EP2355673B1 - Device for filling cigarette tubes - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for stuffing prefabricated cigarette tubes, with a housing, a tobacco chamber, a tobacco associated therewith, a movable pressing bar for forming tobacco in the tobacco chamber into a strand, a tobacco support associated abutment for one end of the tobacco rod and a to Filling the cigarette tube with the tobacco rod relative to the housing movable slide, wherein the length of the tobacco rod to be formed is adaptable by changing the length of the press beam to different Füllraum lengths of cigarette tubes.

Such a device is known from DE 41 10 830 C1 known.

In order to be able to adapt the length of the tobacco chamber to different Füllraum lengths of cigarette tubes in this device, the abutment is designed as an adjustable longitudinal direction of the tobacco part, provided according to the number of cigarette tubes of different length to be stuffed at least two predetermined locking positions are.

A disadvantage of this device is that it is expensive to manufacture due to the adjustable design of the abutment. In addition, it has been found that in the event that the user has accidentally brought the abutment in a certain position for a longer cigarette tube, in the case of a prefabricated filter sleeve, the sleeve is destroyed by overfilling, for example by tearing off the filter.

The invention is therefore the object of developing a device for stuffing prefabricated cigarette tubes of the type described above such that their functionality is improved.

This object is achieved by the reproduced in claim 1 device.

Characterized in that the tobacco support is mounted relative to the abutment displaced by a distance in the direction of movement of the slider, which corresponds approximately to the difference in length of the different Füllraum lengths, it is no longer necessary to make the abutment adjustable and lockable in certain positions. By displaceable in the direction of movement of the slider arrangement of the tobacco support this shifts automatically into a tobacco available for the available length shortening position, when acting in the displacement direction, a force exceeding the adhesion of the tobacco coating in the housing, as is the case regularly when the end of the tobacco support facing away from the abutment comes into contact with the filter of a filter sleeve. By this kind of "floating" storage of the tobacco coating, the length of the tobacco chamber can automatically adapt to the filling space length of the cigarette tube.

In order to be able to adapt the length of the press beam to the filling space length of the cigarette sleeve used in each case, the pressing beam may comprise a fixed part and a movable part optionally complementary to the pressing beam.

Particularly preferred is an embodiment of the device according to the invention, in which the movable part of the press beam about a perpendicular to the direction of movement the axis extending the slider between a retracted in the contour of the lid and a pressing bar extending position by about 90 ° is pivotable. Due to this measure, the movable part of the beam does not appear visually or operatively to the device according to the invention in any position, since it appears either as the Füllraum-length increasing part of the press beam or not as protruding from the outer contour of the device component.

In order to allow the user a simple displacement of the movable part between the retracted and the pressing beam complementary position, are the fixed and the movable part of the press bar on a lid which is pivotally hinged to the slider. Both the tobacco chamber for filling, as well as the movable part of the press bar to adapt the device to different Füllraum lengths is particularly simple due to this development.

The operation of the movable part of the press beam is again simplified if an actuator for the movable part of the press beam is provided on the cover. This may - particularly preferably - comprise a toothing, which is in engagement with a toothing of the movable part of the press beam. Due to this measure, it is no longer necessary for the displacement of the movable part of the press beam to transfer it directly from one to the other position, which, in particular, when it is to be moved from the retracted to the supplementary position, special difficulties, but the displacement can be done by actuating the actuator, for example, in an ergonomically advantageous manner with the help of the thumb.

In order to convert the linear movement of the actuating member into the rotational movement of the movable part of the pressing beam, the actuating member and the pressing beam have interlocking teeth, wherein the toothing of the slider is a linear toothing and that of the movable part is a part of a toothed wheel, whose axis of rotation with the axis about which the movable part of the press beam is pivotable coincides.

In order to be able to more easily adapt the quantity of tobacco fed to the tobacco chamber to the filling space length of the respective cigarette tube used, the tobacco chamber is preferably associated with a cover with which either the region of the tobacco chamber adjacent to the abutment can be covered over a length approximately equal to the difference in length corresponds to different filling space lengths. In the position covering the tobacco chamber over a certain length, the volume under the cover is at least essentially not filled when the tobacco is introduced, so that overfilling of the antechamber of the cigarette tube or undesirably high compression of the tobacco is reliably prevented.

It is particularly preferred if the cover is arranged displaceably in the direction of movement of the slide in the tobacco chamber, since thus match the operating directions of all devices of the device with the direction of movement of the slider, whereby the handling of the device according to the invention for the user is particularly intuitive and simple.

