EP1466535B1 - Method for assembling components of smoking articles - Google Patents

Abstract

Process for combining tobacco product components comprises feeding products of a first and second group with cigarette mouthpiece cigarette groups to a covering device (10.1, 10.2) and providing the products with a connecting sheet. The products of the first and second group are transported to a common rolling device (27) and are surrounded by the connecting sheet in the rolling device. Independent claims are also included for: (1) machine used in the tobacco-processing industry, especially a filter-attaching machine; (2) multifunction drum for products of the tobacco-processing industry; and (3) conveying drum (22, 25) for products of the tobacco-processing industry.

Description

The invention relates to a method for uniting smoking article components, as well as a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter attachment machine. Moreover, the invention relates to a multifunction drum and conveyor drum for articles of the tobacco processing industry.

In Filteransetzmaschinen between cut and longitudinally axially spaced tobacco rods each have a filter piece or mouthpiece is inserted, then a glued connecting tab is attached to a cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group. Here, the glued connection leaflet is fed via a suction roller of a padding device with a defined pitch of the cigarette-mouthpiece group. At a defined pitch, in particular, the understood by the length of the connecting blades certain pitch.

Method and apparatus of the type described above are used in particular for the assembly of a so-called. Filter attachment machine transversely promoted filter cigarettes. Their performance with respect to the per unit time produced and ejected articles has increased over time again and again or had to be adapted to the increased performance of the upstream cigarette rod machine.

Document DE-C-39 18 137 (corresponding to US Pat. No. 5,054,346) describes a tipping paper aggregate in a filter tipping machine. Here, the glued tipping paper is supplied as an endless tipping paper strip and cut by means of a cutting device into individual leaflets or connecting leaflets. After the cut, these compound leaflets are separated and brought to the conveying speed of the portion-transported cigarette-filter-cigarette groups.

The endless tipping paper strip is transported in the area in front of a sizing apparatus up to a glue application point with a constant paper running speed. In the area between the glue application point and a suction roll for the cut connecting sheets, the paper running length fluctuates in the production cycle. After cutting and separating (pulling apart) the now resulting tipping paper leaflets are held by the suction roll and transported at a constant speed, which is above the paper speed of the endless tipping paper strip. In this case, the peripheral speed of the suction roller corresponds to the speed of the portion-wise transported cigarette filter piece-cigarette groups.

The paper run length in the area between glue application and cut on the suction roll is continuously shortened during the knife engagement, so that in the paper run in front of the suction roll a lot arises. Although the conveying speed of the endless tipping paper strip is below the withdrawal speed of the suction roll, sufficient paper length is always available so that the paper is not moved relative to the roll during the knife engagement and a clean cut is possible. After the cut, the paper is withdrawn by elongation of the paper path between the glue application point and the suction roll relative to the roller, thus achieving on average a paper running speed corresponding to the speed of the produced cigarettes, which is below the peripheral speed of the suction roll. Thus, the paper running speed constantly fluctuates around an average, with the amplitude of these speed variations being in direct proportion to the length of a single leaflet and the spacing of the portion-wise transported tobacco articles.

Since the paper running length between glue applicator and suction roll is periodically varied in order to produce the fluctuations in the paper running speed, traction fluctuations in the paper path and repercussions on the gluing process occur. Above a certain amplitude, this method of adjusting the speed of paper stock and tobacco by adjusting the paper speed has reached a limit given by the tensile strength of the topping material and the quality of the gluing.

In DE-A-196 26 679 a filter attachment machine for a double-stranded cigarette making machine is described in which two different conveying paths of the tobacco products for sticking and the reeling of the covering sheet are provided.

From EP-A-1 108 369 it is known to provide cigarettes filter cigarette groups with a tipping sheet by providing only each first group of a sequence of cigarette filter cigarette groups on a first drum with a tipping tab of a first tipping apparatus and every other group is conveyed out of the conveying path of the first group and is provided on a second drum with a covering sheet of a second coating apparatus. The rollover of the two separate groups with the leaflets also takes place in separate rolling devices. Only after the respective rollover are the groups reunited into an alternating sequence of groups.

Based on this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to ensure a high product quality of smoking articles, even at higher production rates, on a filter attachment machine, the cost of the design should be kept as low as possible.

This object is achieved by a method for uniting smoking article components, in which the articles of a first and second group with cigarette mouthpiece cigarette groups are each supplied to a covering device and are each provided with a connecting plate, the articles of the first and second group of a common rolling device are delivered and the articles of the first and second group are wrapped in the rolling device of the connection papers.

