), a separating device (108) and a feeding device (112), wherein the providing device (106) is arranged to provide a flat web (107) and to feed it to the separating device (108) arranged downstream, wherein the separating device (108) is arranged to separate the flat web (107) into a plurality of strips (110), and the feeding device (112) is arranged to add the plurality of strips (110) to the material web.

Description

Device and method for producing rods for the tobacco processing industry, rod-shaped articles and use of such a device

Technical Field

The invention relates to a device for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a rod making machine having a rod-containing material supply unit and a rod forming unit arranged downstream of the rod-containing material supply unit, wherein the rod-containing material supply unit is provided for supplying material rods made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit is provided for wrapping material rods which can be supplied by the rod-containing material supply unit in a wrapping strip in a format unit. The invention also relates to a method for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry using such a device. Finally, the invention also relates to a rod-shaped article made of rods of the tobacco processing industry and to the use of the mentioned device for carrying out the mentioned method.

Background

Rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are well known. For example, the stick-like article is a cigarette, cigar or generally a tobacco stick, filter or filter segment. In addition to these typical rod-shaped articles, such articles having a rod-like shape but not requiring a combustion process during consumption should also be regarded as rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. An example of such a rod-shaped article in the tobacco processing industry is the so-called HnB article (heated non-combustible article). The HnB article is a product of the tobacco processing industry that heats but does not burn during consumption. In consuming HnB articles, steam is generated by transferring heat (e.g., from an electrically driven heat source) to an aerosol-forming substrate present in the HnB article. Such vapors are designated for consumption and contain fragrances and contained materials. As the aerosol-forming substrate, a tobacco-containing substrate is generally used, however, unlike in the case of conventional smoking products, the tobacco-containing substrate does not burn. In many cases, a film made of a reconstituted tobacco material (reconstituted film) is used as a tobacco-containing substrate.

Conventional rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, such as cigarettes, cigars, cigar sticks or tobacco sticks in general, are in some cases provided with an additional flavour-forming substrate. For example, the flavor-forming additive is a flavored thread or strip integrated into the tobacco rod. A method and a device in which tobacco material fed to a suction rod conveyor is provided with additives are disclosed in GB 2260887 a. The additives may be introduced in the form of continuous elements or also in the form of discontinuous elements. Provision may also be made for: spraying the additive. The additive element may be substantially rigid or inflexible, for example in the form of a rod, tube or cartridge. DE 3602846A1 discloses a smokable article, such as a cigarette, comprising a core element and a wrapper. In the production of cigarettes from an axial core element made of filler material and a wrapper made of tobacco material, the web made of outer wrapper material, the tobacco material flow and the preformed rods forming the core element are fed to the format mechanism of the cigarette making machine. The rod forming the core element is manufactured in another rod making machine. From EP 2219481A1 a filter for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry is disclosed. The wrapping paper of the filter plug is secured to the periphery of the filter material with an adhesive, wherein the adhesive contains a fragrance. From WO 2020/211294 A1 an article of the tobacco processing industry is disclosed, which comprises a folded web made of flavoured material. Into which threads made of paper-based gel are inserted.

Disclosure of Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, a method for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, and the use of a rod-shaped article and a device, wherein an improved and more flexible solution for integrating additives into tobacco rods should be provided.

The object is achieved by a device for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a rod making machine having a rod-containing material supply unit and a rod forming unit arranged downstream of the rod-containing material supply unit, wherein the rod-containing material supply unit is provided for supplying material rods made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit is provided for wrapping material rods which can be supplied by the rod-containing material supply unit with a wrapping strip in a format unit. Wherein the device is improved by a providing device, a separating device and a feeding device, wherein the providing device is arranged to provide a flat web, in particular a flat web provided with perfume, and to feed it to a separating device arranged downstream, wherein the separating device is arranged to separate the flat web into a plurality of strips, and the feeding device is arranged to add the plurality of strips to the material bar.

Advantageously, with this device, the amount of strip material added to the tobacco material can be varied simply and flexibly. The strip material is obtained by cutting a flat web in the machine direction. The flat web may be made of any material, but in particular it relates to scented materials. For example, the flat web may be paper-type, or may be made of tobacco material. The flat web of material may be provided with one or more flavours, inclusion materials and/or active ingredients, so that the flavour of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry made from the material rods may be adjusted by adding more or less mass in the form of a flat web to the material rods. The quality of the strip material fed can be varied simply by the width of the flat web fed from the supply device to the separating device. A narrower flat web means less strip material and a wider flat web means more material that is added to the tobacco rod in the form of a strip. Another variant possibility provides the width of the individual strips. The narrow strips have a large surface-to-volume ratio. In response, the contained materials and active ingredients (e.g., fragrances) will quickly volatilize from these strips and into the consumable airflow upon heating. Conversely, a wider strip has a smaller and in this sense more disadvantageous surface-to-volume ratio, in which case the transfer of fragrance and active ingredient takes place more slowly. The changes can be made in a simple manner, depending on the desired characteristic profile of the rod-shaped article produced.

Furthermore, it is advantageous that the strip can be positioned off-centre with the device according to the invention. For traditional articles of the tobacco processing industry, the positioning of the flavor-rich threads or the like in the tobacco rod (as seen in the cross-section of the tobacco rod) is not critical. While this is not necessarily the case with HnB articles. Conventional articles of the tobacco processing industry burn or incinerate during consumption and the aroma and content materials are transferred by heat to a smoke stream designated for consumption, while HnB articles are heated, for example, by electrically driven heating elements and do not burn. In the case of HnB articles, in some cases, heat is introduced into the tobacco rod of the rod-shaped article from the outside (i.e., through the sides of the article). In other cases, heat is introduced through a heating element centrally inserted into the tobacco rod. In both cases, it is advantageous if the strip, which is made for example of a flat part provided with a fragrance, is not centrally and in this sense off-centrally located in the tobacco rod. If the heat for heating the tobacco rod material is introduced through the side, the strip arranged in the center of the tobacco rod is heated only later in the process of consumption, so that the active ingredients and the content material thereof are released only at the end of the period of time in which the consumption takes place. Conversely, if the strips are arranged closer to the sides, they will be heated earlier during the period of consumption and correspondingly release their active ingredients and content materials earlier. If the heating of the tobacco rod material is performed by a heating element centrally inserted into the tobacco rod, the presence of a strip in the center of the tobacco rod can hinder this process and may lead to damage to the heating element. It is therefore also advantageous for such a device if the strips are arranged closer to the periphery (also seen in cross section of the tobacco rod).

Furthermore, the device can be obtained without major retrofitting measures from conventional devices in which no strips cut from a flat web are inserted into the tobacco rods. In other words, conventional machines can then be converted into the device according to the invention with only minor conversion measures.

In addition to paper-type material or any other material, the flat web may also be reconstituted tobacco material (reconstituted). The reconstituted tobacco material may in particular be a flavoured tobacco material. The tobacco material may additionally contain additional active ingredients, if desired. The reconstituted tobacco material may be produced not only in accordance with the papermaking process but also in accordance with the slush process. The flat portion (which is not necessarily a reconstituted tobacco material) is generally suitable as a flat web. Such flat portions may be provided with fragrances and/or active ingredients.

According to one embodiment, it is provided that the rod-containing substance supply unit comprises a suction belt onto which the tobacco material can be shaken, so that a rod of material made of the shaken tobacco material can be supplied by the rod-containing substance supply unit. The feeding device is preferably arranged to feed the strip to the tobacco material in a region of the rod making machine extending from the suction belt (including the suction belt) up to the format units (including the format units as well).

For example, the tobacco material is tobacco filaments, which are made in particular from tobacco leaves. However, the tobacco material may also be a small tobacco block, in particular such a small block made of reconstituted tobacco material. Advantageously, according to the mentioned embodiment, the strips cut from the flat web can be integrated flexibly into tobacco rods made of such tobacco material.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the device is improved by: the strip can be fed to the shakable tobacco material in the accumulation area of the suction belt containing the rod providing unit. By feeding the strips to the jittered tobacco material in the accumulation region of the suction belt, it is ensured that a minimum amount of tobacco material is present between the suction belt and the strips. This results in the strip not being placed directly at the outer surface (side) of the rod-shaped article.

According to another embodiment, the apparatus is modified by: the strip can be fed to the jitterable tobacco material at a location within the accumulation region that is a predetermined distance from an upstream origin of the accumulation region.

By varying the position at which the strip is fed to the jittered tobacco material, the distance of the strip from the outer side of the rod-shaped article can be adjusted. If this position is chosen such that a relatively large amount of jittered tobacco material has accumulated on the suction belt and the strip is fed into the process only at this position, the strip will be positioned in a more central direction in the rod-shaped article. Conversely, if the selected location is upstream of the previously described location, a smaller amount of shakable tobacco material is first deposited at the suction belt and the strip is positioned further in the rod-like article in the peripheral direction, i.e. closer to the outer side.

