US20050224087A1 - Method and a machine for manufacturing filters for tobacco products - Google Patents

Method and a machine for manufacturing filters for tobacco products Download PDF

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Publication number
US20050224087A1
US20050224087A1 US11/100,439 US10043905A US2005224087A1 US 20050224087 A1 US20050224087 A1 US 20050224087A1 US 10043905 A US10043905 A US 10043905A US 2005224087 A1 US2005224087 A1 US 2005224087A1
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US
United States
Prior art keywords
filaments
activated carbon
particles
carbon fibers
continuous
Prior art date
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Abandoned
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US11/100,439
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English (en)
Inventor
Fiorenzo Draghetti
Ivan Eusepi
Armando Turrini
Vittorio Sgrignuoli
Leonardo Balletti
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GD SpA
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GD SpA
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Publication date
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Assigned to G.D S.P.A. reassignment G.D S.P.A. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST (SEE DOCUMENT FOR DETAILS). Assignors: BALLETTI, LEONARDO, DRAGHETTI, FIORENZO, EUSEPI, IVAN, SGRIGNUOLI, VITTORIO, TURRINI, ARMANDO
Publication of US20050224087A1 publication Critical patent/US20050224087A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

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    • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES FOR CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
    • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter-tips, filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces for cigars or cigarettes
    • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
    • A24D3/0229—Filter rod forming processes
    • A24D3/0233—Filter rod forming processes by means of a garniture

