JP5830344B2 - Unit and method for supplying additive elements to fiber material in a smoking device manufacturing apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a unit and a method for supplying additive elements to a fiber material in a smoking article manufacturing device.

  In the following description, the term “fiber material” refers to tobacco fiber for forming a continuous tobacco rod in a smoking device manufacturing apparatus such as one or two lines of tobacco, or like one or two lines of tobacco filter. It is intended to mean any of the filter material fibers (eg, cellulose acetate) for forming a continuous filter rod in a smoking device manufacturing apparatus.

  The invention is particularly advantageous for use in a two-line tobacco filter production apparatus, and in the following description it is fully referred to by way of example only by way of example.

  Two examples of a two-line tobacco filter production apparatus are described in German Patent Application Publication No. 4308093 and International Publication No. 2007/0887848.

  The two-line tobacco filter manufacturing apparatus includes two forming beams to form each continuous filter rod and a filter material supply line for each beam. The supply line is supplied with filter material by a transport line extending between a supply line input station and a reservoir containing two bales of filter material. Each yarn is unwound from the package and fed along a transport line to an inhaler located at the input station, spreading the yarn laterally into two strips with a flat part. Downstream from the inhaler, the two strips are along their respective supply lines, a compression unit, an expansion device that blows air into the strips to inflate the strips, and finally chemicals in the strips. Added and fed through a processing unit that plasticizes the filter material. Each supply line is connected to the shaping beam by a shaping unit for shaping a respective rope of filter material. The forming unit is fed with strips of filter material by each supply line, gathers the strips laterally into a rope, feeds the rope onto the strip of adhesive paper above the forming beam, and creates a continuous filter rod. After shaping, from the filter rod, a continuous filter part is cut by a cutting device at the end of the shaping beam.

  For many years, the filter portion includes additive elements embedded in the filter material—typically fragrance (eg, menthol) tablets or capsules containing fragrance that can be opened by the user by breaking the capsule. Have been manufactured. The additive elements are inserted into the filter material using a supply unit located in the molding unit, the supply unit being at a speed that depends on the conveying speed of the filter material so that each filter part contains a predetermined number of additive elements. Insert the additive element into the filter material.

  GB-A-1585761 proposes an additive element supply unit for tobacco filter production equipment. The supply unit includes a number of additive elements and includes a hopper having a bottom outlet and a drum that rotates at a speed that depends on the conveying speed of the filter material, the drums each accommodating a number of the respective additive elements. The outer periphery suction seat is provided. The top of the drum is engaged with the hopper outlet for continuous removal of the additive elements, while the bottom of the drum is inserted into the filter material to continuously release the additive elements. Yes.

  The additive element supply unit described in GB-A-1585761 operates well at relatively low filter material transport speeds (ie low output speeds of filter production equipment), but with high filter material transport speeds ( That is, it has been found that a problem occurs at a high output speed of the filter manufacturing apparatus. More specifically, beyond a certain filter material feed rate, additive elements are more difficult to remove from the hopper outlet and are often not withdrawn at all. The drum seat leaves the hopper outlet without removing any additive elements, thus resulting in the formation of a filter part free of additive elements, which must be avoided.

  The present invention aims to provide a unit and method for supplying additive elements to a fiber material in a smoking utensil manufacturing device designed to eliminate the above-mentioned drawbacks and at the same time cheap and easy to implement. .

  In accordance with the present invention, there is provided a unit and method for feeding additive elements to a fiber material in a smoking article manufacturing apparatus as claimed in the appended claims.

Many non-limiting embodiments of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
It is a schematic front view of a 2-line filter manufacturing apparatus. It is a schematic plan view of the apparatus of FIG. 2 is a partial schematic view of a continuous filter rod of the apparatus of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of an additive element supply unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a front view of the addition element supply unit of FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a different embodiment of the additive element supply unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a front view of the addition element supply unit of FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of yet another embodiment of the additive element supply unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1. It is a front view of the addition element supply unit of FIG. FIG. 6 is a front view of yet another embodiment of the additive element supply unit of the apparatus of FIG. 1.