According to the two previously mentioned embodiments, the strip is fed to the apparatus in the accumulation area of the suction belt of the rod-containing material supply unit. The tobacco material, which preferably consists of small pieces, can not only be shaken onto the suction belt, but also be provided in the form of longitudinal strips of tobacco material, wherein the rod shaping performed in the rod shaping unit remains uniform.

According to a further embodiment, it is therefore provided that the rod-containing material supply unit comprises a separating device which is provided for separating the flat web of tobacco material into a plurality of longitudinal strips. The separation of the longitudinal strips takes place at least in sections, which means that the individual longitudinal strips can be connected to each other at regular or irregular intervals by means of a cross bar. The rod-containing material providing unit is arranged for providing a rod of material made of a longitudinal strip of tobacco material.

Thus, according to this embodiment, the tobacco material of the rod produced is provided by a flat web of tobacco material which is separated into longitudinal strips. The flat web of tobacco material may preferably also be reconstituted tobacco material, which is produced, for example, according to a papermaking process or according to a slush process.

According to another embodiment, a rod-containing substance providing unit is provided which does not comprise a separating device and comprises a crimping device or a collecting device for providing a rod of material made of a flat web of tobacco material. This means that the flat webs of tobacco material are continuously gathered together according to their width, so that a crimped or gathered flat configuration is produced, which forms a rod of material instead of the longitudinal strips of tobacco material described above.

For all the embodiments described above, the following applies: additionally or alternatively, the strip may be fed into the apparatus of the tobacco processing industry in the region of the format units. Accordingly, in a further advantageous embodiment, the device is improved by: the strip may be fed to the rod of material that can be provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit in the area of the format unit.

In the region of the format units there is already a material rod which has been subjected to shaking and trimming or which is made of a longitudinal strip of tobacco material, which material rod then undergoes rod forming in the format units. For example, if it is assumed that the suction belt is located above the rod, i.e. the rod is shaken onto the suction belt from below and shaped thereby, the strip (which, as mentioned above, is fed to the tobacco material in the region of the suction belt containing the rod providing unit) is located in the region of the upper part of the tobacco rod. The strips may be added to the lower region of the tobacco rod by additionally or alternatively transporting the strips in the region of the format units. This arrangement of the strips is achieved by feeding the strips to the form unit together with a wrapping material, preferably wrapping paper. One or the other option may be chosen, but alternatively both options may be chosen, i.e. the strips may be added in the area of the suction belt or in the area of the format units, depending on the desired end product. Another reason for deciding on one or the other may be that either of these options may be integrated as trouble-free as possible into existing equipment, which naturally also applies to embodiments in which a rod of material made of a longitudinal strip of tobacco material is provided.

The apparatus according to which the feeding apparatus is arranged to be able to feed the strip to the material rod that can be provided by the rod-containing material providing unit in the region of the format unit can advantageously be modified by: the format unit comprises a paper feeder for transporting the wrapping strip, wherein the paper feeder is furthermore designed as a feed device for transporting the strip into the material rod. By designing the threading device additionally as a feed device for the conveyor belt, existing devices can be retrofitted particularly simply and quickly, i.e. by simply replacing the threading device.

An apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry having a rod-containing material supply unit comprising a flat web of tobacco material separating apparatus arranged for separating a flat web of tobacco material into a plurality of longitudinal strips of tobacco material, such that material rods made of longitudinal strips of tobacco material can be supplied by the rod-containing material supply unit, is improved in particular as follows: the feeding device comprises a strip feeding device arranged for adding a plurality of strips to a rod of material made of longitudinal strips of tobacco material.

According to another embodiment, the feeding apparatus is modified by: the strip feeding device is a feed hopper which is provided and arranged for feeding a plurality of strips to the material rod in a region which is centrally seen in cross section. In such an embodiment, it is furthermore particularly advantageous if the feeding device is arranged such that the strip can be fed to the material rod which can be provided by the rod-containing material providing unit in the region of the format unit.

Furthermore, according to another and alternative embodiment, it is provided that the strip feeding device comprises a plurality of guide channels, in which the strip bundles, which each comprise a fraction of the number of the plurality of strips, can be guided.

The strip feeding device with a plurality of guide channels allows to distribute a plurality of strips over the cross section of the material rod when the strips are added centrally to the material rod by means of a feed hopper, preferably in the form of a compact bundle comprising all strips. The apparatus is advantageously flexibly adjustable according to the type of product desired.

According to another embodiment, a strip feeding apparatus with a plurality of guide channels is improved by: the strip feeding device is designed as a guide ring. Such a guide ring comprises guide channels which are arranged along its circumference, in particular uniformly distributed, and which are provided and arranged for feeding the strip bundles to the material rod in a region which is peripheral as seen in cross section, in particular uniformly distributed along the circumference of the material flow.

As already mentioned above, the strip may be provided with fragrances and/or additives, for example. Furthermore, the strips may also contain tobacco material, but this is not absolutely necessary. For example, the strip is a flavored RECON material.

If the apparatus is used to produce rods that are used to produce HnB articles, it may be desirable and advantageous to selectively dispose these fragrance and/or additive-containing strips at the center or periphery of the HnB articles. If the HnB article is heated, for example, by a central heating element or heating plate, it may be desirable to: for example, the scented strip is more precisely disposed about the periphery of the HnB article. Conversely, if the HnB article is heated from its outside, it may be desirable to: for example, a flavored strip is disposed in the center of the HnB article. Advantageously, the device according to the mentioned embodiment allows flexible adjustment of the device according to the desired variants of the product produced with the device.

In addition to the abovementioned targeted positioning of the strip in the material rod, it may also be desirable to: the strips (seen in cross section of the material rod) are distributed, in particular uniformly distributed, in the material rod. This object is achieved by means of an embodiment of the device which is improved by: the strip feeding device is a dispenser block with guide channels arranged side by side, in particular with guide channels arranged along a line (furthermore in particular along a straight line). The dispenser block is provided and arranged for feeding a strip bundle in a fanned-out state to the material rod, which strip bundle is in turn guided through the guide channel. The strip is fed to the material rod, in particular in the area in front of the format units. In this region, for example, in the region of a guide plate (also referred to as a lower guide in the context of the present description) which tapers into a funnel shape, the strips of material rod are present in a fanned-out manner, i.e. are not compressed spatially. Spatially compressing the rod and the actual rod shaping further proceeds downstream. The strip strips together with the strips of material rods travel over a transport path on the lower guide and are distributed uniformly in the material rods during the transport on this transport path.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the plant of the tobacco processing industry is modified by: the separating device is arranged for separating the plurality of strips into a first group and a second group. Furthermore, the device is improved by: the separating device comprises a first and a second separating unit, wherein the first separating unit is arranged for separating the flat web into a first partial flat web and a second partial flat web, and the second separating unit is arranged for separating the first partial flat web into a first set of strips and the second partial flat web into a second set of strips.

For example, the first and second sets of strips may be fed to a first or second rod of a twin rod machine. Alternatively, the first set of strips may be fed to the apparatus in the region of the suction belt and the second set of strips in the region of the format unit. This is also possible in the case of a double rod making machine by designing the separating device doubly.

According to a further embodiment, the device is improved by: the rod making machine is a dual rod making machine and the feeding apparatus comprises a first and a second feeding unit, and the first feeding unit is arranged for feeding a first set of strips to a first rod of the dual rod making machine and the second feeding unit is arranged for feeding a second set of strips to a second rod of the dual rod making machine.

Alternatively, the device is improved by: the feeding device comprises a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit is arranged to be able to deliver a first set of strips to the jitterable tobacco material in a stacking area of the suction belt of the rod-containing substance providing unit, and the second feeding unit is arranged to be able to deliver a second set of strips to the rod of material that is able to be provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit in an area of the format unit.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the device is improved by: the rod-containing providing unit is provided for feeding a flat web of tobacco material to a separating device, wherein the separating device is provided for separating the flat web, which is in particular made of a material provided with flavoring, active ingredients and/or other content materials, together with the flat web of tobacco material, in particular simultaneously or in the same working step, into a plurality of strips and longitudinal strips of tobacco material. The separating device advantageously also serves as a feeding device, since it adds the produced plurality of strips to the rod of material made of longitudinal strips of tobacco material during cutting or separating. Thus, the separation device advantageously has a dual function.

