EP3598904B1 - Machine for the tobacco processing industry for feeding an extruder and method for operating such a machine - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a machine in the tobacco processing industry for feeding a rod machine. The invention also relates to a method for operating a machine in the tobacco processing industry for loading a rod machine.

During the production of cigarettes, a distribution device is arranged upstream of the rod machine. This serves to dose the tobacco stream supplied in an air stream, to sift it and to form one or more tobacco rods from the sifted tobacco material. The tobacco rod or rods is / are fed to the downstream rod machine.

From the DE 1 954 036 A1 discloses an apparatus for producing a cigarette-like product. An endless band of tobacco leaf material is fed to the device known from this document via a feed device. This is cut into several endless tobacco strips by a tobacco strip cutting machine. In a transport facility the tobacco strips are pushed together perpendicular to the direction of transport. A uniform strand is formed, which is then wrapped

Furthermore show U.S. 4,168,712 A and U.S. 3,472,236 A both machines in which a tobacco film is shredded between two rollers. WO 2012/062345 A1 shows a suction belt arrangement in a tobacco processing machine.

It is an object of the invention to provide an improved machine in the tobacco processing industry for loading a rod machine and an improved method for operating such a machine.

• die Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung zwei miteinander in Wechselwirkung stehende Walzen umfasst, die ein gegenläufig rotierendes Walzenpaar bilden, auf dessen stromaufwärts gelegener Seite eine Zufuhrzone vorhanden ist, über die dem Walzenpaar flaches Folienmaterial zuführbar ist, und auf dessen stromabwärts gelegener Seite eine Ausgabezone vorhanden ist, über die von dem Walzenpaar zerkleinertes Folienmaterial ausgebbar ist,
• der erste Saugstrangförderer ein erstes Saugband mit einer ersten Transportseite und der zweite Saugstrangförderer ein zweites Saugband mit einer zweiten Transportseite umfasst,
• die erste und die zweite Transportseite zum Transport des zerkleinerten Folienmaterials eingerichtet sind,
• der erste Saugstrangförderer und die Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung derart zueinander angeordnet sind, dass zerkleinertes Folienmaterial von der Ausgabezone auf die erste Transportseite übergebbar ist und der erste und der zweite Saugstrangförderer derart zueinander angeordnet sind, dass die erste Transportseite der zweiten Transportseite zugewandt ist und das zerkleinerte Folienmaterial von dem ersten Saugband an das zweite Saugband übergebbar ist,
• die Maschine ferner eine Steuereinheit umfasst, die dazu eingerichtet ist, einen von der Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung über die Ausgabezone abgegebenen ersten Fluss an zerkleinertem Folienmaterial und einen von dem ersten Saugstrangförderer geförderten zweiten Fluss an zerkleinertem Folienmaterial derart zu steuern oder zu regeln, dass der erste und der zweite Fluss um weniger als einen vorgebbaren Differenzgrenzwert voneinander abweichen.

The object is achieved by a machine in the tobacco processing industry for feeding a rod machine, this machine being developed in that the machine comprises a shredding device, a first and a second suction rod conveyor, arranged one after the other in a material flow direction, wherein

• the comminuting device comprises two rollers which interact with one another and which form a counter-rotating roller pair, on the upstream side of which there is a feed zone via which flat film material can be fed to the roller pair, and on the downstream side of which there is an output zone via which from shredded film material can be dispensed from the pair of rollers,
• the first suction line conveyor comprises a first suction belt with a first transport side and the second suction line conveyor comprises a second suction belt with a second transport side,
• the first and the second transport side are set up to transport the shredded film material,
• the first suction strand conveyor and the shredding device are arranged in relation to each other in such a way that shredded film material can be transferred from the output zone to the first transport side and the first and second suction strand conveyors are arranged in such a way that the first transport side faces the second transport side and the shredded film material is removed from the the first suction belt can be transferred to the second suction belt,
• the machine further comprises a control unit which is set up for this purpose is to control or regulate a first flow of shredded film material delivered by the shredding device via the output zone and a second flow of shredded film material conveyed by the first suction strand conveyor in such a way that the first and second flow deviate from each other by less than a predeterminable difference limit value.

The film material is, for example, flat reconstituted tobacco material, flat PLA film or another flat plastic material.

