EP3552500B1 - Device and method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments each having a heating strip - Google Patents

Device and method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments each having a heating strip Download PDF

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Publication number
EP3552500B1
EP3552500B1 EP19165381.5A EP19165381A EP3552500B1 EP 3552500 B1 EP3552500 B1 EP 3552500B1 EP 19165381 A EP19165381 A EP 19165381A EP 3552500 B1 EP3552500 B1 EP 3552500B1
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EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
heating strip
tobacco
strip material
weak points
strand
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EP19165381.5A
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German (de)
French (fr)
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EP3552500A1 (en
Inventor
Torsten Mörke
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Koerber Technologies GmbH
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Hauni Maschinenbau GmbH
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Publication of EP3552500A1 publication Critical patent/EP3552500A1/en
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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/18—Forming the rod
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/01—Making cigarettes for simulated smoking devices
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
    • A24C5/28—Cutting-off the tobacco rod

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a device for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments, each with a heating strip, with the features of the preamble of claim 1, and a method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments with a heating strip, with the features of the preamble of claim 8.
  • Rod-shaped tobacco segments with an inserted heating strip are used in so-called Heat Not Burn products (HNB products) or similar products which are intended for inhalation by a consumer.
  • HNB products Heat Not Burn products
  • the tobacco segments can also contain essential or medicinal substances for inhalation.
  • the prefabricated tobacco segments are then put together in a further processing process with other rod-shaped segments such as filter segments, tubular cooling sections, or other flavor-influencing segments to form finished rod-shaped products and, for example, fixed in shape by a wrapping strip.
  • the tobacco segments themselves each comprise a tobacco rod which is fixed in shape by a wrapping strip and which can be formed both by loose tobacco fibers and by crimped tobacco foil.
  • the tobacco foil comprises a carrier material in which the tobacco material is arranged in the form of tobacco particles or tobacco pigments.
  • additional taste-influencing additives can be present in the tobacco film.
  • the tobacco foil is pre-embossed in a preprocessing process with a large number of crease lines running in the longitudinal direction of a tobacco rod that is subsequently to be finished, and then Folded together in a strand unit using the pre-embossed kink lines to form an endless strand with a chaotic cross-sectional distribution. Subsequently, the tobacco foil in the folded state is placed in an endless strand on an endless wrapping strip and then fixed in shape by folding over the wrapping strip and gluing the edges of the wrapping strip. If the tobacco rod is formed by tobacco fibers, the tobacco fibers are placed in a known manner in a strand unit in an endless strand on the wrapping strip and are fixed in shape by folding over and gluing the edges of the wrapping strip.
  • the inductive heating strip in the tobacco segment is used to heat the tobacco in the tobacco segment by means of a non-contact, external energy source, as a result of which the aerosols outgas from the tobacco.
  • the consumer then does not inhale the tobacco smoke generated by burning the tobacco, but instead only inhales the aerosols from the tobacco that emerge as a result of the outgassing.
  • Various materials can be used for the inductive heating strip itself, provided that they can be inductively heated. These include B. ferromagnetic metals or alloys or carbon materials with such metallic particles. So that sufficient heat is generated by the heating strip, it must have a corresponding mass and can therefore not be made as thin as desired.
  • the heating strip forms a comparison due to its material and the required minimum thickness to the tobacco material dimensionally stable core in the tobacco segment.
  • a problem to be solved in the production of such tobacco segments is the arrangement of the heating strips in the tobacco segments.
  • a disadvantage of this solution is that the heating strip material has a significantly higher cutting resistance than the tobacco fibers or the tobacco foil due to the properties described above, so that the subsequent cutting of the endless strand into the tobacco segments is made considerably more difficult by the inner heating strip material. As a result, the cutting quality of the tobacco segments is worsened and the wear on the cutting blades when cutting the tobacco segments is increased considerably.
  • FIG. 7 shows a device in which a "crimped" insert is introduced into a continuous tobacco material;
  • the “crimp” rollers 61, 62 are synchronized with the following conveyor rollers 1, 2 for the tobacco material 26, 27.
  • this document does not describe the exact point at which the cut for producing the individual tobacco segments takes place.
  • the invention is based on the object of providing a device and a method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments, each with a heating strip, which enable cost-effective production of the tobacco segments with a high cutting quality of the tobacco segments while at the same time reducing wear on the cutting device.
  • a device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 8 are proposed to achieve the object. Further preferred developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the figures and the associated description.
  • the solution according to the invention is basically based on the principle of inserting an endless heating strip material, since this eliminates the otherwise previously required cutting process, or in other words, the heating strip material is cut in one cut together with the strand of tobacco material, like this from the WO 2016/184928 A1 is known.
  • the endless strip of heating strip material has weak points regularly arranged in the longitudinal direction, the distances between two adjacent weak points in the heating strip material corresponding to the predetermined length of the tobacco segments, the cutting device cutting the tobacco segments from the strand through a Cut in the area of the weak points of the heating strip material.
  • the heating strips can be designed with the necessary thickness and mass to fulfill their function, while the cutting is carried out in the weak points that are preferably designed for this purpose, which oppose the cutting blades of the cutting device with a lower cutting resistance, so that a cut with an improved cutting quality can be achieved with a simultaneously reduced wear of the cutting blades.
  • the weak points preferably form separation points which are specifically designed for separation and which enable the heating strips to be separated even when the cutting blades are already slightly worn.
  • the weak points indirectly specify the position of the parting lines, since the heating strip material tears or is sheared off in the weak points even if the cutting blades do not hit the weak points exactly.
  • the weak points thus form the preferred separation points of the heating strips which, through their spacing, define the lengths of the heating strips separated from the heating strip material or the length of the tobacco segments separated from the rod.
  • the inventive solution thus offers the advantage of using a endless heating strip material with a simultaneously reduced cutting resistance and a consequent reduced wear of the cutting blades, whereby the heating strips between the weak points can deliberately be dimensioned with a sufficient thickness and mass to achieve the required heating power.
  • the weak points can be formed by thin points.
  • the thin areas have a smaller cross-sectional area and can be formed either by thinning the heating strip material in relation to the thickness or in relation to the width.
  • the heating strip material can preferably have a thickness of at least 0.05 mm and the thin areas preferably have a thickness of less than 0.025 mm.
  • the weak points can also be formed by cutouts.
  • the cutouts can be formed, for example, by punching out or by a perforation, by means of which the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material is reduced similarly to the thin areas.
  • Preferred separation points of the heating strip material are formed by the cutouts, and the cutting resistance of the heating strip material is deliberately reduced at these points.
  • the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material in the area of the weak points should preferably be reduced by at least half as a result of the cutouts and / or the thin points.
  • the weak points are alternatively or additionally formed by a layer structure that differs from the basic structure of the heating strip material.
  • the heating strip material in the form of individual heating strips, which are connected to one another in the weak points by a layer of a different material or by a layer with a different layer composition, the layer or the layer composition being deliberately designed in this way in the area of the weak points is that it has a lower cutting resistance than the heating strip material between the weak points.
  • the heating strip material has a width of at least 4 mm.
  • the heating strip material can be folded into a V or W shape, with folds running in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco segment, and thus folded from an even greater width to a smaller diameter so that it can also be arranged in a tobacco segment can, which has a smaller diameter than the width of the heating strip material.
  • a larger mass of the heating strip material can be arranged in the tobacco segment and on the other hand the tobacco segment can thereby be heated more evenly over the cross section, since the heating segment has a larger surface facing the tobacco and further distributed over the cross section of the tobacco segment.
  • a sensor device that detects the weak points is provided, the cutting device being controlled as a function of the signal from the sensor device.
  • the cutting process can be synchronized in relation to the weak points, so that the heating strip material is reliably cut in the weak points provided for it.
  • the sensor device is specially set up to detect the weak points, which can be achieved, for example, by an inductive measurement or by an optical measurement.
  • the sensor device is arranged in such a way that the weak points are detected before the heating strip material is introduced into the rod or also after it has been introduced into the tobacco rod. Both solutions have advantages. Detection of the weak points before insertion into the strand is advantageous in that the heating strip material is freely accessible as a result, and can therefore be optically detected very easily. Furthermore, detection of the weak points after the heating strip material has been inserted into the strand is advantageous, since the position of the weak points is thereby fixed by the tobacco in the tobacco segment and the probability of a subsequent change is very much lower. Furthermore, a cutting plane of the strand can be defined at the same time and the cutting device can be controlled accordingly. In addition, the sensor device can thereby be arranged closer to the cutting device, so that transport-related Displacements of the strand and / or the heating strip material have a smaller influence on the accuracy of the position of the cutting planes at the respective weak points.
  • a strand-forming unit 15 can be seen, to which an endless strip of a wrapping strip 12 with an endless strip of tobacco material 1 placed thereon is fed via a driven format belt 2.
  • the tobacco material 1 can be placed either in the form of a strip of loose tobacco fibers or a crimped tobacco foil, both the tobacco fibers and the crimped tobacco foil in a preceding one Forming process can be preprocessed into a cross-sectional shape and density that is favorable for strand formation.
  • an endless strip of a heating strip material 3 is inserted into the tobacco material 1.
  • the endless heating strip material 3 is preferably inserted centrally into the tobacco material 1 at one point.
  • the heating strip material 3 is inserted practically in the middle between the crimped tobacco foil and before entering the strand forming unit 15 together with it folded into the strip shape.
  • the wrapping strip 12 is turned up on the side of the tobacco material 1 and the heating strip material 3 inserted therein, applied with glue at one edge and then fixed in shape by completely turning the edges into an endless strand 4, which is also in the Figure 5 can be seen.
  • the heating strip material 3 has weak points 5 arranged at constant intervals from one another.
  • the heating strip material 3 is prefabricated with the weak points 5 and is introduced into the tobacco material 1 in an endless strip.
  • the heating strip material 3 to be recognized has weak points 5 in the form of thin points 16 and is made from a single material.
  • the thin areas 16 have a thickness D1 of the heating strip material 3 which is reduced by 0.05 mm Thickness D2 of less than 0.025 mm.
  • the heating strip material 3 thus has a cross-sectional area reduced by at least half in the thin spots 16.
  • the thin areas 16 can be produced, for example, by embossing the heating strip material 3 in a preprocessing step.
  • the heating strip material 3 to be recognized has weak points 5 in the form of lateral cutouts 7 and is also made from a single material.
  • the cutouts 7 can be punched out of the heating strip material 3, for example, and can alternatively also have other shapes. For example, it is also conceivable to provide several smaller cutouts 7 or holes in the heating strip material 3, which complement each other to form a perforation.
  • the cutouts 7 are preferably dimensioned such that the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material 3 in the weak points 5 is reduced by at least half compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material between the weak points 5.
  • the heating strip material 3 to be recognized is formed by several layers and in the weak points 5 has a weakened layer structure that differs from the layer structure of the heating strip material 3 between the weak points 5.
  • the heating strip material 3 is formed here by individual heating strips 6 which are spaced apart and are fixed in the spaced arrangement by a casing 8.
  • the casing 8 can be, for example, a cellulose layer, a film or the like. By choosing the material and / or dimensioning the thickness, the casing 8 should be thermally conductive or heat-permeable to the extent that the heat generated by the heating strips 6 penetrates into the tobacco material 1 and thereby heats the tobacco. Further the material of the jacket 8 should be chosen so that it does not release any harmful substances when heated.
  • the heating strip material 3 in the area of the weak points 5 between the heating strips 6 is formed exclusively by the jacket 8 and thus has a different weakened layer structure than in the area of the heating strips 6. Furthermore, the heating strip material 3 thus additionally has a reduced cross-sectional area in the area of the weak points 5.
  • the endless strand 4 can be seen after exiting the strand forming unit 15.
  • the endless strand 4 is transported further in the transport direction T via the format tape 2 and passes a laterally arranged sensor device 10 directed towards the endless strand 4.
  • the endless strand 4 is then guided through an abutment 17 with a slot 18 and passes a cutting device in the process 14 with one or more radially protruding cutting knives 13.
  • the sensor device 10 is signal-connected to a control device 11, which in turn is signal-connected to the cutting device 14.
  • the sensor device 10 is specially designed so that it emits a signal when it passes a weak point 5.
  • the signal can either be used directly, or it is alternatively conceivable to generate a corresponding control signal on the basis of a data evaluation of a parameter detected by the sensor device 10, the underlying parameter and its change on the different mass, the different geometry or also due to the different Composition of the heating strip material 3 in the area of the weak points 5 can be based.
  • the cutting device 14 is formed here by a rotating knife carrier, which is arranged and aligned in such a way that when it rotates with the radially protruding cutting knives 13 it passes through the slot 18 of the abutment 17 and in each case a tobacco segment 9 with a heating strip 6 arranged therein from the endless strand 4 cuts off in a weak point 5.

