EP3586650A1 - Perforation of cigarettes - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for testing rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry (7, 100), in particular cigarettes (7, 100). The system provides that the rod-shaped products (7, 100) each wrapped by a wrapping strip (110) are provided on their wrapping strip (110) with a perforation pattern with a predetermined number of perforation holes (104, 104a, 104b), so that the rod-shaped products (7, 100) are provided with a predetermined degree of ventilation, with a recognition device (231, 232) for recognizing the perforation patterns of individual rod-shaped products (7, 100).

Description

The invention relates to a system for testing manufactured rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarettes, the rod-shaped products each wrapped by a wrapping strip being provided on their wrapping strip with a perforation pattern with a predetermined number of perforation holes.

In the present context, rod-shaped articles or products of the tobacco processing industry are understood to mean in particular cigarettes, filter rods, multifilters and tobacco sticks for cigarettes. In particular, rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry are understood to mean filter cigarettes, the filter cigarettes each consisting of a filter plug and a tobacco rod which are connected to one another.

In the manufacture of cigarettes, especially filter cigarettes, Secondary air channels in the form of holes or perforation holes are introduced in the area of the filters, through which secondary air is supplied to the smoke when the cigarettes are pulled. The aim is to supply a relatively large secondary air flow, which should be in a predetermined, as constant a ratio as possible to the total flow leaving the cigarettes. This ratio is called the total degree of ventilation. It is already known to provide holes in cigarettes, ie to perforate them, e.g. B. by rolling along on a rolling surface filled with needles.

It is also known to perforate cigarettes by means of laser beams, a certain number of holes having a desired overall cross section being made in each case.

In order to keep the cigarettes of a brand as constant as possible with regard to condensate, nicotine and carbon monoxide (CO) in smoke on the one hand and with regard to the behavior registered by the smoker during smoking (taste per train, number of puffs), the partial ventilation levels, from which the total ventilation level is composed, be as constant as possible. This total degree of ventilation is made up of the degree of filter ventilation and the degree of tobacco ventilation, which must be within specified tolerances.

When cigarettes are assembled on a filter attachment machine, a perforation made of holes is made in the wrapping material or the wrapping strips of the rod-shaped articles in the filter cigarettes produced using a perforation device. In particular, a uniform perforation is introduced into the wrapping strips, as a result of which the wrapping strips have a predetermined, desired air permeability when smoking, so that due to the perforation pattern introduced Secondary air is sucked into the wrapping strips, which influences the proportions of nicotine and condensate in the smoke. In particular, the perforation is introduced into the wrapping strips using laser beams as coherent radiation, which results in a very precise constant zone of desired air permeability in the wrapping of the smoking articles.

By forming a perforation zone in the wrapping material of the rod-shaped articles, the wrapper is provided with a zone of a predetermined air permeability in order to add a certain amount of fresh air to the smoke each time a cigarette is drawn. The wrapping material or the wrapping strips of these articles are usually made of paper, the wrapping material or the wrapping strips being perforated at predetermined intervals in order to produce a desired air permeability. With filter cigarettes, it is common practice to make the perforations in the topping paper at the end of the filter.

Providing smoking articles with a zone of desired air permeability in the area of the mouthpiece end, a so-called ventilation zone, the articles are provided with a predetermined (total) degree of ventilation in order to provide predetermined values for nicotine and condensate in the smoke of a smoking article or a filter cigarette with such a zone to be able to maintain the desired air permeability.

In DE 27 50 038 C2 For example, a method for controlling the perforation of cigarettes or other rod-shaped smoking articles is described. To compensate for the tobacco rod ventilation, it is proposed that the air permeability of the cigarette paper before the strands or on a separate test drum before Measure perforation.

In addition, in DE 27 54 104 A1 describes a device for producing a zone of desired air permeability in a wrapping material strip for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry.

Furthermore, in DE 41 06 127 A1 discloses a method for perforating wrapping material of rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, in which the wrapping material to be perforated is moved through a perforation zone and a corresponding pulsed, high-energy beam is directed in the perforation zone onto the wrapping material in order to form perforation holes on the wrapping material.

It is an object of the invention to individually and simply label products of the tobacco processing industry that have been manufactured in a simple and unambiguous manner, it being possible to identify them in a simple manner on the basis of the individual labeling of the manufactured products. Another object of the invention is to increase the security against counterfeiting of rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry.

