EP2705764A2 - System, tobacco transmitter apparatus and method for conveying moist chopped tobacco material - Google Patents

Abstract

The system (1) has tobacco end devices (10.1-10.3) and tobacco receivers (14.1-14.3) connected together by pressure tight tobacco conveyer tubes (12.1-12.3). A closure element is controlled by a control device, and connection of the tobacco end devices is lockable by the conveyer tubes. The control device is formed to close the closure element to establish low pressure in the conveyor tubes and to open the closure element to produce tobacco material through the tobacco conveying tubes after successful development of the low pressure. Independent claims are also included for the following: (1) a tobacco end device (2) a method for conveying shredded tobacco material.

Description

The invention relates to a system for conveying comminuted tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, a tobacco dispenser and a method for conveying comminuted tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more.

By shredded tobacco material with a moisture content of 35% or more is meant in the context of the present application, in particular a ground or cut tobacco with a high moisture content.

As a tobacco material thus ground or cut tobacco and possibly additives come into question. The cut length is so short that the cut moist tobacco material has a similar consistency as ground moist tobacco material. Such a moist ground or cut tobacco material Among other things, it is offered as so-called SNUS tobacco or smokeless tobacco and is used orally, ie in the oral cavity. SNUS tobacco has a moisture content of about 35% to 50% or more and is a fine-grained, lumpy substance that is similar in consistency to wet coffee grounds.

For consumption, SNUS tobacco is in some cases flavored with, for example, menthol, sal ammoniac or other flavoring agents, and is packaged in portions of 0.5 to 2 grams in so-called SNUS bags. This is a porous paper, the so-called "pouch", which is completely sealed, but permeable to water and releases the ingredients of the "pouch" in the mouth and the mucous membranes of the mouth. The most common portion size is about one gram per serving. After consuming the "pouch" this is taken out of the mouth and disposed of.

Like moist coffee grounds, the moist, shredded tobacco material of SNUS tobacco clumps, which requires special processing methods. Thus, the machines used to manufacture the SNUS pouches have hitherto been fed by hand with the shredded, moist tobacco material which has previously been kept refrigerated in containers in large refrigerated spaces. The containers in which the moist, shredded tobacco material is stored, are covered so that the moisture of the tobacco material does not escape. During transport to the portioning machines, care must be taken to ensure that the material does not dry out and heats up as little as possible.

This procedure is very complicated. Due to the noise generated during the production of the SNUS bags and the intensive odor load caused by the shredded moist tobacco material This approach also places a heavy burden on the workers performing this manual loading of the portioning devices.

Automated transport of the wet, shredded tobacco material is currently not taking place, because this material, due to its heavy, lumpy consistency, is not suitable for automated transport by conventional means such as pneumatic conveying, such as with dry, larger surface tobacco material such as is used for cigarettes, for example, is known. This material offers the continuous air flow in a pneumatic conveying system a large attack surface, so that this dry tobacco material is also conveyed pneumatically. A corresponding system for pneumatic conveying of dry tobacco, which is not very finely crushed, is for example out WO 97/33490 A1 known. For wet SNUS tobacco, however, this system is not suitable for the reason that the continuously conveyed air in such a pneumatic system becomes very warm, so that the desired moisture of the SNUS tobacco would disappear on the conveying path. Therefore, that is in WO 97/33490 A1 shown pneumatic conveying system for wet, shredded tobacco material generally not suitable.

In contrast, the present invention has the object to provide a system, system components and a method for conveying moist, shredded tobacco material available, with which the consistency of the wet tobacco material is maintained and an automatic promotion is possible without heavy burden on people.

This object is achieved by a system for conveying comminuted tobacco material with a moisture content of 35% or More, comprising at least one tobacco end device and at least one tobacco receiving device, which are interconnected by means of at least one pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube, a control device and a controllable by the control device closure element, by means of which a connection of the tobacco end device to the tobacco conveyor tube is closable, and an air suction device, by means of which a negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe is producible, wherein the control device is designed to close the closure element to build up negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe and to open after the build-up of negative pressure for conveying tobacco material through the tobacco conveying pipe.

