JPH06335375A - Method for supplying cigarette and shredded tobacco and device therefor - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve hardness of cigarette and, in its turn, appearance retaining performances by arranging shredded tobacco to make the leaf face of the shredded tobacco intersect perpendicularly to the axial line of cigarette. CONSTITUTION:Shredded tobacco KT is adsorbed in a laminar state on a first tobacco band 16 traveling at a velocity V1 to form a shredded layer KL and the shredded layer KL is sent from the band 16 to a forming and transporting unit 24. In the unit 24, the shredded layer KL is folded up in layer pieces LP of given length and the layer pieces LP are formed into a continuous layer piece row LR. The layer piece row LR is sent from the unit 24 at a velocity lower than the velocity V1 and supplied through a second tobacco band traveling the same speed as that of the layer piece row to a rolling tube section.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a cigarette and its manufacture, and more particularly to a cigarette having an excellent appearance maintaining performance, and a supply of shredded tobacco of a cigarette manufacturing machine used for the manufacture of this kind of cigarette. A method and an apparatus thereof.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Cigarettes are most important in terms of quality for their excellent taste, but other quality items are also important, for example, it is desirable that their appearance is beautiful. Also, it is desirable to supply cigarettes at a low price. In order to meet the contradictory demands for improving the quality and reducing the manufacturing cost of cigarettes, various tobacco manufacturing techniques have hitherto been devised and put into practical use.

For example, in connection with the production of chopped tobacco, US Pat. No. 3,524,452 describes controlling the water content of the tobacco and wetting the tobacco with an inert organic liquid and heating the gas stream. A "method for increasing the tobacco filling effect" is disclosed in which the organic liquid is rapidly evaporated after the tobacco flow is brought into contact with the tobacco and the cut tobacco is expanded.
According to this method, even if the amount of cut tobacco used is reduced, a cigarette having a tight tension on the wrapping paper can be obtained.

[0004] Further, water added to the middle bones (leaf veins, fulcrums, etc.) separated from the mesophyll of the tobacco leaf is pressed and cut to obtain middle bones, and the mixture of the middle bones and the mesophyll is cut. It is known that leaf tobacco can be effectively used by using it as shredded tobacco (see Japanese Patent Publication No. 46-8440, etc.). Various improvements have also been made to tobacco manufacturing machines. In general, an improved cigarette making machine supplies cigarette cuts onto a wrapping paper traveling in one direction through a winding section, and in the process in which the wrapping paper passes through the winding tube section along with the cuts, the cuts are wrapped from the wrapping paper. A cigarette rod is formed, and then this cigarette rod is cut into a predetermined length to manufacture individual cigarettes.

According to such a manufacturing apparatus, the manufacturing speed of the cigarette can be increased to improve the productivity thereof and reduce the manufacturing cost thereof. In this type of manufacturing apparatus, the tobacco rod is molded. In order to enable the above, first, it is necessary to stably supply the indentations on the wrapping paper.
Therefore, various types of knives feeding devices have been conventionally known, and as one example thereof, Japanese Patent Publication No. 40-14560.
There is one disclosed in the publication.

[0006] This known feeding device is provided with an endless suction band, a so-called cigarette band, which is arranged on the upper part of the chimney, as a suction conveyance means, and this cigarette band has a suction surface on one surface thereof. The surface of the tobacco band adsorbs the tobacco cuts that rise in the chimney with the air flow, so that a cut layer having a predetermined thickness is formed on the suction surface of the tobacco band.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 1, the chopped tobacco KT moves toward the tobacco band 1 along with the air flow in the direction indicated by arrow C while taking various postures in the air flow. Next, as shown in FIG. 2, the cut tobacco KT that has been blown in such a posture that the cut tobacco axis is orthogonal to the tobacco band 1 traveling in the direction indicated by the arrow D is attached to the tobacco band 1 at one end. Adsorbed first, then Figure 3
As shown in, the whole is adsorbed. Further, the whole cut tobacco KT which has been blown in such a manner that its axis is parallel to the tobacco band 1 is adsorbed to the tobacco band 1 almost at the same time (FIG. 2).

Therefore, when such a cigarette band is run in one direction, a plurality of cut layers of cut tobacco KT are formed on the suction surface of the tobacco band, and the cut layers are conveyed toward the paper wrapper along with the running. Then, by releasing the suction, it becomes possible to continuously feed the tobacco band on the wrapping paper. By the way, in the above-mentioned supply device, as shown in FIG. 4, the cut KT adsorbed to the tobacco band 1 necessarily has a layered form,
After that, even after the cut layer KL is supplied from the tobacco band 1 onto the wrapping paper 2, the cut KT on the wrapping paper 2 is maintained in a layered form as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the wrapping paper 2 passes through the winding tube section together with the cut KT, first,
After the wrapping paper 2 is bent into a U-shape as shown in Fig. 2, each side edge is bent into a circular arc shape in sequence, and as a result, even if the tobacco rod is formed, this tobacco rod, that is,
The indentations KT in the individual cigarettes shown in FIG. 7 remain almost layered. In FIG. 7, the cigarette is shown as a cigarette with a filter, and the gluing portion of the wrapping paper 2, that is, the wrap portion is indicated by reference numeral 3.