By means of the method according to the invention, it is possible to operate a single-lane filter tipping machine at a high production speed, since the tipping paper feed to the articles is formed double, so that one half of the article (first group) is provided by a covering apparatus and the other half (second group) of another covering apparatus with connecting leaflets. By the subsequent single-lane rewinding of the article is also a simpler structure, as known from the prior art, possible, at the same time more compact design. By providing only a single rolling device, costs are also saved.

For this purpose, it is provided that the articles of the first and second group are first supplied to a first covering device, the articles of the first group are provided with a connecting blade from the first covering device, subsequently the articles of the first and second group are delivered on different conveying paths of the common rolling device , wherein the articles of the second group are fed on their conveying path to a second covering device and in each case provided with a connecting plate.

In particular, the conveying speed of the articles of the first and / or the second group is varied before and / or after the transfer of the respective connecting leaflet. Thus, an adjustment of the speed ratios of the transported articles for tamping paper supply by a targeted control of the speed of tobacco products is possible. The adjustment can be made before, during and after the gluing of the connecting sheets, regardless of their speed in the rest of the production flow and the paper running speed in the filter tipping machine. During the speed change, the tobacco articles are gathered and moved individually, in pairs or any multiple. This not only changes the speed, but also the distance between the tobacco products.

In a further development, the articles of the first and / or second group are braked before the handover of the connection leaflet.

Furthermore, the articles of the first and / or second group are accelerated after the handover of the connection leaflet.

The speed change may mean both a reduction and an increase in the speed of the tobacco articles being transported relative to their initial speed and mean transport speed, respectively. Decisive is the functional separation of the speed change in the paper run from the transport speed and the distance of the tobacco articles to be coated with the tipping paper leaflet. The equality of the transport speed of paper and tobacco articles is spatially and temporally only required for the gluing of the covering sheets to the articles of the first and / or second group. Thus, the speed ratios in the tipping paper supply to the velocities in the transport of the adhered tobacco articles are tuned.

Due to the speed variations, it is also possible to reduce the distance of the tobacco articles to be transported during the gluing process and thereby stabilize the production process. At the same time, the required clearance for singulation of the tipping papers is minimized, thereby reducing the speed variations in the paper path caused by the paper being withdrawn (by the trowel oscillator). This results in less tension fluctuations in the paper path between the glue application site and the cut of the tipping paper strip. Overall, there is an improved glue application, a more precise glue pattern, less contamination, less paper tear probability and an improved cut. Thus, the invention provides a safe and stable production while reducing the sensitivity of the process to variations in the properties of the production material.

A further improvement is achieved in that the connection papers are partially applied after the transfer to the articles of the first and / or second group. The application of a free end of the compound leaflet to a cigarette filter piece-cigarette group is described in European Patent Application No. 020 235 24.8. For applying the one free end of a connecting leaflets to a tobacco article, this is a folding star or so-called. Roll star provided.

In a further development, the articles of the second group are taken from the common conveyor drum for the articles of the first and second group. In this case, the articles of the first and second group are supplied to the covering apparatus for the first group before the removal of the articles of the second group.

Furthermore, the articles of the first and second group are advantageously arranged alternately on a conveyor drum during the merging of the article groups, so that the articles are fed to the common rolling device.

In particular, the connection papers are transferred to the articles of the first and / or second group at a constant speed.

The object is also achieved by means of a machine of tobacco processing Industry, in particular filter attachment machine, which is developed by the fact that for the articles of a first and second group of cigarette-mouthpiece groups each have a pad means and a common rolling device are provided.

In order to adapt the speed ratios of the lining apparatuses and the conveyor drums, it is provided that at least one conveying drum is provided for the documenting operation of the article with a connecting sheet whose pitches for the articles of the first and / or second group are changeable.

In order to change the pitch of the article, the conveyor drum is advantageously designed as Ärmchentrommel. Here, the conveyor drum arms, levers or the like, the pitch of which is variable in the conveying direction, so that the transported articles are accelerated or decelerated relative to the (average) conveying speed of a conveyor drum.

In an alternative development, the conveyor drum is provided with, in particular pivotable, lever segments. The lever segments are preferably arranged pivotably on a drum body, wherein the transported articles are accelerated or braked relative to the rotational speed of the conveyor drum by pivoting the lever segments during the rotation of the conveyor drum.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if at least one abutment member is provided for at least one free end of a leaflet on the articles of the first and / or second group, so that the pitch on a conveyor drum of the partially connected components is reduced and the lining sheet better in the subsequent rewinding is glued to the article groups.

