EP1454828A1 - Method and apparatus for forming and transferring groups of cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

The method for the forming and transferring of cigarette groups (13) on a multi-track packing machine with a predetermined number of wrapping paths (23) has each cigarette group guided into an associated pocket (12) of a conveyor (10,11). The conveyor is moved in steps by a length with is greater than the distance between two successive pockets multiplied by the predetermined number. The conveyor may be moved in steps by a length which is equal to the distance (d) between two successive pockets multiplied by the predetermined number. An independent claim is included for a device for the forming and transferring of cigarette groups on a multi-track packing machine.

Description

The invention relates to a method for training and Transfer of cigarette groups to a multi-lane Packaging machine with a predeterminable number of m Wrapping lanes, with each cigarette group in an assigned Pocket of a conveyor is inserted, whereby the conveyor is operated intermittently, each Group comprises a number of superimposed layers, one after the other by shear means in sequence from lower end of respective outlets of a feed box are expelled and inserted into the pockets, where the number of outlets is equal to the number of each Group-forming layers multiplied by the specifiable Number m is, with the respective layers at the same time ejected from the outlets of the feed box and in the assigned pockets each time the conveyor stops are inserted and each time the conveyor stops respective groups from a number m of pockets ejected as well as a working unit of the packaging machines are fed.

The invention further relates to a device for training and transferring groups of cigarettes to one multi-lane packaging machine with a specifiable Number m of wrapping lanes, the device one Conveyor with a plurality of pockets to put in each to introduce an assigned group from these, and Drive means includes to intermittently feed the conveyor to drive, the device pushing means for a successively conveying a number of superimposed ones Layers included in the assigned pocket in order the layers from the bottom of each Eject outlets of a feed box, the number the outlets equal the number of each group forming layers multiplied by the predeterminable number with the thrust means every time the conveyor comes to a standstill at the same time respective positions from the outlets eject the feed box and the layers into the assigned Promote bags and take additional shear agents are provided to assigned groups at each standstill of the conveyor of a number of bags that are equal is the predeterminable number m to be expelled and by the Feed groups of a work unit of the packaging machine.

A corresponding method and a corresponding device are known from EP 0 764 582 B1. The generic The method is also designed such that the conveyor or the conveyor belt intermittently in Steps with a length equal to that Distance between two successive pockets, multiplied with the specified number of packaging lanes or wrapping lines of the multi-lane packaging machine is. In the embodiments of the EP 0 764 582 B1 two-lane packaging machines are disclosed, so that the increment of the conveyor or Conveyor belt twice the distance between two neighboring ones Bags corresponds. Because of the tightness of the device it is not possible to area in particular empty pockets to access, including filled pockets available.

The generic method and the generic device have the disadvantage that with defective cigarettes it cannot be clearly determined on which Place the promotion of cigarettes damage has taken place.

In contrast, it is an object of the present invention a method and apparatus for forming and Transfer of cigarette groups to a multi-lane Packaging machine of the type mentioned above train that access to bags in an area the device is possible, which is easily accessible is.

This task is solved by a training method and transferring groups of cigarettes to one multi-lane packaging machine with a specifiable Number m of wrappers, each cigarette group inserted into an associated pocket of a conveyor the conveyor is operated intermittently, where each group has a number of superimposed Layers, which are successively by means of the shear One after the other from the lower end of the respective outlets Feed box are ejected and inserted into the pockets with the number of outlets equal to Number of layers forming each group multiplied by is the predeterminable number m, with the respective layers at the same time from the outlets of the feed box ejected as well as in the assigned pockets with each Stop the conveyor to be inserted and with each Hold the sponsor respective groups from a number ejected from pockets and a work unit of the packaging machines are fed through this is further developed that the conveyor in steps is moved with a length greater than the distance two consecutive pockets multiplied by is the predeterminable number m.

The invention is based on the basic idea that at Funding steps greater than the distance between two successive Bags multiplied by the given Number m of packaging lanes are there during operation leads to that at the respective outlets of the feed boxes of the group formation stations in one circulation of the Not every time after a full circulation same pockets face the respective outlets, but only after several rounds, so that an access on pockets anywhere on the device is possible. For example, a conclusion can be drawn about the quality the edges and corners influencing the cigarettes or impurities that are difficult to remove become. Through defective or contaminated conveyor bags Cigarette defects caused by alternating Defective cigarettes appear in both lanes or the several lanes of the packaging machine clearly assign the respective defective bags.

