EP1441606A1

EP1441606A1 - Filter segments or filter for cigarettes and method for the production thereof

Info

Publication number: EP1441606A1
Application number: EP02787509A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Harald Gosebruch
Original assignee: Hauni Maschinenbau GmbH
Current assignee: Koerber Technologies GmbH
Priority date: 2001-11-05
Filing date: 2002-10-25
Publication date: 2004-08-04
Also published as: PL368445A1; WO2003039277A1; CN1582120A; JP2005507266A; US20040250822A1; DE10153820A1; CN1306887C

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for the production of filter segments (24) for multisegment filters (15) or filters (16) of the tobacco processing industry. According to said method, an extrudate (11,12) is initially produced by means of an extrusion molding method from components of the filter segments (24) or filters (16). The invention also relates to a corresponding filter segment (24) for multisegment filters (16) or a filter (16) of the tobacco processing industry. The inventive method is characterized in that in a further step thereof the extrudate (11, 12) is enveloped by a compressible and/or elastic first material (18). The inventive filter segment or inventive filter is characterized in that a filter core (22) is enveloped by at least one first enveloping material (18) which is compressible and/or elastic.

Description

Filter segments or filters for cigarettes and processes for their manufacture

description

The invention relates to a method for producing filter segments for ul ti segmentefil ter or filters of the tobacco processing industry, wherein first of all components of the filter segments or the filter an extrudate is produced by means of an extrusion process. The invention further relates to a corresponding filter segment for a multi-segment filter or a corresponding filter of the tobacco processing industry.

A method for producing a fil strand is known, for example, from US 5,523,036. In this document it is described how a filter strand can be used an extruder is first extruded and then wrapped with a wrapping paper strip. At the end of the process, the filter string is cut into filters of multiple usage lengths. The extruded filter material is gem. No. 5,523,036 about a plastic material which is extruded into an extrudate strand whose diameter is larger than the outlet opening of the extrusion press.

From DE-OS 1 692 945 a smoke filter for cigarettes and a method for its production are known. The smoke filter is a body which is produced by sintering thermoplastic and hydrophobic plastic foam, which is ground to the smallest particle size, and has a cross section adapted to a cigarette. This filter body may be alone or in combination with a conventional example. Acetatf denfil ter or a similar ^"Fil terkörper- hi ntereinander or used in parallel with each other, to thereby improve the filtering effect further or selectively influence.

These filters or filter elements have the disadvantage that they are relatively sensitive to shock and generally very sensitive to mechanical loads, so that they can easily be damaged during further processing.

In contrast, the invention has for its object to provide a method for producing filter elements or filters, which makes it possible in a simple and inexpensive manner to produce filters and filter elements or filter segments for multi-segment filters that are relatively insensitive to mechanical loads. Another object of the invention is to provide a filter or a filter segment for a multi-segment filter of tobacco working industry that are insensitive even to mechanical loads.

This object is achieved by a process for the production of filter segments for multi-segment filters or filters in the tobacco processing industry, whereby firstly a strand-like extrudate is produced from a starting material by means of an extrusion process, which is further developed in a further process step that the extrudate with a compressible and / or elastic first material is encased.

Providing the extrudate with a compressible and / or elastic first material makes it less sensitive to further mechanical processing and further transport. The erfindungsgemäße- technique ^"" made maybe -somit ^~ design a -very simple and cost-extensive way to filter or filter segments mechanically resilient.

The extrudate is cut into a filter component in appropriate lengths and has a relatively low tensile resistance and thus a low density. Due to the pulveriform components, this is very insensitive to mechanical loads if it is not covered according to the invention. The air permeability corresponds to that of conventional filters or filter segments.

The extrudate is preferably heated before the coating step, as a result of which the extrudate can be further hardened or also chemically changed. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, the method step of heating takes place in a temperature ture range from 600 ° C to 1,000 ° C. In the case of an extrudate which has, for example, activated carbon in granule form and a binder such as, for example, polyfurfuryl alcohol, the treatment step of heating in a temperature range of 600 ° C to 1,000 ° C leads to the fact that the binder is charred. This step can also be referred to as pyrolysis treatment.

Microwave heating is a particularly simple way of heating.

The first wrapping material is preferably completely smoke-impermeable or almost smoke-impermeable, in particular in the longitudinal axial direction. Hereby, the filter characteristics of the extrudate and the draft resistance of the filter segment due to the envelope with the first MateriaJ are not, or _only insignificantly influenced. The provision of a "compressible ^" uride / o ^'of the elastic first material also has the advantage that fluctuations in the diameter of the extrudate can be compensated for, so that a strand which is uniform in diameter and thus diameter or filter of equal size can be produced. In addition, this material can also be used to compensate for any differences in diameter of filter segments in a multi-segment filter, which is a very great advantage. When transporting the filter segments of a multi-segment filter, there is also the advantage that the holding of the segments in troughs by means of suction air is improved, since the suction air no longer attaches to the air-permeable extrudate but to the little to not air-permeable covering.

