EP1741350B1 - A unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine - Google Patents

A unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1741350B1
EP1741350B1 EP06116457A EP06116457A EP1741350B1 EP 1741350 B1 EP1741350 B1 EP 1741350B1 EP 06116457 A EP06116457 A EP 06116457A EP 06116457 A EP06116457 A EP 06116457A EP 1741350 B1 EP1741350 B1 EP 1741350B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
unit
hopper
filters
sectors
filter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Active
Application number
EP06116457A
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German (de)
English (en)
French (fr)
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EP1741350A1 (en
Inventor
Stefano Bertoldi
Fiorenzo Draghetti
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
GD SpA
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GD SpA
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Publication of EP1741350A1 publication Critical patent/EP1741350A1/en
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Publication of EP1741350B1 publication Critical patent/EP1741350B1/en
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Classifications

    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/32—Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes; Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition
    • A24C5/322—Transporting cigarettes during manufacturing
    • A24C5/323—Transporting cigarettes during manufacturing pneumatically
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/47—Attaching filters or mouthpieces to cigars or cigarettes, e.g. inserting filters into cigarettes or their mouthpieces
    • A24C5/478—Transport means for filter- or cigarette-rods in view of their assembling

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine.
  • filters turned out by the maker are directed into the hopper, which functions as a reservoir, by way of a single infeed point in the top part of the selfsame hopper.
  • the filters are collected en masse internally of the hopper, ordered horizontally and side by side, ready to be transferred to the pneumatic feed duct.
  • the transfer of the filters from the outlet of the hopper to the inlet of the feed duct is brought about, again conventionally, through the agency of transfer means comprising a plurality of drums rotating about respective horizontal axes parallel to the axes of the filters and located in the lower part of the hopper.
  • the drums are furnished around the periphery with aspirating flutes, disposed parallel to the axis of the drum, each one of which is able to accommodate a single filter.
  • the filters are taken up by the aforementioned flutes and rotated through 180° on the drums, passing singly and in succession into a transfer station where they are drawn into a flow of compressed air and conveyed along the pneumatic feed duct to the filter tip attachment machine.
  • a conventional filter feed unit is fed generally, during operation, with filters of one length and one diameter.
  • the space enclosed by the hopper can be varied, when not in operation, by displacing the back wall to adapt the depth of the selfsame hopper to the length of the incoming filters.
  • each unit handles filters of just one type and is dedicated to a sole filter maker on the infeed side, and a sole filter tip attachment machine on the outfeed side.
  • an apparatus for delivering two different types of filter rod sections to two groups of filter tipping machines has a magazine with a battery of outlets each of which is connected with a filter tipping machine by a discrete pneumatic conveyor pipe.
  • the interior of the magazine is subdivided into two chambers by a partition, and each chamber receives a mass flow of filter rod sections from a different source so that one chamber stores sections of one type and the other chamber stores sections of another type.
  • the position of the partition in the magazine determines which outlets communicate with the one chamber and which outlets communicate with the other chamber.
  • the filter feed unit lacks versatility, since only one brand of filter can be handled, and a single unit can be used only with certain filter makers and filter tip attachment machines.
  • the object of the present invention is to improve the versatility of a unit for feeding filters, by enabling it to handle filters of different lengths simultaneously.
