KR20130101478A - Method and machine for producing paperless filter rods for smoking articles - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: An apparatus and a method for producing a paperless filter rod for smoking articles are provided to remarkably reduce the amount of water in the flow of steam without damaging the quality of a product, and to reduce the production costs. CONSTITUTION: A method for producing a paperless filter rod for smoking articles comprises the following steps: rapidly transferring a tow band of a filtering material soaked in a hardening material on a porous conveyor unit(22) extended along a molding channel of a molding beam; moving the conveyor unit and the tow band along the molding channel; discharging steam through the conveyor unit and the tow band for reaction of the hardening material; discharging air through the conveyor unit and the tow band, and drying the tow band to obtain consecutive paperless rod filters; transferring consecutive rods from the molding beam to a cutting means, and cutting the rods into filter segments in the transverse direction; discharging steam from multiple stabilization stations along a first part; and transferring the steam into an accumulation chamber connected to the molding channel through a ring nozzle from each stabilization station.

Description

METHOD AND MACHINE FOR PRODUCING PAPERLESS FILTER RODS FOR SMOKING ARTICLES

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles.

In the tobacco industry, it is known to manufacture paperless filter rods using a continuous tape of filtering material, which is usually cellulose acetate, in which the tape is fed continuously through an impregnation station and at the impregnation station. The tape is impregnated with a cured material, typically triacetin, and then the tape is deformed into a cylindrical tow band as a whole by blowing air, in this case the first part which is the stabilization portion and in this case The tow band is advanced along a longitudinal through channel of the forming beam including a second portion, which is a drying portion. While advancing along the first portion, the cured material in the tow band is reacted by a blowoff vapor, which is typically water vapor, while the tow band, first wetted by the steam, advances along the second portion and is dried relative to a defined stable section. It emerges from the forming beam in the form of a continuous rod with high axial stiffness.

The continuous rod is then fed back to the cutting station by continuous movement and cut into filter segments of defined length.

Advancing the tow band along the longitudinal channel of the forming beam is typically formed of a porous conveyor belt capable of permeating vapor and includes a loop conveyor comprising a transport stretch extending along the longitudinal channel of the forming beam ( obtained by a loop conveyor. The longitudinal channel is shaped to deform the conveyor belt transversely to take the form of a tube wound around the tow band to act on the conveyor belt to form a relatively rigid armature around the tow band. A rigid support frame, which can permeate vapor on the one hand and, on the other hand, tighten the circumference of the tow band to give the tow band a defined shape cross section and an axial direction between the tow band and the conveyor belt. Secure a dragging coupling.

On the downstream side from the forming beam and the conveyor belt described above, instead, the newly formed continuous rod is pushed forward, which is possible only by the fact that the continuous rod is rigid in the axial direction as described above.

The need for the continuous rod coming from the forming beam to be rigid, i.e. completely stabilized and dried, has had a significant impact on the methods that have been used to date for manufacturing paperless filter rods, and the tow band described above is the length of the forming beam. Upon entering the direction channel, it radially bumps into the steam stream supersaturated with relatively high water flow and content and with a relatively low velocity; The drying part is relatively long; Manufacturing apparatuses with relatively low forward speeds of the loop conveyor were derived.

By lengthening the forming beam and reducing the advancing speed of the loop conveyor, each section of the tow band, in any case, can first reach the core of the tow band by the capillary effect to react all cured material. And secondly, the tow band can remain in the forming beam for a relatively long time sufficient to dry completely as it advances along the drying section.

Finally, the use of methods known to date have allowed obtaining good quality paperless filter rods, but at a relatively low manufacturing speed.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a method of manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles, which can significantly reduce the amount of water in the steam stream and significantly increase the production rate without adversely affecting the quality of the product.

According to the invention there is provided a method of manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles according to claim 1 and preferably according to any of the following claims, which preferably depend directly or indirectly on claim 1.

According to the invention, there is also provided an apparatus for manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles, according to claim 8 and preferably according to any of the following claims, directly or indirectly dependent on claim 8.

