KR101429840B1 - Tobacco expansion method and apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

A method for expanding a cigarette comprising providing a cigarette under atmospheric pressure to a substantially airtightly sealable chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27), wherein the pressurizing cylinder (12) (4, 24, 25, 26, 27) and adding a piston (14) to the pressure cylinder (12); And moving the piston (14) of the pressure cylinder (12) so that the pressure in the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) is changed to a different pressure from the atmospheric pressure.
(24, 25, 26, 27) to provide a first hole in the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) when providing the tobacco to the substantially hermetically sealable chamber (5, 6) of the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) to insert the cigarette into the chamber through the first hole.
Changing the position of the second locking member (7, 8) of the chamber to form a second hole in the chamber, after the step of inflating the cigarette in the chamber, Discharge the expanded cigarette. The present invention further relates to a tobacco expansion device.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a tobacco expansion method and apparatus,

The present invention relates to a method for expanding a cigarette and a cigarette expanding device.

Conventionally, the method of inflating a cigarette is known to place a wet cutting cigarette on the flow of a carrier medium moving at high temperatures at high speed. Typically, the carrier medium is air, or it simultaneously performs the expansion and drying of the cigarette as saturated or hot steam. In such an expansion device, the ratio of the carrier medium to the cigarette can not be freely adjusted. The reason is that the tobacco is transported from the same medium and the proportion must be selected in a suitable way to transport and dry the tobacco. Another disadvantage of expanding a cigarette using a carrier medium is that a relatively large amount of space is required. In addition, it is impossible to make the pressure above or below the atmospheric pressure. An example of a method well known in the art can be found in U.S. Patent No. 5,251,649.

Moreover, static tobacco expansion is well known in U.S. Patent No. 1,789,435, wherein a cigarette to be treated is placed in a perforated container, which is set in a chamber having a steam tight lid. Gas enters the chamber from the compressor. To uncompress from the chamber, push the piston valve straight away. The momentary release of pressure will cause the gas that has been trapped in a pressurized state in some components of the cigarette to expand the cigarette.

However, the above-mentioned method requires a relatively complicated fluid engineering system for collecting and releasing the pressure, and can not be operated at an additional high capacity.

There is a need to provide a cigarette expanding device that can take up a small amount of space but can be processed in a high capacity and has high expansion efficiency.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method and a device for expanding a cigarette which requires less space and has a high throughput and an expansion efficiency.

A method for inflating a cigarette comprising the steps of providing a cigarette in a substantially hermetically sealable chamber having atmospheric pressure, wherein a pressurizing cylinder is in fluid communication with the chamber while a piston is added to the pressurizing cylinder ; And moving the piston of the pressure cylinder so that the pressure in the chamber is changed to a pressure different from the atmospheric pressure.

To change the position of the first locking member of the chamber to form a first hole in the chamber and to allow the cigarette to be introduced into the chamber through the first hole when the cigarette is provided in the substantially hermetically sealable chamber, .

Changing the position of the second locking member of the chamber to form a second bore in the chamber after inflating the cigarette in the chamber and venting the expanded cigarette from the chamber through the second bore do. The present invention further relates to a tobacco expansion device.

1 is a front perspective view of a tobacco expansion apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.
2 is a cross-sectional view of a cigarette expansion device in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.

This object can be achieved by a method of expanding a cigarette by providing a cigarette in a substantially hermetically sealable chamber having atmospheric pressure. The pressurizing cylinder is in fluid communication with the chamber. According to the invention, the pressurizing cylinder further comprises a piston. The pressure in the chamber is changed to a pressure different from the atmospheric pressure so that the piston of the pressure cylinder moves. Altering the pressure to atmospheric pressure and other pressures by the movement of the piston rapidly changes the pressure in the substantially hermetically sealable chamber against atmospheric pressure. Thus, in contrast to the prior art of stationary tobacco expansion, in which the formation of the initial pressure is gradually provided by the compressor, it is possible in the present invention to quickly raise or lower the pressure of the chamber. This makes it possible to process cigarettes more efficiently. In particular, tobacco expands due to the phase change of water in the cigarette from liquid to vapor phase. The amount of expansion of the cigarette is thought to increase with the rate of pressure change. If the rate of pressure change is fast, the volume of the expanded cigarette becomes large.

