RU2745714C2 - Garniture device, machine and method for manufacturing multi-segment filter rods - Google Patents

Abstract

FIELD: tobacco industry.

SUBSTANCE: invention relates to a garniture device for a machine used in tobacco industry to manufacture a continuous rod containing loose material wrapped in tissue paper, with the garniture device containing a lower garniture part; a garniture channel made in the lower garniture part; a garniture tape, made with the ability to move in the garniture channel to transport the wrapping material through the garniture channel; an upper garniture part containing forming parts for wrapping tissue paper around the bulk material; while the garniture channel contains an inlet part for converting the garniture tape from a flat configuration to a U-shaped configuration; a U-shaped part for guiding the garniture tape into the U-shaped configuration; moreover, the garniture channel further comprises an outlet for converting the garniture tape from a U-shaped configuration to a flat configuration; and the U-shaped portion of the garniture channel comprises, on the inlet side, a first section having a first diameter and, on the outlet side, a second section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, the first section being connected to the second section by means of a transition section having a surface of variable diameter.

EFFECT: effective way of cigarette manufacturing is proposed.

15 cl, 12 dwg

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a set, a machine for making multi-segment filter rods, and a method for making multi-segment filter rods.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Products of the tobacco industry, such as cigarettes, may contain segmental filters with various filter materials, in particular bulk materials such as activated carbon in the form of free-flowing granules, located between adjacent solid-shaped segments. The activated carbon segment can be made by placing carbon between adjacent solid segments, which are generally in the form of rod-like elements with filtering properties (for example, segments made of acetate), or rod-like elements with non-filtering properties (for example, paper tubes or other elements made of plastic). Manufacturers of filters containing charcoal or other particulate materials strive to arrange the portions of bulk material so that the space between the solid segments is filled as best as possible, preferably 100%. In such a filter, smoke passes through the filter material, and unwanted substances contained in the smoke are filtered out. In a filter where the gaps between the solid segments are not sufficiently filled with free-flowing material, smoke can flow around the filter material and pass through the gaps in the filter. In addition, such a filter is susceptible to deformation in the area filled with loose material.

US Pat. No. 411,602 discloses a device for sealing filter segments containing coal granules. One disadvantage of this device is that the segments are deformed by a pin that pushes the interior of the filter fiber segment into a carbon segment that is not sufficiently filled to close the gap.

US Pat. No. 6,656,412 discloses a device for increasing the degree of filling of the space between segments with granulate. The granulate is injected at two stations and after each injection it is pressed into the space between the segments. One of the disadvantages of this solution is the contamination of the product with granulate and dust. In addition, such a device takes up a lot of space in a car, and therefore its use in modern machines, which are trying to be compact, is problematic.

European patent application EP1293136 discloses a production machine for the tobacco industry on which continuous closed cylindrical sections of solid filter materials or tobacco can be produced, the machine comprising a sizing unit, the lateral guide surfaces of which are interconnected by a curved guide surface. The guiding surfaces form a contour on a plane at right angles to the direction of movement of the material through the assembly. At least one side guide surface is asymmetrical until vertical orientation is achieved.

US Pat. No. 4,185,645 discloses that the filter cartridges of a cigarette are made in the form of a long strip in which portions of fibrous filter material alternate with portions of flowable filter material. The fibrous portions are first attached at some distance from each other to a wrapping strip, which is wrapped almost directly around them to form a cylinder in which the gaps between the fibrous portions and the entrances to the gaps are evenly distributed. In a special unit, air is removed from these gaps so that, when entering the chamber containing the fluid filter material, the gaps are sucked in this material, completely filling. The excess filter material is removed from the filter unit with brushes and then the holes are sealed with insulating tape.