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  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Manufacture Of Tobacco Products (AREA)

Description

Die vorliegende Erfindung betrifft eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung von stabförmigen Tabaksegmenten mit jeweils einem Heizstreifen mit den Merkmalen des Oberbegriffs von Anspruch 1 und ein Verfahren zur Herstellung von stabförmigen Tabaksegmenten mit einem Heizstreifen mit den Merkmalen des Oberbegriffs von Anspruch 8.The present invention relates to a device for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments, each with a heating strip, with the features of the preamble of claim 1, and a method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments with a heating strip, with the features of the preamble of claim 8.

Stabförmige Tabaksegmente mit einem eingelegten Heizstreifen werden in sogenannten Heat Not Burn-Produkten (HNB-Produkte) oder ähnlichen Produkten verwendet, welche zur Inhalation durch einen Konsumenten vorgesehen sind. Dabei können die Tabaksegmente neben dem Tabak oder den Tabakpartikeln zusätzlich auch ätherische oder medizinische Substanzen zur Inhalation enthalten. Die vorgefertigten Tabaksegmente werden dann in einem weiteren Verarbeitungsprozess mit anderen stabförmigen Segmenten wie z.B. Filtersegmenten, rohrförmigen Kühlstrecken, oder auch weiteren geschmacksbeeinflussenden Segmenten zu fertigen stabförmigen Produkten zusammengesetzt und z.B. durch einen Umhüllungsstreifen formfixiert. Die Tabaksegmente selbst umfassen jeweils einen durch einen Umhüllungsstreifen formfixierten Tabakstrang, welcher sowohl durch lose Tabakfasern als auch durch eine gecrimpte Tabakfolie gebildet sein kann. Die Tabakfolie umfasst ein Trägermaterial, in welchem das Tabakmaterial in Form von Tabakpartikeln oder Tabakpigmenten angeordnet ist. Daneben können in der Tabakfolie zusätzliche geschmacksbeeinflussende Additive vorhanden sein.Rod-shaped tobacco segments with an inserted heating strip are used in so-called Heat Not Burn products (HNB products) or similar products which are intended for inhalation by a consumer. In addition to the tobacco or the tobacco particles, the tobacco segments can also contain essential or medicinal substances for inhalation. The prefabricated tobacco segments are then put together in a further processing process with other rod-shaped segments such as filter segments, tubular cooling sections, or other flavor-influencing segments to form finished rod-shaped products and, for example, fixed in shape by a wrapping strip. The tobacco segments themselves each comprise a tobacco rod which is fixed in shape by a wrapping strip and which can be formed both by loose tobacco fibers and by crimped tobacco foil. The tobacco foil comprises a carrier material in which the tobacco material is arranged in the form of tobacco particles or tobacco pigments. In addition, additional taste-influencing additives can be present in the tobacco film.

