NZ560695A

NZ560695A - Home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid

Info

Publication number: NZ560695A
Application number: NZ56069507A
Authority: NZ
Inventors: Dirk Minkner; Michael Kuepper; Tsuyoshi Ogihara; Alexander Schlag; Horst Drieling
Original assignee: Bat Cigarettenfab Gmbh
Priority date: 2006-08-18
Filing date: 2007-08-16
Publication date: 2009-01-31
Also published as: DE102006038867A1; AU2007205795B2; AU2007205795A1; EP1889549A1; CA2597207A1; CA2597207C

Abstract

A device for home production of cigarettes, in particular filter cigarettes, by a consumer, using a tobacco cuboid (1) as a starting material, the device having a tobacco cuboid receiving area (3), a separating device (4) for separating a tobacco portion from the tobacco cuboid, a strand forming device (5, 7, 15, 16, 18) for forming a strand-like tobacco portion (11) and a conveying device for conveying the formed tobacco portion into a cigarette tube (22), is disclosed. It further relates a method, a system and a tobacco cuboid for home production of cigarettes, in particular filter cigarettes.

Description

Patents Form 5 56 06 9 5 N.Z. No.

NEW ZEALAND Patents Act 1953 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION HOME PRODUCTION OF CIGARETTES FROM A TOBACCO CUBOID We, British American Tobacco (Germany) GmbH, a German company of Alsterufer 4, 20354 Hamburg, Germany, do hereby declare the invention, for which we pray that a patent may be granted to us, and the method by which it is to be performed, to be particularly described in and by the following statement:- WltLLTCTllAL WOPERTY OFFICE? 0FN2. I 16 AUG 200?Followfdby1A) SICEIVED 1A Home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid The invention relates to a device, a method, a system and a tobacco cuboid for home production of cigarettes, in 5 particular filter cigarettes, by the consumer. In particular the invention relates to home production which is to be regarded as an alternative to the production of cigarettes by rolling them from loose tobacco (roll your own) , home stuffing of cigarettes from loose tobacco or 10 the known production of cigarettes from pre-manufactured tobacco strands from tobacco rolls or stix (make your own) .

EP 0 647 411 Bl describes a multitude of tobacco cuboids 15 which are held in shape by internal and external substances. Pre-portions are provided in these tobacco cuboids. Different sleeves are also described.

EP 0 584 805 Bl describes a tobacco cuboid which has 20 greatly rounded longitudinal sides and a porous outer sleeve. Furthermore it describes a device which is used for home production of cigarettes from the tobacco cuboids in sleeves also described therein. The sleeve is not removed upon use of the described device, which can 25 have negative effects upon taste for the consumer. Furthermore, the use of a knife to separate a portion of tobacco from the tobacco cuboid is necessary, the limited shelf life of which also limits the use of the whole device.

It is the object of the invention to facilitate optimised home production of cigarettes, in particular filter cigarettes.

IB Thus, the invention provides a device for home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid as a starting material, with a tobacco cuboid receiving area, a separating device for separating a tobacco portion from the tobacco cuboid, a strand forming device for forming a strand-like tobacco portion and with a conveying device for conveying the formed tobacco portion into a cigarette tube, characterised in that the separating device and the strand forming device each comprises a concave forming/receiving area which cooperate to define at least one lateral separating edge for separating the tobacco portion from the cuboid.

In another aspect, the invention provides a method for home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid as a starting material, wherein the tobacco cuboid is arranged on or in a tobacco cuboid receiving area, a tobacco portion is separated from the tobacco cuboid with a separating device comprising a concave forming/receiving area, and is fed to a strand forming device comprising a concave forming/receiving area for forming a strand-like tobacco portion, wherein the forming/receiving areas of the separating device and the strand forming device cooperate to define at least one lateral separating edge for separating the tobacco portion from the cuboid and wherein the formed tobacco portion is conveyed into a cigarette tube with a conveying device.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a system for home production of cigarettes with a device as described above and with a tobacco cuboid which comprises a quantity of tobacco for several tobacco portions, whereby each tobacco portion is suitable for producing a cigarette.

