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
• • 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
  • A24C5/02—Cigarette-filling machines
• • 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
  • A24C5/40—Hand-driven apparatus for making cigarettes
  • A24C5/42—Pocket cigarette-fillers

Definitions

• This invention relates generally to an apparatus for loading a cigarette blank onto a filling tube.
• This invention also relates generally to an apparatus for dispensing cigarette blanks in a cigarette manufacturing machine. More particularly, the invention relates to a filling tube and a guide pin used to guide a cigarette blank onto a filling tube. Also more particularly, the invention relates to an apparatus for separating cigarette blanks from a plurality of cigarette blanks and dispensing the separated cigarette blanks to a loading area.
• the invention also relates to methods of using a cigarette blank loading apparatus.
• the invention also relates to methods of using a cigarette blank dispensing apparatus.
• This invention relates to an apparatus for loading a cigarette blank onto a filling tube, said apparatus comprising a filling tube having a first end, a second end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter, and a pin sized to fit within said filling tube, said pin having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising a guide head, wherein when said filling tube receives said second end of said pin, at least a portion of the guide head of the pin extends beyond the second end of the filling tube for guiding a cigarette blank onto the filling tube.
• This invention also relates to an apparatus for loading a cigarette blank onto a filling tube, said apparatus comprising a filling tube holder capable of holding a plurality of filling tubes, a plurality of filling tubes mounted to said filling tube holder, each filling tube having a first end, a second end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter, and at least one pin sized to fit within said filling tubes, said at least one pin having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising a guide head, wherein when each said filling tube receives said second end of said pin, at least a portion of the guide head of said pin extends beyond the second end of said filling tube for guiding a cigarette blank onto the filling tube.
• This invention further relates to a method of locating a cigarette blank on a filling tube for receiving tobacco, comprising providing a filling tube having a first end, a second end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter, providing a pin sized to fit within said filling tube, said pin having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising a guide head, inserting said pin into said filling tube so at least a portion of the guide head of said pin extends beyond the second end of said filling tube, dispensing a cigarette blank over said guide head and onto said filling tube, and retracting said pin from said filling tube.
• this invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing cigarette blanks in a cigarette manufacturing machine, comprising a base having an upper end, a lower end opposite said upper end, a first side, and a second side opposite said first side, and a shaker communicating with said base, wherein said base comprises a retainer for retaining at least one cigarette blank.
• This invention further relates to a method for dispensing cigarette blanks in a cigarette manufacturing machine, comprising providing a base comprising a retainer for retaining at least one cigarette blank, said base having an upper end, a lower end opposite said upper end, a first side, and a second side opposite said first side, providing a shaker communicating with said base, holding a plurality of cigarette blanks on said base, shaking said cigarette blanks, retaining with said retainer at least one cigarette blank, and dispensing a cigarette blank to a loading area.
• This invention further relates to an apparatus for loading a cigarette blank onto a filling tube, said apparatus comprising a filling tube having a first end, a second end, an inside diameter, and an outside diameter, a hollow tube sized to fit within said filling tube, said hollow tube having a first end and a second end, said second end comprising a guide head, and wherein when said filling tube receives said second end of said hollow tube, at least a portion of the guide head of the hollow tube extends beyond the second end of the filling tube for guiding a cigarette blank onto the filling tube.
• FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a tobacco input hopper of the invention.
• FIG. 3A is a section view of a tobacco conveying and compressing device of the invention.
• FIG. 5B is a perspective view of another embodiment of the guide head and pin of the invention.
• FIG. 6A is a section view of the filling tube holding drum of the invention.
• FIG. 6C is a section view of a filling tube mounted in a drum fully receiving a guide head of the invention.
• FIG. 6D is a section view of a filling tube mounted in a drum fully receiving a guide head of the invention showing further a cigarette blank being forwarded to the filling tube.
• FIG 6E is a section view of a filling tube mounted in a drum fully receiving a guide head of the invention showing further a cigarette blank being fully loaded on the filling tube.
• FIG. 6F is a section view of a tobacco plug being injected into a cigarette blank loaded onto a filling tube of the invention.
• FIG. 6G is a section view of a completed cigarette being ejected from a filling tube of the invention.
• FIG. 6H is a section view of an improperly loaded cigarette blank being ejected from a filling tube of the invention.
• FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a cigarette blank separation device of the invention.