The method and apparatus according to the present invention for manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles can significantly reduce the amount of water in the steam stream and significantly increase the production rate without adversely affecting the quality of the product, thereby increasing manufacturing costs and manufacturing Material savings and productivity gains can be achieved.

The present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings, which illustrate exemplary embodiments that do not limit the invention. In the accompanying drawings,
1 shows schematically a side view of a preferred embodiment of the device of the invention with parts removed for clarity;
FIG. 2 shows an axial sectional view of the first detail of FIG. 1 with an enlarged scale with parts removed for clarity;
3 schematically illustrates a perspective view of the second detail of FIG. 1 with parts removed for clarity;
4 schematically illustrates an exploded perspective view of another detail of FIG. 1 at enlarged scale;
5 shows a plan view of the details of FIG. 4;
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of FIG. 1 along VI-VI line; FIG.
7 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1 along the line VII-VII.

Reference numeral 1 in FIG. 1 generally designates an apparatus for manufacturing paperless filter rods (not shown).

Such a production apparatus 1 comprises an inlet unit 2 of known type configured to produce a tape 3 of filtering material, typically cellulose acetate, wetted with a curing fluid, typically triacetin; A rod forming unit 4 disposed in series with the inlet unit 2 and configured to receive the tape and react the cured material to deform the tape 3 into an axially rigid continuous paperless rod filter 5. ; And downstream of the rod forming unit 4 in the feeding direction 7 of the tape 3 and the rod 5, so as to cut the rod 5 transversely into paperless filter segments (not shown). It comprises a cutting device 6 of known type, which is typically a rotating cutting head.

The rod shaping unit 4 comprises a base 8 defined at the top by an approximately horizontal flat panel 9 supporting a pneumatic inlet device 10 of known type, the pneumatic inlet device 10 being cured. Receive the tape 3 saturated with material, shape the tape 3 in the transverse direction to deform the tape 3 into a substantially cylindrical, moist tow band 11, and the tow band 11 in the feed direction ( Is configured to advance to 7). In addition, the panel 9 supports the shaping beam 12, which is aligned in line with the pneumatic inlet device 10 in the feeding direction 7 to receive the tow band 11 and tow The band 11 is transformed into a continuous rod 5.

As better shown in FIG. 2, a known type of pneumatic inlet device 10 includes a sloped duct 13, which is shaped like a De Laval nozzle therein. An intermediate portion 14, which is submerged on the panel 9 by a bracket 15 and extends through the annular pneumatic distributor 16, which announces the compressed air flow. Composed of the discharge end 17 of the feeding circuit, the compressed air stream seeps into the duct 13 through a plurality of inclined holes 18 obtained through the intermediate portion 14. The air flow coming out of the holes 18 pushes the tape 3 forward in the feed direction 7 towards the forming beam 12, imparting the tape 3 an approximately cylindrical shape to give it a tape 3. It serves the dual purpose of expanding the tape 3 to deform it into a toe band 11.

Finally, the pneumatic inlet device 10 comprises a funnel 19, which is connected to the outlet end of the duct 13 and discharges the air which is fed through the holes 18. With side holes. The funnel 19 also has a vertex opening 20 facing the shaping beam 12 and at the inlet of the conveying stretch 21 of the closed loop conveyor belt 22 made of a porous material capable of passing vapor. It is put on.

As better shown in FIG. 1, the transfer stretch 21 is mounted on the base 8 upstream of the cutting device 6 and the first pulley mounted on the base 8 below the pneumatic inlet device 10. Extending through the forming beam 12 between the second pulleys mounted on the conveyor belt 22, the conveyor belt 22 comprising a return stretch 23 wound around the drive pulley 24, which drive pulley 24 is in use. The conveying stretch 21 is configured to actuate the conveyor belt 22 to continuously advance at an adjustable speed in the feeding direction 7.