In a further aspect, the invention provides a tobacco cuboid as a starting material for home production of cigarettes whereby the tobacco cuboid is defined by the features which are indicated above relating to the tobacco cuboid. intellectual property office of n.z. 11 NOV 2008 ocnciwrn 2 A fundamental idea of the invention consists in providing a device which uses a quantity of tobacco including several portions for cigarette production, whereby each portion is sufficient to produce one cigarette. This multi-portion quantity of tobacco should be essentially in the shape of a cuboid, which is why the term tobacco cuboid is used.

As will become clearer below, the definition of the tobacco cuboid is significant for the processability of the tobacco cuboid with the different embodiments of the device according to the invention.

The tobacco cuboid has a density, particularly being homogenous, which does not substantially deviate from that of the finished cigarette. In particular the density of the tobacco cuboid is not more than twice that of the finished cigarette and not less than half that of the finished cigarette. A tobacco cuboid is preferred with a density which is close to that of the finished cigarette.

The tobacco cuboid has a height and width which correspond to the dimensions of the finished cigarette, i.e. the height of the tobacco block corresponds to the diameter and the width of the tobacco block corresponds to the length of the tobacco strand of the finished cigarette. with virtually identical density of the tobacco block and the finished cigarette, the corresponding dimensions are also virtually identical accordingly. Should the density of the tobacco cuboid, however, deviate upwardly or downwardly from that of the TNfiilicnl^ROPERTY I OFFICE OF N.Z. 17 MAR 2008 received 3 finished cigarette, this is compensated by the corresponding adaptations of the height or the width of the tobacco cuboid in order to be able to produce a cigarette of high quality. The length of the tobacco 5 cuboid corresponds to the number of the portions of the multi-portion quantity of tobacco in the tobacco cuboid. The length is preferably orientated so that a whole number of tobacco portions is contained in the tobacco cuboid. In particular the number of tobacco portions 10 should be greater than 5.

The tobacco cuboid comprises a homogenous, loose mass of tobacco which preferably has no defined structure. In particular there are no strand-form pre-portions. 15 However, it is also conceivable for the tobacco cuboid to have perforations on the corresponding parts of the length of the tobacco cuboid without dividing the tobacco cuboid. Such perforations can be introduced through different methods. In particular, knives, circular knives 20 or water jet cutting methods are conceivable. These perforations serve to facilitate the separation of a tobacco portion from the rest of the tobacco cuboid.

The tobacco cuboid is preferably held together by 25 inherent forces. With long fibre tobacco sections this is easily achieved through the length of the fibres. With short fibre tobacco sections, this can be achieved through the adaptation of the casing materials. In case of need, the surface of the tobacco cuboid can also be 30 correspondingly treated, in particular being sprayed.

Irrespectively of a further re-packaging, the tobacco cuboid can have a sleeve which guarantees the freshness of the tobacco cuboid, facilitates the handling of the 35 tobacco cuboid in home production of cigarettes and also 4 ensures the form stability of the tobacco cuboid. This sleeve can enclose all sides of the tobacco cuboid or only a few, in particular a single side.

It is, however, also conceivable that such a sleeve is unnecessary.

For home production of cigarettes the sleeve is opened or completely removed in order that the device according to 10 the invention can process the loose tobacco cuboid. It is provided that as few parts of the sleeve as possible are involved in the process of home production of the cigarettes, in particular no parts thereof being involved.

Paper and cardboard are just as conceivable for sleeve materials as plastic, in particular film materials.