In a method for producing rod-shaped products from the tobacco-processing industry, in particular cigarettes or filter cigarettes, the rod-shaped products encased in each case by a wrapping strip being provided on their wrapping strips with a, in particular line-shaped, perforation pattern from a predetermined number of perforation holes, so that the rod-shaped products, in particular cigarettes, are provided with a predetermined degree of ventilation, It is provided that for a predetermined product type, in particular cigarette type, with a predetermined degree of ventilation, a first rod-shaped product, preferably a first cigarette, is provided with a first, in particular line-shaped, perforation pattern and a second rod-shaped product, in particular second cigarette, with a second perforation pattern is provided, wherein the first perforation pattern of the first rod-shaped product differs from the second, in particular line-shaped, perforation pattern of the second rod-shaped product in the arrangement of the perforation holes, the number of perforation holes of the first perforation pattern in particular corresponding to the number of perforation holes of the second perforation pattern and the the cumulative total length of the perforation holes of the first perforation pattern corresponds to the cumulative total length of the perforation holes of the second perforation pattern.

Provided that the hole width of the perforation holes is equal to i.e. remains unchanged, it is provided that when the perforation pattern is formed, the number of perforation holes of the first perforation pattern corresponds to the number of perforation holes of the second perforation pattern and the cumulative total length of the perforation holes of the first perforation pattern corresponds to the cumulative total length of the perforation holes of the second perforation pattern.

It is provided here that in a filter attachment machine in which the rod-shaped products, for example filter cigarettes, are made up, the filter cigarettes produced on this machine are designed with a predetermined (overall) degree of ventilation. For this purpose, a perforation pattern with ventilation holes in the wrapper of the cigarette is made by means of a perforation device, in particular using a laser or a laser beam brought in.

The manufactured products or filter cigarettes are individualized on the manufacturing machine by the different and different perforation patterns, so that the manufactured filter cigarettes are identified or authenticated accordingly during an inspection at a later point in time. For this purpose, the individual perforation pattern of the cigarettes is recorded individually using a type of reading device, the detected, unique, perforation pattern of a cigarette then being decoded, for example, so that the perforation pattern for the respective cigarette is used to determine which machine this cigarette is at a specified point in time has been manufactured at a predetermined location. This significantly increases the security against counterfeiting of manufactured filter cigarettes.

For this purpose, it is provided that the manufactured rod-shaped products and the manufacturing machines of the tobacco processing industry are assigned a unique identifier or marking, which is embossed during the manufacture of the rod-shaped products or filter cigarettes on the basis of the variation of the perforation holes in a perforation pattern of the manufactured cigarette. As further information, the filter cigarette or the manufactured product can use the variation of the perforation pattern to provide information about the type of product, such as Brand, time of manufacture and date of manufacture on which perforation patterns are imprinted.

It is provided that the predetermined (total) degree of ventilation of filter cigarettes is always maintained, while the arrangement of the perforation holes corresponds to a perforation pattern is varied, the total length of the perforation holes in the circumferential direction of the cigarettes of a batch being kept constant. In addition, the number of perforation holes is also kept constant, the individual length of the perforation holes being varied accordingly, so that each manufactured cigarette is given an individual or individualizing feature based on the perforation patterns that differ from one another.

After the filter cigarettes have been produced, the perforation pattern can be decoded on the basis of the individual perforation pattern, so that after decoding or decoding the perforation pattern, the cigarettes are uniquely assigned.

Due to the change in the geometrical dimensions and variations in the geometrical dimensions of the perforation holes, through which a unique and specific perforation pattern of a cigarette is formed, an individual code or an individualization identifier is applied to the wrapping of the rod-shaped products while maintaining a predetermined degree of ventilation, whereby through the perforation holes , in particular by the total length of the perforation holes, preferably in the circumferential direction of the rod-shaped products, the predetermined degree of ventilation for a cigarette type is maintained during the production of an entire batch. In particular, all perforation patterns or two perforation patterns of all rod-shaped articles produced differ from one another.

In addition, it is also conceivable that in addition to an existing standardized perforation pattern for a predetermined degree of ventilation of a product type or cigarette type, a second perforation pattern with individualized or individually arranged perforation holes on the wrapping of the products is applied. As a result, an individualization of the rod-shaped products or filter cigarettes is embossed into the casing in addition to the already existing, indistinguishable hole pattern for a desired or predetermined degree of ventilation.

To this end, one embodiment of the method provides that the perforation pattern of the first rod-shaped product and the perforation pattern of the second rod-shaped product are stored and / or stored in a storage medium and / or in a database. For this purpose, all perforation patterns that are used to individualize the rod-shaped products or filter cigarettes are stored in a data collection in a data storage device, in order to then use this data collection for the perforation patterns when testing cigarettes or individual cigarettes to identify the filter cigarettes examined or the place of manufacture and determine the manufacturing machine and the manufacturing time based on the individual identification based on the perforation pattern.