[0009]

As is clear from the above-described cigarette manufacturing process, the cut KT in the cigarette is known.
Has a layered shape, but when viewed by individual knurls KT, most of these knurled KTs are layered with directionality.
Explaining this point in detail, since the cuts KT are mainly obtained by cutting tobacco leaves, the cuts KT and a pair of long sides Kle having a length L are exaggerated as shown in FIG. , And has a pair of short sides Kse each having a length S. And, such a strip-shaped notch K
Most of T is in the traveling direction of the cigarette band 1,
The long sides Kle tend to be adsorbed on the tobacco band 1, so that the tobacco band 1, the wrapping paper 2 and the cross section of the cigarette are shown in FIGS. 4 to 8, respectively. In view of this, most of the individual steps KT with respect to this cross section are layered so that the short side Kse side thereof is parallel and the long side Kle side thereof is orthogonal.

That is, most of the individual cuts KT in the cigarette are filled in the wrap portion 3 such that its short sides Kse are parallel to each other as shown in FIG. . As described above, most of the knurls KT are adsorbed to the tobacco band 1 with the long side Kle in a posture along the running direction of the tobacco band 1, but the knives are crushed while moving to the tobacco band 1 side with the air flow. Since the KT can take various postures, the long side Kle of all the ticks KT is a cigarette band 1.
Is not always parallel to the traveling direction of. However,
When the above-mentioned chopped feed and tobacco rod molding are performed,
The knurls KT are arranged so that at least the leaf surface KF thereof extends along the axis of the cigarette (FIG. 10).
reference).

Here, regarding each of the knurls KT, an external force is applied to the cutting edges of the long side Kle and the short side Kse thereof, and an external force is applied to the leaf surface KF (see FIG. 9) of the front and back thereof. Make a difference in elasticity. For this reason, when the cuts KT in the cigarette are layered as described above, that is, when the cuts KT are arranged so that the leaf surface KF of the cuts KT extends along the axis of the cigarette. In FIG. 8, with respect to an external force from the AA direction, most of the knurls KT are layered so that their leaf surfaces are superposed in the acting direction of the external force, so that the leaf force receives the external force. Cigarettes are easily deformed, and conversely, the leaf surfaces of most of the knurls KT are parallel to the external force from the BB direction, so that the external force is received by the cutting edge, and the cigarette is cut. Tobacco becomes difficult to transform.

As described above, a cigarette having a higher hardness in the BB direction than in the AA direction has unevenness in the hardness when viewed in the circumferential direction. In this case, the cigarette is easily deformed. That is, when the smoker sandwiches the cigarette with his / her fingers, as shown in FIG. 11, when this sandwiching force is applied to the leaf surface of the cut KT, the wrapping paper 2 is wrinkled and the appearance of the cigarette is impaired. Further, when a shock acting in the axial direction of the cigarette is applied to the cigarette, the cut tobacco at the tip of the cigarette collapses inward, impairing the appearance.

To maintain a good cigarette appearance,
In order to improve the appearance retention ability of the cigarette itself, the hardness of the cigarette may be appropriately hardened. Also, in general,
The higher the packing density of cut tobacco, the more
The cigarette becomes harder. Therefore, it is possible to manufacture a cigarette having an appropriate hardness and a good appearance retention performance by adjusting the filling density. However, in reality, no matter how high-quality cigarettes are provided, it is necessary to provide them at a low price. To increase the cost will increase the cost,
Not practical.

The present invention has been made based on the above-mentioned circumstances. An object of the present invention is to relate to a cigarette and its manufacture, and it is possible to reduce the filling amount of the cut KT per cigarette and reduce the hardness. An object of the present invention is to provide a cigarette capable of improving appearance retention performance by increasing the number of cigarettes, and a method and an apparatus for supplying the cut cigarettes of a cigarette manufacturing machine used for manufacturing this type of cigarette.

[0015]

The cigarette of the present invention is characterized in that the cut tobacco is arranged so that the leaf surface of most of the cut tobacco is orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette.
Preferably, most of the cut tobacco is arranged radially in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cigarette.