Furthermore, the device is improved by: a separating device is provided for intermittently separating the flat web into a plurality of strips. This means: the separating device is designed and arranged in such a way that it can interrupt the separation process carried out on the flat web at least temporarily and in this sense intermittently separate the flat web into a plurality of strips.

If the separating device is for example a device as disclosed in DE 102010006826 A1 of the same applicant, the rollers of the separating device described in this reference in connection with fig. 1 and 2 can be moved apart for example temporarily (i.e. for a short time) to achieve a pause. In other words, the rollers may be temporarily separated from each other so that they no longer interact. By increasing the gap between the two rolls in this way, the flat web is no longer or no longer completely separated into longitudinal strips. A connection region is formed, which in the context of the present description shall also be referred to as a break. By this procedure, a material rod can be provided, wherein at least two, in particular all strips of the material rod are connected to each other in a spatially defined connection region along the longitudinal direction of the material rod.

Such pauses may be provided at regular intervals. Alternatively, the pauses may be event-driven, in particular set or carried out in a controlled or regulated manner. In the latter case, the device is improved according to one embodiment.

The device comprises in particular a strip breakage sensor arranged downstream of the separating device and/or a splice identification sensor arranged upstream of the separating device. This sensor or these two sensors are coupled to a control unit. The control unit is provided for actuating the separating device such that the separation of the flat web is interrupted when a strip break is detected by the strip break sensor and/or when a splice position is detected by the splice detection sensor.

By separating the flat web, a plurality of longitudinal strips are produced which are relatively sensitive to tensile forces if, for example, RECON material is used as the flat web. And therefore may occur: the individual strips are broken, for example, directly during the separation of the flat web. In order not to lose the strip in subsequent process steps, it is desirable that: the broken strip is returned to the production process again. This is done by: an intermittent arrangement is provided in which all the strips of the flat web, in particular, are connected to one another transversely to the longitudinal direction of the flat web, so that the strips lost from the process are returned to the process again.

The splice location (i.e. the connection location, where the nearly finished flat web is connected to the flat web newly added to the process) is usually double the material size. It may be desirable that: in such areas the flat web is not separated into longitudinal strips, as the products manufactured from the bars of such longitudinal strips may not have the desired properties. Thus, a pause can be achieved in the area of the splice location.

In both cases it is appropriate to: the products produced from these areas of the material rod can be ejected from the process at a later point in the production process.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry by means of an apparatus of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the apparatus comprises a rod making machine having a rod-containing provision unit and a rod forming unit arranged downstream of the rod-containing provision unit, and wherein the rod-containing provision unit provides material rods made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit wraps the material rods provided by the rod-containing provision unit in a wrapping strip in a format unit, wherein the method is improved by: the device comprises a supply device, a separation device and a feed device, wherein the supply device supplies a flat web, in particular a flat web provided with a perfume, and delivers it to the separation device arranged downstream, wherein the separation device separates the flat web into a plurality of strips, and the feed device adds the plurality of strips to the material bar.

The same or similar advantages as already mentioned above in connection with the equipment of the tobacco processing industry are also applicable to the method for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry. A flexible process can be provided which is particularly suitable for the production of HnB articles.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the method is improved by: the rod-containing providing unit comprises a suction belt onto which the tobacco material is shaken, whereby a rod of material made of the shaken tobacco material is provided by the rod-containing providing unit, and wherein the feeding device is arranged such that the strip can be fed to the tobacco material in a region of the rod making machine extending from the suction belt and including the suction belt up to and including the format unit.

The method is preferably modified by: the strip is fed to the whipped tobacco material in a deposited region of the suction belt containing the rod providing unit.

Furthermore, the method is advantageously improved by: the rod-containing providing unit comprises a separating device which separates the flat web of tobacco material into a plurality of longitudinal strips of tobacco material. Provision may also be made for: the separating apparatus produces longitudinal strips of tobacco material that are interconnected at regular or irregular longitudinal intervals by cross bars. The rod-containing material providing unit provides a rod of material made of a longitudinal strip of tobacco material.

Alternatively, the method is improved by: the strip is fed to the material rod provided by the rod-containing material providing unit in the area of the format unit.

The method is improved in particular by: the format unit comprises a paper feeder for feeding the wrapping strip, wherein the paper feeder is furthermore designed as a feed device for feeding the strip into the material rod and feeding the strip together with the wrapping strip into the material rod.

Furthermore, the method is advantageously improved by: the feeding device comprises a strip feeding device with which a plurality of strips are added to a rod of material made of longitudinal strips of tobacco material.

According to one advantageous development of the method, it is provided that: the strip feeding device is a feed hopper which feeds a plurality of strips to the material rod in a region which is centered when viewed in cross section. Particularly advantageous in connection with this embodiment are: the strip is fed to the material rod provided by the rod-containing material providing unit in the area of the format unit.

According to an embodiment alternative to this, provision is made for: the strip feeding device comprises a plurality of guide channels, wherein the strip bundles each comprise a fraction of the number of the plurality of strips, through which guide channels the strip bundles are guided and fed to the material rod.

Furthermore, provision is made in particular for: the ribbon bundle guiding device is a guiding ring with guiding channels arranged along its circumference, in particular uniformly distributed. In cross section, the strand is fed to the material rod in a peripheral region, in particular uniformly distributed along the circumference of the material rod. Also in this case it is advantageous that: the strip is fed to the supplied material rod in the region of the format unit.

Furthermore, the method is improved, inter alia, by: the strip feed device is a distributor block with guide channels arranged side by side, wherein the strip bundles are fed in a fanned-out state through the guide channels to the material rods.

According to another advantageous embodiment, the method is improved by: the separating device separates the plurality of strips into a first group and a second group.

Furthermore, the method is improved, inter alia, by: the separating device comprises a first and a second separating unit, wherein the first separating unit separates the flat web into a first partial flat web and a second partial flat web, and the second separating unit separates the first partial flat web into a first set of strips and the second partial flat web into a second set of strips.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is improved by: the rod making machine is a dual rod making machine and the feeding apparatus includes first and second feeding units, and the first feeding unit delivers a first set of strips to a first rod of the dual rod making machine and the second feeding unit delivers a second set of strips to a second rod of the dual rod making machine.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is improved by: the feeding device comprises a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit delivers a first set of strips to the jittered tobacco material in the accumulation area of the suction belt of the rod-containing substance providing unit and the second feeding unit delivers a second set of strips to the rod of material provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit in the area of the format unit.

The method is improved in particular by: the rod-containing material supply unit supplies the flat web of tobacco material to a separating device, wherein the separating device separates the flat web into a plurality of strips and longitudinal strips of tobacco material together with the flat web of tobacco material, in particular simultaneously, in the same working step, so that the separating device also serves as a feed device and adds the plurality of strips to the material rods made of longitudinal strips of tobacco material.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is improved by: the separating device intermittently separates the flat web into a plurality of strips, thereby providing a material rod, wherein at least two, in particular all, of the strips of material rod are connected to each other in a spatially defined connection region along the longitudinal direction of the material rod. As already mentioned above in the context of the device according to the various aspects of the invention, for the purpose of producing the connection region, the separating device (in particular when it is designed as disclosed in DE 102010006826 A1 of the same applicant) can be realized by: the rollers explained in this reference in connection with fig. 1 and 2 are at least briefly separated from each other.

According to an advantageous development of the method, it is furthermore provided that: a strip breakage sensor is arranged downstream of the separating device and/or a splice identification sensor is arranged upstream of the separating device. The sensor or sensors are connected to and in communication with the control unit. The control unit controls the separating apparatus in the following manner: the separation of the flat web is interrupted when a strip break is detected by the strip break sensor and/or when a splice position is detected by the splice detection sensor.

The object is furthermore achieved by a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, which rod-shaped article is made of rods of the tobacco processing industry, which rods are manufactured according to the method according to one or more of the embodiments mentioned above.

The object is finally achieved by the method according to one or more of the embodiments mentioned above being carried out by applying the device according to one or more of the embodiments mentioned above to the tobacco processing industry.

The same or similar advantages and modifications as mentioned in connection with the device are also applicable in the same or similar manner to the application of the method, the rod-shaped article and the device, so that no repetition is necessary.

Other features of the invention will become apparent from the description of the embodiments according to the invention, together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Single features or combinations of features may be implemented according to embodiments of the invention.

