JP5610549B2 - Method and apparatus for supplying granular material - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a granular material supply method and apparatus suitable for high-speed conveyance of a plurality of granular materials fed out aligned in a row in accordance with the supply timing of the granular materials.

As a means for imparting a taste of the cigarette feeling of coolness, the filter chip mounted on one end of Shigare' bets, granules spherical with a diameter of about 3~4mm include flavoring material such as mint and peppermint oil (capsules) Incorporation has been proposed (see, for example, Patent Document 1). In this type of filter chip, the above-mentioned capsule (granular material) is inserted between a pair of cylindrical filter rods of a predetermined length arranged coaxially, and then a molded paper is wound around the filter rod. The filter rod pair is connected and integrated with the capsule (granular material) in between.

  The cigarette with a filter in which the filter chip having the structure described above is attached to one end of the cigarette rod is a flavor material contained in the capsule when the filter chip is crushed from the side prior to smoking and the capsule is crushed. In smoking, it exhibits the effect of giving taste to the mainstream smoke of cigarette that passes through the filter.

  Incidentally, as described in Patent Document 1, the filter chip having the above-described structure exclusively conveys a plurality of filter rods in the axial direction according to the supply speed of the capsule (granular material), and has a predetermined interval. It is manufactured while inserting the capsule (granular material) between the filter rods conveyed separately. However, when continuously supplying a plurality of capsules (granular materials) in a row, there is a limit to increasing the supply speed. Therefore, in general, the filter chip is manufactured independently of the cigarette manufacturing line.

Special table 2009-508524

  By the way, when manufacturing a cigarette with a filter by attaching the filter chip having the structure described above to one end of the cigarette, it is desirable that the filter chip described above can be manufactured in accordance with the manufacturing speed of the cigarette with a filter from the viewpoint of manufacturing efficiency. .

The present invention has been made in consideration of such circumstances, and its purpose is to provide a granular material suitable for manufacturing a filter chip including the capsule (granular material) described above in accordance with the production speed of a cigarette with a filter. It is to provide a supply method and apparatus.
That is, the present invention is to provide a granular material supply method and apparatus suitable for conveying a plurality of granular materials fed out in a row in accordance with the timing at which the granular materials are to be supplied.

The granular material supply method according to the present invention rotates at a constant first circumferential speed, and conveys a plurality of granular materials that are fed out in a line from a granular material supply source while being held at the first outer peripheral surface thereof . A receiving wheel and a second peripheral speed that is faster than the first peripheral speed of the receiving wheel are rotated, and the granular materials are held and conveyed one by one on a holding claw provided on the second outer peripheral surface , and a predetermined granularity is obtained. A feeding wheel that sequentially feeds the granular material to the object supply position, the first and second outer peripheral surfaces are arranged orthogonal to each other, and a position where the first and second outer peripheral surfaces are close to each other is defined as a transfer position, when holding claws of particulates and feed wheel are conveyed held by the receiving wheel passes the resynchronization position both received by the holding claw receive and hold particulate matter on the wheel, the feeding ho from the receiving wheel It is characterized by causing instead put particulates in Lumpur.

Moreover, the granular material supply apparatus according to the present invention comprises:
A granular material source for feeding a plurality of granular materials in a line;
A receiving wheel that rotates at a constant first peripheral speed, and holds and conveys the granular material fed from the granular material supply source on its first outer peripheral surface;
In Rukoto provided that is perpendicular to the second outer peripheral surface to the first outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel, while the first and second outer peripheral surface defines a resynchronization position position proximate, particulates on the second outer peripheral surface A holding claw capable of holding each one of them, and a feeding wheel for conveying the granular material held on the holding claw to a predetermined granular material supply position ,
When both the granular material held by the receiving wheel and conveyed and the holding claw of the feeding wheel pass through the transfer position, the holding claw receives and holds the granular material on the receiving wheel, and the granular material from the receiving wheel to the feeding wheel. It is characterized by having to change .