The invention is described in greater detail with the aid 20 of several embodiments by reference to the attached drawing. It can include all features described herein individually or in any meaningful combination and be realised both as a device or a product (tobacco cuboid) or also as a system of devices / products or as a method. 25 In particular the method features and the features for a tobacco cuboid according to the invention follow from the complete disclosure provided herein, in particular from the described or logically consistent use of the parts of the device. The drawing shows the following: Fig. 1 shows a first embodiment of the device according to the invention, Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment of the device according to the invention, Pig. 3 Fig. 4 Fig. 5 Fig. 6 Fig. 7 Fig. 8 shows a third embodiment of the device according to the invention, shows a fourth embodiment of the device according to the invention, shows a fifth embodiment of the device according to the invention, shows a sixth embodiment of the device according to the invention, shows a further arrangement of an embodiment of the device according to the invention, shows a seventh embodiment of the device according to the invention.

The devices according to the invention can be divided 15 into two groups. Devices which separate individual tobacco portions from the tobacco cuboid will be described first of all. Devices which separate several tobacco portions from the tobacco cuboid through one process, preferably processing the whole tobacco cuboid 20 in one process, will follow. If no further details are given concerning the conveying of the tobacco strand thus formed, this will be achieved through known method steps and device components such as tappet elements or spoonlike sliding elements.

Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein three work stages can be seen, one below the other.

A tobacco cuboid 1 lies on a receiving area 3 of a base body 2 of the device. Since a cutting die 5 is located outside of a tobacco portion receiving area 7, the tobacco cuboid 1 can be pushed as far as a portioning stop 9. If the cutting die 5 is pushed downwards, a 35 tobacco portion 11 is cut off. The cutting can thereby 6 take place simultaneously over the whole length of the tobacco cuboid or through a joint element in the manner of a pair of scissors. The form of the cutting die provides concave forming means for the tobacco strand and 5 two separating edges 4 which, together with the edge of the tobacco portion receiving area 7, form the cutting edge for the tobacco portion 11. A knife for separating the tobacco portion from the tobacco cuboid is not necessary. The formed tobacco portion 11 can now be 10 conveyed out of the drawing plane by means which are not shown into the cigarette tube.

In the further figures, components which are the same or have the same effect have the same reference numerals as 15 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein three work stages can be seen, one beside the other. This differs 20 from the embodiment according to Fig. 1 in that the tobacco is supplied vertically, i.e. in accordance with gravity. In both embodiments, however, a mechanical conveying aid can also be provided which supports, for example through prestressing of a spring, the transport 25 of the tobacco block into the stop position.

Fig. 3 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein three work stages can be seen, one beside the other. The tobacco 30 cuboid 1 is again brought through a receiving area 3 into the device and pushed against the portioning stop 9. The portioning takes place in this device, however, through a clamping mechanism with two clamping halves 13 which are arranged on a joint 14, in particular being force-locking 35 (for example closing through spring force). In the closed 7 state of the clamping mechanism the tobacco portion 11 is formed whereby the portioning stop 9 together with the two clamping mechanism halves 13 defines the tobacco portion receiving area 7. The conveying of the tobacco 5 portion 11 (of the tobacco strand) into a cigarette paper tube can take place as described above.

Fig. 4 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein three work 10 stages can be seen, one beside the other. The tobacco cuboid 1 is portioned between two forming wheels 15, here, which comprise round, concave forming means 16 (notches) with separating edges 4 on their outer periphery. By rotating (mechanically) the forming wheels 15 15 the tobacco is pre-portioned by means of 2 or 3 notches, cut and conveyed into the tobacco portion receiving area 7. Here, the portioning stop 9, together with the notches 16 of the forming wheels 15, forms the tobacco portion 11. The conveying of the tobacco portion 20 11 (of the tobacco strand) into a cigarette paper tube can take place as described above.