• FIG. 9 is a section view of a cigarette blank separation device of the invention having a mounted cigarette blank loading cartridge in the lowered position holding a plurality of cigarette blanks.
• FIG. 10 is a section view of a cigarette blank separation device of the invention having a mounted cigarette blank loading cartridge in the raised position holding a plurality of cigarette blanks.
• FIG. 11 is a perspective view of another embodiment of the guide head and pin of the invention.
• FIG. 12 is a section view of the guide head and pin of FIG. 11 with a portion of the guide head collapsed and having exited the filling tube.
• FIG. 13 is a section view of the guide head and pin of FIG. 11 with a portion of the guide head expanded and having exited the filling tube.
• a cigarette making apparatus 10 is illustrated in FIG. 1.
• the apparatus 10 includes a tobacco input hopper 100 (rotated upward for clarity), a tobacco conveying and compressing device 200, a cigarette blank separation device 300, a filling tube holder 400, a material and product transfer mechanism 500, and a discharge container (not shown).
• the input hopper 100 has a main body 101 with a tobacco inlet 102.
• the input hopper has a top end 104, a bottom end 105, a first side 106, a second opposing side 107, a discharge end 108, and an input end 109.
• a conveyor 103 may be mounted in the bottom end 105 of main body 101 to convey the tobacco from the input end 109 toward a strand separator 110 mounted generally on the discharge end 108.
• the conveyor may include a tension adjustment mechanism 116 for adjusting the conveyor belt tension.
• the strand separator 110 having a shaft 111 and a plurality of pins or combs 112 extending outwardly therefrom, is mounted on the discharge end 108 of the main body 101.
• the strand separator shaft 111 may be rotatably driven by an electric motor 113.
• a speed reduction mechanism 114 may be employed to communicate the electric motor 112 with the strand separator shaft 111.
• cut tobacco is poured into the tobacco inlet 102 of the input hopper 100.
• the cut tobacco falls onto the input end 109 of the conveyor 103 and is thereby transferred toward the strand separator 110 and discharge end 108 of the conveyor 103.
• the cut tobacco is discharged from the input hopper 100 through a discharge opening 115.
• FIG. 3A illustrates a tobacco conveying and compressing device 200.
• the device 200 generally has an input end 201, a receiving hopper 215, and a tobacco conveying zone 218.
• a tobacco conveyor system 210 has a first conveyor 202 having a top end 203 and a lower end 204 and a second conveyor 205 having a top end 206 and a lower end 207.
• the conveyors 202 and 205 are mounted between a first side plate 217 and a second plate (not shown).
• Conveyor 202 has a conveyor belt 208
• conveyor 205 has a conveyor belt 209.
• the conveyor belts 208 and 209 may have striations or fingers on them, allowing the moving belts to grip the cut tobacco.
• the receiving hopper 215 receives cut tobacco from the discharge opening 115 of the input hopper 100 described above. As an inward side 213 of conveyor 202 and an inward side 214 of conveyor 205 move downward, cut tobacco is received from the receiving hopper 215, compressed by conveyors 202 and 205, and ultimately transferred to a compressor device 250.
• the tobacco compressing device 250 illustrated in FIG. 3B has a first compression plate 251 and a second compression plate 252, which define generally a compression cone 253.
• the first compression plate 251 is slideably mounted in the tobacco compressing device 250 to allow it to move toward the second compression plate 252.
• the first compression plate 251 has a first end 254 and a second end 255, the second end defining a semi-circular compression cavity 256 having a top edge 257.
• a pneumatic cylinder 261 having a piston rod 262 may be mounted to a frame (not shown), with the piston rod 262 of the pneumatic cylinder 261 communicating with the first end 254 of the first compression plate 251, thereby slideably operating the first compression plate 251 towards and away from the second compression plate 252.
• the downwardly moving inner sides 213 and 214 of conveyors 202 and 205 partially compress cut tobacco and deliver it to the compression cavity 253.
• the conveyors 202 and 205 run for a period of time to deliver an amount of cut tobacco into the compression cavity 253, and then stop.
• the amount of tobacco that is delivered into the compression cavity 253 may be within a predetermined range, with the exact amount being established by the operator of the machine depending on individual preferences, which may include, among other things, the operator's preferred "draw" of the cigarette.
• the piston 261 pushes the first compression plate 251, by way of piston rod 262, toward the second compression plate 252, further compressing the tobacco in the tobacco cavity 253.