Further, in the method for supplying cut tobacco according to the present invention, the cut is adsorbed on the first suction surface of the first sucking and conveying means to form a layer, and the cut layer is conveyed as the first sucking surface travels. A first step of continuously delivering from the first suction surface, and folding a chopped layer delivered from the first suction surface into a layer piece of a predetermined length, and a continuous layer piece of these layer pieces. The second step of forming the row and the second suction surface, which travels at substantially the same speed as the tobacco rod of the second suction transport means, receive the layer piece row obtained in the second step, And a third step of transporting the layer piece array toward the winding tube section as the suction surface of the first suction transport means travels. Second of suction conveyance means
The vehicle is driven at a higher speed than the suction surface.

Preferably, even in the case of the supply method according to the present invention, the second step includes forming a guide surface for connecting the first suction conveyance means and the second suction conveyance means.
At the same time as the formation of the layer piece row, the layered piece row is conveyed together with the forming guide surface toward the second suction surface of the second suction conveyance means, and the guide layer is conveyed to the second suction surface of the second suction conveyance means. Then, here, the molding guide surface travels at substantially the same speed as the second suction surface.

Further, the chopped tobacco feeding device of the present invention is
It has a first suction surface, and the first suction surface adsorbs the notches to form a layer, and the notched layer is conveyed as the first suction surface travels, and continuously from the first suction surface. The first suction-conveying means for sending out, and the notch layer provided following the first suction-conveying means and sent out from the first suction surface are folded on a layer piece of a predetermined length, and these layer pieces are It has a molding means for molding a continuous row of layer pieces and a second suction surface which is provided subsequent to this molding means and travels at substantially the same speed as the tobacco rod, and the shaping is performed on this second suction surface. A second suction conveyance means for adsorbing and receiving the layer piece row delivered from the means, and conveying the layer piece row toward the winding tube section as the layer piece row travels on the second suction surface. , And then
The first suction surface of the first suction / transport means travels at a higher speed than the second suction surface of the second suction / transport means.

Preferably, the molding means connects the first suction and conveyance means and the second suction and conveyance means, and at the same time when the layer piece row is formed, this layer piece row is conveyed by the second suction conveyance means. It has a molding guide surface for guiding the conveyance toward the second suction surface of the means, and this molding guide surface travels at substantially the same speed as the second suction surface. Further, the cigarette of the present invention is manufactured by the above-mentioned cut tobacco supply method, and the cut tobacco is arranged so that most leaf surfaces of the cut tobacco are orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette.

[0020]

In the cigarette of the present invention, the cut tobacco is arranged so that the leaf surface thereof is orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette, and the cigarette has an appropriate hardness. Then, an external force acting in a direction orthogonal to the cigarette center axis, for example,
The pinching force that occurs when a smoker pinches a cigarette with his fingers acts parallel to the leaf surface of the cut tobacco. For this reason, cigarettes withstand this type of external force well, the risk of wrinkles on the wrapping paper is greatly reduced, and the appearance is kept good. The cigarette also withstands the impact force acting in the axial direction. For this reason, the risk of crushing the cut tobacco at the tip of the cigarette due to this type of impact force is greatly reduced, thereby maintaining the good appearance of the cigarette.

When most of the cut cigarettes are radially arranged in a cross section perpendicular to the center axis of the cigarette, the hardness of the cigarette becomes uniform in the circumferential direction and it is difficult to deform. Further, according to the above-described method and apparatus for supplying cut tobacco, first, the cut layer is formed by adsorbing the cut on the first suction surface of the first suction / transport means. The chopped layer delivered from the first suction surface is folded into layer pieces of a predetermined length and formed into a continuous layer piece row of these layer pieces, and this layer piece row is conveyed by the second suction conveyance. It is adsorbed to the second suction surface of the device and is conveyed toward the paper wrapper of the winding tube section as the second suction surface travels.

[0022]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring to FIG. 12, a cigarette making machine is schematically shown, which is seen from the right in the figure, from a cut tobacco feeding device 10 and a winding tube section 12.
Has become. The supply device 10 is provided with a chimney 14, into which chimneys of tobacco are introduced via a supply drum (not shown), and the chimneys rise in the chimney 14 with the air flow.

At the upper part of the chimney 14 is arranged an endless first tobacco band 16 which closes the upper end opening thereof and extends toward the winding tube section 12. The first tobacco band 16 constitutes a first suction and conveyance means, is wound around a pair of drums 18, and travels at a predetermined traveling speed V1 in the direction of the arrow in the figure. The first tobacco band 16 comprises a suction belt having a large number of suction holes (not shown), and thus the first tobacco band 1
The indentations in the chimney 14 are adsorbed in layers on the lower surface of 6, so that indented layers having a predetermined thickness are formed. The cut layer thus formed is used for the first tobacco band 1
Along with the traveling of No. 6, it is conveyed from the chimney 14 toward the winding tube section 12 side.

