EP3350098A1

EP3350098A1 - Method and device for producing packaging for cigarettes

Info

Publication number: EP3350098A1
Application number: EP16750621.1A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Burkard Roesler; Aleksandar Vujevic
Original assignee: Focke and Co GmbH and Co KG
Current assignee: Focke and Co GmbH and Co KG
Priority date: 2015-09-15
Filing date: 2016-08-09
Publication date: 2018-07-25
Anticipated expiration: 2036-08-09
Also published as: DE102015115547A1; CN108025861A; WO2017045737A1; EP3350098B1

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for producing (cigarette) packaging (10) having a wrapping made of a thermally sealable film (14), wherein a group (12) of cigarettes is wrapped in a film (14) as the packaging contents, in particular with an internal collar (13), and then packaging (10) is then closed in particular using sealing seams, and wherein the film (14) has a removal opening (33) arranged in the region of an end side (14) of the packaging (10) and in an adjacent region of a front side (17) of the packaging (10), and having a multi-use closure tab (32), which covers the removal opening (33) in the closed position, and wherein the film (14) is transported along a transport path (37) and cigarette groups (12) are transported along a cigarette path (25), and wherein the transport path (37) and the cigarette path (25) are brought together in a wrapping station (26), in which cigarette groups (12) are wrapped in film (14). According to the invention, the location of the closure tab (32) on the film (14) and the position of the cigarette group (12) in the cigarette path (25) is detected during the supplying of the film (14) and the cigarette groups (12) to the wrapping station (26) and aligned with one another, in order to guarantee an exact location of the closure tab (32) on the packaging (10).

Description

Method and apparatus for producing packages for cigarettes Description

The invention relates to a method for producing (cigarette) packs with a wrap of thermally sealable film, wherein a group of cigarettes, in particular with an inner collar wrapped in a film and the package is then sealed in particular by sealing seams, and wherein the film in the area a front side of the pack and an adjacent region of a front side of the pack having a removal opening with a reusable closure label which covers the removal opening in the closed position, and wherein the film is transported along a Transpörtbahn and cigarette groups are transported along a cigarette web, and wherein the transport path and the cigarette webs are brought together in a wrapping station, in which groups of cigarettes are wrapped in foil, according to the preamble of claim 1. Furthermore, the invention relates to a corresponding device according to the preamble of claim 11.

Methods and devices of this type are known in practice in numerous variants. In all known solutions, a problem is always that the closure label must be positioned accurately. In particular, in packages with an inner collar - also called tray - the closure label (also) must be positioned exactly to the inner collar.

On this basis, the invention is based on the object to further develop methods and devices of the type mentioned, in particular with regard to measures for improved positioning of the closure label.

To solve this problem, a method according to the invention has the features of claim 1. It is therefore envisaged that the location of the

CONFIRMATION COPY Closure labels on the film and the position of the cigarette group are detected in the cigarette web during the feeding of the film and the cigarette groups to Einhüllstation and coordinated with each other to ensure an exact position of the closure label on the package.

In other words, the film or the closure label located thereon and the group of cigarettes are synchronized with one another, so that both are brought together in such a way that the closure label is positioned precisely on the later package or in relation to the possible inner collar.

According to a development of the solution according to the invention, this can take place in such a way that the position of the closure label on the film in the region of the transport path is detected and the transport of the groups of cigarettes along the cigarette path is controlled accordingly, in particular in such a way that the closure labels are recognized by means of a sensor and then speed changes of the Film after detection of a closure label to merge with a group of cigarettes are considered in the control of the transport of cigarette groups.

In a preferred implementation of the invention, the cigarette groups are held along the cigarette web between carriers of a transport belt, wherein the position of the cigarette groups is detected by detecting the position of the carrier of the transport belt by means of a sensor.

Preferably, not individual blanks of the film are processed, but the groups of cigarettes are wrapped by a continuous film web to form a successive groups of cigarettes surrounding film tube and the individual packages are closed by transverse to the film web sealing seams and separated from the film web.

A further special feature may be that in packs with an inner collar, the cigarette groups in the cigarette path have an inner collar which is at least partially wrapped around the cigarette group, and that the position of the inner collar is detected in order to align the Seal labels on the position of the inner collar. This solution has the particular advantage that in this way position tolerances of the conveyor belt or the driver can be compensated. Another peculiarity concerns measures to ensure the correct transport of cigarette groups at the end of the transport belt. For this purpose, it may be provided that the groups of cigarettes are transferred in a deflection region of the conveyor belt to an extending in the extension of the conveyor belt packaging web, wherein the transport speed of the conveyor belt is reduced when the cigarette group or the corresponding driver reach the deflection region, such that the cigarette group and / or the inner collar is always transported at a constant speed. Further preferred details relate to the fixation of the film on the inner collar.