Die Tabakfolie wird in einem Vorverarbeitungsprozess mit einer Vielzahl von in Längsrichtung eines anschließend zu fertigen Tabakstranges verlaufenden Knicklinien vorgeprägt und anschließend in einer Strangeinheit unter Ausnutzung der vorgeprägten Knicklinien zu einem endlosen Strang mit einer chaotischen Querschnittsverteilung zusammengefaltet. Anschließend wird die Tabakfolie in dem zusammengefalteten Zustand in einem endlosen Strang auf einen endlosen Umhüllungsstreifen aufgelegt und anschließend durch Umschlagen des Umhüllungsstreifens und Verkleben der Ränder des Umhüllungsstreifens formfixiert. Sofern der Tabakstrang durch Tabakfasern gebildet wird, werden die Tabakfasern in bekannter Weise in einer Strangeinheit in einem endlosen Strang auf den Umhüllungsstreifen aufgelegt und durch Umschlagen und Verkleben der Ränder des Umhüllungsstreifens formfixiert.The tobacco foil is pre-embossed in a preprocessing process with a large number of crease lines running in the longitudinal direction of a tobacco rod that is subsequently to be finished, and then Folded together in a strand unit using the pre-embossed kink lines to form an endless strand with a chaotic cross-sectional distribution. Subsequently, the tobacco foil in the folded state is placed in an endless strand on an endless wrapping strip and then fixed in shape by folding over the wrapping strip and gluing the edges of the wrapping strip. If the tobacco rod is formed by tobacco fibers, the tobacco fibers are placed in a known manner in a strand unit in an endless strand on the wrapping strip and are fixed in shape by folding over and gluing the edges of the wrapping strip.

Nach der Herstellung des endlosen, formfixierten Stranges wird dieser dann mittels einer Schneideinrichtung in Tabaksegmente mit einer vorbestimmten Länge geschnitten.After the production of the endless, shape-fixed strand, it is then cut into tobacco segments with a predetermined length by means of a cutting device.

Der induktive Heizstreifen in dem Tabaksegment dient der Erwärmung des Tabaks in dem Tabaksegment durch eine berührungslose, externe Energiequelle, wodurch die Aerosole aus dem Tabak ausgasen. Der Konsument inhaliert dann nicht den durch eine Verbrennung des Tabaks erzeugten Tabakrauch, sondern stattdessen nur die durch das Ausgasen austretenden Aerosole aus dem Tabak. Für den induktiven Heizstreifen selbst können verschiedene Materialen verwendet werden, soweit sie induktiv erwärmbar sind. Dazu zählen z. B. ferromagnetische Metalle oder Legierungen oder auch Carbon-Werkstoffe mit derartigen metallischen Partikeln. Damit durch den Heizstreifen eine ausreichende Wärme erzeugt wird, muss dieser eine entsprechende Masse aufweisen, und kann damit nicht beliebig dünn ausgeführt werden. Ferner bildet der Heizstreifen aufgrund seines Materials und der benötigten Mindestdicke einen im Vergleich zu dem Tabakmaterial formstabilen Kern in dem Tabaksegment.The inductive heating strip in the tobacco segment is used to heat the tobacco in the tobacco segment by means of a non-contact, external energy source, as a result of which the aerosols outgas from the tobacco. The consumer then does not inhale the tobacco smoke generated by burning the tobacco, but instead only inhales the aerosols from the tobacco that emerge as a result of the outgassing. Various materials can be used for the inductive heating strip itself, provided that they can be inductively heated. These include B. ferromagnetic metals or alloys or carbon materials with such metallic particles. So that sufficient heat is generated by the heating strip, it must have a corresponding mass and can therefore not be made as thin as desired. Furthermore, the heating strip forms a comparison due to its material and the required minimum thickness to the tobacco material dimensionally stable core in the tobacco segment.

Ein zu lösendes Problem bei der Herstellung derartiger Tabaksegmente ist die Anordnung der Heizstreifen in den Tabaksegmenten.A problem to be solved in the production of such tobacco segments is the arrangement of the heating strips in the tobacco segments.

Aus der Druckschrift WO 2016/184928 A1 ist es bekannt, einen endlosen Streifen des Heizstreifenmaterials vor dem Schließen des endlosen Stranges, d.h. vor dem Umschlagen und Verkleben des Umhüllungsstreifens, in den Strang der Tabakfasern oder zwischen die Tabakfolie während des Faltvorganges möglichst mittig einzuführen. Anschließend werden die Tabaksegmente mittels einer Schneideinrichtung in einer vorbestimmten Länge von dem endlosen Strang abgeschnitten.From the pamphlet WO 2016/184928 A1 it is known to introduce an endless strip of heating strip material as centrally as possible into the strand of the tobacco fibers or between the tobacco sheet during the folding process before closing the endless strand, ie before folding and gluing the wrapping strip. Subsequently, the tobacco segments are cut off from the endless strand in a predetermined length by means of a cutting device.

Ein Nachteil dieser Lösung ist darin zu sehen, dass das Heizstreifenmaterial aufgrund der oben beschriebenen Eigenschaften einen erheblich höheren Schnittwiderstand als die Tabakfasern bzw. die Tabakfolie aufweist, so dass das anschließende Schneiden des endlosen Stranges in die Tabaksegmente durch das innenliegende Heizstreifenmaterial erheblich erschwert wird. Dadurch wird die Schnittqualität der Tabaksegmente verschlechtert und der Verschleiß der Schneidmesser beim Schneiden der Tabaksegmente erheblich vergrößert.A disadvantage of this solution is that the heating strip material has a significantly higher cutting resistance than the tobacco fibers or the tobacco foil due to the properties described above, so that the subsequent cutting of the endless strand into the tobacco segments is made considerably more difficult by the inner heating strip material. As a result, the cutting quality of the tobacco segments is worsened and the wear on the cutting blades when cutting the tobacco segments is increased considerably.

