JP2003169655A - Apparatus for producing rod-shaped article - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for producing a rod-shaped article, having a covering device 23 for covering a material continuum with a covering material 21, a heater 28 for heating the material continuum or the rod-shaped article produced from the material continuum, and a first conveyor 22 for conveying the material continuum or the rod-shaped article produced from the material continuum by a prescribed device. <P>SOLUTION: The heather 28 is installed in the rear part of the covering device 23 in the view of the conveying direction of the material continuum or the rod-shaped article produced from the material continuum. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

The present invention relates to a coating device for coating a material continuum with a coating material, a heating device for heating a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum, and a material continuum. Producing rod-shaped articles, in particular from a material continuum of the tobacco processing industry, with a body or an article made of this material continuum by means of a predetermined device, in particular with a first transfer device for transferring in the longitudinal direction For a device for doing.

[0002]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In the tobacco processing industry, in particular, such devices are part of a filter continuum producing machine for producing filter rods. During the manufacture of filter rods, the filter material (tow), which consists of individual threads or fibers (eg cellulose acetate), which is withdrawn from the bale in the form of an endless tape, before it has been assembled into a filter continuum. Prepared, and coated with a coating tape having an adhesive in the seam area, and cut into a single filter rod of one working length or many lengths. In practice, this preparation is usually carried out after the filter tape has been drawn from the bale, first dried with an air nozzle, widened and subsequently stretched longitudinally in a stretching zone. The filter material tape is then moistened in this state with a softening agent which makes the surface of the thread or fiber adhesive, and subsequently bonded to this surface. The tape thus pretreated is subsequently focused, shaped into a continuous body, coated,
It is cut into single filter rods of one working length or many lengths.

The above softeners, usually triacetin, form a solvent for the filter material. When wetting the fiber surface with the softener, the surface is melted and adhered at the contact points. In order to cure the fiber bundle thus formed, the concentration of softening agent in the melted filter material must be reduced. This is done by diffusing the softener inside the fiber, which allows the softener to be distributed over a significantly larger amount of material and thus the desired dilution. As in most chemical processes, the rate of this diffusion is temperature dependent, where higher temperatures induce accelerated curing.

The coating device usually comprises an endlessly rotating conveyor belt, also called a garniture belt, by means of which the material continuum and the coating material supplied separately are longitudinally coated. It is transported through a device-also called a garniture. In this case, the coating tape is placed around the material continuum and bonded by means of a garniture tool which is stationary in the coating device.

A device of the type described at the outset is known from US Pat. In this known device, the filter continuum is introduced into the resonance space and is influenced by microwave energy. The filter continuum is then guided with the garniture belt through the resonant airspace. The filter continuum is surrounded by a garniture belt during microwave action. Only after leaving the resonant airspace is the garniture belt lifted from the filter continuum, which is then wrapped in coating material.

A similar device is disclosed in US Pat.

In order to avoid inconvenient and continuous heating of the garniture belt guided through the resonant airspace, this garniture belt is moved out of the resonant airspace during its return, as proposed in US Pat. Need to be cooled in. Of course, this procedure requires additional, not less than additional, equipment overhead, which is particularly disadvantageous in terms of manufacturing and maintenance costs.

Patent Document 1 US Patent Publication No. 4,357,188 Patent Document 2 Federal Republic of Germany Patent No. 29 364
No. 90 Patent Document 3 German Patent Publication No. 42 09
No.606

[0009]

The problem underlying the invention is to simplify a device of the type described at the outset.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above problem resides in an apparatus of the type mentioned at the outset in which the heating device, when viewed in the direction of transport of the material continuum or articles made from this material continuum, is coated. It is solved by being provided at the rear of the device.

With the invention, a considerable simplification of the structure of the device is achieved. This is especially true if the coating device comprises a rotating conveyor belt, i.e. a garniture belt. This is because, in such a case, the heat treatment is only carried out with the garniture belt being lifted, so that the garniture belt is not heated and therefore does not have to be cooled.

