JP2022513279A - Methods and equipment for producing sheets of materials containing alkaloids - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a method for producing a sheet of an alkaloid-containing material, wherein the method-mixes the alkaloid-containing material with water (6) to form a slurry (11) and-slurry. Forming the sheet (10) from (11) and compressing the sheet (10) between the first (307) roller and the second (308) roller, the above-mentioned rollers ( 307, 308) form a gap (311) in which the sheet (10) is inserted, forming a compressed sheet (10) having a desired thickness (t), and-compressed sheet (10). Includes changing the diameter (17) of the first roller (307) to change the desired thickness (t) of the first roller (307). The present invention also relates to an apparatus for producing a sheet (10) of a material containing an alkaloid. [Selection diagram] FIG. 5

Description

The present invention relates to casting devices and methods for producing cast webs of materials containing alkaloids.

In particular, the alkaloid-containing material is a homogenized tobacco material, preferably used in aerosol-generating articles such as cigarettes or products containing "non-burnable heat-not-burn" type tobacco.

Today, in addition to tobacco leaves, homogenized tobacco materials are also used in the manufacture of tobacco products. This homogenized tobacco material is typically produced from parts of the tobacco plant that are not well suited for the production of cut fillers (eg, tobacco stalks or tobacco dust). Typically, tobacco dust is produced as a by-product during production and during the handling of tobacco leaves.

The most commonly used forms of homogenized tobacco material are reconstituted tobacco sheets and cast leaves (TCL is an acronym for tobacco cast leaf). The process of forming a homogenized tobacco material sheet generally involves mixing tobacco dust and a binder to form a tobacco slurry. The slurry is then used to create a tobacco web by casting a viscous slurry onto a moving metal belt, for example to produce so-called cast leaves. Alternatively, a low viscosity, high water content slurry can be used in a process similar to papermaking to produce reconstituted tobacco. Once the homogenized tobacco web is prepared, it may be cut in a manner similar to uncut raw tobacco to produce suitable tobacco cut fillers for cigarettes and other smoking articles. The process of producing such homogenized tobacco is disclosed, for example, in European Patent No. EP0565360.

In "non-burnable heated" aerosol-generating articles, the aerosol-forming substrate is heated to a relatively low temperature to form the aerosol but prevent combustion of the tobacco material. In addition, the tobacco present in the homogenized tobacco material is typically tobacco or mostly present in the homogenized tobacco material of such "non-burning heated" aerosol-generating articles. Including tobacco. This means that the aerosol composition produced by such "non-burnable" aerosol-generating articles is based solely on the substantially homogenized tobacco material. Thus, for example, for controlling the taste of aerosols, it is important to have good control over the composition of the homogenized tobacco material.

Standard during homogenized tobacco web casting, for example, due to changes in slurry physical properties such as slurry concentration, viscosity, fiber size, particle size (particle size), moisture, or aging. Casting methods and equipment can result in unintended changes in the application of slurry on the support. Suboptimal casting methods and equipment can lead to homogenization and defects in the homogenized tobacco cast web.

An important parameter of the cast sheet is its thickness, so that the user's smoking experience can be substantially the same as using any final product obtained by embedding the cast sheet. It is preferable that the shavings are as homogeneous as possible. Thickness variations, even minimal variations, can result in products that need to be discarded, increasing costs and manufacturing times.

In a well-known process, the thickness of the sheet is determined by the casting blade, which casts the sheet onto the conveyor belt, and the distance between the blade and the belt substantially determines the thickness of the sheet. Any defects in the blades, conveyor belts, or their alignment can cause the production of non-uniform sheets.

In addition, changing the desired thickness of the cast sheet requires careful and slow realignment and movement of the casting blade, which is time consuming and often mechanically stopped before reaching the desired new thickness. cause.

Therefore, there is a need for methods and devices for obtaining cast sheets of alkaloid-containing materials with substantially uniform thickness, which also allow for relatively rapid thickness changes.

The present invention relates to a method for producing a sheet of an alkaloid-containing material, wherein the method is to mix the alkaloid-containing material with water to form a slurry, to form a sheet from the slurry, and first. The sheet is compressed between the rollers of the first roller and the second roller, and the first roller and the second roller described above form a gap between which the sheet is inserted and have a desired thickness. It involves forming a compression sheet and changing the diameter of the first roller to change the desired thickness of the compression sheet.

In the method of the present invention, the thickness of the sheet is controlled by the compression process between the rollers. As soon as the sheet is formed, for example by casting or by extrusion, the sheet is compressed between the first pair of rollers to obtain the desired thickness of the sheet. If it is desirable to change the thickness of the sheet, or if the measured thickness obtained is not the desired thickness, the device changes the diameter of the first roller to change the compression affecting the sheet. And can be quickly adjusted to the new desired thickness. The diameters of both rollers can be varied as well. Although the process is relatively simple, precise control of the thickness is obtained, which also allows online changes.

As used herein, the term "sheet" means a layered element having a width and length substantially greater than its thickness. The width of the sheet is preferably greater than about 10 millimeters, more preferably greater than about 20 millimeters or about 30 millimeters. A continuous "sheet" is referred to herein as the "web." It is even more preferred that the width of the sheet of material containing alkaloids is from about 60 mm to about 2500 mm. As used herein, the term "casting blade" means an element shaped into a longitudinal shape that can have an essentially constant cross section along the major portion of its longitudinal extension. .. This indicates at least one edge, which is intended to come into contact with a pasty, viscous or liquid-like substance (such as a slurry) that will be affected by the aforementioned edges. ing. The aforementioned edges may have sharp knife-like edges. Alternatively, the edges may have rectangular or rounded edges.

As used herein, the term "movable support" means any means including a surface capable of moving in at least one major axis direction. The movable support may form a closed loop to provide uninterrupted transport in one direction. The movable support may include a conveyor belt. The movable support may be essentially flat and may exhibit a structured or unstructured surface. The movable support may not have an opening on its surface, or may preferably include an orifice sized so that the slurry deposited on it cannot penetrate. The movable support may include a seat-like movable and bendable band. The band may be made of a metal or rubber material, including but not limited to steel, copper, iron alloys, and copper alloys. The band may be made of a heat resistant material so that it can accelerate the drying process of the slurry when heated.

As used herein, the term "slurry" is an emulsion of a different liquid-like, viscous, or pasty material that contains a certain amount of solid state particles. However, it means a liquid-like, viscous, or paste-like material that may contain an emulsion, where the slurry still exhibits liquid-like, viscous, or paste-like behavior.

A "alkaloid-containing material" is a material containing one or more alkaloids. Alkaloids may contain nicotine. Nicotine can be found, for example, in cigarettes.