There is a need for an apparatus for making multi-segment filter rods with segments filled with loose material, the segments being filled as much as possible, preferably at least close to 100%. In addition, there is a need for a solution that does not significantly contaminate the rods with loose material.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide a headset for a machine used in the tobacco industry for making a continuous rod containing bulk material wrapped in a wrapping material, the headset comprising a lower headset portion; a headset channel made in the lower headset part; a headset tape movable in the headset channel for transporting the wrapping material along the headset channel; an upper garment part containing forming parts for forming a wrapping material around the bulk material; moreover, the headset channel contains an inlet part for converting the headset tape from a flat configuration to a U-shaped configuration; A U-shaped portion for guiding the headset tape into a U-shaped configuration; an outlet for converting the headset tape from a U-shaped configuration to a flat configuration. The U-shaped part of the garment channel comprises, on the inlet side, a first section having a first diameter and, on the outlet side, a second section having a second diameter that is less than the first diameter, the first section being connected to the second section by means of a transition section, having a surface of variable diameter.

The transition section can have a tapered surface.

The first section and the second section can be positioned coaxially with respect to each other.

The forming lines of the first section, the transition section and the second section may lie in the same plane.

The length of the transition section can be 30-100 mm, preferably 50-80 mm.

The second diameter may be 1-5% less than the first diameter, preferably 2.5-3% less.

Another object of the present invention is a machine used in the tobacco industry for the manufacture of multi-segment filter rods, comprising a set; a supply unit for arranging the rod-shaped elements, longitudinally along the axis at a distance from each other, in the form of a chain on the wrapping material, transported on the headset tape of the headset device; filling unit for feeding bulk material into compartments between rod-like elements; glue nozzle for gluing the wrapping material around the bulk material; a cutting head for cutting the continuous rod into multi-segment filter rods; characterized in that the headset device is a device according to any one of claims 1 to 6 of the claims, and the transition section of the channel of the headset device is located at least partially between the filling unit for feeding bulk material and the upper headset part.

The difference in the dimensions of the first larger diameter of the headset channel and the second smaller diameter of the headset device may not exceed the average grain size of the bulk material.

Between the filling unit for supplying bulk material and the upper set part, there can be a cleaning unit for removing impurities of bulk material from rod-shaped elements, containing at least one suction element for receiving impurities of bulk material and closing elements made with the possibility of displacement into positions in which the closing the elements at least partially cover the compartments filled with loose material between the rod-like elements when the chain moves near the suction element.

The transition section can be located between the filling unit for feeding bulk material and the cleaning unit.

The transition section can be located within the cover members.

The closure members can be configured to be in a position in which the pressing surface of the closure members is lowered with respect to the upper surface of the rod-like members.

The pressing surface of the cover members can be lowered up to 1% of the height of the rod-like members.

Another object of the present invention is a method for manufacturing multi-segment filter rods, characterized in that it comprises arranging the rod-shaped elements axially longitudinally, at a distance from each other, in the form of a chain on a wrapping material lying on a garment belt; the supply of bulk material to the compartments located between the rod-like elements; a decrease in the volume of the compartments located between the segments, and the compartments are partially filled with loose material; applying glue to the wrapping material and wrapping the wrapping material around the rod-like members and the bulk material in the compartments between the rod-like members to form a continuous filter rod; and cutting the continuous filter rod into multi-segment filter rods.

The rods can be formed using a machine according to any one of claims 7-13.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

The system is shown by means of illustrative embodiments in the graphics, in which:

in fig. 1 depicts a fragment of an illustrative continuous rod, which is a multi-segment rod with segments not sufficiently filled with bulk material;

in fig. 2 depicts a fragment of an illustrative continuous multi-segment rod with segments properly filled with bulk material;

in fig. 3 schematically shows a fragment of a machine for the production of multi-segment filter rods;

in fig. 4 is a sectional view A – A of the headset;

in fig. 5 shows a sectional view B – B of the headset;

in fig. 6 shows a C – C sectional view of the headset;

in fig. 7 shows the location of the longitudinal axes of the headset channel sections in relation to each other;

in fig. 8 shows the arrangement of the generatrix lines of the headset channel sections in relation to each other;