The apparatus according to the present invention can be heat-treated by microwaves. This has its own inventiveness.

In the usual case where a cutting device is provided for cutting the coated material continuum into rod-shaped articles, this cutting device is provided between the coating device and the heating device and thus this construction. In this case, the rod-shaped article already produced from the coated material continuum is subjected to a heat treatment.

If a second transfer device is provided for transferring this rod-shaped article, in particular in the direction of the transverse axis, this second transfer device-usually equipped with a drum-transfers the rod-shaped article. It is provided behind the heating device when viewed in the direction. The second transfer device is provided in the housing and is used for air conditioning the thermal insulation surrounding the housing and / or the housing in order to quickly cool the rod-shaped article heated by the heating device. A device is provided.

The heating device is provided with a guide device, along which the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum can be moved via the heating device. This guiding device is provided so as to be stationary with respect to the movement of the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum, and passively guides the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum. Forming a part. In this case, the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum is subjected to a small amount of kinematic energy to the extent that they can be moved independently along the guiding device by the first transfer device. receive.

The guiding device has a strip-shaped guiding means for accommodating the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum in a moving state.

In a particularly advantageous design, the guide means have a lower section and an upper section for movably mounting a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum. In this case, the distance between the lower section and the upper section is set so as to correspond to the thickness of the material continuous body or the rod-shaped article made from the material continuous body. While the material continuum or the rod-shaped article made from the material continuum moves in the heating device,
These material continuums or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum move along the lower section so that they are actually in abutting contact with the upper section,
These are housed between the lower section and the upper section of the guide means.

Advantageously, the lower section forms a mounting surface which is concave in cross section. As a result, a tank-shaped body is obtained, and the material-continuous body or a rod-shaped article made from the material-continuous body is accommodated in the tank-shaped body.

Additionally or alternatively, it is advantageous for the lower section to have at least two rests spaced from one another.

In another particularly advantageous construction according to the invention, these rests are actually dot-shaped or material-continuous for the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. A linear mounting surface is formed in the moving direction of the body or a rod-shaped article made of this material continuum. This gives a support bearing with a dotted cross section for the lower section,
For example, a two-point bearing is formed, thus forming the smallest possible surface on which the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material abut and rest. In this way, a reduction in friction is achieved. This also has an advantageous effect on the movement of the material continuum or of rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. Another significant advantage of such a careful placement, in the context of the above arrangement, is that the material continuum or the rod-shaped article made from this material continuum and the mounting surface are at the seam position of the covering or Alignment is to be avoided so that contact with the glued location, which is a risk of contamination, is avoided. That is, the material continuum or the rod-shaped article made from the material continuum is such that the seam position or the bonding position exists between the mounting portions or outside of these mounting portions, and thus outside the interaction with them. Aligned to.

Similarly, the upper section is for the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made of this material continuum, the movement of the actual dot-like or material continuum or a rod-shaped article made of this material continuum. Forming a linear mounting surface in the direction. Therefore, in this case, the operation and effect described above are utilized in a similar manner. In this way, a three-point support bearing is formed with the lower section, for example in cross section.

The strip-shaped guide means has a vertically long shape. In another configuration, the mounting part has rods that extend particularly parallel to each other when viewed in the direction of movement of the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. Is advantageous. The upper section also has a rod extending in the direction of movement of the rod. In order to obtain the above-mentioned linear mounting surface, it is advantageous for one rod or a plurality of rods to have a circular cross section.

Usually, strip-shaped guide means for guiding the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made of the material continuum in the direction of the longitudinal axis are formed. In this case, the lateral spacing of the rests must be smaller than the thickness or diameter of the material continuum or rod-shaped article made from this material continuum.

Advantageously, the guide means are made of a heat-resistant material, in particular ceramic and / or low-wear material.

The arrangement described above in the heating device of the guiding device has its own inventiveness.