As shown in FIG. 1, the shaping beam 12 is supported by the panel 9 and anchored to the panel 9 by screws 26 (FIG. 3) and the lower plate 25 and the plate ( Two covers 27, 28 arranged in series in the feeding direction 7 above 25 to form the stabilizing part 29 and the drying part 30 of the forming beam 12 together with the plate 25, respectively. Is formed by.

As shown in FIG. 3, the lower plate 25 protrudes against the cover 27 with two extensions 31 from the portion facing the pneumatic inlet device 1 to form a tapered channel 32, The taper channel 32 houses the guide scoop 33 of the conveyor belt 22 and together with two opposing jaws 34 carried by the extensions 31. (35), the conveyor belt (22) is deformed in the transverse direction to take the shape of the tube in the inlet station (35), and the shape of the tube has previously been flat in the transverse direction. Is wound around the tow band 11, coupled to the tow band 11, and having an axis A parallel to the feeding direction 7, formed between the lower plate 25 and the covers 27, 28. It is configured to allow the forming channel 36 (FIGS. 5 and 6) to pass with the tow band 11.

As better shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, along the top surface 37 of the lower plate 25 a roughly semicircular (but the shape of this section may be different) groove 38 is obtained, which is a groove 38. ) Extends between the inlet station 35 and the outlet station 39 in the feeding direction 7, the outlet station 39 facing the cutting device 6, but arranged a distance away from the cutting device 6. This allows the conveyor belt 22 to regain its flat form before the start of the return stretch. In that regard, because the conveyor belt 22 is separated from the continuous rod 5 and stops dragging coupling with the continuous rod 5, the continuous rod 5 emerging from the forming beam 12 is discharged station 39. It is worth noting once again that the feed is pushed into the cutting device 6 just downstream of the).

In addition, along the top surface 37 two further grooves 40 are obtained, the grooves 40 being disposed on opposite sides of the groove 38, parallel to the groove 38, and covers 27. 28, each gasket 41 is configured to ensure a fluid free coupling between the bottom plate 25 and the bottom plate 25.

4, each groove 43 is obtained along the lower surface 42 of each of the covers 27 and 28. Such two grooves 43 are aligned in a line with each other in the feeding direction 7 and have similar cross sections to that of the groove 38, so that the covers 27, 28 compress the gaskets 41, respectively. When formed in the lower plate 25 by the locking device 44 (FIG. 1), the forming channel 36 (FIGS. 6 and 7) is formed together with the groove 38, which forms the forming beam. It extends between inlet station 35 and outlet station 39 of 12.

As shown in FIG. 1, the stabilization sections 29 of the shaping beam 12 have a series of stabilization stations 45 distributed along the stabilization sections 29 (the number of which is eight in the example shown). , Two of which may be sufficient).

As shown in FIG. 6, each stabilization station 45 is obtained through the lower plate 25 below the forming channel 36 and at the bottom closed lower chamber 46 without fluid leakage by the panel 9. ), The upper chamber 47 obtained through the cover 27 in a position facing the lower chamber 46 above the forming channel 36 and closed by the cap 48 at the top, and the forming channel 36. Two opposing ducts 49 are disposed opposite each other to keep the lower chamber 46 and the upper chamber 47 in communication with each other. Each duct 49 is formed in half in the lower plate 25 and the cover 27 and is developed into the blind horizontal duct 50 at the bottom, the blind horizontal duct 50 is obtained in the lower plate 25 It extends through the lower chamber 46 across the feeding direction 7 just below the groove 38. Each duct 49 extends into a blind horizontal duct 51 at the top, which is obtained from the cover 27 and crosses the feeding direction 7 immediately above the groove 43. It extends through the chamber 47 and is closed by the cap 52 at one end. The intermediate portion 53 of the duct 50 communicates with the tubular vapor inlet mounting component 55 mounted through the panel 9 by the radial duct 54 obtained from the bottom plate 25.