It can also be located at a location downstream of the outlets of the feed box where there is more space than in the area of the Feed box, access to the pockets made to to clean, check or otherwise to edit.

The conveyor is preferably operated in steps of one Length moves equal to the distance between two consecutive Bags multiplied by the given Number m and plus a distance, in particular simple distance between two consecutive pockets is. The distance between two pockets, also the division is the distance between the centers of two Pockets or the distance between two to the same side Sides of the pockets.

If the predeterminable number m is two, one is special space-saving procedure possible or a particularly small-sized device allows. A special one preferred embodiment of the invention The procedure is when a number of m first layers inserted into adjacent first pockets with a number of m second layers in m neighboring second pockets are inserted and the neighboring first pockets from the neighboring second Pockets are spaced around an empty pocket. In this In case it is possible to empty the pockets accordingly inspect for defects in pockets that are defective Cigarettes could lead to being able to determine. An optical inspection system can also be provided for this his. If the number of pockets on the conveyor is an integer that is not divisible by m + 1, the location of the possibly defective bag is special simply possible. If also a cleaning device is provided at each stop of the conveyor a bag cleans, can deposit in the corresponding bags that lead to defects of cigarettes lead, be avoided.

The object is further achieved by a device for training and transferring groups of cigarettes to one multi-lane packaging machine with a specifiable Number m solved by wrapping lanes, the device a conveyor with a plurality of pockets to to introduce an assigned group into each of them, as well as drive means to intermittently convey the conveyor to drive, the device pushing means for a successive delivery of a number of superimposed layers in the assigned pocket includes, in order, the layers from the lower end of the to eject respective outlets of a feed box, wherein the number of outlets equal the number of one each group forming layers multiplied by the given Number is, with the shear means at each The conveyor comes to a standstill at the same time eject from the outlets of the feed box as well as the Promote layers in the assigned pockets and take more Pushing means are provided to assigned groups each time the conveyor comes to a standstill with a number of pockets, which is equal to the predeterminable number m to eject and around the groups of a work unit of Feeding packaging machine, which is further trained is that the conveyor is in steps of length is movable, which is greater than the distance between two successive Bags multiplied by the given Number m is.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention, the conveyor can be moved in steps with a length that is equal to the distance between two successive pockets, multiplied by the predeterminable number m and plus one, in particular simple, distance between two successive pockets. The predeterminable number m is preferably two. A particularly effective device is provided if a number of m first layers can be introduced into adjacent first pockets, a number of m second layers can be introduced into m adjacent second pockets,
wherein the adjacent first pockets are spaced from the adjacent second pockets by an empty pocket. This is particularly an immediate neighborhood.

In a development of the invention, the number of Bags on the conveyor an integer that are not is divisible by m + 1. If also a cleaning device is provided which at each standstill of the Conveyor cleans a bag, deposits can build in to avoid the pockets that damage the Can carry cigarettes. The cleaning device can e.g. be a cleaning nozzle that is appropriate in the area the bag is movable. The cleaning nozzle can be a point nozzle or a surface nozzle. Furthermore, the cleaning device also comprise a brush, with which the bag can be brushed out. Also a combination of a cleaning device that works with compressed air and a brush element possible.

It is also preferably an optical control device provided that the quality of the bags, for example. by comparison with a specifiable, in terms of quality proper bag determined. For example, Reflection data or the image each with saved Reflection data or a stored image compared become.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Ausbilden und Überführen von Zigarettengruppen,

Fig. 2

einen Ausschnitt aus einer weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in schematischer Darstellung, und

Fig. 3

eine schematische Draufsicht auf einen Ausschnitt einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Ausbilden und Überführen von Zigarettengruppen.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic representation of a device according to the invention for forming and transferring cigarette groups,

Fig. 2

a section of another device according to the invention in a schematic representation, and

Fig. 3

is a schematic plan view of a section of a device according to the invention for forming and transferring cigarette groups.

In Fig. 1 is a conveyor 10 comprising a conveyor belt 11 with corresponding pockets 12 schematically shown. The pockets 12 are provided to hold groups of cigarettes 13 record. The conveyor belt 11 is with an intermittent movement 30 by a motor 16, the shaft 27 with the driven roller connected, driven. It is also another Roller 28 is provided around which the conveyor belt 11 is deflected is.