Fig. 5 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein four work stages 25 can be seen, one beside the other. In particular there is a deviation from the embodiment in Fig. 4. In this embodiment the tobacco cuboid 1 is fed to a single forming wheel 15 in a housing 2 0 and the tobacco cuboid 1 is divided into portions in that the tobacco cuboid 1 is 30 separated through the separating edges (4) (webs) of the forming wheel 15 and formed with the housing wall 18 as a counter bearing. As in the embodiment according to Fig. 4, the forming wheel 15 is further rotated mechanically. In position 7 the tobacco portion has reached the 35 receiving area and can be conveyed as described above. 8 Fig. 6 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein four work stages can be seen, one below the other. It is an embodiment 5 wherein the tobacco cuboid 1 is simultaneously divided into several tobacco portions. This device consists essentially of two forming halves 17 which can receive the complete tobacco cuboid 1 and are connected at an edge by a hinge element 19 or similar. Stops or markers 10 can be provided in the forming halves 17 in order to correctly position the tobacco cuboid 1 (not shown here). The forming halves 7 have, alternately, dies 5 with separating edges 4 and tobacco portion receiving areas 7, whereby these elements are longitudinally offset in the 15 two halves. By folding together the two forming halves 17, the individual tobacco portions 11 are divided in one movement but nonetheless partially offset in time, and finished through the preformed semi-circles of the tobacco portion receiving areas 7 in the forming halves 20 17. After the complete edging in the penultimate stage, the tobacco portions 11 are formed which are indicated in the last stage, whereby only two of them are indicated. In this embodiment the formed tobacco portions 11 are arranged in two planes, one more in the upper forming 25 half and one more in the lower forming half of the device.

Fig. 7 shows the embodiment of a device according to the invention which can be formed for example according to 30 Fig. 6, schematically, in a closed state and with filter cigarette tubes 22 placed on it. In Fig. 7, above, an upper view is shown, below are two work stages in a sectional representation for the arrangement of the tobacco portion 11 in the sleeve 22. For each formed 35 tobacco portion 11 a slide element 21 is provided, with 9 which the tobacco portion 11 can be conveyed into the cigarette tube 12 and which comprises a contact head which projects through a slot 24 out of the top of the device. It is obviously clear to the person skilled in 5 the art that the corresponding slide elements 21 can also be arranged as rods on the side lying opposite the cigarette tubes. It is also possible for all slide elements 21 to be connected and all tobacco portions 11 to be simultaneously conveyed.

Fig. 8 shows a further embodiment of the device according to the invention, schematically, wherein three work stages can be seen, one beside the other. This constitutes in turn a variant of the embodiment in Fig. 15 6. In particular, the upper forming half 17 is not connected to the lower half by a hinge here. The tobacco cuboid 1 is thereby separated at all separating points simultaneously through partially lengthened separating edges 4 of the upper half which can travel in the lower 20 counter element (lower forming half) into receiving slots 25. In this respect, great force application is necessary and separating webs 23 are thus provided. It is likewise preferable for the tobacco cuboid 1 to consist of comparatively few tobacco portions in order to reduce the 25 force application. The conveying of the tobacco portions 11 (the tobacco strands) into a cigarette paper tube can take place as described above.

As the tobacco cuboid 1, as described, can have a higher 30 or lower density than the finished cigarette, means can be provided in these embodiments which achieve a change in the tobacco stuffing density during conveying. For example there may be a reduction of the diameter in the manner of a truncated cone which thus leads to an 35 increase in the stuffing density.

On the other hand surface structures in the conveying channel may lead to the tobacco portion breaking up and hence a reduction of the tobacco stuffing density. It is preferable, however, for the tobacco cuboid to have a density which lies only negligibly below that of the finished tobacco strand, and the desired small increase is achieved by compressing the tobacco portion during conveying.

