EP4568504A1

EP4568504A1 - Cigarette production plant

Info

Publication number: EP4568504A1
Application number: EP23754442.4A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Monica BACCHI
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 2022-08-09
Filing date: 2023-08-02
Publication date: 2025-06-18
Also published as: IT202200017007A1; WO2024033754A1; JP2025528133A; KR20250050060A

Abstract

A production plant (7) for the production of cigarettes (2), each consisting of at least one aromatic piece (3) with a cylindrical shape and at least one filtering piece (4) with a cylindrical shape. The production plant (7) has: a manufacturing machine (8) configured to produce the aromatic pieces (3); and an assembling machine (9), which is configured to produce the cigarettes (2), has an input connected to an output of the manufacturing machine (8) in order to receive the aromatic pieces (3) from the manufacturing machine (8), and is arranged alongside and perpendicularly to the assembling machine (9) to define together an "L" shape in plan.

Description

“CIGARETTE PRODUCTION PLANT”

Cross-Reference to Related Applications

This Patent Application claims priority from Italian Patent Application No. 102022000017007 filed on August 9, 2022, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a production plant for the production of multi-component cigarettes, each of which comprises a plurality of pieces alongside each other, at least one piece of which consists of a filtering element and at least one other piece consists of an aromatic element, preferably a tobacco-based aromatic element.

Prior Art

A production plant for the production of multi-component cigarettes comprises a manufacturing machine configured to produce cylindrical tobacco-based aromatic pieces, and an assembling machine that is configured to produce the cigarettes and has an input connected to an output of the manufacturing machine in order to receive the aromatic pieces from the manufacturing machine.

In production plants for the production of multi-component cigarettes, solutions are known where the manufacturing machine is directly connected to the assembling machine by means of a transfer device. This configuration requires that the two machines always operate at exactly the same speed (i.e., at all times a temporarily faster machine must slow down to match the speed of the other temporarily slower machine).

Some examples of a cigarette manufacturing and packaging plant are disclosed in patent applications EP1587380A1, W003074361A1, EP1041006A2, DE3519580C1, EP1346651A1, US20080289642A1, EP0882411A1, EP2121449A1, EP1273541A2, US5209247A1, EP2004530, EP0261508A2, and EP0347586A1.

Patent applications DE102007030275A1, US2006201523A1, and GB 1442751A describe a production plant for the production of cigarettes, each of which comprises at least one aromatic piece with a cylindrical shape and at least one filtering piece with a cylindrical shape; the production plant comprises: a manufacturing machine configured to produce the aromatic pieces, preferably containing tobacco, and an assembling machine that is configured to produce the cigarettes and has an input connected to an output of the manufacturing machine in order to receive the aromatic pieces from the manufacturing machine.

Description of the Invention

The object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette production plant, which has reduced overall dimensions, maximizes long-term productivity (e.g., the average number of cigarettes produced in an eight-hour shift) and is, at the same time, easy and inexpensive to manufacture.

In accordance with the present invention, a cigarette production plant is provided as claimed in the appended claims.

The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present specification.

Brief Description of the Drawings

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate some non-limiting embodiments thereof, in which:

- Figure 1 is a schematic view of a multi-component cigarette contained in a rigid cigarette pack;

- Figure 2 is a perspective and schematic view of a production plant for the production of multi-component cigarettes made in accordance with the present invention;

- Figure 3 is a front view, partially deformed for the sake of clarity, of a manufacturing machine and a part of an assembling machine of the production plant in Figure 2, which are connected to each other by a connection system;

- Figure 4 is a schematic view of an orienting device that is the end part of the manufacturing machine;

- Figure 5 is a front view of the assembling machine of the production plant in Figure 2;

- Figures 6 and 7 are a front view and a rear view, respectively, of the manufacturing machine coupled to the connection system shown in Figure 3; and

- Figure 8 is a plan view of the connection system shown in Figure 3 between the manufacturing machine and the assembling machine; and

- Figure 9 is a front view of the manufacturing machine coupled to a different embodiment of the connection system.

Preferred Embodiments of the Invention

In Figure 1, number 1 indicates, as a whole, a rigid cigarette pack containing within a group of cigarettes 2.

The cigarettes 2 are multi-component cigarettes and therefore each cigarette 2 comprises a plurality of pieces 3 and 4 alongside each other; in particular, one tobacco-based aromatic piece 3 and four different filtering pieces 4 are provided (e.g., the filtering pieces 4 could comprise a PLA filtering piece 4, a cellulose acetate filtering piece 4, an activated carbon filtering piece, and a tubular filtering piece 4). The various pieces 3 and 4 are enclosed and held together by two wrapping sheets 5 and 6 superimposed on each other. According to other embodiments, not shown, the number, function, and arrangement of the pieces 3 and 4 and wrapping sheets 5 and 6 may be different.

