EP0195173B1 - Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie - Google Patents

Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie Download PDF

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Publication number
EP0195173B1
EP0195173B1 EP19850810124 EP85810124A EP0195173B1 EP 0195173 B1 EP0195173 B1 EP 0195173B1 EP 19850810124 EP19850810124 EP 19850810124 EP 85810124 A EP85810124 A EP 85810124A EP 0195173 B1 EP0195173 B1 EP 0195173B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
load
control unit
frame
lowering
preliminary
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired
Application number
EP19850810124
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English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP0195173A1 (de
Inventor
Gian Piero Mussini
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Philip Morris Products SA
Original Assignee
Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA filed Critical Fabriques de Tabac Reunies SA
Priority to EP19850810124 priority Critical patent/EP0195173B1/de
Priority to DE8585810124T priority patent/DE3569871D1/de
Publication of EP0195173A1 publication Critical patent/EP0195173A1/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP0195173B1 publication Critical patent/EP0195173B1/de
Expired legal-status Critical Current

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    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24CMACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/32Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes; Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition
    • A24C5/34Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes
    • A24C5/343Examining cigarettes or the rod, e.g. for regulating the feeding of tobacco; Removing defective cigarettes by mechanical means, e.g. feelers

Definitions

  • the various devices which have been produced up to now in order to allow these tests to be carried out were not designed so that the tests are absolutely repetitive.
  • the result of the measurement could depend on the operator's behavior, for example the speed with which the load was applied to the stack of cigarettes or filter sticks.
  • the object of the present invention is to remedy these shortcomings of the control devices already known, and for this, the aim has been set of making an apparatus operating as automatically as possible.
  • the present invention therefore relates to a device for controlling the compressibility of articles from the tobacco industry, comprising means for acting on a load having a predetermined weight on an upper surface of a set of articles, while now the said assembly on a fixed base, and means for measuring the lowering of the said upper surface after the positioning of the load, characterized in that the said means are automatic and comprise on the one hand means for making act on said surface first of all a prior charge and then in addition a main charge, and on the other hand means for determining the moment when said surface has reached, under the effect of the prior charge alone, a level of stable reference, to make the main load act after this moment, and to measure the lowering of said surface under the effect of the main and prior loads, from the reference level.
  • control device comprises a duly programmed control circuit which will be housed in an electronic box (not shown).
  • Fig. 1 shows the mechanical unit of the device. It comprises a frame 1 with a rigid base 2, a vertical pillar 3, an upper slide 4 and an intermediate arm 5 provided at its end with an intermediate slide 6. At the upper slide 4 is rigidly fixed a lateral upper arm 7 which extends above the intermediate arm 5 and which carries a nut element 8 of a vertical screw displacement device 9 to which we will return later.
  • the upper slide 4 guides a control block 10.
  • the connection between these two elements is constituted, for example, by a guide device with rollers, shown schematically at 11.
  • a guide device with rollers shown schematically at 11.
  • use high-precision guide devices which will be arranged so as to be perfectly vertical, so that the control unit can move parallel to itself without being braked or subjected to any constraint.
  • Inside the control unit 10 is mounted an electric motor 12 whose stator is fixed and secured to the control block, while the rotor is secured to the upper part of the screw 9.
  • this screw 9 opens out to the lower end of the motor 12 and comprises at this point a flange 13 which constitutes a positioning element cooperating with an upper stop and a lower stop 14a and 1 4b of the control unit 10.
  • the screw 9 being engaged in the nut 8 secured to the arm 7, it can be seen that the rotation of the rotor of the motor 12 has the effect of raising or lowering the control unit 10 along the slide 4 thanks to the guide means 11.
  • the power supply to the motor 12 will therefore be linked to the electronic box which will include control blocks capable of switching on and off the rotation of the motor 12 in one direction or another depending on whether it is to control the raising or lowering of the block 10.
  • the standard control support 15 which is placed on the base 2.
  • the upper surface of this base 2 has locating elements constituted for example by two rails 16 arranged in parallel one to the other and two parallel lateral stops 171e while allowing precise positioning of the control support 15.
  • the latter is a rigid part which has in its central part a dovetail groove 18 whose dimensions are predetermined and such as for example an assembly formed of cigarettes 19 can be arranged in three layers in the dovetail groove. It is known that standard supports of the kind of support 15 can be produced as a function of the dimensions of the smoking products to be tested, in particular as a function of the diameter of the cigarettes.
  • the support 15 which is made of aluminum comprises a patch 48 of ferromagnetic metal so that a detector 49 housed in the base 2 can detect the presence of the support.
  • the stack of cigarettes 19 has an uncovered upper surface on which the lower face 20 of a tray 21 can rest, forming part of a load block 22.
  • the base 2 rests on a table by via a fixed foot 23 and an adjustable foot 24, so that it can be adjusted so that the support surface defined by the rails 16 is absolutely horizontal, which can be controlled by means of a spirit level 25.
