EP1678042A2

EP1678042A2 - Container for tobacco material

Info

Publication number: EP1678042A2
Application number: EP04765200A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Hans Dierken; Kai Burfeind; Wolfgang Denker; Angela Litzenberg; Uwe Nittel; Wolfgang Benz; Rolf Höfig; Frank Schuster
Original assignee: Hauni Primary GmbH
Current assignee: Hauni Primary GmbH
Priority date: 2003-10-16
Filing date: 2004-09-15
Publication date: 2006-07-12
Also published as: DE10348717B4; CN1867495A; US20060191807A1; DE10348717A1; WO2005037668A2; JP2007508213A; DE102004014031A1; WO2005037668A3

Abstract

The invention relates to a container (10) for tobacco material, which is used in the tobacco-processing industry. Said container (10) comprises a lid surface (12) and a bottom surface (14). The inventive container (10) is characterized in that the lid surface (12) is smaller than the bottom surface (14) while the lid surface (12) and/or the bottom surface (14) can be closed. The invention also relates to a use of such a container (10) in the tobacco-processing industry.

Description

Containers for tobacco material

description

The invention relates to a container of the tobacco processing industry for tobacco material with a lid surface and a bottom surface and the use of a container of the aforementioned type.

In the tobacco processing industry, tobacco material, e.g. Cut tobacco, tobacco foil, raw tobacco, tobacco ribs, expanded tobacco, fermented tobacco collected in containers and transported and / or stored to machines for further processing or tobacco preparation. For further processing, the containers with the tobacco material are tipped over or tipped over. Here it happens that the containers are not completely emptied and thus valuable tobacco material remains in the containers.

In addition, in the prior art according to US-A-3,935,959 cuboid container for tobacco goods known.

Starting from this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to improve a container for the tobacco processing industry.

This object is achieved by a container of the tobacco processing industry for tobacco material with a lid surface and a bottom surface, which is further developed in that the lid surface is smaller than the bottom surface, the lid surface and / or the bottom surface being closable. The invention is based on the idea that a container filled with tobacco material is emptied downwards by opening the bottom surface, the container tapering from the bottom surface to the lid surface. This ensures that the container is completely emptied and that no valuable tobacco material remains in the container. In contrast to the containers known from the prior art, a transport and / or storage container for tobacco material or for the tobacco processing industry is provided, which has a pyramidal or conical shape

Has basic shape. The basic shape of the bottom surface or cover surface can be any, e.g. round, polygonal or rectangular.

In addition, it is provided in a preferred embodiment that the container is stackable in the closed state and / or nestable in the open state. The containers can thus be stacked on top of one another in any order in the closed state and can be placed self-centering on top of and in one another in the open position. Through the

The nestability of the containers turns a stack of empty containers into a small, large-sized package Containers reduced. To stack the containers into each other, it is sufficient if the container is open at least on one side, ie on the bottom. It is not necessary to open the lid and the bottom at the same time so that the container is nestable.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if the lid surface and / or the bottom surface have a closing device and / or a seal, so that tobacco is permanently stored in the container for a certain period of time. The locking device prevents a container from opening unintentionally during transport. The seal enables the lid and / or the container bottom to be closed reliably.

In particular, the bottom surface has a foot part, so that the container is easy to handle for transporting and storing the container.

In order to transport the container, for example by means of a forklift, it is advantageously provided that the foot part can be driven under.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, the foot part is provided with rollers so that the container can be rolled and displaced.

Improved handling results if the cover for the cover surface and / or the base for the base surface are in several parts. For example, the cover can be formed from four cover parts, each cover part being attached to one side of a four-sided or rectangular cover surface.

A gripping device and / or are advantageously on the container Spacer elements are provided so that the container is suitable for automatic or semi-automatic handling.

The container preferably has ventilation holes so that tobacco material can be stored permanently in the container, since the ventilation holes achieve a favorable climate or atmosphere for the tobacco material in the container.

According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is proposed that the container be made of plastic, in particular

Polyethylene or polypropylene.

In particular, the inside of the container has smooth surfaces, so that tobacco material does not stick to the inside of the container when emptying a container.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by using a container as described above for the transport and / or storage of tobacco material in the tobacco processing industry. To avoid repetition, reference is expressly made to the container according to the invention described above.

The task is further solved by a container of the tobacco processing industry for receiving tobacco goods, which is further developed in that the container is a weighing device for

Detection of the weight of the tobacco contained in the container includes.