Cigarettes 15 are from a feed magazine or a Feed box 20 dispensed into six metering chutes 29, a layer of 18 cigarettes in each pocket 12 of the conveyor 10 are inserted. Two each Manholes 29 are arranged directly adjacent, so that the cigarettes 15 ejected from these shafts 29 get into adjacent pockets 12 of the conveyor 10. The Groups of two are arranged with spaces so that one pocket 12 of the conveyor in each of the spaces 10 or the conveyor belt 11 not with cigarettes 15 is filled. Each time the device is operated six layers of 18 cigarettes 15 in the conveyor 10 dispensed and thus two complete cigarette groups 13th ä three layers 18 are formed.

The conveyor 10 is driven intermittently, that the pockets 12 between two bars one each Travel the distance 3 times the distance d between two neighboring ones Bags 12 corresponds. Thus, in the Blocking groups 14, 14 'and 14' 'each have two pockets 12 filled with a complete cigarette group 13, while every third pocket 12 remains empty. The Conveyor 10 transports the cigarette groups 13 in an unloading station 33, in which the respectively adjacent Cigarette groups in the packaging lanes 23 pushed out of a two-lane packaging machine become. Every third pocket 12 of the conveyor 10, namely the empty pockets 12 are in the unloading station 33 not acted upon.

The number of pockets of the conveyor differs by the number 1 from an integer multiple of 3, so that one Pocket 12, which is passed through the group formation stations 14, 14 ', 14' 'remains empty for the is filled in the two subsequent rounds. Consequently each pocket 12 remains empty on every third pass.

In Fig. 1 it is shown that first the lowest layer 18 filled with cigarettes 15, then the middle one Location and finally the top layer of the corresponding Cigarette groups 13. The empty pockets 12 are marked with a circle or squiggle. The appropriately filled bags are with the simplicity was shown for the sake of a cross.

In the lower part of the bag downstream of the feed box 20 and upstream of the unloading station is relative plenty of space in the device to put on to access the pockets. There are, for example, reject pushers 34-34 "provided to defective cigarette groups 13 to be excluded from further packaging. At this You can also use a cleaning element such as a brush 36 may be provided.

Fig. 2 shows a section of an inventive Device for forming and transferring cigarette groups to a two-lane packaging machine in a schematic view. In this embodiment is the unloading station 33 near the group formation station 14 arranged. The in the respective Shafts 29 transported to the outlets 19 of the shafts 29 Cigarettes 15 form corresponding layers 18. These layers 18 of cigarettes 15 are filled with a pushing agent 17 from the outlets 19 into the corresponding pockets 12 transferred. These features can be referenced 3 can be seen. The full ones Bags 12 are at the unloading station 33 by further thrust means 21 in a working unit 22 of the Packaging machine passed, being in the work unit 22 two packaging lines 23 schematically in FIG. 3 are indicated. Regarding the formation of the cigarette layers 18 and the cigarette groups 13 and the flyover the same through the pushing means 17 from the outlets 19 into the pockets 12 and with the pushing means 21 the pockets 12 in the working unit 22 of the packaging machine is fully referred to EP 0 764 582 B1 taken. The disclosure of this European patent should be included in this application.

3 also shows a cleaning nozzle 31, which cleans an empty pocket 12 by means of compressed air 32. The nozzle 31 is one in this embodiment Slit or linear nozzle. This can be vertical, i.e. 3 from the plane of the drawing be movable. It can also be a point nozzle or A large number of point nozzles can be provided. Instead of Cleaning nozzle 31 or in addition to the cleaning nozzle 31 a brush can also be provided. Only through that special embodiment of the invention it is possible to use only one cleaning member 31. With all other devices and methods for training and Transfer of cigarette groups to a multi-lane Packaging machine would need at least two cleaning devices Be used, otherwise not all bags could be cleaned.

The conveyor bags can be cleaned on anyone Place of the sponsor, since at least each third pocket is empty and therefore during standstill of the conveyor can be cleaned. It also has to only one bag to be cleaned since every third Circulation according to this embodiment in the cleaning station every bag can be edited. According to EP 0 764 582 B1 would have to occur every time the conveyor is at a standstill two pockets can be cleaned.