Preferably, the step of providing a cigarette in a substantially hermetically sealable chamber includes the steps of changing the position of the first locking member of the chamber to form a first hole in the chamber, and inserting the cigarette into the chamber through the first hole . The method after inflating the cigarette in the chamber consists in changing the position of the second locking member of the chamber to form a second hole in the chamber. In an additional step, the expanded cigarette is discharged from the chamber through the second opening. This enables the cigarette to be fed through the chamber using the first hole as the inlet opening and the second opening as the outlet opening. Thus, this method is applicable to an automated factory environment with a defined tobacco streaming direction. Thus, a tobacco expansion method having a high throughput can be implemented.

Preferably, the pressure in the chamber can drop the pressure below atmospheric pressure by movement of the piston. Thus, the cigarettes contained in the chamber can be immediately expanded without any prior pressure formed in the chamber.

On the other hand, the method consists in raising the pressure in the chamber above the atmospheric pressure by the movement of the piston and then rapidly lowering the pressure to atmospheric pressure. Rapid descent of subsequent pressure expands the cigarette.

Preferably, the pressure in the chamber is maintained at elevated pressure for a period of time. Preferably, the elevated pressure is between about 0.5 bar above atmospheric pressure and about 8 bar above atmospheric pressure. Preferably, the elevated pressure is maintained between about 30 minutes and about 24 hours. More preferably, the elevated pressure is maintained between about 8 hours and about 24 hours.

Preferably, the temperature of the chamber is raised before decreasing the pressure. Preferably, the temperature is raised between about 5 ° C and about 250 ° C. More preferably between about 25 [deg.] C and about 200 [deg.] C.

Maintaining the cigarette at elevated temperature or elevated pressure, or both, at elevated temperature and elevated pressure for a given time facilitates penetration of the treatment medium into the cigarette. The excellent infiltration of the treatment medium into the cigarette enhances the subsequent expansion efficiency.

Preferably, the movement of the piston is applied to rapidly lower the pressure in the chamber to atmospheric pressure.

On the other hand, the pressure drops from a pressure above atmospheric to a pressure below atmospheric by the piston in the cylinder.

Preferably, the pressure drop to atmospheric pressure can be performed by opening the air bleed valve, which air bleed valve is preferably provided inside the cylinder. Thus, the cigarette will expand with a pressure drop due to the opening of the air bleed valve. On the other hand, an air bleed valve is provided in the chamber.

Preferably, the pressure drop range is between about 0.01 bar and about 10 bar. More preferably between about 0.1 bar and about 5 bar, more preferably between about 0.5 bar and about 3 bar.

Preferably, the time for forming the pressure drop is, for example, from atmospheric pressure to subatmospheric pressure, or from about 0.01 second to about 5 minutes, more preferably from about 0.05 second to about 0.2 second, Min, and most preferably between about 0.1 sec and about 0.5 sec.

Preferably, the first hole is at the top of the chamber and the second hole is at the bottom of the chamber. So gravity can be used to carry cigarettes using an expansion device.

Preferably, the treatment medium is injected into the chamber through an injection valve. The treatment medium may be any medium that facilitates tobacco expansion. Preferably, the treatment medium may consist of at least one of saturated steam, superheated steam air, air, carbon dioxide, nitrogen, argon or water. Preferably, where the treatment medium is saturated steam, the saturated steam is at a pressure of about 10 bar at about 184 ° C. Preferably, when the treatment medium is superheated steam, the superheated steam is at atmospheric pressure, at a pressure of about 4 bar and at a temperature between about 120 ° C and about 250 ° C, more preferably about 160 ° C and about 250 ° C. In particular, the medium may be suitable for reducing the oxygen concentration in the chamber before forming a given temperature or pressure. Reduction of the oxygen concentration in the chamber can reduce or prevent the adverse effect of the expansion process on tobacco.

Preferably, the method according to the present invention further comprises the steps of injecting the processing medium into the chamber through the injection valve first, discharging the processing medium through the purge valve installed in the chamber or cylinder, and supplying the discharged processing medium to the injection valve And circulating the treatment medium to wash the chamber. Thus, by further circulation, substantially all of the cigarettes can be reliably treated with the treatment medium, so that the cigarette can be efficiently treated with the treatment medium. Moreover, it is possible to more efficiently remove residual oxygen from the chamber.