The formation of the cut layer on the first tobacco band 16 is the same as in the conventional case. However, in this case, in this embodiment, the running speed V1 of the first tobacco band 16 is the same as that of the conventional tobacco band. N times (for example, 5 times) compared to
It is fast and therefore the layer thickness of the chopping layer is also as thin as 1 / N. Further, in the present embodiment, the perforated suction belt, that is, the tobacco band 16 is exemplified as the first suction / conveyance means. However, instead of the tobacco band 16, the peripheral surface thereof is configured as the perforated suction surface. It is also possible to use a designated suction drum.

An endless press belt 20 is arranged below the drum 18 side, which is located at the transporting end of the cut layer by the first tobacco band 16, that is, on the winding section 12 side. The press belt 20 is run between a pair of rollers 22 so that the press belt 20 travels at the same traveling speed V1 as in the case of the first tobacco band 16 and with the traveling directions of the belt portions facing each other aligned. Has become.

The press belt 20 is the first tobacco band 1
6 has the same width as 6, and the space between the press belt 20 and the first tobacco band 16 is set to be slightly smaller than the layer thickness of the cut layer formed in the first tobacco band 16. . Although not shown, the press belt 20 is movable in the vertical direction in consideration of the adjustment of the space between the first tobacco band 16 and the removal of clogging.

As shown in FIG. 12, on the left side of the first tobacco band 16 and the press belt 20, the endless second tobacco band 26 is arranged with the forming / conveying means, that is, the forming / conveying unit 24 interposed. ing. The second tobacco band 26 constitutes the second suction and conveyance means,
Like the first tobacco band 16, it is composed of a suction belt. The second tobacco band 26 is run while being wound around a pair of drums 28, and its running speed V2
Is 1 compared to the traveling speed V1 of the first tobacco band 16.
/ N is set.

The second tobacco band 26 is provided with a trimming disc 30 like the conventional tobacco band, and the trimming disc 30 is rotated so that the trimming disc 30 has a knurled portion which is attracted to the second tobacco band 26. The layer thickness is adjusted and the cut is supplied to the winding tube section 12. The forming / conveying unit 24 includes a pair of side belts 32, as is clear from FIG. Each side belt 32 has an endless shape and is wound around a pair of rollers 34.
Unlike the drums 18 and 28 and the roller 22 described above, the axis extends vertically. Therefore, the pair of side belts 32 have the belt surfaces facing each other vertical,
First and second tobacco bands 1 arranged in parallel
6 and 26 are coaxially extended.

An interval equal to the band width of the first and second tobacco bands 16 and 26 is secured between the pair of side belts 32, whereby the pair of side belts 3 is provided.
2 forms a cut passage 36 extending between the first and second tobacco bands 16 and 26. That is, these side belts 32 are the side walls of the cut passage 36.

In the case of this embodiment, the belt width of each side belt 32, that is, the side wall height of the cut passage 36 is set to about N times the cut layer formed in the first tobacco band 16. Further, in the pair of side belts 32, the belt surface serving as the side wall of the slit passage 36 has the same traveling speed V2 as that of the second tobacco band 26, and the direction of the arrow in the figure, that is, the first belt.
The cigarette band 16 travels toward the second cigarette band 26.

Although not shown in FIG. 13, the upper and lower sides of the cut passage 36 are closed by a pair of guide plates 38, and the cut passage 36 has a rectangular tunnel shape in cross section. Therefore, all of the inner wall of the cut passage 36 is a forming guide surface, and the forming guide surface defined by the pair of side belts 32 is the first cigarette band 16 to the second cigarette band. Band 2
It is a molding guide surface that runs toward 6.

Further, the above-mentioned pair of side belts 32 are also suction belts, and the nicks passing through the nick passages 36 can be sucked. Further, of the pair of side belts 32, the one side belt 32 located on the front side in the cigarette manufacturing machine is movable in consideration of the adjustment of the space between the other side belt 32 and the removal of the jam. Has become.

The above-mentioned first tobacco band 16,
The press belt 20, the second tobacco band 26, and the pair of side belts 32 are driven by being connected to a drive system of a tobacco manufacturing machine via a power transmission system such as a gear or a gear belt, or individually. Driven by an electric motor. The second tobacco band 26 can also be replaced with a suction drum having a hole like the first tobacco band 16, and the forming and conveying unit 24 can be replaced with a suction drum.
In this case, as the suction drum constituting the forming and conveying unit 24, an arcuate step passage 36 is formed in a part of the outer peripheral surface thereof.

Next, a method of supplying the cut tobacco by the above-mentioned cut tobacco supply device 10 will be described. First, as shown in FIG. 14, the cut layer KL formed on the first tobacco band 16 is conveyed toward the forming / conveying unit 24 as the first tobacco band 16 travels. Here, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 15, which represents the XV direction of
Most of the notches KT that form L tend to be adsorbed in layers with their long sides Kle along the running direction of the first tobacco band 16.