The wrapping with the first material can be done by a further extrusion process, immersion in one Melting bath or wrapping with strips of the first material and / or by wrapping with first material arranged on a, in particular soft, carrier strip. These variants can be seen as particularly effective and quick.

If the first material is preferably a hot-melt adhesive, in particular an ethyl vinyl acetate copolymer, materials can be used which are already very well known in the manufacture of filters in the tobacco processing industry. For this purpose, the hot-melt adhesive is preferably applied in a relatively thick layer. The first material is preferably foamed, a closed-cell foam being produced in particular. By using a closed-pore foam as the first material, the desired smoke is particularly impervious! ässigkei t or an almost permanent vol 1 Rauchundu chl ässigkei t ^{^"given"} As an alternative, the first material is a cel 1 ul oseacetattow be high density, which itself is also preferably substantially impermeable to smoke. The Cel 1 ul oseacetattow has a high density when, for example, it is very crimped. In one embodiment of the invention, the Cel 1 ul oseacetattow is wrapped around the extrudate transversely to the strand direction of the extrudate, in particular in a spiral. The preferred direction of the fibers in the cell ul oseacetattow are then aligned transversely to the strand direction of the extrudate. The first wrapping material can also be an air-laid fleece, which is produced by a method that is described in EP 003 20 44 B1.

Subsequently, the extrudate, which is coated with the first material, is preferably coated with a second material, so that an appearance is evident usual filter segment or a filter which is conventional per se can be achieved. The wrapping of the extrudate is particularly simple when the extrudate is wrapped in a strand process with the first and / or the second material. The machine KDF 2E from the applicant, which is known in specialist circles, is suitable for this purpose.

Finally, the coated extrudate is preferably cut off into segments of a predeterminable length.

The object is further achieved by a filter or a filter segment for a multi-segment filter of the tobacco processing industry, which is manufactured in particular according to the aforementioned method and which is provided with a, in particular shock-sensitive, core, which is enveloped by at least a first wrapping material which is compressible and / or elastic and in particular is essentially smoke-impermeable or completely smoke-impermeable. The smoke impermeability or the essentially existing smoke impermeability should preferably prevail in the longitudinal axial direction, whereby the longitudinal orientation of the extrudate or core is to be understood. The core preferably consists of an extrudate.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments, to which reference is expressly made in relation to all of the details according to the invention which are not explained in more detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1 is a schematic side view of an inventive device for producing Filter segments for multi-segment filters or filters,

2 shows a section of a corresponding filter segment or a corresponding filter, and

3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device according to the invention for producing filter segments for multi-segment filters or filters of the tobacco processing industry.

In the following figures, the same elements are identified by the same reference numerals, so that a renewed introduction is not made in each case.

1 shows a schematic view of an apparatus with which the ^“ method according to the invention can be carried out. An extrusion press 10, which can also be referred to as an extruder, is provided in order to form an extrudate 11. Extrusion presses are known per se and are used in particular to produce, for example, plastic molding compounds in various forms, such as sheets, strips, tubes, hoses, jackets, etc. Screw extruders, which are also referred to as extruders, are particularly suitable for this purpose With regard to the method of extruding filter segments or filters, reference is made in particular to US Pat. No. 5,523,036, in which this method is described also to those mentioned in this patent patents or patent applications which also provide the possibility of extrusion, such as, in particular, UK 451,683, UK 1,271,274, UK 1,341,400, UK 1,442,631, UK 1,456,908, UK 1,482,216 and US 4,180,536.

For example, activated carbon in granular form, that is to say in granular form, can be provided as the starting material, to which a binder such as polyfurfuryl alcohol has been added. Ceol ith grains (Al-Si oxide grains) mixed with water glass as a binder can also serve as starting materials. Other materials can also be added, if necessary, in order to achieve certain extrudate properties. The corresponding materials are familiar to the person skilled in the art from the prior art (see the publications cited above).

After the extrudate 11 has emerged from the extrusion press 10, the extrudate is further processed in a processing device 14. As a processing device, for example, an oven can be provided which, for example, converts the binder polyfurfuryl alcohol into carbon in the manner of a pyrolysis treatment in a temperature range from 600 ° C. to 1,000 ° C. The processing device 14 can also be a Mi krowell oven, which leads to the fact that the water glass hardens by the action of heat.

The correspondingly processed strand of extrudate 12 is passed on as a filter core strand 12, specifically in the direction 25 of a strand machine 15, which can be, for example, a KDF 2E from the applicant. On the way there, a first wrapping material 18 is drawn off from a bobbin 17 and conveyed to the filter core strand 12 for wrapping around it. The first wrapping material 18 can, for example, be a hot-melt adhesive such as Ethyl envi nyl acce Tatcopolymer, which is applied as a thick layer of glue, possibly also as foam, on a thick, soft paper (tissue). In this case, it is not necessary to provide a further second wrapping material 21 which is pulled off a bobbin 20. In this variant of the first wrapping material, the embodiment of FIG. 1 can thus be modified accordingly, in such a way that the bobbin 20 and the second wrapping material 21 are omitted. In this exemplary embodiment, the hot-melt adhesive is applied so thickly that, on the one hand, the shock sensitivity of the extrudate then encased overall is reduced and, if necessary, fluctuations in diameter can be compensated for.