The weighing device according to the invention makes it possible, for example, to permanently monitor and measure the mass of the tobacco material ingested, since the tobacco goods ingested, for example tobacco leaves, are treated in the various stations. The tobacco preparation can have a different water content. As a result, the container is particularly suitable for storing and transporting tobacco goods or tobacco material in the preparation of tobacco. For example, substances and / or are used for the fermentation of tobacco leaves or in other processes

Steam is introduced into the container for the treatment of the absorbed tobacco material. This increases or changes the weight of the. Tobacco material. The weighing device integrated in the container serves to determine these changes. Thus, in the tobacco container according to the invention

Processes of change in the tobacco contained in the container can easily be determined or the mass of an added substance, e.g. Water vapor, measure.

Since it can happen that the containers according to the invention are not placed or aligned horizontally, a position detection device is provided for the position, in particular inclination, of the container, so that deviations from the horizontal normal position of a container can be determined. A dependent deviation from the horizontal orientation of the container or the weighing device otherwise leads inevitably to falsifications or measurement errors.

In particular, an evaluation unit for determining the weight of the tobacco material is provided for this.

So that the deviations of the container inclination from the horizontal normal position do not affect the weighing result, it is proposed according to a preferred embodiment of the invention that the weight of the tobacco material can be determined as a function of the detected position, in particular inclination, of the container, so that inclination-dependent errors of the Container at the Weight measurement can be compensated.

In an alternative embodiment, a reference weighing device is provided in order to determine the inclination-dependent errors in the weighing result of the tobacco material accommodated in the container.

In order to compensate for the inclination-dependent errors in the weighing result, it is proposed according to the invention that the weight of the tobacco goods is a function of the measurements

Reference weighing device can be determined, so that the inclination of the scale or the container has no influence on the weight determination of the tobacco.

In addition, temperature-dependent influencing variables on the determination of the weight or on the measurements are taken into account if the weight of the tobacco material can be determined as a function of the temperature measured by at least one temperature sensor. For this purpose, at least one temperature sensor is arranged on or in the container, which is preferably also connected to an evaluation unit according to the invention.

It is also advantageous if the weighing device is arranged in the base part and / or in the feet of the container.

The weighing device is preferably designed by means of pressure sensors and / or weighing cells and / or compression springs.

The weighing device and / or the evaluation unit preferably has a display field, so that the result of a weight measurement is displayed to the operating personnel. According to a preferred development of the invention, it is proposed that the measurement data of the weighing device and / or the reference weighing device and / or the position detection device and / or the evaluation unit can be transmitted to an external evaluation device, in particular without contact. This makes it possible to record and evaluate the measurement data outside the container in a central recording device.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by using a

Weighing device in a container of the tobacco processing industry for detecting the weight of a tobacco product held in the container. Advantageous configurations of the weighing device used and of the container are described above, so that express reference is made to the above explanations in order to avoid repetitions.

The invention is described below by way of example without limitation of the general inventive concept by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached schematic drawings, to which reference is expressly made with regard to the disclosure of all details according to the invention not explained in detail in the text. Show it:

1 a to 1 c a container according to the invention in three different views and

Fig. 2a, Fig. 2b several containers in a stacked or stacked arrangement.

3 shows a container in a cross-sectional view; 4 shows a container of the tobacco processing industry according to the invention in a schematic cross-sectional view;

5a to 5c each further configuration options of a weighing device in the bottom part of a container of the tobacco processing industry;

Fig. 6 is a schematic perspective view of a container with inclination sensors and

7 shows a container according to the invention with a reference weighing device.

In the following figures are the same or similar

Identified elements or corresponding parts with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding re-introduction is refrained from.

1 a shows a cross section through a container 10. The

Container 10 has inclined side walls 11, which are arranged inclined at a predetermined angle to the vertical. The container 10 also has a lid 12 which consists of two lid parts. The lid parts of the lid 12 are pivotally arranged about hinges 13.

In an alternative embodiment, the cover 12 and the base 14 can be formed in one piece, so that the cover 12 and the base 14 are pushed onto the container 10 via a groove guide. Alternatively, there is the possibility of forming the lid 12 in one piece and placing it loosely on the container. The base region of the container 10 is formed by a base 14 with two foldable base parts which are arranged pivotably about two hinges 15 arranged on the side. The bottom 14 also has base parts 16 so that the container 10 can be placed on a flat surface.

In order to reliably close the cover parts of the cover 12 and the base parts of the base 14, seals and / or closing devices are provided on the cover 12 and on the base 14, which prevent the cover 12 and the base from opening unintentionally

14 prevent.