In a particularly advantageous design in which the heating device comprises a housing, the guide means are provided in the housing, the housing having an open part. The open part is formed such that the guide means is actually exposed when the housing is opened. This arrangement allows easy and easy access to the material path in the heating device or the transfer path for rod-shaped articles made from this material path. Not only is this advantageous for maintenance, but is also advantageous when a material blockage occurs in the heating device due to a failure during operation.

Advantageously, the part to be opened forms the cover of the housing. The housing then consists of two halves, of which the lower half is fixed and the upper half is open. For ease of handling, the open part of the housing is pivotally mounted about a pivot axis. In this case, this swivel axis actually extends in the direction of movement of the material continuum or of a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum, which results in the material continuum or from this material continuum in the heating device. A transport path for a given rod-shaped article is accessible as easily as possible over its entire length.

Advantageously, the upper section of the guiding means is provided in this open part of the housing.
In this way, the transfer channel is opened at the same time as the opening of the housing, which allows a particularly simple access.

A safety opening / closing mechanism is provided for stopping the operation of the heating device when the housing is opened. With this configuration, the user does not have to pay attention to shutting off the heating device. This is because this is done automatically by this safety opening and closing mechanism. This is particularly advantageous when using microwaves.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0031]

EXAMPLE FIG. 1 schematically shows the structure of a continuous filter manufacturing machine 2.

In front of this filter continuum producing machine 2,
A preparation device unit (not shown) as described in Patent Document 3 is connected. In such a preparation unit, the filter material tape is withdrawn from the bale and processed, in particular, by widening, stretching and spraying with a finely dispersed liquid softening agent, for example triacetin. The filter material tape sprayed with the softening agent is formed into the final converged rod shape in the preparation unit,
Then, it is transferred to the continuous filter manufacturing machine 2. In Figure 1,
The filter material tape prepared in the preparation device unit is schematically illustrated with the reference numeral 10.

Next, the filter material tape 10 reaches the inside of the filter continuum manufacturing machine 2 through the run-in hopper 17. Here the filter material tapes are put together, bobbin 1
It is placed on a coating material tape 21 which has been pulled out of 8 and which has been applied with hot melt adhesive by means of a glue application device 19. The covering material tape 21 and the combined filter material tape 10 reach an endlessly rotating garniture belt 22, which guides these elements via a garniture 23, which garniture. 21 is wrapped around the filter tape 10 to form an endless filter continuum 24. The continuum of filters passes by the adhesive seam beside the cooling strip 26 and the adhesive seam is solidified in the cooling strip. Subsequently, the filter rods are continuously cut from the filter continuum 24 by the cutting cutter 27, and these filter rods move in the direction of the vertical axis through the microwave irradiation device 28 and are moved from the acceleration device 29 to the mounting drum 31.
And the filter rod is further transported in the horizontal axis direction via the mounting drum. Filter rods not shown in detail in FIG. 1 reach from the mounting drum 31 to the mounting belt 32, from which the filter rods are arranged in the same order as the next processing mechanism not shown in detail in FIG. Alternatively, it is supplied into the intermediate storage mechanism.

The microwave irradiator 28 belongs to a microwave generator 34 having an integrated control mechanism, and this microwave generator is similar to the microwave irradiator 28 in the additional device unit 36. It is provided in. The microwave generator 34 is provided in the filter continuum manufacturing machine 2 in the illustrated embodiment, and further controls the garniture belt drive mechanism 39.
8 provides information on the working speed of the filter continuum producing machine and controls the output of the generated microwaves.
The garniture belt drive mechanism 39 drives the garniture belt 22 which rotates endlessly.

In the illustrated embodiment, the accelerator 29, the mounting drum 31, and the mounting belt 32 are partly enclosed by a housing 40. The wall of this housing is provided with an insulator 40a, thus preventing rapid cooling of the filter rod heated in the microwave irradiation device 28. For the same purpose, a device, not shown in detail in FIG. 1, for additionally or alternatively air-conditioning the housing 40 is also provided, in particular for supplying hot air. Further, inside the housing 40, a temperature sensor 42 connected to the microwave generator 34 is provided. Thereby, the microwave energy generated by the microwave generator 34 in the microwave irradiator 28 is controlled and adjusted to a constant value by the integrated control mechanism, and is transferred through the microwave irradiator 28. The filter rod is heated to a constant temperature.

