EP1405573B1 - Egalisator for a cigarette rod machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for trimming a tobacco rod, in particular in a cigarette rod machine, with a strand forming agent for forming a trimmed tobacco rod. Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of a device and a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarette rod machine.

Cigarettes are generally made so that their free head end, in filter cigarettes the fire end, a head reinforcement, which prevents tobacco from falling out of the head end. This head reinforcement consists of a region of greater tobacco density at the head of the cigarette. For the production of the head reinforcement, a continuously conveyed tobacco rod from which the cigarettes are produced, before the excess decrease and the wrapper is densified with a wrapping material strip at regular intervals so that it contains more tobacco in those densified areas than that between these areas. After wrapping the tobacco rod with a wrapping material strips are successively separated rod-shaped sections single or multiple use length, which are deflected in a transverse axial conveying direction and processed into filter cigarettes. When separating the rod-shaped sections from the current cigarette rod or fiber strand, it is important that the separating cut is made as accurately as possible in the middle of a compacted area, so that both emerging head ends of the rod-shaped sections are provided with optimal head reinforcements.

In cigarette production, the tobacco rod stranded on a suction belt conveyor is trimmed by means of a leveler to form the head reinforcements. By leveling off the excess tobacco, the leveling agent should set the desired cigarette weight and at the same time realize a head reinforcement. An equalizer consists of two trimmer discs and a paddle wheel, the trimmer discs being format-dependent. Optionally, the trimmer discs are provided with head amp pockets, so that the marginal and / or mouthpiece ends of the tobacco pieces are reinforced. The number of pockets in the trimmer discs depends on the tobacco rod length and the type of head reinforcement. The excess tobacco is cut off or separated by a paddle wheel arranged below the trimmer discs. The separated tobacco is returned via a return conveyor belt and a vibrating chute to the distributor back in a tobacco storage. Another way to get the tobacco trim and provide with a head reinforcement is by the so-called. Cam head reinforcement realized. The tobacco is pre-sized with a smooth trimmer disc pair, compacted with a cam at the locations of the head reinforcement and then trimmed to the correct height with the smooth pair of trimming discs.

In the known trimmer devices, the tobacco fibers are mechanically stressed in the areas of the desired head reinforcements, so that longer tobacco fibers are broken and the head ends have a lower filling force instead of a higher filling force. This has the consequence that the cigarettes have soft ends.

WO-A-00/54611 discloses a trimmer for a tobacco rod. For this purpose, two trim disks are provided, wherein a trim disk has recesses and a second trim disk pockets. This results in accordance with the technical teaching of a tobacco rod with at least two alternately arranged and differently trimmed areas.

Out DE-A-24 40 980 For example, an apparatus for forming a tobacco rod compacted at a predetermined location is known. In this case, the tobacco rod is freed from irregularities in the form of elevations and depressions, wherein a separating means is provided with two cutting discs in addition to a further separating means. The cut-off wheels have recesses into which a compression means is immersed in each case in the region of an intended separation point of the tobacco rod.

XP000453977 ( Resarch Disclosure No. 361, pp. 263-264, May 1, 1994, ISSN: 0374-4353 ) describes a trimming device in which Promotional direction of the tobacco rod initially a Egalisator is provided with a disc having equidistantly arranged prongs on the outside. Subsequently, the tobacco rod is passed through two rotating trim discs ( Fig. 1 ). By means of the trim disks alternately arranged, differently trimmed areas are formed in the tobacco rod. Thereafter, the trimmed tobacco rod is transferred from the trimmer to a stranding unit. Overall, there is a trim of the head ends of the cigarettes, which are then made from the trimmer leaving and trimmed tobacco rod.

Based on this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to provide a tobacco rod or cigarette rod, in which the density or the filling force of the tobacco is increased at the cigarette ends and the tobacco fibers are treated gently.

This object is achieved by a device of the type mentioned, which is further developed in that the strand forming means is formed with at least one pair of trim disks, wherein at least one trim disk is provided with at least one recess and / or with at least one flat, wherein the strand forming means so in that the tobacco rod formed by the strand forming means has alternately arranged trimmed regions and non-trimmed regions, wherein the non-trimmed regions of the tobacco strand are or are not compressed by the strand forming means. According to the invention, a conveyed to the strand forming agent Tobacco strand, which may also be trimmed, provided by an upstream trimmer, with areas that are trimmed or not trimmed by the strand forming means. During trimming, longer tobacco fibers are neither broken nor broken at the points that subsequently form the tops of cigarettes compressed. At the same time, excess tobacco fibers in the areas where the tobacco density is supposed to be low are removed by the sampling means. In contrast to the trimming methods and trim arrangements known in the prior art, the trim system according to the invention has no compaction means or compression means for the head reinforcement. By using the strand-forming agent according to the invention, it may even be possible to dispense with pre-balancing a tobacco strand to be trimmed. The arranged in the non-trimmed areas longer tobacco fibers are treated as a whole gently, since according to the invention, no compression or compression is provided, so that the longer fibers are not broken.

