EP0481191B1 - Apparatus for unpackung cigarettes from the enclosing package - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for removing cigarettes from a packaging enclosing them with at least one knife cutting the packaging at right angles to the alignment of the cigarettes along an end face and a separation station for separating the cigarettes from the cut packaging before further processing, the separation station being two parallel ones Has side walls between which the packaging can be fixed.

The problem with cigarette production is often to open a large number of fully filled and packaged cigarette boxes. This can be done, for example, as part of a quality control, with a view to using the cigarettes for subsequent test trials, or because the cigarettes or the packaging are defective.

Since the manufacture and packaging of cigarettes are carried out fully automatically with a view to large production quantities, there is a need to also carry out the opening of fully packaged cigarette packs required for the ongoing quality controls by machine.

In addition, the tobacco in defective cigarette boxes should also be reused. The individual cigarettes must therefore be removed from the cigarette boxes recognized as defective and removed from the normal production process in order to recover the valuable tobacco and to return it to the manufacturing process.

A generic device for emptying a package is known from US-A-2 470 236. In this known device, an end face of the packaging is partially cut open by a knife and then the packaging is moved by means of a carrier within the separating station to an ejection device. The ejection device presses with a tongue on the side of the package opposite the cut side and thus pushes some of the cigarettes aligned transversely to the side walls of the separation station out of the package. For further emptying, the packaging must then be moved to the end of the separation station.

In addition to the carrier that moves the packaging within the separation station, this known device requires a separate ejection device in order to remove the cigarettes from the packaging. In addition to this increased construction effort, a complete emptying of the packaging is not necessarily guaranteed, since the front side of the packaging is only partially cut open, namely about a third, and it can therefore easily happen that cigarettes remain in the closed part of the packaging.

Another device for emptying packaging is known from DE-A-2 840 999. In this device, the packaging, which is shortened on one end face by means of a full cut, is moved along a curved path by a driver pin fastened to a chain in order to align the packaging with the cut side down. The packaging is then pushed by a reciprocating piston between two rotating, flexible belts that transport the packaging to a vibrating device. The packaging is emptied under the influence of the vibrating device acting on the flexible belts.

In addition to the enormous construction costs of this known device with a curved track with chain drive as well as the flexible conveyor belts and an additional vibrating device, this known device has the disadvantage that it is not suitable for emptying hard box cardboard packaging, since these are not deformable by the flexible belts, so that the vibrating device alone cannot empty the packaging.

Furthermore, a device for removing cigarettes from the packaging surrounding them is known from US-A-3 386 320. In this device, the cigarette boxes are cut open by a total of three disc knives, the first two cuts being made along the narrow long sides of the cigarette boxes, while a further cut is carried out at right angles to this. This further cut is carried out as a full cut, in which the part of the cigarette box containing the filter of the cigarettes is separated from the part containing the valuable tobacco. Both parts, now separated from each other, are fed to screening drums, in which there is a strong swirling and subsequent separation of the individual components, for example according to their different specific weights.

This known device requires a total of three knives arranged on different axes in order to cut open the cigarette boxes to such an extent that they can then be subjected to a process-related separation process in the sieve drums. In addition to the increased construction costs for operating the three separate knives, this known device has the disadvantage that a clean separation in packaging material on the one hand and cigarettes or cigarette paper on the other hand is not always possible with the help of the sieve drums. It cannot be excluded that components of the packaging, e.g. B. from cardboard, tinfoil or wrapping film into the tobacco. In addition, the treatment in a sieve drum together with parts of the cigarette packaging for the tobacco cut is very demanding. Cigarette tobacco is particularly valuable the long-fiber portions, which, however, undergo undesirable comminution in the course of such a treatment, so that their value for reuse is reduced.

