EP2868211B1 - Portioning device for a machine for the tobacco industry - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a portioning device for a machine of the tobacco processing industry for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%. Moreover, the invention relates to a machine of the tobacco processing industry for processing wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%, comprising a portioning device. The invention further relates to a method for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%, and to a use of a portioning device in a machine of the tobacco processing industry. Portioning of moist tobacco material is out DE-1 486 045 known, wherein a tobacco portion is created, and this is then passed to the tobacco container.

The invention thus relates to the field of processing and portioning ground or cut moist tobacco material, whose moisture content is more than 35%. The cut length of the tobacco material may be chosen to be so short that the cut wet material has a similar consistency to ground tobacco material of similar moisture content. Such tobacco is known, inter alia, as SNUS tobacco or smokeless tobacco. In contrast to other types of tobacco, consumption of the moist tobacco material does not require combustion. It is consumed orally, ie in the oral cavity. Typical SNUS tobacco has a moisture content of about 35% to 50% or more and is a fine to lumpy substance.

Damp tobacco material is additionally flavored in some cases. Flavors, such as menthol or sal ammoniac, are added to the tobacco material. In particular, SNUS tobacco is sold in so-called SNUS pouches or as loose tobacco. While the SNUS pouches are small paper bags filled with wet tobacco or pouches of porous water-permeable material, loose SNUS tobacco is packed directly into cans. Particularly suitable are airtight closable cans, for example made of a durable plastic material.

For filling and portioning of loose moist or ground tobacco material usually vibrating troughs are used, with which the tobacco material is filled into the individual cans or reservoir and finally smeared. It is also common practice to load the tobacco material into the storage containers by means of a turntable. Another possibility is the use of a screw conveyor, in which the amount of tobacco provided for a single storage container takes place by rotation of the screw by a predetermined angle.

These known portioning methods work volume-controlled. Depending on the method, the dosing accuracy achievable ranges between +/- 5% and 20%.

In order to comply with the specified minimum filling quantities of the storage container within the permissible deviations, the setpoint set during filling is subjected to a safety value. In other words, the average filling weight is raised, so that it is ensured within the framework of the statistically occurring fluctuations that almost all storage containers are filled with a sufficiently large amount of tobacco material.

However, this has the disadvantage that an amount of tobacco material must be portioned, which is too large compared to the intended for the storage container nominal weight. This mark-up means a financial loss for the manufacturer of bulk-filled wet tobacco material.

Based on this prior art, it is the object of the present invention to provide an improved portioning device for a tobacco processing industry machine for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%, an improved tobacco processing industry machine having a portioning device to disclose an improved method for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% and an advantageous use of a portioning device.

The object is achieved by a portioning device for a machine of the tobacco processing industry for portioning moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% and arranged to portion tobacco material received from a supply device into storage containers, which is further characterized by a control unit, a dosing unit and a weighing cell, the control unit having a first Data connection with the dosing unit and is coupled via a second data link to the load cell, wherein the dosing unit is adapted to fill a predetermined portion of tobacco material in a storage container, wherein the dosing unit and the weighing cell are arranged to each other, that while the storage container by means of the metering unit is filled, a weight of the filled tobacco material is detected by the load cell and data relating to the detected weight are transmitted to the control unit via the first data connection, and wherein the control unit is additionally provided for this purpose is arranged, on the basis of the received data regarding the weight of the filled tobacco material via the second data connection to control the dosing unit so that a predetermined portion of tobacco material is filled into the storage container.

The invention is based on the idea that a volume-controlled portioning of moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% is less suitable, due to the consistency of the tobacco material, to fill an exact amount of tobacco material. If a certain weight of tobacco material is to be filled in this way, this is always associated with considerable inaccuracies in the dosage.

Due to the lumpy consistency of the tobacco material, it can not be ruled out that significant in a continuous volume flow Density variations of the tobacco material occur. In other words, the conveyed tobacco material has in areas where there are lumps, compared to the average density of the current increased and in other areas, in which form, for example, cavities, much lower density. Volume control necessarily requires a more or less constant density. Starting from a value for the average density, a volume to be dispensed can be calculated to the desired weight.

The mass of tobacco material metered as a result per storage container essentially depends on which position of the continuously conveyed tobacco material a transition from one storage container to the next takes place. For example, if a clumping in a first and a subsequent area filled with many cavities in a second storage container, so these two containers have significantly different filling weights.

In contrast to the conventional approaches for portioning moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of more than 35%, no volume-dependent portioning, but a weight-dependent portioning of the tobacco material is carried out according to the invention.