The middle portion 53 has a female thread and forms a case of the control valve 56 of the steam flow entering the lower chamber 46, which is coaxial with the middle portion 53 and has an intermediate portion 53. And a screw slider 57 engaged with the female thread of the axial movement along the duct 50, wherein the screw slider 57 completely opens communication between the duct 50 and the radial duct 54. FIG. It moves between the extraction position shown at 6 and the entry position (not shown) which completely closes the communication between the duct 50 and the radial duct 54. The slider 57 is coaxial with the duct 50 and can be controlled from the outside by a rod 58 extending out of the duct 50 and the lower plate 25 and coupled to the lower plate 25. The ring 59 is rotatable on the outside of the plate 25 and slidably axially supported, and the coupling 59 locks the rod 58 against the lower plate 25 itself. 60). The rod 58 may be manually operated or may be provided with a motor drive (known, not shown) that enables automatic control of the opening of the control valve 56.

As shown in FIGS. 3, 4, and 6, the lower chamber 46 has a feeding direction at the bottom of the groove 38 between the semi-annular slit 61 and the vertical ducts 49. It is in communication with the forming channel 36 by a constant lateral gap obtained across 7). Similarly, the upper chamber 47 has the same slit 62 and vertical ducts as the slit 61, which is coplanar with the slit 61 in the plane across the axis A and the feeding direction 7. It is in communication with the forming channel 36 by a constant lateral gap obtained at the lower end of the groove 43 between 49. The slits 61, 62 have a width in the range of a few branches of millimeter and in the range of 0.3 to 0.9 mm, preferably about 0.7 mm.

1, each tubular inlet mounting component 55 is connected to a collector 64 by a respective duct 63, the inlet of the collector 64 being a steam generating unit (known, as shown) Not connected).

As shown in FIG. 1, the drying section 30 of the shaping beam 12 comprises at least two drying stations 65 arranged in series in the feeding direction 7.

As shown in FIG. 7, each drying station 65 is obtained through the lower plate 25 below the forming channel 36, communicates with the forming channel 36 at the top, and the panel 9 at the bottom. Lower chamber 66 closed without fluid leakage by; Formed by a horizontal blind hole closed by a cap 68 at one end and through the cover 27 across the feed direction 7 to a position facing the lower chamber 66 above the forming channel 36. Upper chamber 67 obtained; And a plurality of ducts extending into the upper chamber 67 to leave the upper chamber 67 in communication with the forming channel 36 and thus in communication with the lower chamber 66 by the forming channel 36. (69). The upper chamber 67 also communicates the lower plate 25 and the panel 9 with the compressed air source 71 by means of tubular mounting parts 70 mounted through the cover 28, while the lower chamber ( 66 is in communication with a suction collector 72 connected with a vacuum pump 73.

In use, the manufacturing apparatus 1 controls, among other things, the feed rate of the tape 3, the control valve 56, the flow rate and temperature and saturation of the steam fed to the collector 64, and the vacuum pump 73. It is controlled by the control unit 74 which can.

The general operation of the manufacturing apparatus 1 does not differ from the general operation of known devices of the same type, and therefore no further explanation is required.

Instead, special attention is given to how to control the exposure of the tow band 11 to the action of steam along the stabilization section 29 of the shaping beam 12 in consideration of the following in the manufacturing apparatus 1. To:

In any known production apparatus of the same type, even if all water is removed from the steam fed to the collector 64, the steam is always supersaturated with fine droplets of suspended water;

The larger the vapor flow that strikes the tow band 11, the greater the number of fine droplets that permeate the tow band 11;

All the water droplets permeating into the tow band 11 generate moisture points in the tow band 11, which takes a relatively long drying time to remove the wet point.

In known manufacturing apparatus, steam is fed to the tow band by a feeding duct which typically ends with a nozzle disposed radially relative to the tow band. Thus, relatively large steam flows (i.e. with significant transport of droplets) and relatively long steam exposure times, which allow steam to permeate the entire section of the tow band as well as allow the wet points to dry, Drying time (i.e., a relatively reduced forward speed of the tow band) is required.