Preferably, the method according to the present invention further comprises providing at least two substantially airtightly sealable chambers on the rotating member, wherein each of the at least two substantially airtightly sealable chambers has at least one A loading position, at least one pressing position and at least one discharging position. According to the invention, at least one loading position, at least one pressing position and at least one discharging position can coincide and the loading of the chamber, the pressurization (or decompression) of the chamber and the discharge of the cigarette from the chamber, The effect can be achieved in position. On the other hand, at least one of the at least one loading position, the at least one pressing position, or the at least one discharge position may not coincide with the other position. For example, a method according to the present invention comprises the steps of loading a first tobacco formulation at a first loading position into a first chamber and loading a second tobacco blend at a second loading position into the same first chamber, Subsequently, pressurizing the first chamber at the first and second pressurized positions, depressurizing the chamber at the third pressurized position, and discharging the expanded tobacco from the first chamber at the single discharge position, wherein , The single discharge position coincides with the first loading position.

Preferably, the method according to the present invention further comprises the steps of rotating the rotating member, and maintaining the cigarette in one of the chambers under a pressure different from atmospheric pressure upon rotation of the rotating member. Subsequently, when the chamber is in the discharge position, the cigarette is discharged from the chamber. The rotating member provides the following advantages. That is, means are provided for easily charging a chamber with a cigarette that can define one or several loading locations. The cigarette charged in the chamber at the loading position can be maintained at a pressure different from atmospheric pressure for a certain period of time. On the other hand, the rotating member rotates and the chamber made of cigarettes moves from the loading position to the discharging position. Continuously, by filling the chambers in the loading position and discharging the cigarette at the discharge position, a substantially continuous tobacco expansion process can be performed and the throughput and efficiency of the tobacco expansion method are improved.

Additionally, the method according to the present invention includes the step of parking the pressurized chamber in a parked position, wherein the chamber is maintained at a given pressure and temperature for an extended period of time. Preferably, the parking position of the chamber is outside the rotating member, for example in the storage means. In this case the method according to the invention further comprises the steps of unloading the pressurized chamber from the rotating member to the parking position in the storage means and loading the pressurized chamber from the parking position in the storage means on the rotating member . Preferably, the storage means has a plurality of, e.g., between about 2 and about 10 chambers, accumulating therein. In this way, the continuous expansion of the cigarette can be performed efficiently, where the cigarette becomes saturated in the chamber for an extended period of time.

In one embodiment, the substantially hermetically sealable chamber is pressurized with a cylinder that is provided separately from each substantially hermetically sealable chamber. This is advantageous in that the pressure in the chamber can be continuously adjusted while the rotating member is rotating. Furthermore, the cylinders provided in each substantially hermetically sealable chamber can be connected to a substantially hermetically sealable chamber corresponding in a reliable and convenient manner.

On the other hand, a substantially hermetically sealable chamber filled with cigarettes is pressed in a pressurized position by a fixed cylinder connected to the substantially airtightly sealable chamber. Thus, all substantially airtightly sealable chambers in the rotating member can be continuously pushed by only one fixed cylinder. On the other hand, several stationary cylinders press the substantially hermetically sealable chamber at various pressure positions.

Preferably, the cylinder and the chamber are separated by a screen. This screen can pass through the fluid, but not the cigarette. Thus, the cigarette will not be able to reliably enter the cylinder or the fluid communication conduit or pipe connecting the cylinder and the chamber. Particularly, the screen is provided in the chamber to seal the hole of the fluid communication portion connecting the cylinder and the chamber.

The present invention also relates to a tobacco expansion apparatus comprising at least one substantially airtight sealable chamber and a pressurized cylinder connected to the at least one chamber, the pressurized cylinder comprising a piston, And is adapted to change the pressure of one chamber to a different pressure than the atmospheric pressure. Cigarettes in at least one substantially hermetically sealable chamber can be treated quickly and reliably with different pressures for the expansion of the cigarette. Preferably, the tobacco expansion device comprises a locking member for opening and closing the substantially hermetically sealable chamber, and the locking member is slidably or hingedly installed to open and close the chamber. Thus, the chamber can be opened easily so that the cigarette can be filled in the chamber and the expanded cigarette can be discharged from the chamber.

In particular, the tobacco expansion apparatus consists of several substantially hermetically sealable chambers, where each chamber is adapted to be placed in the loading position in succession, and each chamber can be filled with cigarettes through a loading lock. The tobacco expansion device may be 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 50 or more chambers or other number of chambers. The chamber may be of different sizes, but a uniform size is preferred.

Preferably, the volume of the chamber is between about 0.001 m 3 and about 10 m 3, preferably between about 0.01 m 3 and about 2 m 3, and most preferably between about 0.1 m 3 and about 1 m 3.