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to a method and to a machine for manufacturing filters applicable to tobacco products, in particular cigarettes.
  • filters are manufactured by a process in which a flow of filter material, usually cellulose acetate drawn from a supply such as a bale, is extended, stretched and treated with additives, in particular plasticizers.
  • the flow is processed in such a way as to obtain a continuous stream of filter material and the stream then enveloped in a paper plugwrap to fashion a continuous filter rod, which will be divided ultimately into single filter plugs.
  • activated carbon is an excellent filtration medium, that is to say with a high capacity for absorbing nicotine, tar and other harmful products contained in smoke.
  • filters of this type do not present a sufficiently compact structure.
  • the interstitial spaces between the granules offer a path of least resistance to the smoke, thus significantly reducing the capacity of such filters to trap impurities.
  • a further drawback consists in the fact that the equipment employed in manufacturing such filters is relatively complex, not least in view of the need to place the granular filters in question between two cellulose acetate filter plugs produced by the method outlined briefly above, which function not only as filters but also as a means of preventing the endmost granules of the activated carbon filter element from escaping during the various processing steps.
  • the object of the present invention is to provide filters affording a high absorption capacity and guaranteed devoid of the drawbacks mentioned above.
  • a further object of the invention is to provide a method and a system for the manufacture of such filters that will be unaffected by the drawbacks of conventional equipment as mentioned above, while affording simplicity and ease of implementation.
  • a method of manufacturing filters for tobacco products which comprises the steps of feeding a continuous stream of filaments or particles consisting in activated carbon fibers to the infeed of a unit by which a continuous filter rod is formed, enveloping the continuous stream in a strip of wrapping material to form the continuous filter rod, and feeding the continuous rod to a cutter device by which it is divided into discrete filter sticks.
  • a filter maker embodied according to the invention, comprising a reservoir that serves to collect and to contain a mass of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, also feed means supplying the reservoir, a unit by which the activated carbon filaments or particles are formed into at least one continuous stream, a unit by which the continuous stream is formed into a continuous filter rod, and cutter means by which the continuous rod is divided into discrete filter sticks.
  • FIG. 1 illustrates a portion of a machine for making filters applicable to tobacco products, embodied in accordance with the present invention, viewed schematically and in perspective and cut away in part;
  • FIG. 2 illustrates the machine of FIG. 1 with certain parts omitted and others added, viewed in elevation and on a different scale;
  • FIG. 3 illustrates the machine of FIG. 1 in a second embodiment, viewed schematically and in perspective, and cut away in part;
  • FIG. 4 illustrates a variation in embodiment of the portion of the machine in FIG. 3 , viewed schematically and in perspective;
  • FIG. 5 illustrates the machine according to the present invention in a third embodiment, viewed in elevation
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a cigarette, in perspective, furnished with a filter manufactured by the method and employing a machine according to the present invention.
  • a filter making machine in its entirety.
  • Such a machine 1 comprises a reservoir 2 containing a mass 3 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, also a unit 4 by which the filaments or particles of the mass 3 are formed into a continuous flow 5 , and a unit 6 by which the continuous flow 5 is formed into two continuous streams 7 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers.
  • the machine 1 comprises a forming unit 8 on which two continuous filter rods 9 are assembled by wrapping each of the aforementioned continuous streams 7 of fibers in a respective strip 10 of paper decoiled by a relative feed device 11 from a corresponding roll 12 .
  • the continuous filter rods 9 advance along a path denoted P to the outfeed end of the forming unit 8 , where they are divided into discrete sticks 13 by a cutter device 14 .
  • the material in question is obtained by a process of calcination in the absence of air or oxygen, known as carbonization, followed by an activating step consisting in oxidation at high temperature.
  • the resulting fibers can be prepared for use, as in the case considered here, in the form of fabric.
  • decoil and guide means denoted 16 in their entirety, constituting means by which to feed the web 15 of fabric along a predetermined path denoted P 1 .
  • Such means comprise a device 17 serving to decoil a bulk roll 18 of the fabric 15 rotatable about a horizontal axis 18 a , also a roller 19 by which the fabric 15 is diverted onto a substantially vertical leg of the path P 1 toward a fragmentation device 20 positioned above the reservoir 2 and illustrated schematically as a pair of rollers 21 and 22 contrarotating about axes parallel to the aforementioned horizontal axis 18 a.
  • the fragmentation device 20 serves to break up the fabric 15 , for example utilizing teeth or tines presented by the rollers 21 and 22 , and reduce it to filaments or particles having the consistency of fluff, accumulating to create the aforementioned mass 3 internally of the reservoir 2 .
  • the unit 4 serving to form the continuous flow 5 of filaments or particles is housed in a vertically oriented enclosure denoted 23 , delimited laterally by two vertical walls 24 and 25 , and uppermost by a horizontal wall 26 presenting an opening 27 to the reservoir 2 through which the mass 3 of fluff can drop onto a power-driven toothed roller 28 .
  • the mass 3 of fluff is directed by the roller 28 downwards and into a lower chamber 29 delimited at the bottom by a conveyor belt 30 which carries the fluff toward a carding device 31 equipped with a carding roller 32 rotatable about an axis 32 a lying transversely to the vertical side walls 24 and 25 and operating in conjunction with a proportioning roller 33 .