The invention is based on the basic idea that a conveyor system for shredded tobacco material with a high moisture content provides a cyclically intermittent delivery of the moist, shredded tobacco material. For this purpose, one or more Tabaksendevorrichtungen and one or more tobacco receiving devices are provided, which are interconnected by means of one or more pressure-tight tobacco delivery tubes. As long as the connection to the tobacco-dispensing device is closed, a negative pressure is built up in the tobacco-conveying tubes, for example between 100 hPa and 300 hPa, with no air flow occurring in the tobacco-conveying tube except for the air suction. After reaching a preset or presettable negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe, the connection to the tobacco sending device is opened, so that wet, shredded tobacco material is sucked into the vacuum-loaded tobacco conveying tube and transported therethrough. In the pressure equalization adjusts an air flow, which is directed by the tobacco end device in the direction of the tobacco receiving device. Because it is not a circulating airflow, as in others pneumatic conveying systems, this air flow is not heated, but corresponds to the ambient air, so that drying out of the moist tobacco material is effectively prevented.

It has been found that with each cycle of intermittent pressure equalization, the tobacco material can travel a distance of several meters within the tobacco conveying tube, with very little material adhering and remaining to the tobacco conveying tube wall. The loss of tobacco material is thus minimal. This is also related to the intermittent mode of operation which minimizes agglomeration of material on the pipe wall by pressure surges and air ripples.

Preferably, by means of the control device and the Laufabsaugvorrichtung cyclically alternately with a sealed connection between the tobacco dispenser and tobacco conveyor tube, the negative pressure in the tobacco conveyor tube generated and after reaching a preset or presettable negative pressure in the tobacco conveyor tube when opening the connection to the tobacco end delivery device, a pressure compensation with an air flow thrust to the tobacco receiving device can be generated. Thus, the preferred intermittent operation of the system is ensured by the control device and the Luftabsaugvorrichtung.

The tobacco conveying tube preferably has a, in particular controllable, auxiliary air inlet in the region of the tobacco sending device. This ensures a precisely determinable air flow in the pressure equalization cycle, regardless of the filling of the tobacco dispenser with wet tobacco.

Advantageously, the at least one tobacco receiving device has a pressure-tight sealable output. The pressure-tight lockable outlet also helps the system to adjust a negative pressure in the tobacco pipe.

In the tobacco receiving device, the wet, shredded tobacco material is separated from the air flow. This may be in the form of an air separator, for example a cyclone or a vacuum container, in which, for example, the tobacco material is pulled down by gravity while the air escapes in another direction, for example upwards.

Preferably, the at least one tobacco receiving device is part of a bag filling machine or for transferring received tobacco material to a bag filling machine at the bag filling machine and / or connected to the bag filling machine. Thus, the inventive system for conveying shredded, wet tobacco material is directly attached to a bagging machine that makes the commonly used sachets for, inter alia, SNUS tobacco, or part of the system is integrated into such a bag filling machine.

In an advantageous embodiment of the system according to the invention, a plurality of tobacco dispensing devices is connected to a plurality of tobacco receiving devices via a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes, or at least one tobacco dispensing device is connected to a plurality of tobacco receiving devices via a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes, in particular via a switch. In the first alternative, it is possible to convey different types of moist and shredded tobacco material parallel to each other and to fill in sachets in separate bag filling machines. In the second alternative, a plurality of tobacco receiving devices may be charged from a large tobacco dispenser.

For filling the tobacco end device or tobacco end devices it is preferably provided that an operator pedestal for manual filling is arranged on the tobacco end device and / or a lifting column trolley combination. The operator pedestal allows manual filling in which an operator, the operator, manually feeds the tobacco dispenser with the wet, shredded tobacco material. In the variant with lifting column trolley combination, this can be supported by mechanical and motorized means such as lifting columns and trolleys, which can also be automated.