After that, the cut layer KL of the first tobacco band 16 enters between the first tobacco band 16 and the press belt 20 and is compressed, and after the suction is released and the conveyed. From among these, it is delivered into the cut passage 36 of the forming and conveying unit 24. Where the chopping layer KL
Is subjected to a compression action, so that the individual indentation KT of the indentation layer KL
In the meantime, the entanglement between them is promoted, and the cut layer KL is delivered into the cut passage 36 while maintaining the shape of the layer.

As described above, since the height of the cut passage 36 is higher than the height of the cut layer KL by about N times, the cut passage 36 is cut between the first tobacco band 16 and the press belt 20. The sent out chopping layer KL oscillates up and down like a wave in the chopping passage 36 as shown in FIG. 14, and the amplitude of this vibration is a pair of guide plates serving as the upper and lower walls of the chopping passage 36. 38 regulated.

Therefore, in the cut passage 36, the cut layer KL advances while being bent into the layer pieces LP having a predetermined length, and these layer pieces LP are shown in FIG. 16 as the cut passage 36. At the terminal ends of the layers, one on top of the other, resulting in the formation of a continuous layer strip row LR of layer strips LP. In FIG. 16, for convenience of illustration, a number of short horizontal lines are attached to show the layer piece row LR, but these horizontal lines do not represent the orientation of the leaf surface of the cut KT, and the layer piece row LR shows the cut KT. The leaf surface rather extends in a direction perpendicular to the horizon.
The same applies to the short horizontal line in the layer piece LP shown in FIG.

Further, as shown in FIG. 17, the pair of side belts 32 forming the both side walls of the cut passage 36 suck each layer piece LP from both sides, and further, the traveling speed V1 of the first tobacco band 16 is increased. Since the vehicle is traveling in the same direction at a traveling speed of V2 slower than the above, the layer pieces LP are folded in the notched passage 36 so as to be in close contact with each other to form the layer piece row LR. Then, it moves together with the side belt 32.

Here, the higher the traveling speed V1 of the first tobacco band 16 is compared with the traveling speed V2 of the side belt 32, the thinner the layer thickness of the chopping layer KL is, and therefore the layer piece row LR is The thickness of the individual layer pieces LP formed is also reduced, so that it is possible to increase the number of layer pieces LP per unit length of the layer row LR. However, if the cut layer KL is too thin, the layer pieces LP cannot be formed. Therefore, the traveling speeds V1 and V2 of the first tobacco band 16 and the side belt 32 must be set appropriately.

Although the traveling speed V1 of the first tobacco band 16 and the press belt 20 is N times faster than the traveling speed V2 of the pair of side belts 32, the side belt 3
The width of the second belt, that is, the side wall of the cut passage 36 is about N times the cut layer KL.
The amount of the cut layer KL delivered from the cut layer and the amount of the layer strip row LR delivered from the cut layer 36 match, and as a result, the layer strip row LR is stabilized toward the second tobacco band 26. Will be supplied.

Since the second tobacco band 26 is traveling at the traveling speed V2 which matches the traveling speed of the pair of side belts 32, the layer strip row LR sent out from the chopping passage 36 is the second one. After being securely adsorbed to the tobacco band 26, and after being subjected to the trimming process by the trimming disk 30 as the second tobacco band 26 travels,
It is conveyed toward the aforementioned winding tube section 12.

Here, as is clear from the above description, since the layer piece row LR is formed by stacking the layer pieces LP in the longitudinal direction, most of the notches KT have their long sides Kl.
e is not parallel to the suction surface of the second tobacco band 26, but is vertical as shown in FIG. In other words, the layer piece row LR has a layered shape in which most of the cuts KT in the longitudinal direction of the suction surface of the second tobacco band 26 overlap their leaf surfaces.

After this, the layer strip row LR is transferred from the second tobacco band 26 onto the wrapping paper 2 of the winding tube section 12, where the wrapping paper 2 and the layer strip row LR are transferred.
The tobacco rod is shaped as is known. More specifically, as shown in FIG.
2 is provided with a garniture tape 40 used for conveying the wrapping paper 2 and forming a tobacco rod, and the garniture tape 40 is run in the direction of the arrow in the figure, so that the wrapping paper 2
Pass through the winding tube section 12 while being superposed on the garniture tape 40. The wrapping paper 2 can be fed from a wrapping paper roll (not shown).

The layer strips LR supplied onto the wrapping paper 2 are wrapped by the wrapping paper 2 when the wrapping paper 2 passes through the rod forming guide 42 of the winding tube section 12, and the wrapping paper 2 and the layer strip arrays LR are cigarettes. It is molded into a rod, and at this time,
By applying glue from the gluing device 44 to one side edge of the wrapping paper 2, both side edges of the wrapping paper 2 are bonded to each other. After this,
When the shaped tobacco rod passes through the dryer 46, the glued portion is dried, and then passes through the cutting section 48, where the tobacco rod is cut into predetermined lengths. Being individual cigarettes.