The housing 40 is an additional device unit 36.
And forms a mounting unit connected to the rear of the filter continuum manufacturing machine 2 or is an element of the additional device unit 36.

FIG. 2 shows a side view of the microwave irradiator 28 in detail with a part thereof cut away, while FIG. 3 shows a state in which the cross section of the microwave irradiator 28 is closed (FIG. 3).
a) and the opened state (Fig. 3b).

The microwave irradiator 28 has a housing 50 and is opened by a cover 50a. Figure 3
As can be seen from the above, the cover 50a forms the upper half of the housing 50, which can be repelled, and the lower part of the housing 50 forms the fixed lower half of the housing. By opening the cover 50a, the inner space of the housing 50 and the built-in structure provided therein can be freely accessed. The cover 50 a of the housing 50 is kept closed by the closing portion 52 while the microwave irradiation device 28 is operating. As can be seen especially from FIG. 3, the cover 5
0a is held in the remaining housing 50a by the hinge mechanism 53, and in this case, the pivot shaft 53a of the hinge mechanism 53 is oriented in the longitudinal extension direction of the housing 50. From FIG. 2 it can be seen that the cover 50a extends over the entire length of the housing 50.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, a safety opening / closing mechanism 54 is provided.
When the housing 50 is opened by turning the cover 50a, the microwave generator 34 (FIG. 1) is shut off. The safety opening / closing mechanism 54 is connected to the microwave generator 34 or the control mechanism 38 (FIG. 1) via a cable 54a.

On one end surface side of the housing 50, a run-in pipe 56 is provided, and the cut-out cutter 27 (FIG. 1) cuts through this run-in pipe. Enters the housing 50 of the microwave irradiation device 28. An ejection pipe 57 is provided on the opposing end surfaces of the housing 50, and an acceleration mechanism 29 (FIG. 1) to which a filter rod heated by the microwave irradiation device 28 is connected to the rear via the exit pipe. ) Is reached. Further, as can be seen from FIG. 2, the entry pipe 5
6 and the discharge pipe 57 are aligned in the same row in the axial direction.

The microwave irradiating device 28 is provided with a guiding device 60, which is provided inside the housing 50. In the embodiment shown, the guide device 60 comprises three guide rods 61, which are arranged parallel to each other and are oriented in the longitudinal direction of the housing 50.
It is formed by 62 and 63. In this case, these three guide rods 61, 62, 63 are respectively connected to the entry pipe 5
6 and the front of the launch tube 57, and extends parallel to the common axis of the launch tube 56 and the launch tube 57.

As can be seen in particular from FIG. 3a, in the embodiment shown, the first and second guide rods 61 and 62 are in a pair, forming a virtual horizontal surface. A third guide rod 63, which is present inside, is provided above and centrally between the first and second guide rods 61 and 62. Therefore, the first and second guide rods 61 and 62 form two lower guide rods and the third guide rod 63 forms an upper guide rod.

Lower first and second guide rods 61 and 62
Are fixed to a first support 64 which is fixed to a fixed part of the housing 50. On the other hand, the upper third guide rod 63 is fixed to the second support body 66 fixed to the cover 50a of the housing 50. Due to the fixing of this upper third guide rod 63 to the second support 66, this upper third guide rod 63 is carried along when the cover 50a is opened and thus 3b away from the lower first and second guide rods 61 and 62.

In the illustrated embodiment, the three guide rods 61, 62 and 63 are provided at the corner points of the virtual isosceles triangle. This right triangle surrounds the common axis of the run-in pipe 56 and the run-out pipe 57. Three guide rods 61, 62 which are provided at a distance from the run-in pipe 56.
The airspace formed by 63 and the runoff tube 57 form a transfer path along which the filter rod moves in the longitudinal axis direction.

The three guide rods 61, 62 and 63 form a linear or point-like three-point support in cross section.

