EP1943909B1 - Demand and transfer of a rod-shaped article in the tobacco industry - Google Patents

Abstract

In a cigarette manufacture mechanical handling process the cigarettes are shifted transverse to the longitudinal axis and are released from a detent in a first drum to a detent in a second drum. During the transfer from one drum to the next the cigarette is subject to an impulse along the longitudinal axis.

Description

The invention relates to a method for conveying a rod-shaped article of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the article is conveyed transaxially and is discharged from a receptacle on a first conveyor to a receptacle of a second conveyor.

Under rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry are understood in the present context, such articles that are held in single-ply row by means of suction on conveyors, such as on conveyor drums in cigarette manufacturing machines, and promoted by these. Such articles are filter cigarettes, cigarettes, cigarillos, filter rods, etc. If, in the following, for the sake of simplicity, only cigarettes are used, then what has been said applies correspondingly also to cigarettes other rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry to be promoted.

In a cigarette machine, cigarettes in single-ply row are held with suction air transversely to their axial direction on conveyor drums, which are primarily drums of cigarette making machines or filter attachment machines. For this purpose, the conveyor drums on suction air openings, which are in communication with a vacuum source. The transfer of cigarettes from a first conveyor to the next conveyor usually takes place in that the holding air in the transfer area is interrupted in the respective dispensing, first conveyor, while the holding air is switched on in each receiving, second conveyor. In the event of a transfer from a conveyor drum to the subsequent drum stationary control segments are arranged to interrupt the holding air in the peripheral portion of the first conveyor forming the transfer area, which cover the Saugluftöffnungen the conveyor in this section and thereby separate from the negative pressure.

For example, it is off EP-B-1 397 962 a method for conveying rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry known.

In addition, in the document " Research Disclosure, June 1978, 17011 describes a device for gently separating rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, wherein a conveyor side is assigned a controllable compressed air supply, so that a auszusondernder article by means of a recording of the conveyor by means of a compressed air pulse is moved longitudinally in the recording.

Moreover, it is off U.S. Patent 3,699,974 Known in the production of filter cigarettes tobacco rods in the absence of filter plug between two longitudinally spaced tobacco rods during their promotion on a conveyor drum in their axial axial distance by blowing toward each other zuzubewegen that the tobacco sticks are wrapped in a subsequent step with a tipping paper leaflet and then discharged from the production process become. The collapse of the tobacco sticks or incomplete smoking article group occurs before the alignment of the tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups.

Further disclosed DE-A-27 42 856 a device for the collapse of tobacco rods in malformed or missing double filters. The device is arranged on a compilation drum, wherein the tobacco sticks are not completely collapsed in the absence of double filter but are only approximated on the drum to each other to ensure sufficient overlap of the subsequently adhered pad paper leaflet.

Starting from this prior art, the object of the present invention is to reduce the longitudinal axial distance of rod-shaped articles of a smoking article group, in particular an incompletely formed smoking article group, in an efficient and simple manner, so that it should be possible to form an incompletely formed smoking article group in one to wrap around subsequent step with a bonding paper to avoid a production stop at the manufacturing machine.

This object is achieved by a method for conveying a rod-shaped article of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the article is conveyed transaxially and from a recording on a first conveyor is delivered or handed over to a receptacle of a second conveyor, which is further developed in that during the transfer of the article at the time of transfer of the article is moved by means of a movement pulse in the longitudinal axial direction.

The invention is based on the idea that at the transfer point between a first cross-axially conveying conveyor, e.g. a conveyor drum, to another conveyor, e.g. a second conveyor drum, while the cross-axial conveying and transfer of the articles to be transferred simultaneously performs a longitudinal axial movement. For this purpose, the article is subjected to a longitudinal axial movement impulse. This makes it possible, for example, to shorten the longitudinal axial distance of two tobacco rods in an incompletely formed tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod group, without intervening filter plug, wherein the queraxially promoted tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups from a first conveyor on a subsequent conveyor be handed over.

In the transfer area, the holding vacuum by means of which a tobacco rod / filter plug / tobacco rod group to be transferred is held on the first conveyor before transfer to the following conveyor is switched off or throttled. Upon detection of an incompletely formed smoking article group, for example without intervening filter plug, the incompletely formed smoking article group is acted upon by one or both sides or end faces with a compressed air pulse in the transfer area and at the same time reduced or disconnected holding vacuum on the recording of the first conveyor, so that at least a rod-shaped article moves during the transfer in the longitudinal axial direction in its position or is changed.

