PL204228B1 - Method of and apparatus for making multiple-stage filters, application of pre-packaged filter tubes in production of making multiple-stage filters, filter tube and system for making multiple-stage tobacco industry product filters - Google Patents

Abstract

To produce multiple filters (118), for use in the tobacco industry, the filter sleeves with a filter unit are fed to a workstation where filter material (116) is fed into the sleeves in dosed portions from at least one side, to develop filter segments at least in the initial section of the sleeves. A rotating unit (108) rotates the filter sleeves.

Description

Description of the invention

The subject of the invention is a device for the production of multi-segment filters for products of the tobacco industry, with a filter tube feeding element and a transport element in which the filter tubes are placed.

The method and device for the production of multi-segment filters are described, for example, in the German patent document No. DE-AS 17 82 364 owned by the applicant company, from which the Bernhard production device manufactured by the applicant company is known in the circles of specialists. filters containing filter granules. German Patent No. DE-AS 17 82 364 corresponds to British Patent No. GB 1,243,997 and United States Patent No. US 3,603,058. Multi-stage filters, which are also called multi-segment filters, consist of at least two filter elements and typically have up to eight filter elements, which may be in any order. Various filter elements or filter segments are placed in the tube formed into a tube. They can be soft filter elements like cellulose acetate, paper, non-woven fabric or relatively hard filter elements like granules, sintered elements, hollow rolls or chambers with holes and hole inserts and the like. Suitable filter materials do not have to consist of 100% the same material. They can be, for example, mixtures of materials, such as, for example, granules in cellulose acetate. In this case, granular materials such as activated carbon are possible in particular. Depending on the materials used and the order of the filter segments, various properties of the respective multi-segment filters are obtained, which are preferably attached to the rod-shaped end of articles of the tobacco industry.

From the German patent document DE-AS 17 82 364 a granulate filling machine is known which produces filters containing granules, in particular three-stage filters. A three-stage filter is understood to mean a filter that is a filter consisting of three filtering segments, the Bernhard filling machine producing three-stage filters of double usable length, which are then placed between two elongated tobacco-containing articles wrapped in cigarette paper in the manufacture of cigarettes. after cutting them in the middle, two filter cigarettes were obtained. DE-AS 17 82 364 discloses a continuous circulation conveyor with recesses for the filter tubes, which transports the filter tubes in a transverse to axial direction. During transport in the transverse axial direction, filter plugs which are cut off from the longer filter plug and granules are alternately inserted into the tube. The filter plugs are inserted into the tube by means of transporting means, namely pushers. The granules fall into the tube under the action of gravity.

The relatively large number of technological operations on the Bernhard machine, in which in particular quite large movements have to be carried out, lead to a reduction in the efficiency of the pellet filling machine described in DE-AS 17 82 364. With ever higher productivity of cigarette making machines, it is desirable to also speeding up the production of appropriate filters.

The object of the invention is to provide a device for the production of multi-segment filters, by means of which the number of multi-segment filters produced is increased.

The object of the invention is solved in that a device for the production of multi-segment filters for products of the tobacco industry with a feeding element for the filter tubes and a transport element in which the filter tubes are placed, is characterized in that several processing stations for the filter tubes are provided on the conveying element.

Preferably, one processing station is an inverting device for inverting filter tubes.

According to the invention, the transporting element is at least one continuous circulation conveyor for conveying the filter tubes in a direction transverse to the axis.

Preferably, several processing stations are arranged on a single conveyor.

In the device according to the invention, processing stations are provided: at least one station for supplying filter material and / or at least one station for placing filter material and / or at least one station for and / or at least one heating station.

Preferably, at least one filter material supply station comprises two rotatable and eccentrically arranged discs having holes, the holes of the first disk and the holes of the second disk at one point coincide.

PL 204 228 B1

Preferably, further, at least one filter material supply station comprises at least one slider element with openings and / or at least one lever element with openings.

Preferably also, the at least one filter material placing station comprises at least one first transport means for introducing filter material into the filter tubes.

In the device according to the invention, at least one second conveying means is provided which forms a mating support for the first conveying means from the opposite side of the filter tube.

The axis of the at least one filter tube is preferably aligned with the axis of the at least one opening.

Preferably, finally, the axes of the at least two openings are aligned with the axis of the filter tube.

Due to the design of the device according to the invention, it is possible to maintain relatively short movements that the feed elements must carry out with the filter material, which means that the lead-in time can be significantly shortened.

In the context of the invention, a processing station is understood in particular as a station on which the filter material is dispensed, on which the cutting process takes place, on which the filter material is introduced into the filter tube and / or the like. During the feeding of the granules or shortly after the feeding of the granules into the tube, the tube itself is vibrated or shaken, which results in the possible tight packing of the granules. A vibrating element is provided for this. It may correspond to the vibration element of DE-AS 17 82 364.

The filter tubes are preferably prepackaged, tubular sections of sheath material with a filter element positioned at the center of each section.