At this time, the inner diameters of the inlet pipe 56 and the outlet pipe 57 are set so as to correspond to the diameter of the filter rod to be processed. The same applies to the three guide rods 61,
The same can be said for the interval between 62 and 63.

After passing through the entry pipe 56, the filter rod reaches the first and second guide rods 61 and 62 on both lower sides, and these pass through the launch pipe 57 and the microwave irradiation device 28.
Slide along these along these guide rods until leaving. While these filter rods are moving along the lower first and second guide rods 61, 62, the upper third guide rod 63, which is above these guide rods, is Does not deviate from the trajectory formed by the lower first and second guide rods 61, 62. These lower first and second guide rods 61, 62 act as abutment parts, and the upper third guide rod 63 acts as an upper partition part of the transfer path thus formed. Three guide rods 61, 62 and 63
Is selected such that the filter rod is movable in the longitudinal direction with relatively little play, in this case the lower first and second lower guide rods 61 and 62.
The spacing between them is smaller than the diameter of the filter rod.

As can be seen from FIG. 3, the three guide rods 61, 62 and 63 each have an annular cross section. As a result, the almost linear mounting surfaces for the filter rods are below the first and second guide rods 61, 62.
And also a substantially linear bearing surface for the filter rod is formed on the upper third guide rod 63. In this way, the filter rod and the guide rod 6
The contact between 1,62 and 63 is reduced and therefore the friction resulting from this contact is also minimized. Furthermore, the filter rods entering through the entry tube 56 are not only oriented such that their adhesive seams do not come into contact with the guide rods 61, 62 and 63, but these filter rods lie between them. To be aligned.

In the illustrated embodiment, there is no transfer drive mechanism in the microwave irradiator 28 that acts to transfer the filter rod. Rather, the kinematic energy of the filter rod as it enters the entry tube 56 causes the filter rod to travel through the entry tube 56 along the guide rods 61, 62 and 63, and into the entry tube 57.
Must be sufficient to easily slide through to the acceleration mechanism 29 (FIG. 1). Therefore, the entry tube 56, the guide rods 61, 62 and 63, and the entry tube 57 must be made of a material that is less likely to wear. In view of the effects of heat, the materials for the guide rods 61, 62 and 63 and the launch tube 57 must be even more heat resistant. A ceramic material, for example, is suitable as this material.

[0050]

The device according to the invention advantageously effects the treatment of rod-shaped articles in the tobacco processing industry, for example in the production of cigarette filters, by joining the filters with a tobacco continuum with a coating material.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the structure of a filter mounting machine.

FIG. 2 is a partially cutaway side view of a microwave irradiation device provided in the filter continuum manufacturing machine according to FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the microwave irradiation device according to FIG. 2 in a closed state (FIG. 3a) and an opened state (FIG. 3b).

[Explanation of symbols]

2 filter continuous machine 10 Filter material tape 17 Run-in hopper 18 bobbins 21 coating material tape 22 Garnish Belt 23 Garnish 24 filter continuum 26 Cooling strip 27 Cutting mechanism 28 Microwave irradiation device 29 Acceleration mechanism 31 Placed drum 32 mounting belt 34 Microwave generator 40,50 housing 50a cover 54 Safety opening and closing mechanism 56 Run-in tube 57 delivery pipe 60 guidance device 61, 62, 63 Guide rod

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Claims (26)