To prevent adhesion of tobacco material of the consistency of wet coffee grounds, further effort can be driven. Thus, the components, and in particular the tobacco conveying tube, may consist of a brightly polished stainless steel, for example V4A stainless steel, which may be an austenitic stainless steel. This has very little affinity for attachment. The surfaces are preferably electropolished, therefore particularly smooth and bumpless.

In an advantageous development, a flushing system is included, by means of which the at least one tobacco end device and / or the at least one tobacco conveying tube and / or the at least one tobacco receiving device can be flushed, the flushing system having a flushing liquid inlet and a flushing liquid outlet or flushing line, wherein spray nozzles, in particular 360 ° CIP nozzles are arranged or can be introduced in the tobacco dispenser and / or in the tobacco receiving device, wherein in particular further comprises a pipe cleaning plug for pipe cleaning and / or pipe drying and / or an electrically driven blower for drying is or are included. CIP nozzles (Clean-In-Place nozzles) are able to spray rinsing liquid, in particular warm water, in all directions to effectively clean an interior space. These spray nozzles allow automatic cleaning of the system. In this case, the spray nozzles in the tobacco or the tobacco end device (s) and / or in the or the tobacco receiving station (s) may be arranged.

In order to remove the rinsing liquid again after rinsing, it is preferably provided that the tobacco receiving device can be connected or connectable to a rinsing line which can be acted upon by a negative pressure for the purpose of suctioning out rinsing liquid. As a result, the rinsing liquid is sucked out of the system and brought, for example, in a mobile container for the extracted rinsing liquid. The suction can also be done separately from the tobacco dispenser and the tobacco receiving device.

In addition, an electric blower can be used as a hair dryer to complete a cleaning process.

The object underlying the invention is also achieved by a tobacco end device, in particular for a previously described inventive system, for conveying shredded tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, wherein a gravitationally tapered funnel-shaped container is included, from above can be fed with tobacco material, wherein in the container a Rührwerkstraverse is arranged with scrapers, which are directed against a funnel wall of the container, the container having at its lower end at least one tobacco outlet for connecting a pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube, in particular the scraper hinged to the Rührwerkstraverse below are arranged at an angle to the funnel wall, so that the scrapers when stirring by the resistance of the Tobacco material are pressed to the funnel wall.

This tobacco dispenser according to the invention is suitable for vorzuvereinzeln the wet, shredded tobacco material with its coffee grounds similar consistency by the tobacco material is stirred by scrapers and transported further and in particular is scraped off the funnel wall. Pulled by gravity, the tobacco material falls down in the direction of the connected tobacco conveyor tube.

Preferably, a sieve or a perforated plate is arranged in a lower part of the container and arranged the Rührwerkstraverse with the scrapers above the screen or the perforated plate, wherein at least one scraper of Rührwerkstraverse is directed against the sieve or the perforated plate, in particular the scraper hinged to the Agitator is arranged at an angle to the screen or the perforated plate, so that the scraper is pressed during stirring by the resistance of the tobacco material to the sieve or the perforated plate. The combination of a scraper on a perforated plate or a sieve causes even more effective preliminary separation of the coffee grounds tobacco material, so that the tobacco material trickles after crossing the sieve or the perforated plate in already strongly isolated form in the direction of the tobacco conveyor tube and is effectively entrained by the intermittent air flow ,

The scrapers may for example consist of polyethylene.

In the tobacco dispenser according to the invention are preferably for cleaning the container spray nozzles, in particular 360 ° CIP nozzles, under a, in particular removable, lid arranged. Thus, the tobacco end device is easy to clean.

• die Verbindung zwischen Tabakauslass der Tabaksendevorrichtung und Tabakförderrohr wird geschlossen und im Tabakförderrohr ein Unterdruck erzeugt,
• nach Erreichen eines vorbestimmten oder vorbestimmbaren Unterdrucks in dem Tabakförderrohr wird die Verbindung zwischen Tabakauslass und Tabakförderrohr geöffnet, wodurch Tabakmaterial durch das Tabakförderrohr gesaugt wird, insbesondere unter Zuführung von Nebenluft in das Tabakförderrohr.