Another device for removing cigarettes from the packaging enclosing them is described in US Pat. No. 4,843,801. This device also works with a total of three disc knives, although in contrast to US Pat. No. 3,386,320 the third knife does not make a full cut, but rather only provides the cigarette packaging with a central separating cut on its flat side. In a subsequent station, the two halves of the flat side are opened with the aid of compressed air and the contents of the cigarette box thus exposed are then emptied by pivoting. This device, which is very complicated overall, is clearly limited in its possible applications. So this is particularly not suitable for the previous or simultaneous removal of the cigarette filters, so that they still have to be removed in a subsequent separation station. In addition, the difficult cuts and the complex opening process can only be carried out with packaging designed as a hard box. In addition, a safe removal or exposure of the further packaging material, which is usually located within cigarette boxes, e.g. Foil paper, not possible. This would either hinder the complete emptying of the packaging or be emptied together with the cigarettes, which would lead to the separation problems already described above. To avoid the aforementioned problems, the known device requires a very precise adjustment, which makes the device as a whole complicated.

The invention has for its object to provide a device for removing cigarettes from the packaging surrounding them, which with a simple structure, a safe separation between cigarettes on the one hand and the components the packaging, on the other hand, without the risk of crushing the long-fiber tobacco, which is particularly valuable with regard to reuse.

The solution to this problem is characterized in that the at least one knife cuts open the packaging with a full cut and in that the side walls of the separating station are designed as swash plates which can be swiveled from a horizontal to an oblique to vertical position, the mutually facing inner surfaces of which form swage surfaces, whereby the distance between the upsetting surfaces is less than the width of the packaging between their respective two narrow longitudinal sides parallel to the cigarettes, with which the packaging lies against the upsetting surfaces during the pivoting process in such a way that the large longitudinal sides of the packaging parallel to the cigarettes are due to of the minimum dimension between the width of the packaging and the distance between the upsetting surfaces, concave outwards and the cigarettes in the pivoted position can be removed from the packaging under the influence of gravity through the cut end face.

Despite its simple structure, a device designed in this way enables a safe separation between the cigarettes on the one hand and the components of the packaging on the other. The package opened by a cut along the end face is pivoted between the compression surfaces by preferably 90 ° so that the cigarettes slide out of the package through the open end face under the influence of gravity. By compressing the packaging between the two compression surfaces, the cross section of the packaging increases, so that the individual cigarettes can separate from one another and from the inner surface of the packaging and slide out of the box under the influence of gravity. Up to this point in time, ie until the cigarettes have been completely removed from the box, there is no stress on the individual tobacco fibers, so that it is possible to gently separate them from the cigarette paper in a subsequent separation process. It is particularly advantageous that the cigarette packs can be emptied after the part of the cigarette pack containing the cigarette filters has already been cut off, which results in the subsequent separation of tobacco and cigarette paper further simplified. In this case, the packaging can be emptied between the two upsetting surfaces via that opening which is produced when the part of the cigarette box which receives the cigarette filters is cut off.

According to a further feature of the invention, the upsetting surfaces can be moved against each other in a pulsating manner at least at the end of the pivoting process, so that even stuck cigarettes fall out under the effect of gravity.

The insertion of the packaging between the two upsetting surfaces is facilitated if, according to a further development of the invention, the upsetting surfaces in the region of their circumference each change into inclined inlet surfaces, the greatest distance from which corresponds at least to the width of the packaging between their respective two narrow longitudinal sides.

In an advantageous design of the device, the upsetting surfaces are formed by the mutually facing surfaces of two parallel upsetting disks, which are rotatably mounted about a common axis.

In one embodiment variant of the device, the upsetting surfaces are formed by pocket-like depressions on the upsetting disks. These pocket-like depressions take up the narrow long sides of the packaging. As a result, even with unstable soft packs of cigarettes, the packaging can be securely compressed, swiveled and emptied without the risk of the packaging slipping or falling out prematurely.

The pocket-like depressions are preferably provided with an insertion bevel. This makes it easier to insert the packaging between the two upsetting surfaces.

The compression effect is improved if the boundary walls of the pocket-like depressions are chamfered at least in the area of the floor.

Furthermore, it is proposed with the invention that the compression surfaces formed by the pocket-like depressions are pivoted in a clocked manner by predeterminable angles of rotation. This enables exact coordination of the individual movements "inserting the packaging between the compression surfaces", "pivoting" and "falling out of the cigarettes".