Claims

11 What we claim is:

1. Device for home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid as a starting material, with a tobacco 5 cuboid receiving area, a separating device for separating a tobacco portion from the tobacco cuboid, a strand forming device for forming a strand-like tobacco portion and with a conveying device for conveying the formed tobacco portion into a cigarette tube, characterised in 10 that the separating device and the strand forming device each comprises a concave forming/receiving area which cooperate to define at least one lateral separating edge for separating the tobacco portion from the cuboid. 15

2. Device according to claim 1, wherein the cigarettes are filter cigarettes.

3. Device according to claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the forming receiving area is semi-circular.

4. Device according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the forming/receiving area comprises two lateral separating edges. 25

5. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 4, wherein the strand forming device comprises a tobacco portion receiving area, in which the formed tobacco portion lies horizontally and from which the tobacco portion is conveyed into the cigarette tube.

6. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the tobacco cuboid receiving area comprises a support or a guide for the tobacco cuboid. 35

7. Device according to claim 6, wherein an end-face 20 30 portioning stop is provided for the tobacco cuboid. 12

8. Device according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the separating device has a cutting die which separates a tobacco portion from the cuboid and pushes it into the tobacco portion receiving area. 5

9. Device according to claim 8, wherein the cutting die is guided.

10. Device according to claim 6 or claim 7, wherein the 10 separating device comprises a clamping mechanism which engages around the tobacco portion to be separated from the outside and forces it away.

11. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, 15 wherein the separating device and the strand forming device comprise two forming wheels which are arranged so as to be adjacent to each other, and comprise on the outer periphery sets of concave forming means with separating edges, arranged one after the other, whereby 20 with counter rotation of the forming wheels a set of forming means of one forming wheel cooperates with a corresponding set of forming means of the other forming wheel, separates a tobacco portion and transports it to a tobacco portion receiving area. 25

12. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, wherein the separating device and the strand forming device comprise a forming wheel and an inner housing wall of a forming wheel housing, whereby sets of concave 30 forming means with separating edges are arranged one after the other on the outer periphery of the forming wheel, and whereby upon rotation of the forming wheel in the housing forming means of the forming wheel cooperate with the inner housing wall and separate a tobacco 35 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.2 17 MAR m 13 portion and transport it to a tobacco portion receiving area.

13. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 5, 5 which comprises a plurality of separating devices and strand forming devices in order to produce a plurality of tobacco portions from a complete tobacco cuboid.

14. Device according to claim 13, wherein the separating 10 devices and the strand forming devices are arranged in part on sides, facing each other, of two device halves or forming halves which are brought together in order to form the tobacco portions.

15 15. Device according to claim 14 wherein the forming halves are connected to each other by a joint at one side and folded together.

16. Device according to claim 14 wherein the forming 20 halves are orientated essentially parallel to each other upon being brought together.

17. Device according to any one of the claims 14 to 16, wherein the tobacco portion receiving areas are arranged 25 on one forming half and the concave forming means and separating edges are arranged on the other forming half.

18. Device according to any one of the claims 14 to 16, wherein the tobacco portion receiving areas and concave 30 forming means and separating edges are arranged on the two forming halves, and indeed in an alternating way on a forming half and offset relative to each other in . relation to the two forming halves. 35 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 1 't MAR 20(18 RECEIVED 14

19. Device according to claim 18, wherein the tobacco portion receiving areas offset relative to each other, concave forming means and separating edges are arranged in an alternating way, one in the upper forming half, and 5 then one in the lower forming half.

20. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 19, wherein one slide element is provided for conveying the formed tobacco portion into cigarette tubes. 10

21. Device, according to claim 20, wherein the slide element is hand operated.

22. Device according to any one of the claims 1 to 21, 15 wherein means are provided which cause a change in the tobacco stuffing density of the tobacco strand upon conveying of the formed tobacco portion.

23. Device according to claim 22, wherein the change is 20 a cross-section change or surface adaptation in the tobacco portion receiving area.