In addition, each chamber is suitable for placement in the discharge position. Here, the cigarette can be discharged from each chamber through the discharge lock member. Thus, by allowing each chamber to be placed in the loading position and also in the discharge position, an efficient and nearly continuous process of tobacco expansion can be implemented. In addition, a means for filling the cigarette can be provided for sealing the chamber in the loading position, and the fixed discharging means can be arranged for sealing the chamber in the discharging position.

Preferably, a plurality of rotatable members suitable for rotating the substantially hermetically sealable chamber are provided. Thus, the chamber can be rotated so that the chamber can be continuously positioned at the loading position and the discharging position.

Optionally, however, a substantially airtightly sealable chamber may also be provided in the linearly movable member.

In addition, the tobacco expansion device comprises storage means for the pressure chamber in the parked position as described above.

Preferably, the treatment medium is injected through an injection valve and the injection valve measures the amount of the injected medium. Preferably the injection valve provides a circulation function.

In order to provide a circulation function, a pressure piston is provided in the purge hole of the purge valve. The purge valve allows the treatment medium to be injected through the injection holes in the chamber. In the same way, the air or treatment medium already present in the pressurized cylinder can be discharged from the pressurized cylinder.

In another embodiment, a circulation hole may be provided in the chamber itself.

In addition, the tobacco expansion device may be provided with an air bleed valve, which may be located in the cylinder or in the chamber, but is preferably located in the fluid communication conduit, preferably between the chamber and the cylinder. The air bleed valve can be opened for sudden pressure changes in the chamber and the pressurized cylinder, especially for sudden high pressure air or discharge of the treatment medium from the chamber and the pressurized cylinder. On the other hand, the depressurization can be achieved by the rapid retraction of the piston of the pressurizing cylinder. The air bleed valve and the purge valve can be performed with the same valve.

In use, the tobacco expansion apparatus preferably operates according to the following two operating modes, "pressure-mode" and "vacuum-mode".

In "push-mode ", first the loading lock member of the tobacco chamber is opened and the cigarette is inserted into the chamber. At this time, the charging lock member is closed, and the purge valve in the pressure valve is opened while injecting the steam into the chamber through the injection valve. Thus, the steam is first filled into the chamber to replace the air in the chamber, and the steam passes through the screen, through the connection conduit, and then through the purge valve into the pressurized cylinder. When the previous air contained in the chamber and the pressurized cylinder is completely replaced by steam, the steam injection is stopped. The recirculation step can optionally be carried out by circulating the steam exiting the injection valve through the purge valve so that all the cigarettes in the chamber can be adequately treated with steam.

The piston of the pressure cylinder is initially in the retracted position and moves to form a high pressure in the chamber. The retracted position refers to a position where the volume of the cylinder connected to the chamber is at the maximum or at least relatively large. Throughout this process, the injection valve, purge valve and air bleed valve are closed. On the other hand, however, the pressure in the chamber can be formed by the injection of high-pressure steam through the injection valve.

The cigarette is kept under high pressure for a certain period of time. So all cigarettes are treated with steam under high pressure.

The pressure can be abruptly released by the movement of the piston or the hole in the air bleed valve. The sudden release of pressure results in a rapid phase change of the water inside the cigarette from the liquid to the vapor, thereby causing the cigarette to expand. Optionally, a sudden release of pressure is obtained by simultaneously opening the piston and the air bleed valve.

As a final step, the discharge lock member at the bottom of the tobacco chamber is opened and the inflated cigarette is discharged.

In "vacuum-mode ", the cigarette is provided to the chamber through the loading lock member, at which time it is in the advanced position to initially provide the minimum volume in the pressurizing cylinder.

At this time, the charging lock member is closed, and as already mentioned, steam is injected through the injection valve and discharged through the purge valve. After selective recirculation of steam, both the steam injection valve and the purge valve are closed and the piston of the pressure cylinder is retracted to suddenly increase the volume of the pressure cylinder, creating a pressure significantly lower than the atmospheric pressure in the pressure cylinder and the tobacco chamber. This pressure causes the cigarette to expand.

Subsequently, for repressurization, the air bleed valve is opened to raise the pressure in the chamber and the pressure cylinder back to atmospheric pressure. Additionally, or on the other hand, the movement of the piston of the pressurizing cylinder can perform the re-pressurizing process. Finally, the discharge lock member of the chamber is opened to discharge the expanded cigarette.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. The following description is for illustrative purposes only and is not intended to limit the scope of the invention.