The object underlying the invention is also achieved by a method for conveying comminuted tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, in particular in a system according to the invention described above, wherein the tobacco material in at least one tobacco end device to at least one with at least one pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube , the connection is controlled closed and the at least one tobacco conveying tube is further connected to at least one tobacco receiving device, wherein cyclically alternately the following method steps are carried out:

• the connection between the tobacco outlet of the tobacco-dispensing device and the tobacco-conveying tube is closed and a negative pressure is created in the tobacco-conveying tube,
• after reaching a predetermined or predeterminable negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe, the connection between the tobacco outlet and the tobacco conveying pipe is opened, whereby tobacco material is sucked through the tobacco conveying pipe, in particular by supplying secondary air into the tobacco conveying pipe.

This method according to the invention involves the cyclic alternation of generating negative pressure in the tobacco conveying tube and after reaching the desired negative pressure of a few hundred hPa below the ambient air pressure to establish a pressure equalization the opening of the connection between the tobacco dispenser and tobacco conveyor tube, whereby a compensating air suction, the tobacco material is created during pressure equalization in the tobacco conveyor tube from the tobacco dispenser in the tobacco conveyor tube in the direction entraining the tobacco receiving device. This also applies to the case where there are several tobacco-sending devices and / or several tobacco-receiving devices with corresponding tobacco-conveying tubes, for each tobacco-conveying tube individually.

Preferably, the tobacco material in the tobacco dispenser is loosened and / or singulated so far that it is entrained in one or more cycles of suction air in the tobacco conveying tube to the tobacco receiving device.

When the tobacco material sucked through the tobacco conveying tube to the tobacco receiving device is conveyed to a bag filling machine, the conveying method for the crushed wet tobacco material according to the present invention is directly connected to the filling into sachets.

Advantageously, a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes can be operated independently of one another, or, in particular if there is only a small capacity for generating negative pressures, only one of a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes is opened to a tobacco sending device in each case. The first case assumes that the tobacco tubes are actually operated independently of each other and, for example, each have an air suction device available, while in the second case, for example, a Luftabsaugvorrichtung is used for air extraction in several different tobacco tubes. In the latter case, the measure of opening only one connection to a tobacco end device in each case ensures that the air suction device is used in each case only according to its capacity.

The features referred to the individual subject matters, ie the system, the tobacco-dispensing device and in the method, Properties and advantages also apply to the respective other subjects of the invention, since they relate to each other.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments according to the invention together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention may satisfy individual features or a combination of several features.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines weiteren erfindungsgemäßen Systems,

Fig. 3

eine schematische Darstellung von Komponenten eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems,

Fig. 4

eine schematische Darstellung der Komponenten eines erfindungsgemäßen Systems während einer Reinigung,

Fig. 5

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung durch eine erfindungsgemäße Tabaksendevorrichtung,

Fig. 6-8

schematische Darstellungen von Details der erfindungsgemäßen Tabaksendevorrichtung gemäß Fig. 5 und

Fig. 9

eine schematische Querschnittsdarstellung sowie Detaildarstellungen einer Tabakempfangsvorrichtung gemäß der Erfindung.

The invention will be described below without limiting the general inventive idea by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings, reference being expressly made to the drawings with respect to all in the text unspecified details of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic representation of a system according to the invention,

Fig. 2

a schematic representation of another system according to the invention,

Fig. 3

a schematic representation of components of a system according to the invention,

Fig. 4

a schematic representation of the components of a system according to the invention during a cleaning,

Fig. 5

a schematic cross-sectional view through a tobacco end device according to the invention,

Fig. 6-8

schematic representations of details of the tobacco end device according to the invention according to Fig. 5 and

Fig. 9

a schematic cross-sectional view and detailed views of a tobacco receiving device according to the invention.