Drawings

Without limiting the general idea of the invention, it will be described hereinafter by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which reference is explicitly made to the accompanying drawings for all details according to the invention which are not explained in detail in the context. Wherein:

Fig. 1 shows a cigarette rod making machine of the PROTOS type as an exemplary apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry;

fig. 2 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, illustrating two possible alternatives with respect to the arrangement of the feeding apparatus;

fig. 3 shows a schematic view of an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, in which tobacco material is provided and processed in the form of a flat web of tobacco material;

fig. 4 shows a schematic view of a further apparatus for producing rods, in which tobacco material is provided and processed in the form of a flat web of tobacco material, wherein a separating apparatus is provided for separating the flat web and the flat web of tobacco material together into a plurality of strips and longitudinal strips of tobacco material;

fig. 5 shows a schematic top view of a flat web which is separated into a plurality of strips and combined into two bars of strips;

fig. 6 and 7 show schematically simplified cross-sectional views of an exemplary rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, illustrating the arrangement of the strips in the form of rods;

fig. 8 shows a simplified cross-section of a paper threading device arranged for use as a feeding device for strips of tobacco material, wherein both wrapping strips and strips of tobacco material can be transported in the region of the rod formation;

FIG. 9 shows a schematic simplified perspective view of a portion of such a paper punch;

fig. 10 shows a simplified detailed view of an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry;

fig. 11-13 show detailed views of other apparatuses for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry;

figure 14 shows in a simplified perspective view a feed hopper provided as a strip feeding device,

fig. 15 shows a simplified detailed view of an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry with such a feed hopper;

fig. 16 shows a schematic simplified cross-section of an article of the tobacco processing industry produced with such an apparatus;

FIG. 17 shows in a schematic simplified diagram a guide ring used as a strip feeding device;

FIG. 18 shows a schematic simplified diagram illustrating the polymerization of a rod of material with individual strips of belt guided by guide rings;

fig. 19 shows a schematic simplified cross-sectional view of a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, produced with an apparatus comprising a guide ring;

fig. 20 shows a schematic simplified view of a dispenser block as a strip feeding apparatus for an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry;

Fig. 21 shows a schematic simplified cross-sectional view of a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry produced with such an apparatus;

fig. 22 shows a simplified detailed view of another apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a intermittently operating separating apparatus;

FIG. 23 shows a detailed view of the area of the device indicated by the circle in FIG. 22, an

Fig. 24 shows a further simplified view of details of an apparatus for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a intermittently operating separating apparatus.

Detailed Description

Within the scope of the invention, features labeled "particularly" or "preferably" are to be understood as optional features.

In the drawings, the same or similar elements and/or components are denoted by the same reference numerals, respectively, so that the re-introduction is omitted, respectively.

Fig. 1 schematically shows a PROTOS cigarette rod making machine manufactured by neon machines limited, which is exemplarily provided as an apparatus 100 for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry. The apparatus 100 includes a shaft providing unit 102 and a shaft forming unit 104. Starting from the air lock 1, a pre-dispenser 2 feeds tobacco material (e.g. cut tobacco) in batches. It is also provided for processing other types of tobacco material, such as reconstituted tobacco material. The extraction rollers 3 of the pre-distributor 2 replenish the tobacco material in a controlled manner to a storage container 4 from which the tobacco material is extracted by means of a high-angle conveyor 5 and thus feeds a bulk chute (stauschcht) 6.

The pin rollers 7 take a uniform stream of tobacco material from the bulk chute 6, which stream is knocked off the pins of the pin rollers 7 by the knock-out rollers 8 and thrown against a baffle (Streutuch) 9 rotating at a constant speed. The tobacco web (Tabakvlies) formed on the baffle 9 is fed to a screening device 11, which essentially consists of an air curtain through which the larger or heavier tobacco parts pass, while all other tobacco particles are guided by air into a hopper 14 formed by a further pin roll 12 and a wall 13.

Tobacco material is supplied from the other pin roll 12 into the tobacco channel 16 and from there is thrown against the rod conveyor 17. Where the tobacco material is attached to a suction belt, not shown, which is part of the rod conveyor 17, due to the vacuum created by the vacuum chamber 18. The tobacco material is shaken at the suction belt by air drawn by the vacuum chamber 18.

The arrow marked a indicates that the feeding device can be arranged at this location of the device 100 or in this area, i.e. in the area of the rod conveyor 17, more precisely at its suction belt. The feeding device is arranged for adding a plurality of strips of tobacco material cut from the flat web to the tobacco material that is shaken at the suction belt of the rod conveyor 17.

The particular location at which the feeding apparatus is located may be flexibly and selectively chosen according to the desired characteristics of the apparatus 100 or the rod produced thereby. The position of the feeding device can also be designed variably.

If the strip is fed to the rod forming unit 104, more precisely to the rod conveyor 17, at a relatively far upstream position, the strip is located near the periphery, i.e. near the side of the rod produced in a further development of the production process. Conversely, if the position of the feeding unit is moved further downstream, there is already more tobacco material whipping at the suction belt and thus the strip is fed to the rod at a more central position. Thus, according to this embodiment, the strip is arranged more centrally in the produced rod. Thus, the position of the feeding device may be selected to be more upstream or more downstream, depending on the desired arrangement of the strips in the tobacco rod. The tobacco material which is shaken in the region of the rod conveyor 17 is further processed together with the strips arranged in the tobacco material.

The trimming member 19 removes excess tobacco material from the tobacco rod. The tobacco rod is placed further downstream on the synchronously guided cigarette paper strip 21 and thus enters the rod forming unit 104. In the region of the paper-strip feeding unit, a feeding device for conveying the strips of tobacco material may alternatively or additionally also be arranged. Thus, for example, together with the transport of the cigarette paper strips, the transport of the strips of tobacco material is carried out with a feeding device (the position of which is indicated by the arrow B). Further details will be explained further below. The feeding unit is selectively arranged at position a or position B, depending on the desired arrangement of the strip. It may also be provided that a first feed unit is arranged at position a and a second feed unit is arranged at position B.

In the region of the rod forming unit 104, there is already a shaky and trimmed tobacco material rod which is then subjected to rod forming in the format unit. In the apparatus 100 shown in fig. 1, the suction belt is located above the rod, and the tobacco material is thus shaken onto the suction belt from below. If a band is added to the tobacco material at location A, the band is located in the upper region of the tobacco rod. By additionally or alternatively conveying the strips at position B, i.e. in the region of the format units, said strips are added to the lower region of the tobacco rod. For example, the feeding apparatus may be arranged at position a or position B, depending on where the feeding apparatus may be more easily integrated into an existing cigarette rod making machine.

The cigarette paper strip 21 is pulled from a reel 22, guided through a printing mechanism 23, and placed onto a driven format belt 24. The format belt 24 transports the tobacco rod in which the strips are arranged and the cigarette paper strip 21 through the format unit 26. In this format unit 26, the cigarette paper strip is folded around the tobacco rod so that it still has one edge protruding, which is glued in a manner known per se by a gluing machine, not shown. The glued joint is then closed and dried in the tandem stitch plate 27.

The tobacco rod 28 produced in this way then passes through an optional rod density measurer 29 which controls the trimming member 19 and is cut, for example, into double cigarettes or tobacco sticks by a cutter 31. The double cigarettes or tobacco sticks are fed by a conveyor device 34 with a control arm 33 to a receiving drum 36, for example a filter tip attachment machine 37, on whose cutting drum 38 the double cigarettes or tobacco sticks are separated into individual tobacco sticks or individual cigarettes and fed into further processing.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic view of an apparatus 100 for producing rods 28 of the tobacco processing industry, in particular wrapped rods 28 made of tobacco material. The apparatus 100 includes a rod making machine having a rod-containing material providing unit 102 and a rod forming unit 104 disposed downstream of the rod-containing material providing unit 102. With respect to the construction of the pole-containing providing unit 102 and the pole forming unit 104, a possible embodiment has been described in detail in connection with fig. 1. As already mentioned, the rod-containing material providing unit 102 comprises a suction belt on which the tobacco material can be shaken, whereby a rod of material made of tobacco material can be provided. Another possible embodiment of the shaft-containing providing unit 102 will be further explained below in connection with fig. 3. The rod forming unit 104 is arranged for wrapping the rod of material that can be provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit 102 in a forming unit with a wrapping strip, such as the cigarette paper strip 21 mentioned in connection with fig. 1.

The apparatus 100 further comprises a providing device 106 arranged to provide a flat web 107 made of tobacco material and to feed it to a separating device 108 arranged downstream. For example, a flat web is present on a reel (Bobine). The providing device 106 may comprise, in particular, an automatic reel changer.

The separation device 108 is designed, for example, as is the case in DE 102018106826 (A1) of the same applicant. In this document a separating device is disclosed and a reference sign 12 is provided therein. The construction and manner of operation of the separation device shown in this reference is described in this reference in connection with fig. 1 and 2.