For this purpose, a storage container to be filled is positioned on a load cell while tobacco material is being filled. A weight of the tobacco material filled into the container, which is easily accessible at a self-weight of the storage container which is to be presupposed as known, is detected in particular continuously. If a predetermined setpoint is reached, the dosing unit is controlled by means of the control unit so that the Stopping process stopped and no more tobacco material is filled into the storage container.

It has been found that with such a portioning device a substantially increased dosing accuracy can be achieved compared to conventional devices and methods. The safety margins usually applied in the tobacco processing industry for the portioning of wet tobacco material for the nominal ratio per nominal ratio can be reduced or even eliminated altogether. This more accurate dosage offers the manufacturer of loosely packed moist tobacco material significant economic benefits.

The filling of the storage containers can be accelerated if the promotion of the storage containers and the filling of the tobacco material takes place in different levels, and is thus functionally separated. For this purpose, the portioning device advantageously comprises an extendable weighing cell platform comprising the weighing cell, which can be transported between a conveying plane in which storage containers, in particular on a continuously movable or moving conveyor belt, in the direction of the weighing cell platform, and a filling level in which the storage container is located. when tobacco material is filled, is movable.

According to an advantageous embodiment, the dosing unit comprises a filling sleeve and a pull blade, wherein the filling sleeve is adapted to receive tobacco material from the feed device, and the pull tab comprises a solid part and an opening provided with part, wherein in particular the pull sword between a first and a second position using a drive can be moved and wherein in the first position, the opening of the pull tab is aligned with the Befüllhülse, so that tobacco material can be filled into the storage container, and wherein in the second position, the filling is closed by the solid part of the pull tab on one side, so that the filling together with at least a portion of the solid part of the train sword forms a buffer for receiving tobacco material.

Moist tobacco material can advantageously be accumulated in the buffer before the pulling blade shifts with respect to the filling sleeve so far that the opening of the pulling blade is aligned with the filling sleeve and tobacco material is filled into the storage container arranged below. The supply of moist tobacco material in the filling is done regularly at a slower speed than a filling of the tobacco material in the storage container. By using a temporary storage, the filling process can be accelerated overall.

In order to achieve a clean filling of the lumpy wet tobacco material and comparable fill levels in the storage container, it is advantageous to compress the filled tobacco material. According to a further embodiment, the portioning device therefore comprises a compression unit which is adapted to compress the tobacco material filled into the storage container, the compression unit in particular comprising an extendable and further particularly rotatable compacting die, which in an extended position on the tobacco material filled in the storage container exerts a pressure, and wherein the compression unit comprises in particular an extendable stamping platform, which between a conveying plane, in which storage containers, in particular on a continuously movable or moving conveyor belt, are transportable, and a Abfüllebene, in which the storage container is arranged when tobacco material is filled into the storage container, is movable, wherein the compression ram is in particular adapted to exert pressure on the tobacco material in the extended position, when the storage container is arranged on the stamp platform, and wherein the extendable stamping platform is further arranged downstream of a weighing cell platform, in particular with respect to the continuously movable or moving conveyor belt.

While the tobacco material is compressed by means of the compaction punch, this is preferably on the stamp platform. The wet tobacco material tends to adhere to the compacting die during the compacting process. Nevertheless, in order to ensure that the amount of tobacco material previously determined with the aid of the weighing cell is present in the storage container, the rotatable compaction ram can be rotated at the end of the compacting process so that any adhering tobacco material separates from the compacting ram. In addition, a smoothly painted and visually attractive surface of the compacted tobacco material is achieved in this way.

In many cases, plastic storage containers are used, for example polypropylene (PP) or polycarbonate (PC). Plastic containers have many advantages, but their surface is sensitive to scratching. In order to prevent the storage container from being damaged during the filling process of the tobacco material, a centering sleeve is preferably provided which at least partially receives the storage container.

In particular, the portioning device comprises a centering sleeve, which is movable by means of a drive in the filling level, wherein the centering sleeve is adapted to at least partially receive the storage container.

In particular, the centering sleeve encloses an interior in which the storage container is at least partially accommodated. Thus, the storage container is protected during the filling process and can also be aligned with respect to the dosing unit and with respect to the compression unit.

The storage containers are typically supplied to the portioning device in a continuous stream, for example by means of a conveyor belt. In order nevertheless to enable a step-by-step individual filling of tobacco material into the storage containers, the portioning device comprises arresting means which stop or pass on the storage containers conveyed on the conveyor belt, in particular continuously movable or moving, the arresting means in particular as pairs in relation to a conveying direction of the conveyor belt opposite locking pins are formed, wherein the locking means further form in particular a separating unit, which is arranged in particular upstream of the or a weighing cell platform and wherein said separating unit comprises, in particular, pairwise alternately operating locking pins.