• FIG. 5 A illustrates an embodiment of a guide head 370.
• the guide head 370 has a distal end 371 and a proximal end 372 and is sized to fit within the inside diameter 353 of the filling tube 350.
• the proximal end 372 of the guide head 370 has fastening means 373 for attaching the guide head 370 to a pin 374 having a complimentary fastening means 375.
• the fastening means 374 and 375 can be a threaded connection, a press fit, or other methods known to those of ordinary skill in the art.
• the guide head 370 and the pin 374 may be fabricated form a single piece of material.
• the distal end 371 of the guide head 370 has a substantially conical head 376.
• FIG. 5B illustrates an embodiment of a pin 362 with guide head 363 in which the outside diameters of the pin 362 and the guide head 363 are equal to or less then the inside diameter 353 of the filling tube 350.
• the guide head 363 does not need to collapse to pass through the filling tube 350.
• a filling tube holder 400 comprising a drum 401 having a first end 402 and a second end 403.
• the first end 402 of the drum 401 has a plurality of holes 404 and 405 for receiving a plurality of filling tubes 350.
• Other holes (not shown) for receiving filling tubes may also be disposed on the first end 402 of the drum 401.
• filling tube 350 and the features in the drum 401 associated with filling tube 350 will typically be mounted in a similar manner, and the drum typically will have similar features for each of the other filling tubes.
• One method of attaching a filling tube 350 to a drum 401 is a clamping device 408 against the shoulder 355 on a first end 351 of the filling tube 350.
• other means for attaching the filling tubes to a filling tube holder may be used.
• the filling tubes and the plurality of holes in the holder for receiving the filling tubes may be threaded.
• other methods instead of a drum may be used for holding a plurality of tubes, for instance, the filling tubes may be mounted on a plate or on a belt.
• FIG. 6B is a partial section view of the drum 401 having the filling tube 350 into which the guide head 370, typically attached to a pin 374 (not shown), is passing.
• the filling tube 350 squeezes the guide head 370, thereby collapsing guide head 370 and allowing the largest diameter 377 of the guide head 370 to be less than the inside diameter 353 of the filling tube 350.
• FIG. 6C is a partial section view of the drum 401 having the filling tube 350 through which the conical head 376 of the guide head 370, typically attached to a pin 374 (not shown), has passed.
• the conical head 376, having passed through the guide tube 350, can be observed in its relaxed state with the large diameter 377 of the guide head 370 now equal to or greater than the outside diameter 354 of the filling tube 350.
• FIG. 6D illustrates a cigarette blank being loaded onto the filling tube 350.
• the conical head 376 extends beyond the filling tube 350.
• a loading pin (not shown) induces a force on the filter end 426 of a cigarette blank 425, causing the cigarette blank 425 to move toward the conical head 376 of the guide head 370.
• an open end 427 of the cigarette blank 425 has been damaged, resulting in the normal circular shape of the end of the cigarette blank 425 becoming oblong.
• the smaller diameter 412 of the conical hole 411 in the drum 401 will operate to return the oblong open end 427 of the cigarette blank 425 to a more circular shape.
• the cigarette blank 425 continues through the conical hole 411, over the conical head 376, and then onto the filling tube 350.
• FIG. 6E is similar to FIG. 6D, with the exception that the cigarette blank 425 has been fully inserted on the filling tube 350 by a cigarette blank insertion pin 504 (FIG. 1). Thereafter, the guide head 370 is removed from the filling tube 350 by withdrawing it out through the first end 351 of the filling tube 350. The filling tube 350 and cigarette blank 425 are then ready to receive the tobacco plug 265 prepared by the previously discussed compressing device 250.
• FIG. 6F is similar to FIG. 6E, with the additional step of removing the guide head (not shown) and inserting the tobacco plug 265.
• a sensor 601 (FIG. 1) determines whether a cigarette blank 425 is present and properly loaded onto a filling tube 350 before a tobacco plug 265 is injected into the filling tube 350. After confirming that a filling tube 350 is ready to receive a tobacco plug, an injection pin 501 pushes a tobacco plug 265 out of the compression chamber and into the filling tube 350. Thereafter, the injection pin 501 is withdrawn.
• FIG. 6G illustrates an ejecting pin 503 (FIG.
• FIG. 6H depicts the removal of a rejected cigarette tube from a filling tube.