  • a further object of the invention is to render the filter feed unit suitable for use with multiple filter makers or filter tip attachment machines utilizing different sizes of filters or operating at dissimilar speeds.
  • numeral 1 denotes a feed unit, in its entirety, by which filter plugs 2 are supplied to a filter tip attachment machine of conventional type, not illustrated.
  • the unit 1 comprises a frame-like structure 3 with a lower base portion 4 incorporating bearers, ducts and control systems of familiar type not described further, and an upper portion carrying a hopper 5 delimited by a front wall 6 and a back wall 7, interconnected by two side walls 8 and 9.
  • the side walls 8 and 9 include first segments rising vertically from the base portion, and second segments converging toward the top, so that when seen in longitudinal section, the hopper 5 presents the shape substantially of an upturned funnel.
  • the front wall 6, made preferably of transparent material and appearing substantially rectangular in outline, is composed of two doors 6a and 6b that can be opened to allow inspection and servicing of the hopper 5 on the inside.
  • the back wall 7, on the other hand, is delimited by the side walls 8 and 9 and therefore assumes the same upturned funnel shape as that of the hopper 5.
  • the frame-like structure 3 further comprises a vertical bulkhead 10 carrying the hopper 5, facing the back wall 7 and connected to the side walls 8 and 9.
  • Each drum 11 presents a plurality of aspirating axial flutes 13 arranged around the periphery in conventional manner and serving each to accommodate a single filter 2.
  • the bottom part of the hopper 5 is enclosed by a plurality of transparent flaps (not illustrated) arranged one beside another.
  • the flaps are located one directly in front of each drum 11, so that the drums 11 can be exposed and inspected singly in the event of a jam or malfunction occurring.
  • each drum 11 presents a loading station 14 above, where the filters 2 are taken up singly and in succession by the peripheral axial flutes 13, and an unloading and transfer station 15 below, coinciding with the inlet of the pneumatic feed duct that links the unit 1 to the filter tip attachment machine (not illustrated).
  • the hopper 5 further comprises means 16 by which to partition the storage space into at least two sectors 17, each serving at least one drum 11.
  • Such means 16 are illustrated as at least one movable baffle 18 disposed vertically and parallel to the side walls 8 and 9.
  • the baffle 18 is translatable along a direction parallel with the axes 12 of the drums 11 between a fully retracted position, outside of the hopper 5 and to the rear of the bulkhead 10, and a fully extended position inside the hopper 5, bridging the gap between the front wall 6 and the back wall 7.
  • the bulkhead 10 is furnished with vertical slots 19 through which the baffles 18 are able to pass.
  • the unit 1 is equipped with three baffles 18 by which the space internally of the hopper 5 can be divided into four sectors 17 appearing as two distinct identical pairs.
  • the hopper 5 is symmetrical relative to a vertical axis coinciding with the central baffle 18, so that the two sectors 17a and 17b outermost are mutually identical and the two sectors 17c and 17d innermost are mutually identical.
  • Each outer sector 17a and 17b serves two drums 11; each inner sector 17c and 17d serves a single drum 11.
  • Each baffle 18 can be operated individually and independently of the others, allowing the hopper 5 to be partitioned as preferred and as may be most appropriate.
  • the single sectors 17 operate independently of one another, and their allocation to the drums 11 can be selectively predetermined.
  • baffles can be retracted or extended to produce the following configurations:
  • the hopper is able to handle filters of different types simultaneously.
  • the filter feed unit 1 is equipped further with means 20 by which to vary the size of at least one sector 17 in the partitioned hopper 5.
  • the means 20 in question comprise at least one movable panel 21 associated with the back wall 7.
  • each sector 17 presents one such movable panel 21 delimiting the rear of the sector 17 and coinciding with the back wall 7.