A separating device 108 is provided for separating the flat web 107 into a plurality of strips 110. This is illustrated schematically in fig. 5. The flat web 107 is separated into strips 110 by a separating device 108, not shown, of which only a few are provided with reference marks for the sake of clarity. The individual strips 110 are then divided into a first group 110a of strips 110 and a second group 110b of strips 110 and fed, for example, into the individual bars of a twin-bar machine. Additional details will be described further below.

Provision may be made in the device 100 shown in fig. 2 for: the individual strips 110 are selectively fed into the process at either position a or position B. It may also be provided that, for example, a first set 110a is fed in at position a and a second set 110B of strips 110 is fed into the process at position B. Positions a and B and the case of transporting the strip 110 at these positions are also described in detail in connection with fig. 1. At these positions are feeding devices arranged for adding a plurality of strips 110 to the material rod. The feeding apparatus is arranged to feed the strip 110 to the tobacco material in one area of the rod making machine, which rod making machine should include not only the components of the rod-containing material providing unit 102 but also the components of the rod forming unit 104. The zone (within which the strip 110 may be fed to the tobacco material) extends from (and including) the suction belt of the rod-providing unit 102 up to (and including) the format unit 26 of the downstream rod-forming unit 104.

If the feeding device is arranged to feed the strip to the jitterable tobacco material in a accumulation area of the suction belt of the rod-providing unit 102, the accumulation area will be located at position a. As already mentioned in connection with fig. 1, the specific position a may vary depending on the desired characteristics of the produced rod 28. For example, the location may be determined from a distance from a starting point of the accumulation zone that is present upstream of the feed location. Alternatively or additionally, the feeding device may also be arranged such that the strip 110 can be fed to the material rod that can be provided by the rod-containing material providing unit 102 in the area of the format unit 26, i.e. in the area of the rod forming unit 104. This corresponds to position B shown in fig. 2.

Fig. 3 shows a schematic view of an apparatus 100 for producing wrapped tobacco rods 28, wherein unlike the apparatus 100 described in connection with fig. 1, the tobacco material is not shaken onto the suction belt in the form of small pieces, but is provided in the form of a flat web 200 of tobacco material. A flat web 200 of tobacco material is provided on a spool 202. To ensure the continuity of the production process, an automatic reel changer, not shown in detail in fig. 3, can be provided, which comprises a splicing unit that connects the nearly finished flat web 200 of tobacco material with the new flat web 200 of tobacco material. The flat web 200 of tobacco material passes through deflection rollers and jumps not shown in detail204 are fed to a pair of pulling rolls 206, which hold the flat web 200 of tobacco material under the desired tension. Starting from this pull roll pair, the flat web 200 of tobacco material reaches the web position locating unit 208 via a further jumper 204 and a deflection roll, which is likewise not shown in detail. The web position positioning unit 208, which is also commonly referred to as a four-bar linkage (Viergelenk), allows for web position adjustment of the flat web 200 of tobacco material in one plane of the flat web, i.e. transversely to the conveying direction.

The flat web of tobacco material 200 is conveyed further downstream of a flat web of tobacco material separating apparatus 210 arranged for separating the flat web of tobacco material 200 into a plurality of longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material. The tobacco material flat web separating apparatus 210 is constructed in particular in the same manner as the separating apparatus 108, which separating apparatus 108 is provided for separating the flat web 107 and is disclosed in detail in DE 102018106826A1 of the same applicant.

The longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material pass through a further pair of pulling rolls 206 to a lower guide 214, for example a trough tapering in the transport direction, where the individual longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material are gathered together. Furthermore, in the region of the lower guide 214, as already described in connection with the preceding figures, a plurality of strips 110 made of flat web 107 are added to the longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material by means of a feeding device not shown in detail. Thus, according to the present embodiment, the lower guide 212 may also be considered as the feeding device 112.

In the present embodiment, the unit described above constitutes the shaft-containing substance providing unit 102. The longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material and the plurality of strips 110 together reach downstream into the rod forming unit 104, for example, through a filling nozzle 216. Here, the strip is wrapped with a cigarette paper strip in a format to provide a wrapped tobacco rod 28. The tobacco rod is cut into rod-like articles 120 by means of a suitable cutting mechanism or cutter 31.

The device 100 furthermore comprises a supply device 106, which has been described above, for example to supply a flat web 107, which is provided with, inter alia, active ingredients, fragrances and/or content materials, on a reel. The flat web 107 arrives at a separating device 108, in which the flat web 107 is separated into a plurality of strips 110.

Fig. 4 shows a schematic view of another apparatus 100 for producing wrapped tobacco rods 28. In this device 100, the tobacco material is provided in the form of a flat web 200 of tobacco material and is separated in a separating device 108 into a plurality of strips 110 and longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material together with a flat web 107, which is provided with, in particular, active ingredients, inclusion materials and/or flavoring agents. According to the present embodiment, the separating device 108 serves as both a separating device 108 for the flat web 107 and a flat web separating device 210 of tobacco material for the flat web 200 of tobacco material. Such a separating device can then also be constructed identically to the separating device disclosed and described, for example, in DE 102010006826 A1 of the same applicant.

The flat web 200 of tobacco material is provided on a reel 202, which is arranged on a suitable reel changer 218. In order to be able to join the nearly finished flat web and the new flat web together to form a continuous material web, a schematically shown splicing device 220 is provided. The flat web 200 of tobacco material passes through deflection rollers, not shown in detail, to the pull roller pair 206 of the reservoir 222. At the outlet of the reservoir 222, a dancer 204 is again arranged to maintain the web tension, by means of which the flat web 200 of tobacco material is fed to a further pair of pulling rolls 206. Upstream of the pair of pulling rolls 206, the flat web 200 of tobacco material has been gathered with the flat web 107.

The flat web 107 is likewise provided on a reel 202, which is located, for example, on a reel changer 218. In order to be able to provide a continuous material web, the providing device 106 also comprises a splicing device 220, by means of which the near-end material web and the new material web can be brought together to form the continuous material web 107. The flat web 107 is passed through the pull roll pair 206 into the reservoir 222, which is guided by the jumpers 204 to maintain the web tension before the flat web 107 leaves the reservoir 222. Deflection rolls present between these units are generally known and are no longer provided with reference marks.

As already mentioned, the flat web 107 and the flat web 200 of tobacco material are guided together by the pull roll pair 206 of the rod-containing material supply unit 102. The flat webs 107, 200 pass through a further jumper 204 to the web position locating unit 208 already described in connection with fig. 3 and then to the separating device 106, which in this embodiment also serves as a flat web separating device 210 of tobacco material. The strip 110 and the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material pass together through another pair of pull rolls 206 onto a lower guide 214. Here, the strip 110 and the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material (e.g., the shape that gradually tapers in the transport direction by the lower guide 214) are joined together in the transport direction and added to the filling nozzle 216. In the rod forming unit 104, wrapped tobacco rods 28 are formed from the strips 110, 212, which are then further cut downstream into rod-shaped articles 120 by the cutter 31.

Fig. 6 shows an exemplary cross section of a rod 28 or, in the same way, a rod-shaped article 120 made from the rod 28. The strip 110 is added to the tobacco material at location B. Accordingly, the strip is located relatively low in the tobacco rod. Fig. 7 shows another cross section of the finished rod 28 or rod-like article 120, wherein the strip 110 is added to the tobacco rod at location a, i.e. in the region of the suction zone.

If a strip 110 is to be added to the material rod at position B, it is recommended that the paper threading device of the rod forming unit 104 be designed as a feeding device 112. This is shown, for example, in the schematic and simplified cross-sectional view of fig. 8. The illustrated paper threading device delivers cigarette paper strips 21 to the rod of material through a first pass. The paper threading device is designed as a feeding device 112 in which a further channel 114 is provided through which the strip 110 is guided. The cigarette paper strip 21 is fed to the format unit 26 together with the strip 110. Tobacco material is placed on the upper side of the cigarette paper strip 21 and shaped into a rod. The results are shown in cross section in fig. 6.

Fig. 9 shows a schematic perspective view of a part of a feeding device 112, which is for example also a retrofit paper threading device. For example, the feeding device is suitable and designed for a twin rod machine. A first strip of cigarette paper for a first rod is conveyed through the first web 114a and a second strip of cigarette paper for a second rod is conveyed through the second web 114 b. The channels 114 mentioned in connection with fig. 8 are designed doubly and merge into the first opening 118a and the second opening 118b in the first or the second web 114a, 114 b. Thus, as already described in connection with fig. 8, both the cigarette paper strip 21 and the plurality of strips 110 may be fed into a subsequent format formation.