  1 and 2 generally designates two beams 2a, 2b for forming each successive filter rod 3a, 3b and a respective filter material supply line for each beam 2a, 2b. 2 shows a two-line tobacco filter manufacturing apparatus including 4a and 4b. The supply lines 4a, 4b comprise a part of the device 1 by means of a conveying line 5 which extends between the input station 6 of the supply lines 4a, 4b and a storage 7 containing two packages 8a, 8b of filter material. Filter material is supplied.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the respective yarns 9a, 9b are unwound from the packages 8a, 8b and pulled along the transport line 5 by the roller pulling unit 10a at the input station 6.

  The conveyance line 5 is located above the packages 8a and 8b, and is located at the guide device 11 for guiding the yarns 9a and 9b and the input station 6 immediately upstream of the traction unit 10a. , 9b is formed into a strip 13a, 13b having a flat portion, and the strip forming apparatus 12 for feeding the strip 13a, 13b to the roller pulling unit 10a.

  On the downstream side from the traction unit 10a, strips 13a, 13b are supplied along the respective supply lines 4a, 4b and in a substantially horizontal direction 14, and two roller traction units 10b, 10c similar to the unit 10a are provided. Through a compression unit 15 containing, through an expansion device 16 that blows air into the strips 13a, 13b to increase the volume, and a chemical (typically triacetin) strips 13a to plasticize the filter material. , 13b, and finally through the roller traction unit 10d, which is similar to the units 10a, 10b, 10c and determines the output of the supply lines 4a, 4b. The supply lines 4a, 4b are connected to the shaping beams 2a, 2b by a unit 18 for shaping two ropes of filter material. The unit 18 is located immediately downstream from the roller traction unit 10d, receives the strips 13a, 13b from the supply lines 4a, 4b, collects the strips 13a, 13b in the transverse direction and forms the respective ropes of filter material. A rope is supplied to the beams 2a and 2b. On each shaped beam 2a, 2b, a rope of filter material is fed onto a piece of paper 19a, 19b pre-glued at the gluing station 20, and then wrapped laterally around the rope of filter material, and a continuous filter The rods 3a and 3b are formed.

  On the output side of the shaped beams 2a, 2b, the control station 21 checks the density of the filter rods 3a, 3b, and the cutting head 22 cuts the rods 3a, 3b in the transverse direction so that each of the filter parts 23 is continuous. (See Fig. 3)

  The supply unit 24 is located in the molding unit 18 and is defined by a substantially spherical capsule of approximately 3 mm in diameter and can be released by the user by breaking the capsule (such as menthol). An additive element 25 (FIG. 3) is supplied.

  The supply unit 24 inserts the additive elements 25 evenly into the filter material at intervals and at a speed that depends on the transport speed of the filter material.

  Feed unit 24 inserts additive elements 25 evenly into the filter material so that each filter portion 23 includes a predetermined number of additive elements 25. This predetermined number may be equal to, for example, the number of filters finally cut from the portion 23 in the filter assembly device such that each tobacco filter includes only one additive element 25, or each tobacco filter is 2 Or it may be equal to a multiple of the number of filters finally cut from the part 23 in the filter assembly so as to include more additive elements 25.

  In other embodiments not shown, the additive element 25 may have a different shape (ie other than spherical). In another embodiment not shown, the additive element 25 is defined by a tablet of fragrance material in the form of a cylinder or a parallelepiped.

  As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the supply unit 24 for each supply line 4 includes a large amount of addition element 25, a hopper 26 having a bottom outlet 27, and on the input side from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26. A transfer device 28 which continuously removes the additive element 25 and places it continuously in the filter material of the corresponding supply line 4 on the output side.