Compression springs can be arranged between the upsetting disks and stops which limit the maximum distance between the upsetting disks and which are located on cross bars which penetrate the upsetting disks. In this way, it is possible to pulsatingly compress the upsetting disks to support the emptying process.

To prevent packing parts, e.g. The tinfoil paper contained therein, with which the cigarettes are emptied, is provided in a further development of the device, a pin which is pivotable on an axis of rotation parallel to the axis of the upsetting disks and can be swiveled into the cylindrical space between the upsetting disks. This is designed so that it only retains parts of the cigarette packaging, but does not hinder the falling out of the cigarettes.

The pin is preferably located at the end of a lever pivotably mounted on the axis of rotation, the shape of which, according to a preferred embodiment, is adapted to the outer contour of the upsetting disks. In this way, the lever prevents the packaging from moving sideways during the pivoting movement.

There is preferably a flap which can be swiveled into the cylindrical space between upsetting disks and which in its swung-in position forms an inclined plane over which the cigarettes can slide into a provided collecting container.

After the packaging has been emptied, both the pin attached to the lever and the flap must be removed from the pivoting range of the packaging, for which purpose the flap and lever are preferably coupled to one another.

The cut packaging is preferably fed into the area between the compression surfaces via a feed path by means of a slide which can be moved parallel to it.

With the aid of a scraper arranged below the feed path, which can be made in one piece with the feed path, the emptied packaging is separated from the compression surfaces.

The packaging is separated by means of two knives, which are designed as circular knives in a first variant, while a second variant uses a toothed jigsaw or band saw. In the first variant, the cutting edges of the circular knives are preferably designed to be smooth so as to enable a smooth cut without the occurrence of packaging particles. Otherwise, such packaging particles could end up in the tobacco and reduce its value. When using a toothed jigsaw or band saw as a knife, a suction device is arranged in the area of the knives, which removes the packaging particles resulting from the separation of the packaging from the cutting area.

Fig. 1

eine Ansicht der Vorrichtung von oben mit einer noch unversehrten Zigarettenschachtel, einer weiteren, bereits aufgeschnittenen Zigarettenschachtel sowie einer in Entleerungsstellung befindlichen, dritten Zigarettenschachtel;

Fig. 2

eine Schnittdarstellung entlang der Linie II-II der Fig. 1 und

Fig. 3

eine vereinfacht dargestellte Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung in der mit Pfeil III bezeichneten Blickrichtung;

Fig. 4

eine der Fig. 1 entsprechende Ansicht einer Ausführungsvariante der Vorrichtung;

Fig. 5

eine Schnittdarstellung entlang der Linie V - V der Fig. 4 und

Fig. 6

eine vereinfacht dargestellte Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung in der mit Pfeil VI bezeichneten Blickrichtung.

Two exemplary embodiments of the device according to the invention are shown in the drawing, namely:

Fig. 1

a view of the device from above with a still intact cigarette box, another, already cut open cigarette box and a third cigarette box located in the emptying position;

Fig. 2

a sectional view taken along the line II-II of Fig. 1 and

Fig. 3

a simplified side view of the device in the direction indicated by arrow III;

Fig. 4

a view corresponding to Figure 1 of an embodiment of the device.

Fig. 5

a sectional view taken along the line V - V of Fig. 4 and

Fig. 6

a simplified side view of the device in the direction indicated by arrow VI.

The device for removing cigarettes shown in FIG. 1 from the packaging surrounding it consists of a cutting station 1 and a separating station 2. The cutting station 1 has a cutting device 3 which consists of a common shaft 4 and two knives 5a, spaced thereon 5b exists.

2 shows that the cigarette packages Z to be emptied are fed to the cutting station 1 via a magazine 6. The lowest cigarette packaging Z in each case lies on a cutting table 7, by means of which this packaging is moved into the effective area of the knives 5a, 5b by means of a horizontally movable plunger 8 (see FIG. 1).