Aus der WO 2016/184929 A1 ist es darüber hinaus bekannt, die Heizstreifen bereits als vorgeschnittene Einzelstücke vor dem Schließen des Stranges in den endlosen Strang einzulegen. Diese Lösung ist aber insofern von Nachteil, da der Herstellungsprozess durch den zusätzlich erforderlichen, vorausgehenden Schnittvorgang oder Abreißvorgang der Heizstreifen von dem Heizstreifenmaterial verteuert wird. Ferner erfordert das Einlegen von Einzelstücken gegenüber dem Einführen eines endlosen Stranges des Heizstreifenmaterials eine aufwendigere technische Lösung, um die Einzelstücke entsprechend positionsgenau in den Strang einzuführen, so dass die Vorrichtung insgesamt teurer und aufwendiger wird. Ferner muss die Schneideinrichtung entsprechend synchronisiert angesteuert werden, damit die Tabaksegmente immer genau in einer zwischen den Heizstreifen angeordneten Schnittebene geschnitten werden, da ansonsten der Schnittwiderstand und der Verschleiß der Schneidmesser durch den Schnitt durch die Heizstreifen erhöht werden würdeFrom the WO 2016/184929 A1 it is also known to insert the heating strips into the endless strand as precut individual pieces before the strand is closed. However, this solution is disadvantageous in that the manufacturing process is caused by the additionally required, preceding cutting or tearing process of the heating strips from the heating strip material becomes more expensive. Furthermore, the insertion of individual pieces requires a more complex technical solution than the introduction of an endless strand of the heating strip material in order to introduce the individual pieces into the strand in a correspondingly positionally precise manner, so that the device becomes more expensive and complex overall. Furthermore, the cutting device must be controlled in a correspondingly synchronized manner so that the tobacco segments are always cut exactly in a cutting plane arranged between the heating strips, since otherwise the cutting resistance and the wear of the cutting blades would be increased by the cut through the heating strips

Weiterhin zeigt GB2260887A in Figur 7 eine Vorrichtung, in der eine "gecrimpte" Einlage in ein endloses Tabakmaterial eingebracht wird; hierbei sind die "Crimp" Rollen 61, 62 mit den nachfolgenden Förderrollen 1, 2 für das Tabakmaterial 26, 27 synchronisiert. Es ist in diesem Dokument jedoch nicht beschrieben, an welcher Stelle genau der Schnitt zum Herstellen der einzelnen Tabaksegmente erfolgt.Furthermore shows GB2260887A FIG. 7 shows a device in which a "crimped" insert is introduced into a continuous tobacco material; Here, the “crimp” rollers 61, 62 are synchronized with the following conveyor rollers 1, 2 for the tobacco material 26, 27. However, this document does not describe the exact point at which the cut for producing the individual tobacco segments takes place.

Vor diesem Hintergrund liegt der Erfindung die Aufgabe zugrunde, eine Vorrichtung und ein Verfahren zur Herstellung von stabförmigen Tabaksegmenten mit jeweils einem Heizstreifen bereitzustellen, welche eine kostengünstige Fertigung der Tabaksegmente mit einer hohen Schnittqualität der Tabaksegmente bei einem gleichzeitig reduzierten Verschleiß der Schneideinrichtung ermöglichen. Erfindungsgemäß werden zur Lösung der Aufgabe eine Vorrichtung mit den Merkmalen von Anspruch 1 und ein Verfahren mit den Merkmalen von Anspruch 8 vorgeschlagen. Weitere bevorzugte Weiterbildungen der Erfindung sind den zurückbezogenen Unteransprüchen, den Figuren und der zugehörigen Beschreibung zu entnehmen.Against this background, the invention is based on the object of providing a device and a method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments, each with a heating strip, which enable cost-effective production of the tobacco segments with a high cutting quality of the tobacco segments while at the same time reducing wear on the cutting device. According to the invention, a device with the features of claim 1 and a method with the features of claim 8 are proposed to achieve the object. Further preferred developments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the figures and the associated description.

Die erfindungsgemäße Lösung geht grundsätzlich von dem Prinzip des Einlegens eines endlosen Heizstreifenmaterials aus, da dadurch der ansonsten vorher erforderliche Schnittvorgang entfällt, oder anders ausgedrückt das Heizstreifenmaterial wird in einem Schnitt zusammen mit dem Strang des Tabakmaterials geschnitten, wie dies aus der WO 2016/184928 A1 bekannt ist. Zur Vermeidung der eingangs beschriebenen Nachteile wird erfindungsgemäß vorgeschlagen, dass der endlose Streifen des Heizstreifenmaterials in Längsrichtung regelmäßig angeordnete Schwachstellen aufweist, wobei die Abstände jeweils zweier benachbarter Schwachstellen in dem Heizstreifenmaterial der vorbestimmten Länge der Tabaksegmente entsprechen, wobei die Schneideinrichtung die Tabaksegmente von dem Strang durch einen Schnitt im Bereich der Schwachstellen des Heizstreifenmaterials schneidet.The solution according to the invention is basically based on the principle of inserting an endless heating strip material, since this eliminates the otherwise previously required cutting process, or in other words, the heating strip material is cut in one cut together with the strand of tobacco material, like this from the WO 2016/184928 A1 is known. To avoid the disadvantages described above, it is proposed according to the invention that the endless strip of heating strip material has weak points regularly arranged in the longitudinal direction, the distances between two adjacent weak points in the heating strip material corresponding to the predetermined length of the tobacco segments, the cutting device cutting the tobacco segments from the strand through a Cut in the area of the weak points of the heating strip material.

Der Vorteil der vorgeschlagenen Lösung ist darin zu sehen, dass die Heizstreifen zur Erfüllung ihrer Funktion mit der notwendigen Dicke und Masse ausgelegt werden können, während das Schneiden in den bevorzugt dazu ausgebildeten Schwachstellen vorgenommen wird, welche den schneidenden Schneidmessern der Schneideinrichtung einen geringeren Schnittwiderstand entgegensetzen, so dass ein Schnitt mit einer verbesserten Schnittqualität bei einem gleichzeitig reduzierten Verschleiß der Schneidmesser verwirklicht werden kann. Ferner werden durch die Schwachstellen bevorzugt gezielt zum Trennen ausgebildete Trennstellen gebildet, welche ein Abtrennen der Heizstreifen auch dann ermöglichen, wenn die Schneidmesser bereits geringfügig verschlissen sind. Außerdem werden durch die Schwachstellen indirekt die Position der Trennebenen vorgegeben, da das Heizstreifenmaterial auch dann bevorzugt in den Schwachstellen reißt oder abgeschert wird, wenn die Schneidmesser nicht genau in die Schwachstellen treffen. Die Schwachstellen bilden damit die bevorzugten Trennstellen der Heizstreifen, welche durch ihre Abstände die Längen der von dem Heizstreifenmaterial abgetrennten Heizstreifen bzw. die Länge der von dem Strang abgetrennten Tabaksegmente definieren. Die erfindungsgemäße Lösung bietet damit den Vorteil der Verwendung eines endlosen Heizstreifenmaterials bei einem gleichzeitig reduzierten Schnittwiderstand und einem dadurch verringerten Verschleiß der Schneidmesser, wobei die Heizstreifen zwischen den Schwachstellen bewusst mit einer ausreichenden Dicke und Masse zur Verwirklichung der erforderlichen Heizleistung bemessen werden können.The advantage of the proposed solution can be seen in the fact that the heating strips can be designed with the necessary thickness and mass to fulfill their function, while the cutting is carried out in the weak points that are preferably designed for this purpose, which oppose the cutting blades of the cutting device with a lower cutting resistance, so that a cut with an improved cutting quality can be achieved with a simultaneously reduced wear of the cutting blades. Furthermore, the weak points preferably form separation points which are specifically designed for separation and which enable the heating strips to be separated even when the cutting blades are already slightly worn. In addition, the weak points indirectly specify the position of the parting lines, since the heating strip material tears or is sheared off in the weak points even if the cutting blades do not hit the weak points exactly. The weak points thus form the preferred separation points of the heating strips which, through their spacing, define the lengths of the heating strips separated from the heating strip material or the length of the tobacco segments separated from the rod. The inventive solution thus offers the advantage of using a endless heating strip material with a simultaneously reduced cutting resistance and a consequent reduced wear of the cutting blades, whereby the heating strips between the weak points can deliberately be dimensioned with a sufficient thickness and mass to achieve the required heating power.

