EP0198282A1 - Checking device for the quality of rod-like articles, particularly cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for checking the quality of rod - shaped, cylindrical objects (Z), preferably cigarettes, which are fed from a funnel - shaped storage container (1) to a plurality of parallel shafts (3), with each shaft (3) having at least one inspection device (13 ) and a downstream ejection device (14) for axially ejecting a defective object (Z). In order to get by with the lowest possible design and control effort at high working speed, the essentially vertical shafts (3), the shaft width of which is only slightly larger than the diameter of the rod-shaped objects (Z), are at least in the lower part with a zigzag course with at least one Angled trained. Below the shafts (3) there is a slide (6) provided with a number of recesses (6a) corresponding to the number of shafts (3) for each rod-shaped object (Z), said slide (6) transversely to the shafts (3) by at least one the path corresponding to the shaft width can be displaced in a controlled manner. A fixed support (8) is arranged below this slide (6), the support rods (8a) of which lie below the shafts (3) and which is located between the support rods (8a), each with a recess (8b) for each rod-shaped object (Z) is trained. A further slide (9) with the first slide (6) of appropriate design and possibility of movement is arranged below this carrier (8). Finally, each recess (8b) in the support (8) is assigned an ejection device (14) which is actuated by the result of the test device (13) assigned to each shaft (3) above the support (8).

Description

The invention relates to a device for checking the quality of rod-shaped, cylindrical objects, preferably cigarettes, which are fed from a funnel-shaped storage container to a plurality of parallel shafts, with each shaft being assigned at least one test device and a downstream ejection device for the axial ejection of a defective object.

In order to pack cigarettes produced in a cigarette manufacturing machine, possibly provided with a filter attached, the cigarettes are fed to the hopper of a cigarette packing machine either continuously via conveyor belt systems or in batches by means of so-called trays. On the underside of this funnel, which also serves as an intermediate store, a plurality of parallel and essentially vertical shafts are formed, into which the cigarettes enter from above and with the help of which the cigarettes are separated. The cigarettes emerging simultaneously from the lower end of the shafts are combined into one layer. Several layers of this type are guided one above the other and in this way form a so-called cigarette block, which is then packaged into a cigarette packet. The number of shafts belonging together essentially corresponds to the number of cigarettes forming a layer of the cigarette block.

Since errors or damage can occur both during manufacture and during transportation of the cigarettes to the end of the chutes, it is known to check both the number of cigarettes combined into a cigarette block and their quality before the packaging process begins. However, this does not prevent Ziga save missing or faulty cigarettes are packed. However, it is ensured that cigarette packs with defective or missing cigarettes are discarded after the packaging process has ended. A cigarette is considered defective in particular if it is crooked or deformed in some other way, is not completely filled with tobacco or if the filter is missing or incorrectly attached.

Since a large number of perfect cigarettes and the packaging material used are sorted out in this known method, there are various proposals in the literature for carrying out the rejection of defective cigarettes before the cigarette blocks are formed. For example, it is known to feed the cigarettes to the grooves of a gradually rotating drum after leaving the funnel, which successively brings the cigarettes into at least one test device and which works together with an ejection device in which defective cigarettes are sorted out, for example with the aid of a control switchable air jet. Furthermore, it is known to arrange a small revolver in each storage shaft, each of which is driven by a stepper motor and, after having carried out the quality control, transports the cigarettes entering its recesses either into the lower part of the shaft or into an ejection device in which defective cigarettes are axially Direction to be ejected.

These known constructions have the disadvantage of a high level of structural complexity and involve the risk that the rotating drums and revolvers will cause damage to the cigarettes due to the high operating speed of the packaging machine. In addition, there is a great deal of control effort. v

The invention has for its object to provide a device of the type described above for testing rod-shaped, cylindrical objects, preferably cigarettes, which allows reliable testing with little design and control effort, also in view of the high working speed, which, like the ejection defective objects take place before further processing, in particular the formation of cigarette blocks, so that only the actually defective objects are sorted out and a loss of packaging material is avoided.

The solution to this problem by the invention is characterized in that the substantially vertical shafts have a shaft width that is only slightly larger than the diameter of the rod-shaped objects, and at least in the lower part with a zigzag shape with at least one bend are formed that below the shafts a with a number of shafts corresponding to the number of recesses provided for each rod-shaped object slider is arranged, which is displaceable transversely to the shafts by a path corresponding at least to the shaft width that a fixed one below the slider Carrier is arranged, the support rods are below the shafts, and which is formed between the support rods, each with a recess for a rod-shaped object, that below the carrier, another slide with the first slide corresponding training and movement Security is arranged and that each recess in the carrier is assigned an ejection device which can be actuated by the result of the test device assigned to the shaft above the carrier.