In each stabilization station 45 of the manufacturing apparatus 1, the slits 61, 62 form an annular nozzle capable of firing an annular vapor jet as a whole, which annulus the vapor when the feeding steam is the same. At least half the time that steam seeps into the tow band 11. The result is that the above-mentioned annular nozzle has a relatively reduced passage gap (0.3-0.9 mm, preferably about 0.7 mm) correspondingly to the outflow rate of steam in the same vapor flow, and thus a relatively high penetration capability. Promoted by the fact that

In addition, the feeding of steam along the stabilization portion 29 of the shaping beam 12 is split across the plurality of stabilization stations 45, as a result of which the steam flow is drastically reduced, thereby allowing the steam to trap fine droplets. The ability to transport is significantly reduced.

Finally, it is worth noting that the steam at each stabilization station is not fed directly to the annular nozzles described above, but rather through the accumulation chamber (lower chamber 46 and upper chamber 47).

The presence of such an accumulating chamber is combined with the fact that the transverse magnitudes of the annular nozzle and the vapor flow therethrough described above are greatly reduced in any case, so that most of the vapor in the aforementioned accumulating chamber is maintained under almost static conditions, and the vapor Of which only the portion immediately adjacent to the above-mentioned annular nozzle is subjected to a sharp acceleration, the acceleration affecting only the unsaturated (lighter) part of the vapor due to inertia and possibly microscopic droplets that may be suspended therein. This results in no harm.

The end result is that a blade jet of dry vapor, virtually dry, comes out of the annular nozzle described above to activate the hardener but does not soak the tow band 11 so as to shorten the drying time and advance the tow band 11. It is possible to double the speed to almost twice that found in known devices of the same type as the manufacturing device 1.

In connection with the foregoing, the results of many tests performed in the manufacturing apparatus 1 show that the steam flow is stabilized by several stabilization stations 45 (up to eight staggered in series along the forming beam 12). It has been found that dividing into stations 45 is a secondary feature that helps to improve the final result (if necessary, only using some of the stabilization stations 45 is sufficient), and the annular nozzle described above. The presence of the lateral size of the annular nozzle (width of the slits 61, 62), and the presence of the accumulation chamber (chambers 45, 46) for feeding to the annular nozzle are critical features. It's worth pointing out that it turns out. For example, the result of simply removing the accumulation chamber and / or using slits 61, 62 that are only one tenth or two wider than the range of deviations mentioned (0.3-0.9 mm), the desired result is no longer Could not be achieved.

As shown in FIG. 2, an internal forming apparatus which exists only when manufacturing paperless filter rods pierced in the axial direction, but of course, which does not exist when manufacturing solid paperless filter rods, is introduced with air pressure. Coupled with the device 10.

Such an internal forming apparatus is formed by a mandrel 75, which has the same diameter as the diameter of the axial hole to be obtained, its diameter being approximately "omega", coaxial with each other and with axis A. It comprises a bent intermediate portion 78 having two ends 76, 77 which are merchants and concavity facing downwards. The end 76 is embedded and locked in a hole 79 obtained coaxially with the axis A through the lower portion of the support bracket 15 of the duct 13; The end 77 meshes radially with the inlet of the forming channel 36 which is typically defined in the first two or three stabilization stations 45; On the other hand, the intermediate portion 78 is located in a path connected to the end 76 and along the tow band 11 coming out of the duct 13 so as to penetrate the inside of the duct 13 through a specific slit. 80, an intermediate length section 81 parallel to the axis A and disposed inside the funnel 19, and an intermediate length section 81 disposed inside the funnel 19 and connecting the end 77 with the end 77. A falling length section 82 is included.

In use, the tow band 11, which can be wetted and plastically deformed, is shaped like a U by a downward facing concave across the mandrel 75 by first contacting the rising length section 80 and then the intermediate length section 81. Deformed into shape. When the tow band 11 reaches the descending length section 82, two arms of the U shape are connected together under the mandrel 75 due to the action of pneumatic compression received by the tow band 11 at the opening 20. do. The tow band 11 takes its original shape again at the inlet of the forming channel 36 and completely wraps the end 77 of the mandrel 75.

