US20080202532A1 - Method for portioning and depositing ground tobacco into containers - Google Patents
Method for portioning and depositing ground tobacco into containers Download PDFInfo
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- US20080202532A1 US20080202532A1 US12/038,646 US3864608A US2008202532A1 US 20080202532 A1 US20080202532 A1 US 20080202532A1 US 3864608 A US3864608 A US 3864608A US 2008202532 A1 US2008202532 A1 US 2008202532A1
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- Prior art keywords
- column
- compressed
- shuttle
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- container
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- A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
- A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
- A24B—MANUFACTURE OR PREPARATION OF TOBACCO FOR SMOKING OR CHEWING; TOBACCO; SNUFF
- A24B13/00—Tobacco for pipes, for cigars, e.g. cigar inserts, or for cigarettes; Chewing tobacco; Snuff
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B29/00—Packaging of materials presenting special problems
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B63/00—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged
- B65B63/02—Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on articles or materials to be packaged for compressing or compacting articles or materials prior to wrapping or insertion in containers or receptacles
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
- B65B—MACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
- B65B1/00—Packaging fluent solid material, e.g. powders, granular or loose fibrous material, loose masses of small articles, in individual containers or receptacles, e.g. bags, sacks, boxes, cartons, cans, or jars
- B65B1/20—Reducing volume of filled material
- B65B1/24—Reducing volume of filled material by mechanical compression
Definitions
- Embodiments of the invention pertain to methods for dispensing smokeless tobacco into containers, and in particular to filling ground, shredded, or other processed tobacco into various containers including but not limited to containers such as tins described specifically herein or pouches that may be filled vertically, horizontally or otherwise.
- the tobacco industry has evolved over the years to include, in addition to cigarettes and cigars, smokeless tobacco products such as shredded tobacco leaves (chew) and more concentrated ground tobacco, and other smokeless products such as snuff.
- smokeless tobacco products such as shredded tobacco leaves (chew) and more concentrated ground tobacco
- snuff smokeless products
- the portioning and depositing of snuff product has proven particularly difficult due to its physical nature as a finely ground material.
- the product is not easily portioned by hand or placed into shallow tins, which are containers constructed of metal or plastic, and which are the preferred method of packaging for this product.
- Historical methods of filling snuff have typically utilized the tin as the portioning vessel with tamping of the product being performed after receipt in the tin. Another technique is creating a sheet of product (akin to a cookie dough-like substance) and stamping out portions for placing into the tin. In both cases a precise portion is not volumetrically formed in a separate vessel prior to transfer into the tin. Such historical processes result in significantly inconsistent fill weights as the ground tobacco being filled into the tin absent compression in a staging vessel does not eliminate air voids within the product causing inconsistent levels of compression and fill.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention
- FIG. 4 illustrates a compressed column in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of dispensing ground tobacco into a container in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention.
- the phrase “A/B” means A or B.
- the phrase “A and/or B” means “(A), (B), or (A and B).”
- the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” means “(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).”
- the phrase “(A)B” means “(B) or (AB),” that is, A is an optional element.
- Coupled may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
- Embodiments of the present invention may include methods for filling containers 120 (including tins, pouches, or other tobacco holding containers) with processed tobacco products by volumetrically creating a more exact volume for weight control portion (processed tobacco puck or cake 140 ).
- processed tobacco may include, but is not limited to tobacco that has been ground, shredded, pulverized or otherwise reconfigured (including, e.g. snuff, chew, pipe tobacco, roll-your own cigarette tobacco, and other non-processed rolled tobacco products).
- the processed tobacco puck or cake 140 may form a column shape.
- Methods and devices used in accordance with various embodiments use pre-compression/staging in a separate staging vessel independent of the product container 120 itself.
- generally compressed processed tobacco may be formed into weight controlled portions prior to depositing the processed tobacco cake or puck 140 into the container 120 .
- Using intermediate staging vessels in accordance with various embodiments may result in relatively accurate weight controls being more routinely achieved.
- Various embodiments may include a compression process in a staging vessel prior to depositing the processed tobacco 130 into the product container 120 .
- an inclusive and/or separate device may be used to accomplish such pre-portioning under compression and pre-staged in a separate vessel.
- a collection bore 58 defined by a collection column 55 and/or an insert 50 , and a shuttle pocket 110 may help deposit a relatively precise volumetrically/weight controlled cake/puck of processed tobacco 130 into the product container 120 .
- One embodiment for accomplishing this volumetric pre-portioning and depositing is described below and illustrated in the attached drawings.
- a compressed processed tobacco puck or cake 140 may be created prior to depositing into the product container 120 .
- conveying by way of a transfer mechanism, such as a conveyor or auger, of loose processed tobacco 130 material into a filling basin 10 may be used.
- Such mechanisms may have bottom holes with tubes suspended there from, thereby creating a collection bore 58 whose height may contain from one to several portions tall of processed tobacco puck 140 .
- the processed tobacco may be channeled into the collection bore 58 through a variety of means, including but not limited to baffles, tapered walls, etc.