The tobacco expansion device 1 of Fig. 1 comprises a rotary member 2 which is rotatable about a rotary shaft 3 and which is generally rotatable about a rotary member 2, In a substantially vertical direction.

The dashed lines in Fig. 1 represent parts of the cigarette expansion device and are typically hidden parts, which are located inside the cigarette inflator or on the rear side of the cigarette inflator.

In this embodiment, the rotary member 2 has a substantially cylindrical outer shape, and the upper and lower surfaces are flat circular. The rotary member 2 is driven by any appropriate driving means, for example, a servo motor or a stepper motor.

The rotating member 2 is provided with cigarette chambers 3, 4. The cigarette chambers 3 and 4 are located in the outer region in the radial direction of the rotary member 2 when viewed from the rotary shaft 3. The tobacco chamber (3,4) extends from the upper surface of the rotating member (2) to the lower surface.

Particularly, the tobacco chambers 3 and 4 have loading holes on the upper surface of the rotary member 2, and these loading holes can be sealed by the loading lock members 5 and 6. The loading lock members 5, 6 are hingedly provided on one side of the loading hole. 1, the loading lock member 5 of the tobacco chamber 3 is open, and the loading lock member 6 of the tobacco chamber 4 is closed.

Further, the cigarette chambers 3 and 4 include a discharge hole on the lower surface of the rotary member 2. These discharge holes can be sealed by the hinged discharge lock members 7, 8 shown in both of them in Fig.

The tobacco expansion chambers 3 and 4 can be hermetically sealed when the loading lock members 5 and 6 and the discharge lock members 7 and 8 are closed. However, only the fluid communication conduits 9, 10 are connected to the chambers 3, 4 at the lower portions 11, 13 of the pressurizing cylinder 12. The pressurizing cylinder (12) includes a piston (14). The piston 14 moves between the upper portion 15 and the lower portion 11 and 13 of the pressure cylinder 12 to change the pressure in the pressure cylinder 12. [

Figure 1 shows a split pressurized cylinder, which consists of a rotating pressing part and a stationary cylinder part. The pressurizing cylinder 12 consists of a lower portion 11 and an upper portion 15 and a piston 14 while the tobacco chamber 8 has an upper portion and a lower portion 13 of the divided pressurizing cylinder without a piston, Lt; / RTI > In use, the fixed upper portion 15 of the split pressurizing cylinder 12 and the piston 14 are aligned with the lower portions 11, 13 of the rotary member 2.

In addition, a valve is provided in the fluid communication conduits 9,10. Thus, even if the upper portion 15 and the piston 14 are not connected to the lower portions 11 and 13 of the pressure cylinder 12, the pressure in the chambers 3 and 4 is maintained at a level different from the atmospheric pressure . This allows the piston 14 and the actuating means to be provided at the indicated positions while each lower portion 11,13 of the pressurizing cylinder is driven by the rotation of the rotary member 2 around the rotary shaft 3, ) In order to be aligned with the line.

However, on the other hand, a fully equipped pressure piston can be provided for each chamber 3,4.

Each of the chambers 3, 4 includes an injection hole through which a medium such as steam can be injected into the chambers 3, 4 as the injection valves 16, 17 are adjusted. The purge valves 18 and 19 are provided in the lower parts 11 and 13 of the pressurizing cylinder 12 and are replaced with steam injected through the injection valves 16 and 17. The air bleed valve may be provided at the same position as the purge valve 18, 19, while the air bleed valve and purge valve 18, 19 are the same valve.

In one embodiment, the purge valves 18, 19 are in fluid communication with the injection valves 16, 17 via a circulation pipe and the medium discharged through the purge valves 18, 17 and the chamber 3, 4 again.

2 is a horizontal (cross-sectional) sectional view of the tobacco expansion device. The tobacco chambers 24, 25, 26, 27 are provided in the rotary member 2, not shown in Fig. The chambers 24,25, 26,27 are in fluid communication with the lower portions 20,21, 22,23 of the pressurizing cylinder 12 through the connecting conduits 28,29,30,31. The number of chambers for expanding the cigarette in the rotating member 2 may be any number. However, in Fig. 1, only two chambers 3, 4 are clearly shown. More chambers, 4, 6, 8, 12, 16 or 24, are also desirable under actual production conditions, which will increase the throughput of the cigarette.