in fig. 9 shows the location of the element that closes the compartments filled with bulk material in the area of decreasing the volume of the compartments;

in fig. 10 shows the location of the element covering the compartments filled with bulk material in front of the area of decreasing the volume of the compartments;

in fig. 11 shows the location of the element covering the compartments filled with bulk material, behind the area of decreasing the volume of the compartments;

in fig. 12 shows a C – C sectional view of the headset.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows a fragment of an exemplary continuous multi-segment rod CR1 formed from chains of rod-shaped elements S1 and insufficiently filled segments SC1 formed by a known device, the segments being wrapped in wrapping material 101. The segments S1 have a solid shape, generally cylindrical, while the segment SC1 is formed from loose material 102, which is located between the respective segments S1.

FIG. 2 shows a fragment of an exemplary continuous multi-segment rod CR2 formed from the rod-shaped strings: S1, S2 and SC2 (or alternatively only S1 and SC2), which is formed by the device presented herein. Segments S1, S2, and SC2 are wrapped with wrapping material 101 to form a continuous rod, and then cut into multi-segment rods as shown in FIG. 3. The machine 1 comprises a feeding unit 2, which is configured to arrange the rod-shaped elements S1, S2 in the form of a chain ST1, the rod-shaped elements S1, S2 being transported at substantially predetermined intervals between them. The rod-shaped elements S1, S2 are fed onto the garment belt 5, which moves inside the channel 9 along the garniture rail 7 (alternatively called the lower garment part), and the edges of the wrapping material 101 and the front surfaces of the elements S1 and S2 form compartments 3, into which from the filling unit 103 bulk material 102 is fed to form a segment SC filled with bulk material. The garment device 6 wraps the wrapping material 101 around the chain ST2 of rod-shaped elements S1, S2 and SC, which moves on the garment belt 5. Adjacent to the filling unit 103, a cleaning unit 104 can be arranged for removing dirt from the rod-shaped elements, that is, particles of loose material. which fall on the surface of the rod-shaped elements S1 and S2 in the previous step, that is, when bulk material is fed from the filling unit 103. The produced continuous rod CR is transported further and after the glue nozzle 4 and the headset 6 have glued the wrapping material 101, the cutting head 8 cuts it into separate multi-segment rods R.

FIG. 4 shows a sectional view A-A of a headset strip 7 with a headset tape 5, on which there is a wrapping material 101, on which the rod-like elements S1, S2 are located, and the bulk material 102 has already been fed into the gaps between the rod-like elements S1, S2. In this manufacturing step, the garment tape 5 forms a U-shape on the wrapping material 101. The diameter D1 of the garment strip 7 at the point where the bulk material 102 is fed is greater than the sum of the diameter of the rod-shaped element S2 and twice the thickness T of the garment tape 5. The thickness T of the garment tape 5 is preferably 0.2 to 1.5 mm. This is necessary in order to supply a larger amount of bulk material 102 into the compartments between the rod-shaped elements, so that at subsequent stages of manufacturing it is possible to reduce the volume of the compartments filled with bulk material 102. The decrease in the volume of the compartments is carried out by reducing the diameter of the headset channel 9 in the headset rail 7 (along which the headset tape 5 with segments S1, S2 and bulk material is carried) from the D1 value to the D2 value. The value D1 of the diameter of the garniture channel 9 is set in such a way as to prevent the grains of bulk material 102 from spilling out between the segments S1, S2 and the wrapping material 101. The difference between the values of D1 and D2 depends on the type of material from which the segments S1, S2 are made, on the type of bulk material. material 102 and the degree of filling of the compartment with bulk material 102. Preferably, the difference between the values of D1 and D2 does not exceed the average grain size of the bulk material 102. Preferably, the difference between the diameters D1 and D2 is from 0.2 to 1 mm, and more preferably from 0, 2 to 0.5 mm or 0.2 to 0.3 mm. In addition, the second diameter D2 may be 1–5% less than the first diameter D1, preferably 2.5–3%. The reduction of the diameters of the garment channel 9 is carried out at a certain distance L, which can be from 30 to 100 mm, preferably from 40 to 90 mm. The value of D2 is preferably equal to the sum of the diameter of the rod-shaped element S2 and twice the thickness T of the garment tape 5.