The machine of the tobacco processing industry has been able to be significantly simplified in construction compared to conventional machines such as those used for forming a tobacco rod from tobacco material. The shredded film material can advantageously be placed directly on the first suction strand conveyor. The material flow formed in this way can be fed directly to the strand machine after being transferred to the second suction strand conveyor. Compared to conventional machines, the processing of the tobacco in the primary and the transport of the cut tobacco to the machine are advantageously dispensed with. In addition, unlike conventional tobacco processing, no distributor is required or used to feed the rod machine. There is also no more material discharge, such as a rib discharge on a classifier. There is also no need for pneumatic feeding of the distributor. This is particularly advantageous since the otherwise necessary lock, the sifter and also the metering unit, such as a rotary valve, can accordingly be dispensed with.

The physical and aromatic properties of reconstituted tobacco material are very constant and therefore easily controllable. If reconstituted tobacco material is used as the film material, the efficiency in the production of rod-shaped articles for the tobacco processing industry, for example cigarettes or HNB articles, is very high and the reject rate is very low. After all, that points in the machine processed reconstituted tobacco material has a very high density, which is why the transport and storage costs are correspondingly low.

The machine of the tobacco processing industry is particularly suitable for feeding a strand machine that is set up for the production of HNB articles (for English: Heat-Not-Burn-Article).

The control unit is set up to control or regulate the first and the second flow in such a way that their values differ from one another by less than a predeterminable difference limit value. These two values therefore only differ from one another by process-related and unavoidable fluctuations and are the same in this sense. Two variables are referred to as the first and second flow, which can be both a mass flow and a volume flow.

For example, the conveying mass of the first suction strand conveyor and the mass throughput of the shredding device are coordinated so that the two values only differ from one another by process-related and unavoidable fluctuations and are the same in this sense.

A mass synchronization (or also a volume synchronization) between the comminuting device and the first suction strand conveyor is advantageously achieved. In this way, there is neither a jam of the material after the shredding device, which would occur if the conveying flow is too low or the conveying mass of the first suction line conveyor is too low, nor is the material flow tearing off, which is the case if the conveying flow is too high or the conveying mass is too high first suction line conveyor would happen.

The shredding device, the first and the second suction strand conveyor are arranged in relation to one another in such a way that the first suction strand conveyor, based on the material flow, is downstream of the shredding device, is arranged in particular downstream of the output zone of the comminuting device. In particular, the first suction strand conveyor is arranged immediately downstream of the output zone of the comminution device, which means that there are no further internals, devices or units between these two units which carry out processing steps on the comminuted film material. For example, a funnel or the like through which the shredded film material slides onto the suction belt should not be understood in this sense as a unit that performs processing steps on the shredded film material. The second suction line conveyor is arranged downstream of the first suction line conveyor. The first suction line conveyor can also be arranged directly downstream of the second suction line conveyor.

It is also provided in particular that the shredded film material is trimmed when it is conveyed on the second suction strand conveyor. Such a trim is therefore provided as an option.

According to an advantageous embodiment it is provided that the first suction strand conveyor is arranged below the output zone. In other words, the first suction strand conveyor is arranged geodetically lower than the output zone. Material that leaves the shredding device via the output zone is driven by gravity onto the first suction strand conveyor. In this context, it is provided in particular that the first suction strand conveyor is arranged directly below the output zone in the direction of gravity. With such an arrangement, the material that has left the output zone falls directly onto the transport side of the first suction belt of the first suction line conveyor. The first transport side of the first suction string conveyor faces the output zone. In particular, it is provided that the first transport side is oriented at least approximately horizontally.

According to further embodiments, it is also provided that the first suction strand conveyor is not directly below the comminuting device but is arranged to the side of the output zone. In this case too, however, it is located at a geodetically lower position, so that the shredded film material reaches the laterally arranged first suction strand conveyor along an arcuate path through the output zone.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the machine is further developed in that a compressed air unit for providing a compressed air flow to a compressed air nozzle is included, which is arranged such that a compressed air flow emerging from the compressed air nozzle accelerates the comminuted film material leaving the output zone in a first transport direction of the first suction strand conveyor .

The compressed air unit used accelerates the material flow of shredded film material leaving the output zone in the direction of the conveying direction of the first suction strand conveyor. Since the material flow is already accelerated before it interacts with the suction belt conveyor, the acceleration of the film material in the material flow when it comes into contact with the suction belt is lower. This protects the film material, so it exposes it to less mechanical stress. A break in the flow of material is advantageously prevented, but at least a break in the flow of material is significantly less likely.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the machine is further developed in that the rollers of the roller pair of the shredding device each comprise a plurality of disk knives arranged parallel to one another or are designed as cutting rollers, the roller pair being set up to divide the flat film material into a plurality of parallel film strips shredded, which reach the first suction belt of the first suction line conveyor via the output zone.