If at least one processing station is assigned to the conveyor parts, i.e. in particular to a number of conveyors, and no processing station is assigned to the other conveyor portion, it is possible to construct a device with a large proportion of modules, so that different filter specifications can be taken into account relatively quickly. It is then possible to adapt or readjust the device constructed in this way from modules accordingly.

It is advantageous to assign at most one processing station to each conveyor. Due to this advantageous embodiment of the device according to the invention, a fully modular construction of the device is possible.

By means of the filter material supply station, the filter material is placed in the insertion area of the filter material supply station or is introduced into the filter tube by gravity. The ready-made or filled filters or the partially filled filter tubes are discharged by means of the discharge station. The heating station preferably serves, for example, to activate the thermally activatable adhesive for securing the filter elements to the filter tubes. In addition, a parting-off station can advantageously be provided as a processing station, which in particular preferably has a circular cutter.

If the filter material supply station preferably has two rotatable and eccentric disks which have holes, the holes of one disk and the holes of the other disk coinciding at one point, very precise dosing of, for example, granulated material is possible. Dosing takes place, for example, by the volume of the opening or by some other dosing element.

Reliable filling of the filter tube takes place when at least one filter material supply station comprises at least one slide element that is provided with openings and / or at least one lever element that is provided with openings.

If the at least one filter material introducing station comprises at least one conveying means that feeds the filter material into the filter tubes, the conditions are created for a reliable filling of the filter tubes.

If at least one second transporting means is provided, the filter tube can be filled from both sides simultaneously, or the filter element placed centrally in the filter tube can be kept centered or the filter tube is transported to the material introduction position.

When the axes of the at least two openings are in line with the axis of the filter tube, several portions of filter material can be transported simultaneously, whereby a further increase in production speed is obtained.

PL 204 228 B1

In the device according to the invention, the production of multi-segment filters for products of the tobacco industry takes place in the following steps: bringing the filter tube which has a filter element in the center of the filter tube to a predetermined position and introducing the filter material in predetermined portions into the filter tube at least from the first side, so that Filter segments are formed in at least the first portion of the filter tube.

Due to the feeding of the filter tube, which already has a filtering element in its center, and the introduction of the filtering materials into this tube in predetermined portions, it is possible to keep the relatively short movements that the feeding elements have to make in order to introduce the filtering material into the filter tube, so that a considerable amount is obtained. profit on time. In the preceding step of the manufacturing method, the filter tube is made available and / or produced with the filter element disposed therein.

Within the scope of the invention, a multi-segment filter is also understood to mean a multi-stage filter, the multi-segment filters in particular comprising at least two segments and at least two filter materials. Multi-segment filters typically have, for example, two or three or more segments, such as a cellulose acetate soft element, then a granulate, such as an activated carbon granule filter, then a second soft cellulose acetate element. In such three-stage filters, the filter is surrounded around a casing material, such as paper. When using a filter tube with one filter element in the center, multi-segment filters with twice the usable length or a multiple of the usable length are typically produced.

The central filter element, which is also referred to below as a filter plug, is held in the center by the force or resistance of the corresponding element when the material is fed, or is adhered or held in the center, for example by suitable adhesion forces. The filter tube can be held in the desired position, for example by suction air.

If the filter tube is preferably inverted so that, when overlapping from the first side, the second part of the filter tube can be filled and the filter material is inserted into the second part of the filter tube, so that further filter elements are created for feeding the granules to both sides force of gravity may be used when filling the filter tube. Moreover, suitable filling stations or processing stations can be arranged on the one hand on a suitable conveyor in the cavities of which the filter tubes are mounted, so that a compact design of the respective machine is possible.

In the context of this invention, filter tubes are understood in particular to mean portions of sheath material formed in the form of tubes or tubular sheaths, the sheath material being, for example, paper.

A further increase in the production speed of multi-segment filters is achieved when the filter material is preferably introduced successively in single portions and / or at least partially simultaneously in multiple portions. In the context of this invention, the term multiple portions or multiple portions is understood to mean a packet or stack of at least two different or the same filter materials, wherein at least two portions of filter materials or filter material are introduced into the filter tube in one step of the manufacturing process. The filter materials can be one, two or more granular materials and soft filter elements, such as cellulose acetate or non-woven filter plugs, or hard elements, such as sintered elements, hollow cylinders or hollow inserts. The introduction of the filter material into the filter tube preferably takes place by means of a vertical movement component. In particular, the substantially completely vertical component of the movement is advantageous. In this case, the filter tubes are perpendicular or vertical to fill them. The granular material and in particular the gas-permeable boundary elements are preferably introduced alternately.

When the first part of the filter tube is first essentially completely full before turning the filter tube, and then generally completely filled the second part of the filter tube after turning, the result is a filter tube substantially completely filled with filter material or filter elements, which can be drained and further processed . The filter housing material preferably has a thermally activatable adhesive joint on the inside, which is activated by the application of heat when the fully filled filter tubes are removed in order to attach the respective filter materials to the filter tubes.