  • the mass 3 of fluff consisting in filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers is directed by the toothed roller 28 onto the belt 30 , and by the belt toward the carding roller 32 , from which a layer of fluff substantially equal in thickness to the radial dimension of the carding teeth is transferred away from the chamber 29 and beyond the position of the selfsame roller 32 tangential to the proportioning roller 33 .
  • toothed roller 28 and the belt 30 constitute first conveyor means serving to supply the carding device 31 with fluff from the reservoir 2 .
  • the layer of filaments or particles of activated carbon fiber is taken up by an impeller roller 34 rotatable about an axis parallel to the axis 32 a of the carding roller, and projected into a descent channel 35 .
  • the descent channel 35 extends in a substantially vertical direction and is disposed with the bottom end facing the periphery of a toothed take-up unit denoted 36 , comprising a first and a second toothed roller combining one with another to transfer the layer of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers onto a transfer belt 37 .
  • the transfer belt 37 runs from right to left, as viewed in FIG. 1 , and is angled upward with the runout end located beneath the inlet of an ascent channel 38 internally of which a continuous flow 5 of the filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers is entrained in an ascending air current generated by pneumatic means of conventional type (not illustrated).
  • the descent channel 35 , the toothed take-up unit 36 and the transfer belt 37 combine to establish second conveyor means interposed between the carding device 31 and the ascent channel 38 .
  • the top outlet end 39 of the ascent channel is enclosed by a pair of aspirating belts 40 made of air-permeable material and constituting a part of the unit 6 by which the aforementioned continuous streams 7 are formed.
  • the two belts 40 are looped around two return pulleys 41 driven in rotation about respective horizontal axes.
  • a chamber 42 connected to a source of negative pressure (not illustrated) and delimited on the underside by a wall 43 pierced with suction holes 44 .
  • filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers making up the continuous flow 5 are directed up through the ascent channel 38 and into contact with the bottom branches of the aspirating belts 40 as these slide against the aforementioned wall 43 , whereupon the fibers cling to the belts and gather progressively to form the aforementioned continuous streams 7 , which are conveyed to the infeed 45 of the unit 8 that will form them into continuous filter rods 9 .
  • the continuous streams 7 of material are released onto respective strips 10 of paper supported by the top branches of respective looped conveyor belts 46 , of which one only is visible in FIG. 2 , forming part of the aforementioned feed device 11 and fashioned from a textile material.
  • the forming unit 8 further comprises a beam 47 , extending along the aforementioned path P, by which the paper strips 40 are constrained to wrap around the respective continuous streams 7 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, thus bringing about the assembly of the two filter rods 9 .
  • a beam 47 extending along the aforementioned path P, by which the paper strips 40 are constrained to wrap around the respective continuous streams 7 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, thus bringing about the assembly of the two filter rods 9 .
  • the assembled components advance along the beam 47 , one longitudinal edge of each strip 10 will be gummed by applicator means (not illustrated) and stuck, so as to stabilize the wrap around the two rods 9 .
  • FIG. 3 illustrates an embodiment of the machine differing from that of FIG. 1 inasmuch as the reservoir 2 is placed at the outlet of a duct 48 of which the inlet is connected to a fragmentation device shown schematically as a block denoted 20 .
  • the unit 4 forming the continuous flow 5 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers is simplified in this embodiment, comprising only the toothed take-up unit 36 , placed at the bottom outlet end of the reservoir 2 in this instance, the transfer belt 37 , and the ascent channel 38 .
  • decoiling and guiding means 16 serving to direct a web 15 of fabric along a predetermined path P 1 in the example of FIG. 1 , and the duct 48 in FIG. 2 , are designed to act as feed means serving the reservoir 2 .
  • FIG. 4 illustrates an embodiment of the machine differing from that of FIG. 1 inasmuch as the reservoir 2 is fed by a conveyor belt 49 angled downward and toward the inlet of the reservoir 2 , onto which the mass 3 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers is released from above. More exactly, the top infeed end of the belt 49 is positioned beneath the fragmentation device 20 by which the web 15 of activated carbon fiber fabric will be broken up.
  • the unit 4 serving to form the continuous flow 5 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers is simplified in this embodiment, consisting only in the toothed take-up unit 36 , positioned at the bottom outlet end of the reservoir 2 , the transfer belt 37 and the ascent channel 38 .
  • the block denoted 50 represents a spinning unit such as will produce a plurality of strands 51 consisting in filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, obtainable from the web 15 of fabric or from a mass 3 of fluff containing filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers, or unwound from respective reels.
  • the strands 51 emerging from the spinning unit 50 are fed into a forming unit shown as a block denoted 52 , and gathered by this same unit into a continuous stream 7 of filaments or particles of activated carbon fibers.
  • the stream 7 could consist in a rope or braid of activated carbon filaments or particles unwound from a respective reel.
  • the stream 7 could be processed directly by the forming unit 52 from a layer of fluff.
  • the unit 8 by which the filter rods 9 are assembled is no different to that described with reference to the example of FIG. 2 .
  • FIG. 6 illustrates a cigarette 53 with a filter 54 obtained from a stick 13 manufactured on the machine 1 by the methods described above.
  • the filter 54 in question presents a much higher capacity for absorbing impurities than traditional filters made with cellulose acetate or activated carbon granules.
  • the microporosity of the filter in question is such as to make it especially suitable for trapping pollutants of low molecular weight.
  • the filter described and illustrated might also be utilized in conjunction with traditional cellulose filters to assemble composite filters.
  • a filter 54 obtained in this manner is considerably simpler to manufacture than a conventional filter.