Alkaloids are a group of naturally occurring chemical compounds that primarily contain basic nitrogen atoms. This group also includes some related compounds with neutral properties, and even some related compounds with weakly acidic properties. Some synthetic compounds with similar structures are also called alkaloids. In addition to carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen, alkaloids may also contain oxygen, sulfur, and more rarely other elements such as chlorine, bromine, and phosphorus.

Alkaloids are produced by a wide variety of organisms, including bacteria, fungi, plants, and animals. Alkaloids can be purified from crude extracts of these organisms by acid-base extraction. Caffeine, nicotine, theobromine, atropine and tubocurarine are examples of alkaloids.

As used herein, the term "homogenized tobacco material" means a material that contains alkaloid nicotine and is formed by agglomerating particulate tobacco. Therefore, the material containing alkaloids can be a homogenized tobacco material.

The most commonly used forms of homogenized tobacco material are reconstituted tobacco sheets and cast leaves. The process of forming a homogenized tobacco material sheet generally involves mixing tobacco dust and a binder to form a slurry. The slurry is then used to create a tobacco web. For example, a so-called cast leaf is produced by casting a viscous slurry onto a moving metal belt. Alternatively, a low viscosity, high water content slurry can be used in a process similar to papermaking to produce reconstituted tobacco.

In the method of the present invention, a slurry is formed. The slurry contains a material containing alkaloids and water. Also preferably, a binder and an aerosol-forming body may be included. Further, in addition to those contained in the material containing alkaloids, cellulose fibers may also be contained.

The slurry may contain many additional different components or components. These components can affect the properties of the cast web of alkaloid-containing materials. The first component is, for example, a material containing alkaloids in powder form. The material can be, for example, a tobacco powder blend, which preferably contains most of the tobacco present in the slurry. Tobacco powder blends are the source of most of the tobacco in the homogenized tobacco material and therefore give flavor to the final product, such as the aerosol produced by heating the homogenized tobacco material. be. In order to increase the tensile strength of the alkaloid material web, it is preferable to add cellulosic pulp containing cellulosic fibers, which acts as a toughening agent, to the slurry.

It is also preferred that a binder be added to enhance the tensile properties of the homogenized sheet. Aerosol-forming bodies can be added to promote aerosol formation. In addition, water may be added to the slurry to reach a certain viscosity and moisture optimal for casting webs of alkaloid-containing materials.

The amount of binder added to the slurry may consist of about 1 percent to about 5 percent by dry weight of the slurry. The amount of binder is more preferably from about 2 percent to about 4 percent. The binder used in the slurry may be any of the gums or pectins described herein. The binder can ensure that the powder of the material containing the alkaloids remains substantially dispersed throughout the homogenized web. Any binder may be used, but preferred binders are natural pectin (such as fruit pectin, citrus pectin, or tobacco pectin), guar gum (such as hydroxyethyl guar, hydroxypropyl guar), and locust bean gum (hydroxyethyl). Locust bean gum, hydroxypropyl locust bean gum, etc.), alginate, starch (modified starch or derivatized starch, etc.), cellulose (methyl cellulose, ethyl cellulose, ethyl hydroxymethyl cellulose, carboxymethyl cellulose, etc.), tamarind gum, dextran, pralon, konjak powder, Xanthan gum, and the like. A particularly preferred binder for use in the present invention is guar.

The introduction of cellulosic fibers into the slurry typically increases the tensile strength of the web of alkaloid-containing materials and acts as a toughening agent. Therefore, the addition of cellulose fibers may increase the elasticity of the web of materials containing alkaloids. Cellulose fibers for inclusion in slurries for webs of materials containing alkaloids are well known in the art and include, for example, soft wood fibers, hard wood fibers, jute fibers, flax fibers, tobacco fibers, and Combinations of these are included, but not limited to. In addition to pulping, cellulosic fibers may be subjected to suitable processing such as purification, mechanical pulping, chemical pulping, bleaching, sulfate pulping, and combinations thereof. Cellulose fibers may include tobacco stem material, petioles, or other tobacco plant materials. Cellulose fibers such as wood fibers preferably have a low lignin content. Alternatively, fibers such as plant fibers may be used with or in place of the above fibers, including hemp and bamboo. The length of the cellulose fibers is advantageously about 0.2 mm to about 4 mm. The average length of the cellulose fibers per weight is preferably from about 1 mm to about 3 mm. Further, the amount of cellulose fibers preferably comprises from about 1 percent to about 7 percent based on the dry weight of the total weight of the slurry (or homogenized tobacco sheet).

The average length of the fibers refers to their true length (whether they are curled or twisted) as measured by MORFI COMPACT commercialized by Techpap SAS. The average length is a mathematical average of the fiber lengths measured by MORFI COMPACT with respect to the measured values of N fibers (N> 5). MORFI COMPACT is a fiber analyzer that measures fiber length according to the structure of the fiber, thus measuring the true developed length of the fiber. A measured object is considered a fiber if its length is between 200 and 10,000 micrometers and its width is between 5 and 75 micrometers. Fiber length is measured when deionized water is added to the fiber and Morfi software is used.

Aerosol-forming bodies suitable for inclusion in slurries for sheets of materials containing alkaloids, such as homogenized tobacco materials, are well known in the art and are monohydric alcohols (such as menthol), polyhydric alcohols. (Triethylene glycol, 1,3-butanediol and glycerin, etc.), esters of polyhydric alcohols (such as glycerol monoacetate, diacetate or triacetate), and aliphatic esters of monocarboxylic acids, dicarboxylic acids or polycarboxylic acids (dodecane). Dimethyl diate and dimethyl tetradecane diate, etc.), but are not limited to this.

Examples of preferred aerosol-forming bodies are glycerin and propylene glycol.

The slurry may have an aerosol-forming body content greater than about 5 percent on a dry mass basis. The slurry may have an aerosol-forming body content of about 5 to about 30 weight percent on a dry mass basis. The aerosol-forming body is more preferably composed of about 10 percent to about 25 percent of the dry weight of the slurry. The aerosol-forming body is more preferably composed of about 15 percent to about 25 percent of the dry weight of the slurry.

The binder and cellulose fibers are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1: 7 to about 5: 1. Binders and cellulose fibers more preferably contain a weight ratio of about 1: 1 to about 3: 1.

The binder and aerosol-forming body are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1:30 to about 1: 1. More preferably, the binder and the aerosol-forming body are contained in a weight ratio of about 1:20 to about 1: 4.

The material containing alkaloids is preferably tobacco. The binder and tobacco particles are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1: 100 to about 1:10. The binder and tobacco particles are more preferably contained in a weight ratio of from about 1:50 to about 1:15, even more preferably from about 1:30 to 1:20.

Aerosol-forming bodies and tobacco particles are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1:20 to about 1: 1. It is more preferable that the aerosol-forming body and the tobacco particles are contained in a weight ratio of about 1: 6 to about 1: 2.