The bottom 14 is formed with the foot part 16 such that the foot part 16 can be driven under, for example with the fork of a forklift. In addition, the foot parts 16 in one

Training have roles that are integrated in the foot parts 16. As a result, the container 10 can be moved pushed on a flat surface.

The volume of the container 10 is preferably approximately 1 m ³ .

1 b shows a longitudinal section through a container 10 according to the invention, the side walls 17 also being inclined to the vertical, so that overall a pyramidal or tapering shape of the container 10 results.

In the context of the invention it is possible that the lid 12 with its lid surface and the bottom 14 with its bottom surface can take any shape. This shape can be both round and polygonal, ie polygonal. Essential for the invented Container 10 according to the invention is that the horizontal cross-sectional areas taper from the bottom 14 to the lid 12. This inverted funnel shape enables tobacco goods to be stored reliably in the container 10, the tobacco goods being emptied through an opening in the base 14. This will make the

Container 10 completely emptied, i.e. there is no residual amount of tobacco in the container.

1 b also shows that the foot parts 16 have openings 18 on the longitudinal side, so that gripping elements can be inserted laterally into the openings 18, as a result of which the container can be handled by means of a gripper or forklift.

1 c shows a view of the container 10 from below.

From this it can be seen that the base parts of the base 14 are interlocked with one another, so that this reliably closes the base 14 and the container 10 is additionally stiffened.

The further properties of the container 10 are shown in FIGS. 2a and 2b. FIG. 2a shows that the container 10 according to the invention can be stacked with other containers 10 in the closed state. When closed, several containers can be placed on top of one another, so that filled containers for. the

Further processing of tobacco material can be provided.

In Fig. 2b the further advantageous property of the container 10 is shown, since several containers 10 in the empty i.e. opened state stackable on top of and inside each other, i.e. are nestable.

As a result, a large number of containers 10 is provided in a stack of several empty containers 10, which occupied in space. In an alternative, the stacked containers 10 are closed on the lid side.

The containers 10 are preferably made of plastic, in particular polyethylene or polypropylene. However, it is also possible for the containers 10 to consist of wood or metal. In addition, the outer sides of the side walls 11, 17 can have stop or gripping elements, so that better handling of the container 10 is achieved. In order to clean the container 10 well, the inner surfaces of the side walls 11, 17 are smooth.

Fig. 3 shows a development of a container 10 in cross section. Seals 19 are arranged between the foldable lids 12 and foldable foot parts 16 in order to achieve a secure and tight closing of the lid surface and the bottom surface. In addition, the foot parts 16 have rollers 21 so that the container 10 can be moved.

A locking latch 22 is provided on each of the covers 12 and the base parts 16 in order to reliably close the cover 12 and the base parts 16 during transport.

On the outside of the side walls 11, additional handles 24 are attached, which improves the handling of the container 10.

In addition, spacers 25 are provided below the handles 24, which prevent the containers 10 from jamming when the container 10 is nesting. The side walls 11 of the container 10 also have ventilation holes 26 in order to provide a favorable atmosphere for the tobacco material taken up.

In Fig. 4 is a container 10 of the tobacco processing schematically Industry shown in a cross-sectional view. The container 10 has laterally inclined side walls 1 12, 1 14 and a lid 1 16. In addition, the container 10 has in the bottom area a bottom part 1 18, which is designed as a raised floor.

The base part 118 has a lower part 120 and an upper part 122. The tobacco product 30 accommodated in the container 10 is arranged on the upper part 122. The inclined side walls 1 12, 1 14 result in less friction between the tobacco product 130 and the inner walls of the side walls 1 12, 1 14.

One or more weighing cells 124 are arranged in the bottom part 118 between the bottom part 120 and the top part 122, so that a weighing device is formed by means of the weighing cells 124. Based on the force exerted on the upper part 122 by the weight of the tobacco product, the weight of the tobacco product 130 is measured and determined by means of the weighing cells 124. The upper part 122 is connected at the edge to the side walls 1 12, 1 14 via sealing membranes 126 with the fixed lower part 120 and is thus sealed off. This will

Upper part 122 of the bottom part 1 18 sealed against the interior of the container 10.

The load cells 124 in the double-walled base part 118 are at one end on the lower part 120 and at the other end on

Upper part 122 connected. A plurality of weighing cells 124 are preferably arranged distributed uniformly over the entire surface of the base part 118.