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 first variant of a system according to the invention for conveying moist comminuted tobacco material is shown. This system comprises three tobacco dispensers 10.1 to 10.3, each having a funnel-shaped container that tapers downwardly. Each of the tobacco dispensing devices 10.1 to 10.3 is connected to a respective tobacco conveying tube 12.1 to 12.3, which are guided in parallel over a distance. The three tobacco conveying pipes 12.1 to 12.3 are divided downstream and run to tobacco receiving devices 14.1 to 14.3, each of which is followed by a bag filling machine 16.1 to 16.3.

The Tabaksendevorrichtungen 10.1 to 10.3 are fed with wet shredded tobacco material, promote this towards the tobacco conveying pipes 12.1 to 12.3, through which they are conveyed to the tobacco receiving devices 14.1 to 14.3 by intermittent cyclic air ruptures, which prevent recapping of the tobacco material. The piping of the system 1 may be several tens of meters, for example up to 50 or 100 meters long.

To fill the Tabaksendevorrichtungen 10.1 to 10.3 are two different ways in Fig. 1 shown. For a manual Filling is available to an operator an operator pedestal 18, which provides him access to the top of Tabaksendevorrichtungen 10.1 to 10.3. For machine-assisted or automatic filling, a system of a trolley 19 mounted on a lifting column 20 is provided. The trolley 19 can be filled with tobacco and raised with the lifting column 20, wherein the trolley 19 is then emptied into the respective tobacco end device 10.1 to 10.3.

An alternative system 2 is in Fig. 2 shown. Here, a large tobacco-dispensing device 11 supplies three tobacco-receiving receiving devices 14.1 to 14.3 via three tobacco-conveying tubes 12.1 to 12.3, which can be configured as the tobacco-sending devices 14.1 to 14.3 and subsequently supplied with three bag filling machines 16.1 to 16.3.

The tobacco conveying tubes 12.1 to 12.3 are guided parallel to a switch 13, in the switch 13 they then branch off to the various tobacco receiving devices 14.1 to 14.3 and bag filling machines 16.1 to 16.3. This system allows a large-volume feed of several tobacco receiving devices 14.1 to 14.3 from a single tobacco end device 11, while the system 1 of Fig. 1 For example, the promotion of different varieties of tobacco material allows.

In Fig. 3 Further details of a system 1 are shown. On a lower floor level, a hall floor 5, a tobacco dispenser 10 is positioned, which has a funnel-shaped container 30 which is placed on a tripod frame 31. On its upper side, the funnel-shaped container 30 has a lid 32 and a stirrer drive 34. The stirrer is in Fig. 3 not shown.

At its lower end, the funnel-shaped container 30 merges into a tobacco outlet 36, which is connected via a controllable valve 38 to a tobacco conveying tube 12. The conveying direction is shown with arrows in the tobacco conveying pipe 12. The tobacco conveying pipe 12 terminates at a tobacco receiving device 14 which is mounted on a machine roof or a machine roof level 6. The tobacco receiving device 14 is designed in the form of a vacuum container 22 in which the tobacco material enters via a connecting piece for the tobacco conveying tube in a peripheral or tangential and slightly inclined manner. At the bottom of an outlet not shown in detail is arranged, through which the received tobacco material exits and passes to a bag filling machine, not shown. At the top of a vacuum line 26 sets, which is fed by a vacuum pump 24. Through the vacuum line 26, a negative pressure is generated by means of the vacuum pump 24 in the vacuum container 22 and in the tobacco conveying pipe 12 when the controllable valve 38 is closed. After reaching the desired negative pressure, the valve 38 is opened, the vacuum pump 24 can stop generating the negative pressure and by balancing the negative pressure creates an air flow from the tobacco outlet 36 of the tobacco dispenser 10 through the tobacco conveyor tube 12 into the vacuum container 22, by the reception of the Tobacco falls down and the air escapes.