In other words, the locking pins are arranged in particular in a side region of the conveyor belt. This lateral arrangement is particularly advantageous when using round containers, for example round cans, as storage containers for the moist tobacco material. In an endless stream of such storage containers they touch each other in continuous promotion in one central area of the conveyor belt. In the side areas of the conveyor belt, however, free spaces between adjacent storage containers are present due to the geometry of the storage containers used. For separating the storage containers, the extendable locking pins can advantageously engage in these free spaces.

Between the particular continuously moving conveyor belt and the storage containers a certain amount of slippage is present. The storage containers are transported by the conveyor belt. When the flow of the storage containers is stopped, for example, by the locking means, the storage containers slide, at least in the meantime, on the conveyor belt, which in particular is continuously moving. If the locking means subsequently clear the way for the storage containers again, then the storage containers again follow the movement of the conveyor belt.

Wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% usually has a lumpy consistency. In order nevertheless to allow the most homogeneous possible filling of the tobacco material, a feed device may be included with a homogenization module of the portioning device, wherein the homogenization module comprises in particular a combination of a needle roller and a racket roller, and wherein the needle roller and the racket roller are arranged so that the Needle roller receives tobacco material and promotes to the racket roller, wherein the racket roller is adapted to ausschllagen tobacco material from the needle roller in the direction of the metering unit, in particular in the direction of the or a Befüllhülse.

Under a knocking of tobacco material from the needle roller In the context of this description, the knocking out of the tobacco material from the free spaces between the individual needles of the needle roller, in which the needle roller receives the tobacco material, is understood.

A combination of needle roller and racket roller for homogenizing wet ground or cut tobacco material has been found to be advantageous. In comparison with other systems in which the tobacco material is homogenized, for example with the aid of sieves, the combination of needle roller and racket roller is highly self-cleaning. Elaborate and closely carried out cleaning and maintenance cycles can be largely eliminated.

A suitable homogenization module is known from WO 2012/092 937 A1 known to the same applicant. The disclosure of the WO 2012/092937 A1 is fully incorporated in the present application.

The object underlying the invention is also achieved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry for processing wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% and comprising at least one portioning device according to one or more of said embodiments.

Same or similar advantages as mentioned with regard to the portioning device, as well as possibilities for further development, apply in the same or similar manner also to the machine of the tobacco-processing industry and should therefore not be repeated.

In addition, the object underlying the invention is achieved by a method for portioning moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% in a portioning device comprising a weighing cell and a dosing unit, the method being characterized at least by the following steps: Receiving moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% from a feeder on the dosing unit, placing a storage container on a load cell, placing the storage container relative to the dosing unit, filling the storage container with tobacco material by means of the dosing unit, detecting an instantaneous weight an amount of tobacco material filled in the storage container by the load cell, comparing the instantaneous weight of the amount of tobacco material filled in the storage container with a predetermined Gr Enzwert and driving the metering unit, so that when reaching the predetermined limit, the filling of the storage container is interrupted with tobacco material and a predetermined portion of tobacco material is filled into the storage container.

In particular, the load cell detects an instantaneous weight of an amount of tobacco material present in the storage container and continuously communicates corresponding data to the processing unit. The frequency with which a query of the weight is made, in particular adapted to the filling speed. Preferably, a higher frequency is chosen with increasing filling speed.

In order to accelerate the filling of the tobacco material in the storage containers, the tobacco material, before it is filled into the storage container, in a buffer of the dosing unit be cached. Subsequently, the tobacco material present in the storage container can be compressed, whereby a homogeneous and appealing image of the tobacco material in the storage container is achieved. Advantageously, the tobacco material can be compressed, while further tobacco material is temporarily stored in the buffer. This speeds up the entire filling process.

In order to protect the storage container during the filling operation and also to position with respect to the dosing unit and also with respect to a compression unit, according to another embodiment, after the storage container has been arranged on the weighing cell, the storage container is at least partially pushed into a centering sleeve, in particular, before tobacco material is filled into the storage container, more particularly after the tobacco material has been introduced into the storage container. The storage container is then moved together with the centering sleeve from the dosing unit to a compression unit, wherein furthermore in particular the centering sleeve is moved in a filling level from a weighing cell platform arranged below the dosing unit to a stamping platform arranged below the compression unit.

According to a further embodiment, a plurality of storage containers in a transport plane of the portioning device, in particular by means of a continuously movable or moving conveyor belt supplied, the storage containers are isolated, lifted by a load cell comprising the weighing cell platform in a spaced from the transport plane Abfüllebene, after completion of filling of the tobacco material in the filling level from the load cell platform below the dosing unit to a stamping platform below the compression unit and, after the compression of the tobacco material by the stamp platform, lowered into the transport plane.