With the device according to the invention, those in the funnel-shaped storage container are separated Cigarettes by entering the shafts in each shaft, an inspection of the cigarettes for complete filling with tobacco or for the presence of a filter. The zigzag-shaped course of the essentially vertical shafts had previously ensured that crooked cigarettes, cigarettes with an incorrectly attached filter were eliminated inadmissibly flattened cigarettes. Such defective cigarettes jam in the zigzag-shaped shaft so that they do not even get to the test device. The zigzag-shaped course of the shafts also prevents the cigarettes from jamming, ie being able to stand vertically, when they fall down in the shaft from their horizontal target position.

Since an ejection device is assigned to each recess in the fixed carrier, and the cyclically recurring movement of the first slider feeds the carrier a cigarette from each shaft, there is sufficient time to eject the cigarettes previously recognized as defective by axial displacement. Thereafter, the cigarettes found to be properly falling out of the carrier through the recesses of the second slide as soon as this second slide has been moved. This second slide also serves as a support for the cigarettes when they are in the recesses of the carrier. Since both the test devices and the ejection devices are arranged in a fixed position, the device according to the invention only requires simple control of the movements of the two slides and control of the ejection devices in accordance with the respective result of the test devices.

According to a further feature of the invention, the test devices are each arranged in the area of the lowest rod-shaped objects lying in the shaft.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention it is proposed that between the lower end of the shafts and the first slide a flat additional slide with openings corresponding to the diameter of the rod-shaped objects is arranged, which can be shifted slightly below the shafts, the one left free by the shifted additional slide The shaft width of the shafts is slightly smaller than the diameter of the rod-shaped objects. The additional slide can be displaceable at the same time as the first slide, so that it clamps the objects lying above the first slide. As a result, the tested object is held in place and thus protected from damage by the first slide, which is also moving, but covers a larger displacement path. Instead of the simultaneous displacement of the additional slide, it can also be displaceable shortly before the first slide is displaced and prevent rod-shaped objects from falling into the recesses of the slide at the beginning of its displacement movement. Damage to the cigarettes when entering the first slide is avoided if, after jamming of a crooked cigarette in the shaft, for example, and after removal of this cigarette, the cigarettes above fall down, so that there is a risk that the falling cigarette will reach the first slide just then if it is moved so that the cigarette is crushed. Because the additional slide is moved shortly before the first slide is moved, the falling cigarettes are caught, preventing falling through into the recess of the first slide. The slight displacement of the additional slide also prevents the falling cigarettes from being crushed between the additional slide and the shaft wall if the cigarettes fall at the wrong time, namely when the additional slide is moved becomes. In this case, the falling cigarette is only clamped between the slightly shifted additional slide and the shaft wall, without the cigarette being damaged. Moving the additional slide shortly before moving the first slide also has the effect that the cigarette lying above the first slide is protected from damage by the moving first slide when the sequence is correct. This corresponds to the simultaneous shifting of the additional slide with the first slide.

In a modified embodiment of the additional slide, it is proposed according to a further feature of the invention that when a defective object is jammed in a shaft and after the shaft has been drained below the jammed object, the additional slide can be moved fully below the shaft and the further supply of objects from the shaft blocked. This proves to be advantageous if a defective object is jammed in the shaft and is then removed by hand or by machine. Then there is - as already described above - the risk that the objects slipping in the shaft are pinched at an unfavorable point in time either by the additional slide or by the first slide, namely when the sliding objects are then in the path of movement of the additional slide or of the first slide when they close. The fact that the additional slide blocks the blocked shaft in this case due to the further development of the invention can prevent the objects from slipping in.

According to a further feature of the invention, the additional slide can consist of a number of individual additional slides which corresponds to the number of slides and which actuates individually. Are 1 bar. However, since the control effort is very great here, it is further proposed that several individual additional slides are combined to form a plate-shaped group with openings, preferably groups with four individual additional slides, in which the individual additional slides belonging to a group are common, but the groups are independent of one another can be operated. By combining the individual additional slides into plate-shaped groups, the control effort compared to the individual additional slides is considerably reduced without impairing the functioning. The combination of four individual slide valves into one group is sufficient for practical use.