An n-fold multi-segment filter is produced with n being a natural even number that is greater than 1.

PL 204 228 B1

The filter tubes or the filter tubes for producing multi-segment filters are preferably transported along a predetermined transport path in which the various steps of the manufacturing method are performed. For this purpose, an appropriate path is established. The filter tubes are, at least in part, transported along a path of movement transverse to the axis.

A multi-segment filter or more multi-segment filters are produced according to one of the above-mentioned methods. The thus produced multi-segment filter then has, for example, twice, four and / or six times the length of the filter plug, the multi-segment filter which suitably contains different filter materials is cut into two, four or six respective filters. The filter tubes used with the filter element in the center can be produced, for example, on a modified MULFI machine produced by the applicant company. According to the invention, a pre-assembled filter tube with a filter element inside is used for the production of products of the tobacco industry. Thanks to this application, it is possible to significantly increase the production speed of the filter making machine for the production of multi-segment filters.

Corresponding filter tubes are used to manufacture multi-segment filters having n times the useful length, n being a natural even number that is greater than 1.

A filter tube for the production of multi-segment filters for tobacco products, the filter tubes consisting of a section of sheath material formed into a tube, is improved in that a filter element is disposed in the center of the filter tube. Thanks to this design of the filter tube, it becomes possible to increase the production speed of the machine for producing multi-segment filters.

The filter element is substantially stationary against the filter tube. If the filter element is glued to the filter tube, then local strength is easily realized. The filter element may, for example, be a filter element with a double usable length of, for example, 4 mm to 16 mm. In the finished filter, half of this length is placed on the corresponding cigarette.

An overturning device is provided in the transport arrangement for turning the filter tubes over. By this it is meant that the transport system comprises an inverting device for inverting the filter tubes. Thanks to the system for producing multi-segment filters according to the invention, it is possible to quickly fill the filter tubes with the filter material.

The transport system includes at least one continuous circulation conveyor that transports the filter tubes in a direction transverse to the axis.

Furthermore, at least one processing station is provided which is assigned to the at least one conveyor.

If, preferably, only one conveyor is provided to which at least one processing station is assigned, the conditions are created for a very compact structure for the production of multi-segment filters.

If, moreover, preferably several conveyors are provided, to which at least one processing station is assigned or no processing station is assigned, the conditions are created for a modular system for the production of multi-segment filters. The system for producing multi-segment filters with the highest proportion of modules is provided when preferably several conveyors are provided to which at most one processing station is assigned.

A filter making machine or a multi-segment filter manufacturing device for products of the tobacco industry manufactured and sold by the applicant company produces about 1,200 multi-segment filters with a double usable length. With the device according to the invention, it is possible to manufacture 5,000 multi-segment filters with a double usable length. For this reason, the advantage of the solution according to the invention is obvious.

The subject matter of the invention in the exemplary embodiments has been shown in the drawing, in which fig. 1 shows a section of the feeding station in the first phase of the method, fig. 2 - the feeding station of fig. 1 in the next stage of the method, fig. 3, fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6, Fig. 7, Fig. 8 - the feeding station according to Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 in the current phases of the method, Fig. 9 - a second embodiment of the feeding station according to the invention, side view (fig. 10a) and top view (fig. 10b), fig. 11 - diagram of the filter making machine in top view, fig. 12 schematic plan view of the components of the second filter manufacturing machine, fig. 13 - a schematic layout or positioning of the filter tube and the filter element and the respective po 6

Fig. 14 - left side: three-stage filter with double usable length, right side: diagram of the modular structure of the filter making machine, by means of which the filter shown on the left is produced, Fig. 15 - on the left side: a four-stage filter with a double usable length and on the right side: a diagram of the filter making machine by which the filter is produced, shown on the left, Fig. 16 - a cross section of a second embodiment of the feeding station with different features compared to 1 to 8, FIG. 17 is a schematic side view of the functional elements for feeding filter material and for withdrawing multi-segment filters or multi-stage filters in the first embodiment, and FIG. 18, diagram of the filter elements being processed according to FIG. 17.

In the figures below, the same reference numbers have been used for the same or corresponding features, which has resulted in the abandonment of their re-representation.

1 shows the delivery station in section. The tube 11 in the cavity of the tube feed drum 10 and having the first filter material 19 in the center is placed in the area of the feeding station. The same applies to the filter plug 20, which may be made of cellulose acetate. The filter plug 20 has a length of, for example, 8 mm. The filter plug 20 is led to the plug holder 25 by means of a conveyor for filter plugs 21, for example a drum for filter plugs, in the cavities of which the respective filter plugs 20 are fixed.