In addition, the tobacco material can be homogenized in a homogenization module before it is conveyed to the portioning device, wherein in particular the homogenization module comprises a combination of a needle roller and a racket roller and wherein the needle roller picks up the tobacco material with their needles and further advances to the racket roller and the racket roller Tobacco material from the needle roller in the direction of the metering unit, in particular in the direction of a filling, ausschlägt.

Further advantages of the method have already been mentioned with regard to the portioning device and apply in the same or similar manner also to the method, so that they should not be repeated.

Finally, the object of the invention is achieved by the use of a portioning device according to embodiments of the invention in a machine of the tobacco processing industry for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%.

The features, advantages and properties described with regard to the abovementioned individual invention objects, that is to say the portioning device, the method for portioning, the machine of the tobacco industry and the use of a portioning device, apply equally or analogously to the respective other subject matter of the invention, even if these in each case only in connection with a subject of the invention have been described.

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 bis 11

jeweils, in vereinfachter schematischer Darstellung, eine Portionierungsvorrichtung für eine Maschine der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie zur Portionierung von feuchtem geschnittenem oder gemahlenem Tabakmaterial mit einem Feuchtigkeitsgehalt von mindestens 35%, gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel, in verschiedenen Betriebszuständen gemäß einem Verfahren zur Portionierung von Tabakmaterial in einer Portionierungsvorrichtung, gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel,

Fig. 12

ein vereinfachtes Schrittdiagramm entsprechend einem Verfahren zur Portionierung von Tabakmaterial, gemäß einem Ausführungsbeispiel, und

Fig. 13

ein vereinfachtes Ablaufdiagramm für ein Verfahren zur Portionierung von Tabakmaterial, gemäß einem weiteren Ausführungsbeispiel 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 to 11

respectively, in a simplified schematic representation, a portioning device for a machine of the tobacco processing industry for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%, according to an embodiment, in different operating conditions according to a method for portioning tobacco material in a portioning device, according to a further embodiment,

Fig. 12

a simplified step diagram according to a method for portioning tobacco material, according to an embodiment, and

Fig. 13

a simplified flow chart for a method for portioning tobacco material, according to a further embodiment of 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.

Fig. 1 shows schematically and simplified a portioning device 2 for a machine of the tobacco processing industry. The portioning device 2 serves to portion wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35%. The tobacco material is fed via a coating pan 4 to a homogenization module 6, which comprises a combination of a needle roller 8 and a racket roller 10. The needle roller 8 and the racket roller 10 are driven by drives 12 and 14, respectively, so that the tobacco material is conveyed from the coating pan 4 via the homogenization module 6, which simultaneously constitutes a feed device, into a filling sleeve 16. For this purpose, the needle roller 8 receives the tobacco material, takes it up and promotes it in the direction of the racket roller 10. This proposes the tobacco material from the needle roller 8 in the direction of the filling sleeve 16 from. In this process, the naturally inhomogeneous and lumpy moist cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% is homogenized and singulated.

In the context of the present description, a knocking out of the tobacco material from the needle roller is to be understood as a process in which tobacco material picked up by the needle roller is at least partially knocked out of the spaces between the individual needles of the needle roller 8.

The homogenization module 6 is in particular constructed as shown in FIG WO-A-2012/092937 the same applicant is described. The content of WO-A-2012/092937 is fully included in this description.

The portioning device 2 also receives a stream of storage containers 18. Merely for reasons of clarity, only some of the storage containers 18 are provided with reference numerals in the drawings. The storage containers 18 are moved on a conveyor belt 20 which is in particular continuously movable or movable. In the embodiments shown, the conveyor belt 20, driven by a drive, not shown, moves so that the storage containers 18 are conveyed from right to left. The conveyor belt 20 is mounted on a frame 22 shown schematically.

The conveyed by the conveyor belt 20 stream of storage containers 18 is stopped at a first stop cylinder 24. This works alternately with a second stop cylinder 26, so that the storage containers 18 are separated. In other words, the first stop cylinder 24 and the second stop cylinder 26 form a singulating unit. This is arranged with respect to the conveying direction of the conveyor belt 20 upstream of a load cell platform 30.

The first stop cylinder 24 and the second stop cylinder 26 should be referred to generally as locking means. In particular, the first and second stop cylinders 24, 26 are formed as locking pins opposite each other in pairs with respect to a conveying direction of the conveyor belt 20. The two locking pins, which form a pair, are preferably in opposite directions Side regions of the conveyor belt 20 is arranged. The locking pins, of which in particular a first pair forms the first stop cylinder 24 and a second pair the second stop cylinder 26, operate in pairs alternately to separate the storage containers 18.