For this purpose, it is provided that the strand forming means is formed with at least one pair of trim disks and a removal means for removing excess tobacco.

The tobacco fibers in the non-trimmed areas are not stressed or compacted mechanically, in particular, if at least one trimming disc is provided with at least one recess and / or at least one flattening. Thus, the trimming discs do not compress the tobacco fibers in a cutting or overlapping arrangement of the discs, as the tobacco fibers are located between the recesses of the two trimming discs.

It is particularly advantageous if a plurality of recesses and / or a plurality of flats, in particular regularly, are arranged on the trim disks, so that a cigarette rod machine can be operated at a high production speed.

According to one embodiment of the invention it is provided that the removal means is provided with at least one recess, so that from the tobacco rod section excess tobacco can be easily separated.

Furthermore, it is achieved by the recess according to the invention that tobacco fibers from the head reinforcements or ends forming non-trimmed areas are not removed or knocked out of the tobacco rod.

Preferably, at least two recesses are provided on the removal means and / or regularly formed on the removal means, so that a high productivity of the machine is achieved.

In particular, the removal means is a paddle wheel.

It is particularly advantageous if the trimming disks and the removal means, in particular the recesses and / or the flats of the trimming disks and the at least one recess of the removal means, can be synchronized so that a tobacco rod having a high conveying speed after passing through the stranding means is trimmed by the strand forming means and non-trimmed areas. The synchronization ensures, above all, high production speeds and perfect operation of the device according to the invention.

In addition, a Voregalisierungsmittel is provided for by means of the strand forming agent to be trimmed tobacco rod, so that the strand forming agent fed to a uniform tobacco rod becomes. By means of Voregalisierungsmittels thus the tobacco rod is trimmed.

Furthermore, in the conveying direction of the tobacco rod Voregalisierungsmittel arranged in front of the strand forming means.

In an advantageous embodiment, the pre-balancing agent is formed by means of a pair of trimming disks, in particular with smooth disks and / or a removal means, preferably a paddle wheel.

Another solution is the use of a device with a strand forming agent according to the invention described above in a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarette rod making machine. To avoid repetition, reference is expressly made to the strand forming agent described above.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarette rod machine, which is provided with a device described above for trimming a tobacco rod. Herein, the means of strand forming means is characterized in that the strand forming means is formed such that the tobacco strand trimmed by the strand forming means has alternately arranged trimmed regions and non-trimmed regions, the non-trimmed regions separating the head ends from those trimmed by the strand forming means Form tobacco cigarettes and the non-trimmed portions of the tobacco rod are not compressed by the strand forming agent.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Darstellung einer Zigarettenstrangmaschine vom Typ "PROTOS" der HAUNI Maschinenbau AG;

Fig. 2

eine perspektivische schematische Darstellung eines ersten erfindungsgemäßen Egalisators und

Fig. 3

eine weitere perspektivische schematische Darstellung eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Egalisators;

Fig. 4a, 4b

jeweils Draufsichten auf ein Trimmscheibenpaar und

Fig. 5a, 5b

jeweils eine Draufsicht auf ein Trimmscheibenpaar in einer alternativen Ausführung.

The invention will now be described by way of example without limitation of the general inventive idea using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, to which reference is otherwise expressly made with respect to all details of the invention not explained in detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view of a cigarette rod machine of the type "PROTOS" HAUNI Maschinenbau AG;

Fig. 2

a perspective schematic representation of a first inventive leveler and

Fig. 3

a further perspective schematic representation of another equalizer according to the invention;

Fig. 4a, 4b

each plan views of a pair of pulleys and

Fig. 5a, 5b

each a plan view of a pair of pulley in an alternative embodiment.

In the following drawings, the same or similar elements or parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that apart from a respective renewed idea.

In Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a cigarette rod machine type "PROTOS" HAUNI Maschinenbau AG shown. In this case, a pre-distributor 2 is supplied in portions with tobacco from a lock 1. A removal roller 3 of the pre-distributor 2 supplements controlled a storage container 4 with tobacco, from a steep conveyor 5 takes tobacco and fed controlled a stowage 6.

From the storage shaft 6 takes a pin roller 7 a uniform tobacco stream, which is knocked out by a rollover roller 8 of the pins of the pin roller 7 and is thrown on a rotating spreading cloth 9. A formed on the spreading cloth 9 tobacco fleece is thrown into a sighting device 11, which consists essentially of an air curtain, the larger or heavier tobacco particles happen while all other tobacco particles from the air in a funnel formed by a pin roller 12 and a wall 13 funnel 14th be steered.