In the current process step, which is shown in Fig. 2, the filter tube 11 is in contact with the feeding station and is held in position by means of vacuum fed openings 13 which are placed on the transporting drum. Moreover, the pusher 18 has already been inserted from below into the filter tube 11. Then the plug 20, which has been transported by the conveyor for the filter plugs 21, has been transferred to the feeding unit and is held in the position indicated in Fig. 2 by means of a further vacuum fed opening. 13. Then two different granules, namely the first granulate 26 and the second granulate 27, are poured into the holes 14 provided for the slider 24. The amount of granules is determined by the volume of the hole.

The slider 24 is made to slide in the plane of the drawing from left to right and vice versa.

3 is a cross-sectional view of the transfer station, the pusher 18 being moved further vertically upwards such that the upper end of the tube 11 is substantially flush with the upper edge of the conveying drum 12. The plug 20 has then been transported over by means of the conveying means, here the pusher 17 in the axial direction of the pusher, i.e. vertically downwards, into the pipe 15 and into the first opening 14 of the slider 23. The disc knife 28, which is guided in the guide 29, precisely at the upper edge of the slider 23 cuts the stopper 20 on two same-sized stoppers, each 4 mm long. In order to transport the plug 20 in the tube 15 and the tube 11, the vacuum or the suction air is switched off in the opening of the transporting drum 16 in the vacuum openings 13.

In a next step of the method, which is shown in Fig. 4, the slider 23 is shifted to the left such that the upper part of the split stopper 20 coincides in the vertical direction with the next hole 14 of the slider 23. In a further method step, not shown the plug 20 is led through the pusher 17 into the next opening and a further filter plug 30, made of another material, such as a fleece, which is impregnated with granules, is fed, cut with a circular knife and inserted into the two remaining openings 14 of the slider 23 Figure 5 shows the step of the method in which further filter plugs 30 have been introduced into the remaining openings. The first granulate already falls into the tube 11 by the force of gravity. In order to achieve a tight packing possible, the tube 11 is made to vibrate or vibrate. For this purpose, a vibration exciter 44 is provided which causes the spring plate 43 to vibrate and is transmitted to it by the mechanical contact between the spring plate 43 and the tube 11.

Then, in Fig. 5, the opening in the slide 23, in which the filter plug 30 is located, and the opening in the slide 24, in which the granules are located, are aligned with the opening of the transporting drum 16 or with the tube 11, such that in the next operation 6, the pusher 17 can introduce filter material 30 and 26 into the filter tube 11. Instead of as shown in Fig. 6, it is possible to introduce filter material 30 and 26 only to the upper edge of the filter plug 11. so that it is still possible to minimize the intensity of the movement of the follower 17.

PL 204 228 B1

Fig. 7 shows a phase of the method in which the axes overlap after appropriate alignment; the axis of the opening containing the filter plug 20 and the axis of the opening of the slider 24 containing the granules lie in line with the axis of the tube 11 so that the pusher 17 can introduce the material.

Fig. 8 shows a process phase in which the tube 11, which is half filled with the filter material, has been moved downwards as a result of lowering the second conveying means - the pusher 18, namely again into the area of operation of the opening supplied with the vacuum 13 in this way, that the tube 11 is again held on these vacuum-fed openings and, respectively, in the cavities provided in the transporting drum 12. In a next operation, the half-filled tube is brought to an inverting drum, and then the tube is then turned by 180 [deg.] to the same method steps so that a five-stage filter with double usable length can be manufactured as a whole. The five-stage filter then in this embodiment comprises five different filter materials that are arranged as segments in the filter. This is a first filter material 19 which is 8 mm long after the filter has a double usable length has been cut, a first granulate 26 is approximately 8 mm high, a second filter plug 30 is 4 mm high or 4 mm thick, a second granulate 27 is approximately 8 mm high. 8mm and a 20mm end filter plug with a thickness of 4mm. Within the framework of this invention, it is also possible to use a filter plug which is lowered to a thickness of 2 mm, which means that even more filter materials in the form of segments can be placed in the filter tube 11.

Fig. 8 shows another discharge drum 50 which discharges the half-filled tube 11, namely to an inverting drum, which is not shown in Fig. 8. On this drum, the tube is turned 180 ° and then to fill the remainder of the tube 11. the tubes 11 are again fed by the feeding drum to the transporting drum 12.

Within the framework of this invention, it is also possible to invert the tubes multiple times for the introduction of different filter materials at several stations. Thus, each half of the tube 11 need not necessarily be completely full at the feeding station before it is turned over.

For the production of the tubes 11 with the first filter material 19 arranged in the center, the machine can be adjusted, for example, by a machine manufactured by the applicant company, namely Mulfi E. from cellulose acetate) onto a thermally activatable adhesive. For this purpose, the cooling threshold, which sticks the joint together, is replaced by a heating threshold. The adhesive supply is also mentioned correspondingly. Thus, the filter tube is glued with glue, which, without heating, becomes the cause of the disconnection of the adhesive connection.