In addition, in the area of the filled pockets of the conveyor at the same time a visual inspection of the cigarette groups formed and empty pockets are carried out. The visual inspection can also be done automatically. Due to defective conveyor bags or contaminated conveyor bags Defects caused by cigarettes can be by alternating appearances on both lanes of the packaging machine clearly the corresponding sponsor or the corresponding bag.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

promoter

11

conveyor belt

12

bag

13

cigarette group

14

14 ', 14 "group formation station

15

Cigarette

16

Drive means (motor)

17

shear center

18

cigarette layer

19

outlet

20

feed chute

21

shear center

22

work unit

23

packaging web

24

filled pocket

25

empty pocket

26

emptied bag

27

driven roller

28

role

29

shaft

30

intermittent movement

31

cleaning nozzle

32

compressed air

33

unloading

34

34 ', 34 "reject valve

36

brush

d

Distance between two pockets

Claims (12)

Method for forming and transferring cigarette groups (13) to a multi-lane packaging machine (22) with a predeterminable number m of wrapping lanes (23), each cigarette group (13) being introduced into an associated pocket (12) of a conveyor (10, 11) , wherein the conveyor (10, 11) is operated intermittently (30), each group (13) comprising a number of superimposed layers (18), successively by pushing means (21) from the lower end of respective outlets (19) of a feed box (20, 29) are ejected and inserted into the pockets (12), the number of outlets (19) being equal to the number of layers (18) forming each group (13) multiplied by the predeterminable number m, where the respective layers (18) are simultaneously ejected from the outlets (19) of the feed box (20, 29) and inserted into the associated pockets (12) each time the conveyor (10, 11) is stopped and each time the conveyor is stopped rderers (10, 11) respective groups (13) are ejected from a number m of pockets (12) and fed to a working unit (22, 23) of the packaging machines (22), characterized in that the conveyor (10, 11) in steps is moved with a length that is greater than the distance between two successive pockets (12) multiplied by the predetermined number. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the conveyor (10, 11) is moved in steps with a length which is equal to the distance (d) between two successive pockets (12), multiplied by the predeterminable number (m) and plus a distance (d) between two successive pockets (12). Method according to claim 1 and / or 2, characterized in that the predeterminable number m is two. Method according to one or more of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that a number m of first layers (18) are inserted into m adjacent first pockets (12) and that a number m second layers (18) into m adjacent second pockets (12) are inserted, the adjacent first pockets (12) being spaced apart from the adjacent second pockets (12) by an empty pocket (12). Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the number of pockets (12) on the conveyor (10, 11) is an integer which cannot be divided by m + 1. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a cleaning device (31) is provided which cleans a pocket (12) each time the conveyor (10, 11) is stopped. Apparatus for forming and transferring cigarette groups (13) to a multi-lane packaging machine (22) with a predeterminable number m of wrapping webs (23), the apparatus comprising a conveyor (10, 11) with a plurality of pockets (12) to be placed in each of these to introduce an associated group (13) and comprises drive means (16) to drive the conveyor (10, 11) intermittently (30), the device pushing means (17) for the successive conveyance of a number of superimposed layers (18) in the associated pocket (12) to sequentially eject the layers (18) from the lower end of the respective outlets (19) of a feed box (20, 29), the number of outlets (19) being equal to the number of each Layers (18) forming group (13) multiplied by the predeterminable number, the pushing means (17) each time the conveyor (10, 11) comes to a standstill respective layers (18) from the outlets (19) of the feed box eject (20, 29) and convey the layers (18) into the assigned pockets (12) and further pushing means (21) are provided in order to assign assigned groups (13) each time the conveyor (10, 11) comes to a standstill To eject pockets (12), which is equal to the predeterminable number m, and to feed the groups (13) to a working unit (12, 23) of the packaging machine (22), characterized in that the conveyor (10, 11) in steps with a Length is movable, which is greater than the distance between two successive pockets (12) multiplied by the predetermined number. Device according to Claim 7, characterized in that the conveyor (10, 11) can be moved in steps with a length which is equal to the distance (d) between two successive pockets (12), multiplied by the predeterminable number m and plus a distance (d) between two successive pockets (12). Device according to claim 7 and / or 8, characterized in that the predeterminable number m is two. Device according to one or more of Claims 7 to 9, characterized in that a number m of first layers (18) can be introduced into m adjacent first pockets (12), and that a number m of second layers (18) in m adjacent second pockets (12) can be introduced, the adjacent first pockets (12) being spaced apart from the adjacent second pockets (12) by an empty pocket (12). Device according to one or more of claims 7 to 10, characterized in that the number of pockets (12) on the conveyor (10, 11) is an integer which cannot be divided by m + 1. Device according to one or more of claims 7 to 11, characterized in that a cleaning device (31) is provided which cleans a pocket (12) each time the conveyor (10, 11) is at a standstill.

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