From the pin roller 12, the tobacco is thrown into a tobacco channel 16 against a rope conveyor 17, where the tobacco held by means sucked into a vacuum chamber 18 air and a tobacco rod is aufauert. An equalizer 19 removes excess tobacco from the tobacco rod (reference numeral 50, FIG. Fig. 2 ), which is then placed on a synchronously supplied cigarette paper strip 21. The cigarette paper strip 21 is withdrawn from a reel 22, passed through a printing unit 23 and placed on a driven format tape 24.

The format belt 24 transports the tobacco rod trimmed by the leveling device 19 (reference numeral 55, FIG. Fig. 2 ) and the cigarette paper strip 21 by a format 26, in which the cigarette paper strip 21 is folded around the tobacco rod, so that still protrudes an edge which is glued by a Glimapparat, not shown in a known manner. Then the bond is closed and dried by a Tandemnahtplätte 27. A thus formed cigarette rod passes through a strand density measuring device 29, which controls the Egalisator 19, and is cut by a knife apparatus 31 in double-length cigarettes 32.

The double-length cigarettes 32 are transferred from a controlled arms 33 having transfer device 34th a transfer drum 36 pass a Filteransetzmaschine 37, on the cutting drum 38 they are shared with a circular blade in single cigarettes. Conveyor belts 39, 41 promote excess tobacco in a arranged under the reservoir 4 container 42, from which the recycled tobacco is removed from the vertical conveyor 5 again.

In the Fig. 2 and 3 each two different embodiments of a leveling device according to the invention 19 are shown in perspective and schematically, with apart from device details for reasons of clarity.

In Fig. 2 a Egalisator 19 is shown, comprising two rotating in the opposite direction pulleys 60.1, 60.2 and a paddle wheel 65 as a means of removal of the excess tobacco. The trim disks 60.1, 60.2 touch each other at least approximately with their circumferences in the middle of the channel of a suction conveyor or of the tobacco rod 50. In an alternative embodiment, not shown here, the circumferences of the trim disks 60.1, 60.2 overlap.

The arranged underneath the trimming discs 60.1, 60.2 and inclined in a direction to the conveying direction of the tobacco stream 50, substantially perpendicular to the surface of the suction conveyor, circumferentially paddled paddle wheel 66 separates the excess tobacco from the zuzuförderten tobacco rod 50.

According to the invention, the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 have recesses 62.1, 62.2 formed on their peripheries, which are arranged uniformly or regularly on the circumference of the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2. The trim discs 60.1, 60.2 are driven synchronously, so that in each case a recess 62.1, 62.2 of each trimming disk 60.1, 60.2 simultaneously, ie symmetrically, are rotated into the tobacco rod 50. As a result, the tobacco fibers in the tobacco rod 50 are not mechanically stressed or compressed, so that 55 areas 57 are formed on the trimmed by the Egalizer 19 tobacco rod, which are not trimmed. The regions 57 are not trimmed, in particular, when simultaneously the paddle wheel 65 is rotated with its recesses 66 below the tobacco rod.

Between the non-trimmed regions 57 of the tobacco rod 55, trimmed regions 56 are arranged, which are formed by the trimming by means of the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 and the paddles of the paddle wheel 65. In the trimming of the regions 56, the outer peripheral regions of the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 are approximated to one another. The trim eliminates the excess tobacco in the tobacco rod in areas 56 so that the density of the tobacco is desired to be low in that area 56, as desired. The non-trimmed regions 57 form the head reinforcements of the subsequently formed cigarettes. By not trimming the longer tobacco fibers in the regions 57, longer tobacco fibers are retained so that the filling force or holding force in the end regions of a cigarette is thereby improved.

In Fig. 3 a further embodiment of a leveler 19 is shown, wherein the in Fig. 2 described Trimmscheibenpaar 60.1, 60.2 and the paddle wheel 65 in the conveying direction of the tobacco rod 50 another trimming disc pair 70.1, 70.2 and another Paddle wheel 75 is preceded for Voregalisierung the tobacco rod 50.

The trimming disks 70.1, 70.2 are formed as smooth disks, i. without recesses or head amplifier pockets, so that the tobacco rod 50 is first trimmed to the extent of the head reinforcement with the head reinforcing regions 57, which are subsequently trimmed by the trimming discs 60.1, 60.2 and the paddle wheel 65. For Vortrimmung the tobacco rod 50, the paddle wheel 75 is below the trimming discs 70.1, 70.2, which removes the excess tobacco with its continuously rotating paddles. The trimming disc pair 60.1, 60.2 following in the conveying direction trims the pre-trimmed tobacco rod onto the tobacco weight and allows the excess tobacco to stand in the pre-trimmed tobacco rod for the head reinforcement in the regions 57.