As described above, when the tobacco rod is formed, the layer piece row LR supplied onto the wrapping paper 2 has the individual indents KT perpendicular to the wrapping paper 2 and thus the tobacco rod. The individual notches KT in the innermost part are arranged in a radial pattern as shown in FIG. FIG. 20 shows a cigarette in a longitudinal section thereof. As is clear from the figure, most of the cut tobacco KT is arranged so that its leaf surface KF is orthogonal to the cigarette axis. One of the reasons why the cuts KT are arranged radially in the rod cross section, that is, in the cigarette cross section, is that the cut KTs are being blown and the tobacco band 1
It is understood that there are various postures that can be taken at the time of adsorbing onto 6. Secondly, during the shaping of the tobacco rod in the tube section, the wrapping paper 2 is bent into a U-shape as described above, but at this time, it is bent into the notch KT arranged near the wrapping paper 2. It is understood that the winding moment is applied by the wrapping paper 2 and the notches KT are radially arranged.

As described above, most of the cut tobacco KT is arranged so that its leaf surface KF is orthogonal to the cigarette axis.
Preferably, since the cigarettes are arranged radially in a cross section, the molded tobacco rod, that is, the cigarette, not only has a uniform hardness in the circumferential direction, but also has a hardness higher than that of the conventional one. Can be improved.
Therefore, the cigarette manufactured by using the apparatus and method of the present invention has high strength against external force, is hard to be deformed, and can effectively maintain its appearance.

On the other hand, in order to maintain the same level of hardness as in the conventional case, since the filling amount of the cut KT in the cigarette is small, the cut KT required for each cigarette is
It is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost by reducing the amount used.
In order to obtain data representing the hardness of the cigarette of the present invention, the present inventors produced cigarettes having various filling density by using the above-mentioned apparatus and method. And
The hardness of each cigarette was measured by the following procedure.

First, in FIG. 21, the cigarette 60 is placed between the movable side flat plate 50 and the fixed side flat plate 51, and then the cigarette 60 is sized to a predetermined size via the flat plate 50 by a pressure source (not shown). The cigarette was deformed by applying a compressive force to the plate, and the distance between the flat plates 50 and 51 at this time, that is, the diameter of the cigarette after the deformation was measured. Further, based on the measured cigarette diameter after deformation and the cigarette diameter before deformation measured in advance, the deformation amount of the cigarette diameter is obtained, and this deformation amount is divided by the cigarette diameter before deformation. Then, the strain generated in the cigarette 60 by applying the compressive force was calculated. The harder the cigarette 60 is, the smaller this distortion is, and thus the calculated distortion can represent the hardness of the cigarette 60.

FIG. 22 shows the hardness measurement results according to the above procedure, in which the vertical axis represents strain and the horizontal axis represents filling density. In the figure, the white circle marks indicate the measurement data of individual cigarettes. Then, by a regression analysis based on these measurement data, a straight line L representing the relationship between the filling density and the strain in the cigarette of the present invention was obtained. In FIG. 22, the hatched square marks show the same measurement data for a typical cigarette, and the filling density (standard filling density) of this cigarette is indicated by the symbol D1 in the figure. Further, the hatched circle mark is located at the intersection of the straight line L passing through the standard filling density D1 and parallel to the vertical axis. Therefore, this circle mark has the standard filling density D1. It is indicated that S1 is distorted when the above predetermined compression force is applied to the cigarette. Further, the square mark represents that the distortion of S2 occurs when a predetermined compression force is applied to the conventional cigarette having the standard filling density D1. Thus, if the filling density is the same, the distortion S1 of the cigarette of the present invention is smaller than the distortion S2 of the conventional cigarette. In other words, the cigarette of the present invention is harder than conventional products,
The hardness increase rate is (S2-S1) / S2%, for example, about 10%.

Further, as is apparent from FIG. 22, according to the present invention, it is possible to obtain the same hardness as the conventional product even if the filling and engraving density is considerably reduced. That is, when the strain equivalent to the strain S2 of the conventional product having the standard filling / filling density D1 is allowed, the filling / filling density of the cigarette of the present invention becomes D2. Therefore, when the same strain, that is, the same hardness, is obtained, the filling density reduction rate according to the present invention is (D1-D2) / D1%, for example, about 7%. That is, it is possible to reduce the amount of cut tobacco used in the manufacture of cigarettes equivalent to conventional products by about 7%.