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  • Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)
US11/100,439 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Method and a machine for manufacturing filters for tobacco products Abandoned US20050224087A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
IT000202A ITBO20040202A1 (it) 2004-04-08 2004-04-08 Metodo e macchina per il confezionamento di filtri per articoli da fumo
ITBO2004A000202 2004-04-08

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US20050224087A1 true US20050224087A1 (en) 2005-10-13

Family

ID=34897764

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US11/100,439 Abandoned US20050224087A1 (en) 2004-04-08 2005-04-07 Method and a machine for manufacturing filters for tobacco products

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US20050224087A1 (ja)
EP (1) EP1584248B1 (ja)
JP (1) JP4708832B2 (ja)
CN (1) CN1679420B (ja)
DE (1) DE602005007410D1 (ja)
IT (1) ITBO20040202A1 (ja)
RU (1) RU2375935C2 (ja)

Cited By (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20070243985A1 (en) * 2006-04-18 2007-10-18 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Fiber filter production
US11896049B2 (en) 2020-06-03 2024-02-13 International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O. O. Method and apparatus for manufacturing of rods

Families Citing this family (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
ITBO20060751A1 (it) * 2006-10-31 2007-01-30 Gd Spa Macchina confezionatrice di filtri per articoli da fumo
EP2088877B1 (en) * 2006-11-29 2018-08-01 Imperial Tobacco Canada Limited Cigarette filter with flavored particles
DE102010000680A1 (de) 2010-01-05 2011-07-07 Hauni Maschinenbau AG, 21033 Herstellung von Filtersträngen und Filterstrangmaschine
CN101933649B (zh) * 2010-09-20 2012-07-04 湖北中烟工业有限责任公司 提高辊压法薄片抗碎性的工艺方法
WO2012175333A1 (en) * 2011-06-20 2012-12-27 Philip Morris Products S.A. Apparatus and method for introducing objects into a smoking article
PL2797442T3 (pl) * 2011-12-30 2019-01-31 Philip Morris Products S.A. Urządzenie i sposób doprowadzania roli ciągłej karbowanego materiału arkuszowego
ITBO20120106A1 (it) * 2012-03-05 2013-09-06 Montrade Srl Metodo e macchina per la produzione di filtri senza carta per articoli da fumo
ITUA20163825A1 (it) * 2016-05-26 2017-11-26 Gd Spa Dispositivo per la sostituzione di parti operative per macchine dell’industria del tabacco
CN113229529B (zh) * 2021-04-16 2022-10-25 浙江泽田电气工程有限公司 一种缠绕聚拢式烟草薄片滤棒加工装置

Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2796810A (en) * 1952-09-09 1957-06-25 Muller Paul Adolf Machinery for producing filter strands from fibrous pulp
US3377220A (en) * 1967-06-09 1968-04-09 American Filtrona Corp Process for making stable elongated elements
US4463767A (en) * 1981-04-01 1984-08-07 G. D. Societa Per Azioni Continuous twin rod cigarette-making machine
US4593706A (en) * 1980-08-04 1986-06-10 Molins Limited Producing filler material, particularly for cigarette filters
US4889143A (en) * 1986-05-14 1989-12-26 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Cigarette rods and filters containing strands provided from sheet-like materials
US5331977A (en) * 1992-01-15 1994-07-26 G. D. Societa' Per Azioni Distributor for cigarette manufacturing machine
US7287529B2 (en) * 2003-04-29 2007-10-30 G.D S.P.A. Cigarette maker

Family Cites Families (2)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
CH313367A (de) * 1951-09-12 1956-04-15 Hauni Werke Koerber & Co Kg Rauchfilterpfropfen von zylindrischer Form und Verfahren zu seiner Herstellung
JPS5758878A (en) * 1980-08-04 1982-04-08 Molins Ltd Filler material, especially, apparatus and method for producing tobacco filter

Patent Citations (7)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2796810A (en) * 1952-09-09 1957-06-25 Muller Paul Adolf Machinery for producing filter strands from fibrous pulp
US3377220A (en) * 1967-06-09 1968-04-09 American Filtrona Corp Process for making stable elongated elements
US4593706A (en) * 1980-08-04 1986-06-10 Molins Limited Producing filler material, particularly for cigarette filters
US4463767A (en) * 1981-04-01 1984-08-07 G. D. Societa Per Azioni Continuous twin rod cigarette-making machine
US4889143A (en) * 1986-05-14 1989-12-26 R. J. Reynolds Tobacco Company Cigarette rods and filters containing strands provided from sheet-like materials
US5331977A (en) * 1992-01-15 1994-07-26 G. D. Societa' Per Azioni Distributor for cigarette manufacturing machine
US7287529B2 (en) * 2003-04-29 2007-10-30 G.D S.P.A. Cigarette maker

Cited By (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20070243985A1 (en) * 2006-04-18 2007-10-18 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Fiber filter production
US7588524B2 (en) 2006-04-18 2009-09-15 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Fiber filter production
US11896049B2 (en) 2020-06-03 2024-02-13 International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp. Z O. O. Method and apparatus for manufacturing of rods

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
DE602005007410D1 (de) 2008-07-24
JP4708832B2 (ja) 2011-06-22
RU2375935C2 (ru) 2009-12-20
JP2005296015A (ja) 2005-10-27
EP1584248A1 (en) 2005-10-12
EP1584248B1 (en) 2008-06-11
CN1679420A (zh) 2005-10-12
ITBO20040202A1 (it) 2004-07-08
CN1679420B (zh) 2011-12-21
RU2005109972A (ru) 2006-10-20

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AS Assignment

Owner name: G.D S.P.A., ITALY

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST;ASSIGNORS:DRAGHETTI, FIORENZO;EUSEPI, IVAN;TURRINI, ARMANDO;AND OTHERS;REEL/FRAME:016459/0728

Effective date: 20050307

STCB Information on status: application discontinuation

Free format text: ABANDONED -- FAILURE TO RESPOND TO AN OFFICE ACTION