For holding a cigarette tube during the stuffing process, the device according to the invention may comprise a spout arranged at the end of the spool opposite the abutment, whose outer diameter corresponds approximately to the inner diameter of a cigarette tube and which has a substantially cylindrical inner volume. During the Stopfvorganges then the cigarette tube is held on the spout by a provided on the lid, on the cigarette tube material from the outside acting projection and pulled over the located in the tobacco chamber tobacco rod, which passes through the inner volume of the spout during this displacement or stuffing ,

The mountability of the spout on the slider is particularly simple if the spout - as preferred - is integrally formed on an approximately perpendicular to its longitudinal axis extending retaining plate. The slider then preferably has two on its sides oppositely arranged grooves in which the holding plate with its lateral edges can be inserted. This structural measure not only enables the particularly easy mountability of the spout, but also an easy to replace in case of damage. In addition, the spout can be made of a different material compared to the slider, which has, for example, for holding the cigarette tube and for carrying out the tobacco rod particularly suitable material properties.

Postponing a cigarette tube on the spout is facilitated if the retaining plate opposite, free end is bevelled sideways.

Very particular preference is given to an embodiment of the spout in which its inner volume comprises an area which widens toward the tobacco chamber at the end region opposite the free end. It has surprisingly been found that due to this measure lower forces are necessary to perform the stuffing process, as if the inner volume of the spout would be completely cylindrical. The effect produced by the widening region is particularly surprising insofar as the tobacco rod is already preformed inside the tobacco chamber due to the pressure exerted by the pressing beam. This particular embodiment of the spout thus also has independent inventive significance, regardless of whether the device comprising such a spout has the features described above or not.

The widening towards the transport chamber area may be conical. However, it is particularly preferred if it is formed curved widening.

Fig. 1

eine perspektivische Ansicht mit aufgeklapptem Deckel;

Fig. 2

dieselbe Ansicht der Teile des Gehäuses in einer Explosionsdarstellung;

Fig. 3

dieselbe Ansicht wie in Fig. 1, jedoch in einer Einzeldarstellung von Gehäuse, Tabakauflage, Schieber und Deckel, wobei sich der Deckel in seiner geschlossenen Lage befindet;

Fig. 4

den Deckel in einer Ansicht gemäß Fig. 3 in einer Explosionsdarstellung;

Fig. 5

einen perspektivischen Längsschnitt durch die Vorrichtung eingestellt für Zigarettenhülsen mit langem Füllraum;

Fig. 6

dieselbe Ansicht wie in Fig. 5, angepasst an Zigarettenhülsen mit kürzerer Füllraum-Länge sowie

Fig. 7a bis e

die Tülle mit Halteplatte in einer Einzeldarstellung in verschiedenen Ansichten.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the device according to the invention is shown. Show it:

Fig. 1

a perspective view with the lid open;

Fig. 2

the same view of the parts of the housing in an exploded view;

Fig. 3

the same view as in Fig. 1 but in a single representation of housing, tobacco pad, slider and lid, with the lid in its closed position;

Fig. 4

the lid in a view according to Fig. 3 in an exploded view;

Fig. 5

a perspective longitudinal section through the device set for cigarette tubes with a long filling space;

Fig. 6

the same view as in Fig. 5 , adapted to cigarette tubes with shorter filling length as well

Fig. 7a to e

the spout with retaining plate in a single view in different views.

The device 100 in the drawing as a whole comprises a housing 1 with a base part 2 and with inserted and latched in this side handle parts 3, 4. Both the base part 2, as well as the side handle parts 3, 4 are made of plastic. The handle parts 3, 4 may be made of a softer material than the base part 2 and in a different color, so as to improve the visual appearance of the device and to make their handling more pleasant.

In the base part 2 of the housing 1, a slider 8 is guided in a straight line in the direction of movement S between its inner side walls 5, 6 and its bottom wall 7. For fixing the slider 8 perpendicular to the bottom wall 7, the slider 8 comprises on both sides an extension of the underside forming projections 9, which engage in complementary grooves in the side walls 5, 6.

At the left in the drawing shown on the left, further designated with the front end, a spout 10 is provided on the slider 8, the outer diameter of such to the inner diameter of a prefabricated cigarette tube adapted that it can be pushed onto the spout 10 without much game. To facilitate the Aufschiebevorganges the free end of the spout 10 is laterally bevelled.

The spout 10 is formed with its the side beveled free end opposite end to a support plate 32. To fasten the nozzle 10 with the holding plate 32 8 grooves 33 are incorporated in the slide (see Fig. 1 ) in which the holding plate with its lateral edges 34 can be inserted. In order to avoid unwanted Sichherausverlagem the holding plate 32 from the grooves 33 at the same time easier usability, 34 hook-like projections 36 are provided on the lateral edges, which cooperate with the bottoms of the grooves 33 by clamping.