  In order to be able to remove the additive element 25 from the hopper 26 at the take-off interval P1 (FIG. 5) and place the additive element 25 on the filter material at an output supply interval P2 (FIG. 5) that is larger than the take-off interval P1 Increase the spacing between successive additive elements 25 between the input side and the output side. The additive element 25 is withdrawn from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26 with a very short take-off interval P1, and thus slowly (ie, much slower than the rate at which the additive element 25 is placed on the filter material) and at the same time a long output supply interval. It is placed in the filter material at P2, and the additive element 25 can be placed on the filter material at the correct spacing even when the filter material is being transported at a high speed. In other words, the additive element 25 can be slowly removed from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26 and at the same time can be quickly placed in the filter material.

  In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the transfer device 28 for each supply line 4 continuously rotates around the rotation axis 30 in mesh with the outlet 27 of the hopper 26, accommodates the addition element 25, and takes out the removal interval P <b> 1. The pick-up drum 29 having a number of outer peripheral suction seats 31 that are equally spaced with each other, and the filter material and continuously rotating around a rotation axis 33 parallel to the rotation axis 30, It includes an outfeed drum 32 having a number of outer peripheral suction seats 34 that are housed and equally spaced at an output supply interval P2. The rotational speeds of the drums 29 and 32 are accurately related, and the ratio between the outer peripheral speed of the outfeed drum 32 and the outer peripheral speed of the pickup drum 29 is the ratio between the output supply interval P2 and the take-out interval P1. Equal (ie, the outfeed drum 32 rotates much faster than the pickup drum 29). Further, the outer peripheral speed of the outfeed drum 32 is directly proportional to the conveying speed of the filter material so that each filter portion 23 includes the targeted number of additive elements 25.

  Obviously, in order to switch to a product with a filter part 23 having a different length, the drum 32 can be simply replaced by a drum having a seat 34 with a different spacing P2.

  The outer peripheral speed of the outfeed drum 32 is such that when the additive element 25 is inserted, the additive element 25 is accelerated or decelerated, and as a result, an arrangement error of the additive element 25 in the filter portion 23 occurs. Is preferably substantially equal to the conveying speed of the filter material.

  In other words, the outfeed drum 32 must rotate at a relatively high speed so as to follow the conveying speed of the filter material and at the same time efficiently remove the additive element 25 from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26. Therefore, by adjusting the interval, the pickup drum 29 rotates much more slowly than the outfeed drum 32.

  The transfer device 28 for each supply line 4 is also interposed between the pick-up drum 29 and the outfeed drum 32, and continuously rotates around a rotation shaft 36 parallel to the rotation shafts 30, 33. Including an intermediate drum 35 having a number of outer peripheral suction seats 37 for receiving the drum. In the embodiment of FIGS. 4 and 5, the outer peripheral suction seats 37 of each intermediate drum 35 are spaced apart by an intermediate interval P3 that is equal to the removal interval P1 (ie, separated by an interval of the removal interval P1). ) Therefore, the increase from the take-out interval P1 to the output supply interval P2 is made only when the additive element 25 is conveyed from the intermediate drum 35 to the outfeed drum 32.

  In other embodiments not shown, the outer peripheral suction seats 37 of each intermediate drum 35 are separated by an intermediate interval P3 that is between the take-out interval P1 and the output supply interval P2. Therefore, the increase from the take-out interval P1 to the external supply interval P2 is made partly during the transfer of the addition element 25 from the pickup drum 29 to the intermediate drum 35, and partly from the intermediate drum 35 to the outfeed drum 32. This is done during the transfer of the additive element 25.

  In different embodiments, the transfer device 28 includes two or three cascaded intermediate drums 35 for each supply line 4. In another embodiment not shown, the transfer device 28 does not include an intermediate drum 35 and the increase from the take-out interval P1 to the output supply interval P2 causes each pickup drum 29 to directly add the additive element 25 to the outfeed drum 32. Made when transported. In the embodiment of Figs. 4 and 5, the seats 31, 34 and 37 are all fixed, i.e. they do not move relative to the corresponding drums 29, 32 and 35, so that the additive element 25 is moved to the intermediate drum. This means that a relatively sudden acceleration is applied during the transfer from the take-out interval P1 of 35 to the output supply interval P2 of the outfeed drum 32. The degree of acceleration, however, is less than the breaking strength of the additive element 25 so that no serious effect occurs (when the additive element 25 is transferred, it simply deforms elastically without permanent damage). Is low enough.