For this purpose, for individualizing, unique identification of the rod-shaped articles produced in the mass flow, it is provided that the or all perforation patterns of several rod-shaped products or all rod-shaped products of one product type with the same or constant total length of the perforation holes, preferably in the circumferential direction of the rod-shaped articles or products, and if the number of perforation holes remains constant, they are or are designed differently.

Furthermore, it is provided in a preferred method step that the rod-shaped products each have perforation patterns that can be distinguished from one another, preferably with the same Total length and same width and total perforated area of the perforation holes, and with an equal number of perforation holes with the same degree of ventilation.

For example, for a type of product or a brand of cigarettes, the cigarettes are perforated online on a filter attaching machine or manufacturing machine, so that the perforation holes distributed over the circumference of the products, which are also called ventilation holes, are arranged or are such that the arrangement of the perforation holes is company-specific and / or are brand specific. Due to the variation in the geometrical dimensions of the perforation holes, the deviations in the perforation holes can only be determined microscopically on the individual manufactured products or filter cigarettes.

It is provided that wrapping strips of the rod-shaped products, such as Cigarette paper and / or topping paper strips are provided with at least one laser with individually coded perforations or microperforations which are generated by a correspondingly operated, preferably pulsed, laser. Coding with product-relevant information takes place in that the length of the perforation holes in the circumferential direction of the rod-shaped products and the distances between the perforation holes in the circumferential direction are varied when the individual perforation holes are formed in the wrapping strips of the rod-shaped products.

In addition, an embodiment of the method is characterized in that the manufacturer and / or the place of production and / or the production machine and / or the production time are or are encoded in the wrapping strips of the rod-shaped products by a perforation pattern of a rod-shaped product.

The perforation patterns of the rod-shaped products are preferably formed or introduced into the wrapping strip of the rod-shaped products using at least one radiation source, in particular a laser.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the method is characterized in that rod-shaped products, in particular cigarettes, are or are provided with a first line-shaped perforation pattern additionally with at least one further line-shaped perforation pattern spaced parallel to the first perforation pattern.

An advantageous further development results from the fact that after the formation of the individual perforation patterns in the respective wrapping paper and / or in the covering paper of the individual rod-shaped products, the perforation patterns by means of a, preferably pneumatic-electronic, monitoring device, in particular on the same production machine, with regard to the tensile resistance and / or the degree of ventilation.

The processing of the rod-shaped products is also improved in that, after the individual perforation patterns have been formed in the respective wrapping paper or in the respective wrapping strips and / or in the respective covering paper of the individual rod-shaped products, the perforation patterns by means of a, preferably optical, monitoring device, in particular on the same production machine , be monitored. Here, after processing and inserting the perforation pattern into the wrapping or wrapping strip of the finished rod-shaped products or filter cigarettes, the pattern introduced in each case is appropriately monitored or recorded by means of a monitoring device.

In particular, the optical test systems already present on the production machines or extruders as well as filter attachment machines are used modified for this purpose with regard to an evaluation algorithm. Suitable test systems are, for example, test systems from HAUNI Maschinenbau AG known in the field of filter attachment machines, known under the name "OCIS", which are designed to visually test the surface of the rod-shaped products. An optical test is understood to mean a test with electromagnetic radiation in the visible region of the spectrum or in adjacent regions which are invisible to the human eye, for example in the infrared or ultraviolet region. After the wrapping of a tobacco strip or a rod-shaped or rod-shaped product, the optical test is preferably carried out using the reflection method, with light being measured which is reflected by the surface of the product.

The known test systems, for example OCIS systems from HAUNI Maschinenbau AG, are designed to take pictures of strand surfaces or cigarette surfaces using a camera system and to analyze them in an evaluation unit. Cigarettes with identified defects, e.g. an incomplete perforation pattern for a predetermined degree of ventilation is removed from the running production on the machine, for example via a shot valve.

In addition, a further method step is characterized in that the perforation patterns for each individual rod-shaped product are determined by a, in particular central, control device, in particular a central computer, and transmitted to a perforation device, preferably online, so that corresponding control commands are sent to the product manufacturing machine a Perforation device for forming perforation patterns on the surface of the rod-shaped products are transmitted.

By means of the control device, the individual or individualizing perforation patterns with mutually different arrangements of perforation holes and a variation of the distances between the perforation holes in the circumferential direction are determined or determined, so that on the basis of the individually determined, unique and thus unambiguous identification pattern for a filter cigarette, these are correspondingly identified with the Perforation pattern is formed, the degree of ventilation of the manufactured products on the manufacturing machine for a type of cigarette or for a batch is essentially constant or is maintained. It is also conceivable that the number of perforation holes also varies, again the degree of ventilation of the perforated cigarette being kept constant.

