ITBO20130239A1 - FEEDING DEVICE FOR SMOKE ITEMS IN WAND IN AN AUTOMATIC TOBACCO INDUSTRY MACHINE. - Google Patents

Description

DESCRIPTION

"Device for feeding smoking articles into a wand in an automatic machine of the tobacco industry."

The present invention relates to a device for feeding wanded smoking articles into an automatic machine of the tobacco industry.

In particular, this feeding device is aimed at smoking articles in wand defined as â € œdelicateâ € as they are easily damaged during their handling.

By way of non-limiting example, `` delicate '' smoking items are considered to be filter pieces containing rolled tobacco or soft filter material inside.

Generally, a known type of feeding device for smoking articles in rods comprises a hopper, containing a mass of smoking articles in rods, the bottom of which is closed by a pick-up and transfer roller equipped with a plurality of suction seats. each of which accommodates a single smoking wand item.

The pick-up roller catches the smoking articles inside the hopper through its seats and conveys them to subsequent operating stations.

This solution has several drawbacks for so-called â € œdelicateâ € smoking articles.

A first drawback is given by the fact that the rods tend to crush and / or scratch, rubbing, during their stay in the hopper, in particular the rods arranged at the bottom of the hopper, due to the weight of the mass of the articles contained in the hopper. hopper itself.

A second drawback is the damage to the articles in the rod during the picking action of the pickup roller through the receiving seats. This drawback is particularly felt with small and extremely delicate products, if high operating speeds are to be achieved.

The object of the present invention is to provide a device for smoking articles in wand, which is able to overcome the drawbacks reported above, according to what is reported in independent claim 1.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings, which illustrate a non-limiting example of embodiment, in which:

Figure 1 illustrates in a schematic front view, with some parts removed to better highlight others, a device for feeding smoking articles in rods according to the present invention and according to a first embodiment;

Figure 2 illustrates in a schematic front view, with some parts removed to better highlight others, a device for feeding smoking articles in rods according to the present invention and according to a second embodiment;

Figure 3 illustrates a first detail on an enlarged scale of the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 according to a first operating position;

Figure 4 illustrates a second detail on an enlarged scale of the device illustrated in Figures 1 and 2 during the transition from the first operating position to a second operating position. With reference to Figures 1 and 2, 1 indicates as a whole a device for feeding smoking articles into rods, in particular for a filter-inserting machine or a filter-making machine, not shown.

The term smoking article in rod 2 means a rod of a determined length from which, by means of a transversal cutting operation, two or more pieces 9 are obtained.

Preferably, the lengths 9 are of equal length.

By smoking articles in rod 2 or articles in rod 2 are meant both filter rods from which filter pieces are obtained and tobacco rods, such as for example rolled tobacco, from which tobacco pieces are obtained.

The device 1 for feeding smoking articles into the rod 2 comprises a hopper 3 for containing a mass 2a of articles in the rod 2 and at least one roller 4 for picking up and transferring the articles 2 in the rod arranged downstream of the hopper 3 and rotating around to its own axis of rotation 4a. The pick-up and transfer roller 4 has a plurality of suction seats 5 on its cylindrical surface.

In particular, in this preferred embodiment the device 1 comprises a first and a second roller 6 and 7 for picking up and transferring the articles 2 in rods arranged downstream of the hopper 3 and side by side with respect to each other.

Each first and second roller 6 and 7 for picking up and transfer is equipped with respective suction seats 5.

The first and second pick-up and transfer rollers 6 and 7 rotate about respective rotation axes 6a and 7a.

Said axes of rotation 6a and 7a are parallel to each other and arranged at the same height.

Advantageously, the first and second pick-up and transfer rollers 6, 7 are arranged tangent to each other in a station 22 for the passage of the smoking articles in rod 2.

In particular, the first and second rollers 6 and 7 are mutually counter-rotating. According to what is illustrated in Figures 1 and 2, the first roller 6 rotates clockwise and the second roller 7 anti-clockwise.

In order to retain the articles 2 in the rod, the suction seats 5 of the first and second rollers 6 and 7 extend in length mainly according to a direction parallel to the respective rotation axis 6a and 7a.