Between the storage containers 18 and the conveyor belt 20, a certain amount of slippage is present. The storage containers 18 follow the movement of the conveyor belt. If the flow of the storage containers 18 is stopped by a stop cylinder 24, 26, the storage containers 18 slide on the surface 32 of the conveyor belt 20. In other words, due to the existing slip, the transport speed of the storage containers 18 is less than or equal to one predetermined by the movement of the conveyor belt 20 transport speed.

Hereinafter, the portioning device 2 and a method for portioning of wet cut or ground tobacco material having a moisture content of at least 35% in this portioning device 2 based on in the Fig. 1 to 11 shown various operating states of the portioning device 2 in conjunction with the in Fig. 12 illustrated step diagram explained.

In the step diagram of Fig. 12 are state lines for the individual also mentioned in the figure actuators of the portioning device 2 shown over time. If the state line of a particular actuator is at a low level, this indicates that the corresponding unit is retracted or not activated. On the other hand, if the state line is at a high level, this means that the actuator is extended or activated.

In the upper part of the Fig. 12 are numbers "1" to "11" indicated, which with the in the Fig. 1 to 11 shown operating states of the portioning device 2 correspond. The portioning device 2 is therefore at the time "5", for example, in the operating state, which in Fig. 5 is shown.

As already mentioned, first storage containers 18 are conveyed on the conveyor belt 20 as far as the first stop cylinder 24. Subsequently ( Fig. 2 ), the first stop cylinder 24 is retracted, so that a single storage container 18 is conveyed to the second stop cylinder 26 on. In a further step, the first stop cylinder 24 is extended again, wherein at the same time the second stop cylinder 26 is retracted, so that the singulated storage container 18 is conveyed to a bypass stop cylinder 28 (FIG. Fig. 3 ). The storage container 18 is now located above a weighing cell platform 30.

The weighing cell platform 30 is movable between a conveying plane, in which the storage containers 18 are conveyed to the portioning device 2, and a filling level, in which tobacco material is filled into the storage containers 18. The conveying plane is essentially defined by an upper side 32 of the conveyor belt 20. The filling level is spaced from the conveying plane, in particular it is arranged above the conveying plane. The conveying plane and the filling level are preferably plane-parallel planes, wherein the filling level extends substantially directly below the filling sleeve 16.

The load cell platform 30 includes a load cell not shown in the drawings. This is adapted to determine a weight received by the weighing cell platform 30. The weight of the storage container 18 is readily accessible and can therefore be assumed to be known. It is thus possible for the weighing cell to determine the weight of the tobacco material filled into the storage container 18.

In order to compensate for weight differences between individual storage containers 18 and possibly present on the load cell impurities, the load cell is calibrated to a weight identical to zero, according to a further embodiment, when the storage container 18 is arranged on the weighing cell.

In a further step, the weighing cell platform 30 is extended ( Fig. 4 ). In this case, the storage container 18 at least partially enters a centering sleeve 34 or is inserted into it. The centering sleeve 34 is made in particular of a mechanically more stable material than the storage container 18. For example, the centering sleeve 34 is made of metal, while the storage containers 18 are made of a plastic material, such as polypropylene (PP) or polycarbonate (PC).

During a subsequent filling phase, another storage container 18 is already conveyed to the second stop cylinder 26 and, due to the opposite operation of the first and second stop cylinders 24, 26 disconnected from the flow of the supplied storage containers 18 ( Fig. 5 ).

The storage container 18 located on the weighing cell platform 30 is filled with moist cut or ground tobacco material 36. The tobacco material 36, starting from the filling sleeve 16, enters the storage container 18 through an opening in a pull tab 38. The opening is not shown in the figures. During the filling process, this is aligned in the pull tab 38 existing Opening with the filling sleeve 16. The pull tab 38 and the filling sleeve 16 together form a metering unit 17.

The storage container 18 is positioned by means of the centering sleeve 35 with respect to the dosing unit 17. In addition, the centering sleeve 34 serves to protect the storage container 18 from damage during the filling process.

The flow of tobacco material 36 filled into the storage container 18 is indicated by arrows starting from the coating pan 4 via the needle roller 8 and racket roller 10 into the filling sleeve 18. In the example shown, the needle roller 8, driven by the drive 12, rotates in the counterclockwise direction. The racket roller 10 rotates in opposite directions to the needle roller 8, in accordance with the embodiment shown in the figures so clockwise.

Further details regarding the configuration of the homogenization module 6 are WO-A-2012/092937 the same applicant. The revelation content of WO-A-2012/092937 is fully included in the present description.