In addition, a machine for producing rod-shaped products, in particular cigarettes, is provided, wherein a perforation device can be used to introduce perforation patterns with perforation holes into the rod-shaped products, in particular cigarettes, which are each surrounded by a wrapping strip or wrapping paper and / or covering paper, the perforation device being able to be introduced by means of a , in particular a central control device, in particular a central computer, can be controlled in such a way that the method described above for producing rod-shaped products in the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarettes, can be carried out.

Corresponding individualizing perforation patterns with differently long and differently arranged perforation holes as well as differently long ones are created by means of the control device Distances between the perforation holes in the circumferential direction are determined and correspondingly transmitted to the perforation device, so that for the individualization of the mass-produced cigarettes, for example on a filter attachment machine, the filter cigarettes are individually identified, the introduced, different perforation patterns in coded form corresponding to product-relevant information, the Individualized perforation patterns using appropriate evaluation units or reading devices read or recognize the perforation patterns introduced as a code.

An individualization of the manufactured cigarette is then achieved on the basis of the recognized perforation pattern using an available database with corresponding profiles, the decodings on the basis of the data collection of perforation patterns used making the coded information on the filter cigarettes available, for example, for test authorities. In this way it can be determined, among other things, from which country (place of origin) the manufactured cigarettes come. This also significantly increases the security against counterfeiting of filter cigarettes.

In a further development of the machine, it is advantageously provided that, after the individual perforation patterns have been formed in the respective wrapping paper and / or in the covering paper of the individual rod-shaped products, the perforation patterns are preferably a pneumatic-electronic monitoring device for monitoring the tensile resistance and / or the degree of ventilation. is provided in particular on the same manufacturing machine.

In particular, in the machine after training the individual Perforation pattern in the respective wrapping paper and / or in the respective covering paper of the individual rod-shaped products, a, preferably optical, monitoring device is provided for monitoring the perforation patterns, in particular on the same production machine.

The object is achieved by a system for testing rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarettes, the rod-shaped products wrapped by a wrapping strip being provided on their wrapping strip with a perforation pattern with a predetermined number of perforation holes, so that the rod-shaped ones Products with a predetermined degree of ventilation are provided, with a recognition device for recognizing the perforation patterns of individual rod-shaped products, wherein the recognition device can be or is connected to a, preferably decentralized, database for perforation patterns, so that after a perforation pattern has been recognized and the recognized one has been compared Perforation pattern with the perforation pattern data available in the database determine the origin and / or the type of manufacture and / or the production conditions of the rod-shaped products mmbar is.

Using such a system, it is possible to carry out a method of testing manufactured rod-shaped articles or products, for example, such a system is used by national sovereign authorities to ensure that the cigarettes examined are not counterfeits or unauthorized imported products ,

Here, the recognition device is designed to recognize the perforation patterns on the wrapping strips of the cigarettes, wherein the recognized perforation patterns are compared by means of a computer, for example a laptop or personal computer, with a central database for perforation patterns. The perforation patterns are stored in a corresponding digital form in a data collection, whereby state sovereign authorities have correspondingly authorized access to such a data collection.

In addition, the system is characterized in that the detection device has a sensor device and / or a, preferably mobile, data processing device. In the context of the invention, a data processing device is, for example, a portable computer or a portable terminal, such as Mobile phone with a corresponding scanning device or the like.

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

Fig. 1

eine schematische Darstellung des Aufbaus und der Ventilationsgrade einer Zigarette,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Darstellung eines Teils einer Filteransetzmaschine mit einer Perforationsvorrichtung,

Fig. 3a

schematisch einen Ausschnitt eines abgewickelten Umhüllungsstreifens einer Filterzigarette gemäß dem Stand der Technik;

Fig. 3b, 3c

jeweils schematisch zwei Ausschnitte eines abgewickelten Umhüllungsstreifens einer Filterzigaretten mit unterschiedlichen, individualisierenden Perforationsmustern;

Fig. 4

schematisch ein System zur Erzeugung von individualisierenden Kennzeichen bzw. Perforationsmustern von Zigaretten und zum Prüfen der individualisierten Zigaretten sowie Zigarettenpackungen und

Fig. 5a, 5b

jeweils schematisch Systeme zur Prüfung der Echtheit von Zigaretten mit individualisierten Perforationsmustern in jeweils einer Ausführungsform.