FIG. 5 shows the place where the diameter of the garniture channel 9 decreases to the value D2, and the compartment filled with bulk material 102 is closed from above by the closing element 10 of the cleaning unit 104.

The pressing surfaces 10a of the cover members 10 touch the bulk material 102, which is accumulated in successive compartments between the rod-like members S1, S2. The pressing surfaces 10a can be made of an air-permeable or air-impermeable material, depending on the type of bulk material. The cover elements 10 are resilient, for example they can be made of rubber or a sponge material. In addition, the cleaning unit 104 is provided with a suction element 12, preferably a suction nozzle, which creates a negative pressure in the area in which the closure elements 10 contact the bulk material or enclose the bulk material. The suction element 12 is designed to remove dirt from the rod-shaped elements, that is, particles of bulk material that fall on the surface of the rod-shaped elements S1, S2 in the previous step, that is, when bulk material is supplied from the filling unit 103.

FIG. 6 shows a headset device 6 containing a headset rail 7 and an upper headset part 11, which includes forming portions 11a for wrapping segments S1, S2 and bulk material 102 with wrapping material 101. After transporting the segments S1, S2 and compartments with bulk material 102 to the headset section slats 7 with a reduced diameter D2, bulk material 102 is compacted in a reduced compartment between the segments, which improves the quality of filling the compartment. The headset duct section 9a is a section having a larger diameter D1 and is located on the inlet side of the headset duct 9. The headset duct section 9b is a section having a smaller diameter D2 and is located on the outlet side of the headset duct 9. Between sections 9a and 9b of the headset duct 9 there is a transition section 9c of the headset duct 9. The longitudinal axis X of the headset duct 9 may coincide, respectively, with the axes X1, X2, X3 of the headset duct sections having a larger diameter 9a, the transition section 9c and the duct section having a smaller diameter 9b, as shown in fig. 7. Another embodiment is also possible, as shown in FIG. 8, where the longitudinal axis X of the headset channel 9 does not coincide with all the longitudinal axes X1, X2, X3 of the headset channel sections 9a, 9c, 9b.

The headset duct sections 9a, 9c, 9b have respectively forming lines Y1, Y3, Y2 that run parallel to each other in one common plane Z. Moreover, it is advantageous when the generatrix line Y1 of the headset duct section 9a having a larger the diameter forming the line Y2 of the transition section of the fitting channel 9c and the forming line Y3 of the fitting channel section 9b having a smaller diameter coincide with each other.

FIG. 9 shows an example of placement of the compartment cover 10 filled with bulk material 102 in the area of decreasing the volume of compartments between the segments S1, S2, top view. The segments S1, S2 and the bulk material compartments 102 together with the wrapping material 101 placed on the garment belt 5 move downward towards the cutting head in the garniture channel 9 of the garment bar 7. In the position where the bulk material 102 is fed into the compartments between the segments S1, S2 , the diameter of the headset channel is equal to D1, then it gradually decreases within the section L until the value of the diameter becomes equal to D2. As the diameter of the garment channel 9 decreases, the bulk material 102 is compacted and the filling of the compartment increases, and the bulk material rises slightly towards the top of the compartment. In addition, a cleaning unit 104 is located in section L, in which the closure element 10 covers the bulk material 102 from above and simultaneously compresses and compresses it towards the interior of the compartment and roughly forms the upper surface of the bulk material compartment 102. When the closure member 10 closes the bulk material 102, the suction element 12 removes bulk material contaminants from the rod-like elements. The covering element 10 prevents the loose material, which rises due to the narrowing of the garniture channel, to be poured over the upper edge of the segments S1, S2.