In a preferred embodiment, a multi-functional drum is provided for the articles of the first and second group.

In particular, the multifunction drum is designed such that at least one free end of a covering sheet is applied to an article group and a further group of articles is removed from a conveying drum. In this case, this multifunction conveyor drum combines the function of a contact member and a removal drum. By performing both functions, which can be executed simultaneously, production processes on the machine are shortened. In addition, costs are saved, since instead of two work organs only one working organ is necessary.

In addition, a conveyor drum for articles of the tobacco processing industry is shown, which is further developed in that pivotable lever segments are provided for the article. The pitch segments between the articles or article groups can be changed by the lever segments, so that the articles are accelerated or braked on a conveyor drum. To avoid repetition, reference is made explicitly to the execution of the lever segments described above.

Furthermore, the lever segments have troughs for the articles, so that the articles can be transported gently on a filter attachment machine.

Furthermore, it is favorable if the distance between second depressions on a lever segment is greater than the free end of a covering leaflet between the articles.

Preferably, at least one spacer is provided on the lever segment for holding a free end of the lining sheet.

Fig. 1

eine Filteransetzmaschine mit zwei Belagpapieraggregaten in einer schematischen Vorderansicht im Ausschnitt;

Fig. 2

eine erfindungsgemäße Trommelanordnung im Ausschnitt;

Fig. 3

eine weitere erfindungsgemäße Trommelanordnung in einer alternativen Ausführung und

Fig.4a, 4b

Detailansichten eines Hebelsegments in einer Vorderansicht und im Querschnitt.

The invention will now be described by way of example without limitation of the general inventive concept by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings, which are expressly referred to in the rest with respect to all not explained in detail in the text inventive details. Show it:

Fig. 1

a Filteransetzmaschine with two Belagpapieraggregaten in a schematic front view in the neckline;

Fig. 2

a drum assembly according to the invention in the cutout;

Fig. 3

another drum arrangement according to the invention in an alternative embodiment and

Fig.4a, 4b

Detail views of a lever segment in a front view and in cross section.

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

In Fig. 1, a Filteransetzmaschine is shown in fragmentary form in a front view, wherein the Filteransetzmaschine via a drum assembly T for feeding tobacco sticks of a Cigarette rod machine, not shown here, receives double-length tobacco sticks. On their conveyor to a compilation drum 21, the tobacco sticks are cut and spread. On the assembly drum 21 are transported over a further drum assembly M double-length filter pieces, which are each inserted between two longitudinally spaced tobacco rods. As a result, a sequence of cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette groups arranged transversely axially one behind the other is formed on the assembly drum 21.

The assembled articles 50, 60 (see FIG. 2 or FIG. 3) on the assembly drum 21 are transferred to a conveyor drum 22 and transported to a coating apparatus 10. 1 for the first group 50. In DE-C-39 18 137 a coating apparatus is described in detail.

The glued and conveyed tipping paper strip is cut on a cutting drum 12.1 by the knives of a knife drum 13.1 in tipping flakes 40.1 (see FIGS. 2, 3). The cut cover sheets 40.1 are transferred to the articles 50 of a first group on the conveyor drum 22.

Subsequently, the articles 50, 60 (see FIG. 2) are transported on to a folding star 23. 1, which applies the front end of the tipping paper leaflet 40. 1 to the articles 50. Subsequently, the articles 50, 60 are further conveyed and fed to a removal drum 24, wherein the removal drum 24 removes the articles 60 of the second group from the drum 22, which are not provided with a connecting blade.

The removal drum 24 transfers the removed article 60 of second group to a conveyor drum 25, which transports the articles 60 of the second group to a second coating apparatus 10.2 (see Figure 2). The second coating apparatus 10.2 has a knife roller 13.2, which cuts the tipping paper strip in cooperation with a suction roller 12.2. The cut leaflets are transferred to the tobacco or cigarette mouthpiece cigarette groups 60 and stapled. The front end of the connecting leaflet is then applied to the articles 60 on the conveyor drum 25 by means of a folding star 23.2. The conveyor drum 25 conveys the articles 60 of the second group to a drum 26.

The conveyor drum 26 simultaneously receives the further transported on the conveyor drum 22 Article 50 of the first group, so that the articles of the first (50) and second (60) group are arranged alternately on the drum 26. Subsequently, the articles of the first and second groups 50, 60 are conveyed to a roll block rolling device 27 so that the bonding sheets are completely wound around the cigarette mouthpiece cigarette groups 50, 60. The finished wrapped articles 50, 60 are subsequently transferred to a conveyor drum 28 and a further conveyor drum 29 and provided for further processing on a filter attachment machine.