Fig. 4 shows the system 1 according to Fig. 3 during a rinse. In this case, a rinsing liquid, for example, warm water, is introduced through 360 ° CIP nozzles 40 into both the funnel-shaped container of the tobacco sending apparatus 10, thereby rinsing its funnel walls, and into the vacuum container 22. The rinsing liquid collects in the funnel-shaped container 30 After flushing is completed, the vacuum pump 24, the via a vacuum line 28 and a valve 29 is now connected to a mobile wastewater tank 42, employed in the mobile wastewater tank 42 generates a negative pressure and via a purge line 44, which is connected to the lower end of the vacuum container 22, the flushing liquid aspirated, including the rinsing liquid that has accumulated in the tobacco sending device 10. This can also be sucked through the tobacco conveyor tube 12, which is cleaned at the same time. In addition to this, a mechanical cleaning of the tobacco conveying pipe by means of a pipe cleaning plug can be done. For drying, an electrically driven blower can be used.

In Fig. 5 the funnel-shaped container 30 of the tobacco end device 10 is shown in cross-section. The funnel wall 33 extends from the top wide down to close. In the funnel-shaped container 30 also a stirring beam 130 is arranged, which has a central axis 131 around which the stirring beam 130 rotates. From the central axis 131, upper cantilever arms 132 and lower cantilever arms 133 branch off, holding the doctor beams 135, 136. The doctor carriers 135, 136 are rods whose inclination corresponds to the inclination of the funnel wall 33, and arranged at a defined distance from the funnel wall 33. Each of these scraper carriers 135, 136 carries a plurality of wall scrapers 137, the task of which is to remove moist comminuted tobacco material from the funnel wall 33 and allow it to trickle downwards.

The stirring beam 130 has at its lower end a closure piece 134 which is aligned perpendicular to the central axis 131, and at which also the scraper carrier 135, 136 end. This end piece 134 also has a scraper, namely a screen scraper 138, which has an L-shaped surface. This screen scraper 138 sets with its lower scraper edge on a Sieve 35, which separates the interior, which separates with the stirring beam 130 from a lower cavity 37, followed by the tobacco outlet 36. The sieve 35 can also be designed as a perforated plate.

The screen scraper 138 also has a shorter side piece which has a scraper edge scraping against the funnel wall 33. By the scraping action on the screen 35, the wet shredded tobacco material is separated and trickles through the screen 35, which may also be a perforated plate, in the direction of the tobacco outlet 36th

The arranged on the two scraper beams 135, 136 wall scrapers 137 are offset from each other and stroke together over the entire inner wall surface of the container 30. This is also off Fig. 5 refer to.

In Fig. 7 is the lower part according to Fig. 6 shown in a side cross-sectional view. At the end piece 134, which is designed as a square tube, there is a scraper holder 140, which is angled, wherein on the angled piece of screen scraper 138 is arranged, the scraper edge is also shown. By the pressure exerted by the resistance of the tobacco material, the scraper edge is pressed against the screen 35. Two screen scrapers 138 can also be arranged on the two sides of the end piece 134.

In Fig. 8 FIG. 3 is a partial top plan view of a portion of the funnel wall 33, together with a cross-section through a scraper carrier 135 on which a scraper holder 139 with a wall scraper 137 is disposed. The scraper holder 139 has an axis that allows easy rotation of the wall scraper 137 about the axis. Through the through the tobacco material the pressure exerted as the rotation traverse 130 rotates, the wall scraper 137 is pressed against the inner wall of the funnel wall 33 in this case as well.

In Fig. 9a ) a tobacco receiving device 14 according to the invention is shown schematically in cross-section. This is a vacuum container 22 having an upper part 52 and a lower part 50, which are connected to one another at a connection point by means of a connecting ring and a sealing ring or connected. Below this connection point are a filter grid 68 and a perforated plate 70, which separate an upper subspace from a lower subspace. In the upper subspace is on the one hand a 360 ° CIP spray nozzle 40, which serves to clean the vacuum tank 22, and connections 60 for compressed air, 62 for rinsing liquid and 58 for suction.

As in Fig. 9b ) is shown in plan view, there is also a port 64 for a safety valve.