In this context, it is provided in particular that the pair of rollers a first roller that is rotatable about a first axis of rotation, and a second roller that is rotatable about a second axis of rotation, wherein the first and the second axis of rotation define a first plane which is aligned with a longitudinal direction of the first suction belt oriented in a material flow direction includes an angle greater than 0 ° and less than or equal to 90 °.

The longitudinal direction lies in the surface of the transport side of the first suction belt. The surface of the transport side of the first suction belt is in particular not arranged parallel to the plane in which the two axes of rotation extend. At the same time, the plane intersects the transport side along a line that is perpendicular to the transport direction. The plane defined by the two axes of rotation is therefore inclined in only one direction.

Due to the inclined arrangement of the pair of rollers, the film strips provided by the shredding device have a speed component which points in the direction of the transport direction of the first suction strand conveyor. When the film strips come into contact with the suction strand conveyor, less acceleration is required than would be the case if the film strips hit the surface of the suction strand conveyor at right angles. As a result, the cut film strips are treated much more gently, that is, they are exposed to less mechanical stress.

According to a further advantageous embodiment it is provided that the control unit is also set up to control or regulate a conveying speed of the first suction strand conveyor and a cutting speed at which the parallel film strips leave the shredding device in such a way that the conveying speed and the cutting speed by less than a second predeterminable difference limit value differ from one another.

The cutting speed of the shredding device is advantageous and the conveying speed of the first suction string conveyor matched to one another. The speeds are the same except for process-related and unavoidable fluctuations. This speed synchronization ensures that the material does not accumulate behind the shredding device, which would be the case if the conveying speed of the first suction strand conveyor is too low, nor that the film strips are exposed to unnecessary tensile loads and the material flow may tear off, which is when the conveying speed of the first suction strand conveyor is too high would be the case.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the shredding device comprises a longitudinal and cross-cutting roller pair and is set up to shred the flat film material into a plurality of isolated small film parts, which arrive at the first suction strand conveyor via the output zone.

A longitudinal and cross-cutting roller pair is set up to cut the film material both in the longitudinal direction (ie essentially parallel to the transport direction) and in the transverse direction. As a result, isolated small film parts are provided. A pair of longitudinal and transverse cutting rollers is often referred to as a pair of cross-cut cutting rollers because of the cutting directions that are aligned crosswise to one another.

If the shredding device, as provided according to the aforementioned embodiment, is set up to produce small film parts, a process decoupling takes place between the shredding and the subsequent conveyance of the small film material parts. It is no longer necessary to synchronize the speed of the shredding device and the first suction strand conveyor. Nevertheless, there should be at least an approximate mass and / or volume synchronism so that the film material does not accumulate after the comminution device and a strand with a constant density can be provided.

According to a further embodiment it is provided that the comminution device is a punching device, for example a roller punch, which comprises a punching roller and a counter roller cooperating with this. It is also provided, for example, that the punching roller and the counter roller interact along a punching line which is also in the plane of the two aforementioned axes of rotation of the pair of rollers. According to such an exemplary embodiment, strictly speaking, it is no longer a pair of rollers, but a punching device comprising a roller punch and a counter roller. As an exception, in the context of the present description, such a punching device should also be understood as a pair of rollers.

The machine of the tobacco processing industry for loading a rod machine is also set up in particular to feed the rod machine exclusively with the shredded film material produced from the film material. In particular, the second suction line conveyor of the machine is already a suction line conveyor of the line machine.

It is also provided in particular that the machine comprises a store for the flat film material, which is also rolled up in particular on a reel. A reel changing device, for example, is provided as a storage device, which is also set up in particular to connect a running end of flat film material rolled up on a first reel with a start of flat film material rolled up on a second reel, so that flat film material can be fed to the shredding device without interruption.

• die Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung zwei miteinander in Wechselwirkung stehende Walzen umfasst, die ein gegenläufig rotierendes Walzenpaar bilden, auf dessen stromaufwärts gelegener Seite eine Zufuhrzone vorhanden ist, über die dem Walzenpaar flaches Folienmaterial zugeführt wird, und auf dessen stromabwärts gelegener Seite eine Ausgabezone vorhanden ist, über die von dem Walzenpaar zerkleinertes Folienmaterial ausgegeben wird,
• der erste Saugstrangförderer ein erstes Saugband mit einer ersten Transportseite und der zweite Saugstrangförderer ein zweites Saugband mit einer zweiten Transportseite umfasst,
• auf der ersten und der zweiten Transportseite zerkleinertes Folienmaterial transportiert wird,
• der erste Saugstrangförderer und die Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung derart zueinander angeordnet sind, dass zerkleinertes Folienmaterial von der Ausgabezone auf die erste Transportseite übergeben wird und der erste und der zweite Saugstrangförderer derart zueinander angeordnet sind, dass die erste Transportseite der zweiten Transportseite zugewandt ist und das zerkleinerte Folienmaterial von dem ersten Saugband an das zweite Saugband übergeben wird,
• die Maschine ferner eine Steuereinheit umfasst, die einen von der Zerkleinerungsvorrichtung über die Ausgabezone abgegebenen ersten Fluss an zerkleinertem Folienmaterial und einen von dem ersten Saugstrangförderer geförderten zweiten Fluss an zerkleinertem Folienmaterial derart steuert oder regelt, dass der erste und der zweite Fluss um weniger als einen vorgebbaren Differenzgrenzwert voneinander abweichen.