As a variant, a very crimped cell ulosacetattow which is not mixed with a plasticizer, such as triacetin, can be used as the first wrapping material and is wound around the strand transversely to the direction of the fibers. A wrapping can be carried out in a spiral, for example in cigarillo manufacturing machines.

After the first wrapping material 18 is brought into the region of the extrudate 12, a second wrapping material 21, such as, for example, a conventional paper strip, is drawn off from a reel 20 and also applied to the outside of the first wrapping material. After both the first wrapping material and the second wrapping material or only the first wrapping material in the embodiment with the hot-melt adhesive, which is applied to a thick, soft paper, is brought into connection with the extrudate 12, this is transferred to a strand machine 15, for example of the type KDF 2E from the applicant. In this strand machine, the first and / or second wrapping material is wrapped around the extrudate wound. The wound extrudate in filter 16 is then cut off by means of a knife apparatus, which is a component of each KDF machine. These filters 16 generally have multiple working lengths and are then brought together with tobacco sticks in a filter attachment machine, for example a MAX 80E from the applicant, and processed into filter cigarettes, or they are divided into filter segments and processed into multi-segment filters with filter sections of the same or a different type ,

2 shows a cross section through a filter 16 according to the invention or a filter segment 24 according to the invention. The filter 16 or the filter segment 24 consists of a filter core 22, the first wrapping material 18 and the second wrapping material 21. The first and second wrapping materials can also be provided with perforation holes in the course of further processing.

FIG. 3 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a device by means of which a different process sequence is made possible.

As described above, an extrudate 11 is produced by means of an extrusion press 10, which is conveyed in the longitudinal axial direction 25 and is processed in a processing device 14 to a processed extrudate or filter core strand 12. The first wrapping material can now be applied to or wrapped around it, for example by means of a melting bath 23 through which the filter core strand 12 is passed. A hot-melt adhesive that is located in the melt pool 23 is then also suitable as the first wrapping material. A circular nozzle 26 arranged behind provides that the hot melt adhesive and thus the coated filter core strand 12 is brought to the desired diameter. As a further alternative, a further extrusion press can be provided instead of the melting bath 23, which is not shown in FIG. 3, but which serves to apply a hot-melt adhesive layer around the filter core strand 12 in the manner of a cable insulation. Subsequently, as already shown in the exemplary embodiment in FIG. 1, a second wrapping material 21 is drawn off from a bobbin 20 and brought into the area of the filter core strand 12 wrapped with the first wrapping material, and then by means of a strand machine 15 the second wrapping material 21 in order to wind the filter core strand 12 provided with the first covering material 18. Then filter elements 24 or filter segments 24 are cut off from the strand.

Related to this

10 extrusion press

11 extrudate

12 filter core strand

14 processing device

15 strand machine

16 filters

17 1. Bobine

18. 1. Wrapping material

20 2. Bobine

21 2. Wrapping material

22 filter core

23 melt pool

24 filter element

25 longitudinal axial direction

26 round nozzle

Claims

Filter segments or filters for cigarettes and processes for their production

1. A method for producing filter segments (24) for multi-segment filters (16) or filters (16) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein first of all a strand-shaped extrudate (11, 12) is produced from an initial material by means of an extrusion process, characterized in that in a a further process step, the extrudate (11, 12) is encased with a compressible and / or elastic first material (18).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the extrudate (11) is heated before the coating step.

3. The method according to claim 2, characterized in that the step of heating is carried out in a temperature range from 600 ° C to 1,000 ° C.

4. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the extrudate is heated by means of microwaves.

5. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the first material (18) at least in the longitudinal axial direction (25) is completely impermeable to smoke or substantially impermeable to smoke.

6. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the wrapping with the first material (18) by a further extrusion, immersion in a molten bath (23) or wrapping with a strip of first material ( 18) and / or by wrapping with first material (18) arranged on a, in particular soft, carrier strip.

7. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first material (18) is hot-melt adhesive, in particular an ethyl envinyl acetate copolymer.

8. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the first material (18) is or is foamed.

9. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the first material (18) is a Cel 1 ul oseacetattow high density.

10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the Cel 1 ul oseacetattow transversely to the strand direction (25) of the extrudate (11, 12), in particular spiral, is wound around the extrudate (11, 12).

11. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the extrudate (11, 12) coated with the first material (18) is coated with a second material (21).

12. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the extrudate (11, 12) is encased in a strand process with the first and / or the second material (18, 21).

13. The method according to one or more of claims 1 to 12, characterized in that the coated extrudate (11, 12) is cut into segments (16, 24) of predetermined lengths.

14. filter (16) or filter segment (24) for a multi-segment filter of the tobacco processing industry, in particular manufactured according to one or more of claims 1 to 13, with a core which is coated with at least a first wrapping material (18) which is compressible and / or is elastic and in particular is essentially smoke-impermeable or completely smoke-impermeable.

15. Filter (16) or filter segment (24) according to claim 14, characterized in that the core (22) consists of an extrudate (11, 12).