If there is an internal shaping device formed by the mandrel 75, it is preferable to operate only the stabilizing sections 45 at which the end 77 intersects, because either stabilization station 45 downstream of the end 77. It is because there is a possibility that the axial hole just made through the tow band 11 is closed if it is operated.

According to a different variant, which is not disclosed, the tape 3 is cut into two semi-tapes along the axial direction, and each half tape is fed to the respective pneumatic inlet 10 so that the half tow band Create Such two pneumatic inlet devices 10 are arranged obliquely to each other, one converging toward the other and toward the inlet station 35, one above the mandrel or straight core and the other below it. , The mandrel or straight core is coaxial with axis A, penetrates into the forming channel 36 by a defined length section, and is disposed between the two half tow bands, the two tow bands on the conveyor belt 22. To form a tubular tow band 11 which is wound completely around the mandrel described above.

In the non-disclosed variant described above, it is advantageous to use a tape 3 that cuts in half compared to using two separate small tapes, because it involves the use of a single inlet unit 2. In addition, the use of a straight mandrel to produce a tubular tow band is such that the same alternating axial movements and / or rotational movements about the axis A (the tow band 11 differs in some way from the mandrel) Help to prevent sticking) can be imparted to the mandrel very easily.

3: tape 5: continuous loading
6: cutting means 7: feeding direction
10: feeding means 11: tow band
12: forming beam 22: conveyor means
25: lower plate 27, 28: cover means
29: first part 30: second part
36: forming channel 45: stabilization station
46, 47: accumulation chamber 49: duct
56: control valve 61, 62: slit
65: drying station 73: suction means
71: compressed air supply means 75: mandrel

Claims (16)