Aerosol-forming bodies and cellulose fibers are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1: 1 to about 30: 1. The aerosol-forming body and the cellulose fiber are more preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 5: 1 to about 15: 1.

Cellulose fibers and tobacco particles are preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1: 100 to about 1:10. Cellulose fibers and tobacco particles are more preferably contained in a weight ratio of about 1:50 to about 1:20.

Further, a sheet is formed from the slurry. It is preferable to use a sheet former to form the sheet. To form the sheet, the slurry can be cast, for example, along the casting direction onto a preferably movable support. The slurry may be contained in a casting box having an opening at the bottom and having a casting blade. The casting box is preferably in the shape of a box.

For casting, a casting blade may be used as the sheet forming machine. The casting blades are preferably disposed perpendicular to the casting direction. The web of material may be formed by a casting blade that casts the slurry present in the casting box. The slurry, for example, falls from the casting box by gravity and comes into contact with the casting blade. The edges of the casting blade form a gap with the surface of the movable support and the slurry passes through the openings defined by the gaps described above.

The slurry can be extruded to form a sheet. Therefore, the sheet forming machine may be an extrusion molding machine. Therefore, the sheet is preferably compressed and heated in an extruder to exit the extruder. Also, in this case, the slurry is preferably extruded onto a movable support. Any process for forming a sheet can be used in the present invention, i.e. any sheet forming apparatus can be considered.

The direction in which the sheet is extruded or cast defines the transport direction of the sheet. In order to form a continuous sheet or web of material containing alkaloids, the sheet is preferably moved during its formation so that the sheet can be continuously formed while creating the web. .. Preferably, the sheet is moved along the transport direction by a movable support.

The formed sheet is then compressed between the two rollers forming the first pair or pair of rollers. The first pair of rollers is called the first roller and the second roller. The first roller and the second roller form a first gap between them, and the sheet is inserted into the gap and compressed. Preferably, the thickness of the sheet after being compressed by the first pair of rollers is less than the thickness the sheet had before being compressed by the first pair of rollers.

The first roller and the second roller have a cylindrical shape, preferably having a first axis of rotation and a second axis of rotation. The first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are preferably parallel to each other. It is preferable that the first rotation axis and the second rotation axis are perpendicular to the sheet transport direction. For example, the first axis of rotation and the second axis of rotation are parallel to the width of the sheet.

It is preferred that the humidity of the sheet (substantially just formed sheet) is relatively high prior to compression by the first pair of rollers. The water content of the sheet immediately prior to compression between the first pair of first rollers and the second roller is preferably from about 60 percent to about 85 percent of the total weight of the sheet. The water content of the sheet immediately prior to compression between the first roller and the second roller is preferably from about 65 percent to about 80 percent of the total weight of the sheet. The amount of binder is more preferably from about 70 percent to about 78 percent. The first pair of rollers is preferably placed immediately in front of a sheet forming machine such as an extruder or casting blade, without any other elements in between.

Prior to compression of the sheet by the first pair of rollers, the sheet has an initial thickness, also called the first thickness. The initial thickness is preferably from about 0.2 mm to about 2 mm. The initial thickness is more preferably from about 0.4 mm to about 1 mm. The initial thickness is even more preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 0.8 mm.

After compression by the first pair of rollers, the initial thickness of the sheet is preferably reduced and the initial thickness of the sheet becomes the second thickness after the first pair of rollers.

If it is desirable to have a different second thickness sheet, for example due to changes in the parameters of the entire process (eg, a less dense slurry, or a different slurry composition is used, etc.), or a second. If the thickness is not the desired thickness, the size of the gap between the first roller and the second roller will be resized. This change is made by changing the diameter dimensions of the first pair of first rollers. The diameters of both the first roller and the second roller can be changed as well.

Changing the diameter of the first roller means that the gap between the first roller and the second roller can be changed by changing the diameter of the first roller by any means. The first roller remains the same, only its diameter changes. In the process of diameter change, the first roller remains rotatably fixed to the device. This allows the diameter to be changed while the sheet is compressed. Therefore, it is possible to change the gap between the first roller and the second roller online.

The step of changing the diameter of the first roller preferably includes changing the diameter of the first roller while rotating the first roller. Production is not interrupted.

The first roller whose diameter is changed also does not have to come into direct contact with the sheet. The sheet can be compressed between the first roller and the second roller, but additional elements are inserted between the first roller and the sheet. This additional element can be an additional roller.

This change can be made online without the need to stop production, as the change in the diameter of the first roller may not require a roller change or any interruption in production. The diameter change can be made while the sheet is being compressed. A decrease or increase in the gap between the two rollers in the first pair results in a decrease or increase in the second thickness of the sheet, respectively.

According to the method of the present invention, a simple and rapid change in the thickness of the sheet can be obtained without stopping the machine. In addition, the variation may be in any direction, i.e., this change in diameter allows the sheet to be thicker or thinner. The change can also be automatic, the only manual operation is to enter a different second thickness value into the feedback system. The sensor can check the second thickness of the sheet after the first pair of rollers. The measured second thickness can be compared to the desired thickness. If the measured second thickness does not match the desired thickness, the diameter of the first roller is changed to change the gap between the rollers. The diameter of the first roller and the diameter of the second roller can be changed in the same manner.

Changing the diameter of the first roller preferably involves changing the width of the gap. Preferably, changing the diameter of the first roller means a change in the width of the gap, which can be greater than or less than the width of the gap before the change. In this way, thicker or thinner sheets can be formed.

Preferably, changing the diameter of the first roller involves expanding or contracting the first roller. By "expanding" is meant the process of increasing the size of the roller by the fluid that fills the inside of the roller. The fluid may be pressurized air. The rollers can be formed of a material that allows deformation when expanded or contracted, for example using a pressurized fluid. The material on which the first roller is formed may be an elastic material. The rollers can be "tire-like" so that their diameter can be changed by increasing or decreasing their internal pressure. Thus, very efficient changes in the width of the gap, especially relatively fast changes, can be achieved.

Changing the diameter of the first roller preferably involves changing the temperature of the first roller. As is well known, some materials can change in size with temperature. In general, the higher the temperature, the higher the volume occupied by the material. Preferably, the material on which the first roller is formed has high thermal expansion. Preferably, the higher the temperature, the larger the diameter of the first roller.

At the beginning of the process of compressing the sheet, the water content of the sheet is preferably from about 60 percent to about 85 percent of the total weight of the sheet. The step of compressing the sheet between the first roller and the second roller is preferably performed when the sheet is "just formed", eg, just cast and therefore has a high water content. .. As such, the thickness of the cast sheet can be better adjusted because the slurry is still adaptable, soft and easy to compress.