Gemäß einer ersten bevorzugten Ausführungsform können die Schwachstellen durch Dünnstellen gebildet sein. Die Dünnstellen weisen eine geringere Querschnittsfläche auf und können entweder durch Verdünnungen des Heizstreifenmaterials in Bezug zu der Dicke als auch in Bezug zu der Breite gebildet sein.According to a first preferred embodiment, the weak points can be formed by thin points. The thin areas have a smaller cross-sectional area and can be formed either by thinning the heating strip material in relation to the thickness or in relation to the width.

Dabei kann das Heizstreifenmaterial bevorzugt eine Dicke von mindestens 0,05 mm und die Dünnstellen bevorzugt eine Dicke von weniger als 0,025 mm aufweisen.The heating strip material can preferably have a thickness of at least 0.05 mm and the thin areas preferably have a thickness of less than 0.025 mm.

Alternativ oder zusätzlich können die Schwachstellen auch durch Ausschnitte gebildet sein. Die Ausschnitte können z.B. durch Ausstanzungen oder durch eine Perforation gebildet sein, durch welche die Querschnittsfläche des Heizstreifenmaterials ähnlich der Dünnstellen reduziert wird. Durch die Ausschnitte werden bevorzugte Trennstellen des Heizstreifenmaterials gebildet, und der Schnittwiderstand des Heizstreifenmaterials wird an diesen Stellen bewusst reduziert.Alternatively or additionally, the weak points can also be formed by cutouts. The cutouts can be formed, for example, by punching out or by a perforation, by means of which the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material is reduced similarly to the thin areas. Preferred separation points of the heating strip material are formed by the cutouts, and the cutting resistance of the heating strip material is deliberately reduced at these points.

Dabei sollte die Querschnittsfläche des Heizstreifenmaterials im Bereich der Schwachstellen durch die Ausschnitte und/oder die Dünnstellen bevorzugt um wenigstens die Hälfte reduziert sein.The cross-sectional area of the heating strip material in the area of the weak points should preferably be reduced by at least half as a result of the cutouts and / or the thin points.

Weiter wird vorgeschlagen, dass die Schwachstellen alternativ oder zusätzlich durch einen sich von dem Grundaufbau des Heizstreifenmaterials unterscheidenden Schichtaufbau gebildet sind. So ist es z.B. denkbar, das Heizstreifenmaterial in Form von einzelnen Heizstreifen auszubilden, welche in den Schwachstellen durch eine Schicht eines anderen Materials oder durch eine Schicht mit einer anderen Schichtzusammensetzung miteinander verbunden sind, wobei die Schicht oder die Schichtzusammensetzung im Bereich der Schwachstellen bewusst so ausgelegt ist, dass sie einen geringeren Schnittwiderstand als das Heizstreifenmaterial zwischen den Schwachstellen aufweist.It is further proposed that the weak points are alternatively or additionally formed by a layer structure that differs from the basic structure of the heating strip material. For example, it is conceivable to design the heating strip material in the form of individual heating strips, which are connected to one another in the weak points by a layer of a different material or by a layer with a different layer composition, the layer or the layer composition being deliberately designed in this way in the area of the weak points is that it has a lower cutting resistance than the heating strip material between the weak points.

Die Bemessung der Ausschnitte, der Dünnstellen und/oder des Schichtaufbaus einschließlich der Werkstoffwahl bilden jeweils Parameter, durch welche der reduzierte Schnittwiderstand im Bereich der Schwachstellen ausgelegt werden kann, wobei dabei grundsätzlich zu beachten ist, dass das Heizstreifenmaterial im Bereich der Schwachstellen dennoch eine ausreichende Zugfestigkeit zur Übertragung der zur Zuführung des Heizstreifenmaterials erforderlichen Zugkräfte haben muss, damit die Zuführung des endlosen Heizstreifenmaterials nicht abreißt.The dimensioning of the cut-outs, the thin spots and / or the layer structure including the choice of material form parameters by means of which the reduced cutting resistance in the area of the weak points can be designed, whereby it must be ensured that the heating strip material in the area of the weak points still has sufficient tensile strength must have to transmit the tensile forces required to feed the heating strip material so that the feed of the endless heating strip material does not break off.

Weiter wird vorgeschlagen, dass das Heizstreifenmaterial eine Breite von wenigstens 4 mm aufweist. Das Heizstreifenmaterial kann dabei in sich z.B. in eine V- oder eine W-Form, mit in Längsrichtung des Tabaksegmentes verlaufenden Falten gefaltet sein, und damit von einer noch größeren Breite auf einen kleineren Durchmesser gefaltet sein, so dass es auch in einem Tabaksegment angeordnet werden kann, welches einen kleineren Durchmesser als die Breite des Heizstreifenmaterials aufweist. Damit kann einerseits eine größere Masse des Heizstreifenmaterials in dem Tabaksegment angeordnet werden und andererseits kann das Tabaksegment dadurch über den Querschnitt gleichmäßiger erwärmt werden, da das Heizsegment eine größere dem Tabak zugewandte und weiter über den Querschnitt des Tabaksegmentes verteilte Oberfläche aufweist.It is further proposed that the heating strip material has a width of at least 4 mm. The heating strip material can be folded into a V or W shape, with folds running in the longitudinal direction of the tobacco segment, and thus folded from an even greater width to a smaller diameter so that it can also be arranged in a tobacco segment can, which has a smaller diameter than the width of the heating strip material. In this way, on the one hand, a larger mass of the heating strip material can be arranged in the tobacco segment and on the other hand the tobacco segment can thereby be heated more evenly over the cross section, since the heating segment has a larger surface facing the tobacco and further distributed over the cross section of the tobacco segment.

Gemäß der vorliegenden Erfindung ist eine die Schwachstellen detektierende Sensoreinrichtung vorgesehen, wobei die Schneideinrichtung in Abhängigkeit von dem Signal der Sensoreinrichtung angesteuert wird. Durch die Sensoreinrichtung und die Detektion der Schwachstellen kann der Schnittvorgang in Bezug zu den Schwachstellen synchronisiert werden, so dass das Heizstreifenmaterial prozesssicher in den dafür vorgesehenen Schwachstellen geschnitten wird. Die Sensoreinrichtung ist dabei speziell dazu eingerichtet, die Schwachstellen zu detektieren, was z.B. durch eine induktive Messung, durch eine optische Messung verwirklicht sein kann.According to the present invention, a sensor device that detects the weak points is provided, the cutting device being controlled as a function of the signal from the sensor device. By means of the sensor device and the detection of the weak points, the cutting process can be synchronized in relation to the weak points, so that the heating strip material is reliably cut in the weak points provided for it. The sensor device is specially set up to detect the weak points, which can be achieved, for example, by an inductive measurement or by an optical measurement.