The invention is described below without restricting the general inventive concept on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, reference being expressly made to the drawings with regard to all details according to the invention not explained in more detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1

1 shows a schematic representation of the structure and the degrees of ventilation of a cigarette,

Fig. 2

is a schematic representation of part of a filter attachment machine with a perforation device,

Fig. 3a

schematically shows a section of a developed wrapping strip of a filter cigarette according to the prior art;

3b, 3c

each schematically shows two sections of a developed wrapping strip of a filter cigarette with different, individualizing perforation patterns;

Fig. 4

schematically shows a system for generating individualizing characteristics or perforation patterns of cigarettes and for checking the individualized cigarettes and cigarette packs and

5a, 5b

each schematically systems for checking the authenticity of cigarettes with individualized perforation patterns in one embodiment.

In the following figures, the same or similar elements or corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding re-introduction will be dispensed with.

Fig. 1 shows schematically the structure of a filter cigarette 100 and the different degrees of ventilation. The filter cigarette 100 is divided into a tobacco rod 101 and a filter 8. The tobacco rod 101 is surrounded by a porous cigarette wrapping strip 103. For this purpose, a wrapping strip is wrapped around the tobacco rod and a tobacco rod twice the length of use is subsequently cut off from the wrapped tobacco rod. In the wrapping material strips of the wrapped filter 8, ventilation holes 104a are made as perforation holes of the covering paper 9 by a perforation device.

From the measured values of the total air discharge amount Q _from the air inlet amount Q _F in the area of the filter of the filter cigarette 100 and the air intake quantity Q _P in the region of the tobacco rod, in particular of the air intake quantity by the porous paper wrapper, and the total intake air amount Q _a well-known formulas can be classified using determine the overall degree of ventilation, the degree of filter ventilation and the degree of tobacco ventilation as well as other specific values of the cigarette 100.

Furthermore, in Fig. 1 shows that the cigarette wrapper 103, which is provided or formed by wrapping paper for the tobacco rod 103 using a cigarette paper strip, can also be provided with perforation holes 104b.

Fig. 2 shows schematically a filter attachment device 2 in the detail. Such a filter attachment device or filter attachment machine is known under the name "MAX" by HAUNI Maschinenbau AG, Hamburg.

After they have been manufactured on a (cigarette) rod machine, the cigarettes are conveyed to the filter attachment device 2 and transferred to the latter, where they are connected with filter plugs of double useful length. For this purpose, a covering paper strip is also fed to the filter plug, which strip is pulled off a covering paper strip roll or bobbin, glued and cut into sheets, which are called on covering paper sheets. By rolling on a stationary counter-rolling surface, for example, the cigarettes 7 become axially aligned filter plugs assembled into finished filter cigarettes 100.

When producing double filter cigarettes with two outside tobacco sticks and inside filter plug of double length of use, these aforementioned groups are separated from one another after being joined by glued covering sheets by central cutting, thus forming two strips of cigarettes conveyed transversely axially. The cigarettes 100 of one web are subsequently turned over and brought together with the cigarettes 100 of the other web and then conveyed into a web transversely axially for further processing.

In order to be able to supply secondary air to the smoke of the filter cigarettes, perforation holes 104a, 104b are inserted into the tobacco sticks encased in a wrapping strip and / or filter stoppers encased in the topping paper, using a perforation device 16 with a laser 17, preferably for each lane of coffees conveyed axially a laser 17 is provided.

A laser beam 18 emanating from a controllable laser 17 reaches the filter 8 via mirrors 19a and 19b and a lens 21, so that using the laser 17 perforation holes 104a, 104b through the topping paper and / or the wrapping paper of the tobacco stick 101 as well as possibly also surface of the filter plug made of paper are burned so that when the filter cigarette 7 is pulled, cool secondary air can enter through the perforation holes 104a, 104b into the filter 8 and / or tobacco stick 101, where it mixes with the flow of smoke flowing through the cigarette 7.

During the perforation process, a filter cigarette 100 is located on a perforation drum 22, on which it is conveyed in the direction of arrow 23 and is held in troughs 26 in channels 24 by suction air. A rolling device 27 in the form of a rolling cam 29 rotating according to arrow 28 rolls the filter cigarettes 100 at a rolling point in such a way that they interrupt their conveying movement in the direction of arrow 23 during the rolling by relatively rolling back on the circumference of the test drum 22. Therefore, the laser beam 18, which is emitted in the form of pulses from the laser 17, can successively burn or form perforation holes 104a in the filter plug 8, which then lie one after the other in the circumferential direction in a row.