The device 1 comprises cutting means 8, in particular for transversal cutting, of the articles in rods 2 into pieces 9.

In other words, the cutting means 8 cut the articles transversely into rods 2 dividing them into one or more pieces 9.

In this embodiment, the cutting means 8 are opposite the second transfer and holding roller 7 and define with it at least one cutting station 10.

Preferably, the cutting means 8 are disc knives, counter-rotating with respect to the rotation of the second transfer and holding roller 7, according to Figures 1 and 2, therefore rotate clockwise.

In particular, each seat 5 of the second transfer and holding roller 7 acts not only as a retaining element for the articles in rods 2, but also as a contrast medium for the cutting means 8 during the cutting operation. 2 items themselves. More precisely, to carry out the transversal cut of each article in rod 2, each disc knife 8, in correspondence with the cutting station or stations 10, passes through respective radial slots, obtained in the seats 5 of the second transfer and holding roller 7, transversely to each location 5.

The aforementioned cutting means 8 comprise one or more disc knives according to whether the rods 2 are to be divided into two or more lengths 9.

Consequently, the seats 5 of the second transfer and holding roller 7 are equipped with many intermediate slots for the passage of the disk knife 8, so many are the cuts to be made on each single article in the rod 2.

In this embodiment, since each smoking article is in a rod 2 to be divided into six distinct sections 9, the device 1 comprises five disc knives 8. In particular, three disc knives 8a aligned with each other, with reference to the respective axes of rotation, and two disc knives 8b aligned with each other, with reference to the respective rotational axes, offset with respect to the aforementioned three disc knives 8a.

The device 1 comprises means 11 for distributing and dividing the articles in rod 2 fed and contained in the hopper 3.

Advantageously, these distribution and subdivision means 11 are able to reciprocally position the articles in rod 2 to avoid mutual crushing and consequently damage.

The distribution and subdivision means 11 are arranged at least at the bottom 3a of the hopper 3.

In particular, the distribution and subdivision means 11 comprise a plurality of individual channels 12, each of which accommodates at least one row of articles in rod 2.

By row we mean a sequence defined by several single articles in rod 2 arranged one above the other.

Each channel 12 allows the articles in rod 2 to be stacked in respective rows, so that the articles 2 closest to the rollers 6 and 7 must only support the weight of the articles in rod 2 stacked in their channel 12.

Advantageously, the channels 12 avoid localized crushing of the articles in rod 2.

Each channel 12 has an inlet 13 in communication with the bottom 3a of the hopper 3 and an outlet 14 facing a portion of the cylindrical surface of the respective holding and transferring roller 6, 7.

More precisely, a first group 12a of channels 12 extends from the bottom 3a of the hopper 3 to the first roller 6 and a second group 12b of channels 12 extends from the bottom 3a of the hopper 3 to the second roller 7.

Advantageously, the channels 12 allow the load of a single mass of articles in rod 2 to be divided into multiple groups 12a, 12b of articles in rod 2, in this way the weight that the individual articles 2 must support is considerably lower than total weight of the whole mass of the articles in the rod 2.

Preferably, in order to avoid accumulation of articles in rod 2 such as to obstruct the inlets 13 of each channel 12, a bridge element 15 is arranged between two successive channels 12 to convey each rod article 2 into a channel 12 or in adjacent channel 12.

The device 1 comprises means 15 for feeding the pick-up and transfer roller 4 suitable for transferring the articles in rod 2 from the hopper 3 to the roller 4 itself.

The feeding means 15 comprise a plurality of transfer members 16 each dedicated to a respective channel 12.

The transfer members 16 simultaneously pick up at least one article in rod 2 from the respective channel 12 and transfer this article to the respective pick-up and transfer roller 4.

Each transfer member 16 rotates about its own rotation axis 16a by at least 180 °.

The feeding means 15 comprise a plurality of first retaining element 17 of the last article in rod 2 arranged within a respective channel 12, each associated with a respective transfer member 16.

The first holding element 17 releases the last article in rod 2 according to the withdrawal of the transfer organ 16. In other words, when the transfer organ 16, during its rotation around the Axis 16a, reaches the outlet 14 of the respective channel 12, in correspondence with a first operating position, the first holding element 17 releases the last smoking article in the rod 2 disposed within the channel 12, that is the € ™ smoking article in wand 2 closest to the cylindrical surface of the transfer and holding roller 4, as illustrated in figure 3.