The object is also achieved by a method for operating a machine in the tobacco processing industry for loading a rod machine, the method being developed in that the machine is arranged one after the other in a material flow direction Crushing device, a first and a second suction strand conveyor, wherein

• the comminuting device comprises two interacting rollers, which form a counter-rotating roller pair, on the upstream side of which there is a feed zone via which flat film material is fed to the roller pair, and on the downstream side of which there is an output zone via which shredded film material is dispensed from the pair of rollers,
• the first suction line conveyor comprises a first suction belt with a first transport side and the second suction line conveyor comprises a second suction belt with a second transport side,
• shredded film material is transported on the first and second transport side,
• the first suction strand conveyor and the shredding device are arranged in such a way that shredded film material is transferred from the output zone to the first transport side and the first and second suction strand conveyors are arranged in such a way that the first transport side faces the second transport side and the shredded film material is removed from the first suction belt is transferred to the second suction belt,
• The machine further comprises a control unit which controls or regulates a first flow of shredded film material delivered by the shredding device via the output zone and a second flow of shredded film material conveyed by the first suction strand conveyor in such a way that the first and the second flow by less than a predeterminable one Difference limit values differ from each other.

The same or similar advantages apply to the method as were already mentioned with regard to the machine of the tobacco processing industry itself, so that repetitions should be dispensed with.

The output of the film strips takes place in a direction that lies with the direction of material flow on the first suction belt in a further plane that is perpendicular to the transport side of the first suction belt.

The method is further developed in particular in that the machine comprises a compressed air unit for providing a compressed air flow to a compressed air nozzle, which is arranged such that a compressed air flow emerging from the compressed air nozzle accelerates the shredded film material leaving the output zone in a first transport direction of the first suction strand conveyor.

In particular, it is provided that the pair of rollers of the shredding device each comprise a large number of disk knives arranged parallel to one another or are designed as cutting rollers, with which the flat film material is separated into a large number of parallel film strips, and the film strips reach the first suction strand conveyor via the output zone.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the film strips are output by the shredding device in a direction which includes an angle of less than 90 ° and greater than or equal to 0 ° with a material flow direction that the film strips assume on the first suction belt.

According to a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the control unit controls or regulates a conveying speed of the first suction strand conveyor and a speed at which the parallel film strips leave the shredding device in such a way that the conveying speed and the cutting speed deviate from each other by less than a second predeterminable differential limit value.

Furthermore, it is provided in particular that the comminuting device comprises a pair of longitudinal and transverse cutting rollers and the flat film material divided into a large number of individual small film parts, which are transferred to the first suction line conveyor via the output zone. 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.

Fig. 1

eine Maschine der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie zum Beschicken einer Strangmaschine in schematisch vereinfachter perspektivischer Darstellung,

Fig. 2

die aus Fig. 1 bekannte Maschine, wobei Teile der Verkleidung nicht dargestellt sind,

Fig. 3

eine schematisch vereinfachte Detailansicht der aus Fig. 1 bekannten Maschine, wobei ein Walzenpaar gezeigt ist, mit dem flaches Folienmaterial zu Folienstreifen geschnitten wird,

Fig. 4

eine weitere schematisch vereinfachte perspektivische Darstellung eines Details der aus Fig. 1 bekannten Maschine der Tabak verarbeitenden Industrie im Bereich des Walzenpaars und des ersten Saugstrangförderers und

Fig. 5

die aus Fig. 4 bekannte Darstellung, wobei, um die einzelnen Saugbänder der Saugstrangförderer leicht erkennen zu können, Teile des ersten und zweiten Saugstrangförderers nicht dargestellt sind.