  Nevertheless, to reduce the acceleration of the addition element 25 as it is transferred from the intermediate drum 35 to the outfeed drum 32, the embodiment of FIGS. 6 and 7 is proposed, where each outfeed drum is Each outer periphery suction receiving seat 34 on 32 is mounted so as to rotate with respect to the outfeed drum 32 around a rotation axis parallel to the rotation axis 33 of the outfeed drum 32. 32 slows the peripheral suction seat 34 before receiving the additive element 25 and the additive element 25 is transferred to the peripheral suction receiver 34 to accelerate the peripheral suction receiver 34 after receiving the additive element 25. In this case, cam driving means for rotating each outer peripheral suction seat 34 with respect to the outfeed drum 32 is included.

  In the embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9, the transfer device 28 includes two serial intermediate drums 35 a, 35 b for each supply line 4 a, 4 b, with each pickup drum 29 being three adjacent suction suction seats 31. 3 adjacent independent, including rows (or arrays), approximately 10-20 mm apart, each having a bottom outlet 27 for feeding the additive element 25 to a respective row of the peripheral suction seats 31 of the pickup drum 29 Each hopper 26 includes a chamber. Each intermediate drum 35a includes three adjacent rows of outer peripheral suction receiving seats 37a aligned in the circumferential direction, and each intermediate drum 35b includes three adjacent rows of outer peripheral suction receiving seats 37b displaced in the circumferential direction. And some of the outer peripheral suction seats 34 of each outfeed drum 32 allow the additive element 25 to be pivoted pneumatically to axially align the additive element 25 before the additive element 25 is placed on the filter material. Designed to move in the direction (by means of air jet and / or suction).

  In actual use, each pick-up drum 29 continuously removes three adjacent rows of additive elements 25 from the hopper 26 and transfers the three adjacent rows of additive elements 25 to the intermediate drum 35a. To do. Each intermediate drum 35b takes out one additive element 25 at a time from the intermediate drum 35a in order to shift the three rows of additive elements 25 in the circumferential direction. Each outfeed drum 32 then receives one additive element 25 at a time from the intermediate drum 35b and aligns the additive elements 25 axially before placing them on the filter material.

  In this embodiment, the interval is increased when transferring from the intermediate drum 35a to the intermediate drum 35b. Therefore, the outer peripheral suction seats 31, 37a of the drums 29, 35a have the same take-out interval P1, and the drum 32 , 35b have the same output supply interval P2.

  The embodiment of FIGS. 8 and 9 provides a removal rate that is one third of the removal rate of the additive element 25 from each outlet 27 in the embodiment of FIGS.

  In the embodiment of FIG. 10, the supply unit 24 for each supply line 4 includes two separate, independent, widely spaced hoppers 26, each including a large amount of additive element 25, and a bottom outlet. 27. The transfer device 28 alternates the first continuous addition element 25 and the second continuous addition element 25 so that the first continuous addition element 25 taken out from the first hopper 26 and the second Combined with a second continuous additive element 25 that is removed from the hopper 26. The transfer device 28 for each supply line 4 has two separate and independent pick-up drums 29, each meshing with an outlet 27 of the corresponding hopper 26, and one pick-up element 25 fed from both pick-up drums 29. And an outfeed drum 32. More specifically, each pickup drum 29 supplies the addition element 25 to the intermediate drum 35a, the intermediate drum 35a alternately supplies the addition element 25 to the intermediate drum 35b, and the addition element 25 is supplied from one hopper. Are transferred to the outfeed drum 32 by alternating the one addition element 25 and the addition element 25 from the other hopper.

  Again, for each successive addition element 25 that is removed from the hopper 26 by each hopper 26 and transfer device 28, the apparatus 28 continues to remove the addition element 25 from the hopper 26 with a removal interval. It is important to note that the spacing between the additive elements 25 is increased and the additive elements 25 are placed in the filter material with a power supply interval that is greater than the removal interval.