Preferably, each transfer member 16 of the article in rod 2 has a seat 18 for receiving the article in rod 2.

In order to prevent the rod article 2 from coming out of the seat 18 of the respective transfer member 16 during its rotation around its axis 16a, a side 19 surrounds each transfer member 16.

The side panel 19 is in the form of a wall having a substantially cylindrical development in such a way that, during the rotation of the transfer member 16 around its axis 16a, the article in the rod 2 maintains its position within the seat 18 of the € ™ transfer member 16 as it is interposed between the seat 18 itself and the side 19, as illustrated in Figure 4.

In an alternative embodiment not shown, the feeding means 15 comprise a second element for retaining the penultimate article in rod 2, arranged within a respective channel 12, each associated with a first retaining element 17 and a transfer member 16.

During the withdrawal of the last article in rod 2 by means of the transfer organ 16, the second holding element, not shown, holds the penultimate article 2 blocking its advancement in the channel 12.

It should be noted that since the transfer members 16 are as many as the number of channels 12, they are active along a determined arc of circumferences of the respective pick-up and transfer roller 4.

It follows that each transfer member 16 rotates 180 ° around its own axis 16a, to pick up the article in rod 2 from the channel 12 and release it into the respective seat 5 of the pick-up and transfer roller 4, while the pick-up roller 4 and transfer rotates around its own axis 4a by an amount equal to the angle that subtends the said arc of circumference.

During the rotation of the pick-up and transfer roller 4 around its own axis 4a, the transfer members 16 simultaneously release the articles in the rod 2 into the respective seats 5 of the roller 4, defining a second operating position.

From the first to the second operating position, each transfer member 16 rotates 180 ° around its own axis 16a.

Each first holding element 17 oscillates around its own axis 17a to hold and release the last article in rod 2, according to the rotation of the respective transfer member 16 from the first to the second operating position.

The device 1 comprises first and second feeding means 20 and 21 each facing at least part of the outer cylindrical surface of the first and second pick-up and transfer rollers 6, 7, respectively.

The above considerations for the feeding means 15 and the pick-up and transfer roller 4 apply to the first supply means 20 and the first pick-up and transfer roller 6 and the second feeding means 21 and the second pick-up roller 7 and transfer.

In particular, in order to coordinate the feeding of the smoking articles in rod 2 into the seats 5 of the first and second rollers 6 and 7, by means of the first and second feeding means 20 and 21, so that, exiting the second feeding means 21, in each seat 5 of the second pickup roller 7 is engaged by a respective smoking article in rod 2, the first and second feeding means 20 and 21 feed the smoking articles in rod 2 respectively according to a first and a second filling scheme.

In other words, the first filling scheme provides for the filling of the seats 5 of the first roller 6 in an alternating or staggered manner, leaving empty at least one seat 5 arranged between two seats 5 engaged by respective articles in rod 2.

During the rotation of the first roller 6, at the passage station 22, the smoking articles in the rod 2 are transferred from the first to the second pick-up and transfer roller 7. Upstream of the second feeding means 21, according to the direction of rotation of the second roller 7, the first filling pattern is transferred to the second roller 6.

The empty seats 5 of the second roller 6 are then filled by the second feeding means 21.

The second feeding means 21 feed the smoking articles in rod 2 into respective seats 5 of the second roller 7 according to a second filling scheme.

The second filling scheme is a function of the first filling scheme of the first roller 5, so that the seats 5 of the second roller 6 empty are filled.

In other words, the second filling scheme provides for the filling of the seats 5 in an alternating or staggered manner, filling each empty seat 5 interposed between two seats 5 engaged by respective smoking articles in rod 2.

The first and second feeding means 20 and 21 feed the smoking articles in rod 2 in a so-called interleaved manner. It should be noted that, if the device 1 comprises more than two pick-up and transfer rollers 6 and 7, such as three rollers, the first of these rollers, according to the direction of advance of the device 1, will leave many empty seats 5 consecutive between two seats 5 engaged by a respective smoking article in rod 2, therefore two consecutive empty seats, as many as there are pick-up and transfer rollers downstream of the aforementioned first roller, ie two.