The shifting of the additional slide can be triggered by the test device, which blocks the shaft by the additional slide in the absence of an object. After eliminating the fault, the closed auxiliary slide is pulled back so that the normal procedure can be continued.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, fixed storage shafts are arranged below the cutouts of the carrier, the fill level of which is monitored by a light barrier. The cigarettes are withdrawn from these storage shafts to form the cigarette blocks. These storage shafts are also designed according to the invention with a zigzag shape in order to avoid canting when the cigarettes fall down.

• Fig. 1 eine schematische Ansicht eines trichterförmigen Speicherbehälters mit der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung,
• Fig. 2 eine vergrößerte Darstellung einer Schachtgruppe mit in der Ausgangsstellung befindlichen Vorrichtungsteilen,
• Fig. 3 eine der Fig. 2 entsprechende Darstellung während des Prüfvorganges mit nach links verschobenem Zusatzschieber,
• Fig. 4 eine weitere Darstellung gemäß den Fig. 2 und 3 nach Betätigen der ersten und weiteren Schieber,
• Fig. 5 eine weitere Darstellung nach Rückkehr des ersten und zweiten Schiebers sowie des Zusatzschiebers in die Ausgangsstellung und
• Fig. 6 eine entsprechende Darstellung zu Fig. 2, jedoch in einer modifizierten Ausführungsform des Zusatzschiebers.

An exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown in the drawing, namely:

• 1 is a schematic view of a funnel-shaped storage container with the device according to the invention,
• 2 shows an enlarged illustration of a shaft group with device parts located in the starting position,
• 3 shows a representation corresponding to FIG. 2 during the test procedure with the additional slide moved to the left,
• 4 shows a further illustration according to FIGS. 2 and 3 after actuation of the first and further slides,
• Fig. 5 shows another representation after return of the first and second slide and the additional slide in the starting position and
• Fig. 6 shows a representation corresponding to Fig. 2, but in a modified embodiment of the additional slide.

The device for testing rod-shaped, cylindrical objects is shown using the exemplary embodiment of a funnel-shaped storage container 1 of a cigarette packing machine. The device is equally suitable for other rod-shaped and cylindrical objects, such as cigarillos or rod-shaped filters. A plurality of approximately vertical shafts 3 are formed at the lower end of the storage container 1. Each shaft 3 has a shaft width which is only slightly larger than the diameter of the cigarettes Z, and a zigzag shape with at least one bend, so that the cigarettes Z can only fall horizontally in the shafts 3.

A flat additional slide 4 is arranged below the shafts 3 and has a number of openings 4a corresponding to the number of shafts 3, each of which is larger than the diameter of the cigarettes Z. In the starting position according to FIG. 2, the openings 4a are located below the shafts 3 which are open at the bottom. The additional slide 4 can be moved slightly in the horizontal direction by a drive 5, as indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 1.

Below this additional slide 4 there is a slide 6 which can be moved horizontally by a drive 7 in accordance with the double arrow in FIG. 1. This first slide 6 has a number of recesses 6a corresponding to the number of shafts 3 for one cigarette Z.

In the exemplary embodiment, the slide 6 is displaced by a path corresponding at least to the shaft width, as can be seen from a comparison of FIGS. 2 and 4.

In the starting position according to FIG. 2, the cigarettes Z located in the recesses 6a each lie on a support rod 8a of a carrier 8 arranged in a stationary manner under the first slider 6. This carrier 8 is also between the support rods 8a lying below the shafts 3, each with a recess 8b designed for a cigarette Z. Finally, a second slide 9 is arranged below the support 8, which is designed and displaceable like the first slide 6 and consequently has recesses 9a.

Fixed storage shafts 10 are arranged directly below the second slide 9. These storage shafts 10 are each laterally offset from the shafts 3. These storage wells 10 also have a zigzag shape and their fill level is monitored by a light barrier 11.

The cigarettes Z get from the storage container 1 into the individual shafts 3, with rotary or vibrating pins 12 arranged above the shaft walls ensuring that the cigarettes do not form bridges above the shaft inlets. 2, the shafts 3 are filled with cigarettes Z. Since in the starting position the openings 4a of the additional slide 4 and the recesses 6a of the first slide 6 lie exactly below the shafts 3, a cigarette Z comes from each shaft 3 onto the support rods 8a of the fixed carrier 8. Another cigarette Z is located in the outlet the shafts 3, in each of which a test device 13 is optionally arranged on both sides. These test devices 13 are used to check whether this cigarette is completely filled with tobacco or is provided with a filter at one end.