A device according to the invention is characterized according to claim 11 by the following features:

a) in the region of the transport path, a sensor is provided for detecting the position of the closure label on the film,

b) in the region of the cigarette web a sensor is provided for detecting the position of the cigarette groups in the cigarette web,

c) by means of a control, the position and / or speed of the closure label and / or the cigarette group is controllable in order to ensure an exact position of the closure label on the package.

Preferably, the transport speed of the film is detected in the transport path by means of a rotary encoder, which is actuated via an applied to the film and correspondingly rotating counter wheel.

The shape of the carrier of the conveyor belt may be formed such that the driver in the region of a deflection of the conveyor belt, the cigarette groups can be conveyed at a constant speed. Preferred embodiments of the invention will be described below with reference to the drawing. In this show:

1 a cigarette group with inner collar,

2 shows a first embodiment of a pack for cigarettes,

3 shows a second embodiment of a pack for cigarettes,

4 shows a device for wrapping cigarette groups in a film in a side view,

5 is a plan view of the device along arrow V in Fig. 4,

6 shows a detail of the device according to FIG. 4, FIG.

7 is a plan view of the device according to arrow VII in Fig. 6,

8 shows a further detail of the device according to FIG. 4,

Fig. 9 is a schematic representation of the transport of cigarettes in

Deflection area of a conveyor,

Fig. 10 shows an alternative construction of the device with respect to

Fixing the foil to the inner collar,

Fig. 11

and FIG. 12 shows the device according to FIG. 10 during further phases of the

Motion sequence,

Fig. 13 is a vertical section through the device of FIG. 4 along

Section line XIII-XIII, an alternative solution to the representation of FIG. 9 and Fig. 15 is a schematic representation of the control of the device.

The device according to the invention is concerned with the production of packs 10 for cigarettes 11. The cuboid packs 10 have a cigarette group 12 as package contents. In the exemplary embodiments shown, the cigarette group 12 is at least partially surrounded by an inner collar 13 (tray). Finally, cigarette group 12 and inner collar 13 are wrapped in a film 14. The film 14 consists of a thermally sealable material and is correspondingly closed by sealing seams, which are formed in the embodiment shown as fin seams. Due to the manufacturing process to be described, two lateral longitudinal sealing seams 15 are formed, as well as a transverse transverse seam 16. Depending on the manufacturing method, however, the number and arrangement of these seams may vary.

In the embodiments shown in Fig. 1 to 3, an inner collar 13 is always present. In the context of the invention, however, can also be dispensed with this inner collar 13. In the embodiments shown, the inner collar 13 surrounds the cigarette group 12 on four sides, namely in the region of a front side 17 of the package 10, in the region of the two adjoining narrow sides 18, 19 and in the region of the rear side 19. In the region of an end face 20 and a bottom side 21 the pack 10 are the cigarettes 11 free.

At the upper end of the front side 17, the inner collar 13 has an edge-side recess 22, which facilitates the removal of the cigarettes 11.

In the present case, the inner collar 13 extends in the region of the front side 17 outside the region of the recess 22 over the entire height of the cigarette group 12. In the region of the rear side 19, the inner collar 13 has a smaller height.

Another detail, which will be discussed below, relates to the attachment of the film 14 on the inner collar 13. In the present case, different solutions are shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. In Fig. 2, a region 23 is shown, in which the film 14 against the corresponding wall of the Inner collar 13 is sealed. Fig. 3 shows an alternative solution in which the connection between the film 14 and inner collar 13 by means of two glue points 24 takes place. For the glue dots 24 is preferably the use of hot glue in question, especially hot melt.

The wrapping of the cigarette groups 12 optionally with inner collar 13 into the film 14 is shown in essential points in FIG. Accordingly, the cigarette groups 12 are optionally transported with an applied inner collar 13 along a cigarette web 25 in the direction of a wrapping station 26.

In the present case, the cigarette groups 12 are arranged with the front side 17 facing up flat lying on a conveyor belt 27 and are each held between drivers 28, 29 of the transport belt 27, namely in the region of the narrow sides 18th

The film 14 is processed in the present case as a continuous film web 30 and wrapped around the cigarette groups 12 via a forming shoulder 31 in the wrapping station 26 like a tube. Alternatively, of course, the processing of individual blanks of the film 14 into consideration.