Preferably, the method comprises changing the diameter of the first roller depending on the desired thickness of the alkaloid-containing sheet. Preferably, there is a feedback loop within the device of the invention so that there is a constant comparison between the actual thickness of the sheet and the desired thickness. When thickness variations occur, the diameter of the rollers is changed to continue to obtain the desired thickness. For example, the thickness of the sheet after the first pair of rollers may be measured, and if the measured thickness is different from the desired thickness, the diameter of the first roller may be changed. More preferably, the diameter of the first roller may be changed if the measured thickness is outside the predetermined thickness range. The range of the predetermined thickness may be a range centered on the desired thickness.

In addition, if a sheet with a thickness different from that produced at a given time point is desired, simply changing the diameter of the first roller will give a new desired thickness without any mechanical interruption. To obtain, it is possible to modify the size of the gap between the first roller and the second roller. Preferably, the method comprises drying the sheet during the compression step between the first roller and the second roller. It is preferable that the sheet is also dried while the thickness of the sheet is adjusted by compression. Therefore, it is preferred that the first pair of rollers be included in the dryer. Preferably, drying is achieved by a combination of hot roller surface and hot air in direct contact with the sheet. The first roller and the second roller define the outer surface. It is preferred that one or both of the first and second rollers be heated by a hot fluid such as steam or steam so that their outer surface is hot. It is preferable that both the temperature of the surface of the high temperature roller in contact with the drying sheet and the temperature of the high temperature air are about 40 ° C. to about 250 ° C.

Preferably, the compression step with the first pair of rollers also improves the efficiency of the drying step. Generally, drying is done by hot fluid. The compression can squeeze some water out of the sheet, so overall drying can be done in less time, or a cooler hot fluid can be used for drying.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of adjusting the temperature of the first roller or the second roller. Drying can be further improved in efficiency by heating the rollers. Alternatively, the rollers can be cooled, for example, the temperature of the pair of rollers near the outlet of the dryer can be reduced. The temperature of the rollers for heating or cooling is preferably from about 10 ° C to about −250 ° C.

Preferably, the method comprises the step of further compressing the sheet compressed by the first roller and the second roller between the third roller and the fourth roller. Preferably, after the first compression, a second compression with a second pair of rollers is performed according to the present invention. The second compression is performed by the third roller and the fourth roller, preferably forming a second gap between the third roller and the fourth roller, in which the sheet is second. Introduced and compressed by a pair of rollers.

The second compression is preferably performed downstream of the first compression in the sheet transport direction.

The third roller and the fourth roller have a cylindrical shape, preferably having a third axis of rotation and a fourth axis of rotation. The third axis of rotation and the fourth axis of rotation are preferably parallel to each other. It is preferable that the third rotation axis and the fourth rotation axis are perpendicular to the moving direction of the seat. For example, the third axis of rotation and the fourth axis of rotation are parallel to the width of the sheet. Therefore, preferably, the first axis of rotation, the second axis of rotation, the third axis of rotation, and the fourth axis of rotation are all parallel to each other.

After compression by the second pair of rollers, the sheet thickness is further reduced from the second thickness to the third thickness. After the second pair of rollers, i.e. after the second compression by the second pair of rollers, the third thickness of the sheet is preferably from about 0.5 mm to about 0.05 mm. .. The third thickness of the sheet is more preferably from about 0.3 mm to about 0.1 mm. The third thickness is the final desired final thickness of the sheet. Therefore, it is preferable that the final thickness and the third thickness of the sheet are obtained in a multi-step process. Any number of pairs of rollers can be used. Therefore, better control of the final thickness is obtained because the roller dimensions can be easily controlled and the additional "small" inhomogeneities obtained in the first compression can be compensated for in the second compression.

In the method of the present invention, a pair of three or more rollers can be considered. Even more precise control of the final thickness of the sheet can be obtained. Therefore, the sheet may have many intermediate thicknesses, from the first thickness at the time of formation to the third final thickness. Once the final thickness is reached in several steps, the homogeneity of the sheet itself can be controlled very accurately. In the following, N pairs of rollers (N ≧ 2) are considered. The first pair of rollers is considered to be the closest to the sheet forming machine, while the second pair of rollers is the last pair of rollers, an additional N- between the first and second pairs. Two pairs of rollers are placed.

Preferably, in the case of N pairs of rollers, the pressure applied to the sheet by the pair of rollers increases from the first pair of rollers to the second pair of rollers (= the last pair of rollers in the row). It increases monotonically in N-2 pairs of rollers located between them along the direction of movement of the sheet.

The step of forming the sheet preferably includes a step of casting the sheet. The step of forming the sheet preferably includes a step of extruding the sheet. The sheet can be formed by any well known method. The present invention can be applied to any forming system or method for forming a sheet from a slurry.

Preferably, the method is during a compression step between a first pair of rollers, or during a compression step between a second pair of rollers, or between a first pair of rollers. A step of drying the sheet is included between the step of compression between and the second pair of rollers. It is preferred that the sheet is also dried while the thickness of the sheet is adjusted by compression in several steps. Therefore, it is preferable that N pairs of rollers are included in the dryer. Preferably, drying is achieved by a combination of hot roller surface and hot air in direct contact with the sheet. The rollers are heated by a hot fluid such as steam or steam. It is preferable that both the temperature of the surface of the high temperature roller in contact with the drying sheet and the temperature of the high temperature air are about 40 ° C. to about 250 ° C. In the case of N pairs of rollers, it is preferable that all rollers are contained in the dryer. Therefore, preferably, the drying step also occurs during each of the N compression steps and while the sheet moves from one pair or roller to the next pair of rollers.

Preferably, the paired roller compression process also improves the efficiency of the drying process. Generally, drying is done by hot fluid. The compression can squeeze some water out of the sheet, so overall drying can be done in less time, or a cooler hot fluid can be used for drying.

Preferably, the method comprises inserting a rigid element between the first roller and the sheet described above, and the step of changing the diameter of the first roller is extended onto the rigid element by the first roller. Includes changing the pressure applied. The first roller does not have to be in direct contact with the sheet. Rigid elements such as rollers, and more preferably rollers whose diameter is fixed and unchanged, may be placed between the seat and the first roller. The first roller varies in diameter and pushes the rigid element towards or away from the seat, thereby changing the compression on the seat. It is preferred to insert a rigid element between the first roller and the sheet to constantly maintain a locally flat surface in contact with the sheet. When the first roller expands or contracts, its outer surface can deform from a cylindrical surface. Therefore, by interposing a rigid element, the surface in contact with the sheet is always the same, ensuring that only the applied pressure changes.

The present invention also relates to an apparatus for producing a sheet of an alkaloid-containing material, wherein the apparatus comprises a tank adapted to contain the slurry formed by the alkaloid-containing material and water, and a sheet from the slurry. A sheet forming device for forming, a first roller and a second roller, and the above-mentioned first roller and the second roller form a gap between which the sheet is inserted and compress the sheet. Includes a first roller, a second roller, and a diameter changing device for changing the diameter of the first roller.