  Obviously, when transferring the addition element 25 from the two intermediate drums 35b to the outfeed drum 32, the spacing is reduced, i.e. halved. The output supply interval of each successive additive element 25 is larger than the respective take-off interval, as described, but the output supply interval of two successive additive elements 25 as a whole is equal or larger. It is preferable that it is larger than the take-out interval.

  In this embodiment, the two hoppers 26 may contain identical or different additive elements 25 (in terms of shape, size and / or content).

  In one illustrated embodiment, the transfer device 28 for each supply line 4 is used to determine whether the outer peripheral suction seat 31 downstream from the outlet 27 contains an additive element 25 respectively. The optical control device 38 (typically a television camera) connected to the pickup drum 29 on the downstream side from the outlet 27 is included. In another embodiment, shown in broken lines in the figure, the optical control device 38 is connected to the outfeed drum 32. Alternatively, the optical control device 38 may be connected to the intermediate drum 35.

  The optical control device 38 may be used to control the failure determination of the filter portion 23 that does not include the additive element downstream from the cutting head 22. More specifically, the optical control device 38 controls a reject determination device (not shown) located downstream from the cutting head 22 in order to splash some filter parts 23 without the additive element 25. To do. The optical controller 38 may also be used to determine problems with the hopper 26. If the number of outer peripheral suction seats 31 without the additive element 25 is abnormal, a problem (such as clogging) of the hopper 26 is diagnosed and maintenance is required (the number of outer peripheral suction receivers 31 without the additional element 25). The device 1 can also be shut down to avoid bouncing too many filter portions 23). The presence of the additive element 25 may also be checked at the control station 21. The optical controller 38, however, provides a double check of the presence of the additive element 25 (i.e. detection by the optical controller 38 must later be determined by the control station 21, otherwise the optical controller If the detection by 38 and control station 21 conflicts, the control problem is diagnosed). The optical controller 38 also allows for a quick diagnosis of clogging of the hopper 26 so that the device 1 can be shut down quickly to avoid bouncing too many filter sections 23.

  The supply units 24 are preferably independent of one another in order to supply the additive element 25 upstream from the beams 2a, 2b.

  In other embodiments not shown, the device 1 described above is a one-line device, so that one shaping beam 2 for shaping one continuous filter rod 3 and a filter material supply line 4. Including.

  The supply unit 24 has numerous advantages.

  In particular, the supply unit 24 can slowly (and consequently efficiently) remove the additive element 25 from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26, while at the same time as required by the conveying speed of the filter material, the filter material The additive element 25 can be placed immediately. When slowly removed from the outlet 27 of the hopper 26, the addition element 25 has sufficient time to be properly removed to the outer suction seat 31, so that the outer suction seat 31 can be removed without removing the addition element 25. It provides a safeguard against leaving the outlet 27 of the hopper 26 (and thereby shaping the filter part 23 without the additive element 25).

  The supply unit 24 can also be cheaply and easily manufactured by reproduction and design improvements, and thus with know-how gathered from known supply units.

  As is apparent from the above description, the scope of the present invention also extends to units and methods for supplying additive elements to tobacco ropes in tobacco production equipment. In this case, as is clear from the above description, the supply unit 24 supplying the additive element 25 is immediately upstream from the forming beam of the continuous tobacco rod in order to place the additive element 25 on the tobacco rope just before being wrapped with paper. Stays on the side.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 apparatus 2a beam 2b beam 3a filter rod 3b filter rod 4a supply line 4b supply line 5 conveyance line 6 input station 7 storage part 8a packing 8b packing 9a thread 9b thread 10a pulling unit 10b pulling unit 10c pulling unit 10d pulling unit 11 guide 12 Strip Forming Device 13a Strip 13b Strip 14 Horizontal 15 Compression Unit 16 Expansion Device 17 Processing Unit 18 Molding Unit 19a Paper Piece 19b Paper Piece 20 Gluing Station 21 Control Station 22 Cutting Head 23 Part 24 Supply Unit 25 Additive Element 26 Hopper 27 Exit 28 Transfer device 29 Pickup drum 30 Rotating shaft 31 Outer peripheral suction seat 32 Outfeed drum 33 Rotating shaft 34 Outer peripheral suction seat 35 Intermediate drum 35a intermediate drum 35b intermediate drum 36 rotating shaft 37 outer peripheral suction seats 37a outer peripheral suction seats 37b outer peripheral suction seats 38 the optical control device P1 extraction interval P2 output supplied intervals P3 intermediate spacing