In use, the cigarette is provided as a tobacco chamber, wherein the tobacco chamber is in the position of the tobacco chamber 3. At the same time, the already-expanded cigarette is discharged from the tobacco chamber at the position of the tobacco chamber 24, and the pressure of the chamber 3 is changed to a different pressure from the atmospheric pressure as each of the loading lock members 5 is closed. At this time, the rotary member 2 is rotated clockwise about 60 times, and the chamber 24 is provided with a cigarette after the loading lock member of the chamber 24 is opened. In parallel, the cigarette is discharged from the chamber 25. Thus, as shown in FIG. 2, the chamber 3 is in the loading position and the chamber 24 is in the discharging position. In addition, the chamber 3 is in the pressurized position.

The pressure in the chamber 23 is released by the contraction of the piston and the opening of the air bleed valve. At this time, the discharge lock member is opened. Thus, after the rotating member has rotated about 60 times, one tobacco chamber is filled, while the other is emptied at the same time. It is possible to work on the tobacco expansion method in the tobacco expansion device with high throughput and high efficiency.

1: Tobacco expansion device
2: rotating member
3:
3, 4: Tobacco chamber
5, 6: Loading lock member
7, 8: Discharge lock member
9, 10: fluid communication conduit
11, 13: Lower part
12: Pressure cylinder
14: Piston
15: Upper part
16, 17: injection valve
18, 19: Purge valve
20, 21, 22, 23:
24, 25, 26, 27: Tobacco chamber
28, 29, 30, 31:

Claims (13)

26. The method of claim 1, further comprising providing a tobacco within a hermetically sealable chamber (3,4, 24, 25, 26, 27) having atmospheric pressure, wherein the pressurizing cylinder (12) 27) and adding a piston (14) to said pressure cylinder (12); And
Moving the piston (14) of the pressurizing cylinder (12) so that the pressure in the chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27) is changed to a different pressure than the atmospheric pressure,
The step of providing cigarettes to the hermetically sealable chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27)
The position of the first locking member (5,6) of the chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27) to form a first hole in the chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27) ;
Inserting the cigarette into the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) through the first hole;
And expanding the cigarette in the chamber, and thereafter,
Changing the position of the second locking member (7, 8) of the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) to form a second hole in the chamber; And
Further comprising the step of discharging the expanded cigarette from the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) through the second hole. 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that the change in pressure is made by lowering the pressure in the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) to below atmospheric pressure by the movement of the piston Of the tobacco material. The method according to claim 1, wherein the method further comprises: raising the pressure in the chambers (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) to atmospheric pressure or higher by the movement of the piston (14) And then lowering the tobacco material. delete 4. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the method comprises injecting a treatment medium into the chambers (3,4,24,25,26,27) through injection valves (16,17) Of the tobacco material. delete Method according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a number of hermetically sealable chambers (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) are provided on the rotary member 2, Providing said cigarette to at least one of said chambers (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) in a loading position;
Rotating the rotating member (2);
Maintaining the cigarette in one of the chambers (3,4,24,25,26,27) under a pressure different from atmospheric pressure while rotating the rotating member (2); And
Releasing the cigarette from the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) when the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) is in the discharge position A method of inflating a tobacco material. 8. A method as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the hermetically sealable chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) with a separate cylinder provided in each of the hermetically sealable chambers , 27) of the tobacco material. 8. A hermetically sealable chamber (1) as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that it comprises a hermetically sealable chamber (1) filled with a cigarette in said pressure position by means of a fixed cylinder (12) connecting with a hermetically sealable chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) of the tobacco material. A method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cylinder (12) and the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) Wherein the tobacco material is separated by a plurality of openings. A hermetically sealable chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27);
And a piston (14) in communication with the chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27), and wherein the pressure in the chamber (3,4,24,25,26,27) A pressurizing cylinder 12 adapted to change;
The hermetically sealing chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) is opened and closed and the chamber (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) is slidably or hinged And a locking member (5, 6, 7, 8) provided on the side of the cigarette. 12. The apparatus according to claim 11, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of hermetically sealable chambers (3,4,24,25,26,27), each of said chambers (3,4,24,25,26,27) Is suitable to be placed after the loading position in which the cigarettes can be filled in the chambers (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27) And is adapted to a discharge position capable of discharging cigarettes from the respective chambers (3, 4, 24, 25, 26, 27). delete

Images