Im in Fig. 9a ) illustrated lower subspace of the vacuum vessel 22 opens peripherally and in a direction obliquely downward pointing a port 66 for a tobacco pipe. As the air tobacco material stream from port 66 enters the vacuum vessel 22 tangentially, it acts substantially like a cyclone.

At its lower end, the lower compartment is closed by a lock 72 with a gate valve 74, which is shown in a passage position and in a closed position one above the other. At any one time, only one of these two positions will be taken. The lock 74 is followed by a tobacco discharge funnel 76 through which received tobacco material to another station, such as a bag filling machine, is directed.

In Fig. 9b ), the peripheral or tangentially arranged port 66 for a tobacco conveyor tube is also clearly visible.

In Fig. 9c ) A perforated plate 70 is shown, which closes the upper part of the lower space of the vacuum chamber 22 and allows passage of air.

All mentioned features, including the drawings alone to be taken as well as individual features that are disclosed in combination with other features are considered alone and in combination as essential to the invention. Embodiments of the invention may be accomplished by individual features or a combination of several features.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1, 2 system 5 shop floor 6 Machinery roof level 10, 10.1 - 10.3 Tobacco end device 11 Tobacco end device 12, 12.1 - 12.3 Tobacco production tubing 13 switch 14, 14.1 - 14.3 Tobacco receiving device 16.1 - 16.3 Bag filling machine 18 Operator platform 19 Trolley 20 Lifting column 22 vacuum vessel 24 vacuum pump 26, 28 vacuum line 29 Valve 30 funnel-shaped container 31 tripod base 32 cover 33 hopper wall 34 Agitator 35 scree 36 tobacco outlet 37 lower cavity 38 controllable valve 40 360 ° spray nozzle -CIP 42 mobile wastewater tank 44 flushing line 50 lower part 52 top 54 connecting ring 56 sealing ring 58 Connection of suction air 60 Connection compressed air 62 Connection of rinsing fluid 64 safety valve 66 Connection of tobacco conveyor pipe 68 filter grid 70 perforated sheet 72 lock 74 lock switch 76 Tabakauslasstrichter 130 Rührtraverse 131 central axis 132 upper boom 133 lower boom 134 terminating piece 135, 136 scraper carrier 137 wall scraper 138 Siebschaber 139, 140 doctor holder

Claims (15)