Preferably, one of said receiving wheel comprises by presence of Yan have intervals a plurality of retaining grooves on the first outer peripheral surface thereof for holding the granular material one by one, the feeding wheel along the retaining claw to the second outer peripheral surface a plurality at intervals, each holding claw is while seeking orbiting transected at resynchronization position retaining groove of the receiving wheel, the retaining pawl held in the holding groove when crossing the retaining groove of the receiving wheel Receiving the granulated material.

  Further, the holding claw sprays air immediately before crossing the holding groove of the receiving wheel to blow off the granular material held in the holding groove from the receiving wheel, and then the granular material blown off from the receiving wheel. It is preferable that an air hole for sucking and holding is provided on the front side in the rotation direction of the feeding wheel.

  Incidentally, the air hole is connected to a compressed air source immediately before crossing the holding groove of the receiving wheel in accordance with the rotation of the feeding wheel and injects air, and after passing the holding groove of the receiving wheel, the particulate matter It is connected to a suction pump up to the supply position to generate a suction force for sucking the granular material.

Further, a first guide that prevents the particulate matter that is about to be detached from the feeding wheel by centrifugal force at the particulate supply position, and a suction guide that is provided to face the first guide and that is attached to the holding claw. It is desirable to provide a second guide for guiding the granular material released from the above to the granular material supply position .

In addition, the said granular material consists of a spherical body which includes a flavoring material and is inserted between filter rods, for example. The granular material supply position is an insertion position of the granular material between a plurality of filter rods continuously conveyed at a predetermined speed.

  Specifically, the plurality of filter rods are connected and integrated by inserting the granular material between the filter rods to form a filter chip, and are a cylindrical one attached to one end of a cigarette, The plurality of filter rods are continuously conveyed at predetermined intervals in the axial direction in conjunction with the cigarette manufacturing speed. At this time, the peripheral speed of the feeding wheel is set in accordance with the conveying speed of the filter rod.

According to supply a method and apparatus for granules according to the present invention, regardless of the feeding speed of the plurality of granules fed aligning the granules source or al 1 column, receives and conveys received granulate wheel the outer peripheral surface feeding wheel which is provided by orthogonal each other by rotating at a faster than the first circumferential speed before Symbol receiving wheel second circumferential speed, wheel feed granules on the receiving wheel in riding replacement position in It is received and held by the holding claws and conveyed. Accordingly feed Fast transportable increased, for example, n times than the transport speed on receiving hole transport speed of the particulate material conveyed by the feed wheel in a state aligned in a line is possible.

  Therefore, if the present invention is applied, for example, while producing a filter chip having a granular material (capsule) interlinked with the production speed of the cigarette, the filter chip is attached to one end of the cigarette and the cigarette with a filter is attached. In the case of manufacturing, the granular material (capsule) is effectively adjusted by adjusting the conveyance timing of the granular material (capsule), regardless of the feeding speed when the granular material (capsule) is arranged in a line and fed. Can be increased.

The schematic block diagram of the granular material supply apparatus which employ | adopted the granular material supply method which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the conveyance effect | action of the granular material in the supply method and apparatus of the granular material which concern on one Embodiment of this invention. The figure for demonstrating the relationship of the granular material supply source and receiving wheel in the granular material supply apparatus shown in FIG. 1, and the supply effect | action of the granular material to a receiving wheel. The figure which shows the relationship between the receiving wheel in the granular material supply apparatus shown in FIG. The figure which shows the protrusion provided in the surrounding surface of the drawing wheel, and the air hole provided in this protrusion. The figure for demonstrating the effect | action of the air hole provided in protrusion of the drawing wheel. The perspective view which shows the structure of the supply site | part of a granular material (capsule). The figure which shows planarly the structure of the supply part of the granular material (capsule) shown in FIG.