5a shows a further exemplary embodiment of a base part

1 18 schematically shown, wherein a liquid is filled between the lower part 120 and the upper part 122, so that the Weight force acts on the upper part 122 and the weight measurement of the tobacco material 130 takes place via a pressure sensor 125 which is arranged laterally on the bottom part 118.

Is preferably between the upper part 122 and the lower part

120 filled a liquid with a low thermal expansion coefficient in order to achieve a temperature independence of the weight measurement. In a further embodiment, the temperature of the liquid in the base part 118 is detected by means of a temperature sensor, in order thereby to achieve temperature compensation for the weight measurement. In an alternative further development, the base part 118 has a heater in order to bring about a constant temperature of the filled liquid.

In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 5 b, the base part 118 consists of a simple base, the load cells 124 being arranged on the sides in the feet of the container 10. Here, the weighing cells 124 are integrated in the feet of the container 10 or on a pallet for the container 10, the

Pallet and the container 10 form a structural unit.

5c shows a bottom part 118 in cross section with two further versions of a weighing device for the container 10. Between the upper part 122 and the lower part 120, two compression springs 141 are arranged. The left compression spring 141 is connected to an internal evaluation unit 142. The evaluation unit 142 additionally receives the measured values of a temperature sensor 143 on the outside of the container 10, which measures the ambient temperature of the container 10.

In the right part of Fig. 5c is a compression spring 141 with a Transmitter 145 connected, which transmits the detected values of the pressure forces of the (right) compression spring 141 to a receiver 146 without contact. The receiver 146 forwards the received values to an evaluation unit 147. The evaluation unit 147 has a display field 148, by means of which the determined weight of the

Tobacco goods 130 is displayed.

6 shows a perspective view of a container 10 which on the inclined side walls 114, 115 has an inclination sensor 128.1 and 128.2 with which the

Inclination of the container 10 is measured in the x-z plane. The inclination of the bottom part 118 in the z direction is measured by means of the inclination sensor 128.1, while the inclination of the bottom part 118 in the x direction is measured by means of the inclination sensor 128.2. The inclination sensors 128.1, 28.2 enable, for example, a position detection device of the container 10.

On the basis of the inclination sensors 128.1 and 128.2, the inclination of the base part 118 and its position in relation to the horizontal x-z plane are determined, so that due to the determined inclination the

Weight measurement of the tobacco goods received in the container 10 is corrected. For example, the inclination sensors 128.1, 128.2 can be designed by means of a pendulum, the angular position of the pendulum being measured by a sensor. The weight measured by means of a weighing device is then corrected on the basis of the measured angle of rotation of the pendulum.

7 shows a further embodiment of a container 10 in a cross-sectional view, the container 10 in FIG

In contrast to the container shown in FIG. 4, it additionally has a reference weighing cell 127, which is located on the lower part 120 of the base part 18 is arranged. The weighing cell 127 is provided with a predetermined reference weight, so that the exact weight of the tobacco product 130 is determined by means of the reference weighing cell 125 if the container 10 or the base part 118 is not aligned horizontally. Based on the measurements of the weight of the

Tobacco goods 130 by means of the weighing cells 124 and the simultaneous measurement of the reference weighing cell 127, the weight of the tobacco goods 130 can be determined precisely, even when the base part 118 is inclined to the horizontal, since the weight measurements of the weighing cells 124 in relation to the measurement of the reference weighing cell 127 can be set.

To evaluate the measured and recorded measurement data of the weighing devices and the inclination sensors or the reference weighing cell, an evaluation unit, not shown here, is provided, by means of which the exact weight of the tobacco material 130 picked up is determined. In addition, this evaluation device has a display with which the measured weight of the tobacco material 130 is displayed. In an alternative embodiment, the recorded measurement data are sent to an external

Evaluation device is transmitted wirelessly, ie without contact, so that the weight of the tobacco good is determined by means of the external evaluation unit.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 container 1 1 side wall 12 lid 13 hinge 14 bottom 15 hinge 16 base 17 side wall 18 opening 19 seal 21 roller 22 locking bolt 24 handle 25 spacer 26 ventilation hole 1 12 side wall 1 14 side wall 1 15 side wall 1 16 lid 1 18 bottom part 120 bottom part 122 top part 124 Load cell 125 Pressure sensor 126 Membrane 127 Reference load cell 128.1 Tilt sensor 128.2 Tilt sensor 130 Tobacco goods 141 Pressure spring 142 evaluation unit

143 temperature sensor

145 channels

146 recipients

147 evaluation unit

148 display field

Claims

Container for tobacco material

1 . Container (10) of the tobacco processing industry for tobacco material with a lid surface (12) and a bottom surface (14), characterized in that the lid surface (12) is smaller than the bottom surface (14), the lid surface (12) and / or the bottom surface (14) can be closed.