The cigarette groups 12 are arranged with their longitudinal extent transversely to the transport direction of the transport belt 27, so that, following the wrapping station, a film tube with a plurality of cigarette groups 12 arranged at a distance from each other is formed. Thereafter, in a known manner, the transverse sealing seam 16 is formed in the region of the rear side 19 and individual packs 10 are closed by sealing seams (longitudinal sealing seams 15) directed transversely to the transport direction and subsequently separated from the film web 30. Details can be found for example in WO 98/49072 A1.

In view of the present invention, the control of the supply of the cigarette groups 12 and the film web 30 is of interest. In this case, it is important to ensure that a closure label 32 is attached to the film web 30 at predetermined intervals, which must be positioned in pack-like position on the packs 10 in order to ensure proper opening and To close the packages 10 to ensure. From FIGS. 2 and 3 it can be seen that the position of the closure label 32 in the region of the front side 20 of the package 10 and an adjacent region of the front side 17 must be exactly maintained so that a removal opening 33 can be formed by opening the closure label 32, which also allows reclosure through the closure label 32. In addition, the position of the closure label 32 must also match the arrangement of the inner collar 13 or its recess 22, provided that an inner collar 13 is present. Against this background, the device must be controlled accordingly so that the transport of the film web 30 and the closure label 32 and the transport of the cigarette groups 12 is coordinated so that the closure label 32 after wrapping the cigarette group 12 in the film 14 positionally accurate in the right location. For this purpose, on the one hand, the position of the closure label 32 on the film web 30 is detected, namely by means of a sensor, for example a light barrier 34. Furthermore, the position of the cigarette groups 12 is detected, namely by means of a second sensor, for example likewise in a design as a light barrier 35 , which respectively detects the leading driver 28 of the transport belt 27. By means of a controller 36, the data detected by the sensors are evaluated and the feed of the film web 30 and / or the transport belt 27 is controlled accordingly, so that the closure label 32 and cigarette group 12 are brought together with exact position in the wrapping station 26. The light barrier 34 for detecting the closure labels 32 is located in the present case at the beginning of the forming shoulder 31 or at the beginning of a transport path 37. Following the light barrier 34, a counting wheel 38 is arranged, which rests with its circumference on the film web 30 and according to the Transporting the film web 30 rotates. Via a rotary encoder 44 associated with the counting wheel 38, the transport of the film 30 is monitored after the closure label 32 has passed the light barrier 34. In this way, fluctuations in the conveying speed of the film web 30 can be taken into account, which occur in particular after the closure label 32 has passed the light barrier 34. Further, Fig. 4 shows the arrangement of an optional hot glue nozzle 39 which is positioned above the cigarette web 25 and which can be used to attach the glue dots 24. Furthermore, sealing devices 40 are shown, which is arranged above the cigarette web 25 and can be used for connecting film 14 and inner collar 13. Such a solution is shown for example in DE 10 2013 009 471 A1.

The drive of the transport belt 27 via a controllable servo drive 41. It is preferably provided that the film web 30 is supplied at a constant transport speed and that the speed of the transport belt 27 is adjusted to control the position-correct position of the closure label 32.

The cigarette groups 12 are fed by means of an injector 42, which inserts the supplied groups of cigarettes in a deflection region of the transport belt 27 between two drivers 28, 29 and which is driven by the transport belt 27. Fig. 4 shows right below corresponding coupling elements. The insertion of the cigarette groups 12 takes place in each case while the conveyor belt 27 is slowed down for a short time.

FIG. 5 additionally shows that in the area of the bottom side 21, the film is placed against the cigarette group 12 or the inner collar 13, for example by means of a brush device 43 which extends in the longitudinal direction of the cigarette web 25.

6 and 7 are concerned with the supply of cigarette groups 12 and inner collar 13 to the cigarette web 25. In addition to the injector 42 this is still a rotary slide 45 involved, which optionally transports the cigarette group 12 with inner collar 13 and up to a storage table 45th transported, from where it is then fed by means of the push-in 42 to the conveyor belt 27.