Many of the advantages of the present invention have been previously described and will not be repeated here. The apparatus of the present invention includes a first pair of rollers, for example included in a dryer. The compression of the sheet between the rollers can vary the thickness of the sheet. Therefore, changing the diameter of the first roller can change the thickness of the sheet. Changes in the diameter of both rollers can also be envisioned. In this case, each roller includes a diameter changing device, or the same diameter changing device operates on both the first and second rollers.

Preferably, the diameter changing device described above comprises a pressurized fluid supply. Preferably, the rollers described above are inflatable like a tire and include an external deformable shell, so a pressurized fluid supply can be used to inflate the shell to change its diameter.

The width of the first or second roller described above is preferably at least twice the width of the tank described above. The width of the first or second roller is defined as the dimension of the first or second roller along its axis of rotation. The width of the tank is the dimension of the tank along the same axis of rotation. The axis of rotation is preferably perpendicular to the sheet transport direction. Due to the fact that changing the diameter of the roller can slightly change the shape of the roller, especially its flatness, the roller's so that the sheet can be compressed in the flattest part of the roller, which is generally the central part. The width is preferably "much larger" than the width of the sheet (often corresponding to the width of the tank, or it is a function of the width of the tank). Therefore, it is preferable to have a first or second roller that is much larger than the tank for the slurry that defines the width of the sheet, thereby placing the sheet in the central portion of the first or second roller. It is possible to compress.

Preferably, the sheet forming apparatus includes a casting apparatus. Preferably, the sheet forming apparatus includes an extrusion molding apparatus. Any sheet forming apparatus can be used in the present invention, and casting and extrusion molding are most used and optimal for obtaining sheets of materials containing alkaloids.

Preferably, the device comprises a third roller and a fourth roller capable of forming a second gap between them and inserting the sheet into the gap, the third roller and the fourth roller being the sheet. It is located downstream of the first roller and the second roller in the direction of movement.

The second gap is preferably smaller than the first gap. For N pairs of rollers, the first gap of the first pair of rollers closest to the forming device has the largest width and the second gap of the second pair of rollers is the smallest. The remaining N-2 pairs of rollers have a gap such that their width is contained between the first gap and the second gap.

Preferably, the first pair of rollers includes a first roller and a second roller, the second pair of rollers includes a third roller and a fourth roller, and the diameter of the first roller is , Larger than the diameter of the third roller. In the case of N-rollers, the diameter of the rollers preferably decreases along the direction of movement of the sheet. Better control of sheet thickness is obtained. Preferably, the reduction in the diameter of the roller leads to determining the reduction in the contact surface between the roller and the sheet, and more precise thickness adjustment and control is achieved.

It is preferable to move the rollers closer to each other to reduce the width of the gap between the rollers.

Preferably, the first pair of rollers includes a first roller and a second roller, the second pair of rollers includes a third roller and a fourth roller, and the outer surface of the third roller. Has a higher hardness than the surface of the first roller. Hardness is a measure of resistance to local plastic deformation induced by either mechanical dents or wear. Some materials are harder than others. Depending on the material, the rollers can have different hardnesses. The hardness for steel rollers is preferably between about 1 and about 50 HRC (Rockwell scale), and the hardness for plastic rollers is preferably between about D10 and about D100 (shore durometer). The hardness in the case of a rubber roller is preferably contained between about A10 and about A100 (shore durometer). The rollers can be made of metal, plastic, or rubber. The surface of the roller can be coated with layers of different materials with different hardness. Preferably, in the case of N pairs of rollers, the hardness of the pair of rollers increases from the first pair of rollers toward the Nth pair of rollers in the direction of sheet movement (transport direction).

Preferably, the device comprises a thickness sensor that measures the thickness of the sheet, and the aforementioned diameter changing device determines the diameter of the first or second roller based on the output signal of the aforementioned thickness sensor. change. It is preferable to have a feedback loop to synthesize the signal coming from the sensor and change the diameter of the roller accordingly.

Preferably, the device also comprises a movable support, the movable support being driven by a first or second roller of a first pair of rollers. The movable support is preferably present to transport the sheet along the transport direction. The belt is preferably driven by one of the first pair of rollers. The movable support preferably ends after the first pair of rollers. For N pairs of rollers, the movable support preferably extends in the transport direction of the sheet passing through a given number of rollers. Preferably, after the first pair of rollers or the second pair of rollers, the sheet is "rigid", so the sheet is self-supporting and can be driven by a pair of motorized rollers to pass through the next roller. The movable support preferably ends between the first and second pair of rollers.

Preferably, the device comprises a rigid element positioned within the gap between the first roller and the second roller, whereby the sheet is inserted between the second roller and the rigid element. The gap between the first roller and the second roller is "large" so that another element, such as an additional roller, can be placed in between. Changing the diameter of the first roller changes the pressure exerted on the seat by the rigid elements.

Specific embodiments will be further described, but only as illustrations, with reference to the accompanying drawings below.

FIG. 1 shows a flow chart of a method for producing a slurry for a homogenized tobacco material according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a modified block diagram of the method of FIG. FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a method for producing a homogenized tobacco material according to the present invention. FIG. 4 shows an enlarged view of one of the steps of the method of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. FIG. 5 shows an enlarged view of one of the steps of the method of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, or FIG. FIG. 6 shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus for carrying out the methods of FIGS. 1 and 2. FIG. 7 shows a schematic diagram of an apparatus for carrying out the method of FIG. FIG. 8 shows a schematic front view of different embodiments of the apparatus of the present invention.

First, referring to FIG. 1, a method for producing a sheet of an alkaloid-containing material, a homogenized tobacco sheet in this example, from the slurry according to the present invention is shown. The first step of the method of the present invention is 100 selection of tobacco type and tobacco grade used in the tobacco blend to produce a homogenized tobacco material. The tobacco type and tobacco grade used in this method are, for example, bright tobacco, dark tobacco, aromatic tobacco, and filler tobacco.

Only selected tobacco types and grades intended for use in the manufacture of homogenized tobacco materials are treated by the following steps of the method of the invention.

The method comprises an additional step 101 of installing the selected cigarette. This step may include checking the integrity of the tobacco, such as grades and quantities that can be verified by a barcode reader, for example for product tracking and traceability. Tobacco leaves are given a grade that describes petiole position, quality, and color after harvesting and drying.

Further, when the tobacco is shipped to the manufacturing facility for the production of the homogenized tobacco material, the installation step 101 may also include a step of repacking the tobacco box or a step of opening the case of the tobacco box. The reboxed tobacco is then preferably fed to the weighing station for weighing the tobacco.