  • Inside the base are housed control and supply connections for the various electrical and electronic elements that comprise the mechanical unit described here. These connections are connected to socket 26.
  • the load block 22 comprises an upright 27 integral with the plate 21, a lateral finger 28 which extends under the intermediate arm 5, a slide 29 equipped like the control block 10 with high-precision vertical guide elements capable of cooperate with the slide 6, and a hooking element 30 disposed at its upper part. All of these elements are rigidly secured to one another and are mounted so as to be able to move in a strictly vertical direction without play but also without fraining relative to the fixed slide 6.
  • the possible stroke of the load block 22 will be sufficient to allow it to perform the required functions, as will be seen below.
  • the weight of this load block which is intended to constitute a preliminary load applied via the surface 20 on the upper surface of the stack of cigarettes 19, is 100 gr.
  • the hooking element 30 has an upper part 31 in the form of a lateral finger bounded by an upper surface 32 and by a lower surface 33, these two surfaces being flat and strictly parallel to each other. by being perpendicular to the axis of the block 22.
  • These surfaces 32 and 33 serve for the connection between the load block 22 which constitutes the prior charge and a load block 34 disposed at the upper part of the mechanical unit described.
  • This upper load block 34 constitutes a main load whose total weight is 1400 gr.
  • the load block 34 normally carries the load block 22 thanks to the suspension member 39 which slides in a vertical opening 40 of the block 34 and which has at its base the lateral suspension finger 41.
  • This lateral suspension finger extends under the attachment finger 31 so that the lower surface 33 of the latter can rest on its upper surface.
  • the suspension member 39 is held by a spring 42 in a position where it is pressed by its upper end against an internal shoulder 43 which limits the vertical passage 40 and the distance between the two fingers of the hooking element 31 is such that the various operations which must take place during a control program can be carried out freely.
  • the mechanical unit described here comprises two electronic devices: on the one hand a pair of switches 44 and 45, operating as position detectors, and on the other hand a electronic micrometer 46, the probe 47 of which presses vertically on the end of the lateral finger 28 of the load block 22.
  • the switches 44 and 45 are mounted on the slide 4 opposite the control block 10 and the latter door, in order to cooperate with the switches, a cam 50 having three bosses arranged so as to act either on the switch 44, or on the switch 45.
  • each of the switches 44 and 45 constitutes a position signal indicating whether the control unit is in relation to the slide 4 in its maximum upper position, in an intermediate position, or in its position lower.
  • These signals are transmitted by the cable connected to plug 26 of the electronic box.
  • the same is true of the signals emitted by the electronic micrometer 46.
  • the electronic box itself will include display means which can be of any type. These display means may indicate not only the value measured by the micrometer 46, depending on the height position of the finger 28, but also the duration of the time elapsed from a certain instant constituting the start of the measurement.
  • control block 10 At the start of the operation, the control block 10 is in its upper position and its surface 37 therefore supports the load block 34 and the load block 22 hooked by finger 31 to finger 41 of member 39.
  • the lower surface 20 of the plate 21 is located a few millimeters above the upper surface of the stack 19.
  • the detector 49 which emits a signal causing the start of the cycle of operations, i.e. starting the engine 12 in a direction such that the control unit 10 moves down.
  • the start of operations can be caused by pressing a key carried by the electronic unit.
  • the electronic micrometer 46 emits signals each time the probe 47 has moved a given distance, and these signals are counted in positive or negative value depending on the direction of movement.
  • the crushing of the stack of objects 19 resumes.
  • the time counter which was mentioned above, is started, so that the display means associated with the electronic box simultaneously indicate the progressively increasing difference between the upper surface of the stack of cigarettes 19 and the reference level previously reached, and on the other hand the time which has elapsed since the start of the crushing operation.
  • the value of the crushing as measured by the micrometer 46 is recorded and an acoustic signal indicating the end of the measurement cycle is engaged.
  • the measured value can, if necessary, be transmitted automatically to a computer which comprises with a predetermined standard value and indicates whether the batch of objects 19 can be considered to meet the manufacturing criteria or not.
  • FIG. 2 The sequence of operations to be carried out as just described is shown diagrammatically in FIG. 2.
  • the sequential diagram represented in this figure comprises the main operations described above. It also includes other auxiliary or security operations which have proved necessary to ensure the reliability of the device, and which will not be described in detail here.
  • the electronic box includes a circuit programmed to operate according to the diagram in FIG. 2.
  • this circuit is capable of carrying out other programs, the implementation of which responds to the operation of a certain number of keys mounted on the cabinet.
  • a program has been provided for making certain information useful for the use of the apparatus appear on the display means, in particular the diameters of the products for which the control is adjusted.
  • the use of the keys makes it possible to adjust the control program by choosing for example the duration of application of the main load until the execution of the final measurement, as well as other values that can be selected at will.
  • the movements of the movable blocks ensure the distribution of the oil in the slides.
  • a perfectly reliable device has thus been produced by relatively simple means, making it possible to carry out the compressibility checks of tobacco or cellulose fibers in cigarettes or in filter sticks under the simplest possible conditions and with the least loss of time possible.