As in particular from Fig. 7b and d can be seen, the inner volume of the spout 10 at the end opposite the free end portion extending to the tobacco chamber 13 toward area 35. Surprisingly, it has been shown that by this extension, the actuating forces for plugging a cigarette tube for moving slide and base part must be applied to each other, compared to a conventional, purely cylindrical design of the inner volume of the spout are reduced.

At the rear end of the housing shown on the right in the drawing, a lid 11 is pivotably attached to the slider 8 about a horizontal axis X extending perpendicularly to the direction of movement S.

The slider has an elongated recess 12 in the direction of movement S, which forms a tobacco chamber 13 and extends completely through the slider in the vertical direction.

The bottom of the tobacco chamber 13 forms a trough-shaped tobacco pad 14, which abuts the side almost of the side walls of the recess 12 and the lateral edges of longitudinal projections 15 are covered in the tobacco chamber, so as to avoid tobacco between the lateral edges of the tobacco pad and the Walls of the recess 12 passes.

The tobacco support 14 is made of a dimensionally stable material, such as metal and attached in the rear, protruding from the tobacco chamber 13 region 16 on a provided on the bottom wall 7 of the base part 2 base 17. In this case, there is sufficient play between the underside of the tobacco support 14 and the bottom wall 7, that the tobacco support 14 when moving the slider 8 can penetrate unhindered back through the spout 10 therethrough.

On the lower side in the closed state of the lid 11, a pressing beam 18 is formed, which is formed in the closed state downwardly facing side approximately with the same radius hollow as the tobacco pad 14. The pressing beam 18 is further dimensioned so that it together with the side walls the recess 12 and the tobacco pad 14 closes the tobacco chamber 13 in the closed state upwards such that the tobacco chamber has an approximately circular shape in cross-section.

At the front end region in the closed state of the lid, a handle 19, which can be displaced towards the rear against an elastic force, is attached to the lid. It has two extensions 20 which engage in against the elastic force to the rearward displaced state of the handle in complementary recesses 21 of the slider 8. By the engagement of the extensions 20 in the recesses 21, the lid is locked against folding about the axis X.

For stuffing a prefabricated cigarette tube with tobacco, the tobacco chamber 13 is loosely filled with tobacco when the lid 11 is open. Subsequently, the open end of a prefabricated cigarette tube is pushed onto the spout 10 and the lid 11 is closed by pivoting about the axis X. The cigarette tube not shown in the drawing is held in position on the spout by pressing on the front portion of the lid 11 Anpressblock 22 pressed the sleeve material over part of the circumference against the spout 10. In the closed position of the lid of this is locked by operation of the handle 19 and engagement of the extensions 20 in the recesses 21 and then the lid moves together with the slider to the rear, the cigarette tube pulled over the tobacco pad 14 and the tobacco held by a rear end of the tobacco chamber 13 forming abutment 23 and thus the cigarette tube is pulled over the located in the tobacco chamber 13 tobacco rod.

In order to fill cigarette tubes with tobacco intake volumes of two different lengths with the device, the length of the press bar 18 can be changed. For this purpose, the pressing beam 18 has a fixed part 24 and a pressing member 18 optionally complementary, movable member 25. It is in the lid 11 on the axis X side facing the fixed part 24 about an axis Y which is perpendicular to the direction of movement S of the slider or parallel to the axis X, between a retracted in the contour of the lid 11 position (s. Fig. 6 ) and a pressing bar 18 extending position (s. Fig. 5 ) can be pivoted by about 90 °.

In order to effect the pivoting movement of the pressing surface 26 opposite end portion of the movable member 25 is provided with a toothing 27 which extends over an angle of about 100 °.

The toothing 27 is in engagement with a linear toothing 28 of an actuator 29 which is mounted displaceably within the lid 11 perpendicular to the axis Y and manually displaceable by a recess 30 in the lid 11 by a distance which is required to the moving part 25 of the press bar 18 between the in Fig. 5 shown, the pressing beam 18 extending position and in Fig. 6 shown to be able to relocate in the contour of the lid 11 retracted position.

Thus, in the case of stuffing a cigarette tube with a short Füllraum-length corresponding to the length of the fixed portion 24 of the press bar 18, the tobacco coating 14 does not protrude beyond the Füllraum length which can lead to a demolition of the spout 10 or destruction of the filter sleeve in particular with filter sleeves , the tobacco support 14 is mounted relative to the abutment 23 by a distance in the direction of movement S of the slider 8 displaceable on the base 17, which corresponds to the length difference of the different Füllraum lengths or the length, can be extended or contracted by the pressing bar 18 by the movable member 25.

This "floating" storage of tobacco support 14 has the consequence that it moves during the tamping process by the friction with the tobacco rod located in the tobacco rod and the sleeve automatically in the rear position, so that at the end of stuffing cigarette tubes with short Füllraum- Length can not be damaged, and in the backward displacement of the slide for removing the filled sleeve of the tobacco pad 14, the latter again shifted to the pulled-out position and thus a further filling of the tobacco chamber 13 is also available for cigarette tubes with large Füllraum-length.