The invention is described below on the basis of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, with express reference being made to the drawings with regard to all inventive details not explained in more detail in the text. Show it:

Fig. 1

a machine of the tobacco processing industry for feeding a rod machine in a schematically simplified perspective illustration,

Fig. 2

from Fig. 1 known machine, with parts of the cladding not shown,

Fig. 3

a schematically simplified detailed view of FIG Fig. 1 known machine, wherein a pair of rollers is shown with which flat film material is cut into film strips,

Fig. 4

a further schematically simplified perspective illustration of a detail of FIG Fig. 1 known machine of the tobacco processing industry in the area of the roller pair and the first suction rod conveyor and

Fig. 5

from Fig. 4 known representation, in which, in order to be able to easily recognize the individual suction belts of the suction line conveyor, parts of the first and second suction line conveyors are not shown are.

In the drawings, the same or similar elements and / or parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that they are not introduced again in each case.

Fig. 1 shows a schematically simplified perspective view of a machine 2 of the tobacco processing industry, which is set up for loading a rod machine, not shown. The machine 2 is fed with flat film material 6 via tension rollers 41, 42, 43 in a material flow direction. In succession in the material flow direction, the machine 2 comprises a comminution device 8, a first suction line conveyor 10 and a second suction line conveyor 12.

The comminuting device 8 comprises a first roller 81 and a second roller 82, which form a pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions. The first roller 81 is rotatable about a first axis of rotation R1 and the second roller 82 is rotatable about a second axis of rotation R2. The directions of rotation of the two rollers 81, 82 are opposite to one another, so that a feed zone 24 is present on the upstream side of the roller pair, via which the flat film material 6 is supplied to the roller pair. On the downstream side of the pair of rollers there is an output zone 28, via which film material comminuted by the pair of rollers is discharged. The shredded film material passes from the shredding device 8 directly to the first suction strand conveyor 10. It only first falls through a collecting funnel 14, which is located above an in Fig. 1 Not visible first suction belt 18 of the first suction strand conveyor 10 is arranged. The shredded film material is transferred from the first suction line conveyor 10 to the second suction line conveyor 12, wherein the second suction line conveyor 12 can already be part of the line machine.

The machine 2 of the tobacco processing industry also comprises a control unit 16 which is set up to control the shredding device 8 and at least the first suction string conveyor 10 to control or regulate so that a first flow of shredded film material delivered via the output zone 28, which is delivered by the shredding device 8, and a second flow of shredded film material conveyed by the first suction line conveyor 10 is less differ from one another as a predeterminable differential value. The first and second flow can be a volume flow and / or a mass flow. In other words, the control unit 16 is set up to control the comminution device 8 and the first suction strand conveyor 10 in such a way that a mass synchronization and / or a volume synchronization between these two units can be implemented. The control unit 16 is also set up, in particular, to likewise establish volume and / or mass synchronization between the first suction line conveyor 10 and the second suction line conveyor 12. The ability of the control unit 16 to control the shredding device 8, the first suction strand conveyor 10 and, if necessary, also the second suction strand conveyor 12 is shown in FIG Fig. 1 shown schematically and simplified with arrows.

Fig. 2 shows them off Fig. 1 known machine 2 of the tobacco processing industry, the housings of the first and second suction rod conveyors 10 and 12 not being shown. The first suction line conveyor 10 comprises a first suction belt 18, which is guided over various deflection and tensioning rollers, which are not provided with reference symbols, within the first suction line conveyor 10. The second suction strand conveyor 12 comprises a second suction belt 20, which is also guided over various deflection and tensioning rollers that are not provided with any further reference numerals.

Fig. 3 shows in a schematically simplified detailed view the pair of rollers which form the shredding device 8. By way of example, the first roller 81 and also the second roller 82 each comprise a multiplicity of disk knives 22 arranged parallel to one another, which along the first and second rotational axes R1, R2 one behind the other and in each case are arranged parallel to each other. Alternatively, the first roller 81 and likewise the second roller 82 can also be designed as cutting rollers. Each elevation of a cutting roller or each circular knife 22 is perpendicular to the first or second axis of rotation R1, R2. A circular knife 22 of the first roller 81 interacts with a circular knife 22 of the second roller 82. The film material 6 fed to the comminution device 8 via the feed zone 24 is split or cut into a plurality of parallel film strips 26 and comminuted in this sense. The parallel film strips 26 leave the comminution device 8 via the output zone 28. The feed zone 24 is an area which, starting from the roller pair, extends upstream over the entire width of the roller pair at a small distance from the rollers 81, 82. Upstream the feed zone 24 is small. It is only intended to designate that area into which the flat film material of the shredding device 8 is fed. Their extension in this direction is, for example, only a few centimeters or only a few millimeters. Correspondingly, the output zone 28 extends on the opposite side of the pair of rollers, that is to say downstream, likewise in an area which directly adjoins the first and second rollers 81, 82. The output zone 28 extends over the entire width of the pair of rollers. In the direction of the material flow, the extent of the output zone 28, like the extent of the feed zone 24 counter to the direction of the material flow, is very small and is likewise only a few centimeters or millimeters, for example. The output zone 28 is intended to denote that area via which the shredded film material leaves the shredding device 8 directly.