  • Each panel 21 is translatable, remaining parallel to the front wall 6, in such a way as to vary the depth of the relative sector 17.
  • a top part of the hopper 5 affords openings 22 to admit the filters 2.
  • the hopper 5 presents three openings 22, namely a central opening 22a by way of which the two inner sectors 17c and 17d are filled, and two side openings 22b by way of which the two outer sectors 17a and 17b are filled.
  • the photocells 23 are wired to a control unit (not illustrated) operating in conjunction with the filter maker upstream of the feed unit 1, in such a way that when the sectors 17 fill up to a certain level, the flow of filters 2 from the maker to the hopper 5 will be suspended temporarily.
  • the feed unit 1 is able to operate in a system incorporating multiple machines handling filters 2 of different sizes, given that the space encompassed by the hopper 5 is partitioned in such a way so as to create a plurality of sectors 17 operating independently of one another and in conjunction with respective drums 11.
  • each drum 11 and to one side of the loading station 14 is an element 24 presenting a surface 24a angled downward toward the drum 11 and serving to restrict the cross sectional area of the passage afforded to the filters 2 at the selfsame station 14. This arrangement is designed to reduce the weight of the column of filters 2 bearing down on the loading station 14.
  • the means 16 for partitioning the inside of the hopper 5 further comprise an actuator 25, as shown in figures 3 and 4 , associated with the relative baffle 18 and connected rigidly to the vertical bulkhead 10 of the feed unit 1.
  • the actuator 25 in question serves to bring about the sliding movement of the baffle 18, and consists in a pneumatic cylinder 26.
  • the action of the cylinder 26 is transmitted to the projection 18a, likewise of "C" profile, by way of a bracket 29 anchored to the underside of the projection 18a.
  • the projection 18a, the rectilinear carriage 27, the linear track 28 and the pneumatic piston 26 are positioned at the top end 19a of the slot 19.
  • the projection 18a also limits the travel of the baffle 18 inasmuch as the underside, to which the bracket 29 is attached, is disposed transversely to the slot 19 and thus prevented by the bulkhead 10 from advancing further once the baffle 18 is fully inside the hopper 5.
  • Each such drive unit 31 is carried by a mounting plate 32 attached to the bulkhead 10 externally of the hopper 5 by way of a first stud 33a and a second stud 33b, both of which occupying a fixed position.
  • the drive unit 31 comprises an electric motor 34 coupled to a speed reducer 35 driving a gear 36.
  • the gear 36 is coupled in turn by way of a chain 37 or a belt with two further gears 38, also mounted to the bulkhead 10 on the outside of the hopper.
  • Each mounting plate 32 is pivotable about the first stud 33a and affords a slot 39, engaged by the second stud 33b, which is lockable so as to secure the plate in the most advantageous position.
  • the resulting mechanism allows a degree of movement to the drive unit 31, which is used to adjust the tension of the chain 37.
  • each driven gear 38 Located between the rod 41 and the centre hole 40 of each driven gear 38 is a mechanism, such as a ballscrew, allowing the rod 41 to stroke back and forth through the hole 40 and displace the relative panel 21.
  • a mechanism such as a ballscrew
  • the first gear 36 is set in rotation by the electric motor 34 and transmits motion by way of the chain 37 to the other two gears 38.
  • the angular motion of the two driven gears 38 is transmitted through the ballscrew mechanisms to the rods 41 and converted into linear motion, with the result that the panel 21 to which the rods are anchored will be pushed forward or drawn back.
  • Each electric motor 34 is fitted with an encoder, not illustrated, that will determine the distance of the associated panel 21 from the front wall 6 of the hopper 5. Thus, it becomes possible to assign each sector 17 to a different type of filter 2 on the basis of length.
  • the single feed unit 1 can be linked both on the infeed and on the outfeed side to three different types of filter maker and filter tip attachment machine.
  • the feed unit 1 can be linked to similar machines operating at different speeds.