Further, the step 101 of installing the tobacco may include a step of opening the bale packing, if necessary, because the tobacco leaves are usually transported in the bale packing when the tobacco leaves are packed and transferred.

Tobacco veil packaging is separated according to the tobacco type. For example, there may be a processing line for each tobacco type. Therefore, as described in detail below, the following steps are performed for each tobacco type. These steps may then be performed on a grade-by-grade basis, resulting in the need for only one production line. Alternatively, different tobacco types may be treated on separate lines. This may be advantageous if the treatment steps for some tobacco types are different. For example, in traditional major tobacco processes, dark tobacco often receives additional casing, and bright tobacco and dark tobacco are processed, at least in part, in a separate process. However, according to the present invention, it is preferable not to add the casing to the blended tobacco powder prior to the formation of the homogenized tobacco web.

Further, the method of the present invention comprises a step 102 of coarsely grinding tobacco leaves.

According to a variant of the method of the present invention, although not shown, a step of further shredding is performed after the step 101 of placing the tobacco and before the step 102 of coarsely crushing the tobacco. In the shredding process, the tobacco is shredded into pieces having an average size of about 1 mm to about 100 mm.

After the shredding step, it is preferable to carry out a step of removing the non-tobacco material from the shreds (not shown in FIG. 1).

The shredded tobacco is then transported towards the coarsely pulverized step 102. It is preferable to control and measure the flow rate of tobacco to the mill for coarsely grinding tobacco leaf strips.

In the coarse grinding step 102, the tobacco debris is reduced to a particle size of about 0.25 mm to about 2 mm. At this stage, the tobacco particles have not yet substantially damaged their cells, and the resulting particles do not introduce the associated transport problems.

The size of the particles of the material containing alkaloids means Dv95 size. Each of the values listed above indicates a particle size of Dv95. The "v" in Dv95 means that the volume distribution is taken into account. The use of volume distribution introduces the concept of equivalent sphere. An equivalent sphere is a sphere equal to a real particle in the properties we are measuring. Therefore, it is a sphere that, in light scattering, produces the same scattering intensity as a real particle. This is a sphere with substantially the same volume of particles. Further, 95 of Dv95 is the diameter, meaning that 95 percent of the distribution has a smaller particle size and 5 percent has a larger particle size. Therefore, the particle size is a size with a volume distribution such that 95 percent of the particles have a diameter smaller than the stated value (of corresponding spheres with substantially the same volume of particles). A particle size of 60 micrometers means that 95 percent of the particles have a diameter smaller than 60 micrometers, which diameter is the diameter of a sphere with a corresponding volume than the particles.

After the coarsely milled step 102, the tobacco particles are preferably transported (eg, by pneumatic transfer) to the blending step 103. Alternatively, the blending step 103 is performed prior to the coarsely crushing step 102, or, if present, before the shredding step, or, as an alternative, the shredding step and the coarsely crushing step. It is possible to carry out between 102.

In step 103 of blending, all coarsely ground tobacco particles of different tobacco types selected for tobacco blending are blended. Therefore, the blending step 103 is a single step for all selected tobacco types. This means that after the blending process, only a single process line is required for all different tobacco types.

In step 103 of blending, it is preferable to carry out mixing of various tobacco types in the form of particles.

After the blending step 103, a step 104 of finely grinding the tobacco powder to a size of about 0.03 mm to about 0.12 mm is carried out. This finely ground step 104 reduces the size of the tobacco to a suitable powder size for the preparation of the slurry. After this finely ground step 104, the tobacco cells may be at least partially destroyed and the tobacco powder may become sticky. The powder size is the Dv95 size detailed above.

The tobacco powder thus obtained can be immediately used to form a tobacco slurry. Alternatively, for example, a further step of storing the tobacco powder in a suitable container may be inserted (not shown).

Here, with reference to FIG. 2, a method of the present invention for the production of a homogenized tobacco web is shown. From step 104, which is finely ground, the tobacco powder is used in the subsequent slurry preparation step 105. Before or during the slurry preparation step 105, the method of the invention comprises two additional steps. That is, in the pulp preparation step 106 in which the cellulose fibers 5 and water 6 are pulped in order to uniformly disperse and purify the fibers in water, and the suspension preparation step 107 in which the aerosol-forming body 7 and the binder 8 are premixed. be. The aerosol-forming body 7 preferably contains glycerol and the binder 8 preferably contains guar. Advantageously, suspension preparation step 107 involves premixing guar and glycerol without introducing water.

The slurry preparation step 105 preferably includes transferring the premixed solution of the aerosol-forming body and the binder to the slurry mixing tank and transferring the pulp to the slurry mixing tank. Further, the slurry preparation step includes a step of administering a tobacco powder blend into a slurry mixing tank having pulp and administering a suspension of guar and glycerol. This step also more preferably involves processing the slurry using a high shear mixer to ensure the uniformity and homogeneity of the slurry.

The slurry preparation step 105 also preferably comprises the step of adding water, which is added to the slurry to obtain the desired viscosity and moisture.

In order to form a homogenized tobacco web, the slurry formed by step 105 is preferably transported to a casting box where the slurry is mixed and cast in step 108. The casting step 108 preferably comprises transporting the slurry to the casting station and casting the slurry onto the web on the support. During the casting process, the thickness, moisture, and density of the cast web are preferably controlled immediately after casting, and more preferably continuous monitoring and feedback control using a slurry measuring device throughout the process. ..

The desired thickness of the sheet is preferably selected.

The homogenized cast web is then dried in a drying step 111, which comprises drying the cast web uniformly and gently, for example with an infinite stainless steel belt. The infinite stainless steel belt may have a separate controllable zone. The drying process may include monitoring the cast leaf temperature in each drying zone to ensure a mild drying profile in each drying zone and heating the support on which a homogenized cast web is formed. preferable. The drying profile is preferably a so-called TLC drying profile.

During the drying step 111, the first compression step 109 is performed. The first compression step is performed when the sheet is on the belt. Compression is achieved between a pair of rollers that form a first gap between them, into which the sheet is inserted and compressed. After the first compression, the sheet may be removed from the belt so that the sheet is then self-supporting. After the compression step 109, if the thickness of the resulting sheet is not the desired thickness, the gaps between the rollers can be corrected. Therefore, a step of changing the diameter of one or both of the rollers, ie step 110, is performed.

In a preferred embodiment, the sheet also undergoes a second compression step in step 110a, following the first step 109, between two rollers that also form a second gap between them. The second gap is preferably smaller than the first gap. This second compression is preferably carried out while the drying is also taking place. At the end of the compression step, the desired thickness of the sheet is obtained. It is preferable that the diameter of the second pair of rollers can be changed to change the second gap as well. This thickness of the sheet can be further varied by the drying process.

At the end of the web drying step 111, a monitoring step (not shown) is performed to measure the moisture content and the number of defects present in the dried web.