Dabei ist die Sensoreinrichtung so angeordnet, dass die Schwachstellen detektiert werden, bevor das Heizstreifenmaterial in den Strang eingeführt wird oder auch nachdem es in den Tabakstrang eingeführt ist. Beide Lösungen haben Vorteile. So ist eine Detektion der Schwachstellen vor dem Einführen in den Strang insofern von Vorteil, da das Heizstreifenmaterial dadurch frei zugänglich ist also sehr einfach optisch detektiert werden kann. Ferner ist eine Detektion der Schwachstellen nach dem Einführen des Heizstreifenmaterials in den Strang von Vorteil, da die Position der Schwachstellen dadurch durch den Tabak in dem Tabaksegment fixiert ist und die Wahrscheinlichkeit einer anschließenden Veränderung sehr viel geringer ist. Ferner kann dadurch gleichzeitig eine Schnittebene des Stranges definiert und die Schneideinrichtung entsprechend angesteuert werden. Außerdem kann die Sensoreinrichtung dadurch näher zu der Schneideinrichtung angeordnet werden, so dass transportbedingte Verschiebungen des Stranges und/oder des Heizstreifenmaterials einen geringeren Einfluss auf die Genauigkeit der Position der Schnittebenen zu den jeweiligen Schwachstellen haben.The sensor device is arranged in such a way that the weak points are detected before the heating strip material is introduced into the rod or also after it has been introduced into the tobacco rod. Both solutions have advantages. Detection of the weak points before insertion into the strand is advantageous in that the heating strip material is freely accessible as a result, and can therefore be optically detected very easily. Furthermore, detection of the weak points after the heating strip material has been inserted into the strand is advantageous, since the position of the weak points is thereby fixed by the tobacco in the tobacco segment and the probability of a subsequent change is very much lower. Furthermore, a cutting plane of the strand can be defined at the same time and the cutting device can be controlled accordingly. In addition, the sensor device can thereby be arranged closer to the cutting device, so that transport-related Displacements of the strand and / or the heating strip material have a smaller influence on the accuracy of the position of the cutting planes at the respective weak points.

Die Erfindung wird im Folgenden anhand bevorzugter Ausführungsformen unter Bezugnahme auf die beigefügten Figuren erläutert. Dabei zeigt

Fig. 1
eine Vorrichtung zur Herstellung eines endlosen Stranges mit einem darin eingelegten endlosen Streifen eines Heizstreifenmaterials; und
Fig. 2
ein Heizstreifenmaterial gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform; und
Fig. 3
ein Heizstreifenmaterial gemäß einer zweiten Ausführungsform; und
Fig. 4
ein Heizstreifenmaterial gemäß einer dritten Ausführungsform; und
Fig. 5
einen endlosen Strang mit einer Sensoreinrichtung und einer Schneideinrichtung.
The invention is explained below on the basis of preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. It shows
Fig. 1
a device for producing an endless strand with an endless strip of a heating strip material inserted therein; and
Fig. 2
a heating strip material according to a first embodiment; and
Fig. 3
a heating strip material according to a second embodiment; and
Fig. 4
a heating strip material according to a third embodiment; and
Fig. 5
an endless strand with a sensor device and a cutting device.

In der Figur 1 ist eine Strangformeinheit 15 zu erkennen, der über ein angetriebenes Formatband 2 ein endloser Streifen eines Umhüllungsstreifens 12 mit einem darauf aufgelegten endlosen Streifen eines Tabakmaterials 1 zugeführt wird. Das Tabakmaterial 1 kann entweder in Form eines Streifens von losen Tabakfasern oder auch einer vercrimpten Tabakfolie aufgelegt werden, wobei sowohl die Tabakfasern als auch die vercrimpte Tabakfolie in einem vorangehenden Formgebungsprozess zu einer für die Strangbildung günstigen Querschnittsform und Dichte vorverarbeitet werden können. Ferner wird ein endloser Streifen eines Heizstreifenmaterials 3 in das Tabakmaterial 1 eingeführt. Dabei wird das endlose Heizstreifenmaterial 3 bevorzugt an einer Stelle mittig in das Tabakmaterial 1 eingeführt. Bei einer Verwendung einer Tabakfolie als Tabakmaterial 1 ist dies bevorzugt eine Stelle, an welcher die Tabakfolie noch nicht vollständig zu dem endlosen Streifen zusammengefaltet ist, das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 wird praktisch mittig zwischen die vercrimpte Tabakfolie eingeführt und vor dem Eintritt in die Strangformeinheit 15 zusammen mit dieser zu der Streifenform gefaltet. In der Strangformeinheit 15 wird der Umhüllungsstreifen 12 seitlich des Tabakmaterials 1 und des darin eingelegten Heizstreifenmaterials 3 hochgeschlagen, an einem Rand mit Leim beaufschlagt und anschließend durch ein vollständiges Umschlagen der Ränder zu einem endlosen Strang 4 formfixiert, welcher auch in der Figur 5 zu erkennen ist.In the Figure 1 a strand-forming unit 15 can be seen, to which an endless strip of a wrapping strip 12 with an endless strip of tobacco material 1 placed thereon is fed via a driven format belt 2. The tobacco material 1 can be placed either in the form of a strip of loose tobacco fibers or a crimped tobacco foil, both the tobacco fibers and the crimped tobacco foil in a preceding one Forming process can be preprocessed into a cross-sectional shape and density that is favorable for strand formation. Furthermore, an endless strip of a heating strip material 3 is inserted into the tobacco material 1. The endless heating strip material 3 is preferably inserted centrally into the tobacco material 1 at one point. When using a tobacco foil as tobacco material 1, this is preferably a point at which the tobacco foil is not yet completely folded into the endless strip, the heating strip material 3 is inserted practically in the middle between the crimped tobacco foil and before entering the strand forming unit 15 together with it folded into the strip shape. In the strand forming unit 15, the wrapping strip 12 is turned up on the side of the tobacco material 1 and the heating strip material 3 inserted therein, applied with glue at one edge and then fixed in shape by completely turning the edges into an endless strand 4, which is also in the Figure 5 can be seen.

In den Figuren 2 bis 4 sind verschiedene Ausführungsformen des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 zu erkennen. Das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 weist in konstanten Abständen zueinander angeordnete Schwachstellen 5 auf. Das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 ist mit den Schwachstellen 5 vorgefertigt und wird in einem endlosen Streifen in das Tabakmaterial 1 eingeführt. Damit weist der in der Strangformeinheit 15 formfixierte endlose Strang 4 sowohl das Tabakmaterial 1 als auch den darin eingelegten Streifen des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 auf.In the Figures 2 to 4 different embodiments of the heating strip material 3 can be seen. The heating strip material 3 has weak points 5 arranged at constant intervals from one another. The heating strip material 3 is prefabricated with the weak points 5 and is introduced into the tobacco material 1 in an endless strip. The endless strand 4, which is fixed in shape in the strand forming unit 15, thus has both the tobacco material 1 and the strip of the heating strip material 3 inserted therein.