2, a detailed view of the promotion of articles of a first and a second group 50, 60 of cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette groups from the assembly drum 21 to the removal drum 24 is shown schematically in detail.

From the assembly drum 21, articles 50, 60 are transferred to the conveyor drum 22. The conveyor drum 22 has movable arms with receiving troughs for the articles 50, 60, so in that the distance between the alternately arranged articles 50, 60 is variable and that a speed adaptation of the articles 50, 60 on the conveyor drum 22 to the speed of the suction roller 12.1 takes place. This is achieved by slowing down the corresponding articles 50, 60 before the transfer of the connecting leaflet 40.1 to the articles 50, 60, so that in the transfer point of the connecting leaflet 40.1 to the articles 50 the connecting leaflet 40.1 and the respective article 50 have the same speed , After the transfer of the connecting leaflet 40.1, the articles 50, 60 are accelerated on the conveyor drum 22. Subsequently, the front end of the connecting leaflet 40.1 is applied to the article 50 by means of the folding star 23.1. While the articles 50 are being transported on the drum 22 to the drum 26 (FIG. 1) with their connecting lamina 40.1, the articles of the second group 60 not yet provided with a connecting lamina are transferred from the removal drum 24 to a conveyor drum 25 (FIG. 1). promoted.

The braking and acceleration operations are carried out independently of the conveying speed of the drum 22 substantially in the area of the transfer point of the connecting leaflets 40.1 to the articles 50, but also to adjust the speeds at the receiving or dispensing of the articles 50, 60 and the application of the pad 40.1 to the article group 50 executed.

In a further embodiment, not shown here, the arms are designed so that a plurality of articles 50, 60 are received by a Ärmchensegment. In particular, in each case an article of the first group and an article of the second group 60 can be arranged on a Ärmchensegment in wells. The distance of the wells is designed such that when attaching the covering sheet 40.1 to the articles of the first group 50, the free end of the connecting leaflets between the articles 50, 60 does not touch the leading or trailing articles respectively.

In addition, by changing the distance between the articles of the first group 50 and the articles of the second group 60, a sufficient distance is created so that the connecting leaflets 40.1 are applied to the articles 50 by the first coating device 10.1, without the connecting leaflets 40.1 the articles of the Touch another group 60.

In Fig. 3, an alternative embodiment is shown, wherein the application of the front end of the connecting leaflet 40.1 is made to the article 50 by means of a contact member 33 and the abutment member 33 is formed such that the not provided with a connection papers article 60 are removed simultaneously. The contact member 33 has thus united the functions of the folding star 23.1 of FIG. 2 and the removal drum 24. To adjust the speeds of the articles 50, 60 relative to the conveying speeds of the connecting blades 40.1, 40.2 lever segments 35 and 36 are provided on the conveyor drums, respectively, so that by the pivoting of the lever segments 35 and 36, the speeds of the transported articles 50th , 60 are slowed to the article 50, 60 before the transfer point of the respective connecting sheets 40.1, 40.2 and accelerated after the transfer of the connecting sheets 40.1, 40.2. For this purpose, the drums 22, 25 are functionally identical.

The lever segment 35 of the conveyor drum 22 has for the transport of the two article groups 50, 60 each have a receptacle for the Artikeigruppe 50 and a receptacle for the article group 60. The distance of the receiving wells on the lever segment 35 is determined so that after application of the connecting leaflet 40.1, the trailing end of the connecting leaflet 40.1 does not touch the rear article group 60. The lever segment 36 of the conveyor drum 25, however, has only one receptacle for the article group 60, since over the conveying path of the article group 60 which are not yet provided with a connection papers article 60 of the second coating device 10.2 (see Fig. 1) are supplied. The lever segments 35, 36 are pivotally mounted on a pitch circle of the conveyor drum 22 and 25, respectively, and have a shape tapering toward the drum interior. In addition, the lever segments 35, 36 on mandrel-like spacers 39, so that a resting of the connecting blades 40.1, 40.2 on the lever segments is prevented.

In FIGS. 4a, 4b, the lever segments 35 of the conveyor drum 22 are shown in a cutaway view or in a cross-sectional view. The lever segments 35 are formed with two receptacles for the articles 50, 60, which are taken over by the assembly drum 21. The lever segments 35 are pivotable about a pivot axis 37, which is aligned parallel to the axis of rotation of the drum 22. The pivoting of the lever segment 35 during the rotation of the drum 22 by means of a guide gear 38 (Fig. 4b), in which a cam is guided in a curved path on the machine side. The lever segment 36 of the drum 25 is analog and functionally identical, with recordings are provided only for an article group 60.