Another special feature is shown in Fig. 8 and 9. It is about the transfer of the cigarette group 12 from the transport belt 27 to an extending in the extension of the transport belt 27 Packungsbahn 46. The Transfer takes place in a deflection region of the transport belt 27, in which this runs around a guide roller 47 and then in an obliquely downward direction. The problem that arises is that the transport speed (v) should be as constant as possible, as FIG. 9 shows. In fact, however, the speed of the driver 29 is greater in the deflection region, since it initially rests flat against the rear narrow side 18 of the cigarette group 12 and then with a front, upper tip. This would lead to an uneven transport speed of the cigarette group 12 without appropriate countermeasures because the tip of the carrier 29 at a constant angular velocity would have a higher peripheral speed than the transport belt 28. Against this background, it is provided that the angular velocity (co) of the servo drive 41 is reduced accordingly in order to keep the speed of the cigarette group 12 constant in order to prevent the peripheral speed (the tip) of the driver 29 from rising at a constant angular velocity. Another special feature is shown in FIGS. 10 to 12. This involves an alternative solution of connecting the film 14 to the inner collar 13 in the region of the wrapping station 26. At the location of a stationary sealing element, a sealing member 48 running in each case with the cigarette groups 12 is provided here. The sealing member 48 is movable by means of a servomotor 49 of a four-membered transmission 50 and an eccentric 51 such that it can be moved in a curved path above the packing web 46. As shown in Fig. 10, the sealing member 48 is placed just after the film and the cigarette group 12 are brought together. The sealing member 48 is then moved along with the cigarette group 12 in the transport direction (Fig. 1 1). Subsequently, the sealing member 48 is raised during a machine standstill and moved back to the starting position (FIG. 12). This solution can also be used regardless of the device incidentally and thus represents an independent peculiarity. As a result, the fixing of the film 14 on the inner collar 13 or the cigarette group 12 can take place in three different ways:

- The film 14 can be continuously attached to the sealing device 40 on the inner collar 13, so that a seal area, for example, as shown in Fig. 2 results. A disadvantage of this solution is that the sealing devices act late.

Alternatively, the film can be fastened to the inner collar 13 with a plurality of, preferably far apart, glue spots 24

(Fig. 3). An advantage of this solution is that the fixation takes place very early, namely when film 14 and inner collar 13 come into contact.

- Another variant is the follower heating element that the film

14 seals against the inner collar 13. Here, the fixation is temporally active between the two solutions described above.

Preferably, the cigarette group 12 and the film web 30 should be transported synchronously until either a sufficiently strong connection between the two elements is created and / or the film 14 or film web 30 so far the cigarette group 12 has optionally enclosed with inner collar 13, that no Shifts the relative position can be done more. Instead of a variation of the angular velocity, it is instead provided here that the contour of the driver is selected so that the transport speed of the cigarette group 12 remains constant, even if the angular velocity (ω) is not adjusted becomes.

Fig. 15 illustrates again schematically the control of the device. With the aid of the central controller 36, which may also be the machine control of a packaging machine, the servo drive 41 of the conveyor belt 27 is controlled on the one hand, and on the other hand a servomotor 52 for the film drive. Be measured beyond the Film transport by means of the rotary encoder 44. Detected are, on the one hand, the position of the closure label 32 on the film web 30 and, on the other hand, the leading driver 28. For this purpose, corresponding light barriers 34, 35 are provided.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10 pack 42 pushers

11 cigarette 43 brush device

12 cigarette group 44 rotary encoder

13 inner collar 45 storage table

14 foil 46 packing lane

15 longitudinal seam 47 deflection pulley

16 transverse sealing seam 48 sealing organ

17 Front 49 Servomotor

18 narrow side 50 gears

19 Back 51 Excenter

9Ω front coil 52 servomotor

21 bottom side

22 recess

23 area

24 glue spots

25 cigarette sheet

26 wrapping station

27 transport belt

28 drivers

29 drivers

30 film web

31 Form shoulder

32 closure label

33 removal opening

34 photocell

35 photocell

36 control

37 transport path

38 counting wheel

39 hot glue nozzle

40 sealing device

41 servo drive

Claims

claims

1. A method for producing (cigarette) packages (10) with a cladding of thermally sealable film (14), wherein a group of cigarettes (12) as package contents, in particular with an inner collar (13), wrapped in a film (14) and the pack (10) is then closed in particular by sealing seams, and wherein the film (14) has a removal opening (33) in the region of an end face (14) of the pack (10) and an adjacent region of a front side (17) of the pack (10). with a reusable closure label (32) which covers the removal opening (33) in the closed position, and wherein the film (14) is transported along a transport path (37) and cigarette groups (12) along a cigarette web

(25), and wherein the transport path (37) and the cigarette web (25) are brought together in a wrapping station (26) in which groups of cigarettes (12) are wrapped in film (14), characterized in that the position of the closure label (32) on the film (14) and the position of the cigarette group (12) in the cigarette web (25) during the feeding of the film (14) and the cigarette groups (12) to the wrapping station

(26) are detected and matched to each other to ensure an exact position of the closure label (32) on the package (10).