The timing of the start of the perforation of a filter cigarette and the individual laser pulses in one embodiment are triggered by a cam disk, from which the outer ring 31 with the control cams 32 (trigger) and 33 (single pulses) can be seen. The control signals are sent from a sensor 34 to a control device 36 of the laser 17.

Instead of the aforementioned cam, an optoelectronic or magnetoelectronic rotary pulse generator or also a resolver can be provided in a further embodiment.

Other control processes of the perforation device 16 are also possible in order to introduce or form corresponding perforation holes 104a, which are also called ventilation holes, in the wrapping strips of the filter cigarettes 100.

The overall degree of ventilation is checked by means of a ventilation test device 38 on a test drum 30 connected in the conveying direction of the cigarettes 7 or 100. For this, the one to be checked Cigarette 7 a test pressure supplied via a throttle, not shown here. A transducer, also not shown, converts the measured pressure into an electrical signal and feeds it to the control device 36.

If the pull resistance of the tobacco rod 101 of the cigarette 100 is constant, the degree of tobacco ventilation is only influenced by fluctuations in the air permeability in the cigarette wrapper 103. A corresponding measuring arrangement is for example in the DE 27 50 038 C2 , especially in Fig. 5 , disclosed. The DE 27 50 038 C2 should be fully included in the disclosure of this application.

Depending on the porosity of the wrapping strip, the quality of the adhesive point between the filter and the cigarette and the quality, in particular the homogeneity of the filter plug 8, the overall degree of ventilation is kept constant by controlling the perforation device 16, in particular the hole cross-sections, provided that the amount of tobacco in the tobacco rod and thus the draw resistances in the finished cigarettes are constant.

Further devices for perforating wrapping material from rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry, in particular strips of cigarette wrapping material, are shown in DE 41 06 127 A1 as in EP 1 510 142 A2 described.

Following the test drum 30, in the conveying direction of the cigarettes 7 on subsequent conveying drums 39, 40, the perforation patterns in the respective wrapping paper 110 and / or in the respective covering paper 9 of the individual rod-shaped cigarettes 7 are used using cameras arranged on the conveying drums 39, 40 41, 42, 43, 44 monitored.

In Fig. 3a a cut-out perforated cigarette wrapping material strip 110 according to the prior art is shown schematically in the cutout, the cigarette wrapping material strip 110, by means of which a cigarette is wrapped, having perforation holes 104 in the circumferential direction at regular intervals. The perforation holes 104 are formed in the circumferential direction by means of a perforation device, as described above by way of example, in the cigarette wrapping material strip one behind the other in the circumferential direction. According to the prior art, the perforation holes 104 have a predetermined constant length, the distance in the circumferential direction between two perforation holes 104 also being kept constant. A predetermined total degree of ventilation of the cigarette is formed by the formation of equidistantly arranged, equally long perforation holes 104.

According to the prior art, the perforation holes 104 are in accordance with the exemplary embodiment Fig. 3a evenly distributed over the circumference of the cigarettes.

In the 3b, 3c two exemplary embodiments of perforated cigarette wrapping material strips are shown. In this case, the cigarette wrapping material strips 110 each have perforation patterns that differ from one another, the perforation holes 104 being irregularly formed and arranged in the circumferential direction. In this case, the perforation holes 104 have different perforation lengths in the circumferential direction, the distance between two perforation holes 104 also being varied in the circumferential direction.

The total lengths of the perforation holes 104 in the circumferential direction correspond to the total length of the perforation holes 104 according to the embodiment according to the prior art (cf. Fig. 3a ), so that even in the embodiments in 3b, 3c the manufactured cigarettes have the same degree of ventilation as a cigarette with a strip of cigarette wrapping material according to Fig. 3a (State of the art).

In addition, the number of perforation holes 104 according to the exemplary embodiments is also in FIG 3b, 3c constant. In the exemplary embodiments 3b, 3c, the number of perforation holes 104 in the circumferential direction is 20. In Fig. 3a According to the prior art, 20 perforation holes 104 are also formed on the cigarette wrapping material strip 110.

By varying the length and / or the width or the diameter of the perforation holes 104 in the circumferential direction of a cigarette and the variation of the distances between the perforation holes 104, it is possible for cigarette brands or types of cigarettes to arrange the perforation holes 104 distributed on the circumference of the cigarette such that the The arrangement and design of the perforation holes 104 is company-specific and / or brand-specific.

As a result, due to the distribution of the perforation holes 104 and the variation in the length or hole length of the perforation holes 104 in the circumferential direction, a predetermined code can be applied to the cigarette wrapping material strip without changing the overall degree of ventilation for a predetermined product type or brand of cigarettes.