In the subsequent manufacturing steps, the unlinked smoking article groups, which consist of several rod-shaped articles, such as tobacco sticks and filter plugs, provided on a covering device with a connecting leaflet, so that in a further step, the connecting paper or tipping paper leaflet around the complete smoking article groups (consisting of tobacco rod filter plug Tobacco rod) and / or the incomplete smoking article groups (consisting of tobacco rod tobacco rod or tobacco rod plug) wrapped and interconnected.

In particular, during the transfer, the negative pressure or the holding vacuum at the donating receiving trough of the first conveyor is deactivated, so that the smoking article groups or their components are released from the receiving trough in the transfer area. Here, the tobacco sticks or rod-shaped articles in the transfer area are easily and safely displaced by frontal Zusammenblasen. At the same time, the contour of the dispensing and receiving receiving cavities on the first and second conveyors ensures that the smoking article group components are safely transferred from the first conveyor to the second conveyor.

For this purpose, it is further provided that the article is acted upon after switching off or reducing a voltage applied to the receiving of the first conveyor holding vacuum with the movement pulse to perform a longitudinal axial movement in the transfer phase from the first conveyor to the second conveyor during the queraxial directed transfer.

In particular, the article is acted upon on one end face with the movement impulse. If the longitudinal axial distance between two tobacco rods is to be reduced without intervening filter plugs, it is possible that the tobacco rods or the articles are each acted upon on its outer end face with a movement pulse, whereby the tobacco sticks are longitudinally moved towards each other.

According to a further embodiment, the article is received after or during a longitudinal axial movement in the transfer phase in a receptacle of the second conveyor.

For this purpose, it is further provided that at the receiving receptacle of the second conveyor during the transfer phase or after the transfer of a holding vacuum on the recording of the second conveyor is turned on or is.

Furthermore, it is advantageous if at least one article of an article group consisting of several rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry is subjected to a movement impulse.

If, for example, an incomplete group of smoking articles consisting of two longitudinally spaced tobacco rods without intermediate filter plugs is formed, it is advantageous if two externally arranged articles of the group of articles are respectively impinged on the front side with a movement impulse, so that the longitudinally axially spaced articles or tobacco sticks are pushed together while they be handed over from one conveyor to the next conveyor.

For this purpose, it is also advantageous if an article group as a incomplete, unenclosed tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod group is subjected to at least one article with a movement impulse, wherein full unenclosed tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups are not acted upon by a movement impulse.

Furthermore, in one embodiment, it is advantageous if, by means of a sensor, the position of an article on the receptacle of the first conveyor is detected in order to determine whether the smoking article group is formed completely, for example with filter plugs lying between them, in a longitudinally spaced tobacco rod pair ,

Moreover, it is advantageous if, depending on the position of the article, the article is subjected to a movement impulse during the transfer phase.

Furthermore, it is advantageous in one embodiment if the completeness of an article group is monitored by means of a sensor. This makes it possible, in particular, for a movement impulse to be applied to at least one article, preferably two articles, depending on the absence of an article from the article group.

In order to produce filter cigarettes, the article groups are connected to each other by means of a connecting sheet in a subsequent step. For this purpose, the connecting papers or covering paper leaflets are adhered to the smoking article groups and wrapped by the connecting leaflet.

According to a preferred embodiment is also provided if the article to be delivered during the transfer to the subsequent second conveyor is guided by means of the contours of the receiving troughs or the flanks of the receiving troughs of the first and / or the second conveyor.

In addition, it is advantageous if the movement pulse is effected by means of a blast of compressed air, wherein in the transfer region at least on one end side of the conveyor or the conveyor drum, a compressed air source is arranged. In particular, compressed air sources are provided on both sides of the conveyor drum to move the tobacco sticks of a smoking article group toward one another on both sides, while the incompletely formed smoking article group is transferred to the subsequent conveyor. In this case, according to the longitudinal axial distance of the tobacco sticks by a longitudinal axial effected movement of the tobacco sticks, wherein the holding vacuum on the first conveyor in the region of the transfer area is reduced or turned off.

Fig. 1

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

Fig. 2

eine Übergabe von Rauchartikelgruppen von einer Trommel auf eine weitere Trommel und

Fig. 3

einen Ausschnitt einer Draufsicht der abgebenden Fördertrommel aus Fig. 2.

The invention will be described in more detail below without limiting the general inventive idea using an exemplary embodiment in the drawings, reference being expressly made to the drawings with respect to all details not explained in greater detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1

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

Fig. 2

a transfer of smoking article groups from one drum to another drum and

Fig. 3

a section of a top view of the dispensing conveyor drum Fig. 2 ,

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

In Fig. 1 a Filteransetzmaschine is shown in fragmentary form in a front view, wherein the Filteransetzmaschine receives over a drum assembly T tobacco sticks double-use length of a schematically drawn cigarette rod P. A cigarette rod machine is known under the name "PROTOS" of the patent applicant.