The gluing of the segments, i.e. the gluing of the additionally inserted filter segments, takes place in that the thermally activatable adhesive strip is applied to the paper, and inside the tube, before the tube is formed. After inserting the filter segments into the tube which has a solidified path of the thermally activated adhesive, the entire tube is heated, either by butt-heating or by means of a suitable high-energy radiation such as microwave radiation, whereby the thermally activated adhesive melts and the segments remain stuck together.

Fig. 9 shows a second embodiment of the delivery device according to the invention, in which four different filter materials can be fed into the tube simultaneously. In addition, the tube is a tube, e.g. made of paper 37. For feeding four different filter materials, a third slider 41 and a fourth slider 42 are also provided in addition to the first slider 23 and the second slider 24. A soft element 30, for example, is inserted into the third slider 41. and to the fourth slide 42 granules 26.

Within the framework of this invention, it is also possible, in the embodiments of Figs. 1 to 8, to increase the number of slider holes 24 to four, so that the four holes are filled with the corresponding granulate and thus no further granulation filling is required after inverting or turning the tube. filter. In the embodiments in FIGS. 1 to 8, filter plugs 20 and 30 are already provided, so that after one side of the tube 11 has been filled, no further filter plugs have to be inserted into the slide 23. Accordingly, this is of course also possible in the embodiment according to Fig. 9.

In FIG. 10, in the upper area (FIG. 10b), a sectional side view of the granulate supply station or the granulate metering station is shown in a side view. Two eccentrically positioned targets are shown, namely a first disk 31 and a second disk 32, with a first disk 31 located above the second disk 32. In Fig. 10a, a top view is shown in Fig. 10a.

The PL 204 228 B1 is a device. The discs 31 and 32 both have holes 14. The granulate 26 is poured into the holes. For this purpose, the granules 26 are supplied by means of a granule filling device 51.

The first disc 31 rotates counterclockwise over the disc 32, which in this embodiment also rotates counterclockwise. On the second disc 32, the tubes 11 are placed underneath this disc. They are held in appropriate places by the clamping elements used. The granulate portions resulting from the size of the openings travel counterclockwise towards the feed zone 38a-38b. The filter tubes 11 placed under the second disc 32 also move in the same way. In the feed position 38, the openings of the two discs coincide. Due to the force of gravity, the granules are inserted into the tubes as shown in Fig. 10b. Due to the advantageous granulate feed or dosing station according to the invention, a particularly simple implementation of the granulate dosing and the introduction of the granules into the filter tubes is ensured. Due to the large feed zone 38a-38b, the wheels 32 and 31 can rotate at high speed and the production speed is correspondingly high. In order to ensure that the granules are packed as closely as possible, also in this embodiment, a vibration exciter 44 and a spring plate 43 are provided, by means of which the tube 11 is subjected to vibrations during or after filling with granules 26. The oscillator 44 is preferably an electromagnet with a mass that vibrates back and forth at a frequency of 50 Hz.

Fig. 11 is a schematic plan view of a filter manufacturing machine. However, Fig. 11 does not show the processing stations which are shown, for example, in Figs. 1 to 9, i.e. those which are provided for the insertion of filter elements.

Various machining operations are performed on only one main drum 100. The mass flow of tubes 101 guides tubes 114 with four times the usable length to the filter making machine. In the area of the feed drum 103, not shown, filter tubes with four times the usable length are cut at the center and moved in the axial direction. By means of a conical feed drum 104 and a feed drum 105, which corresponds, for example, to the tube feed drum 10 of Fig. 1, the fed tubes are fed to a main drum 100, which corresponds, for example, to the conveying drum 12 of Fig. 1.

The mass flow of the filter elements 102 guides the filter elements with twelve times the working length to the filter making machine. At a point not shown, they are cut into shorter lengths. By means of a conical feed drum 104, which corresponds, for example, to the filter plug conveyor 21 of FIG. 1, the filter elements or the already cut filter elements 116 are fed to the feed drum 105, where they are cut again by means of a circular cutter 106. the filter making machine shows three suitable organs through which filter elements of suitable length, which may have different properties, can be fed. At the two downstream stations for supplying filter elements, there are also shown conical feeding drums 107 for feeding the filter elements.

There is provided a first reservoir for the first granulate 110 and a second reservoir for the second granulate 111. By means of suitable conveying means, the granules are fed to the granulate feed station 112 in which, for example, the respective slider openings can be completely filled with the desired granulate.

The main drum 100 moves clockwise. Before half a full revolution of the main drum is complete, 100 has been completely filled, for example, one side of a multi-segment filter with a double usable length. Such a half-filled multi-segment filter is transported by a feed drum 109 to an inverting drum 108 for inversion and returned to the main drum 100 by a further feed drum 109. The inverting drum 108 is described, for example, in DE 199 20 760 A1 owned by the reporting company. The patent application of the applicant company describes an inverting device for rod-shaped items by means of an inverting drum, which is housed in recesses provided for the inversion of rod-shaped items. The inverting drum has at least one inverting section which inverts parallel to each other at least two rod-shaped objects to be inverted.