A system (1, 2) for conveying comminuted tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, comprising at least one tobacco sending device (10, 10.1-10.3) and at least one tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1-14.3), which are conveyed by means of at least one pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube ( 12, 12.1 - 12.3) are interconnected, a control device and a controllable by the control device closure element (38), by means of which a connection of the tobacco sending device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) to the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) is closed, and a Air suction device (24), by means of which a negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) can be generated, wherein the control device is designed to close the closure element (38) to build up negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1-12.3) and after completed construction of negative pressure to promote of tobacco material through the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) to open. System (1, 2) according to claim 1, characterized in that by means of the control device and the air suction device (24) cyclically alternately with closed connection between tobacco sending device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) and tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) of the negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) can be generated and after reaching a preset or presettable negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) when opening the connection to the tobacco end device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) a pressure equalization with an air flow thrust to the tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) can be generated. System (1, 2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) in the region of the tobacco end device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) has a, in particular controllable, auxiliary air inlet. System (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the at least one tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) has a pressure-tight sealable output (76). System (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1-14.3) is part of a bag filling machine (16.1-16.3) or for transferring received tobacco material to a bag filling machine (16.1 - 16.3). 16.3) is arranged at the bag filling machine (16.1-16.3) and / or connected to the bag filling machine (16.1-16.3). System (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that a plurality of tobacco dispensing devices (10, 10.1 - 10.3) is included, which comprises a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes (12, 12.1 - 12.3) with a plurality of tobacco receiving devices (14.1 - 14.3) are connected or that at least one tobacco end device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) via several tobacco pipes (12, 12.1 - 12.3), in particular via a switch (13), with a plurality of tobacco receiving devices (14, 14.1 - 14.3) is connected , System (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that an operator platform (18) for manual filling at the tobacco end device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) is arranged and / or a lifting column trolley combination ( 19, 20). System (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that a flushing system is included, by means of which the at least one tobacco sending device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) and / or the at least one tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1 - 12.3) and / or the at least one tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1-14.3) are flushable, the flushing system having a rinsing liquid feed and a rinsing line (44), wherein spray nozzles, in particular 360 ° CIP nozzles (40), in the tobacco sending device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) and / or in the tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) are arranged or can be introduced, wherein in particular further comprises a pipe cleaning plug for pipe cleaning and / or pipe drying and / or an electrically driven blower for drying is or are, in particular for Suction of rinsing liquid, the tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) with a connected to a negative pressure flushing line (44) is connected or connectable. Tobacco-end device (10, 10.1 - 10.3), in particular for a system (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, for conveying shredded tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, characterized in that a tapering in the direction of gravity funnel-shaped Container (30) is provided, which can be fed from above with tobacco material, wherein in the container (30) a Rührwerkstraverse (130) with scrapers (137, 138) is arranged, which are directed against a funnel wall (33) of the container (30) wherein the container (30) at its lower end at least one tobacco outlet (36) for connecting a pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1-12.3), in particular the scraper (137) hinged to the Rührwerkstraverse (130) at an angle to the funnel wall (33) are arranged so that the scrapers (137) are pressed against the funnel wall (33) during stirring by the resistance of the tobacco material. Tobacco transmission device (10, 10.1-10.3) according to claim 9, characterized in that in a lower part of the container (30) a sieve (35) or a perforated plate is arranged and the agitator traverse (130) with the scrapers (137, 138) above the sieve (35) or the perforated plate is arranged, wherein at least one scraper (138) of the agitator traverse (130) is directed against the sieve (35) or the perforated plate, wherein in particular the scraper (138) hinged to the agitator traverse (130) below is arranged at an angle to the screen (35) or to the perforated plate, so that the scraper (138) is pressed against the sieve (35) or the perforated plate during stirring by the resistance of the tobacco material. Tobacco sending device (10, 10.1 - 10.3) according to claim 9 o-10, characterized in that for cleaning the container (30) spray nozzles, in particular 360 ° CIP nozzles (40), under a, in particular removable, lid (32). are arranged. A method for conveying comminuted tobacco material having a moisture content of 35% or more, in particular in a system (1, 2) according to one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the tobacco material in at least one tobacco end device (10, 10.1-10.3) at least one with at least one pressure-tight tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1 - 12.3) connected tobacco outlet (36) is conveyed, the connection is controlled closed and the at least one tobacco pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) further connected to at least one tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) is, wherein cyclically alternately the following process steps are carried out: the connection between the tobacco outlet (36) of the tobacco end device (10, 10.1-10.3) and the tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1-12.3) is closed and a negative pressure is created in the tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1-12.3), - After reaching a predetermined or predeterminable negative pressure in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3), the connection between tobacco outlet (36) and tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) is opened, whereby tobacco material through the tobacco conveying tube (12, 12.1 - 12.3) sucked is, in particular under supply of secondary air in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3). A method according to claim 12, characterized in that the tobacco material in the tobacco end device (10, 10.1-10.3) loosened and / or isolated so far that it in one or more cycles of suction air in the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) to the tobacco receiving device ( 14, 14.1 - 14.3) is carried along. A method according to claim 12 or 13, characterized in that the tobacco material which has been sucked through the tobacco conveying pipe (12, 12.1 - 12.3) to the tobacco receiving device (14, 14.1 - 14.3) is conveyed on to a bag filling machine (16.1-16.3). Method according to one of claims 12 to 14, characterized in that a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes (12, 12.1 - 12.3) are operated independently of each other, or that in each case only one of a plurality of tobacco conveying tubes (12, 12.1 - 12.3) to a tobacco end device (10, 10.1 - 12.3). 10.3) is opened.

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