Shortly before moving the slide 6, the additional slide 4 according to FIG. 3 is shifted slightly to the left, so that during the subsequent movement of the first slide 6 to the left, the tested cigarettes Z are held and thus protected from damage by the moving slide 6. This slight movement of the additional slide 4 to the left also serves to prevent cigarettes Z falling down after a jam in the shafts 3 from falling into the recesses 6a of the first slide 6 and being crushed at the wrong time. Rather, the falling cigarettes Z are caught by the additional slide 4. The displacement path of the additional slide 4 is sufficient to prevent the cigarettes Z from falling into the recess 6a, but it is small enough to prevent damage to the falling cigarettes Z if they fall at the wrong time when the additional slide 4 moved to the left, so that the cigarettes Z could be jammed between the additional slide 4 and the wall of the shaft 3. To the upper To protect cigarettes Z lying half of the first slide 6 from damage when the first slide 6 is moved, the additional slide 4 can also be displaceable at the same time as the first slide 6, as long as the first slide 6 covers a larger displacement path than the additional slide 4. The additional slide 4 must be withdrawn with the first slide 6 at the latest.

The cigarettes Z located in the recesses 6a of the slide 6, which have already been checked before the last test procedure, pass through the displacement of the slide 6 to the left via the cutouts 8b of the carrier 8, which are closed on their underside by the second slide 9 according to FIG are. In this way, the tested cigarettes Z remain in the recesses 8b of the carrier 8, as shown in FIG. 4.

Ejector devices 14 are arranged in the area of these cutouts 8b of the carrier 8 and are actuated depending on the result of the associated test device 13, with the corresponding delay. With the help of these ejection devices 14, the cigarettes Z determined to be defective are ejected in the axial direction, for example with the aid of a plunger or an air jet.

The cigarettes Z found to be correct are released by a movement of the second slide 9 from the position shown in FIG. 4 to the position shown in FIG. 5 and fall through the recesses 9a of the slide 9 into the storage shafts 10. From these they become the Subtracted formation of cigarette blocks. Simultaneously with the slide 9, the slide 6 and the additional slide 4 move back into the starting position. The fill level of the storage wells 10 is monitored by the light barrier 11, so that the on drives 5 and 7 are stopped when the fill level in the storage shafts 10 exceeds the level monitored by the light barrier 11.

All the cigarettes Z are checked by the repetitive process, only the cigarettes identified as defective being sorted out either within the shafts 3 or in the region of the carrier 8. The cigarettes Z jammed in the chutes 3 are removed by hand or mechanically. By storing the tested cigarettes in the storage shafts 10 and possibly a correspondingly larger number of these storage shafts 10, it is ensured that a sufficient number of cigarettes Z is always available to form cigarette blocks even in the event of faults in one of the shafts 3.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the additional slide 4 is further developed. This further development of the additional slide 4 is particularly advantageous if - as already mentioned above - a general malfunction of the device when a defective cigarette Z 'is jammed in one of the shafts 3 is to be prevented. In such a case, the cigarette Z 'jammed in the shaft 3 is removed by hand or by machine. However, since in the meantime the shaft 3 below the jammed cigarette Z 'has emptied, the cigarettes Z located above slide after removing the jammed cigarette Z' in the shaft 3. The slipping cigarettes Z can reach the first slide 6 at an unfavorable point in time when it moves to the left, so that the slipping cigarette Z is pinched. This causes the entire device to malfunction and stop.

For this purpose, the additional slide 4 is then moved below the chutes 3 and thus the further supply of cigarettes Z is blocked if a faulty one is jammed Cigarette Z 'in one of the chutes 3 of this chute 3 below the jammed cigarette Z' runs empty. By moving the additional slide and thus blocking the shaft, pinching after removal of the jammed cigarette Z 'is avoided.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the additional slide 4 consists of a plurality of plate-shaped groups G1, G2, G3 each of four individual additional slide 4 ', each of which has an opening 4a between them. The individual additional slides 4 'combined to form a group G1, G2, G3 are operated together, while the groups G1, G2, G3 as such, however, can be actuated independently of one another. If a faulty cigarette Z 'is jammed, the corresponding group of individual slide valves 4' is actuated. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, this is the middle group G2. After the fault in the form of the jammed cigarette Z 'has been eliminated, the closed group G2 is withdrawn again, so that the normal cigarettes Z' which have slipped in the meantime can be checked as usual.