[Claims] A coating device (23) for coating a material continuum with a coating material (21), a heating device (28) for heating a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum. And a first transport device (22) for transporting the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum by means of a predetermined device, in particular in the direction of the longitudinal axis, in particular in the tobacco processing industry. A device for producing a rod-shaped article from a material continuum in
8) is provided behind the coating device (23) when viewed in the transport direction of the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. 2. The device according to claim 1, further comprising a cutting device (27) for cutting the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made of the material continuum. Device 27) is provided between the coating device (23) and the heating device (28). 03. A second transfer device (31) for transferring rod-shaped articles, in particular in the direction of the transverse axis, is provided.
Alternatively, the second transfer device (31) is the heating device (2) as viewed in the transfer direction of the rod-shaped article.
8) A device provided behind the device. 04. The device according to claim 3, wherein a second transfer device (31) is provided in the housing (40), the thermal insulation (40a) surrounding the housing (40). And / or a device for adjusting the temperature of the housing (40). The heating device (28) is a guide device (60).
And a rod-shaped article made of the material continuum or the material continuum along the guide device.
Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that it is arranged to be movable via 8). 06. A guide device (60) is provided stationary with respect to the movement of the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum and is made from the material continuum or this material continuum. Device according to claim 5, characterized in that it is designed for passively guiding a rod-shaped article. 07. A guide device (60) comprises strip-shaped guide means (61, 62, 63) for accommodating a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum in a moving state. 7. A device as claimed in claim 5 or 6, characterized in that 08. A lower section (61, 6) for guiding a guide means (61, 62, 63) for kinematically accommodating a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum.
2) and the lower section (61, 6)
8. Distance according to claim 7, characterized in that the distance between 2) and the upper section (63) is chosen to be the same as the thickness of the material continuum or of a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum. The described device. 9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the lower section forms a mounting surface which is concave in cross section. 10. At least two rests (61, 6) whose lower sections are spaced from each other.
Device according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises 2). 11. For these rod-shaped articles, the rest (61, 62) is actually point-shaped or linear in the direction of movement of the material-continuous body or the rod-shaped article made from this material-continuous body. 2. The stationary mounting portion is formed.
0. The device according to 0. 12. Mounting for these rod-shaped articles, the upper section (63) of which is in fact punctiform or linear in the direction of movement of the material-continuum or of rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. 9. Forming a part
The device according to any one of 1 to 11. 13. Strip-shaped guide means (61, 62, 63)
The device according to any one of claims 7 to 12, characterized in that it has an elongated shape. 14. The mounting part comprises rods (61, 62) extending in parallel to each other in the direction of movement of the material continuum or rod-shaped articles made from this material continuum. The device according to claim 10 or 13, characterized in that. 15. The upper section comprises a bar (63) extending in the direction of movement of the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from this material continuum. , 13 or 14. 16. Device according to claim 14 or 15, characterized in that the upper rod or rods have a circular cross section. 17. A strip-shaped guiding means (6) for guiding a material continuum or a rod-shaped article made of this material continuum.
Device according to any one of claims 7 to 16, characterized in that (1, 62, 63) are formed in the longitudinal direction. 18. The lateral distance between the mounting portions (61, 62) is set to be smaller than the thickness or diameter of the material continuum or a rod-shaped article made from the material continuum. Item 10. The device according to item 10 or 17. 19. Device according to claim 7, characterized in that the guide means (61, 62, 63) consist of a heat-resistant, in particular ceramic material. 20. The method according to claim 7, characterized in that the guide means (61, 62, 63) are made of a material with low wear.
The apparatus according to any one of 9 to 9. 21. The heating device (28) comprises a housing (5).
0) Device according to any one of claims 7 to 20, characterized in that guide means (61, 62, 63) are provided in this housing (50). However, the device is provided with an opening part (50a) formed so that the guide means (61, 62, 63) are actually exposed when the housing (50) is opened. 22. Device according to claim 21, characterized in that the part to be opened forms the cover (50a) of the housing (50). 23. The part (50a) to be opened is the pivot (5).
23. Device according to claim 21 or 22, characterized in that it is pivotably mounted about 3a). 24. Device according to claim 23, characterized in that the swivel axis (53a) actually extends in the direction of movement of the material continuum or of a rod-shaped article made of this material continuum. 25. The section (63) above the means.
22. The invention according to claim 8 or 21, characterized in that it is provided in the open part (50a) of the housing (50).
The device according to any one of claims 1 to 24. 26. A safe opening / closing mechanism (54) for activating a heating device (28.34) when the housing is opened, according to any one of claims 21 to 25. The described device.