From the plurality of film strips 26, on the first suction strand conveyor 10, more precisely on its first suction belt 18, which is shown in FIG Fig. 3 is not shown, a strand 30 formed from film material 6. According to an exemplary embodiment, it is provided that this strand 30 in cross section, i.e. perpendicular to the material flow direction M, which at this point corresponds to the conveying direction of the first suction strand conveyor 10, rectangular, furthermore, for example, square. The material flow direction M is in Fig. 3 shown by way of example and schematically at some points with arrows. Downstream of the comminution device 8, the direction of material flow M essentially follows the direction of longitudinal extension of the film strips 26.

According to a further exemplary embodiment, it is provided that the pair of rollers of the comminuting device 8 is a pair of longitudinal and cross-cutting rollers. In such an exemplary embodiment, the flat film material 6 is not comminuted into film strips but into a large number of isolated small film parts. The small film parts leave the shredding device 8 via the output zone 28 and reach the first suction strand conveyor 10.

Fig. 4 FIG. 14 shows, in a further schematically simplified perspective illustration, a detail of the machine 2 of the tobacco processing industry, wherein in addition to the illustration in FIG Fig. 3 portions of the first and second suction strand conveyors 10, 12 are shown. The shredded film material in the form of the film strips 26 arrives at the first suction belt 18, a lateral guidance of the shredded film material with the aid of the guide jaws 32 being provided.

Fig. 5 shows them off Fig. 4 known illustration, the guide jaws 32 and other components not being shown in order to be able to recognize the running of the first and second suction belts 18, 20.

The comminuted film material reaches a first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 from above. The strand 30 is formed on the first transport side 34 and then transferred to the second suction strand conveyor 12. There is a transfer to the second suction belt 20, on the second transport side 36 of which the strand 30 is transported. The first and the second transport side 34, 36 are therefore set up for transporting the comminuted film material or the strand 30 formed therefrom.

The first and second suction strand conveyors 10, 12 are arranged in relation to one another in such a way that the first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 faces the second transport side 36 of the second suction belt 20, so that the shredded film material or the strand 30 formed therefrom is removed from the first suction belt 18 can be transferred to the second suction belt 20. The first suction strand conveyor 10 is arranged in such a way that the first suction belt 18 is located directly below the output zone 28, which means that there are no further fixtures or units between the output zone 28 and the first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18. This relates to internals or units which carry out one or more processing steps on the shredded film material. The collecting funnel 14 is not a unit in this sense. In other words, the shredded film material is passed from the shredding device 8 directly and without further processing to the transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 of the first suction strand conveyor 10.

The shredding device 8 emits a first flow of shredded film material via the output zone 28. A second flow of comminuted film material is conveyed by the first suction strand conveyor 10 on the first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18. The control unit 16 of the machine 2 of the tobacco processing industry (cf. Fig. 1 ) is set up in such a way that this first flow and the second flow differ from one another by less than a predeterminable difference value. In particular, the control unit 16 is set up to control or regulate the shredding device 8 and the first suction strand conveyor 10 in such a way that the values of the first and second flow are the same apart from unavoidable and system-related deviations. This is not contradicted by the fact that the strand 30 of film material formed on the first suction belt 18 may have a slight slippage compared to the first suction belt 18. The speed of the first suction belt 18 can therefore be slightly faster than the speed at which the strand 30 of film material is promoted.

The first and second flow can be a mass flow and / or a volume flow. In this way, a mass synchronization and / or a volume synchronization between the comminuting device 8 and the first suction strand conveyor 10 is advantageously achieved. In this way it is avoided that there is a jam of the comminuted film material after the comminution device 8 and that the comminuted film material is exposed to unnecessary tensile forces, which would be the case with a second flow that is too large compared to the first. It is further particularly provided that the mass and / or volume flow which is conveyed by the second suction line conveyor 12 is also adapted to the mass and / or volume flow of the first suction line conveyor 10.

For example, in Fig. 5 As shown in the arrangement, the shredded film material leaves the shredding device 8 directly downwards, that is to say in the direction of gravity. The shredded film material initially has no horizontal speed component, which is why it experiences great acceleration when it comes into contact with the first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 of the first suction line conveyor 10.