Landscapes

  • Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Filling Or Emptying Of Bunkers, Hoppers, And Tanks (AREA)
EP06116457A 2005-07-04 2006-06-30 A unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine Active EP1741350B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000448A ITBO20050448A1 (it) 2005-07-04 2005-07-04 Unita' di alimentazione filtri ad una macchina mettifiltro

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1741350A1 EP1741350A1 (en) 2007-01-10
EP1741350B1 true EP1741350B1 (en) 2010-03-03

Family

ID=37038377

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
EP06116457A Active EP1741350B1 (en) 2005-07-04 2006-06-30 A unit for feeding filters to a filter tip attachment machine

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US20070000504A1 (ja)
EP (1) EP1741350B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP5179728B2 (ja)
CN (1) CN100577042C (ja)
DE (1) DE602006012584D1 (ja)
IT (1) ITBO20050448A1 (ja)

Families Citing this family (6)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
PL2658800T3 (pl) * 2010-12-29 2015-04-30 Philip Morris Products Sa Przyrząd podający przeznaczony do przedmiotów nieukierunkowanych
GB201407582D0 (en) * 2014-04-30 2014-06-11 British American Tobacco Co A tobacco industry rod assembly apparatus
DE102016100343A1 (de) * 2016-01-11 2017-07-13 Hauni Maschinenbau Gmbh Verfahren zum Herstellen eines Multisegmentfilters und Multisegmentfilterherstelleinrichtung der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie
IT201600108688A1 (it) * 2016-10-27 2018-04-27 Gima Tt S P A Gruppo di alimentazione di filtri, e apparato e metodo per la realizzazione di articoli comprendenti detti filtri
CN111869918B (zh) * 2020-09-02 2024-08-06 郑州郑源实业有限公司 用于卷烟机和复合机的滤棒料斗下料机构
CN115413816A (zh) * 2022-08-09 2022-12-02 红塔烟草(集团)有限责任公司 一种滤嘴棒及残次品卷烟半自动辅助翻盘机及其使用方法

Family Cites Families (13)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3827757A (en) * 1972-05-05 1974-08-06 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Apparatus for transporting rod-shaped articles
DE3102829A1 (de) * 1980-02-02 1982-03-11 Hauni-Werke Körber & Co KG, 2050 Hamburg Anordnung zum ergaenzen eines vorrates von filterstaeben in einem magazin einer die filterstaebe verarbeitenden maschine der tabakverarbeitenden industrie
GB2148836B (en) * 1983-10-28 1987-11-11 Tabac Fab Reunies Sa Method and apparatus for the production of a pack of smoking articles
DE3611707A1 (de) * 1986-04-08 1987-10-22 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Vorrichtung zum pneumatischen ueberfuehren von stabfoermigen artikeln der tabakverarbeitenden industrie zu weiterverarbeitungsmaschinen
JPH04304875A (ja) * 1991-04-02 1992-10-28 Japan Tobacco Inc 棒状物送り出し装置
DE4329084A1 (de) * 1993-08-30 1995-03-02 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Vorrichtung zum Überführen von stabförmigen Artikeln der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie aus einem Vorrat in eine pneumatische Förderleitung
DE4408494A1 (de) * 1994-03-14 1995-09-21 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Verfahren und Vorrichtung zum Fördern von Filterstäben
CN1058677C (zh) * 1995-12-13 2000-11-22 东京自动机械制作所 棒状物品的空气输送装置
DE19740070A1 (de) * 1997-09-12 1999-03-18 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Fördereinrichtung zum Transportieren von Filterstäben
DE10146019A1 (de) * 2001-09-18 2003-04-03 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Einrichtung zum Zusammenstellen von Gruppen von Filtersegmenten zur Herstellung von Multisegmentfiltern der tabakverarbeitenden Industrie und Muldentrommel
DE10227933A1 (de) * 2002-06-21 2004-01-08 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Filterzuführung an einer Filteransetzmaschine
JP2004024131A (ja) * 2002-06-26 2004-01-29 Japan Tobacco Inc オフライン外観検査機
JP2005138919A (ja) * 2003-11-04 2005-06-02 Plibrico Japan Co Ltd 耐火材連続配合混合定量供給装置

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE602006012584D1 (de) 2010-04-15
EP1741350A1 (en) 2007-01-10
US20070000504A1 (en) 2007-01-04
CN1891090A (zh) 2007-01-10
ITBO20050448A1 (it) 2007-01-05
CN100577042C (zh) 2010-01-06
JP2007014335A (ja) 2007-01-25
JP5179728B2 (ja) 2013-04-10

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