In the aforementioned case, the first pick-up and transfer roller 6 leaves an empty seat 5 between two seats 5 housing a respective smoking article in the rod 2, since downstream of the aforementioned first roller 6 there is only a second pick-up roller 7 and transfer. Generally speaking, the scheme for filling the seats 5 of each pick-up and transfer roller 4, 6, 7 by means of the respective feeding means 20, 21 provides for leaving as many empty seats 5 between two seats 5 engaged by the smoking articles in the rod 2 as many they are the pick-up and transfer rollers 4, 6, 7 arranged downstream of said pick-up and transfer roller 4, 6, 7.

Advantageously, the presence of a plurality of pick-up and transfer rollers 6 and 7, with the same speed of rotation of said rollers 6 and 7, allows the speed of feeding of the smoking articles into rod 2 to be reduced.

Advantageously, the distribution and subdivision means 11 are arranged at least in correspondence with the inlet 23 of the hopper 3.

According to the first embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, the distribution and subdivision means 11 comprise a distributor 24 movable in a direction F of the hopper from a first operating position to a second operating position and vice versa to release through the inlet 23 of hopper 3 one or more layers of smoking articles in wand 2.

In other words, the distributor 24 translates from the first operative position to the second operative position, and vice versa.

By refueling direction F is meant a direction parallel to the prevailing longitudinal extension of the hopper 3, in particular of the bottom 3a of the hopper 3 itself.

It should be noted that the distributor 24 for supplying a surface area, equal to the bottom 3a of the hopper 3, of a substantially quadrilateral shape defined by a pair of longitudinal sides and a pair of transverse sides, has an extension transversal to the direction of supply F at least equal to said transverse side, since the longitudinal side of the hopper 3 is given by the translation along the supply direction from the first to the second operating position, and vice versa.

The distributor 24 is movable from the first operative position to the second operative position, and vice versa, according to a constant speed with respect to a fixed reference system. Alternatively, the distributor 24 is mobile according to a variable speed from the first operating position to the second operating position, and vice versa, with respect to a fixed reference system, as a function of the filling level of the hopper 3.

In an embodiment not shown, the device 1 comprises a hopper level sensor connected to a control and command unit for the movement of the distributor 24. The control and command unit activates and regulates the translation speed of the distributor. 24 according to the filling level of the hopper 3.

Preferably, the distributor 24 is in the form of a drawer having the hollow bottom facing the inlet 23 of the hopper 3.

The distributor 24 is moved by preferably belt transmission means 27.

The smoking articles in rod 2 are advanced by the transmission means 27 of the dispenser 24, in particular by the belt transmission means 27.

In particular, to move the distributor 24 the transmission means 27 comprise a first and second belt 28 and 29 wound around respective motion transmission and idle rollers.

Advantageously, the distributor 24 allows the smoking articles to be fed into the rod 2 by stratifying them within the hopper 3, according to the translation of the distributor according to the supply direction F, so that the articles do not dent each other.

According to the second embodiment illustrated in Figure 2, the distribution and subdivision means 11 are arranged inside the hopper 3 and comprise one or more pivoting elements 30 which adapt to the flow of articles in rod 2 directed towards the bottom 3a of the hopper 3.

Advantageously, the pivoting elements 30 are arranged according to respective heights such to divide the mass of articles in rod 2 contained in the hopper into a plurality of layers, each consisting of a defined number of rows of articles in rod 2 such that the weight of the upper layers , that is, farther from the bottom 3a of the hopper 3, does not involve the crushing of the articles in rod 2 arranged in proximity to the bottom 3a of the hopper 3. According to the present invention, the device 1 comprises means for distributing and dividing the articles 11 into rod 2 fed and contained in the hopper 3.

It should be noted that, preferably, these distribution and subdivision means 11 comprise both the distribution channels 12 of the smoking articles in rod 2 to be fed to the respective pick-up and transfer rollers 6 and 7 and the distributor 24, according to the first embodiment , movable according to the supply direction F and / or the pivoting elements 30 arranged inside the hopper 3.