During the filling process, the load cell integrated into the weighing cell platform 30 detects a weight of the tobacco material 36 filled in the storage container 18. A value for the weight of the filled tobacco material 36 detected by the load cell is transmitted to a control unit 40 via a second data connection. The control unit 40 is adapted to control the metering unit 17, in particular the pull tab 38, so that upon reaching a predetermined limit value for the tobacco material 36 filled into the storage container 18, the supply of tobacco material 36 into the storage container is interrupted. For this purpose, the Control unit 40 connected via a first data connection with the dosing unit 17 or with a drive of the pull tab 38, not shown.

When the predetermined weight of the tobacco material 36 filled into the storage container 18 is reached, the pull tab 38 is moved to a second position from a first position, in which the opening in the pull tab 38 is aligned with the filling sleeve 16 (FIG. Fig. 6 ).

The pull tab 38 includes a solid part and a part provided with the opening. Is the train sword 38, as in Fig. 6 shown in the second position, the solid part of the pull tab 38 is located directly below the filling sleeve 16 and closes it on one side. The filling sleeve 16 forms, in this position of the pull tab 38 together with at least a portion of the solid part of the pull tab 38, a buffer for receiving tobacco material 36.

The intermediate storage of tobacco material 36 is advantageous because the delivery rate of the homogenization module 6 is less than the filling rate of the tobacco material 36 in the storage container 18. The tobacco material 36 is in other words continuously accumulated in the buffer so that the actual filling process of the storage container 18 very quickly can be done without an oversized homogenization module 6 must be used. Thus, a large part of the tobacco material to be filled is filled in a train and only a small part is metered in with open access to achieve the desired total filling weight.

Together with the pull tab 36 is also the centering sleeve 16th procedure has been carried out (cf. Fig. 5 and 6 ). During this movement, the centering sleeve 16 pushes the storage container 18 from the load cell platform 30 onto a stamp platform 42. A height of the bypass stop cylinder 26 is chosen so that it does not hinder this movement. While tobacco material 36 accumulates in the filling sleeve 16, the storage container 18 is located on the stamp platform 42. The weighing cell platform 30 is now moved back into or under the conveying plane. The next storage container 18 is already singled by opposing movement of the first and second stop cylinders 24, 26 and runs in the direction of the load cell platform 30 in the portioning device 2 ( Fig. 7 ).

In a subsequent step, a compaction punch 44, which forms a compression unit together with the stamp platform 42, is lowered onto the tobacco material 36 filled into the storage container 18. The compression ram 44 at least partially passes through the opening provided in the pull tab 38 and enters or passes through an interior space of the centering sleeve 34. On the surface of the filled into the storage container 18 tobacco material 36, a pressure is then exerted by the compression ram 44. Thus, the tobacco material 36 is compressed in the storage container 18.

Sliced or ground tobacco material 36 having a moisture content of at least 35% is typically a lumpy material. There is therefore the possibility that this adheres to the compression ram 44. In order to shear off adhering tobacco material 36 from the compression ram 44, it is rotated by means of a rotary cylinder 46 ( Fig. 9 ).

The compaction of the tobacco material 36 takes place while new tobacco material 36 is already accumulating in the filling sleeve 16. Advantageous For example, the entire filling process is accelerated by this form of parallel processing of the tobacco material 36.

The stamping platform 42 is lowered after compaction of the tobacco material 36 from the filling level in the conveying plane. The filled storage container 18 is fed to further processing steps ( Fig. 10 ). While the storage container 18 is lowered back into the conveying plane, the centering sleeve 34 is moved back to its first position. The load cell platform 30 pushes a further storage container 18 into the centering sleeve 34.

While the first-filled storage container 18 leaves the portioning device 2 on the conveyor belt 20, another storage container 18 with moist cut or ground tobacco material 36 having a moisture content of at least 35%, which has meanwhile accumulated in the filling sleeve 16, is already being filled ( Fig. 11 ).

The actuators of the portioning device 2, for example, the pull tab 38, the centering sleeve 34, the stop cylinders 24, 26, 28, the load cell platform 30 and the stamp platform 42 and the compression punch 44 are in particular hydraulically and / or pneumatically and / or electrically driven actuators.

The bypass stop cylinder 28 always remains extended during normal operation of the portioning device 2. If the dosing unit 17 or the homogenization module 6 has to be cleaned, the bypass stop cylinder 28 is retracted and storage containers 18 present on the conveyor belt pass through the portioning device 2. For example, the filling of the storage containers 18 is now temporary with a further downstream portioning device 2 which is analogous to one or more the said embodiments is constructed, continued.