24. Method for home production of cigarettes from a tobacco cuboid as a starting material, wherein the tobacco 25 cuboid is arranged on or in a tobacco cuboid receiving area, a tobacco portion is separated from the tobacco cuboid with a separating device comprising a concave forming/receiving area, and is fed to a strand forming device comprising a concave forming/receiving area for 30 forming a strand-like tobacco portion, wherein the forming/receiving areas of the separating device and the strand forming device cooperate to define at least one lateral separating edge for separating the tobacco portion from the cuboid and wherein the formed tobacco portion is 35 conveyed into a cigarette tube with a conveying device ilNTfcLLbCTUAL prop—' OFFICE OF N Z ] 1 4 NOV 2008 ' RECPa/Cn 15

25. Method according to claim 24, wherein the cigarettes are filter cigarettes.

26. Method according to claim 24 or claim 25, wherein 5 the forming receiving area is semi-circular.

27. Method according to any one of the claims 24 to 26, wherein the forming/receiving area comprises two lateral separating edges.

28. Method according to any one of the claims 24 to 27, wherein the cigarette is produced by means of a device according to any one of the claims 2 to 23. 15

29. System for home production of cigarettes with a device according to any one of the claims 1 to 23, and with a tobacco cuboid which comprises a quantity of tobacco for several tobacco portions, whereby each tobacco portion is suitable for producing a cigarette.

30. System according to claim 29, wherein the cigarettes are filter cigarettes.

31. System according to claim 29 or claim 30, wherein 25 the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which corresponds essentially to the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced.

32. System according to claim 31, wherein the tobacco 30 cuboid has a homogenous density which is not more than twice and not less than half the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced. 10 20 35 intellectual property office of n.z 1 4 NOV 2008 16

33. System according to claim 31 or claim 32, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which is only negligibly higher than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced. 5

34. System according to claim 33, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which is up to 2 0% higher than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced. 10

35. System according to claim 34, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which is up to 10% higher than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced.

36. System according to claim 31 or claim 32, wherein 15 the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which is only negligibly lower than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced.

37. System according to claim 36, wherein the tobacco 20 cuboid has a homogenous density which is up to 20% lower than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced.

38. System according to claim 37, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a homogenous density which is up to 10% lower 25 than the tobacco density of the cigarette to be produced.

39. System according to any one of the claims 31 to 38, wherein the measurement corresponding to the cigarette length and / or the height of the cuboid is / are greater 30 than the intended cigarette length and / or the intended cigarette diameter if the tobacco cuboid density is smaller than the desired cigarette density, and vice versa. 35 ■___ INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. p MAR 2008 ! o £. r i- . w £ n 17

40. System according to any one of the claims 29 to 39, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a length which corresponds to a whole number of cigarettes to be produced. 5

41. System according to claim 40, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a length which corresponds to at least 5 cigarettes.

42. System according to any one of the claims 29 to 41, 10 wherein the tobacco cuboid has perforations of the tobacco material on the boundaries of the tobacco portions to be separated.

43. System according to any one of the claims 29 to 42, 15 wherein the tobacco cuboid does not have a sleeve in the state for production.

44. System according to any one of the claims 29 to 43, wherein the tobacco cuboid has a transport and freshness 20 sleeve on several or all sides.

45. Tobacco cuboid as a starting material for home production of cigarettes whereby the tobacco cuboid is defined by the features which are indicated in the 25 preceding claims relating to the tobacco cuboid.

46. Tobacco cuboid according to claim 45, wherein the cigarettes are filter cigarettes. 30

47. A device substantially as herein described or exemplified, with reference to the accompanying drawings.

48. A method according to claim 24, substantially as herein described or exemplified. 35 INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 17 MAR 2008 Dc^eiwcn 18

49. A system according to claim 29, substantially as herein described or exemplified.

50. A tobacco cuboid substantially as herein described or exemplified, with reference to the accompanying drawings. BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO(GERMANY) GMBH By Their Attorneys HENRY HUGHES INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY OFFICE OF N.Z. 17 MAR 2008 RECEIVED