In Figure 2, number 7 indicates, as a whole, a production (processing) plant for the production of multi-component cigarettes 2. The production plant 7 comprises, upstream to downstream, a manufacturing machine 8 for the production of tobacco-based aromatic pieces 3, and an assembling machine 9. The manufacturing machine 8 is the beginning of the production line and produces the aromatic pieces 3 whereas the assembling machine 9 receives the aromatic pieces 3 from the manufacturing machine 8 and produces the multi-component cigarettes 2 by assembling the aromatic pieces 3 with the filtering pieces 4. That is, an output of the manufacturing machine 8 is connected to an input of the assembling machine 9 to supply the aromatic pieces 3 to the assembling machine 9.

As shown in Figure 3, the manufacturing machine 8 is configured to crimp or cut a tobacco-based band longitudinally into strips and then impart a cylindrical shape to the crimped or cut tobacco-based band, which is stabilized by wrapping a wrapping sheet around the tobacco-based band. In particular, the manufacturing machine 8 comprises (at least) one forming beam 10 configured to wrap a wrapping sheet around the tobaccobased band to form a longitudinally fed continuous rod, and a cutting head 11 configured to transversely cut the continuous rod in order to separate the longitudinally fed aromatic pieces 3 from the continuous rod. Furthermore, the manufacturing machine 8 comprises an orienting device 12 (arranged downstream of the cutting head 11 and shown in Figure 4), which receives the longitudinally fed cigarettes 2 and releases the transversely fed cigarettes 2 to the output of the manufacturing machine 8; in this way, at the output of the manufacturing machine 8, the cigarettes 2 are fed transversely. By way of example, the manufacturing machine 8 can be made as described in patent application EP3473111A1 or patent application EP3469923A1.

As shown in Figure 5, the assembling machine 9 is configured to manufacture a group of pieces 3 and 4 consisting of an aromatic piece 3 and filtering pieces 4 (to which, according to other embodiments not shown, also at least one non-filtering piece could be added) and to wrap the wrapping sheets 5 and 6 around the group of pieces 3 and 4. By way of example, the assembling machine 9 can be manufactured as described in patent application WO2014064655A2.

As shown in Figures 6, 7 and 8, the production plant 7 comprises a compensating store 13 interposed between the output of the manufacturing machine 8 and the input of the assembling machine 9 in order to temporarily compensate for the differences in speed of the machines 8 and 9. The compensating store 13 has the function of ‘ decoupling" the two machines 8 and 9, i.e., allowing the two machines 8 and 9 to operate (obviously for relatively short periods of time) at different operating speeds (understood as the number of products processed in the unit of time). The compensating store 13 is arranged above the level of the machines 8 and 9 (i.e., higher than the machines 8 and 9); in particular, the compensating store 13 is arranged above the manufacturing machine 8 (but alternatively it could be arranged above the assembling machine 9 or partially above the manufacturing machine 8 and partially above the assembling machine 9).

As shown in Figure 3, the compensating store 13 is connected to the output of the manufacturing machine 8 by a vertical upward conveyor 14 and is connected to the input of the assembling machine 9 by a vertical downward conveyor 15; in particular, the assembling machine 9 comprises a hopper 16, which is configured to contain a mass of aromatic pieces 3 and receives the aromatic pieces 3 from the manufacturing machine 8, and thus the vertical downward conveyor 15 ends into the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9.

By way of example, the compensating store 13 interposed between the manufacturing machine 8 and the assembling machine 9 could be of the type described in patent application EP3514086A1. In the compensating store 13 interposed between the manufacturing machine 8 and the assembling machine 9 the aromatic pieces 3 are fed in masses, i.e., they are grouped together to form a mass of aromatic pieces 3 consisting of several layers of aromatic pieces 3 superimposed on each other (an example of a mass of aromatic pieces 3 is shown in Figure 4). The aromatic pieces 3 enter the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9 en masse whereas the aromatic pieces 3 exit the manufacturing machine 8 individually (i.e., one at a time); accordingly, between the output of the manufacturing machine 8 and the input of the compensating store 13, the aromatic pieces 3 must be grouped together to form a mass (consisting of several layers of aromatic pieces 3 superimposed on each other) which can be fed to the compensating store 13. In particular, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-4 and 6-8, the conversion from single flow to mass flow of the aromatic pieces 3 takes place at the output of the orienting device 12, i.e., in the orienting device 12 the aromatic pieces 3 are fed individually (as shown in Figure 4) whereas downstream of the orienting device 12 the aromatic pieces 3 are grouped together en masse (as shown in Figure 4). On the other hand, in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, the conversion from single flow to mass flow of the aromatic pieces 3 takes place further downstream of the orienting device 12 and at the end of a train of transferring drums 17, which rotate around corresponding horizontal rotation axes 18 and receive the single-flow fed aromatic pieces 3 from the orienting device 12, which is the output of the manufacturing machine 8. In other words, at the output of the manufacturing machine 8 there is the orienting device 12 which receives the longitudinally fed cigarettes 2 and releases the transversely fed cigarettes 2; the transversely fed cigarettes 2 exiting the orienting device 12 are fed by the train of transferring drums 17 towards the compensating store 13.