In order to support this acceleration of the shredded film material and thus to reduce the mechanical loads acting on the shredded film material, the machine 2 can, according to a further exemplary embodiment, have an in Fig. 5 Comprising compressed air unit 38 shown schematically and in a simplified manner. This compressed air unit 38 comprises a compressed air source 40, which is, for example, a connection to a compressed air supply system or a compressor, a compressed air connection line 46 which connects the compressed air source 40 to a compressed air nozzle 44, and the compressed air nozzle 44 itself Compressed air flow indicated by an arrow provided, which the comminuted film material leaving the output zone 28 in a first transport direction T1 of the first

Suction strand conveyor 10 accelerated.

According to a further embodiment, which in connection with Fig. 2 is to be explained, it is provided that the shredded film material is given a speed component in the horizontal direction, ie essentially in the direction of the first transport direction T1 of the first suction strand conveyor 10 by inclining the rollers 81, 82 of the shredding device 8. The first roller 81 rotates around the first rotation axis R1. The second roller 82 rotates about the second axis of rotation R2. The two axes of rotation R1 and R2 define a first plane E1. The first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 of the first suction line conveyor 10 defines a second plane E2. The first plane E1 defined by the axes of rotation R1 and R2 is tilted with respect to the second plane E2 by an angle α which is between 0 ° and 90 °. In other words, the plane E1 is no longer parallel to the plane E2. The angle a by which the first and second planes E1, E2 are tilted relative to one another is in Fig. 2 indicated. As a result of this tilting, the film material shredded by the shredding device 8 receives a speed component which points in the direction of the first transport direction T1 of the first suction strand conveyor 10.

According to a further embodiment not shown in the figures, it is provided that the shredding device 8 comprises a pair of longitudinal and cross-cutting rollers which is set up to shred the flat film material into a plurality of isolated small film parts. In this embodiment, no film strips 26, but rather individual small pieces of film leave the output zone 28 of the shredding device 8 and arrive at the first transport side 34 of the first suction belt 18 of the first suction line conveyor 10 Transport of the film material takes place. In such a case, there would be a mass and / or volume synchronization between the comminuting device 8 and the The first suction strand conveyor 10 is no longer required for each point in time, but over time the shredded film material would jam if the shredding device 8 continuously produces more material than the first suction strand conveyor 10 conveys away. Conversely, the density of the strand 30 would decrease continuously if the mass of comminuted film material ejected by the comminuting device 8 were permanently lower than the mass conveyed away by the first suction strand conveyor 10.

In the context of the invention, features which are identified with “in particular” or “preferably” are to be understood as optional features.

Reference list

2

Machine of the tobacco processing industry

6th

flat sheet material

8th

Shredding device

10

first suction line conveyor

12th

second suction line conveyor

14th

Collecting funnel

16

Control unit

18th

first suction belt

20th

second suction belt

22nd

Disk knife

24

Feed zone

26th

Foil strips

28

Output zone

30th

strand

32

Guide jaws

34

first transport page

36

second transport side

38

Compressed air unit

40

Compressed air source

44

Compressed air nozzle

46

Connecting line

41, 42, 43

Tension pulleys

81

first roller

82

second roller

R1

first axis of rotation

R2

second axis of rotation

M.

Material flow

T1

first transport direction

E1

first floor

E2

second level

Claims (13)

1. A machine (2) for the tobacco processing industry for feeding a rod maker, characterized in that the machine (2) comprises a comminuting device (8), a first and a second suction rod conveyor (10, 12) arranged one after the other in a material stream direction (M), wherein

   - the comminuting device (8) comprises two rollers (81, 82) interacting with one another, which form a pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions, on the upstream side of which a feed zone (24) is provided, via which flat film material (6) can be fed to the pair of rollers, and on the downstream side of which an output zone (28) is provided, via which film material comminuted by the pair of rollers can be output,

   - the first suction rod conveyor (10) comprises a first suction tape (18) having a first transport side (34) and the second suction rod conveyor (12) comprises a second suction tape (20) having a second transport side (36),

   - the first and the second transport side (34, 36) are configured to transport the comminuted film material,

   - the first suction rod conveyor (10) and the comminuting device (8) are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that comminuted film material can be transferred from the output zone (28) to the first transport side (34) and the first and the second suction rod conveyor (10, 12) are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that the first transport side (34) faces the second transport side (36) and the comminuted film material can be transferred from the first suction tape (18) to the second suction tape (20),