On their conveyor to a compilation drum 21, the tobacco sticks double use length are cut and spread. On the assembly drum 21 are transported over a further drum assembly M double-length filter plugs, which are inserted between two longitudinally spaced tobacco rods. As a result, a sequence of tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups arranged transaxially behind one another is formed on the assembly drum 21.

The assembled article groups are transferred from the assembly drum 21 to a conveyor drum 22 and transported to a padger 10.1 for a first group 50 of assembled tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups. In DE-C-39 18 137 There is described in detail a coating apparatus which is fully incorporated in the content of the present application.

A glued in the dressing apparatus 10.1 and funded tipping paper strip 11.1 is on a cutting drum 12.1. cut from the blades of a knife drum 13.1 in padding sheets or connecting papers. The cut connection leaves are transferred to the article groups of a first group on the conveyor drum 22 or pinned.

In the European Patent Application EP-A-1 466 535 a method for combining smoking article components is described, wherein in the drawings, articles of a first and second group of products are shown (see. Fig. 2, Fig. 3 , Fig. 4a, Fig. 4b). In this European patent application, the articles of the first group each consisting of tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups are designated by the reference numeral 50. Reference numeral 60 denotes the articles of the second group also consisting of tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups. The disclosure of said European patent application is incorporated in full in the disclosure of the present patent application.

After attaching the connecting sheets to the articles of the first group, the articles of the first and second groups are transported further, with the front end of the connecting sheet projecting from the article groups.

The groups of articles are then conveyed to an application and withdrawal drum 24 so that the article groups not provided with a compound leaflet are removed by the application and removal drum 24 and the front end of the compound leaflet is applied to the articles of the first group. The application and removal drum 24 has thus simultaneously combines the function of a folding star (for the first article groups) and a removal drum (for the second article groups).

The application and removal drum 24 transfers the removed Article of the second group to a conveyor drum 25, which transports the articles of the second group to a coating apparatus 10.2, in which a tipping paper strip 11.2 is promoted. The second coating apparatus 10.2 has a knife roller 13.2, which cuts the tipping paper strip 11.2 in cooperation with a suction roller 12.2.

The leaflets cut off from the tipping paper strip 11.2 are transferred and adhered to the second tobacco group tobacco rod / filter plug tobacco rod groups. The front end of the connecting leaflet is then applied to the articles of the second group on the conveyor drum 25 by means of a folding star 23.2. In this context, expressly Fig. 3 of the European Patent Application EP-A-1 466 535 referenced, in which this process is shown and described.

The conveyor drum 25 conveys the articles of the second group to a drum 26. The conveyor drum 26 at the same time receives on the conveyor drum 22 further transported article of the first group, so that the articles of the first and the second group are arranged alternately on the drum.

Subsequently, the articles of the first and second groups are transported to a rolling device 27 with a rolling block, so that the connecting leaves are completely wrapped around the tobacco rod filter plug tobacco rod groups. The finished wrapped articles are subsequently transferred to a conveyor drum 28 and a further conveyor drum 29 and provided for further processing on a filter attachment machine. In particular, filter cigarettes of simple usable length are produced from the double-length filter cigarettes.

Fig. 2 shows a side view of a section in the transfer of smoking article groups to the subsequent conveyor drum 22nd

In Fig. 3 is a plan view according to the in Fig. 2 dash-dotted line drawn on the compilation drum 21 shown in detail.

On the conveyor drum 21 smoking article groups 60 are arranged in the receiving troughs 31 of the conveyor drum 21. The smoking article groups 60 consist of longitudinally axially spaced tobacco rods 62, between each of which a double-length filter plug 61 is arranged (see. Fig. 3 ). The smoking article groups 60 are transferred from the assembly drum 21 to the receptacles 32 of the subsequent conveyor drum 22. In Fig. 2 the transfer region between the assembly drum 21 and the conveyor drum 22 is shown at the transfer point P.

How out Fig. 3 shows, both sides, ie on the outside and inside, the compilation drum 21 guide rails 74 for the smoking article groups 60 are arranged. In the region of the transfer point P, the ends of compressed air lines 75 are arranged on both sides of the guide rails 74, in the course of which a switching valve 73 and a compressed air source are arranged. Furthermore, in Fig. 3 that a sensor 71 is arranged on the assembly drum 21 in the center of the drum, by means of which the presence or the position of filter plug 61 between each pair of tobacco rods 62 is monitored. The sensor 71 is further connected to an evaluation and control device 72, the switching valves 73 switches upon detection that a filter plug between the tobacco sticks 62 in a receiving trough 31 is missing, via corresponding connections.