• FIG. 6H illustrates a rejection pin 502 forcing a damaged cigarette blank 428 off of the filling tube 350 toward a collection mechanism 510 (FIG. 1).
• the rejection pin 502 is hollow, and pressurized air may be introduced into the rejection pin 502 during the rejection process. Pressurized air escaping from the forward end 511 of rejection pin 502 further facilitates removal of the cigarette blank 428 by blowing air against the rejected cigarette blank 428.
• the collection mechanism 510 such as a vacuum, collects the rejected cigarette blank 428.
• the cartridge 310 may hold a plurality of cigarettes, e.g., about 200 cigarette tubes.
• the cartridge is of a size so that a user may set an entire carton of cigarette blanks (200 cigarette blanks) into the cartridge without removing the cigarette blanks from the box before loading.
• the cartridge may also be of a size to hold a carton of 100 cigarette blanks.
• a block may be used to take up the extra space in the cartridge.
• FIG. 8 illustrates a perspective view of the cigarette blank separation device 300 having received cartridge 310. Also visible is the sensing mechanism 601 and the collection mechanism 510 for collecting a rejected cigarette blank (not shown).
• a cross bar 336 ties the first side plate 331 to the second side plate (not shown).
• the cross bar 336 has a cartridge tab receiving area 337 for receiving the mounting tab 320 disposed on the second end wall 312 of the cartridge box 321.
• the first side plate 331 has an upper end 332 that is pivotally mounted at a pivot point 338 adjacent to the upper end 328 of the base plate 326.
• a portion 335 of the first side plate 331 rides on an eccentric cam 333 that rotates about a camshaft 334.
• FIG. 9 depicts the first side plate 331 and the cigarette blank loading cartridge 310 in a down position, the position in which a user would insert a cigarette blank loading cartridge 310 containing a plurality of cigarette blanks.
• the first side plate 331 and opposing second side plate pivot about pivot point 338, thereby resulting in the lower end 339 of the first side plate 331 and the lower end of the second side plate moving along an upward arc 340.
• the cross bar 336 being affixed between the first side plate 331 and the second side plate, moves upward.
• the cartridge box 321 also moves upward, because the mounting tab 320 of the cigarette blank loading cartridge 310 has been received in the cartridge tab receiving area 337 of the cross bar 336.
• FIG. 10 is a partial section view of the cigarette blank separation device 300 with the cartridge box 310, the first side plate 331 and the second side plate (not shown) in the elevated position.
• the lower end 327 of the base plate 326 abuts a shaking assembly 380.
• the shaking assembly 380 has a shaking plate 381 pivotably mounted at a top end 383 to a frame 382.
• the shaking plate 381 may be shook by a variety of methods, and one method of shaking the plate is by an eccentric cam 384. In operation, the rotation of the eccentric cam pivots the plate about the top end 383 of the shaking plate 381, thereby shaking a plurality of cigarette blanks 390.
• the lower end 385 of the shaking plate 381 is at a sufficient distance above the base plate 326 to allow a lowest plurality of cigarette blanks 396 to pass between the base plate 326 and the lower end 385 of the shaking plate 381.
• the plurality of cigarette blanks 390 has a first row 387, a second row 388 and upper rows 389.
• the base plate 326 has a retainer 391 for maintaining the position of the cigarette blanks once they move to the lower end 392 of the retainer 391.
• the retainer may be a step, fingers, or other item used to retain the position of the cigarette blanks.
• the shaking plate breaks up the pyramidal structure 393 that ordinarily forms between successive rows of cigarettes. Additionally, the retainer 391 keeps the lower plurality of cigarette blanks 396 from moving toward the upper end 328 of the base plate 326, furthering the shaker's effectiveness in breaking the pyramidal structure 393.
• the cigarette blank loading area 394 has in it a cigarette blank 395 ready to be loaded onto a filling tube 350 as depicted in FIG. 6D and FIG. 6E.
• a cigarette blank loading pin 504 pushes the cigarette blank 395 out of the cigarette blank loading area 394, the lowest plurality of cigarette blanks 396 advance forward, moving another cigarette blank into the cigarette blank loading area 394.
• FIG. 1 illustrates the general operation of the cigarette making apparatus.
• the cigarette blank separating device 300 separates a cigarette blank 395 from the plurality of tubes in the cartridge 310, allowing a cigarette blank to flow into the loading area 394 as shown in FIG. 10.