The irregular distribution of the perforation holes 104 over the circumference of the cigarette is influenced, the individual length of the perforation holes 104 also being influenced, the total length of all perforation holes with a constant number is kept constant at perforation holes over the circumference of the cigarette.

The perforation length and the distribution of the perforation holes are also influenced in the perforation of the cigarettes in such a way that a clear assignment based on the individual perforation patterns to a manufacturer and / or a production location, a production machine and / or a production layer is made possible, the information relating to the production-relevant and characteristic properties of the respective cigarette are coded into the wrapping strips or the cigarette material strips. For example, a perforation using Morse codes or IAN codes (International Article Number Codes) or EAN codes (European Article Number Codes) or another bar code can be applied as a perforation pattern on the cigarette wrapping strip. In the case of a two-track or multi-track perforation, a two-dimensional code (2D code) can also be introduced into the covering paper and / or the wrapping paper as the perforation pattern.

Due to the encrypted codes based on the different perforation patterns, the counterfeit security of the manufactured cigarettes is significantly increased.

In addition, it is possible that in addition to an existing perforation pattern in a first track for a total degree of ventilation of cigarettes, an individualizing perforation pattern in a second, preferably parallel, track is also provided in the wrapping paper or in the wrapping strips and / or in the covering paper or in the covering paper strips Cigarettes are brought in.

In Fig. 4 a system for checking the authenticity of cigarettes is shown schematically. In this case, the system has a control system 200, by means of which codes are generated to a control device 201 for the production of cigarettes and codes for the control device 202 for cigarette boxes at a packaging device, and are distributed and transmitted accordingly to the control devices 201 and 202. As a result, a clear assignment of the perforation patterns formed on the cigarettes is generated as a code and a corresponding code on the cigarette packs produced on the packaging device.

The control device 201 is connected to a rod machine 210, a filter attachment machine 211 and a laser device 212 for perforating the filter cigarettes produced on the filter attachment device 211.

In addition, the control device 201 is equipped with an optical test device, e.g. is known under the name OCIS of Hauni Maschinenbau AG. In particular, the control device 201 is designed as a computer device for the production of filter cigarettes. The control system 200 is also designed as a computer. The perforation patterns applied as a code to the cigarettes by the control system 200 are additionally stored in a central data memory 220.

By storing the perforation patterns or their codes in the data memory 220, it is possible that after the production of the filter cigarettes with individualized perforation patterns or perforation codes and after the cigarettes have been packaged in appropriate packs using recognition devices 231, 232 the cigarettes provided with the individualized perforation patterns and packs provided with, preferably individual, codes are examined.

The detection devices 231, 232 can determine whether the cigarette produced with a corresponding perforation pattern belongs in the corresponding cigarette pack. A query is carried out by the recognition device 231 or 232 in the database 220.

If a corresponding code is not assigned to a packing device, one embodiment can determine whether the examined cigarette belongs to a corresponding batch, e.g. Pole or box, fits or could fit. Here, a comparison of the date and / or the place of production and / or the production quantity, which are present as a perforation pattern on the corresponding cigarette, is checked. A corresponding perforation is carried out on the envelopes of the filter cigarettes by the laser device 212. Here, the corresponding code or the corresponding perforation pattern is determined by the control system 200 via the control device 201 and then transmitted to the laser device 212.

In addition, the optical test device 213 checks whether the perforation pattern or the perforation code is actually completely formed on the cigarettes. If a faulty perforation pattern that does not match the predefined individual perforation pattern is detected, this event is reported to the control system 200, so that the control system 200 stores how many cigarettes were produced with an individual code or perforation pattern. This corresponding information is also forwarded to the data store 220. The perforation pattern is queried via the recognition devices 231, 232 preferably upon a corresponding request by these devices to the data store 220. This data store 220, as a central data store, is only accessible to authorized persons or authorities or facilities.

In the 5a, 5b Different exemplary embodiments for a recognition device 231 or 232 are shown schematically. Here, the monitoring device 231 has an output / evaluation device 235, which is designed with a reading device 236 for the perforation patterns of a cigarette. In this case, the perforation patterns are recorded by the reading device 236 and transmitted to the output / evaluation device.

For example, the output / evaluation device 235 is designed as a laptop or a mobile data acquisition device. The output / evaluation device 235 also has access to a database (cf. Fig. 4 , Reference numeral 220), so that after detecting the perforation pattern of the cigarettes 100, the detected perforation pattern is compared with the perforation pattern stored in the data memory 220. In this way, after decoding the perforation patterns of the cigarettes 100, it is checked whether certain information about this examined cigarette 100 is available.