If it is determined by means of the sensor 71 that a filter plug between the tobacco rod pairs 62 is missing, a corresponding control or switching command is given by the evaluation and control unit 72 to the switching valves 73, so that the tobacco rods 62 are subjected to a blast of compressed air after the Holding vacuum is switched off or off at the corresponding receptacle 31 of the assembly drum 21 in the transfer point P or is. Further, at the same time at the receiving receiving trough 32 of the conveyor drum 22 in the transfer point P, a corresponding holding vacuum is turned on, so that the smoking article group 60 is discharged from the assembly drum 21 to the conveyor drum 22 or passed.

In the absence of filter plug between two longitudinally spaced tobacco rods 62 is during or after switching off the holding vacuum at the donating receptacle 31 of the compilation drum 21 in the transfer time P a corresponding blast of compressed air by switching the switching valves 73 given to the tobacco sticks 62 so that the tobacco sticks 62 move towards each other, such as in Fig. 3 shown. As a result, the longitudinal axial distance between the tobacco rods, which are transferred to the drum 22, reduced. In this case, it is possible for the tobacco sticks 62, after the longitudinal axial movement has been carried out, to be arranged next to one another at a distance of zero in the receiving receiving recess 32 of the conveyor drum 22 during the transfer to the conveyor drum 22. Characterized in that the tobacco sticks 62 are applied to the front side with a blast of compressed air or motion impulse, the tobacco sticks 62 can easily and safely pass during the transfer of the assembly drum 21 to the conveyor drum 22. The transfer is supported by the lateral flanks of the receiving troughs 31 and the receiving troughs 32 the first and the second drum.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10.1

covering apparatus

10.2

covering apparatus

11.1

Covering paper strip

11.2

Covering paper strip

12.1

suction roll

12.2

suction roll

13.1

knife roll

13.1

knife roll

13.2

knife roll

21

Assembly drum

22

conveyor drum

23.2

Folded Star

24

Mooring and removal drum

25

conveyor drum

26

drum

27

rolling device

28

drum

29

drum

31

admission

32

admission

60

A smoking article group

61

filter plug

62

tobacco rod

71

sensor

72

Evaluation and control device

73

switching valve

74

guide rail

75

Compressed air line

P

Transfer point

Claims (15)

1. Method of conveying a rod-shaped article (61, 62) in the tobacco processing industry, whereby the article (61, 62) is conveyed transversely to the axial direction and is transferred from a holder (31) on a first conveyor (21) to a holder (32) of a second conveyor (22), characterised in that whilst the article (61, 62) is being transferred, the article (61, 62) is moved in the direction of the longitudinal axis by means of a motive impulse at the instant of transfer.
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the motive impulse is applied to the article (61, 62) after switching off or reducing a retaining vacuum applied to the holder (31) of the first conveyor (21).
3. Method as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the motive impulse is applied to the article (61, 62) at an end face.
4. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the article (61, 62) is received in a holder (32) of the second conveyor (22) after or during a movement in the direction of the longitudinal axis during the transfer phase.
5. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 4, characterised in that, at the receiving holder (32) of the second conveyor (22), a retaining vacuum is switched through to the holder (32) of the second conveyor (22) during the transfer phase or after the transfer.
6. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that a motive impulse is applied to at least one article (61, 62) of an article group (60) comprising several rod-shaped articles (61, 62) of the tobacco processing industry.
7. Method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that a motive impulse is applied to the end faces of two externally disposed articles (62) of the article group (60) respectively.
8. Method as claimed in claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the article group (60) conveyed is an incomplete, non-wrapped tobacco length-filter plug-tobacco length group (60), and a motive impulse is applied to at least one article (61, 62) thereof, and a motive impulse is not applied to complete, non-wrapped tobacco length-filter plug-tobacco length groups (60).
9. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the position of an article (61) on the holder (31) of the first conveyor (21) is detected by means of a sensor (71).
10. Method as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that a motive impulse is applied to an article (62) as a function of the position of the article (61).
11. Method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the completeness of an article group (60) is monitored by means of a sensor (71).
12. Method as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that a motive impulse is applied to at least one article (62), preferably two articles (62), depending on whether the article group (60) is lacking an article (61).
13. Method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 8 and 10 or 12, characterised in that the article groups (60) are joined to one another by means of a joining sheet during a subsequent step.
14. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 13, characterised in that the article (60, 61, 62) to be transferred is guided by means of the contours of the holder indentations (32) of the first and/or second conveyor (21, 22) during the transfer to the downstream, second conveyor (22).
15. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 14, characterised in that the motive impulse is applied in the form of a pressure impact.

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