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)

Claims (10)

1. Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie, mit Mitteln (12) zum Einwirkenlassen einer Last mit einem vorbestimmten Gewicht auf eine obere Oberfläche einer Gesamtheit von Waren (19), wobei die genannte Gesamtheit auf einem festen Sitz (2) gehalten ist, und Mitteln (28, 46, 47) zum Messen der Absenkung der oberen Oberfläche, nachdem die Last wirksam geworden ist, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die genannten Mittel automatisch sind und einerseits Mittel zum Einwirkenlassen zuerst einer Vorlast (22), dann im weiteren einer Hauptlast (34) auf die Oberfläche umfassen und andererseits Mittel (28, 46, 47) zum Bestimmen des Zeitpunktes, wo die Oberfläche unter dem Einfluss einzig der Vorlast erreicht ist, enthalten, sowie ein stabiles Referenzniveau, um nach diesem Zeitpunkt die Hauptlast wirksam werden zu lassen und, ausgehend vom Referenzniveau, die Absenkung der Oberfläche unter dem Einfluss der Vor- und Hauptlast zu messen.
2. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Mittel zum Messen der Absenkung der Oberfläche mit Zeitmessmitteln verbunden und so gesteuert sind, dass die Absenkmessung während einer vorbestimmten Zeit mehrmalig durchgeführt und der Messwert angezeigt wird.
3. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 2, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die genannten Mittel Zeitanzeigemittel umfassen, die während den mehrmaligen Absenkmessungen der oberen Oberfläche des Stapels in Betrieb gesetzt sind.
4. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 1, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie einen festen Ständer (1), einen gegenüber dem Ständer einzig vertikal bewegbaren Steuerblock (10) und Antriebsmittel (12) umfasst, welche befähigt sind, den Steuerblock auf dem Ständer vertikal zu verschieben, dass die Hauptlast (34) am Steuerblock aufgehängt ist und dass die Vorlast (22) an der Hauptlast aufgehängt ist und eine Auflagefläche (32) für die Hauptlast aufweist, die so ausgeführt ist, dass die Hauptlast im Laufe der vertikalen Verschiebung des Steuerblockes auf der Auflagefläche zur Auflage kommt, nachdem die Vorlast auf der genannten oberen Oberfläche zur Auflage gekommen ist.
5. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Hauptlast (34) über vertikal orientierte Führungsmittel (35) mit dem Steuerblock (10) verbunden ist.
6. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 4 oder 5, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Vorlast über vertikal angeordnete Führungsmittel (29) mit dem Ständer verbunden ist.
7. Prüfvorrichtung nach einem der vorangehenden Ansprüche, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Mittel (28, 46, 47) zum Messen der Absenkung der oberen Oberfläche der Gesamtheit einen durch den Ständer getragenen elektronischen Mikrometer (46) umfassen, dessen Tastkopf (47) in senkrechter Richtung durch einen seitwärts formschlüssig mit der Vorlast verbundenen Finger (28) abgestützt ist.
8. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 4, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass der eine, der Steuerblock oder der Ständer, einen Nocken (50) und der andere mindestens einen durch den Nocken betätigbaren Unterbrecher umfassen, wobei der oder die Unterbrecher zum Erzeugen von Stellungssignalen, die vorbestimmten Stellungen des Steuerblocks auf dem Ständer entsprechen, angeordnet sind und dass die vorbestimmten Stellungen mindestens eine obere Stellung, eine Stellung bei welcher die Vorlast auf dem Stapel ruht und die Hauptlast am Steuerblock aufgehängt ist, sowie eine Stellung, bei welcher die beiden Lasten auf dem Stapel ruhen, umfassen.
9. Prüfvorrichtung nach Anspruch 8, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass die Antriebsmittel (12), welche befähigt sind den Steuerblock in vertikaler Richtung zu verschieben, einen aus einem Motor (12) und einer mit dem Rotor des Motors formschlüssig verbundenen Schraubenspindel (13) gebildeten Aktuator umfassen, wobei diese Schraubenspindel in ein formschlüssig mit dem Ständer verbundenes Gewinde eingreift.
10. Prüfvorrichtung nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 9, dadurch gekennzeichnet, dass sie einen Probenträger umfasst, der dazu bestimmt ist, die genannte Gesamtheit in einer vorbestimmten Stellung zu halten, dass der Probenträger abnehmbar ist und dass die genannten Mittel einen Detektor zum Feststellen des Vorhandenseins des Trägers auf dem Sitz sowie automatisch reagierende Einschaltmittel zum Aussenden eines Signals durch den Detektor zum Einschalten eines Prüfzyklus umfassen.
EP19850810124 1985-03-22 1985-03-22 Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie Expired EP0195173B1 (de)