The homogenized tobacco web dried to the targeted moisture content is then preferably taken up in winding step 112, for example, to form a single master bobbin. The master bobbin may then be used to carry out the production of smaller bobbins by making incisions in the process of forming the smaller bobbins. Smaller bobbins may then be used for the manufacture of aerosol-generating articles (not shown).

If a sheet with different thickness is desired in a further process, the distance between the rollers used in the first compression step, the second compression step, and the third compression step may be varied, i.e. The width of the one gap, the second gap, or the third gap may be changed to change the thickness of the sheet after the drying step 111.

The method for producing a slurry for a homogenized tobacco material according to FIG. 1 is carried out using the apparatus 200 for producing a slurry, which is schematically illustrated in FIG. The device 200 includes a tobacco receiving station 201 where different tobacco types are stacked, transshipped, weighed, and inspected. Optionally, if the cigarette is placed in a carton and shipped, the removal of the carton containing the cigarette is carried out at the receiving station 201. Optionally, the tobacco receiving station 201 also comprises a tobacco veil packaging split unit.

FIG. 3 shows only one type of tobacco production line, but is identical for each tobacco type used in the homogenized tobacco material web according to the invention, depending on when the blending process is performed. Equipment may exist. In addition, tobacco is introduced into the shredder 202 for the shredding process. The shredder 202 can be, for example, a pin shredder. The shredder 202 is preferably adapted to handle bale packaging of all sizes, such as unraveling tobacco strips and shredding the strips into smaller leaf strips. The shredded tobacco in each production line is transported to the mill 204 for the coarsely milled step 102, for example by pneumatic transfer 203. It is preferred that control be taken during transport so that foreign matter in the shredded tobacco is removed. For example, along the pneumatic transfer of shredded tobacco, there may be a string removal conveyor system, a heavy particle separator, and a metal detector, all of which are shown at 205 in the attached figure.

Mill 204 is adapted to coarsely grind tobacco strips to a size of about 0.25 mm to about 2 mm. The speed of the rotor of the mill can be controlled and can be varied based on the flow rate of the tobacco fragment.

It is preferred that the buffer silo 206 for uniform mass flow control be located after the coarse crusher mill 204. Further, for safety reasons, the mill 204 is preferably equipped with a spark detector and a safe stop system 207.

Tobacco particles are transported from the mill 204 to the blender 210, for example by pneumatic transfer 208. The blender 210 preferably includes a silo in which a suitable valve control system is present. All tobacco particles of all different types of tobacco selected for a given blend are introduced into the blender. In the blender 210, the tobacco particles are mixed into a uniform blend. The blend of tobacco particles is transported from the blender 210 to the milling station 211.

The microgrinding station 211 has, for example, impact classification with auxiliary equipment properly designed to produce fine tobacco powder to the correct specifications, ie tobacco powder with a Dv95 size of about 0.03 mm to about 0.12 mm. It's a mill. An pneumatic transfer line 212 is adapted after the pulverization station 211 to transfer fine tobacco powder to the buffer powder silo 213 for continuous supply to the downstream slurry batch mixing tank 214 where the slurry preparation process takes place. ..

The slurry prepared using the tobacco powder described above in steps 100 to 105 of the method of the present invention is preferably also cast at the casting station 300 shown in FIG.

The slurry from the buffer tank (not shown) is transferred to the casting station 300 by a suitable pump with precision flow control measurements. The casting station 300 preferably comprises the following sections: The precision slurry casting box and knife assembly 301 pumps the slurry, which has the homogeneity and thickness required for proper web formation and is cast onto a support 303 such as a stainless steel belt. Receive the slurry from. A main dryer 302 with a drying zone or section is provided for drying the cast tobacco web. The individual drying zones preferably have steam heating underneath the support, along with heated air above the support and adjustable exhaust control. In the main dryer 302, the homogenized tobacco web is dried on the support 303 to the desired final moisture.

With reference to more detailed FIG. 5, the movable support 303 comprises a continuous stainless steel belt containing a drum assembly. The precision slurry casting box and knife assembly 301 comprises a casting blade 304 and a casting box 305. The steel belt 303 is preferably wound around a pair of opposing drums 306, 307. The slurry is cast onto a steel belt (in drum 306) through the casting blade 304, which creates a continuous sheet 10 of homogenized tobacco material.

The cast slurry 10 is driven by the steel belt 303 along the casting direction indicated by the arrow 24 in FIG. 5 and enters the dryer 302, where it is gradually heated and uniformly dried. In FIG. 5, the dryer 302 is shown only partially.

The incoming slurry 11 is introduced into the casting box 305 from an inlet (not shown) connected to the side wall 14 of the casting box 305, especially by pipe, whereby the incoming slurry 11 is introduced into the casting box. Placed close to the bottom of the 305.

The slurry 11 from the buffer tank (not shown in the drawing) is usually pumped into the casting box 305 (not shown in the drawing). The pump preferably comprises a flow rate control (not visible in the drawings) to control the amount of slurry 11 introduced into the casting box 305. The pump is advantageously designed to ensure that the slurry transfer time is kept as short as necessary.

The amount of slurry 11 in the casting box 305 has a predetermined level, which is preferably kept substantially constant or within a given range. In order to keep the amount of slurry 11 at substantially the same level, the pump controls the flow of slurry 11 to the casting box 305.

The casting blade 304 is associated with the casting box 305 for casting the slurry. The casting blade 304 has a main dimension that is the width in the major axis direction thereof. The casting blade defines a first axis positioned along its major axis direction.

There is a gap between the casting blade 304 and the steel belt 303, the dimensions of which, among other things, determine the initial thickness of the cast web 10 of the homogenized tobacco material, called the initial thickness, in casting. .. This initial thickness is checked, for example, by a suitable sensor 15 (see FIG. 4), preferably having a feedback loop with a casting blade 304. The gap formed between the casting blade and the steel belt may be modified based on the signal output by the sensor 15.

The casting blade 304 and the belt 303 face each other, and the belt is partially positioned below the casting blade 304. The drum 306 carries the belt 303 and preferably rotates in the direction depicted by the arrows 24 and 26.

The casting station 300 also comprises a first pair of rollers 310 formed by a second drum 307 as a first roller and a second roller 308. The first roller 307 and the second roller 308 form a first gap 311 between them. The casting station 300 also comprises a control unit 400 and an actuator 19 connected to a first pair of rollers 310 to change the gap 311 formed between them.

The belt is also wrapped around a second drum 307 with a diameter of 17. The second drum 307 forms part of the first pair of rollers 310, the first roller 307 is the second drum, the second roller 308 has a diameter of 18, and the first roller. It is located vertically above 307. The two rollers form a first gap 311 with a variable thickness between them. The first pair of rollers 310 are arranged in the dryer 302. The sheet is inserted into the gap 311 and compressed so that water is removed from the sheet. The thickness of the sheet after the first pair of rollers 310 is called the first thickness and is indicated by t ₁ .