The separating device 108 can be designed as a first separating unit and a second separating unit, wherein the first separating unit is provided for separating the flat web 107 into a first partial flat web and a second partial flat web. A second separation unit is then provided for separating the first partially flattened web into a first set 110a of strips 110 and the second partially flattened web into a second set 110b of strips 110. In addition, the apparatus 100 may also be designed such that its rod making machine is a dual rod making machine. For example, in this case, the feeding apparatus 112 comprises a first and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit is arranged for feeding the first set 110a of strips 110 to a first bar of the double bar machine and the second feeding unit is arranged for feeding the second set 110b of strips 110 to a second bar of the double bar machine. Referring to the embodiment in fig. 9, the first web 114a is part of a first feeding unit and the second web 114b is part of a second feeding unit. The first web 114a is fed to the first rod of the rod making twin machine together with the cigarette paper strip 21 by means of the first web, i.e. together with the first group 110a of strips 110 discharged from the discharge opening 118 a. Accordingly, the second cigarette paper strip 21 is fed through the second web 114b to the second rod of the rod making twin machine along with the second set 110b of strips 110 discharged from the second opening 118 b. According to another embodiment, provision is made for the feeding device 112 to comprise a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit is arranged such that in the accumulation area of the suction belt of the rod-containing substance providing unit 102, i.e. at position a, a first group 110a of strips 110 can be fed to the shakable tobacco material, and the second feeding unit is arranged such that in the area of the format unit 104, i.e. at position B (see fig. 2), a second group 110B of strips 110 can be fed to the rod of material that can be provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit 102.

The apparatus 100 explained in connection with the preceding figures is suitable for performing a method for producing rods 28 of the tobacco processing industry. The same applies to the application of the device for performing such a method.

Fig. 10 shows a simplified perspective detailed view of an apparatus 100 for producing rods of the tobacco processing industry. The detailed view is shown in the region of the shaft providing unit 102 (see also fig. 3 and 4). An embodiment has been explained in connection with fig. 4, wherein the separating device 108 serves as both a separating device for the flat web 107 and a flat web separating device 210 of tobacco material for the flat web 200 of tobacco material. This is similar in the embodiment shown in fig. 10. The separating device 108 shown there serves as a separating device for the flat web 107 and at the same time as a tobacco material flat web separating device 210 for the flat web 200 of tobacco material. However, unlike the case described in connection with fig. 4, the two webs 107, 200 are not guided by a common pair of pull rolls. Instead, the flat web of tobacco material 200 reaches the flat web of tobacco material separating apparatus 210 by means of a first pull roll pair 300 and various deflection rolls, which are not shown in detail. Web tension is controlled and maintained on this transport path by the dancer 302. As already mentioned above, the flat web 107 can be, for example, a flat web provided with a fragrance and/or a material contained therein, which reaches the separating device 108 via various deflection rollers, which are likewise not shown in detail. The web tension is also maintained and/or controlled by means of the dancer 302. In order to keep the two web strokes disjoint, one of the two webs (in the exemplary embodiment shown only the flat web 107) is guided by two deflection rollers arranged in the form of twists 304. From the twist 304, the flat web 107 arrives in the second pull roll pair 306 and from there passes through the jumpers 302 to the flat web 107. Downstream of the separating device 108 (which also serves as a tobacco material flat web separating device 210), the flat web 107 separated into longitudinal strips and the tobacco material flat web 200 separated into longitudinal strips of tobacco material are guided by a common third pair of pull rolls 308 and fed into further processing of the rods.

Fig. 11 is also another simplified detailed view showing the apparatus 100 in the area of the pole providing unit 102. Unlike the embodiment described in connection with fig. 10, the device 100 shown in fig. 11 to 13 in different variants has a separate separating device 108 for the flat web 107 and a separate mounted and arranged flat web separating device 210 for separating the flat web 200 of tobacco material. The web travel of the flat web 200 of tobacco material is the same as already described in connection with fig. 10. The flat web 200 of tobacco material passes through various deflection rollers, not shown further, to a first pull roller pair 300 and from there through a jumper 302 to a flat web separating device 210 of tobacco material which provides a longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material.

The flattened web 107 passes through the twister 304 to the second pull roll pair 306 and from there through the jumpers 302 to the separating apparatus 108. The flat web 107 separated into strips or longitudinal strips 110 and the flat web 200 of tobacco material also separated into longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material are gathered together and guided together by a third pair of pull rolls 308 and fed to further processing.

For example, the flat web 107 and the flat web 200 of tobacco material may be separated into longitudinal strips of different widths by using separate separating devices 108, 210.

Fig. 12 shows a further variant of the device 100 already described in connection with fig. 11, wherein a simplified perspective detailed view is again shown in the region of the pole-containing provision unit 102. The apparatus 100 shown in this figure differs from the apparatus 100 described in connection with fig. 11 only in the fourth pull roll pair 310, which is arranged downstream of the separating apparatus 108 and conveys the longitudinal strip 110 made of the flat web 107. The third pair of pull rolls 308 also has a different effect and is used only as a pair of pull rolls for the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material. A fourth pair of pull rolls 310 is provided for the longitudinal strip 110.

Fig. 13 shows a further variant of the device 100, wherein a detailed view is again shown in the form of a simplified perspective view in the region of the pole-containing provision unit 102 of the device 100. In addition to the embodiment explained in connection with fig. 12, the flat web 107 downstream of the second pull roll pair 306 and the dancer 302 is also provided with a web edge conditioner 312 which is realized by various deflection rolls which are not provided with a reference sign in detail.

In all embodiments shown in fig. 10 to 13, there may be an access assembly upstream and not shown in the figures, comprising a respective reel and possibly a reel changer. The flat web 107 and/or the flat web 200 of tobacco material may be provided by these reels. Such an intake assembly can convey the flat web 107 and/or the flat web 200 of tobacco material in an adjusted or unregulated manner. By changing the position of the fourth pull roll pair 310 and the separating apparatus 107 (see fig. 12) associated therewith, for example by arranging the fourth pull roll pair 310 in a direction closer to the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material, it is possible to change the position at which the strip 110 made of the flat web 107 is fed to the flat strip 210 of tobacco material. If the strip 110 is fed to the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material in a relatively far upstream region, as shown in fig. 12, the strip 110 is relatively evenly distributed in the rod made with the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material. Conversely, if the fourth pair of pull rolls 310 is positioned further downstream, positioning of the strips 110 in the bar may be achieved, which results in a relatively centered positioning of the strips 110 in the finished bar. The degree and type of distribution of the longitudinal strips 110 made of the flat web 107 in the finished bar can then be varied by the positioning of the fourth pair of draw rolls 310 in particular.

Fig. 14 shows a feed hopper 314 in a schematic simplified perspective view, which serves as a strip feeding device. The feed hopper is provided for feeding the strip 110 made of the flat web 107 by means of the separating device 108 in a central area to a material rod, which preferably consists of a longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material.

Fig. 15 shows in a simplified perspective detailed view in the region of the format hopper 316 the region of the rod-containing material supply unit 102, where a format unit is connected downstream. For example, as explained in connection with fig. 10-13, a rod of material consisting of a longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material is provided. Furthermore, the flat web 107 is separated into strips 110 by a separating device 108. The strips 110 are guided by a fourth pair of pull rolls 310 and further downstream into a feed hopper 314. For example, the hopper is positioned to feed the strip 110 to the rod in a central region.

Fig. 16 shows a cross-section of a rod-shaped article 120 produced in this way in a simplified schematic cross-sectional view. The rod-like article has a band 110 in the centre and longitudinal bands 212 of tobacco material at its periphery. These longitudinal strips of tobacco material surround a central region.

As an alternative to the feed hopper 314 shown in fig. 14, the strip feeding device can be designed as a guide ring 318. Fig. 17 shows such a guide ring 318 in a schematically simplified top view. The guide ring has an outer ring region 320 and an inner ring region 322, which are connected to a web 324. Guide channels 326 extend between the webs 324, which are illustratively arranged evenly distributed along the circumference of the guide ring 318. In addition, for example, the guide ring 318 includes six guide channels 326. These guide channels 326 are provided for delivering bundles 330 (e.g., six bundles 330 into which the plurality of strips 110 are divided) to a stream of material made from the longitudinal strips 212 of tobacco material. For this purpose, a guide ring 318 is arranged, for example, at the position of the feed hopper 314 shown in fig. 15. The longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material is guided in a central guide channel 328.

As shown in a schematic simplified cross-sectional view in fig. 18, a cross-sectional view of the rod is shown in the region immediately downstream of the guide ring 318. The longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material guided through the central guide channel 328 is centrally located. The bundles 330 guided by the associated guide channels 326 of the guide ring 318 are located at the periphery, in particular uniformly distributed along the circumference. If such a rod is formed into a rod-like article 120, its cross-section has a structure as shown in the schematic simplified cross-sectional view of fig. 19. The belt 330 is located at its periphery along the circumference of the rod-shaped article 120. The remaining cross section is occupied by a longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material.