The illustration in FIG. 1 shows that the knives 5a, 5b are arranged such that each cigarette packet Z is cut open with a total of two full cuts made at right angles to the alignment of the cigarettes. The knife 5b separates the part of the cigarette box Z containing the cigarette filters F, while the other knife 5a separates the opposite end face S of the cigarette box Z. For filterless cigarettes or in the event that it is not desired to separate the filters, the knife 5b is set similarly to knife 5a in such a way that it separates the other end face of the package Z. The parts S and F pass through ejection chutes 9a, 9b into a common collecting container 10, while the part of the cigarette packaging containing the tobacco is pushed onto a horizontal feed path 11 arranged at right angles to the cutting table 7.

The fixed feed path 11 is designed in the form of an elongated, U-shaped sheet which surrounds an axis 12 approximately in the form of a semicircle. The axis 12 is the common axis of rotation of two mutually coupled swash plates 13a, 13b, the structure of which is explained in more detail below.

Each of the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b consists of a circular plate which, in the area of its circumference, has an inclined inlet surface 14 in the form of a flat bevel on its inside assigned to the respective other upsetting disk.

The mutually facing surfaces of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b form upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b which merge into the inlet surface 14 in their outer region. It is crucial for the construction of the separation station 2 that the distance between the upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b from each other is less than the width B of the cigarette packaging Z between their respective two narrow longitudinal sides 16. Each of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b therefore has a minimum dimension shown in FIG. 1 M compared to the corresponding dimension of the packaging Z. This minimum dimension M is only a few millimeters on each side.

The packaging Z is transported along the feed path 11 to the area between the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b by means of a slide 17 which is movable parallel to the feed path 11. The inclined inlet surfaces 14 facilitate the insertion of the packaging between the two upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b.

As can also be seen from the illustration in FIG. 1, the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b are connected to one another via a total of four transverse rods 18 arranged parallel to the axis. The cross bars 18 have stops 19 at their ends, which rest on the outer sides of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b and thus limit their greatest possible distance. The stops can be designed to be adjustable so as to be able to adjust the spacing of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b in this way.

Compression springs 20 are located on the cross bars 18 on both upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b under pressure and thus act on the upsetting disks 13a, 13b against the stops 19.

An eccentric 21 is arranged on a fixed axis of rotation in the immediate vicinity of the one upsetting disk 13a and, with appropriate rotation, applies a periodic pressure to the outer surface exerts the upsetting surface 13a and can thus set it in a shaking motion.

The separating station 2 works in the following way: The package Z, which has already been cut open via the slide 17 along the feed path 11, comes completely between the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b and is there due to the between the narrow longitudinal sides 16 of the package and the upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b existing friction clamped. Since the distance between the compression surfaces 15a, 15b from one another is less than the width B of the packaging Z, the packaging Z bulges in the manner shown in the lower part of FIG. the large long sides of packaging Z bulge outwards in a concave manner. If the upsetting disks 13a, 13b are then rotated by approximately 90 °, the packaging Z swings into the position shown in the lower part of FIG. 1 or in the left part of FIG. 3, in which the individual cigarettes are influenced by the Gravity slide out of the packaging. It is thereby achieved by the curvature of the packaging produced between the compression surfaces 15a, 15b that the cross-sectional area thereof increases, as a result of which the cigarettes separate from one another and from the inside of the packaging and can thus slide out of the packaging more easily. In order to also release any sticky cigarettes, a brief compression of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b is achieved by actuating the eccentric 21 against the force of the compression springs 20. With the help of this shaking, even the last remaining cigarettes can be removed. Instead of the eccentric 21, a compressed air cylinder which can be actuated several times can also be used with the same effect.

For the safe forwarding of the cigarettes emerging from the packaging into a container provided, a flap 22 is located below the upsetting disks 13a, 13b the upsetting disks 13a, 13b and is swung out of this area after the emptying process has ended so as not to impede the further movement of the now emptied packaging between the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b.