2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the position of the closure label (32) on the film (14) detected in the region of the transport path (37) and the transport of the cigarette groups (12) along the cigarette web (25) is controlled accordingly in particular in such a way that the closure labels (32) are recognized by means of a sensor and then changes in speed of the film (14) after detection of a closure label (32) until merging with a cigarette group (12) are taken into account in the control of the transport of the cigarette groups (12) ,

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the cigarette groups (12) along the cigarette web (25) between carriers (28, 29) of a conveyor belt (27) are held, and that the position of the cigarette groups (12) by detection the position of the driver (28) of the transport belt (27) is detected by means of a sensor.

4. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the cigarette groups (12) by a continuous film web (30) to form a successive groups of cigarettes (12) surrounding the film tube are wrapped, and that individual packs (10) Sealing seams directed transversely to the film web are closed off and separated from the film web (30).

5. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that in packs (10) with an inner collar (13), the cigarette groups (12) in the cigarette web (25) have an inner collar (13), at least partially is wrapped around the cigarette group (12), and that the position of the inner collar (13) is detected to make an alignment of the closure labels (32) on the position of the inner collar (13).

6. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that for aligning the position of the closure labels (32) with respect to the cigarette groups (12) and / or the inner collar (13) on the cigarette groups (12) the position the closure label (32) and / or the transport speed of the film (14) or film web (30) and / or the position of the cigarette groups (12) and / or the transport speed (V) of the cigarette groups (12) on the way to the wrapping station ( 26) is detected and controlled by a controller (36), in particular a machine control.

7. The method according to claim 3 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the cigarette groups (12) in a deflection region of the transport belt (27) to an extension of the transport belt (27) extending packing web (46) are passed, wherein the transport speed of the transport belt (27) is reduced when the group of cigarettes (12) or the corresponding carriers (29) reach the deflection region, such that the speed of the groups of cigarettes (12) is synchronized with the preferably constant speed of the film (14) ,

8. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the film (14) by means of a stationary heating device (40) against the inner collar (13) is sealed, preferably during the continuous transport of the pack (10).

9. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the film (14) with a plurality of glue dots (24) is glued to the inner collar (13), wherein the glue points (24) are formed by Holtmelt adhesive, and wherein the glue spots (24) are applied transversely to the transport direction of the pack (10).

10. The method according to claim 1 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the film (14) is sealed by means of a co-rotating with the packages heater (48) against the inner collar (13).

11. A device for producing (cigarette) packs (10) with a cladding of thermally sealable film (14), wherein a group of cigarettes (12) as package contents, in particular with an inner collar (13), wrapped in a film (14) and the pack (10) is then closed in particular by sealing seams, and wherein the film (14) has a removal opening (33) in the region of an end face (20) of the pack (10) and an adjacent area of a front side (17) of the pack (10). with a reusable closure label (32) which covers the removal opening (33) in the closed position, and wherein the device has a wrapping station (26) for wrapping the cigarette groups (12) in film (14), and wherein the film (14 ) along a transport path (37) is transportable and cigarette groups (12) along a cigarette web (25) are transportable, and wherein the transport path (37) and the cigarette web (25) in the Einhüllstation (26) are merged, characterized by the following features:

a) in the region of the transport path (37) a sensor (34) for detecting the position of the closure label (32) on the film (14) is provided, b) in the region of the cigarette web (25) is a sensor (35) for detecting the Position of the cigarette groups (12) provided in the cigarette web (25),

c) by means of a control (36) is the position and / or speed of the closure label (32) and / or the cigarette group (12) controllable to ensure an exact position of the closure label (32) on the package (10).

12. The device according to claim 11, characterized in that the cigarette groups (12) along the cigarette web (25) between carriers (28, 29) of a transport belt (27) are held, wherein the position of the cigarette groups (12) by detecting the position of the Driver (28) of the conveyor belt (27) by means of a sensor (35) is detected.

13. The apparatus according to claim 12, characterized in that the transport speed of the film (14) in the transport path (37) by means of a rotary encoder (44) is detected, which via a on the film (14) adjacent and correspondingly rotating counter wheel (38). is pressed.

14. The device according to claim 11 or at least one of the other claims, characterized in that the shape of the driver (28, 29) of the transport belt (27) is formed such that the driver (28, 29) in the region of a deflection of the conveyor belt ( 27) promotes the groups of cigarettes (12) at a constant rate.

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