As shown in fig. 19, if the belt 330 is not arranged in the peripheral region of the rod-shaped article 120, the belt 330 is fed further upstream to the rod of material, that is to say, for example, the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material. This is particularly done in the region where the material rods are present in a fanned-out state. Thus, referring to the illustration in fig. 15, the strip 110 is added further upstream to the longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material. To this end, the strip feeding device may be designed as a distributor block 331.

Fig. 20 shows such a dispenser block 331 in a schematic simplified cross-sectional view. The dispenser block has guide channels 326 arranged side by side through which the strip belts 330 are guided. The strip belt 330 is added to the fanned-out longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material, for example placed on or introduced side by side along a line into the longitudinal strip of tobacco material. The result is thus a rod-shaped article 120 which, seen in cross section, has at least approximately the structure shown in the schematic simplified cross-sectional view of fig. 21.

Unlike the rod-shaped article 120 shown in cross-section in fig. 19, the strap 330 is no longer located at the periphery of the rod-shaped article 120, but is further located at the center thereof. The remaining cross-section is again occupied by a longitudinal strip 212 of tobacco material. In this case, it is not important whether the bundles 330 are arranged (as shown in fig. 21) uniformly distributed circumferentially or statistically distributed in the cross section of the rod-shaped article 120.

Fig. 22 shows an area of the device 100 in a further simplified perspective detailed view in its area containing the shaft providing unit 102. The apparatus 100 comprises a separation apparatus 108, which is exemplarily designed as disclosed in detail in DE 102018106826A1 of the same applicant. The separating device 108 comprises, for example, two rollers, by means of which the flat web 107 is separated into strips 110. According to the embodiment shown, the separating device 108 is designed such that it is able to intermittently separate the flat web 107 into a plurality of strips 110. This is shown in the detailed view of fig. 23, fig. 23 showing the region labeled XXIII of the device 100 known from fig. 22. The strips 110 are interconnected transversely to the longitudinal direction in a connecting region 332 which is spatially delimited along the longitudinal direction of the material web.

For example, in the apparatus 100 shown in fig. 22 and 23, the flat web 107 is first separated into two partial webs by length and then spread. These developed partial webs are fed to a separating device 108.

Intermittent separation of the flattened web 107 may or may not be controlled and/or regulated. That is, the intermittence of the creation of the connection region 332 may be performed periodically and in this sense, in an unregulated or controlled manner. For example, the pauses are arranged such that there are pauses in each rod-like article made of the rod. However, the pauses may also be event driven. To this end, the apparatus 100 comprises, for example, a strip breakage sensor 334. A strip breakage sensor 334 is arranged downstream of the separation device 108. By means of the strip breakage sensor 334 it is possible to determine when one of the strips 110 breaks and is thus lost in the further production process. In order not to permanently lose the strip during production, but to send it back into the production, an intermittent step may be provided, so that a connection region 332 is formed. The broken strip is returned to the production process again via the connection region 332.

Furthermore, according to one embodiment, the apparatus 100 further comprises a splice identification sensor 336. The splice identification sensor is disposed upstream of the separation device 108. In order to achieve a continuous processing of the flat web 107, the nearly finished flat web 107 can be connected to the beginning of a new flat web 107 by means of a splicing device 220. Such splice locations may be identified by means of splice identification sensor 336. Again, a break may be provided in this region so that the connection region 332 includes the splice location.

Furthermore, the device 100 is also provided with a control unit, not shown, which is provided for providing a corresponding pause when a strip break is detected by means of the strip break sensor 334 or when a splice position is detected by means of the splice identification sensor 336. In addition, it is also provided in particular that a rod-shaped article (which is produced from such a region in which there is an intermittence) is ejected from the production process.

All of the features mentioned, as well as those available solely from the drawings and also the individual features disclosed in connection with other features, both alone and in combination, are considered essential for the invention. An embodiment according to the invention may be implemented by means of a single feature or a combination of features.

Reference sign list 1 air brake

2 pre-distributor

3 extraction roller

4 storage container

5 big inclination conveyer

6 bulk material chute

7 pin roller

8 knocking roller

9 baffle

11 screening device

12 another pin roll

13 wall

14 hopper

16 tobacco channel

17-rod conveyor

18 vacuum chamber

19 leveler

21 cigarette paper strip

22 cigarette paper reel

23 printing mechanism

24-format tape

26 format unit

27 series seam plate

28 wrapped tobacco rod 29 rod density measurer 31 cutting machine

33 arm

34 transfer apparatus

36 receive the roller

37 filter tip laminating machine 38 cutting roller

100 apparatus

102 rod-containing article providing unit

104 rod forming unit

106 providing apparatus

107 flat web

108 separation device

110 strips

10a first group

10b second group

112 feeding device

114 channel

14a first web

14b second web

18a first opening

18b second opening

120 bar shaped article

200 Flat web of tobacco Material

202 reel

204 jumping device

206 traction roller pair

208 breadth position locating unit

210 tobacco material flat breadth separating equipment

212 longitudinal strips of tobacco material

214 lower guide

216 filling nozzle

218 reel changer

220 splicing equipment

222 storage

300 first pulling roll pair

302 jumping device

304 twist piece

306 second traction roller pair

308 third pull roll pair

310 fourth pulling roll pair

312 breadth edge controller

314 feed hopper

316-format feed hopper

318 guide ring

320 outer ring region

322 inner ring region

324 connecting piece

326 guide channel

328 center guide channel

330 strap bundle

331 distributor block

332 connection region

334 strip breakage sensor

336 splice identification sensors.

Claims

1. An apparatus (100) for producing rods (28) of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a rod making machine having a rod-containing providing unit (102) and a rod forming unit (104) arranged downstream of the rod-containing providing unit (102), wherein the rod-containing providing unit (102) is arranged for providing material rods made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit (104) is arranged for wrapping material rods, which can be provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102), with wrapping strips (21) in a format unit (104), characterized by providing means (106), separating means (108) and feeding means (112), wherein the providing means (106) are arranged for providing a flat web (107), in particular a flat web (107) provided with a flavor, and transporting it to the separating means (108) arranged downstream, wherein the separating means (108) are arranged for separating the flat web (107) into a plurality of strips (110), and the feeding means (112) are arranged for adding the plurality of strips (110) to the material rods.

2. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, wherein the rod-containing providing unit (102) comprises a suction belt onto which tobacco material can be shaken, whereby material rods made of shaken tobacco material can be provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102), wherein the feeding apparatus (112) is arranged to be able to feed the strip (110) to the tobacco material in a region of the rod-making machine extending from the suction belt and including the suction belt up to the format unit (104) and including the format unit (104).

3. The apparatus (100) according to claim 2, wherein the feeding apparatus (112) is arranged to be able to feed the strip (110) to the tobacco material that is able to shake in a stacking area of the suction belt of the rod-containing providing unit (102).

4. An apparatus (100) according to claim 3, wherein the feeding device (112) is arranged to be able to feed the strip (110) to the tobacco material that can be shaken at a position within the accumulation zone, which position is at a predetermined distance from the upstream start of the accumulation zone.

5. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rod-containing substance providing unit (102) comprises a tobacco material flat web separating apparatus (210) arranged for separating a tobacco material flat web (200) into a plurality of longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material, such that a rod of material made of the longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material can be provided by the rod-containing substance providing unit (102).

6. The apparatus (100) according to claim 1 or 5, wherein the feeding apparatus (112) is arranged to be able to feed the strip (110) to a rod of material that is able to be provided by the rod-containing material providing unit (102) in the area of the format unit.

7. The device (100) according to claim 6, characterized in that the format unit comprises a paper feeder for transporting wrapped strips, wherein the paper feeder is furthermore also designed as a feeding device (112) for transporting the strips (110) into the material rod.

8. The apparatus (100) according to claim 5, wherein said feeding apparatus (112) comprises a strip feeding apparatus arranged for adding a plurality of said strips (110) to a rod of material made of longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material.

9. The apparatus (100) according to claim 8, in particular in combination with claim 6, characterized in that the strip feeding apparatus is a feed hopper (314) which is provided and arranged for feeding a plurality of the strips (110) to the material rod in a region which is central as seen in cross section.

10. The apparatus (100) of claim 8, wherein the strip feeding apparatus comprises a plurality of guide channels (326) in which a strip bundle is guidable, the strip bundle comprising a fraction of the plurality of strips (110), respectively.