Instead of being combined into groups G1, G2, G3, each shaft 3 can of course be assigned an individual additional slide 4 '. However, the control effort is greater here. The grouping of several individual additional slides 4 'into groups G1, G2, G3, preferably each with four individual additional slides 4', is sufficient for practical use.

The triggering of the displacement of the additional slide 4 can take place by the test device 13. If this determines that there is no cigarette Z for testing, this can only be due to a faulty cigarette Z 'jamming in the shaft 3. In this case, the test device 13 actuates the additional slide 4 and shifts the corresponding group G2 to the left and thus blocks the further supply of cigarettes Z in the chutes 3 assigned to the group G2.

B e z u n s z e i c h e n l i s t e

• 1 storage tank
• 3 shaft
• 4 additional slides
• 4 'Single additional slide
• 4a opening
• 5 drive
• 6 first slider
• 6a recess
• 7 drive
• 8 carriers
• 8a support rod
• 8b recess
• 9 second slide
• 9a recess
• 10 storage bay
• 11 light barrier
• 12 vibrating pin
• 13 test device
• 14 ejection device
• Z cigarette
• Z's jammed cigarette
• G1 group
• G2 group
• G3 group

Claims (13)

1. Device for testing the quality of rod-shaped, cylindrical objects (Z), preferably cigarettes, which are fed from a funnel-shaped storage container (1) to a plurality of parallel shafts (3), each shaft (3) having at least one testing device (13) and a downstream ejection device (14) for axially ejecting a defective object (Z) is assigned,
characterized , that the substantially vertical shafts (3) have a shaft width that is only slightly larger than the diameter of the rod-shaped objects (Z), and are formed at least in the lower part with a zigzag shape with at least one bend that below the shafts (3) are provided with a number of recesses (6a) corresponding to the number of shafts (3) for each rod-shaped object (Z) and slide (6) which is transverse to the shafts (3) by at least one Shaft width corresponding path can be moved in a controlled manner, that below the slide (6) a fixed support (8) is arranged, the support rods (8a) below the Shafts (3) lie and which is formed between the supporting rods (8a), each with a recess (8b) for a rod-shaped object (Z), that a further slide (9) with the first slide (6) corresponding training and possibility of movement is arranged below the carrier (8) and that each recess (8b) in the carrier (8) is assigned an ejection device (14) which can be actuated by the result of the test device (13) assigned to each shaft (3) above the carrier (8). 2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the test devices (13) are each arranged in the region of the lowest, in the shaft (3) lying rod-shaped objects (Z). 3. Device according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that between the lower end of the shafts (3) and the first slide (6) a flat additional slide (4) with the diameter of the rod-shaped objects (Z) corresponding openings (4a) arranged which can be moved slightly below the shafts (3), the shaft width of the shafts (3) left free by the shifted additional slide (4) being slightly smaller than the diameter of the rod-shaped objects (Z). 4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the additional slide (4) is displaceable simultaneously with the first slide (6), but covers a smaller displacement than the first slide (6) to lie above the first slide (6) Intercept objects (Z). 5. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the additional slide (4) shortly before moving the first set slide (4) by the test device (13), which in the absence of an object (Z) blocks the shaft (3) by the additional slide (4). 11. Device according to one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that below the recesses (8b) of the carrier (8) fixed storage shafts (10) are arranged, the level of which is monitored by a light barrier (11). 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that the storage shafts (10) are formed with a zigzag shape. Slide (6) is displaceable and prevents rod-shaped objects (Z) from falling into the recesses (6a) of the slide (6) at the beginning of its displacement movement. 6. Device according to one of claims 3 to 5, characterized in that the return movement of the additional slide (4) takes place at the latest with the return movement of the first slide (6). 7. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that when a faulty object (Z ') is jammed in a shaft (3) and after the shaft (3) is idled below the jammed object (Z'), the additional slide (4) is fully below the Shaft (3) is displaceable and the further supply of objects (Z) from the shaft (3) is blocked. 8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the additional slide (4) consists of one of the number of shafts (3) corresponding number of individual additional slides (4 ') which can be actuated individually. 9. The device according to claim 8, characterized in that a plurality of individual additional slide (4 ') each to a plate-shaped group (G1, G2, G3) with openings (4a), preferably to groups (G1, G2, G3) with four individual additional slide ( 4 ') are summarized, in which the individual additional slides (4') belonging to a group (G1, G2, G3) are combined, but the groups (G1, G2, G3) can be actuated independently of one another. 10. Device according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that the triggering of the displacement of the

Images