• a filling tube 350 with a portion of the guide head 370 extending beyond the second end 352 of the filling tube 350 (FIG. 6C) mounted on a drum 401 is axially aligned with the cigarette blank 395.
• a cigarette blank loading pin 504 pushes the cigarette blank onto the filling tube 350, and the guide head 370 is withdrawn from the filling tube 350 (as addressed in the discussion regarding FIG. 6D and FIG. 6E).
• the drum 401 then indexes forward in the direction shown by arrow 602.
• a sensor 601 ensures that a cigarette blank is loaded properly. If the sensor finds a tube properly loaded, then an injection rod 501 injects a previously compressed tobacco plug 295 into the filling tube 350 (as discussed above regarding FIG. 6F). If the sensor 601 finds an improperly loaded tube, then the cigarette making apparatus skips the tobacco plug injection process, and the drum 401 continues to index forward in the direction of arrow 602.
• the drum 401 continues to index forward in the direction of arrow 602, whereupon the filling tube 350 will arrive at a completed cigarette ejection position 604. Once there, an ejection rod 503 will eject the completed cigarette from the filling tube 350, as shown in FIG. 6G. The completed cigarettes may then fall into a collection device (not shown), where they may be retrieved by the operator.
• the plurality of filling tubes on the drum 401 allows the above steps to take place concurrently. For instance, a cigarette blank may be inserted on a filling tube at the same time a tobacco plug is being injected into another filling tube, which may be occurring at the same time a completed cigarette is being rejected from a filling tube, which may be occurring at the same time an improperly loaded cigarette blank is being rejected. Additionally, the tobacco conveying and compressing and the cigarette blank separating may also be occurring concurrently with the above steps.
• a first end 720 of the hollow tube 702 is affixed to the collar 704 of the spring shaft 703, and a second end 733 of the hollow tube 702 receives the guide head 701.
• An internal bore 719 of the spring shaft 703 communicates with a hollow central portion 721 of the hollow tube 702.
• a pin 707 has a first end 715 that is affixed to a back end 718 of the body 706. The pin 707 passes through the internal bore 719 of the spring shaft 703, through the hollow tube 702, and terminates in the guide head 701. Friction reduction members 722 and 723 may be disposed in the internal bore 719 of the spring shaft 703 to guide the pin 707.
• FIG. 13 illustrates the conical head portion 725 of the guide head 701 having passed through the second end 352 of the filling tube 350 with the pin 707 in the extended position.
• FIG. 13 shows the distal end of the expandable head system 700 enlarged to illustrate detail.
• the second end 724 of the pin 707 has passed into the internal cavity 727 of the conical head portion 725, thereby expanding the conical head portion 725 to a diameter 729 that is typically greater than the inside diameter 353 of the filling tube 350, and more typically is greater than the outside diameter 354 of the filling tube 350.
• the conical head portion 725 is positioned to receive and guide a cigarette blank onto the filling tube.
• the guide head 701 is passed through the filling tube until the conical head portion 725 passes through the second end 352 of the filling tube 350, at which time means for stopping the spring shaft 703 acts to stop the forward movement of the spring shaft 703, the hollow tube 702, and the guide head 701. Thereafter, the body 706 continues to move forward a distance 730 to extend the second end 724 of the pin 707 into the internal cavity 727 of the conical head portion 725, thereby expanding the conical head portion 725 of the guide head 701. A cigarette blank may then be inserted over the conical head portion 725 and onto the filling tube 350.

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• Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
• Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)

Applications Claiming Priority (3)

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• 2010
  • 2010-07-15 MX MX2012000773A patent/MX2012000773A/es not_active Application Discontinuation
  • 2010-07-15 NZ NZ598180A patent/NZ598180A/en not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-07-15 WO PCT/US2010/042124 patent/WO2011008945A2/en not_active Ceased
  • 2010-07-15 KR KR1020127003988A patent/KR20120038497A/ko not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-07-15 BR BRBR112012000980-0A patent/BR112012000980A2/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2010-07-15 EP EP10800533A patent/EP2453767A2/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2010-07-15 JP JP2012520777A patent/JP5680076B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
• 2012
  • 2012-01-13 CL CL2012000125A patent/CL2012000125A1/es unknown
  • 2012-01-15 IL IL217545A patent/IL217545A0/en unknown

Non-Patent Citations (1)

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