In the Fig. 4a, 4b respectively. Fig. 5a, 5b each plan views are shown on different trimming discs 60.1, 60.2. This show the Fig. 4a or 5a, the trimming discs 60.1, 60.2 in a contacting position while in the Fig. 4b or 5b, the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 overlap in an overlapping area 67.

The in the Fig. 4a, 4b shown trimming discs 60.1, 60.2 have regularly arranged recesses 62.1, 62.2 over the circumference of the cutting discs 60.1, 60.2.

In the Fig. 5a, 5b is a further embodiment of trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 shown. Here, the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 have flats 64.1, 64.2 on their circumference. For this purpose, the flattening 64.1, 64.2 is a straight cut of the originally circular Trimmscheiben 60.1, 60.2 formed. The flats 64.1, 64.2 are arranged uniformly.

For trimming the tobacco rod according to the invention, the trimming disks 60.1, 60.2 are arranged symmetrically with respect to one another and are driven synchronously. By means of the recesses 62.1, 62.2 or the flattenings 64.1, 64.2, a non-trimmed region is formed in the tobacco rod to be trimmed.

The selection of the disc geometry and the type of arrangement, contact on the disc circumference (see. Fig. 4a . 5a) or overlap (cf. Fig. 4b . 5b ) for obtaining the head reinforcement depends on the tobacco mixture to be processed, eg on the fragility of the fibers or on the mixture composition (proportion of ribs, expanded tobacco and / or tobacco foil and type of tobacco used).

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

lock

2

preliminary distributor

3

out roller

4

reservoir

5

vertical conveyor

6

accumulating shaft

7

pin roll

8th

picker roller

9

stray cloth

11

OverviewAmenitiesPicture

12

pin roll

13

wall

14

funnel

16

tobacco channel

17

line conveyor

18

Vacuum chamber

19

Egalisator

21

Cigarette paper strip

22

reel

23

printing unit

24

format tape

26

format

27

Tandemnahtplätte

28

cigarette rod

29

Strangdichtemeßgerät

31

knife apparatus

32

double-length cigarettes

33

poor

34

Transfer device

36

transfer drum

37

filter attachment

38

cutting drum

39

conveyor belt

41

conveyor belt

42

container

50

tobacco rod

55

trimmed tobacco rod

56

trimmed area

57

non-trimmed area

60.1

trimming disk

60.2

trimming disk

62.1

recess

62.2

recess

64.1

flattening

64.2

flattening

65

paddlewheel

66

recess

67

overlap area

70.1

trimming disk

70.2

trimming disk

75

paddlewheel

Claims (12)

1. Device (19) for trimming a tobacco rope (50), in particular in a cigarette rope machine, comprising a rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65) for forming a trimmed tobacco rope (55), wherein the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65) is constructed with at least one pair of trimming disks (60.1, 60.2), wherein at least one trimming disk (60.1, 60.2) is provided with at least one recess (62.1, 62.2) and/or with at least one flattened portion (64.1, 64.2), wherein the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65) is designed in such a way that the tobacco rope (55) formed by the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65) comprises alternately arranged trimmed regions (56) and non-trimmed regions (57), wherein the non-trimmed regions (57) of the tobacco rope (55) are not or have not been compressed by the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65).
2. Device (19) according to claim 1, characterized in that the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65) is constructed with a removal means (65) for removing excess tobacco.
3. Device (19) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a plurality of recesses (62.1, 62.2) and/or a plurality of flattened portions (64.1, 64.2) are disposed, in particular regularly, on the trimming disks (60.1, 60.2).
4. Device (19) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that the removal means (65) is provided with at least one cut-out (66).
5. Device (19) according to claim 4, characterized in that at least two cut-outs (66) are provided and/or formed regularly on the removal means (65).
6. Device (19) according to one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the removal means (65) is a paddle wheel (65).
7. Device (19) according to one or more of claims 2 to 6, characterized in that the trimming disks (60.1, 60.2) and the removal means (65), in particular the recesses (62.1, 62.2) and/or the flattened portions (64.1, 64.2) of the trimming disks (60.1, 60.2) and at least one cut-out (66) of the removal means (65), may be synchronized.
8. Device (19) according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a pre-levelling means (70.1, 70.2; 75) is provided for the tobacco rope (50) that is to be trimmed by means of the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65).
9. Device (19) according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that in conveying direction of the tobacco rope (50) the pre-levelling means (70.1, 70.2; 75) is disposed upstream of the rope-forming means (60.1, 60.2; 65).
10. Device (19) according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the pre-levelling means (70.1, 70.2; 75) is constructed by means of a trimming disk pair (70.1, 70.2), in particular with smooth disks, and/or a removal means (75), preferably paddle wheel (75).
11. Use of a device (19) according to one or more of claims 1 to 10 in a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a cigarette rope machine.
12. Machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a cigarette rope machine, having a device (19) for trimming a tobacco rope (50) according to one of claims 1 to 11.

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