In other words, the compensating store 13 (arranged higher than the machines 8 and 9 and above the manufacturing machine 8) is interposed between the output of the manufacturing machine 8 and the input of the assembling machine 9 and therefore the single flow of aromatic pieces 3 exiting the manufacturing machine 8 is directed upwards and is converted into a mass flow (therefore, the aromatic pieces 3 are in mass when they enter the compensating store 13, when they exit the compensating store 13 and when they enter the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9).

As previously stated, the manufacturing machine 8 comprises operating members (which carry out the actual processing of the materials to obtain the final product, i.e., the aromatic pieces 3) and a base which rests on the floor and supports the operating members. The base of the manufacturing machine 8 has a vertical front wall or face and a vertical rear wall or face opposite each other, and the operating members of the manufacturing machine 8 are only mounted on the front wall of the base (i.e., on the front wall of the manufacturing machine 8). In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, the output of the manufacturing machine 8 is arranged in the area of the front wall of the base (i.e., of the front wall of the manufacturing machine 8); on the other hand, in the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 6-8, the output of the manufacturing machine 8 is arranged in the area of the rear wall of the base (i.e., of the rear wall of the manufacturing machine 8). In other words, a transfer conveyor is provided, which originates from an output of the manufacturing machine 8, ends in an input of the assembling machine 9 and has: a vertical upward branch (which includes the vertical upward conveyor 14) connected (directly or indirectly) to the output of the manufacturing machine 8, a vertical downward branch (which includes the vertical downward conveyor 15) connected to the input of the assembling machine 9 (i.e., to the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9), and a (substantially) horizontal branch which is interposed between the two vertical branches, is arranged above the machines 8 and 9 and also comprises the compensating store 13. According to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9, (at least) an initial section of the vertical upward branch 14 consists of the train (succession) of transferring drums 17 which rotate around corresponding horizontal rotation axes 18.

According to a variant, not shown, the manufacturing machine 8 is connected directly to the assembling machine 9 without any compensating store 13, and the assembling machine 9 has no hopper 16. In this case, the train of transferring drums 17 described above can directly and continuously feed a drum at the input of the assembling machine 9. That is, in this embodiment, the aromatic pieces 3 always remain in a single flow and hence exit the manufacturing machine 8 individually and enter the assembling machine 9 individually (the latter no longer including the hopper 16 designed to contain a mass of aromatic pieces 3).

According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the orienting device 12 comprises an end drum 19 which receives from the cutting head 11 the longitudinally fed aromatic pieces 3 (i.e., they advance parallel to their longitudinal axis) in an input station SI and releases, at the output, the transversally fed aromatic pieces 3 (i.e., they advance perpendicular to their longitudinal axis) in an output station S2. The end drum 19 rotates stepwise around a rotation axis 20 (which is perpendicular to the plane of Figure 4 and parallel to the longitudinal feeding direction of the aromatic pieces 3) and has a series of peripheral seats 21, each suitable to receive and hold by suction a corresponding aromatic piece 3; in use, each aromatic piece 3 enters longitudinally into a respective peripheral seat 21 of the end drum 19 in the input station SI and transversely exits the respective peripheral seat 21 in the output station S2.

According to a possible embodiment, not shown, the orienting device 12 also comprises a rotating drum, which is arranged downstream of the end drum 19 (that is, it receives the aromatic pieces 3 from the end drum 19) and is configured to impart a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3; in particular, the rotating drum is of a 'conical' type and has an external surface (in which peripheral seats are obtained) inclined at 45° relative to its axis of rotation. In other words, the rotating drum is configured to receive the transversely fed aromatic pieces 3 from the end drum 19, impart a 90° rotation to the transversely fed aromatic pieces 3 and release the transversely fed aromatic pieces 3 rotated by 90° (compared to how they exited the end drum 19).