Then, the remainder of the rotation of the main drum 100 is then taken to fillings. However, further filling means are also not shown in Fig. 11. Shortly before

After completing a complete rotation of the main drum 100, the fully filled or partially filled multi-segment tubes or multi-segmented multi-segment tubes or multi-segment filters with a double usable length are guided by the feed drum 109 and the corresponding conical feed drums 104 and the feed drum 103 into the mass flow of the double multi-segment filters 117, thus to the mass flow of multi-segment filters, the multi-segment filters having twice the usable length. The double multi-segment filter is designated with reference numeral 118. Next, reference numeral 113 is provided with a control cabinet which controls the filter making machine. In this embodiment of the invention, a single main drum 100 is shown in which all processing steps for filling the filter tubes 11 can be carried out. Shortly before collection, a heating element can preferably be provided on the ready-filled tube, which can be brought into contact with the corresponding filter tubes. the tubes to cause the thermally activatable glue that has been placed in the previous method step to stick to the inside of the paper tube, such that the inserted filter materials remain in their positions. Fig. 11 also shows a spring plate 43 which serves to transmit vibrations to tubes filled with granules.

Fig. 12 shows a diagram of a further embodiment of the invention. The tubes of the filters 11 are fed by the tube feeding drum 10 to the transporting drum 12. This drum is also schematically shown in Fig. 13 in position a). In position b), the tube 11 and the pusher 17 are moved a little further upwards. In the course of machining, the pusher is moved further up to position e). In position f) the filter plugs 20 are fed by a conveyor for the filter plugs 21, which in this embodiment is a drum. In fig. 13 it is also shown schematically in position f).

Fig. 13 shows schematically adjacent tubes and pushers in positions f) to m). In the schematic reproduction in FIG. 13, positions f) and g) must therefore be considered together. In the next step of the method, at positions h) and l) the tappets 17 are moved downwards, as a result of which the filter plug 20 which is in position h) is also moved downwards. In positions j) and k), the filter plug 20 is cut into two parts by a circular knife 28. The upper part of the plug 20 is located in a holder or in the opening of the lever 35. In positions l) and m) the lever 35 is pivoted in such a way that its the opening is aligned with the opening of the main drum or transport drum 12 which houses the tube 11 beneath it. From now on, the method steps are shown in detail again. In positions n) to q) the pusher 17 slides into the opening in which the tube 11 is located and introduces the appropriate filter material into the tube. At positions r) and t), the follower 17 again moves out of this opening. In position s), the lever moves back to its starting position. The tubes 11 partially filled in this way are picked up by a collecting drum 33. The filter tubes with filter elements 34 are then located in the cavities of this collecting drum 33. In the context of this invention or this embodiment, it is also possible to fill the entire tube half 11. Of course, on 12 and 13, instead of a slide, only variants of a lever are shown with which the respective filter plugs can be moved. It is also possible to use more levers 35 into which may then be introduced, for example granules, or to use a combined system of levers and sliders.

Fig. 14 is a front view of the modular structure of the filter manufacturing machine. Shown are a tube feed module 130, a soft element and granule filler module 131 (twice) and an inverting module 132. In this embodiment, the tubes are fed in a tube stack 120, and filter elements in two filter element stacks 121. The delivery module the tube thus includes, a tube feed from the stack of tubes 120, a take-up drum 123 and a feed drum 124. The feed drum 124 transfers the tubes from the take-up drum 123 to a discharge drum 125 which again transports the tubes to the granule filling drum 126. Upon arrival at the filling drum granulate 126 the tubes are filled with the granules. In this case, a device can be used, e.g. according to Fig. 10. The tubes, partially filled with granules, are then transferred to a drum with levers 127, which can have an embodiment, for example, according to Fig. 12. In this module, namely in the filling module With soft elements and granules 131, the filter elements from the stack of filter elements 121 are fed to the drum with levers 127 by a take-up drum 123 and a tube feeding and receiving drum 128.

PL 204 228 B1

The tubes filled with granules and the corresponding filter elements, such as soft elements, one side of which is completely filled in this embodiment, are picked up by a tube feeding and receiving drum 128 and transferred to a feeding drum 124 which is placed in the inverting module 132. The feeding drum 124 transfers the half-filled tubes 11 to an inverting drum 129 in which the tubes are inverted. On the way to the inverting drum, the tubes may be heated to activate the thermally activatable adhesive which is used to attach the filter elements. After the tubes have been inverted, the half-filled tubes are transferred to a second filling module with soft elements and granules 131, namely by means of a discharge drum 125 which transfers the tubes to a granule filling drum 126 where the tubes are filled with granules again. The tubes are then transferred to a drum with levers 127 where the tubes are filled with another soft element. In this case, the soft elements from the stack of filter elements 121 are transferred to the drum with levers 127 by a take-up drum 123 and a tube feeding and receiving drum 128. The fully filled tubes are now conveyed by means of a drum 128 to a feed drum 124 on which it is provided. an arranged heating station 39, by means of which the thermally activatable adhesive can be activated, for example in whole or in the rest of the tube.