   - the machine (2) further comprises a control unit (16) which is configured to control or to regulate a first flow of comminuted film material discharged by the comminuting device (8) via the output zone (28) and a second flow of comminuted film material conveyed by the first suction rod conveyor (10) in such a way that the first and the second flow deviate from one another by less than a predefinable difference limit.
2. The machine (2) according to claim 1, characterized in that the first suction rod conveyor (10) is arranged beneath the output zone (28).
3. The machine (2) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a compressed air unit (38) for providing a compressed air stream at a compressed air nozzle (44) is comprised, which is arranged in such a way that a compressed air stream exiting from the compressed air nozzle (44) accelerates the comminuted film material leaving the output zone (28) in a first transport direction (T1) of the first suction rod conveyor (10).
4. The machine (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rollers (81, 82) of the pair of rollers of the comminuting device (8) each comprise a plurality of slicer blades (22) arranged parallel to one another or are designed as cutting rollers, wherein the pair of rollers is configured to comminute the flat film material (6) into a plurality of parallel film strips (26) which arrive on the first suction tape (18) of the first suction rod conveyor (10) via the output zone (28).
5. The machine (2) according to claim 4, characterized in that the pair of rollers comprises a first roller (81) which can be rotated about a first axis of rotation (R1), and a second roller (82) which can be rotated about a second axis of rotation (R2), wherein the first and the second axis of rotation (R1, R2) fix a first level (E1) which encloses an angle of greater than 0° and less than or equal to 90° with a longitudinal direction of the first suction tape (18), which is oriented in a material flow direction.
6. The machine (2) according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that the control unit (16) is further configured to control or to regulate a conveying speed of the first suction rod conveyor (10) and a cutting speed, with which the parallel film strips (26) leave the comminuting device (8), in such a way that the conveying speed and the cutting speed deviate from one another by less than a second predefinable difference limit.
7. The machine (2) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the comminuting device (8) comprises a longitudinal and transversal pair of cutting rollers and is designed to comminute the flat film material (6) into a plurality of separated small film parts which arrive on the first suction rod conveyor (10) via the output zone (28).
8. A method for operating a machine (2) for the tobacco processing industry for feeding a rod maker, characterized in that the machine (2) comprises a comminuting device (8), a first and a second suction rod conveyor (10, 12) arranged one after the other in a material stream direction, wherein

   - the comminuting device (8) comprises two rollers interacting with one another, which form a pair of rollers rotating in opposite directions, on the upstream side of which a feed zone (24) is provided, via which flat film material is fed to the pair of rollers, and on the downstream side of which an output zone (28) is provided, via which film material comminuted by the pair of rollers is output,

   - the first suction rod conveyor (10) comprises a first suction tape (18) having a first transport side (34) and the second suction rod conveyor (12) comprises a second suction tape (20) having a second transport side (36),

   - comminuted film material is transported on the first and the second transport side (34, 36),

   - the first suction rod conveyor (10) and the comminuting device (8) are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that comminuted film material is transferred from the output zone (28) to the first transport side (34) and the first and the second suction rod conveyor (10, 12) are arranged with respect to one another in such a way that the first transport side (34) faces the second transport side (36) and the comminuted film material is transferred from the first suction tape (18) to the second suction tape (20),

   - the machine (2) additionally comprises a control unit (16) which controls or regulates a first flow of comminuted film material discharged by the comminuting device (8) via the output zone (28) and a second flow of comminuted film material conveyed by the first suction rod conveyor (10) in such a way that the first and the second flow deviate from one another by less than a predefinable difference limit.
9. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the machine (2) comprises a compressed air unit (38) for providing a compressed air stream at a compressed air nozzle (44) which is arranged in such a way that a compressed air stream exiting from the compressed air nozzle (44) accelerates the comminuted film material leaving the output zone (28) in a first transport direction (T1) of the first suction rod conveyor (10).
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that the rollers (81, 82) of the pair of rollers of the comminuting device (8) each comprise a plurality of slicer blades (22) arranged parallel to one another or are designed as cutting rollers, with which the flat film material is separated into a plurality of parallel film strips (26), and the film strips (26) arrive on the first suction rod conveyor (10) via the output zone (28).
11. The method according to claim 10, characterized in that the film strips (26) are output by the comminuting device (8) in a direction which encloses an angle less than 90° and greater than or equal to 0° with a material flow direction which the film strips (26) assume on the first suction tape (18).
12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, characterized in that the control unit (16) controls or regulates a conveying speed of the first suction rod conveyor (10) and a cutting speed, with which the parallel film strips (26) leave the comminuting device (8), in such a way that the conveying speed and the cutting speed deviate from one another by less than a second predefinable difference limit.
13. The method according to claim 8, characterized in that the comminuting device (8) comprises a longitudinal and transversal pair of cutting rollers and comminutes the flat film material into a plurality of separated small film parts which arrive on the first suction rod conveyor (10) via the output zone (28).

Images