Hereinafter, the supply one for supply method and supply device of the granulate according to the embodiment, granules of the inserted Rubeki flavoring material containing between filter rods to a filter cigarette filter chip of the present invention with reference to the drawings, That is, the supply of the granular material used for manufacture of a filter chip is demonstrated to an example.
Granulate this embodiment is to supply target, such as introduced in Patent Document 1, for example, polyethylene and or solid spherical beads in which a mixture of flavor material, mosquito capsule spherical containing therein the flavor material liquid Become. The diameter of the spherical granular material is, for example, about 3 to 4 mm.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a main part of a granular material supply apparatus constructed by applying the granular material supply method according to the present invention. The granular material supply apparatus includes a hopper 1 to which a plurality of granular materials are supplied in a batch, a granular material supply source 2 that sequentially feeds the granular materials supplied to the hopper 1 in a line, and a predetermined circumference. A receiving wheel 3 that rotates and drives the granular material fed from the granular material supply source 2 at a speed V1 while holding it on its outer peripheral surface, and a granular material held on the receiving wheel 3 And a feeding wheel 4 that is transferred to a predetermined granular material supply position while being held on its outer peripheral surface.

  In particular, the feeding wheel 4 is provided so as to be orthogonal to the outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3, and is faster than the receiving wheel 3, specifically n times the receiving wheel 3 (n is a natural number). It rotates at the peripheral speed V2. As shown in FIG. 2, the feeding wheel 4 plays a role of increasing the conveying interval of the granular material A by the receiving wheel 3 and increasing the conveying speed by n times. Incidentally, the conveying timing of the granular material A by the feeding wheel 4 and its conveying speed (circumferential speed) are determined according to the conveying speed of the plurality of filter rods B and a predetermined length when the filter chip is manufactured according to the cigarette manufacturing speed. And the conveyance interval between the filter rods B.

Specifically, the hopper 1 has a funnel shape in which an upper portion of the hopper 1 is widely opened to form a receiving portion for the granular material A, and is opposed to the lower portion with a width corresponding to the diameter of the granular material A. A pair of feeding rollers 1a, 1a are provided. The hopper 1 is arranged such that the granular materials A are arranged in a line by the pair of feeding rollers 1a and 1a and dropped into a granular material storage section of the granular material supply source 2 provided below the hopper 1. It is configured.

  By the way, the granular material storage unit in the granular material supply source 2 is configured to flatten the granular material A dropped through the rollers 1a and 1a by a wall provided in parallel with a width corresponding to the diameter of the granular material A. A container structure that accommodates them in a line-up state. Further, one side portion of the granular material storage unit is opened as a supply unit for the granular material A to the receiving wheel 3, and further, the granular material storage unit connected to the opening (particulate material A supply unit). Is provided with a belt conveyor 2a. The belt conveyor 2a forces the granular material A accumulated at the bottom of the granular material storage unit to the receiving wheel 3 side positioned at the supply unit of the granular material A opened at one side of the granular material storage unit. In this case, the granular material A is surely supplied to the grooves 3 a provided on the peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3.

  The receiving wheel 3 described above is provided such that a part of the receiving wheel 3 is positioned at the supply part of the granular material A opened at one side of the granular material storage part in the granular material supply source 2, and the peripheral surface thereof is provided. It is rotationally driven so as to move upward from below the granular material storage unit. The rotation of the receiving wheel 3 and the rotation of the belt conveyor 2a cooperate to cause a plurality of granular materials A supplied to the granular material storage unit of the granular material supply source 2 on the peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3. One by one is picked up in the provided groove 3a, held in the groove 3a, and conveyed.

  The groove 3a of the receiving wheel 3 has an arc shape with a depth substantially equal to the diameter of the granular material A, and is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3 at a slightly larger pitch than the diameter of the granular material A. It is provided continuously. And the holding | maintenance of the said granular material A by this groove | channel 3a extends over the outer periphery of the receiving wheel 3 just before the cross | intersection part with the said delivery wheel 4 from the said granular material supply source 2 (lower position of the receiving wheel 3). This is done by preventing the granular material A accommodated in the groove 3a from popping out by the provided drop prevention guide 3b. A suction nozzle may be provided in the groove 3a, and the granular material A may be held in the groove 3a by sucking the granular material A that has entered the groove 3a.