In order to avoid that in the case of stuffing cigarette tubes with small Füllraum-length of the tobacco rod is undesirably compressed during the Stopfvorganges undesirably strong, a tobacco chamber 13 associated cover 31 is provided on the slide 8, with the optional adjacent to the abutment 23 area the tobacco chamber 13 can be covered over a length which corresponds to the difference in length between the different filling space lengths or the change in length of the pressing bar 18 that can be brought about by the movable part 25. In the event that a cigarette tube with a large Füllraum-length is to be stuffed, the cover is in the in Fig. 5 represented displaced, the volume of the tobacco chamber 13 completely releasing position. If a cigarette tube is to be stuffed with a smaller filling length, so before inserting the tobacco into the tobacco chamber 13, the cover 31 to the spout 10 in the in Fig. 6 shown position brought.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

100

contraption

1

casing

2

base

3

handle part

4

handle part

5

Side wall

6

Side wall

7

bottom wall

8th

pusher

9

projections

10

spout

11

cover

12

recess

13

tobacco chamber

14

tobacco edition

15

lateral projections

16

Area

17

base

18

pressing bars

19

handle

20

projections

21

recesses

22

pressing block

23

abutment

24

fixed part

25

moving part

26

Press area

27

gearing

28

linear toothing

29

actuator

30

recess

31

cover

32

Retaining plate

33

groove

34

margins

35

areas

36

projections

S

movement direction

X

axis

Y

axis

Claims (15)

1. A device for filling prefabricated cigarette tubes, with a housing (1), a tobacco chamber (13), a tobacco support (14) assigned thereto, a moveable pressing bar (18) for shaping the tobacco placed into the tobacco chamber (13) into a strand, an abutment (23) assigned to the tobacco support (14) for an end of the tobacco strand and with a slider (8) moveable relative to the housing for filling the cigarette tubes with the tobacco strand, wherein the length of the tobacco strand to be formed can be adapted to different filling cavity lengths of cigarette tubes by changing the length of the pressing bar (18), characterized in that the tobacco support (14) is supported in a moveable manner relative to the abutment (23) by a distance in the direction of movement (S) of the slider (8), which distance corresponds approximately to the length difference of the different filling cavity lengths.
2. The device according to claim 1, characterized in that the pressing bar (18) comprises a stationary part (24) and a moveable part (25) optionally supplementing the pressing bar (18).
3. The device according to claim 2, characterized in that the moveable part (25) of the pressing bar (18) can be pivoted through approximately 90° about an axis (Y) running perpendicular to the movement direction (S) of the slider (8), between a position drawn back into the contour of the cover (11) and a position extending the pressing bar (18).
4. The device according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover (11) is hinged on the slider (8) to pivot about an axis (X) running perpendicular to the movement direction (S).
5. The device according to claim 4, characterized in that an actuating member (29) is provided on the cover (11) for the movable part (25) of the pressing bar (18).
6. The device according to claim 5, characterized in that the actuating member (29) comprises a toothing (28) that is in engagement with a toothing (27) of the moveable part (25) of the pressing bar (18).
7. The device according to one of claims 1 through 6, characterized in that a covering (31) is assigned to the tobacco chamber (13), with which covering the region of the tobacco chamber (13) adjacent to the abutment (23) can optionally be covered over a length that corresponds approximately to the length difference of the different filling cavity lengths.
8. The device according to claim 7, characterized in that the covering (31) is arranged on the slider (8) in a displaceable manner in the movement direction (S).
9. The device according to one of claims 1 through 8, characterized in that a nozzle (10) with a free end is provided at the end of the slider (8) opposite to the abutment (23), the external diameter of which nozzle corresponds approximately to the internal diameter of a cigarette tube and which has an essentially cylindrical inner volume.
10. The device according to claim 9, characterized in that the nozzle (10) is formed on a retaining plate (32) extending approximately perpendicular to its longitudinal axis.
11. The device according to claim 10, characterized in that the slider (8) comprises two grooves (33) arranged lying opposite each other on the sides thereof, into which grooves the retaining plate (32) can be inserted with its side edges (34).
12. The device according to one of claims 9 through 11, characterized in that the free end of the nozzle (10) lying opposite to the retaining plate (32) is laterally beveled.
13. The device according to one of claims 9 through 12, characterized in that the inner volume of the nozzle (10), at the end region lying opposite the free end, comprises a region (35) that widens towards the tobacco chamber (13).
14. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the region (35) is embodied in a conical manner.
15. The device according to claim 13, characterized in that the region (35) is embodied in a curvedly widening manner.

Images