Claims (16)

A supply unit (24) for supplying an additive element (25) to a fiber material in a smoking article manufacturing device (1), the supply unit (24) comprising:
A hopper (26) comprising a large amount of additive element (25) and having a bottom outlet (27);
Transfer device (28) which continuously removes said additive element (25) from said bottom outlet (27) of said hopper (26) on the input side and places said additive element (25) continuously on said fiber material on the output side ) And
Between the input and the output, the transfer device (28) takes out the additive element (25) from the hopper (26) at a take-off interval (P1) and supplies an output larger than the take-out interval (P1). Increasing the spacing between successive additive elements (25) so as to place the additive elements (25) in the fiber material at an interval (P2) ;
The transfer device (28)
Numerous first peripheral suction seats (31) for accommodating the additive elements (25), which mesh with the outlet (27) of the hopper (26) and are spaced apart at the take-off interval (P1). A pick-up drum (29) having;
An outfeed drum which engages with the fiber material and is spaced apart at the output supply interval (P2) and has a number of second outer peripheral suction seats (34) for accommodating the additive element (25) 32)
At least one provided with a plurality of third outer peripheral suction seats (37) interposed between the pickup drum (29) and the outfeed drum (32) for accommodating the additive element (25) An intermediate drum (35),
The pick-up drum (29) includes at least two adjacent rows of first peripheral suction seats (31);
The intermediate drum (35) includes a row of third outer peripheral suction seats (37) that are adjacent to each other with at least two circumferential displacements,
At least some of the second peripheral suction seats (34) of the outfeed drum (32) move the additive element (25) axially before placing the additive element (25) on the fiber material. The feeding unit (24) , characterized in that the additive element (25) is designed to be axially aligned . A supply unit (24) for supplying an additive element (25) to a fiber material in a smoking article manufacturing device (1), the supply unit (24) comprising:
A hopper (26) comprising a large amount of additive element (25) and having a bottom outlet (27);
Transfer device (28) which continuously removes said additive element (25) from said bottom outlet (27) of said hopper (26) on the input side and places said additive element (25) continuously on said fiber material on the output side )When
Including
Between the input and the output, the transfer device (28) takes out the additive element (25) from the hopper (26) at a take-off interval (P1) and supplies an output larger than the take-out interval (P1). Increasing the spacing between successive additive elements (25) so as to place the additive elements (25) in the fiber material at an interval (P2);
The transfer device (28)
Numerous first peripheral suction seats (31) for accommodating the additive elements (25), which mesh with the outlet (27) of the hopper (26) and are spaced apart at the take-off interval (P1). A pick-up drum (29) having;
An outfeed drum which engages with the fiber material and is spaced apart at the output supply interval (P2) and has a number of second outer peripheral suction seats (34) for accommodating the additive element (25) 32)
Only including,
Each second outer peripheral suction seat (34) of the outfeed drum (32) is provided to rotate with respect to the outfeed drum (32), and the outfeed drum (32) The second outer peripheral suction seat (34) is decelerated before receiving (25), and the second outer peripheral suction seat (34) is accelerated after receiving the additive element (25). When the additive element (25) is transferred to the second outer periphery suction seat (34), the second outer periphery suction seat (34) is rotated with respect to the outfeed drum (32). supply unit cam drive means you characterized containing Mukoto (24). The ratio between the outer peripheral speed of the outfeed drum (32) and the outer peripheral speed of the pickup drum (29) is equal to the ratio between the output supply interval (P2) and the take-out interval (P1). 3. Supply unit (24) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that The pickup drum (29) transfers the additive element (25) directly to the outfeed drum (32) and increases from the take-out interval (P1) to the output supply interval (P2) during the transfer. claim 2 Symbol placement supply unit, characterized in that to (24). The transfer device (28) is interposed between the pickup drum (29) and the outfeed drum (32), and includes a plurality of third outer peripheral suction seats (not shown) for accommodating the additive element (25). Feed unit (24) according to claim 2 or 3, characterized in that it comprises at least one intermediate drum (35) with 37). The third outer peripheral suction seat (37) of the intermediate drum (35) is separated by an intermediate interval (P3) between the take-out interval (P1) and the output supply interval (P2). And