A method of manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles,
Along the shaping channel 36 of the shaping beam 12 comprising a first portion 29 for stabilization and a second portion 30 for drying the tow band 11 of filtering material impregnated with the curable material. Feeding onto an extended porous conveyor means 22;
Advancing the conveyor means 22 and the tow band 11 along the forming channel 36;
Ejecting steam through the conveyor means 22 and tow band 11 as the conveyor means 22 and tow band 11 advance along the first portion 29 to react the cured material;
Tow band previously wetted with steam by blowing air through the conveyor means 22 and tow band 11 as the conveyor means 22 and tow band 11 advance along the second part 30. (11) drying to obtain a rigid continuous paperless rod filter (5); And
Feeding the continuous rod 5 emerging from the forming beam 12 to the cutting means 6 to cut the rod 5 transversely into filter segments of a predetermined length,
Performing steam jet in a number of stabilization stations 45 arranged in series along the first part 29;
At each stabilization station 45, steam is fed into the accumulation chamber 46 + 47 surrounding the forming channel 36 and communicating with the forming channel 36 via the annular nozzle 61 + 62, wherein the annular nozzle ( 61 + 62) extending in a plane crossing the shaping channel 36 and having a constant width of 0.3 to 0.9 mm as measured along the axis A of the shaping channel 36. Method of manufacturing the lease filter rods. 2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the width of the annular nozzle (61 + 62) is 0.7 mm. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the steam is fed to the accumulation chamber (46 + 47) via a control valve (56) that controls the flow of steam fed to the accumulation chamber (46 + 47). . Accumulating chamber (46 + 47) is formed by first and second vapor chambers (46, 47) in communication with each other; The first and second vapor chambers 46, 47 are respectively formed with the forming channel 36 through the first returning slit 61 and the second returning slit 62, which form the annular nozzle 61 + 62 as a whole. In communication; A process for feeding steam to the first chamber (46). 5. Manufacturing according to claim 4, characterized in that the first and second chambers (46, 47) communicate with each other through ducts (49) formed through the forming beam (12) outside of the forming channel (36). Way. The blowing of air through the conveyor means 22 and the tow band 11 is carried out in at least two drying stations 65 arranged in series along the second part 30. and; At each drying station (65), the air is fed into the shaping channel (36), and then sucked out of the shaping channel (36) by suction means (73). The tow band (11) according to any of the preceding claims, further comprising forming a continuous axial hole (5) along the tow band (11) to obtain a tubular continuous rod (5), which enters the forming channel (36). 6) a method of producing a continuous axial hole by deforming a) around a mandrel (75) extending by a defined length along the first portion (29). An apparatus for manufacturing paperless filter rods for smoking articles,
A forming channel 36 comprising a first portion 29 for stabilization and a second portion 30 for drying and extending along axis A between the inlet 35 and the outlet 39. Forming beam 12;
Porous conveyor means 22 extending along the forming channel 36 and driven to move along the forming channel 36 in a defined direction 7 parallel to the axis A;
Feeding means (10) for feeding the tow band (11) of filtering material impregnated with the cured material onto the conveyor means (22) upstream from the inlet (35);
Stabilization means 45 disposed along the first part 29 for injecting steam through the conveyor means 22 and the tow band 11 to react the cured material;
A rigid continuous paperless filter rod disposed along the second portion 30 to blow air through the conveyor means 22 and tow band 11 to dry the tow band 11 previously wetted with steam. Drying means 65 for obtaining (5); And
A manufacturing apparatus comprising a cutting device 6 arranged downstream from the outlet 39 in the feeding direction 7 to cut the continuous rod 5 transversely into filter segments of defined length,
The stabilization means 45 comprises at least two stabilization stations 45 arranged in series along the first part 29;
Each stabilization station 45 comprises an accumulation chamber 46 + 47 surrounding the forming channel 36; Feeding means (10) for feeding steam to the accumulation chamber (46 + 47); And an annular nozzle 61 + 62 which leaves the accumulation chamber 46 + 47 in communication with the forming channel 36;
For the smoking article, characterized in that the annular nozzle 61 + 62 is arranged in a plane extending across the forming channel 36 and has a constant width of 0.3 to 0.9 mm when measured along the axis A Apparatus for manufacturing paperless filter rods. 9. A manufacturing apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the width of the annular nozzle (61 + 62) is 0.7 mm. 10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterized in that each stabilization station (45) comprises a control valve (56) for controlling the steam flow fed to the accumulation chamber (46 + 47). 11. Accumulation chamber (46 + 47) according to any one of claims 8 to 10, comprising first and second chambers (46, 47) in communication with each other; The first and second chambers 46, 47 communicate with the forming channel 36 via first return slit 61 and second return slit 62, respectively, which collectively form the annular nozzle 61 + 62. To; The steam feeding means (10) is characterized in that connected to the first chamber (46). 12. The fabrication according to claim 11, wherein the first and second chambers (46, 47) communicate with each other through ducts (49) formed through the forming beam (12) outside of the forming channel (36). Device. 13. Drying means (65) according to any of claims 8 to 12, wherein the drying means (65) comprise at least two drying stations (65) arranged in series along the second part (30); Each drying station 65 comprises air feeding means 71 for feeding air into the forming channel 36 and air sucking means 73 for sucking air from the forming channel 36; And the air feeding means (71) are arranged opposite both sides of the forming channel (36). 14. The forming beam (12) according to any one of claims 8 to 13, wherein the forming beam (12) has a lower plate (25) and a first groove (38) having a first groove (38) extending along the axis (A). A cover means arranged above the lower plate 25 and fixed to the lower plate 25 without fluid leakage and having a second groove 43 extending along the axis A on the side facing the lower plate 25. (27, 28), wherein the second groove (43) forms a forming channel (36) together with the first groove (38). The method according to claim 11 or 14, wherein in each stabilization station (45) a first chamber (46) is formed in the lower plate (25) and a second chamber (47) is formed in the cover means (27). The manufacturing apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned. 16. The apparatus according to any one of claims 8 to 15, further comprising internal forming means (75) for obtaining axial holes along the tow band (11) entering the forming beam (12). ) Comprises a mandrel rod 75, wherein the end of the mandrel rod 75 extends coaxially with the axis A through the inlet 35 along a predetermined length of the first portion 29. Manufacturing apparatus made with.

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