The rotating drum releases the aromatic pieces 3, after the 90° rotation, to the train (succession) of transferring drums 17, which rotate around corresponding horizontal rotation axes. In this way, the aromatic pieces 3, which downstream of the cutting head

11 are fed in the direction of their longitudinal axis, downstream of the orienting device

12 and along the train of transferring drums 17 are fed transversely and with a perpendicular orientation compared to how they enter the orienting device 12.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 4, the orienting device 12 has no rotating drum and therefore only comprises the end drum 19; downstream of the orienting device 12 there is a horizontal conveyor device 22, which receives the single aromatic pieces 3 in the output station S2 and arranges the single aromatic pieces 3 into a mass of aromatic pieces 3 formed by several superimposed layers of single aromatic pieces 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 6-8, the output of the manufacturing machine 8 and the input of the assembling machine 9 are connected by the interposition of a compensating store 13 (made for example as described in patent application EP3514086A1). In this embodiment, the transferring drums 17 are not present and the orienting device 12 is devoid of the rotating drum (i.e., it is made as illustrated in Figure 4). The orienting device 12 releases a mass of aromatic pieces 3 to the horizontal conveyor device 22 (shown in Figures 6 and 7), which in turn releases a mass of aromatic pieces 3 to a vertical conveyor device 23 (arranged behind the manufacturing machine 8), which feeds a mass of aromatic pieces 3 upwards and defines the vertical upward conveyor 14. Also provided are a (substantially) horizontal conveyor device 24, which connects an output of the conveyor device 23 to an input of the compensating store 13, and a (substantially) horizontal conveyor device 25, which connects an output of the compensating store 13 to an input of the assembling machine 9 (i.e., to the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9).

The conveyor devices 24 and 25 are substantially horizontal and have a modest inclination (in the order of 10°- 15° relative to the horizontal plane) along (at least) part of their length in order to adapt to the vertical positions of the input and output, respectively, of the compensating store 13.

According to a preferred embodiment, the orienting device 12 has no rotating drum (i.e., it does not impart a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3), and the conveyor devices 24 and 25 have, as a whole, an odd number of 90° bends, which impart, as a whole, a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3 (each 90° bend of the conveyor devices 24 and 25 imparts a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3). In particular, the conveyor device 24 has three 90° bends whereas the conveyor device 25 has two 90° bends. According to an alternative embodiment, not shown, the orienting device 12 comprises the rotating drum (i.e., it imparts a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3), and thus the conveyor devices 24 and 25 have, as a whole, an even number of 90° bends, which do not impart, as a whole, a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces 3.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3 and 6-8, the vertical conveyor device 23 is the vertical upward conveyor 14, and the vertical downward conveyor 15 is arranged at the end of the (substantially) horizontal conveyor device 25 and it ends in the hopper 16 of the assembling machine 9.

In all embodiments, the manufacturing machine 8 is arranged alongside and perpendicularly to the assembling machine 9 to define together an "L" shape in plan; that is, the two machines 8 and 9, as a whole, have an "L" shape in plan since the two machines 8 and 9 are arranged perpendicular to each other. That is, the vertical front wall or face of the manufacturing machine 8 is perpendicular to the front wall or face of the assembling machine 9.

The embodiments described herein may be combined with each other without departing from the scope of protection of the present invention.

The production plant 7 described above has many advantages.

In the first place, the production plant 7 described above allows the assembly or maintenance interventions to be performed faster and more efficiently (even automated, i.e., without the intervention of a human operator).

Furthermore, the particular arrangement of the manufacturing machine 8 and assembling machine 9 allows the production efficiency to be increased and, at the same time, the overall dimensions to be significantly reduced.

Lastly, the production plant 7 described above is particularly compact in compliance with optimal accessibility to all its parts. List of Reference Numbers in the Figures cigarette pack cigarettes aromatic piece filtering piece wrapping sheet wrapping sheet production plant manufacturing machine assembling machine forming beam cutting head orienting device compensating store vertical upward conveyor vertical downward conveyor hopper transferring drums rotation axes end drum rotation axis peripheral seats conveyor device conveyor device conveyor device conveyor device self-driving vehicle input station output station

Claims

C L A I M S

1. A production plant (7) for the production of cigarettes (2), each comprising at least one aromatic piece (3) with a cylindrical shape and at least one filtering piece (4) with a cylindrical shape; the production plant (7) comprises: a manufacturing machine (8) configured to produce the aromatic pieces (3), preferably containing tobacco; and an assembling machine (9) that is configured to produce the cigarettes (2) and has an input connected to an output of the manufacturing machine (8) in order to receive the aromatic pieces (3) from the manufacturing machine (8); the production plant (7) is characterized in that the manufacturing machine (8) is arranged alongside and perpendicularly to the assembling machine (9) to define together an "L" shape in plan.

