GB2261151A

GB2261151A - End control device for tobacco products, particularly cigarettes

Info

Publication number: GB2261151A
Application number: GB9221246A
Authority: GB
Inventors: Bruno Belvederi; Fiorenzo Draghetti; Salvatore Rizzoli
Original assignee: GD SpA
Current assignee: GD SpA
Priority date: 1991-10-16
Filing date: 1992-10-09
Publication date: 1993-05-12
Also published as: ITBO910373A1; DE4234511A1; ITBO910373A0; GB9221246D0; IT1253283B

Abstract

An end control device for tobacco products (2), particularly cigarettes, having a hollow body (3) defined by an elastic membrane (8) designed to contact the end of the product (2) in fluidtight manner; the hollow body (3) presenting a first and second independent inner chamber (21, 22); the membrane (8) presenting at least a first and second hole (23, 19) communicating respectively with the first (21) and second (22) chamber; one of the chambers (21, 22) communicating with a device (15) for producing a pressure difference between the two chambers (21, 22); and a flow measuring device (18) communicating with the lower-pressure chamber. <IMAGE>

Description

1,11 1)11)l - 1 END CONTROL DEVICE FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS, PARTICULARLY

CIGARETTES The present invention relates to an end control device for tobacco products, particularly cigarettes.

For preventing end spill, a standard practice in the cigarette manufacturing industry is to provide for a greater tobacco density in the end portion/s of the cigarettes.

As a result, the density of the tobacco in the higher-density end portions of the cigarettes must be measured for enabling rejection of any cigarettes having an end density below a predetermined value.

In the past, this has always been effected either mechanically, using feelers which may result in damage to the cigarettes, or capacitively, as described in British Patent N. 1,479,926, in which case, however, measuring accuracy is invariably impaired by the humidity of the tobacco and in inverse proportion to the allotted control time.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an end control device for cigarettes, designed to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks.

According to the present invention, there is provided an end control device for tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, characterized by the fact that it comprises a hollow body defined at least partially by an elastic membrane designed to contact the end of the product in fluidtight manner; wall means housed inside the hollow body and defining a first and second independent chamber; at least a first and second hole formed through said membrane and communicating respectively with the first and second chamber; pneumatic means connected to one of said two chambers, for creating a pressure difference between the same; and flow measuring device connected to the chamber having lower internal pressure.

A non-limiting embodiment will be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawing, which shows a schematic axial section of the device according to the present invention.

Number 1 in the accompanying drawing indicates a device for controlling the ends of tobacco products, in particular cigarettes 2.

Device 1 comprises a ' hollow, substantially cup-shaped hood 3 formed in one piece from resilient material and in turn comprising a substantially cylindrical lateral wall 4 and an end wall 5, the 4 3 - central portion of which is separated from a peripheral annular portion 6 by an outer annular rib 7, and consists of a substantially circular elastic membrane B. Membrane 8 and rib 7 define a seat 9 for receiving the end portion 10 of cigarette 2 in fluidtight manner.

At the opposite end to that connected to wall 5, wall 4 presents an inner annular rib 11 engaging in fluidtight manner an annular groove 12 formed on the outer surface of a tubular body 13 having an axial hole 14 connecting hood 3 to a pneumatic device 15 for feeding compressed air inside hood,3.

Device I also comprises wall means consisting of a conduit 16 extending in radially slack manner through hole 14, so as to define, inside hole 14, an annular conduit 17 communicating with pneumatic device 15. One end portion of conduit 16 extends in fluidtight manner through pneumatic device 15, and is connected to a known flow measuring device 18, while the opposite end of conduit 16 is connected integral with a central inner surface portion of membrane 8, and communicates with the inside of seat 9 through a hole 19 in membrane 8. For absorbing axial displacement of membrane 8, conduit 16 presents a bellows type portion 20 housed inside hood 3, adjacent to membrane 8, and which may be replaced by any type of connection between conduit 16 and membrane 8.

Hood 3 is divided internally by conduit 16 into an outer annular chamber 21 extending inside wall 4 and about conduit 16, and a chamber 22 defined externally by conduit 16. Chamber 21 is separated pneumatically from chamber 22, and communicates externally through a number of holes 23 formed in membrane 8 and about hole 19.

Communication between chamber 22 and device 18 is controlled by an optional valve 24 as described later on.

In actual use, end portion 10 of cigarette 2 is controlled by moving device 1 up to cigarette 2 so that portion 10 engages seat 9 in fluidtight manner.

At this point, pneumatic device 15 is activated for feeding compressed air into chgmber 21 along annular conduit 17, and so forming a pressure difference between chambers 21 and 22, by virtue of which the compressed air fed into chamber 21 flows out of chamber 21 through holes 23 and into chamber 22 through end portion 10 of cigarette 2 and hole 19. The air flowing into conduit 16 through hole 19 is directed by conduit 16 to flow measuring device 18, which, in known manner, emits an analog signal as a function of the fall in air pressure along the pneumatic circuit defined by annular conduit 17, chamber 21, holes 23, end portion 10, hole 19 and conduit 16. In the event said fall in pressure is below a predetermined value, a known threshold circuit (not shown) provides for rejecting cigarette 2.

When closed, valve 24 prevents the compressed air from flowing through hole 19 to device 18, thus enabling device 1 to be employed for feeding air through 4 cigarette 2 to a known permeability and quality control device 25.

According to a variation not shown, annular conduit 17 may of course communicate directly with the outside atmosphere by eliminating pneumatic device 15 and connecting a suction device (not shown) to conduit 16 via device 18. In this case also, a pressure difference is produced between chambers 21 and 22 by reducing the pressure in chamber 22 as compared with chamber 21.

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Claims

1. An end control device for tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, characterized by the fact that it comprises a hollow body defined at least partially by an elastic membrane designed to contact the end of the product in fluidtight manner; wall means housed inside the hollow body and defining a first and second independent chamber; at least a first and second hole formed through said membrane and communicating respectively with the first and second chamber; pneumatic means connected to one of said two chambers, for creating a pressure difference between the same; and a flow measuring device connected to the chamber having a lower internal pressure.

2. A device as claimed in claim 1, characterized by the fact that said hollow body comprises a substantially cylindrical elastic hood defined axially by said membrane; said wall means comprising a conduit connected at one end to a central portion of said membrane and extending axially through said hood so as to define a first annular chamber about said conduit, and a second said chamber defined externally by said conduit.

3. A device as claimed in claim 2, characterized by the fact that said membrane presents a central second hole - 7 enabling external communication of said conduit; and a number of said first holes formed about said second hole.

4. A device as claimed in claim 3, characterized by the fact that said pneumatic means are so connected to said hood as to produce a lower pressure in said second chamber as compared with said first chamber.

5. A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims from 2 to 4, characterized by the fact that said conduit comprises a bellows type portion.

6. A device as claimed in any one of the foregoing claims, characterized by the fact that it also comprises valve means between said lowerpressure chamber and said flow measuring device.

7. An end control device for tobacco products, particularly cigarettes, substantially as described and illustrated herein with reference to the accompanying drawing.