The increase from the take-out interval (P1) to the output supply interval (P2) is made partly during the transfer of the additive element (25) from the pickup drum (29) to the intermediate drum (35), 6. Feed unit (24) according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that it is made partly during the transfer of the addition element (25 ) from the intermediate drum (35) to the outfeed drum (32). The third outer peripheral suction seat (37) of the intermediate drum (35) is spaced apart at the take-out interval (P1),
The increase from the take-out interval (P1) to the output supply interval (P2) is made only when the additive element (25) is transferred from the intermediate drum (35) to the outfeed drum (32). 6. Supply unit (24) according to claim 1 or 5, characterized in that The hopper (26) includes at least two adjacent independent chambers each having a bottom outlet (27), each one of the first outer peripheral suction seats (31) of the pickup drum (29). supply unit according to claim 1, wherein the supplying the added element (25) in the column (24). Two separate and independent hoppers (26), each containing a number of additive elements (25) and having a bottom outlet (27), said transfer device (28) from the first hopper (26) A first continuous addition element (25) to be removed and a second continuous addition element (25) to be removed from the second hopper (26) together with the second continuous addition element (25) 9. Supply unit (24) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 , characterized in that it is combined by inserting a first continuous additive element. The transfer device (28)
Two separate and independent pick-up drums (29), each meshing with an outlet (27) of a corresponding hopper (26);
One outfeed drum (32) receiving additive elements (25) from both pickup drums (29);
The supply unit (24) according to claim 9 , characterized in that it comprises: The transfer device (28) has at least one optical control attached to the drum (29, 32) to determine whether the corresponding perimeter suction seat (31, 34) each contains an additive element (25). apparatus supply unit according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterized in that it comprises (38) (24). The optical control device (38) determines whether the first outer peripheral suction seat (31) downstream from the outlet (27) includes an additive element (25), respectively. The supply unit (24) according to claim 11, which is attached to the pickup drum (29) downstream from the outlet (27). 12. The supply unit (24) according to claim 11, wherein the optical control device (38) is attached to the outfeed drum (32). A method for supplying an additive element (25) to a fiber material using a supply unit (24) according to any one of claims 1 to 13 in a smoking article manufacturing device (1) comprising: The method is
Continuously removing said additive element (25) by means of a transfer device (28) from the bottom outlet (27) of a hopper (26) containing a number of additive elements (25);
Placing the additive element (25) continuously on the fiber material by means of the transfer device (28);
Including
The additive element (25) is removed from the hopper (26) at the take-off interval (P1), and the additive element (25) is placed on the fiber material at an output supply interval (P2) larger than the take-off interval (P1). In the smoking device manufacturing apparatus (1), further comprising the step of increasing the spacing between successive additive elements (25) between the input and output of the transfer device (28) A method for supplying an additive element (25) to a fiber material. A two-line device for producing a smoking device such as a cigarette or tobacco filter, two beams (2a, 2b) for forming each successive rod (3a, 3b), and each beam ( 2a, 2b), including respective supply lines (4a, 4b) for supplying fiber material such as tobacco or filter material, upstream from each beam (2a, 2b) Manufacture of a smoking implement, such as a cigarette or tobacco filter, characterized in that it comprises a supply unit (24) as claimed in any one of claims 1 to 13 for supplying (25). 2 line device to do. 16. Device according to claim 15 , characterized in that the supply unit (24) for supplying additive elements (25) is independent.

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