On the other hand, the feeding wheel 4 is provided at a lower position of the receiving wheel 3 so as to intersect the rotational axis of the receiving wheel 3 substantially at a right angle. The feeding wheel 4 is rotationally driven at a peripheral speed V2 that is n times that of the receiving wheel 3 as described above. In particular, a claw 4 a that crosses the groove 3 a of the receiving wheel 3 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 as the feeding wheel 4 rotates. The claw 4a is when crossing the groove 3a of the receiving wheel 3, is conveyed while being held in the groove 3a, the claw of the granules A to be dropped from the groove 3a at the lower position of the receiving wheel 3 It holds at the front surface part of 4a, and plays the role which conveys to the supply position of the said granular material A between the said filter rods B which is the lower position of the said delivery wheel 4. As shown in FIG.

Specifically, the pawl 4a is formed on the outer circumferential surface of the feed wheel 4, the particulate matter at a height corresponding to the diameter of A, and narrower than the diameter of the granules A (e.g. the diameter of the granules A 1 / About 3 width). An air hole 4b is provided in the wall surface of the claw 4a located on the front side in the rotational direction of the feeding wheel 4 as shown in an enlarged view in FIG. This air hole 4b is connected to the pressurizing pump 6 just before the claw 4a crosses the groove 3a as the feed wheel 4 rotates as shown in FIG. 6, and the compressed air supplied from the pressurizing pump 6 is used. Is blown out in front of the claw 4a, and after the claw 4a crosses the groove 3a, the claw 4a is connected to the suction pump 7 until just before reaching the supply position of the granular material A to suck the front of the claw 4a. To play a role.

  By blowing out compressed air through the air holes 4a provided in the claw 4a, the particulate matter A held in the groove 3a of the receiving wheel 3 is blown off in front of the claw 4a. When the granular material A blown down from the groove 3a of the receiving wheel 3 to the front of the claw 4a stalls and the claw 4a catches up with the granular material A as the feeding wheel 4 rotates, the air hole 4b The particulate matter A is adsorbed to the front side of the claw 4a in response to the suction action. And the said granular material A is conveyed to the supply position of the said granular material A in the state adsorb | sucked by the front side of the said nail | claw 4a. And when the said nail | claw 4a reaches | attains the lower position of the delivery wheel 4, the attraction | suction effect | action of the said granular material A by the said air hole 4b is cancelled | released.

  On the other hand, the granular material supply position with respect to the filter rod B at the lower position of the feeding wheel 4 is held on the front side of the claw 4a as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. However, a first guide 8 a is provided for preventing the weight from dropping from the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 due to its own weight and the centrifugal force accompanying the rotation of the feeding wheel 4. Further, on the outside of the first guide 8a, there is a second guide 8b that sandwiches the granular material A held on the front surface side of the claw 4a from its side surface and prevents the granular material A from jumping out to the side. Is provided. Further, the particulate matter A adsorbed on the front side of the claw 4a is forced from the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 so as to face the front end of the first guide 8a on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the feeding wheel 4. A third guide 8c is provided which is separated from the filter rod B and leads to a granular material supply position between the filter rods B.

The first guide 8 a is composed of two plates that are arranged parallel to each other along the outer peripheral edge of the feeding wheel 4 to prevent the granular material A from falling off the feeding wheel 4. The second guide body 8b is composed of two plates that are arranged parallel to each other along the outer peripheral edge of the feeding wheel 4 and biased inward by a spring 8d. Granules A which is conveyed is held on the peripheral surface of the feed wheel 4 is in contact with the upper edge of the two plates constituting the first guide 8a, constituting the second guide 8 b at the same time By being sandwiched between the side surfaces of the two plates, the fall from the feeding wheel 4 is prevented and the sheet is conveyed as it is even after the above-described suction is released.

The third guide 8c is composed of two plates that are fixedly arranged in parallel to each other along the outer peripheral side edge of the feeding wheel 4 so as to sandwich the claw 4a. The two plates constituting the third guide 8c are forced to move the granular material A from the claw 4a by abutting the lower end side of the plate body with the peripheral surface of the granular material A held by the claw 4a. The granular material A is guided to a predetermined supply position for dropping the granular material A between the filter rods B. With such a third guide 8c, the granular material A held and conveyed on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 is continuously provided at a predetermined speed according to the cigarette manufacturing speed and at a predetermined interval. Are sequentially dropped between the plurality of filter rods B conveyed. And it will be used for manufacture of the filter chip which provided particulate matter A between filter rods B.