2. The production plant (7) according to claim 1, wherein the manufacturing machine (8) comprises an orienting device (12), which is configured to receive the longitudinally fed aromatic pieces (3) and to supply the transversely fed aromatic pieces (3) to the output of the manufacturing machine (8).

3. The production plant (7) according to claim 2, wherein the orienting device (12) comprises an end drum (19), which rotates around a longitudinally oriented rotation axis (20) and is provided with a plurality of peripheral seats (21) configured to receive the longitudinally fed aromatic pieces (3) and to release the transversely fed aromatic pieces (3).

4. The production plant (7) according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the orienting device (12) comprises a rotating drum configured to receive the transversely fed aromatic pieces (3), to impart a 90° rotation to the transversely fed aromatic pieces (3) and to release the transversely fed aromatic pieces (3) rotated by 90°.

5. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 4, wherein: the manufacturing machine (8) comprises operating members, which produce the aromatic pieces (3); the manufacturing machine (8) has a front wall, where the operating members are arranged, and a rear wall opposite the front wall; and the output of the manufacturing machine (8) is arranged in the area of the rear wall.

6. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 5 and comprising a train of transferring drums (17), which directly connect the output of the manufacturing machine (8) to the input of the assembling machine (9), preferably without the interposition of any compensating store (13).

7. The production plant (7) according to claim 6, wherein, between the output of the manufacturing machine (8) and the input of the assembling machine (9), the aromatic pieces (3) are always fed singularly.

8. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 5 and comprising a compensating store (13), which is interposed between the output of the manufacturing machine (8) and the input of the assembling machine (9).

9. The production plant (7) according to claim 8, wherein the compensating store (13) is arranged higher than the machines (8, 9).

10. The production plant (7) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein: between the output of the manufacturing machine (8) and the input of the assembling machine (9), the aromatic pieces (3) are always fed in mass; a first conveyor device (24) is provided, which is configured to receive the aromatic pieces (3) from the output of the manufacturing machine (8) and ends in an input of the compensating store (13); and a second conveyor device (25) is provided, which connects an output of the compensating store (13) to the input of the assembling machine (9).

11. The production plant (7) according to claim 10, wherein the two conveyor devices (24, 2) have, as a whole, an odd number of 90° bends, which impart, as a whole, a 90° rotation to the aromatic pieces (3).

12. The production plant (7) according to claim 10 or 11 and comprising a third conveyor device (23), which is vertically oriented, lifts the aromatic pieces (3) up to an input of the first conveyor device (24) and is preferably arranged behind the manufacturing machine (8).

13. The production plant (7) according to claim 12 and comprising a fourth horizontal conveyor device (22), which connects the output of the manufacturing machine (8) to an input of the third conveyor device (23).

14. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims 1-5 or 8-9, wherein, between the output of the manufacturing machine (8) and the input of the assembling machine (9), the aromatic pieces (3) are fed in mass.

15. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 14, wherein the assembling machine (9) comprises a hopper (16), which is configured to contain a mass of aromatic pieces (3) and receives the aromatic pieces (3) from the manufacturing machine (8).

16. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 15 and comprising a transfer conveyor, which originates from an output of the manufacturing machine (8), ends in an input of the assembling machine (9) and has: a vertical upward branch connected to the output of the manufacturing machine (8); a vertical downward branch connected to the input of the assembling machine (9); and at least one horizontal branch, which is interposed between the two vertical branches (14, 15) and is arranged above the machines (8, 9).

17. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 16, wherein the assembling machine (9) is configured to manufacture a group of pieces (3, 4) consisting of an aromatic piece (3), a filtering piece (4) and at least one further piece (4) and to wrap at least one wrapping sheet (5, 6) around the group of pieces (3, 4).

18. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 17, wherein the manufacturing machine (8) is configured to crimp or cut into strips a tobacco-based band and, subsequently, to impart a cylindrical shape to the crimped or cut tobacco-based band.

19. The production plant (7) according to one of the claims from 1 to 18, wherein, at the output of the manufacturing machine (8), the cigarettes (2) are fed transversely.

20. The production plant (7) according to claim 19, wherein the manufacturing machine (8) comprises: a forming beam (10) configured to wrap a wrapping sheet around the tobacco-based band to form a longitudinally fed continuous rod; a cutting head (11) configured to transversely cut the continuous rod in order to separate the longitudinally fed cigarettes (2) from the continuous rod; and an orienting device (12), which receives the longitudinally fed cigarettes (2) and releases the transversely fed cigarettes (2) to the output of the manufacturing machine (8).