Priority Applications (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19850810124 EP0195173B1 (de) 1985-03-22 1985-03-22 Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie
DE8585810124T DE3569871D1 (en) 1985-03-22 1985-03-22 Control-device for the compressibility of tobacco-manufactory articles

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
EP19850810124 EP0195173B1 (de) 1985-03-22 1985-03-22 Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP0195173A1 EP0195173A1 (de) 1986-09-24
EP0195173B1 true EP0195173B1 (de) 1989-05-03

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EP19850810124 Expired EP0195173B1 (de) 1985-03-22 1985-03-22 Prüfvorrichtung für die Kompressibilität von Waren der Tabakindustrie

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DE (1) DE3569871D1 (de)

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2637082B1 (fr) * 1988-09-23 1993-04-16 Tabacs & Allumettes Ind Dispositif de mesure de la compacite d'un objet deformable
DE3929155A1 (de) * 1989-09-02 1991-03-14 Reemtsma H F & Ph Verfahren und vorrichtung zum bestimmen der fuellfaehigkeit von tabak und der haerte von cigaretten
US5142917A (en) * 1990-06-20 1992-09-01 Fabriques De Tabac Reunies, S.A. Apparatus and method for checking movement
DE4119821A1 (de) * 1991-06-15 1992-12-17 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Verfahren und vorrichtung zum messen der haerte von queraxial gefoerderten stabfoermigen artikeln der tabakverarbeitenden industrie
ATE158476T1 (de) * 1993-06-16 1997-10-15 Tabac Fab Reunies Sa Verfahren und vorrichtung zur herstellung von produkten mit variabler tabakdichte in der tabakindustrie
DE10050297A1 (de) * 2000-10-10 2002-04-11 Focke & Co Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Prüfen von insbesondere Zigarettenpackungen
CN105571960B (zh) * 2015-12-23 2017-12-15 中国烟草总公司郑州烟草研究院 一种卷烟抽吸过程中燃烧锥落头性能检测装置
CN105628273B (zh) * 2015-12-23 2017-12-15 中国烟草总公司郑州烟草研究院 一种模拟人弹落烟灰过程的力学行为装置
CN111426789A (zh) 2020-04-22 2020-07-17 云南中烟工业有限责任公司 一种基于机械手的抽烟路径仿真系统

Family Cites Families (5)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR1437670A (fr) * 1965-03-26 1966-05-06 Seita Procédé et dispositif pour mesurer la compacité et d'autres caractéristiques physiques d'un corps ou d'un groupe de corps compressibles et notamment de cigarettes
GB1249985A (en) * 1967-11-14 1971-10-13 Carreras Ltd Hardness testing apparatus
US3559466A (en) * 1968-06-07 1971-02-02 Liggett & Myers Inc Direct readout deflection meter
US3572101A (en) * 1969-09-24 1971-03-23 Reynolds Tobacco Co R Firmness testing apparatus
FR2430730A1 (fr) * 1978-07-13 1980-02-08 Seita Dispositif pour mesurer la compacite d'objets en forme de tiges

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DE3569871D1 (en) 1989-06-08
EP0195173A1 (de) 1986-09-24

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