Next, in order to evaluate the impact resistance of the cigarette of the present invention, the inventors of the present invention produced the cigarette of the present invention in which the amount of use per cut tobacco was the same as that of the conventional cigarette. The impact resistance of the inventive cigarettes and conventional products was measured. In this impact resistance measurement, as shown in FIG.
The distance from the bottom edge of the cigarette 60 to the horizontal surface 70 is 20
The cigarette 60 was held perpendicular to the horizontal at a height such as cm, and then the cigarette 60 was allowed to fall freely. Furthermore, the same free fall was repeated 4 times. Then, after a total of 5 free falls, the amount of depression of the cut tobacco produced on the upper end side of the cigarette 60 was measured. According to this measurement result, a depression of about 2 mm was recognized in the conventional product, while
No substantial depression was found in the cigarette of the present invention. That is, it was found that the cigarette of the present invention has high impact resistance.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but various modifications can be made. For example, in one embodiment, the cut passage 36 of the forming and conveying unit 24 is formed by the pair of side belts 32 and the upper and lower guide plates 38, but instead of these, the cut passage is simply formed by a tunnel-shaped forming member. 36 may be defined.
In this case, the inner surface of the molding member needs to be smooth so that the slide guide can be performed simultaneously with the molding of the layer piece row.

[0053]

As described above, in the cigarette of the present invention, since the cut tobacco is arranged so that the leaf surface of most of the cut tobacco is orthogonal to the axial center of the cigarette, it is possible to increase the filling amount of the cut tobacco. Without increasing the hardness of the cigarette, the appearance retention performance of the cigarette itself is improved. Therefore, the cigarette is not easily deformed even when an external force is applied,
Further, the tension of the wrapping paper is so strong that wrinkles are less likely to occur, and further, even if an impact force is applied, the crushed cigarettes at the tip of the cigarette are not likely to be depressed. Therefore, the appearance of the cigarette of the present invention is maintained well, and consumer satisfaction can be enhanced. Further, if the hardness of the cigarette is maintained at the same level as in the conventional case, the filling amount of the cuts in the cigarette can be reduced and the manufacturing cost thereof can be reduced.

According to a preferred embodiment in which most of the cut tobacco is arranged radially in a cross section perpendicular to the axis of the cigarette, the hardness is uniform and increases in the circumferential direction, making it difficult to deform. It is more suitable for maintaining the appearance. Further, according to the method and apparatus for supplying cut tobacco of the present invention, the cut layer obtained by adsorbing the cut in layers on the first suction surface of the first suction / transport means is formed into a layer piece having a predetermined length. After folding and forming into a continuous layer piece row of these layer pieces,
Since this layer piece row is adsorbed by the second suction surface of the second suction conveying means to be received, and is then supplied onto the wrapping paper of the winding tube section from the second suction surface, after this, the layer piece is supplied. When a row is wrapped in a cigarette and shaped into a tobacco rod, the tobacco rod, i.e. the notches in the cigarette, is arranged such that most of its leaf surface is orthogonal to the cigarette axis, preferably Most of the steps will be arranged radially. That is, the cut tobacco supply method and apparatus of the present invention make it possible to reliably and inexpensively manufacture a cigarette in which cut tobacco is arranged so that most leaf surfaces are orthogonal to the cigarette axis, and therefore appearance retention performance is improved. It is possible to provide an excellent and inexpensive cigarette.

Further, the cigarette of the present invention is manufactured by the above-mentioned cut tobacco feeding method, and since the cut tobacco is arranged so that the leaf surface of most of the cut tobacco is orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette, the appearance-keeping performance and the like are improved. Are better.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing how a cut tobacco is blown to a traveling tobacco band side.

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which one end of a cut tobacco that has been blown in a posture such that the cut tobacco axis is perpendicular to the tobacco band is adsorbed to the tobacco band, along with another cut tobacco that is entirely adsorbed to the tobacco band. It is a figure.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a state in which the whole chopped tobacco which has been blown with its axis centered perpendicularly to the tobacco band is adsorbed to the tobacco band.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a tobacco band is adsorbed by a tobacco band in a conventional tobacco manufacturing machine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a state in which the tobacco is fed from the tobacco band shown in FIG. 4 onto the wrapping paper.

6 is a cigarette rod 1 implemented from the state of FIG. 5;
It is a figure showing two molding processes.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a cigarette with a filter obtained from a tobacco rod.

8 is an end view of the cigarette with a filter of FIG. 7. FIG.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing enlarged notches.

FIG. 10 is a schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing an array state of cut tobacco in a conventional cigarette.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a state where a smoker sandwiches a conventional cigarette with his / her finger.

FIG. 12 is a schematic view showing a cigarette manufacturing machine including a cut tobacco feeding device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 13 is an enlarged perspective view of the forming and conveying unit of FIG.

FIG. 14 is a view showing a chopping layer delivered from the first tobacco band to the chopping passage in the feeding device of FIG. 12;

FIG. 15 is an enlarged view of an XV portion in FIG.

FIG. 16 is a view showing the layer piece row conveyed from the cut passage to the second tobacco band.