The cleaning assembly 104 may also be in front of a section L in which the diameter of the garment channel 9 decreases, as shown in the second embodiment in FIG. 10. In this example, the bulk material contaminants appearing during the filling step of the bulk material 102 in the filling unit 103 are removed by the cleaning unit 104. First, the pressing surface 10a of the cover 10 compresses and forms from above the bulk material 102 supplied to the compartments between the segments S1, S2. Then, such a roughly formed bulk material 102 with segments S1, S2 and wrapping material 101 is transported down the headset channel 9 of the headset rail 7 through section L, in which the diameter of the headset channel 9 decreases from D1 to D2, which further helps to compact the bulk material 102 and increase the filling of the compartment, which decreases in volume.

FIG. 11 shows another embodiment, where the cleaning unit 104 is located behind the section L, in which the diameter of the headset channel 9 is reduced. The advantage of this solution is that after reducing the diameter of the headset channel 9 to the value D2, the bulk material 102 inside the compartment is formed in such a way that it the excess is pushed upward, where the bulk material compartment 102 covers the top of the pressing surface 10a of the closure member 10, and the bulk material 102 outside the closed area is removed by the suction member 12.

FIG. 12 shows a C-C section of a headset rail 7. This figure shows a headset device 6 comprising a lower part, in other words, a headset rail 7, and an upper headset part 11, which is used to wrap the rod-shaped elements S1, S2 and bulk material 102 wrapping material 101. This process is carried out after the segments S1, S2 of the compartments 3 with bulk material pass through the channel sections 9a, 9c, and after cleaning the upper surface of the rod-like elements from contamination at the place where the garment channel 9 acquires the final diameter D2. In the thus formed continuous multi-segment rod, defects in the segments CR2 (which would arise as a result of insufficient filling of bulk material 102) can be avoided.

List of elements:

1 - a machine used in the tobacco industry for the manufacture of multi-segment filter rods

2 - rod-shaped element feeding unit

3 - branch

4 - glue nozzle

5 - headset tape

6 - headset device

7 - lower headset part

8 - cutting head

9 - headset channel

9a - section of a set channel of a larger diameter

9b - section of a set channel of a smaller diameter

9c - headset channel transition section

10 - closing element

10a - pressing surface

11 - upper headset part

12 - suction element

101 - wrapping material

102 - bulk material

103 - unit for filling with bulk material

104 - cleaning unit

SC - segment filled with bulk material

SC1 - insufficiently filled segment

SC2 - properly filled segment

S1, S2 - rod-shaped elements

CR1 - continuous multi-segment bar

L - length of the transition section

D1, D2 - headset channel diameters

ST1 - bar-shaped element chain

R - individual multi-segment bars

T - the thickness of the headset tape

X - axis of the headset channel

X1 - axis of the section of the headset channel of a larger diameter

X2 - axis of the transition section of the headset channel

X3 - axis of the section of the headset channel of a smaller diameter

Y1 - generating line of a section of a set channel of a larger diameter

Y2 - generating line of the transition section of the headset channel

Y3 - generatrix line of a section of a set channel of a smaller diameter

Z - the common plane of the forming lines of the headset sections.

Claims (37)