With a Einreichpfpfanne 4, for example, up to eight, corresponding Portionierungsvorrichtungen 2 can be charged, so that a large filling speed can be achieved.

Fig. 13 shows in a simplified flow chart steps of a method for portioning wet cut or ground tobacco material 36 having a moisture content of at least 35% according to another embodiment of the invention.

In a portioning device 2 according to one of the aforementioned embodiments, the method begins with the singulation of the storage containers 18 (steps S1 and S2). These are subsequently arranged on a weighing cell platform 30 (step S3), which is lifted from the conveying plane into the filling level. The load cell platform 30 pushes the storage container 18 into the centering sleeve 34 (step S4). The storage container 18 is then filled with tobacco material 36 (step S5), whereby a permanent weight of the tobacco material 36 present in the storage container 18 is detected by means of a weighing cell (step S6). The filling process is continued until a predetermined target weight (step S7) is reached. If this is the case, then the storage container 18 is moved from the weighing cell platform 30 to the stamp platform 42 (step S8). The compression punch 44 is lowered to compress the tobacco material 36 (step S9). After the compression of the tobacco material 36, the stamp platform 42 is lowered from the Befüllebene in the conveying plane, wherein the storage container 18 from the centering sleeve 34 dissolves (step S10). The process for filling a single storage container 18 ends (step S11) or is starting performed again with step S1 for another storage container 18.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

portioning

4

Creaming pan

6

Homogenisierungsmodul

8th

needle roller

10

Beater roller

12

drive

14

drive

16

Befüllhülse

17

dosing

18

storage container

20

conveyor belt

22

frame

24

first stop cylinder

26

second stop cylinder

28

Bypass stop cylinder

30

Wägezellenplattform

32

surface

34

centering

36

tobacco material

38

Zugschwert

40

control unit

42

stamp platform

44

compaction stamp

46

rotary cylinder

Claims (15)

1. An apportioning apparatus (2) for a machine in the tobacco processing industry for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material (36) with a moisture content of at least 35% that is set up to apportion tobacco material (36) received from a conveying apparatus into receptacles (18) comprising a control unit (40), a metering unit (17) and a weighing cell, wherein

   a) the control unit (40) is coupled by means of a first data link to the metering unit (17) and by means of a second data link to the weighing cell,

   b) the metering unit (17) is cofigured to add a predetermined portion of tobacco material (36) to a receptacle (18), wherein the metering unit (17) and the weighing cell are arranged relative to each other such that while the receptacle (18) is being filled by means of the metering unit (17), a weight of the added tobacco material (36) is detected by the weighing cell, and data relative to the detected weight is communicated via the first data link to the control unit (40),

   c) the control unit (40) is configured to control the metering unit (17) via the second data link on the basis of the received data relative to the weight of the added tobacco material (36) such that a predetermined portion of tobacco material (36) is added to the receptacle (18).
2. The apportioning apparatus (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that it comprises an extendable weighing cell platform (30) comprising the weighing cell which can be moved between a conveying level in which the receptacles (18) can be transported toward the weighing cell platform (30), in particular on a continuously movable or moved conveyor belt (20), and a filling level in which the receptacle (18) is located when tobacco material (36) is added.
3. The portion apparatus (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the metering unit (17) comprises a filling sleeve (16) and a slide bottom (38), wherein the filling sleeve (16) is configured to receive tobacco material (36) from the conveying apparatus, and the slide bottom (38) comprises a solid part and a part provided with an opening, wherein in particular the slide bottom (38) can be moved between a first and a second position by means of a drive, and wherein in the first position, the opening of the slide bottom (38) is flush with the filling sleeve (16) so that the tobacco material (36) can be added to the receptacle (18), and wherein in the second position, the filling sleeve (16) is closed by the solid part of the slide bottom (38) on one side so that the filling sleeve (16) forms and intermediate store for receiving tobacco material (36) together with at least one section of the solid part of the slide bottom (38).
4. The apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a compression unit that is configured to compress the tobacco material (36) added to the receptacle (18), wherein the compression unit comprises in particular an extendable and furthermore in particular a rotatable compression plunger (44) that, in an extended position, exerts a pressure on the tobacco material (36) added to the receptacle (18), and wherein the compression unit comprises in particular an extendable plunger platform (42) that can be moved between a conveying level in which receptacles (18) can in particular be conveyed on a continuously movable or moved conveyor belt (20), and a filling level in which the receptacle (18) is arranged when tobacco material (36) is added to the receptacle (18), wherein the compression plunger (44) is in particular set up to exert pressure on the tobacco material (36) in the extended position when the receptacle (18) is arranged on the plunger platform (42), and wherein the extendable plunger platform (42) is arranged downstream from a weighing cell platform (30) in particular with reference to the continuously movable or moved conveyor belt (20).
5. The apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that it comprises a centering sleeve (34) that can be moved by means of a drive into the filling level, wherein the centering sleeve (34) is configured to at least partially accommodate the receptacle (18), wherein in particular the drive of the centering sleeve (34) is configured to move the receptacle (18) at least partially accommodated by the centering sleeve (34) in the filling plane between the or a weighing cell platform (30) and the or a plunger platform (42).
6. The apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises retaining means that stop or let pass receptacles (18) conveyed on the conveyor belt (20) that is in particular continuously movable or moved, wherein the retaining means are in particular designed as extendable retaining pins that substantially oppose each other in pairs with reference to a direction of conveying of the conveyor belt (20), wherein the retaining means furthermore in particular form a separating unit that is in particular arranged upstream from the or a weighing cell platform (30), and wherein this separating unit in particular comprises retaining pins which alternately operate pair wise.
7. The apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises a conveying apparatus with a homogenization module (6), wherein the homogenization module (6) in particular comprises a combination of a needle roller (8) and a picker roller (10), and wherein the needle roller (8) and picker roller (10) are arranged such that the needle roller (8) receives tobacco material (36) and conveys it to the picker roller (10), wherein the picker roller (10) is configured to beat tobacco material (36) out of the needle roller (8) towards the metering unit (17), in particular towards the or towards a filling sleeve (16).
8. A machine of the tobacco processing industry for processing moist cut or ground tobacco material (36) with a moisture content of at least 35%, comprising at least one apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7.
9. A method for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material (36) with a moisture content of at least 35% in an apportioning apparatus (2) comprising a weighing cell and a metering unit (17), wherein the method comprises at least the following steps:

   a) receiving moist cut or ground tobacco material (36) with a moisture content of at least 35% from a conveying apparatus by the metering unit (17),

   b) arranging a receptacle (18) on a weighing cell,

   c) arranging the receptacle (18) relative to the metering unit (17),

   d) filling the receptacle (18) with tobacco material (36) by means of the metering unit (17),

   e) detecting by the weighing cell of a current weight of an amount of tobacco material (36) added to the receptacle (18),

   f) comparing the current weight of the amount of tobacco material (36) added to the receptacle (18) with a specified threshold, and

   g) operating the metering unit (17) such that, upon reaching the specified threshold, the filling of the receptacle (18) with tobacco material (36) is interrupted so that a predetermined portion of tobacco material (36) is added to the receptacle (18).
10. The method according to claim 9, characterized in that the tobacco material (36) can be intermediately stored in an intermediate store of the metering unit (17) before it is added to the receptacle (18).
11. The method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the tobacco material (36) added to the receptacle (18) is compressed, wherein the tobacco material (36) is in particular compressed while additional tobacco material (36) is intermediately stored in the intermediate store.
12. The method according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that after the receptacle 18) has been arranged on the weighing cell, the receptacle (18) is at least partially inserted in the centering sleeve (34), in particular before the tobacco material (36) is added to the receptacle (18) and wherein in particular after the tobacco material (36) has been added to the receptacle (18), the receptacle (18) is moved together with the centering sleeve (34) from the metering unit (17) to a compression unit, wherein furthermore in particular the centering sleeve (34) is moved in a filling level from a weighing cell platform (30) arranged below the metering unit (17) to a plunger platform (42) arranged below the compression unit.
13. The method according to one of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that a plurality of receptacles (18) is supplied in a transport level to the apportioning apparatus (2), in particular with the assistance of a continuously movable or moved conveyor belt (20), the receptacles (18) are separated, lifted by a weighing cell platform (30) comprising the weighing cell into a filling level at a distance from the transport level, moved after the tobacco material (36) is added in the filling level from the weighing cell platform (30) below the metering unit (17) to a plunger platform (42) below the compression unit and, after the tobacco material (36) is compressed, are lowered to the transport level by the plunger platform.
14. The method according to one of claims 10 to 13, characterized in that the tobacco material (36) is homogenized in a homogenization module before it is supplied to the apportioning apparatus (2), wherein in particular the homogenization module (6) comprises a combination consisting of a needle roller (8) and a picker roller (10), and wherein the needle roller (8) captures the tobacco material (36) with its needles and conveys it up to the picker roller (10), and the picker roller (10) beats the tobacco material (36) out of the needle roller (8) toward the metering unit (17), in particular toward a filling sleeve (16).
15. The use of an apportioning apparatus (2) according to one of claims 1 to 7 in a machine in the tobacco processing industry for apportioning moist cut or ground tobacco material (36) having a moisture content of at least 35%.

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