Das in der Figur 2 zu erkennende Heizstreifenmaterial 3 weist Schwachstellen 5 in Form von Dünnstellen 16 auf und ist aus einem einzigen Material gefertigt. Die Dünnstellen 16 weisen eine gegenüber der Dicke D1 des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 von 0,05 mm reduzierte Dicke D2 von weniger als 0,025 mm auf. Das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 weist damit in den Dünnstellen 16 eine um wenigstens die Hälfte reduzierte Querschnittsfläche auf. Die Dünnstellen 16 können z.B. durch Prägen des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 in einem Vorverarbeitungsschritt hergestellt sein.That in the Figure 2 The heating strip material 3 to be recognized has weak points 5 in the form of thin points 16 and is made from a single material. The thin areas 16 have a thickness D1 of the heating strip material 3 which is reduced by 0.05 mm Thickness D2 of less than 0.025 mm. The heating strip material 3 thus has a cross-sectional area reduced by at least half in the thin spots 16. The thin areas 16 can be produced, for example, by embossing the heating strip material 3 in a preprocessing step.

Das in der Figur 3 zu erkennende Heizstreifenmaterial 3 weist Schwachstellen 5 in Form von seitlichen Ausschnitten 7 auf und ist ebenfalls aus einem einzigen Material gefertigt. Die Ausschnitte 7 können z.B. aus dem Heizstreifenmaterial 3 herausgestanzt sein und können alternativ auch andere Formen aufweisen. So ist es z.B. auch denkbar, mehrere kleinere Ausschnitte 7 oder Löcher in dem Heizstreifenmaterial 3 vorzusehen, welche sich zu einer Perforation ergänzen. Die Ausschnitte 7 sind auch hier bevorzugt derart bemessen, dass die Querschnittsfläche des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 in den Schwachstellen 5 gegenüber der Querschnittsfläche des Heizstreifenmaterials zwischen den Schwachstellen 5 um wenigstens die Hälfte reduziert wird.That in the Figure 3 The heating strip material 3 to be recognized has weak points 5 in the form of lateral cutouts 7 and is also made from a single material. The cutouts 7 can be punched out of the heating strip material 3, for example, and can alternatively also have other shapes. For example, it is also conceivable to provide several smaller cutouts 7 or holes in the heating strip material 3, which complement each other to form a perforation. Here, too, the cutouts 7 are preferably dimensioned such that the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material 3 in the weak points 5 is reduced by at least half compared to the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material between the weak points 5.

Das in der Figur 4 zu erkennende Heizstreifenmaterial 3 ist durch mehrere Schichten gebildet und weist in den Schwachstellen 5 einen von dem Schichtaufbau des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 zwischen den Schwachstellen 5 abweichenden geschwächten Schichtaufbau auf. Das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 ist hier durch einzelne Heizstreifen 6 gebildet, welche beabstandet sind und in der beabstandeten Anordnung durch eine Ummantelung 8 fixiert sind. Die Ummantelung 8 kann z.B. eine Celluloseschicht, eine Folie oder dergleichen sein. Die Ummantelung 8 sollte durch die Wahl des Werkstoffs und/oder die Bemessung der Dicke soweit wärmeleitfähig bzw. wärmedurchlässig sein, dass die von den Heizstreifen 6 erzeugte Wärme in das Tabakmaterial 1 eindringt und den Tabak dadurch erhitzt. Ferner sollte der Werkstoff der Ummantelung 8 so gewählt sein, dass er bei einer Erwärmung keine gesundheitsschädlichen Substanzen freisetzt. Durch die Beabstandung der Heizstreifen 6 ist das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 im Bereich der Schwachstellen 5 zwischen den Heizstreifen 6 ausschließlich durch die Ummantelung 8 gebildet und weist damit einen anderen geschwächten Schichtaufbau als im Bereich der Heizstreifen 6 auf. Ferner weist das Heizstreifenmaterial 3 damit im Bereich der Schwachstellen 5 zusätzlich eine reduzierte Querschnittsfläche auf.That in the Figure 4 The heating strip material 3 to be recognized is formed by several layers and in the weak points 5 has a weakened layer structure that differs from the layer structure of the heating strip material 3 between the weak points 5. The heating strip material 3 is formed here by individual heating strips 6 which are spaced apart and are fixed in the spaced arrangement by a casing 8. The casing 8 can be, for example, a cellulose layer, a film or the like. By choosing the material and / or dimensioning the thickness, the casing 8 should be thermally conductive or heat-permeable to the extent that the heat generated by the heating strips 6 penetrates into the tobacco material 1 and thereby heats the tobacco. Further the material of the jacket 8 should be chosen so that it does not release any harmful substances when heated. Due to the spacing of the heating strips 6, the heating strip material 3 in the area of the weak points 5 between the heating strips 6 is formed exclusively by the jacket 8 and thus has a different weakened layer structure than in the area of the heating strips 6. Furthermore, the heating strip material 3 thus additionally has a reduced cross-sectional area in the area of the weak points 5.

In der Figur 5 ist der endlose Strang 4 nach dem Austritt aus der Strangformeinheit 15 zu erkennen. Der endlose Strang 4 wird über das Formatband 2 weiter in Transportrichtung T transportiert und passiert dabei eine seitlich angeordnete, auf den endlosen Strang 4 gerichtete Sensoreinrichtung 10. Anschließend wird der endlose Strang 4 durch ein Widerlager 17 mit einem Schlitz 18 geführt und passiert dabei eine Schneideinrichtung 14 mit einem oder mehreren radial vorstehenden Schneidmessern 13.In the Figure 5 the endless strand 4 can be seen after exiting the strand forming unit 15. The endless strand 4 is transported further in the transport direction T via the format tape 2 and passes a laterally arranged sensor device 10 directed towards the endless strand 4. The endless strand 4 is then guided through an abutment 17 with a slot 18 and passes a cutting device in the process 14 with one or more radially protruding cutting knives 13.

Die Sensoreinrichtung 10 ist signaltechnisch mit einer Steuereinrichtung 11 verbunden, welche ihrerseits signaltechnisch mit der Schneideinrichtung 14 verbunden ist. Die Sensoreinrichtung 10 ist speziell so ausgebildet, dass sie beim Passieren einer Schwachstelle 5 ein Signal aussendet. Das Signal kann entweder direkt verwendet werden, oder es ist alternativ denkbar, aufgrund einer Datenauswertung einer von der Sensoreinrichtung 10 detektierten Kenngröße ein entsprechendes Ansteuersignal zu generieren, wobei die zugrundeliegende Kenngröße und deren Veränderung auf der unterschiedlichen Masse, der unterschiedlichen Geometrie oder auch aufgrund der unterschiedlichen Zusammensetzung des Heizstreifenmaterials 3 im Bereich der Schwachstellen 5 basieren kann. Basierend auf dem Signal der Sensoreinrichtung 10 wird dann unter Berücksichtigung der Laufzeit des Stranges 4 von der Sensoreinrichtung 10 zu der Schneideinrichtung 14 ein Signal zur Ansteuerung der Schneideinrichtung 14 erzeugt, wobei das Signal nicht notwendigerweise bezogen auf jede Schwachstelle 5 erzeugt werden muss. Es reicht auch aus, die Abstände der Schwachstellen 5 zu detektieren und dadurch die Schnittfrequenz der Schneideinrichtung 14 zu steuern.The sensor device 10 is signal-connected to a control device 11, which in turn is signal-connected to the cutting device 14. The sensor device 10 is specially designed so that it emits a signal when it passes a weak point 5. The signal can either be used directly, or it is alternatively conceivable to generate a corresponding control signal on the basis of a data evaluation of a parameter detected by the sensor device 10, the underlying parameter and its change on the different mass, the different geometry or also due to the different Composition of the heating strip material 3 in the area of the weak points 5 can be based. Based On the signal of the sensor device 10, taking into account the transit time of the strand 4 from the sensor device 10 to the cutting device 14, a signal for controlling the cutting device 14 is generated, the signal not necessarily having to be generated in relation to each weak point 5. It is also sufficient to detect the distances between the weak points 5 and thereby control the cutting frequency of the cutting device 14.