The gap 311 can be modified by modifying the diameter 17 of the first roller 307, or the diameter of either the first and second rollers 307, 308, diameters 17 and 18. To correct the diameter 17 or 18, preferably the sensor 16 detects the thickness of the sheet downstream of the first pair of rollers 310 in the direction of sheet transfer and the thickness does not match the desired thickness. Or, if a change in thickness is desired, the feedback loop activates actuator 19 to change diameter 17 or 18.

For example, the control unit 400 can receive a signal from the sensor 16 regarding the thickness of the seat 10 and activate the actuator 19 when the thickness measurement is not desired. Alternatively, if a change in thickness is desired, the actuator 19 may be activated by the control unit 400.

The change in diameter is shown in FIG. The roller 307 changes its diameter, for example, increasing its diameter from 17 to 17'to become the first roller 307'. Arrow 20 indicates a uniform expansion of the surface of the roller, for example, caused by a pressurized fluid introduced inside the roller 307.

The first pair of rollers 310 may be the first of a series of N pairs of rollers (N ≧ 2). In FIG. 6, there is an example of N = 3, where the first pair of rollers 310, the second pair of rollers 312 (the last pair of rollers before the sheet leaves the dryer), and the first. There is a third pair of rollers 313 located between the pair of rollers and the second pair of rollers. The second pair of rollers is formed by a third roller 314 and a fourth roller 315, forming a second gap 316 between them. The third roller 314 has a diameter of 24 and the second roller 315 has a diameter of 25. The thickness of the sheet after the second pair of rollers is called the second thickness and is indicated by t ₂ . A third pair of rollers placed between the first pair of rollers 310 and the second pair of rollers 312 is formed by a fifth roller 317 and a sixth roller 318, in between the second. It forms a gap 319. The fifth roller 317 has a diameter of 27 and the sixth roller 318 has a diameter of 28. The thickness of the sheet after the third pair of rollers is called the third thickness and is indicated by t ₃ . Each pair of rollers defines a gap between the rollers forming the pair. The width of the gap between the pair of rollers monotonically decreases from the first pair of rollers to the second roller. This means that the first gap 311 is wider than the third gap 319 and then the third gap 319 is wider than the second gap 316. Similarly, the first thickness of the sheet 10 is reduced from the thickest t ₁ after the first pair of rollers 310 to the thinnest t ₂ after the second pair of rollers 312.

In other words, t ₁ > t ₃ > t ₂ . Preferably, all rollers of all pairs 310, 312, 313, located under the sheet 10, can change their diameter. The diameter 17 of the first roller 317 may be changed. The diameter 27 of the fifth roller 317 may be changed and the diameter 24 of the third roller 314 may be changed.

The diameter of the rollers is also preferably reduced from the first pair of rollers 310 to the second pair of rollers 312 (having the smallest diameter). The third pair of rollers 313 has an intermediate diameter between the diameter of the first pair of rollers and the diameter of the second pair of rollers.

The sheet thickness t ₂ after the second pair of rollers 312 is checked, for example, by a suitable sensor 16 (see FIGS. 4 and 5) located downstream of the dryer 302 in the direction of movement of the belt 303. It is preferable to be done. The feedback loop is preferably between the sensor 16 checking the thickness t ₂ and the first pair of rollers 310, the second pair of rollers 312, and the third pair of rollers 313, respectively. It exists between the gap 311 and the gap 316 of the second and the gap 319 of the third. These gaps 311 and 316, 319 can be adjusted according to the signal transmitted by the sensor 16. Sheet thickness may be monitored at different locations. FIG. 8 shows different embodiments of the present invention. The first pair of rollers 310 includes not only the first roller 307 and the second roller 308, but also an additional rigid roller 500 in contact with the sheet 10. Therefore, the sheet 10 comes into contact with the additional rigid roller 500 and the second roller 308. When the first roller 307 changes its diameter, for example by expanding or contracting, the pressure exerted on the sheet 10 by the rigid roller 500 also changes. The rigid roller 500 is located inside the first gap 311.

Downstream of the dryer 302, the drying sheet can be wrapped around a stored bobbin (not shown) and further used to produce aerosol-generating articles.

Claims (15)

A method for producing a sheet of a material containing alkaloids, wherein the method is:
-Mixing a material containing alkaloids with water to form a slurry,
-Forming a sheet from the slurry and
-Compressing the sheet between the first roller and the second roller, the first roller and the second roller forming a gap between the first roller and the second roller into which the sheet is inserted. To form a compressed sheet with the desired thickness,
A method comprising changing the diameter of the first roller to change the desired thickness of the compressed sheet. The method of claim 1, wherein changing the diameter of the first roller comprises changing the width of the gap. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein changing the diameter of the first roller comprises expanding or contracting the first roller. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the water content of the sheet is about 60% to about 85% of the total weight of the sheet at the start of the step of compressing the sheet. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 4, comprising a step of changing the diameter of the first roller or the second roller according to a desired thickness of the sheet containing the alkaloid. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 5, comprising a step of drying the sheet during the compression step between the first roller and the second roller. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 6, comprising the step of adjusting the temperature of the first roller or the second roller. 6. The invention according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising a step of further compressing the sheet compressed by the first roller and the second roller between the third roller and the fourth roller. the method of. -Includes the step of inserting a rigid element between the first roller and the sheet.
The step of changing the diameter of the first roller is
The method of any of claims 1-8, comprising varying the pressure exerted on the rigid element by the first roller. A device for manufacturing sheets of materials containing alkaloids.
A tank adapted to contain the slurry formed by the alkaloid-containing material and water,
-A sheet forming device for forming a sheet from the slurry and
A first roller and a second roller that compresses the sheet by forming a gap between the first roller and the second roller into which the sheet is inserted. With a roller and a second roller,
A device comprising a diameter changing device for changing the diameter of the first roller. 10. The device of claim 10, wherein the diameter changing device comprises a pressurized fluid supply. The device according to any one of claims 10 or 11, wherein the sheet forming device includes a casting device or an extrusion molding device. A third roller and a fourth roller capable of forming a second gap between them and inserting the sheet into the gap, wherein the first and second rollers are in the direction of movement of the sheet. The device according to any one of claims 10 to 12, comprising the third roller and the fourth roller located downstream. A thickness sensor for measuring the thickness of the sheet is provided, and the diameter changing device changes the diameter of the first roller or the second roller based on the output signal of the thickness sensor. , The apparatus according to any one of claims 10 to 13. A claim that includes a rigid element located in the gap between the first roller and the second roller, whereby the sheet is inserted between the second roller and the rigid element. Item 6. The apparatus according to any one of Items 10 to 14.

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