In the embodiment according to Fig. 5b is in addition to that in Fig. 5a interconnected output / evaluation device 235 and reading device 236, the output / evaluation device 235, connected to a reading device 237 for the codes applied to cigarette packs 120 in order to use a data store 220 and access to the data store 220 and the information stored therein on the codes of the cigarette packs and the coded or coding perforation patterns on the cigarettes 100 to check whether a cigarette 100 removed from a cigarette pack 120 also belongs to this cigarette pack, in order of origin and verify the real time of the cigarettes 100 and that of the cigarette pack 120.

All of the features mentioned, including those that can be seen in the drawings alone and also individual features that are disclosed in combination with other features, are considered to be essential to the invention, alone and in combination. Embodiments according to the invention can be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of several features.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

filter attachment

7

cigarettes

8th

filter

9

tipping paper

16

perforation

17

laser

18

laser beam

19a

mirror

19b

mirror

21

lens

22

perforating

23

arrow

24

channels

26

Hopper

27

rolling device

28

arrow

29

roll cams

30

testing drum

31

outer ring

32

control cam

33

control cam

34

sensor

36

control device

38

Ventilationsprüfeinrichtung

39

conveyor drum

40

conveyor drum

41

camera

42

camera

43

camera

44

camera

100

filter cigarette

101

tobacco rod

103

cigarette wrapper

104

perforation

104a

perforation

104b

perforation

110

Zigarettenhüllmaterialstreifen

120

cigarette pack

200

Control System

201

control device

202

control device

210

rod machine

211

filter attachment

212

laser device

213

optical test equipment

220

data storage

231

examination means

232

examination means

235

Issue / evaluation

236

reader

237

reader

Q _off

Total discharge amount of air

Q _a

Total intake air amount

Q _F

The amount of air entering through the filter

Q _P

Amount of air entering through wrapping strips

Claims (13)

System for testing rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry (7, 100), in particular cigarettes (7, 100), the rod-shaped products (7, 100) each wrapped by a wrapping strip (110) on their wrapping strip (110) with a Perforation patterns are provided with a predetermined number of perforation holes (104, 104a, 104b), so that the rod-shaped products (7, 100) are provided with a predetermined degree of ventilation, with a recognition device (231, 232) for recognizing the perforation patterns of individual rod-shaped Products (7, 100). System according to claim 1, characterized in that the recognition device (231, 232) can be or is connected to a, preferably decentralized, database (200) for perforation patterns, so that after recognition of a Perforation pattern and a comparison of the recognized perforation pattern with the perforation pattern data available in the database (220), the origin and / or the type of manufacture and / or the production conditions of the rod-shaped products (7, 100) can be determined. System according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the recognition device (231, 232) is designed to recognize the perforation patterns on the wrapping strips of the cigarettes, the recognized perforation patterns being compared by means of a computer with a central database for perforation patterns. System according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the detection device (231, 232) comprises a sensor device (236, 237) and / or a, preferably mobile, data processing device (235). System according to claim 4, characterized in that the data processing device (235) is a portable computer with a scanning device or a portable terminal with a scanning device. System according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the system has a control system (200) through which codes to a control device (201) for the production of cigarettes and codes for the control device (202) for cigarette boxes on a packing device generated and distributed and transmitted to the control devices (201, 202) accordingly. System according to claim 6, characterized in that the control device (201) is connected to a rod machine (210), a filter attachment machine (211) and a laser device (212) for perforating the filter cigarettes produced on the filter attachment device (211). System according to claim 6 or 7, characterized in that the control device (201) is connected to an optical test device (213). System according to one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the control system (200) is designed as a computer, the perforation patterns provided by the control system (200) as a code on the cigarettes being additionally stored in a central data memory (220). System according to one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the detection device (231, 232) has an output / evaluation device (235) which is designed with a reading device (236) for the perforation pattern of a cigarette. System according to claim 10, characterized in that the output / evaluation device (235) is designed as a laptop or mobile data acquisition device. System according to Claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the output / evaluation device (235) is connected to a reading device (237) for the codes applied to cigarette packs (120) in order to use a data memory (220) and access to the data memory (220) and the information stored therein on the codes of the cigarette packs and the coded or coding perforation patterns on the cigarettes (100) to check whether a cigarette (100) removed from a cigarette pack (120) also belongs to this cigarette pack. Method for testing manufactured rod-shaped products using a system for testing manufactured rod-shaped products in the tobacco processing industry (7, 100) according to one of Claims 1 to 12.

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