During the emptying process, a pin 23 engages under the open end face of the packaging in order in this way to also empty packaging parts, e.g. Tinfoil to prevent. The pin 23 does not interfere with the falling-out cigarettes because of its inclined position. The pin 23 is arranged at the outer end of a lever 24 which is pivotably mounted on an axis of rotation 25 parallel to the axis 12. The shape of the lever 24 is roughly adapted to the outer contour of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b and is therefore suitable for additionally guiding the packaging. The lever 24 is pivoted back with the pin 23 before the emptied packaging is transported further by clocked further rotation of the upsetting disks 13a, 13b. This movement is coupled with the pivoting movement of the flap 22, so that the flap 22 only folds back the lever 24 with the pin 23 at the end of its movement. This ensures that the empty packaging in the form of a sleeve cannot fall down with the cigarettes if it should detach itself from the upsetting disks 13a, 13b at an early stage. The packaging Z is usually released from its clamping position between the two upsetting disks 13a, 13b by pushing it against a fixed scraper 26 during further transport, which is formed by the lower part of the feed path 11 which is guided in a U-shape around the axis 12. The stripped packages Z arrive in the same collecting container 10, into which the packaging parts separated in the cutting station 1 are also guided.

4 to 6 an embodiment variant of the device is shown. The knives 5a, 5b used in the form of circular knives used in the first variant according to FIGS. 1 to 3 are replaced by a toothed band saw or jigsaw. At the Particles and particles of the packaging Z that occur during the cutting process are removed from the cutting area with the aid of a suction device 27 and therefore cannot get into the tobacco.

Fig. 4 shows that in this embodiment, the upsetting disks 13a, 13b are not flat on their inside, but each have four pocket-like depressions 28 arranged at 90 ° to each other. The upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b are each formed on the bottom 29 of the pocket-like depressions 28. The bottom 29 is each provided with a bevel 30 in the region of its edge. In this embodiment variant too, each of the upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b of the pocket-like depressions 28 is provided with an inlet surface 14, which facilitates the insertion of the package Z between the two upsetting surfaces 15a, 15b.

6 shows that the pocket-like depressions 28, which are rotated by 90 ° relative to each other, are not continuous, but rather have a stop formed by the bevel 30 on the end face. As a result of this stop, the packages Z cannot fall downwards in the position pivoted by approximately 90 °, in which the cigarettes leave the package Z. The lever 24 with the pin 23 required in the first embodiment according to FIGS. 1 to 3 can therefore be omitted in this second embodiment.

The packaging Z is released from its clamping position between the compression surfaces 15a, 15b of the pocket-like depressions 28 by the packaging Z pushing against the stationary scraper 26 during further transport. The stripped packs Z in turn get into the collecting container 10.

Reference symbol list:

1

Cutting station

2nd

Separation station

3rd

Cutting device

4th

wave

5a

knife

5b

knife

6

magazine

7

Cutting table

8th

Pestle

9a

Chute

9b

Chute

10th

Collection container

11

Feed path

12th

axis

13a

Upset washer

13b

Upset washer

14

Infeed area

15a

Upsetting area

15b

Upsetting area

16

Long sides

17th

Slider

18th

Crossbar

19th

attack

20th

Compression spring

21

eccentric

22

flap

23

pen

24th

lever

25th

Axis of rotation

26

Wipers

27

Suction device

28

pocket-like depression

29

ground

30th

bevel

Z.

Cigarette packaging

F

Filter part

S

Face

B

width

M

Minimum

Claims (25)