Each lever segment 35 each has a receiving trough for an article of the first group 50 and an article of the second group 60. Spacers 39 are provided between the receptacles, which after application of the connecting leaflet 40.1 to the articles of the first group 50, rest the connecting leaflet avoids the lever segment. The distance between the receiving wells is determined so that the trailing end of the connecting leaflet 40.1 does not touch the article group 60.

In further embodiments, not shown here, the articles 50, 60 can be arranged on the drum 22 on radially and / or tangentially movable or movable levers.

By the subject of the present invention, it is possible to increase the Filteransetzgeschwindigkeit a filter tufting machine with a high format flexibility, since the tipping paper for the tobacco to be wrapped tobacco is supplied in two lanes and provided with a compound leaflet cigarette filter cigarette groups in one lane on a common rolling device to be rolled over.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10.1

covering apparatus

10.2

covering apparatus

12.1

suction roll

12.2

suction roll

13.1

knife roll

13.2

knife roll

21

Assembly drum

22

conveyor drum

23.1

Folded Star

23.2

Folded Star

24

removal drum

25

conveyor drum

26

drum

27

rolling device

28

drum

29

drum

33

removal drum

35

lever segment

36

lever segment

37

swivel axis

38

guide mechanism

39

spacer

40.1

connecting paper

40.2

connecting paper

50

Tobacco Articles (Cigarette Mouthpiece Cigarette Group)

60

Tobacco Articles (Cigarette Mouthpiece Cigarette Group)

M

Drum arrangement (mouthpiece)

T

Drum arrangement (Tobacco sticks)

Claims (17)

1. Method of combining smoking article components (50, 40.1, 60, 40.2), wherein articles of a first and second group comprising cigarette-filter-cigarette groups (50, 60) are fed in each case to a covering device (10.1, 10.2) and provided in each case with a connection sheet (40.1, 40.2), the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) are fed to a common rolling device (27) and the connection sheets (40.1, 40.2) are wound around the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) in the rolling device (27).
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) are first fed to the first covering device (10.1), the articles of the first group (50) are provided with a connection sheet by the first covering device (10.1), then the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) are fed along different conveying paths to the common rolling device (27), wherein the articles of the second group (60) along their conveying path are fed to a second covering device (10.2) and provided with a connection sheet.
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the conveying speed of the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60) is varied upstream and/or downstream of the point of delivery of the respective connection sheet (40.1, 40.2).
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60) are decelerated prior to delivery of the connection sheet (40.1, 40.2).
5. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60) are accelerated after delivery of the connection sheet (40.1, 40.2).
6. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the connection sheet (40.1, 40.2) after delivery are applied partially onto the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60).
7. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the articles of the second group (60) are removed from the common drum conveyor (22) for the articles of the first and second group (50, 60).
8. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) prior to delivery of the connection sheet (40.1, 40.2) to the first group (50, 60) are disposed alternately on a drum conveyor (22).
9. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, - characterized in that the articles of the first and second group (50, 60) during the combining of the article groups are disposed alternately on a drum conveyor (26).
10. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the connection sheets (40.1, 40.2) are delivered at a constant speed to the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60).
11. Machine of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular a filter attachment machine, characterized in that for the articles of a first and second group (50, 60) of cigarette-filter-cigarette groups in each case a covering device (10.1, 10.2) and a common rolling device (27) are provided.
12. Machine according to claim 11, characterized in that for the covering operation at least one drum conveyor (22, 25) is provided, of which the modular spacings for the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60) are variable.
13. Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the drum conveyor (22, 25) is designed as a small-armed drum.
14. Machine according to claim 12, characterized in that the drum conveyor (22, 25) is provided with, in particular pivotable, lever segments (35, 36).
15. Machine according to one or more of claims 11 to 14, characterized in that at least one element (22.1, 23.2, 33) is provided for applying at least one free end of a cover sheet 40.1, 40.2) onto the articles of the first and/or second group (50, 60).
16. Machine according to one or more of claims 11 to 15, characterized in that at least one multifunctional drum (33) is provided for the articles of the first and second group 50, 60).
17. Machine according to claim 16, characterized in that the multifunctional drum (33) is designed in such a way that at least one free end of a cover sheet (40.1) is applied on an article group (50) and a further article group (60) is removed from the drum conveyor (22).

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