2. Container (10) according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (10) is stackable in the closed state and / or nestable in the open state.

3. Container (10) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cover surface (12) and / or the bottom surface (14) have a closing device and / or a seal.

Container (10) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the bottom surface (14) is a foot part (16) having.

5. Container (10) according to claim 4, characterized in that the foot part (16) is accessible.

6. Container (10) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the foot part (16) is provided with rollers (21).

7. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the lid for the lid surface (12) and / or the bottom for the bottom surface (14) are in several parts.

8. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a gripping device (24) and / or spacing elements (25) are provided.

9. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the container (10) has ventilation holes (26).

10. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the container (10) is made of plastic, in particular P ^' polyethylene or polypropylene.

1 1. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that the inside of the container (10) have smooth surfaces.

12. Use of a container (10) of the tobacco processing industry according to one or more of claims 1 to 1 1.

13. Container (10) of the tobacco processing industry for receiving tobacco goods (130) or according to claim 1, characterized in that the container (10) has a weighing device (124, 125, 141) for detecting the weight of the in the container (10) recorded tobacco goods (130).

14. Container (10) according to claim 13, characterized in that a position detection device (128.1, 128.2) is provided for the position, in particular inclination, of the container (10).

15. Container (10) according to claim 13 or 14, characterized in that an evaluation unit (142, 147) is provided for determining the weight of the tobacco product (130).

16. Container (10) according to claim 14 and 15, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco product (130) depending on the detected position, in particular inclination, of the container (10) can be determined.

17. A container (10) according to claim 13 or 15, characterized in that a reference weighing device (127) is provided.

18. Container (10) according to claim 15 and 17, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco product (130) can be determined depending on the measurements of the reference weighing device (127).

19. Container (10) according to claim 16 or 18, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco product (130) in dependence speed of the temperature measured by at least one temperature sensor (143).

20. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 13 to 19, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125) in the bottom part (1 18, 120, 122) and / or in the feet of the container (10) is arranged ,

21st Container (10) according to one or more of claims 13 to 20, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125, 141) is designed by means of pressure sensors (125) and / or weighing cells (124) and / or compression springs (141).

22. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 13 to 21, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125, 141) and / or the evaluation unit (142, 147) has a display field (148).

23. Container (10) according to one or more of claims 13 to 22, characterized in that the measurement data of the weighing device (124, 125, 141) and / or the reference weighing device (127) and / or the position detection device (128.1, 128.2 ) and / or the evaluation unit (142) can be transmitted to an external evaluation device (147), in particular in a contactless manner.

24. Use of a weighing device (124, 125, 141) in a container (10) of the tobacco processing industry for detecting the weight of a tobacco product (130) received in the container (10).

25. Use according to claim 24, characterized in that a position detection device (128.1, 128.2) is provided for the position, in particular inclination, of the container (10).

26. Use according to claim 24 or 25, characterized in that an evaluation unit (142, 147) is provided for determining the weight of the tobacco product (30).

27. Use according to claims 25 and 26, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco material (130) can be determined depending on the detected position, in particular inclination, of the container (10).

28. Use according to claim 24 or 26, characterized in that a reference weighing device (127) is provided.

29. Use according to claims 26 and 28, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco product (130) can be determined depending on the measurements of the reference weighing device (127).

30. Use according to claim 27 or 29, characterized in that the weight of the tobacco product (130) can be determined as a function of the temperature measured by at least one temperature sensor (143).

31. Use according to one or more of claims 24 to 30, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125, 141) in the bottom part (1 18, 120, 122) and / or in the feet of the container (10) is arranged.

32. Use according to one or more of claims 24 to 31, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125, 141) is designed by means of pressure sensors (125) and / or weighing cells (124) and / or compression springs (141).

33. Use according to one or more of claims 24 to 32, characterized in that the weighing device (124, 125, 141) and / or the evaluation unit (142, 147) has a display field (148).

34. Use according to one or more of claims 24 to 33, characterized in that the measurement data of the weighing device (124, 125) and / or the reference weighing device (127) and / or the position detection device (128.1, 128.2) and / or the evaluation unit (142) can be transmitted to an external evaluation device (147), in particular without contact.