  The peripheral speed V2 of the feeding wheel 4 in the granular material A supply apparatus configured as described above is preferably set to be equal to the conveying speed of the filter rod B, for example. Under the peripheral speed V2 of the feeding wheel 4, the distance between the claws 4a provided on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 is the clearance of the gap formed between the filter rods B (the storage space for the granular material A). Set according to the distance. As a result, in synchronization with the transport of the filter rod B, the granular material A held and transported on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4 becomes a gap formed between the filter rods B (the storage space for the granular material A). ).

Here, the relationship between the groove 3a provided in the receiving wheel 3 and the claw 4a provided in the feeding wheel 4 will be described in more detail. If the peripheral speed of the feeding wheel 4 is n times the peripheral speed of the receiving wheel 3, the feeding wheel 4 rotates n times during a period in which the receiving wheel 3 makes one rotation. Here, for example, when the diameter of the receiving wheel 3 is equal to the diameter of the feeding wheel 4, each of the grooves 3 a provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4. In order for the claws 4a to cross in order, the number of the grooves 3a may be n times the number of the claws 4a.

If the diameter of the receiving wheel 3 is twice the diameter of the feeding wheel 4, each of the grooves 3 a provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the feeding wheel 4. In order for the claws 4a to traverse in order, the number of the grooves 3a may be 2n times the number of the claws 4a.

  On the other hand, the maximum value of the number of grooves 3 a provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel 3 is naturally determined by the diameter (outer peripheral length) of the receiving wheel 3 and the size (diameter) of the granular material A. In addition, a preferable arrangement pitch of the grooves 3a is naturally determined in order to securely hold and reliably hold the plurality of granular materials A one by one from the granular material supply source 2 described above.

  In order to reliably feed the granular material A sequentially from the granular material supply source 2 under such conditions, and to reliably supply the granular material A between the filter rods B that are conveyed in accordance with the production speed of the cigarette. In the embodiment, the ratio of the number of the grooves 3a to the number of the claws 4a was set to 8: 1 under the condition that the diameter of the receiving wheel 3 and the diameter of the feeding wheel 4 were equal. As a result, the granular material A is reliably inserted between the filter rods B transported at a high speed even under conditions where the supply speed (feeding speed) of the granular material A from the granular material supply source 2 is limited. It was confirmed that it was possible.

  The present invention is not limited to the embodiment described above. Here, the apparatus for supplying the spherical capsule (granular material) A containing the flavoring material to the gap between the filter rods B transported at high speed has been described as an example. The same can be applied to the above. Further, the granular material is not limited to the example described above, and may be a gel-like sphere (bead). Further, the diameter (size) of the granular material is not specified, and it is sufficient to set the size of the receiving wheel 3 and the feeding wheel 4 according to the size of the granular material A.

  Further, a plurality of, for example, two supply devices as described above are provided along the conveying line of the filter rod B, and the filter chips are arranged so that the granular materials A are alternately inserted into the gaps between the filter rods B by the respective supply devices. It is also possible to build a production line. In addition, the present invention can be variously modified and implemented without departing from the scope of the invention.

A granular material B filter rod 2 granular material supply source 3 receiving wheel 3a groove 4 feeding wheel 4a claw 4b air hole 6 pressure pump 7 suction pump 8a first guide 8b second guide 8c third guide

Claims (11)