The combination in a single embodiment of the aforementioned elements, such as the channels 12, the distributor 24 and / or the tilting elements 30, is an optimal combination to avoid any damage to the smoking articles in wand 2 from their feeding within the hopper 3 until they are transferred to the pick-up and transfer rollers 6 and 7.

However, this invention also extends to cases in which the device 1 comprises only the channels 12 which transfer the articles in rod 2 from the bottom 3a of the hopper 3 to the respective pick-up and transfer roller 4 or the dispenser 24 for feeding the hopper 3. or the pivoting elements 30 arranged inside the hopper 3 itself.

Claims (14)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. Feeding device for smoking articles in rods in an automatic machine of the tobacco industry comprising at least one hopper (3) for containing a plurality of articles in rods (2) and at least one roller (4, 6, 7) for picking up and transferring the articles in rods (2) arranged downstream of the hopper (3); the pick-up and transfer roller (4, 6, 7) having on its cylindrical surface a plurality of suction seats (5); the device being characterized in that it comprises means for distributing and dividing (11) the articles in rods (2) fed and contained in the hopper (3); the distribution and subdivision means (11) being able to reciprocally position the articles in rods (2) to avoid mutual crushing. 2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the distribution and subdivision means (11) are arranged at least at the bottom (3a) of the hopper (3). 3. Device according to claim 2, characterized in that the distribution and subdivision means (11) comprise a plurality of individual channels (12) each of which accommodates at least one row of rod articles (2). 4. Device according to claim 3, characterized in that it comprises feeding means (15, 19, 20) for the pick-up and transfer roller (4, 6, 7) suitable for transferring the articles in rod (2) from the hopper (3 ) to at least one roller (4, 6, 7) for picking up and transfer. 5. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the feeding means (15, 19, 20) comprise a plurality of transfer members (16) each dedicated to a respective channel (12); the transfer members (16) simultaneously picking up at least one rod article (2) from a respective channel (12) and transferring it to the pick-up and transfer roller (4, 6, 7) (). 6. Device according to claim 4, characterized in that the feeding means (15) comprise a first retaining element (17) of the last rod article (2) disposed within a respective channel (12), the first element detention (17) releasing the last article in the rod (2) during the removal of the transfer organ (16). Device according to one of claims 4 to 6, characterized in that each transfer member (16) rotates around its own axis of rotation (16a) by at least 180 °. 8. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of pick-up and transfer rollers (4, 6, 7) arranged downstream of the hopper (3) and side by side with respect to each other. ™ other; the device (1) comprising respective feeding means (20, 21), each facing at least part of the outer cylindrical surface of the respective pick-up and transfer roller (4. 6, 7); the feeding means (20, 21) feeding some smoking articles in rods (2) according to a respective scheme for filling the seats (5) of the respective pick-up and transfer roller (). 9. Device according to claim 8, characterized in that the scheme for filling the seats (5) of each pick-up and transfer roller (4, 6, 7) by means of the respective feeding means (20, 21) provides for leaving many seats (5) empty between two seats (5) engaged by the smoking articles in rod (2) how many are the pick-up and transfer rollers (4, 6, 7) arranged downstream of said pick-up roller (4, 6, 7) and transfer. 10. Device any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that the distribution and subdivision means (11) are arranged at least in correspondence with the inlet (23) of the hopper (3). 11. Device according to claim 10, characterized in that the distribution and subdivision means (11) comprise a distributor (24) movable according to a direction of supply (F) of the hopper (3) from a first operating position (25) to a second operating position (26) and vice versa to release through the inlet (23) of the hopper (3) one or more layers of smoking articles in rods (2). Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the distributor (24) is movable from the first operating position (25) to the second operating position (26), and vice versa, according to a constant speed with respect to a fixed reference system. 13. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the distributor (24) is movable according to a variable speed from the first operating position (25) to the second operating position (26), and vice versa, with respect to a fixed reference system, according to the filling level of the hopper (3). 14. Device any one of claims 1 to 13, characterized in that the distribution and subdivision means (11) are arranged inside the hopper (3) and comprise one or more pivoting elements (30) which adapt to the flow of articles in rods (2) directed towards the bottom (3a) of the hopper (3).