1. Apparatus for removing cigarettes from a pack (Z) which encloses said cigarettes, having a cutter which cuts open the pack along an end side, at right angles with respect to the alignment of the cigarettes, and having a separating station (2) for separating the cigarettes from the cut-open pack before further processing, the separating station exhibiting two parallel side walls (13a, 13b) between which the pack (Z) can be fixed, characterized in that at least one cutter (5a, 5b) cuts open the pack (Z) with a full cut, and in that the side walls of the separating station (2) are designed as a compressing disc (13a, 13b) which can be pivoted from a horizontal position to an oblique to vertical position and whose mutually facing inner surfaces form compressing surfaces (15a, 15b), the distance of the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) from one another being smaller than the width (B) of the pack (Z) between its two narrow longitudinal sides (16), which are parallel to the cigarettes and by means of which the pack (Z), during the pivoting operation, butts against the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) such that the large longitudinal sides, parallel to the cigarettes, of the pack (Z) bulge concavely outwards, as a result of the reduction in dimension (M) between the width (B) of the pack (Z) and the distance between the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b), and, in the pivoted position, the cigarettes can be removed from the pack (Z), through the cut-open end surface (S), under the influence of the force of gravity.
2. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized in that the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) can be moved with respect to one another in a pulsating manner at least at the end of the pivoting operation.
3. Apparatus according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, in the region of their circumference, the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) each pass into oblique run-in surfaces (14), the greatest distance between these corresponding at least to the width (B) of the pack (Z) between its two narrow longitudinal sides (16).
4. Apparatus according to Claims 1, 2 or Claim 3, characterized in that the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) are formed by the mutually facing surfaces of two parallel compressing discs (13a, 13b) which are mounted such that they can rotate about a common spindle (12).
5. Apparatus according to at least one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) are each formed on the base (29) of pocket-like depressions (28) on the compressing discs (13a, 13b) for receiving the narrow longitudinal sides (16), parallel to the cigarettes, of the packs (Z).
6. Apparatus according to Claim 5, characterized in that the pocket-like depressions (28) are provided with an oblique run-in surface (14).
7. Apparatus according to Claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the delimiting walls of the pocket-like depressions (28) are bevelled at least in the region of the base (29).
8. Apparatus according to Claim 5, 6 or 7, characterized in that the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) formed by the pocket-like depressions (28) are pivoted at regular intervals through predeterminable angles of rotation.
9. Apparatus according to at least one of Claims 4 to 8, characterized by a plurality of compression springs (20) arranged between the compressing discs (13a, 13b), and by stops (19) which limit the maximum distance between the compressing discs (13a, 13b) and are arranged on transverse bars (18) which pass through the compressing discs (13a, 13b).
10. Apparatus according to Claim 9, characterized in that the transverse bars (18) pass through the compression springs (20).
11. Apparatus according to Claim 9 or Claim 10, characterized in that the stops (19) can be adjusted.
12. Apparatus according to at least one of Claims 4 to 11, characterized by a pin (23) which is arranged pivotably on a rotary spindle (25) parallel to the spindle (12) and can be pivoted into the cylindrical space between the compressing discs (13a, 13b).
13. Apparatus according to Claim 12, characterized in that the pin (23) is fastened at the end of a lever (24) which is mounted pivotably on the rotary spindle (25).
14. Apparatus according to Claim 13, characterized in that the shape of the lever (24) is adapted to the outer contour of the compressing disc (13a, 13b).
15. Apparatus according to Claim 13, characterized by a flap (22) which can be pivoted, beneath the lever (24), into the cylindrical space between the compressing discs (13a, 13b) and, in its pivoted-in position, forms an oblique plane.
16. Apparatus according to Claim 15, characterized in that the flap (22) and lever (24) are coupled to one another, with the result that the flap (22) pivots the pin (23) only at the end of its movement.
17. Apparatus according to Claim 1, characterized by a feed path (11) which is guided approximately horizontally into the region between the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b) and is intended for the cut-open packs (Z).
18. Apparatus according to Claim 17, characterized by a pusher (17) which can be moved parallel to the feed path (11) and is intended for the transportation of the cut-open packs (Z).
19. Apparatus according to Claim 17 or Claim 18, characterized by a stripper (26) which is arranged fixedly between the compressing surfaces (15a, 15b), beneath the feed path (11).
20. Apparatus according to at least one of Claims 1 to 19, characterized in that there are two cutters (5a, 5b) for cutting open the pack (Z), of which one severs the lower end side (S) of the pack and the other severs the upper end side of the pack or, in the case of filter cigarettes, the filter-containing part (F) of the pack (Z).
21. Apparatus according to Claim 20, characterized in that the cutters (5a, 5b) are designed as circular cutters.
22. Apparatus according to Claim 21, characterized in that the circular cutters are designed with a smooth cutting edge.
23. Apparatus according to Claim 21, characterized in that the circular cutters are configured with a toothed cutter.
24. Apparatus according to Claim 20, characterized in that the cutters (5a, 5b) are designed as a toothed compass saw or band saw.
25. Apparatus according to Claim 23 or 24, characterized in that a suction-extraction device (27) is arranged in the region of the cutters (5a, 5b).

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