Die Schneideinrichtung 14 ist hier durch einen rotierenden Messerträger gebildet, welcher derart angeordnet und ausgerichtet ist, dass er bei einer Rotation mit den radial abragenden Schneidmessern 13 durch den Schlitz 18 des Widerlagers 17 hindurchtritt und dabei jeweils ein Tabaksegment 9 mit einem darin angeordneten Heizstreifen 6 von dem endlosen Strang 4 in einer Schwachstelle 5 abschneidet. The cutting device 14 is formed here by a rotating knife carrier, which is arranged and aligned in such a way that when it rotates with the radially protruding cutting knives 13 it passes through the slot 18 of the abutment 17 and in each case a tobacco segment 9 with a heating strip 6 arranged therein from the endless strand 4 cuts off in a weak point 5.

Claims (9)

  1. Apparatus for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments (9) that have a heating strip (6), comprising
    - a strand forming unit (15) to which a continuous strip of a wrapping strip (12), a tobacco material (1) and a heating strip material (3) is supplied, which heating strip material has weak points (5) arranged at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction, the distances between two adjacent weak points (5) in the heating strip material (3) corresponding to the predetermined length of the tobacco segments (9),
    - a continuous strand (4) of which the shape is fixed by means of the wrapping strip (12) and which comprises the tobacco material (1) arranged therein and the heating strip material (3) being formed in the strand forming unit (15), and
    - a cutting device (14) which cuts the tobacco segments (9) from the continuous strand (4) at a predetermined length by making a cut in the region of the weak points (5) of the heating strip material (3),
    characterised in that a sensor device (10) which detects the weak points (5) is provided, and
    - the cutting device (14) is controlled according to the signal from the sensor device (10), and
    - the sensor device (10) is arranged in such a way that it detects the position of the weak points (5) before the heating strip material (3) is inserted into the strand (4) or after the heating strip material (3) is inserted into the strand.
  2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that
    - the weak points (5) are formed by thin points (16).
  3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that
    - the heating strip material (3) has a thickness (D1) of at least 0.05 mm and the thin points (16) have a thickness (D2) of less than 0.025 mm.
  4. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that
    - the weak points (5) are formed by cutouts (7).
  5. Apparatus according to any of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that
    - the cross-sectional area of the heating strip material (3) in the region of the weak points (5) is reduced by at least half as a result of the cutouts (7) and/or the thin points (16).
  6. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that
    - the weak points (5) are formed by a layer structure that differs from the basic structure of the heating strip material (3).
  7. Apparatus according to any of the preceding claims, characterised in that
    - the heating strip material (3) has a width (B) of at least 4 mm.
  8. Method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments that have a heating strip, using an apparatus comprising
    - a strand forming unit (15) to which a continuous strip of a wrapping strip (12), a tobacco material (1) and a heating strip material (3) is supplied,
    - a continuous strand (4) of which the shape is fixed by means of the wrapping strip (12) and which comprises the tobacco material (1) arranged therein and the heating strip material (3) being formed in the strand forming unit (15), and
    - a cutting device (14) which cuts the tobacco segments (9) from the continuous strand (4) at a predetermined length,
    characterised in that
    - the continuous strand of the heating strip material (3) has weak points (5) arranged at regular intervals in the longitudinal direction,
    - the distances between two adjacent weak points (5) in the heating strip material (3) corresponding to the predetermined length of the tobacco segments (9),
    - a sensor device (10) which detects the weak points (5) being provided, and
    - the cutting device (14) being controlled according to the signal from the sensor device (10).
  9. Method according to claim 8, characterised in that
    - the cutting device (14) is arranged downstream of the sensor device (10) in relation to the strand movement, and
    - the cutting device (14) is controlled by taking into account the time it takes for the detected weak points (5) to pass from the sensor device (10) to the cutting device (14).
EP19165381.5A 2018-04-09 2019-03-27 Device and method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments each having a heating strip Active EP3552500B1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
DE102018108289.4A DE102018108289A1 (en) 2018-04-09 2018-04-09 Apparatus and method for the production of rod-shaped tobacco segments, each with a heating strip

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP3552500A1 EP3552500A1 (en) 2019-10-16
EP3552500B1 true EP3552500B1 (en) 2021-04-28

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EP19165381.5A Active EP3552500B1 (en) 2018-04-09 2019-03-27 Device and method for producing rod-shaped tobacco segments each having a heating strip

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EP (1) EP3552500B1 (en)
CN (1) CN110353301B (en)
DE (1) DE102018108289A1 (en)

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PL243959B1 (en) * 2018-07-24 2023-11-06 Int Tobacco Machinery Poland Spolka Z Ograniczona Odpowiedzialnoscia Tape for induction heating of tobacco materials, feeding devices and method of feeding
US11974607B2 (en) * 2018-07-31 2024-05-07 Philip Morris Products S.A. Inductively heatable aerosol-generating article comprising an aerosol-forming rod segment and method for manufacturing such aerosol-forming rod segments
GB202000684D0 (en) * 2020-01-16 2020-03-04 Nicoventures Trading Ltd Susceptor
KR20220114059A (en) * 2020-01-16 2022-08-17 니코벤처스 트레이딩 리미티드 Consumables for use with non-flammable aerosol delivery devices
GB202000687D0 (en) * 2020-01-16 2020-03-04 Nicoventures Trading Ltd Consumable for use with a non-combustible aerosol provision device
DE102020102744A1 (en) * 2020-02-04 2021-08-05 Hauni Maschinenbau Gmbh Manufacturing machine for the manufacture of rod-shaped products from an endless strand of a strip glued to form a tube
BR112023021586A2 (en) * 2021-05-28 2023-12-19 Philip Morris Products Sa METHOD FOR PRODUCING AEROSOL GENERATING ARTICLES INCLUDING A RANGE OF SUSCEPTOR MATERIAL

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB9119938D0 (en) * 1991-09-17 1991-10-30 Rothmans Int Tobacco Process and apparatus for manufacturing a rod of smoking material
TWI664918B (en) * 2014-05-21 2019-07-11 瑞士商菲利浦莫里斯製品股份有限公司 Inductively heatable tobacco product
HUE044510T2 (en) * 2015-05-21 2019-10-28 Philip Morris Products Sa Method for manufacturing inductively heatable tobacco rods
ES2740723T5 (en) * 2015-05-21 2024-07-08 Philip Morris Products Sa Method for manufacturing tobacco sticks that can be heated inductively
BR112018071418B1 (en) * 2016-04-20 2023-03-07 Philip Morris Products S.A. HYBRID AEROSOL GENERATOR ELEMENT FOR USE IN AN AEROSOL GENERATOR ARTICLE, HYBRID AEROSOL GENERATOR ARTICLE, AEROSOL GENERATOR SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MANUFACTURING HYBRID AEROSOL GENERATOR ELEMENTS

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Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
CN110353301A (en) 2019-10-22
DE102018108289A1 (en) 2019-10-10
CN110353301B (en) 2022-11-22
EP3552500A1 (en) 2019-10-16

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