On the left in Fig. 14 is a longitudinal sectional view of a fully filled dual multi-segment filter 118 which is comprised of a first filter material 19, a granulate 26 and a filter plug 20. This dual multi-segment filter is cut at the center of the first material in the subsequent cigarette manufacture. filter 19.

Fig. 15 shows a further exemplary embodiment of a filter manufacturing machine with which dual multi-segment filters 118, which consist of four different filter elements with a double usable length, can be produced. Two different grades of granules 26 and 27 have been placed in this dual multi-segment filter 118. For the introduction of the second granulate, compared to the embodiment in Fig. 14, two further granule filling modules 133 are added to the filter making machine of Fig. 14. They are located between the tube feed module 130 and the soft-element filling module and the granules 131 as well as between the inverting module 132 and the second soft-fill module and granules 131. Otherwise, the components used in this case are the same.

By means of the filter manufacturing machine according to the invention, it is possible to manufacture filters in modules according to the wishes of the customers. For this, the relevant modules only need to be swapped, added or removed with one another.

While manufacturing variants in which filter tubes 11 are provided vertically are generally shown in the description of the figures, they can also be positioned horizontally. Furthermore, the invention is not limited to the use of suitable drums, but it is also possible to use cavity conveyor belts as disclosed for example in DE 197 08 836 A1 or in US 6,079,545 proprietary to the transport and filter treatment of the filters. of the applicant company, German Patent No. DE 39 25 073 or United States Patent No. US 5,209,249 Fa. G.D. Societa 'per Azioni, Italia or in European Patent No. EP 1 048 229 A2 Fa. Focke.

The idea of producing filters is aimed at introducing filter plugs of different filter materials and / or granules into filter tubes in a changing composition and processing them into multi-segment filters or multi-stage filters. Within the framework of this invention, the term "filter materials" also includes the term "granules.

Preferably, pre-treated filter tubes of at least twice the length with a loose or glued filter element in the center are used. Usually 8 mm plugs are transported and then cut into 4 mm plugs. In a slightly modified concept, which is modified into the embodiment according to FIG. 11, the filter tubes are retained in a recess of the carousel or main drum 100 and passed from station to station by rotating the main drum 100. Depending on the design of the filter, the stations are arranged. also in a changed order; device for feeding tubes, device for dispensing granules with a station for supplying granules and device for supplying filter plugs, a device for inverting filters and again a device for dispensing granules with a station for feeding granules and a station for supplying filter plugs

Only a pellet feed station and a filter plug feed station.

Apart from the moment of inversion, the tube is always held in the same place on the main drum 100. When the filter material is fed into the tube or when the material is inserted into the tube, the tube is preferably held in position by means of a vacuum or suction air. The tube holders can be provided, for example, with a vibration device, in such a way that the granules can be packed as tightly as possible.

Fig. 16 shows a diagram of a further embodiment of a feed station for feeding filter elements into a tube 11 which contains a first filter material 19. In the method phase of Fig. 16, the tube 11 is held on the transport drum 12 by means of vacuum fed openings 13. To insert the tube 11 into the opening 16 of the tube disc 62, it is moved upward by the lower pusher 18 which is guided by the pusher guide 60. The lower pusher 18 is in operative connection with the lower control cam 68 which defines how the lower pusher 18 is moved far up or down.

Two second filter plugs 64 are already disposed in the first slider 23. After the first double filter plug 63 is cut with a circular knife 28, also the following holes of the first slider 23 are provided with a first filter plug. For this, inter alia, the top pusher 17 serves, which is guided in the pusher guide 61. The top pusher 17 interacts with the top control cam 67, which determines how far down or up the top pusher 17 is moved. In Fig. 16, the top pusher 17 is in the highest position.

The first granulate 26 is already inserted into the openings provided for it in the second slider 24. Fig. 16 shows the state in which the second granulate 27 is transferred from the granulate reservoir 65 by means of the filling sleeve 66 to the following holes of the second slider 24. As tight as possible or possibly dense filling with the second granulate 27, a vibration exciter 44 is provided in operative connection with the filling sleeve 66. The vibration exciter 44 vibrates at a frequency, for example 50 Hz. In this case, we can deal with an electromagnet with an appropriate mass that moves in such a way that the appropriate vibrations are generated.

Fig. 17 shows an embodiment in which, for example, the main drum 100, which is slightly changed compared to the main drum 100 in Fig. 11, is provided with filter elements or filter material and differs in how the double filters are discharged. multi-stage 118 or dual multi-section filters 118 are produced on the main drum 100.