11. The apparatus (100) according to claim 10, in particular in combination with claim 6, characterized in that the strip feeding apparatus is a guide ring (318) with guide channels (326) arranged along its circumference, in particular evenly distributed, wherein the guide ring (318) is provided and arranged for feeding the strip bundles (330) to the material rod in a region which is peripheral as seen in cross section, in particular evenly distributed along the circumference of the material rod.

12. The apparatus (100) according to claim 10, wherein the strip feeding apparatus is a dispenser block (331) with guide channels (326) arranged side by side, the dispenser block being provided and arranged for feeding the strip bundles to the material rod in a fanned-out state.

13. The device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 12, wherein the separating device (108) is arranged for separating a plurality of the strips (110) into a first group (110 a) and a second group (110 b).

14. The apparatus (100) according to claim 13, wherein the separating apparatus (108) comprises a first and a second separating unit, wherein the first separating unit is arranged for separating the flat web (107) into a first partially flat web and a second partially flat web, and the second separating unit is arranged for separating the first partially flat web into a first set (110 a) of strips (110) and the second partially flat web into a second set (110 b) of strips (110).

15. The apparatus (100) according to claim 13 or 14, wherein the rod making machine is a dual rod making machine and the feeding apparatus (112) comprises a first and a second feeding unit, and the first feeding unit is arranged for feeding a first set (110 a) of strips (110) to a first rod of the dual rod making machine and the second feeding unit is arranged for feeding a second set (110 b) of strips (110) to a second rod of the dual rod making machine.

16. The apparatus (100) according to claim 13 or 14 in combination with claim 2, wherein the feeding apparatus (112) comprises a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit is arranged to be able to feed the first set (110 a) of strips (110) to the jitterable tobacco material in a stacking area of the suction strips of the rod-containing providing unit (102), and the second feeding unit is arranged to be able to feed the second set (110 b) of strips (110) to the rod of material that is able to be provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102) in an area of the format unit (104).

17. The apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the rod-containing providing unit (102) is arranged for feeding a flat web (200) of tobacco material to the separating apparatus (108), wherein the separating apparatus (108) is arranged for separating the flat web (107) together with the flat web (200) of tobacco material into a plurality of strips (110) and longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material, whereby the separating apparatus (108) also serves as a feeding apparatus (112) and adds a plurality of the strips (110) to a rod of material made of the longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material.

18. The device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 17, characterized in that the separating device (108) is furthermore provided for intermittently separating the flat web (107) into a plurality of strips (110), whereby a material rod can be provided, wherein at least two, in particular all strips (110), of the material rod are connected to each other in a spatially defined connection region (332) along the longitudinal direction of the material rod.

19. The device (100) according to claim 18, characterized by a strip break sensor (334) arranged downstream of the separating device (108) and/or a splice identification sensor (336) arranged upstream of the separating device (108), which/they are coupled to a control unit, wherein the control unit is provided for actuating the separating device (108) such that the separation of the flat web (107) is interrupted when a strip break is identified by the strip break sensor (334) and/or when a splice position is identified by the splice identification sensor (336).

20. A method for manufacturing rods (28) of the tobacco processing industry with an apparatus (100) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the apparatus (100) comprises a rod making machine having a rod-containing providing unit (102) and a rod forming unit (104) arranged downstream of the rod-containing providing unit (102), and wherein the rod-containing providing unit (102) provides material rods made of tobacco material, and wherein the rod forming unit (104) wraps the material rods provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102) with wrapping strips (21) in a format unit (26), characterized in that the apparatus (100) comprises a providing apparatus (106), a separating apparatus (108) and a feeding apparatus (112), wherein the providing apparatus (106) provides a flat web (107), in particular a flat web (107) provided with spices, and feeds it to the separating apparatus (108) arranged downstream, wherein the separating apparatus (108) separates the flat web (107) into strips (110), and the feeding apparatus (112) adds the strips (110) to the material rods.

21. The method according to claim 20, wherein the rod-containing providing unit (102) comprises a suction belt onto which tobacco material is shaken, whereby material rods made of shaken tobacco material are provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102), and wherein the feeding device (112) is arranged to be able to feed the strip (110) to the tobacco material in a region of the rod-making machine extending from the suction belt, and including the suction belt, up to the format unit (104), and including the format unit (104).

22. The method according to claim 21, characterized in that the strip (110) is fed to the jittered tobacco material in a deposited area of a suction belt of the rod-containing providing unit (102).

23. The method according to claim 20, characterized in that the rod-containing providing unit (102) comprises a tobacco material flat web separating device (210) which separates the tobacco material flat web (200) into a plurality of longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material, whereby a rod of material made of the longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material is provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102).

24. The method according to claim 20 or 23, characterized in that the strip (110) is fed to the material rod provided by the rod-containing material providing unit (102) in the area of the format unit (104).

25. Method according to claim 24, characterized in that the format unit (104) comprises a paper threading device for conveying the wrapping strip (21), wherein the paper threading device is furthermore also designed as a feeding device (112) for conveying the strip (110) into the material rod and for conveying the strip (110) together with the wrapping strip (21) into the material rod.

26. The method according to claim 23, wherein the feeding device (112) comprises a strip feeding device with which a plurality of the strips (110) are added to a rod of material made of longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material.

27. Method according to claim 26, in particular in combination with claim 24, characterized in that the strip feeding device is a feeding hopper (314) which feeds a plurality of the strips (110) to the material rod in a region which is centrally seen in cross section.

28. The method according to claim 23, wherein the strip feeding device comprises a plurality of guide channels (326), wherein the strip strips (330) each comprise a fraction of the number of the plurality of strips (110), the strip strips (330) being guided through the guide channels (326) and the strip strips (330) being fed to the material rod.

29. Method according to claim 28, in particular in combination with claim 24, characterized in that the strand guiding device is a guiding ring (318) with guiding channels (326) arranged along its circumference, in particular evenly distributed, wherein the strand (330) is fed to the material rod in a region at the periphery, seen in cross section, in particular evenly distributed along the circumference of the material rod.

30. A method according to claim 28, characterized in that the strip feeding device is a dispenser block (331) with guide channels (326) arranged side by side, wherein the strip bundles (330) are fed to the material rod in a fanned-out state through the guide channels (326).

31. The method according to any one of claims 20 to 30, wherein the separating device (108) separates a plurality of the strips (110) into a first group (110 a) and a second group (110 b).

32. The method according to claim 31, characterized in that the separating device (108) comprises a first and a second separating unit, wherein the first separating unit separates the flat web (107) into a first partially flat web and a second partially flat web, and the second separating unit separates the first partially flat web into a first set (110 a) of strips (110) and the second partially flat web into a second set (110 b) of strips (110).

33. Method according to claim 31 or 32, characterized in that the rod making machine is a twin rod making machine and the feeding device (112) comprises a first and a second feeding unit, and the first feeding unit delivers a first group (110 a) of strips (110) to a first rod of the twin rod making machine and the second feeding unit delivers a second group (110 b) of strips (110) to a second rod of the twin rod making machine.

34. The method according to claim 31 or 32 in combination with claim 23, wherein the feeding device (112) comprises a first feeding unit and a second feeding unit, wherein the first feeding unit delivers the first set (110 a) of strips to the jittered tobacco material in a deposited area of the suction belt of the rod-containing providing unit (102), and the second feeding unit delivers the second set (110 b) of strips to the rod of material provided by the rod-containing providing unit (102) in an area of the format unit (104).

35. Method according to claim 20, characterized in that the rod-containing material supply unit (102) conveys a flat web (200) of tobacco material to the separating device (108), wherein the separating device (108) separates the flat web (107) together with the flat web (200) of tobacco material in the same working step into a plurality of strips (110) and longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material, whereby the separating device (108) also serves as a feeding device (112) and adds a plurality of the strips (110) to a rod of material made of the longitudinal strips (212) of tobacco material.

36. Method according to any one of claims 20 to 35, characterized in that the separating device (108) intermittently separates the flat web (107) into strips (110), thereby providing a material web, wherein at least two, in particular all strips (110) of the material web are connected to each other in a spatially defined connection region (332) along the longitudinal direction of the material web.

37. Method according to claim 36, characterized in that a strip break sensor (334) arranged downstream of the separating device (108) and/or a splice identification sensor (336) arranged upstream of the separating device (108), which/they communicate with a control unit, wherein the control unit operates the separating device (108) upon identification of a strip break by the strip break sensor (334) and/or upon identification of a splice position by the splice identification sensor (336), such that separation of the flat web (107) is interrupted.

38. A rod-shaped article (120) made from a rod of the tobacco processing industry, the rod being manufactured according to the method of any one of claims 20 to 37.

39. Use of the device (100) according to any one of claims 1 to 19 for performing the method according to any one of claims 20 to 37.