1. Set device (6) for a machine used in the tobacco industry for the production of a continuous rod (CR) containing bulk material, wrapped with a wrapping material (101), and the set device (6) contains: - the lower headset part (7); - headset channel (9), made in the lower headset part (7); - a headset tape (5) made with the possibility of moving in the headset channel (9) for transporting the wrapping material (101) along the headset channel (9); - the upper garniture part (11) containing the forming parts (11a) for forming the wrapping material (101) around the bulk material (102); moreover, the headset channel (9) contains: - an inlet part for converting the headset tape (5) from a flat configuration to a U-shaped configuration; - U-shaped part for guiding the headset tape (5) in a U-shaped configuration; characterized in that the headset channel (9) further comprises an outlet for converting the headset tape (5) from a U-shaped configuration to a flat configuration; and The U-shaped part (4) of the garment channel (9) comprises, on the inlet side, a first section (9a) having a first diameter (D1) and, on the outlet side, a second section (9b) having a second diameter (D2 ), which is smaller than the first diameter (D1), the first section (9a) being connected to the second section (9b) by means of a transition section (9c) having a surface of variable diameter. 2. A headset according to claim 1, characterized in that the transition section (9c) has a conical surface. 3. Headset device according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, characterized in that the first section (9a) and the second section (9b) are located coaxially with respect to each other. 4. Headset device according to any one of paragraphs. 1 or 2, characterized in that the forming lines of the first section (9a), the transition section (9c) and the second section (9b) lie in the same plane (Z). 5. Headset device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-4, characterized in that the length of the transition section (4) is from 30 to 100 mm, preferably from 50 to 80 mm. 6. Headset device according to any one of paragraphs. 1-5, characterized in that the second diameter (D2) is 1-5% less than the first diameter (D1), preferably 2.5-3% less. 7. A machine used in the tobacco industry for the manufacture of multi-segment filter rods, comprising: - headset device (6); - a supply unit (2) for arranging the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2), longitudinally along the axis at a distance from each other, in the form of a chain on the wrapping material (101), transported on the headset tape (5) of the headset device (6); - filling unit (103) for feeding bulk material (102) into compartments (3) between the rod-like elements (S1, S2); - glue nozzle (6a) for gluing the wrapping material (101) around the bulk material (102); - a cutting head (8) for cutting a continuous rod (CR) into multi-segment filter rods; characterized in that headset device (6) is a device according to any one of claims. 1-6, wherein the transition section (9c) of the channel (9) of the headset device is located at least partially between the filling unit (103) for feeding bulk material (102) and the upper headset part (11). 8. Machine according to claim 7, characterized in that the difference in the dimensions of the first larger diameter (D1) of the headset channel (9) and the second smaller diameter (D2) of the headset device (9) does not exceed the average grain size of the bulk material (102). 9. Machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-8, characterized in that between the filling unit (103) for feeding bulk material and the upper set part (11) there is a cleaning unit (104) for removing impurities of bulk material from the rod-shaped elements, containing at least one suction element (12) for receiving impurities of bulk material and closing elements (10) made with the possibility of displacement into positions in which the closing elements (10) at least partially cover the compartments (3) filled with bulk material (102) between the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2 ) by moving the chain (ST2) close to the suction element (12). 10. Machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-9, characterized in that the transition section (9c) is located between the filling unit (103) for feeding bulk material and the cleaning unit (104). 11. Machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-9, characterized in that the transition section (9c) is located within the closing elements (10). 12. Machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-11, characterized in that the closure elements (10) are designed to be in a position in which the pressing surface (10a) of the closure elements (10) is lowered with respect to the upper surface of the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2). 13. Machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-12, characterized in that the pressing surface (10a) of the cover elements (10) is lowered in the range of up to 1% of the height of the rod-like elements (S1, S2). 14. A method of manufacturing multi-segment filter rods, characterized in that it includes: - the arrangement of the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2) longitudinally along the axis, at a distance from each other, in the form of a chain on the wrapping material (101) located on the headset tape (5); - feeding the bulk material (102) into the compartments (3) located between the rod-like elements (S1, S2); - a decrease in the volume of the compartments (3) located between the segments (S1, S2), and the compartments (3) are partially filled with bulk material (102); - applying glue to the wrapping material (101) and wrapping the wrapping material around the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2) and the bulk material (102) located in the compartments (3) between the rod-shaped elements (S1, S2), with the formation of a continuous filter rod (CR1 ); and - cutting the continuous filter rod (CR1) into multi-segment filter rods (R). 15. A method of manufacturing multi-segment filter rods, in which the rods are formed using a machine according to any one of paragraphs. 7-13.

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