Four times the usable length 114 are fed to the receiving drum 78 with the mass flow of the tubes 101. By means of the receiving drum 78, the tubes with four times the useful length 114 are taken from the tube supply into the corresponding receiving recesses of the receiving drum 78. Then they are cut with a circular knife 106 for two tubes with twice the useful length 115. Corresponding tubes with twice the useful length 115 are then cascaded over the cascade drum 79 with the purpose of transferring them to the feed drum 80, where they are oriented. The feed drum 80 is disposed downstream of the transfer drum 80, which is provided for further filter elements which are fed into the feed drum 80 from above.

Fig. 18 shows schematically what the respective positions of the filter elements are in accordance with Fig. 17.

From the mass flow of the filter elements 102 or the corresponding filter element stock, the filter elements with twelve times the usable length 70 are transferred to a receiving drum 74 with retaining recesses. They are then cut into three parts by the two circular knives 106, so that three filter elements with four times the usable length 71 are formed. They are laid out on a cascade drum 75 to be placed on the slide drum 76 in a line in a direction transverse to it. axial and then re-cut into two filter elements with twice the usable length 72 by means of a circular cutter 106.

After slitting into two filter elements with twice the usable length 72, the filter elements are spread over the cascade drum 77 for transfer to the feeding and advancing drum 80. In this embodiment, the filter elements with double usable length 72 are placed in front and the tubes with double length 115 are positioned behind them so that only the front filter elements with twice the usable length 72 are visible. The filter elements 72 and 115 are then transferred to the conical inverting drum 81 or 82 and then fed to the feed drum 83 or 84 filter elements

And the tubes are delivered to the main drum 100. For the sake of clarity of the drawing, the main drum 100 is not shown in this figure; however, it is schematically shown in FIG. 18. After the tubes 115 have been filled, the double multi-stage filters 118 or multi-section filters 118 are taken from the receiving drum 85 and fed to the conical inverting drum 86. Finally, it is transferred to the discharge drum 87, which the multi-section filters 118 drops off. to mass flow 88. Thus, in this embodiment, multi-segment filters or dual multi-stage filters 118 are produced which have filter elements 73 at the end, then have, going towards the center, for example a granulate filling that has been produced on the main drum 100 and inside they have known filter plugs or the first filter material 19.

Thus, in Figs. 17 and 18, three main functions are shown, namely feeding the preconfigured tubes 11 through the previously created mass flow, feeding the filter elements, e.g. soft filter elements with the appropriate functional groups as shown in the exemplary embodiment, and transporting them away. the finished product produced on the main drum 100 by means of suitable transport drums for the new generation of the mass stream.

Claims (11)

A device for the production of multi-segment filters for products of the tobacco industry with a filter tube feeding element and a transport element in which the filter tubes are placed, characterized in that several processing stations (17) are provided on the transport element (12, 100, 123 to 127). , 23, 24, 28, 31, 32, 131, 132) for the filter tubes (11). 2. The device according to claim The process of claim 1, characterized in that the processing station (17, 23, 24, 28, 31, 32, 131, 132) is an inverting device (108, 129) for inverting filter tubes (11). 3. The device according to claim 1 A continuous circulation conveyor (12, 100, 126, 127, 128, 129) for conveying the filter tubes (11) transverse to the axis, as claimed in claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the transporting element is at least one continuous circulation conveyor (12, 100, 126, 127, 128, 129). 4. The device according to claim 1 Processing station according to claim 3, characterized in that several processing stations (17, 23, 24, 28, 31, 32, 131, 132) are arranged on the single conveyor (12, 100). 5. The device according to claim 1 Processing stations according to claim 1, characterized in that the processing stations are: at least one filter material supply station (21, 102, 104, 105, 107, 112, 130, 131, 133), and / or at least one material loading station (a to t), 15, 16, 38), and / or at least one discharge station (109, 104, 117; 33; 128) and / or at least one heating station (39). 6. The device according to claim 1 5. The device as claimed in claim 5, characterized in that at least one filter material supply station comprises two rotatable and eccentrically arranged discs (31, 32) which have holes (14), the holes of the first disk (31) and the holes of the second disk (32) in one point (38) overlap. 7. The device according to claim 1 5. Device according to claim 5 or 6, characterized in that the at least one filter material supply station comprises at least one slider element (23, 24, 41, 42) with openings (14) and / or at least one lever element (35) with openings ( 14). 8. The device according to claim 1 The filter material as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the at least one filter material placing station comprises at least one first conveying means (17) for introducing filter material (20, 26, 27, 30) into the filter tubes (11). 9. The device according to claim 1 8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 8, characterized in that at least one second conveying means (18) is provided which acts as a mating support for the first conveying means (17) on the opposite side of the filter tube (11). 10. The device according to claim 1 7. The filter tube as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the axis of at least one filter tube is positioned in line with the axis of at least one opening (14). 11. The device according to claim 1 10. The filter tube as claimed in claim 10, characterized in that the axes of at least two holes (14) are positioned in line with the axis of the filter tube (11).