FIG. 17 is a sectional view taken along line XVII-XVII in FIG.

FIG. 18 is an enlarged view of a section XVIII in FIG.

FIG. 19 is an end view of a cigarette manufactured by the tobacco manufacturing machine of FIG. 12.

20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the cigarette of FIG.

FIG. 21 is a schematic view showing the principle of measuring the hardness data of a cigarette.

FIG. 22 is a graph showing the results of measuring the hardness of cigarettes, in which the filling density is plotted on the horizontal axis and the strain is plotted on the vertical axis.

FIG. 23 is a schematic diagram showing the principle of measuring the impact resistance of a cigarette.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 wrapping paper 10 feeding device 12 winding tube section 14 chimney 16 first tobacco band 20 press belt 24 forming and conveying unit (forming and conveying means) 26 second tobacco band 30 trimming disc 32 side belt 36 scribed passage 38 guide plate 40 garniture tape 42 Rod forming guide 44 Gluing device 46 Dryer 48 Cutting part 60 Cigarette KT Chopped tobacco KF Leaf surface

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A cigarette in which cut tobacco is wrapped in a wrapping paper, wherein the cut tobacco is arranged such that most leaf surfaces of the cut tobacco are orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette. 2. The cigarette according to claim 2, wherein most of the cut tobacco is radially arranged in a cross section orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette. 3. The tobacco cut adsorbed in layers on the suction surface of the suction / transport means is transported along with the traveling of the suction surface and is supplied onto the wrapping paper passing through the winding tube section of the tobacco manufacturing machine,
As a result, in the winding section, a tobacco rod is formed by wrapping the cut with the wrapping paper, and then the tobacco rod is cut into predetermined lengths to produce a cigarette. In the supply method of No. 3, the first suction surface of the first suction / conveyance means adsorbs the notches to form a layer, and the notch layer is conveyed as the first suction surface travels and is continuously conveyed from the first suction surface. And a second step of folding the chopped layer fed from the first suction surface into a layer piece having a predetermined length to form a continuous layer piece row of these layer pieces, The second suction surface of the second suction / transport means, which travels at substantially the same speed as the tobacco rod, adsorbs and receives the layer piece array obtained in the second step,
A third step of transporting the layer piece array toward the winding tube section as the second suction surface travels, wherein the first suction surface of the first suction transport means is the second suction surface. A method for supplying cut tobacco, characterized in that it travels at a speed faster than the second suction surface of the conveying means. 4. In the second step, a molding guide surface connecting the first suction conveyance means and the second suction conveyance means receives the knurled layer from the first suction surface, and the layer is formed. Simultaneously with the formation of one row, the layer piece row is conveyed and guided together with the forming guide surface toward the second suction surface of the second suction conveying means, and the forming guide surface is substantially the same as the second suction surface. The method of supplying cut tobacco according to claim 3, wherein the cut tobacco is run at the same speed. 5. A suction tube having a suction surface that travels in one direction is provided, and the tobacco cut adsorbed in layers on the suction surface of the suction transportation means is transported along with the travel of the suction surface to form a winding tube. It is supplied on the wrapping paper of the section, and in the process of passing the wrapping paper through the winding tube section along with the nicks, the wrapping paper is wrapped around the nicks to form a tobacco rod, and then the tobacco rod is cut into predetermined lengths to wrap the paper A tobacco manufacturing machine for manufacturing tobacco, having a first suction surface, adsorbing the nicks to the first suction surface to form a layer, and conveying the nick layer as the first suction surface travels, A first suction / transport means for continuously sending out from the first suction surface, and a cut piece provided following the first suction / transport means and having a predetermined length for the cut layer sent out from the first suction surface. Fold them into a continuous piece of these layers A shaping means for shaping the one-row and a second suction surface which is provided subsequent to the shaping means and travels at substantially the same speed as the tobacco rod, and is fed from the shaping means to the second suction surface. And a second suction / transport means for transporting the layer strip row toward the winding tube section as the layer strip row travels on the second suction surface. The device for supplying cut tobacco according to claim 1, characterized in that the first suction surface of the suction conveyance means travels at a faster speed than the second suction surface of the second suction conveyance means. 6. The molding means connects the first suction conveyance means and the second suction conveyance means, and at the same time when the layer piece row is formed, this layer piece row is conveyed by the second suction conveyance means. 6. A molding guide surface, which guides the conveyance toward the second suction surface of the means, the molding guide surface traveling at substantially the same speed as the second suction surface. Feeder for cut tobacco. 7. A cigarette in which cut tobacco is wrapped in a wrapping paper, which is produced by the cut tobacco supply method of a tobacco manufacturing machine according to claim 3, wherein most leaf surfaces of the cut tobacco are orthogonal to the axis of the cigarette. A cigarette which is characterized in that the cut tobacco is arranged as described above.