A receiving wheel that rotates at a constant first circumferential speed and holds and conveys a plurality of granular materials fed in a row from a granular material supply source on its first outer peripheral surface, and a circumferential speed of the receiving wheel also rotate at a faster second circumferential speed, the granular material in the holding claws provided on the second outer periphery and conveys the held one by one, and a feeding wheel for feeding the granules to a predetermined granular object supply position The first and second outer peripheral surfaces are arranged orthogonal to each other, and a position where the first and second outer peripheral surfaces are close to each other is defined as a transfer position,
When the granular material held and conveyed by the receiving wheel and the holding claw of the feeding wheel both pass through the replacement position, the holding claw receives and holds the granular material on the receiving wheel, method for supplying granules, characterized in that the receiving wheel causes instead carrying said particulate matter to the feeding wheel. The receiving wheel holds and conveys the granular material one by one in a plurality of holding grooves provided at intervals along the first outer peripheral surface, while the feeding wheel holds the holding claw in the second a plurality to exist a along intervals on the outer peripheral surface, by the holding claws in the resynchronization position that traverse the holding groove of the receiving wheel, receive and hold particulates of the holding groove in the holding claws The granular material supply method according to claim 1.   The method for supplying particulate matter according to claim 1, wherein the particulate matter includes a capsule body containing a flavoring material and inserted between filter rods. A granular material source for feeding a plurality of granular materials in a line;
A receiving wheel that rotates at a constant first peripheral speed, and holds and conveys the granular material fed from the granular material supply source on its first outer peripheral surface;
In Rukoto provided that is perpendicular to the second outer peripheral surface to the first outer peripheral surface of the receiving wheel, while defining a position where said first and second outer peripheral surface adjacent the resynchronization position, the second outer circumferential surface A holding claw capable of holding the granular material one by one, and a feeding wheel for conveying the granular material held by the holding claw to a predetermined granular material supply position ;
The feeding wheel rotates at a second circumferential speed faster than the first circumferential speed of the receiving wheel;
When the granular material held and conveyed by the receiving wheel and the holding claw of the feeding hole pass through the transfer position, the holding claw receives and holds the granular material on the receiving wheel. A granular material supply apparatus, comprising: transferring a granular material from a wheel to the feeding wheel . The receiving wheel includes a plurality of holding grooves for holding the granular materials one by one along the first outer peripheral surface, while the feeding wheel has the holding claws spaced along the second outer peripheral surface. a plurality to exist, and each holding claw is while seeking orbiting transected at the resynchronization position retaining groove of the receiving wheel, the retaining pawl held in the holding groove when crossing the retaining groove of the receiving wheel The granular material supply device according to claim 4, wherein the granular material is received. The granular material supply apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the holding claw has a width smaller than a diameter of the granular material. The holding claw sprays air immediately before crossing the holding groove of the receiving wheel to blow off the granular material held in the holding groove from the receiving wheel, and then removes the granular material blown off from the receiving wheel. The granular material supply device according to claim 6 , wherein an air hole that is sucked and held is provided on a front side in a rotation direction of the feeding wheel. The air hole is connected to a compressed air source just before crossing the holding groove of the receiving wheel in accordance with the rotation of the feeding wheel, and injects air, and after the crossing the holding groove of the receiving wheel, supplies the particulate matter 8. The granular material supply device according to claim 7 , wherein the granular material supply device is connected to a suction pump to a position to generate a suction force for sucking the granular material. A first guide that is provided along the outer periphery of the feeding wheel at the granular material supply position and prevents the granular material from dropping from the feeding wheel due to centrifugal force, and the first guide prevents the dropping from occurring. A second guide that sandwiches the granulated material from the side of the feeding wheel to prevent the granular material from falling off from the feeding wheel in a lateral direction, and is provided to face the first guide and is held The granular material supply apparatus according to claim 8 , further comprising a third guide that guides the granular material released from suction to the nail to the supply portion of the granular material. The granular material is a capsule body containing a flavoring material and inserted between filter rods,
The granular material supply apparatus according to claim 9 , wherein the granular material supply site is an insertion position of the granular material between a plurality of filter rods continuously conveyed at a predetermined speed. The plurality of filter rods are cylindrical ones that are connected and integrated by inserting the granular material between the filter rods, and are attached to one end of the cigarette. Are continuously conveyed in the direction at a predetermined interval,
The granular material supply device according to claim 10 , wherein a peripheral speed of the feeding wheel is set in accordance with a conveying speed of the filter rod.

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