- a first or upper plunger 20 or other tamping device may be introduced to the column of product to provide compression and to eliminate air voids. This may tend to not only normalize and create relatively precise weight control of the processed tobacco pucks 140 , but also serve as a way of moving product through the system.
- an additional compression may be performed after receipt of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in a container 120 by a tamper 100 .
- pre-compression by the upper plunger 20 may serve to improve weight or volume control and reduce air voids in the processed tobacco pucks 140 .
- Additional compression after receipt of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in a container 120 may serve to provide desired density of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in the container 120 .
- shuttle pocket 110 may be positioned in line with the collection bore 58 .
- shuttle pockets 110 may be disposed around a circumference of a rotary carousel basin, or in various embodiments, along a line of a linear basin transfer mechanism.
- Shuttle pockets 110 having an opening at a top and a bottom, may be sized to cooperate with the collection column 55 and/or insert 50 to help define and/or extend the collection bore 58 in an amount generally equal to the weight and/or volume portion of processed tobacco puck 140 , resulting in processed tobacco column 160 .
- the bottom of the shuttle pocket may be temporarily closed in order to allow receipt of the tobacco puck 140 .
- the bottom opening of the shuttle pocket 110 may temporarily closed by a second plunger 40 , which ascends from the bottom into the shuttle pocket 110 .
- the lower plunger 40 may dictate the target volume within the shuttle pocket 110 .
- the second plunger 40 may ride on an adjustable cam 150 allowing it to move up into the shuttle pocket 110 to a desired position and move away to allow the shuttle pocket 110 to move away from the collection column 55 to a transfer station.
- other pushing and/or compressing techniques may be used, and may be adapted to engage the processed tobacco 130 from a variety of directions and in a variety of configurations.
- a cutter such as a knife 70 may be passed above the upper opening of the shuttle pocket 110 , which may serve to separate the upper and lower portions of the compressed tobacco column 160 and allow the shuttle pocket 110 to pass away from the collection column 55 , thereby “shuttling” the specified portion to a transfer station.
- the knife 70 may be stationary, while in a linear version the knife 70 may be activated by way of, for example, an electronic motor, or air or hydraulic piston.
- shuttle pocket 110 With its compressed portion of processed tobacco puck 140 , shuttle pocket 110 may be shuttled out/over to the transfer station, which in various embodiments may be an opening in the shuttle plate 60 upon which the shuttle pocket 110 rides.
- a pushing member such as a tamper 100 may descend through the shuttle pocket 110 and shuttle plate opening moving the pre-staged compressed (thus generally volumetrically and weight controlled) portion into the product containers 120 .
- the tamper 100 may not descend through the shuttle plate opening when the compressing device is independent from the transfer station.
- the shuttle pocket 110 may be placed over the container 120 through a container deck 90 and/or other suitable support.
- the upper plunger 20 , shuttle pocket 110 , tamper 100 and lower plungers 40 may all move to their respective starting positions by way of cams, for example, in the rotary version or combinations of cams and motors or variously driven pistons in the in-line version. It may be appreciated that other mechanisms may be used to control the movement of such components.
- FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a filling apparatus in accordance with various embodiments.
- Processed tobacco 130 may be transported to a filling basin 10 by a variable speed conveyor (not shown) that may be regulated by a control system ( FIG. 5 , 502 ).
- the controller may utilize a sensor in the filling basin 10 , which monitors the level of processed tobacco 130 .
- the conveyor speed may be adjusted based on the amount of processed tobacco 130 in the filling basin.
- One or more baffles 30 may help channel the processed tobacco 130 into openings of the collection bore 58 ( FIG. 5 , 504 ), which in various embodiments may be adjustable in diameter through the use of an insert 50 .
- an insert 50 may not be required.
- a shuttle pocket 110 may be positioned below the collection column 55 , such that processed tobacco 130 may be disposed in the collection bore 58 and the shuttle pocket 110 , creating processed tobacco column 160 ( FIG. 3B ).
- a second or lower plunger 40 may be disposed within the shuttle pocket 110 to help control the weight and/or volume of puck 140 .
- the processed tobacco 130 may be compressed between an upper plunger 20 and a lower plunger 40 .
- FIG. 2 illustrates the next stage of dispensing a processed tobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- a column bottom for example, lower plunger 40 may be forced up into the shuttle pocket 110 at a predetermined distance.
- the movement of the lower plunger 40 may be controlled in a variety of ways.
- the lower plunger 40 may ride on an adjustable cam 150 and cause the lower plunger 40 to rise a specified height in order to help determine the target fill weight or the target column height.
- the lower plunger 40 may pass through sized holes in a shuttle plate 60 ( FIG. 5 , 506 ).
- such movements of the lower plunger 40 may not be required to determine the target fill weight or the target column height, and a column bottom may be placed below the collection column 55 , which closes an opening of the shuttle pocket 110 .
- Fill weight variances may be reduced and/or eliminated through controlled compression of the processed tobacco 130 between the lower and upper plungers 40 and 20 ( FIG. 5 , 508 ), or in other embodiments between upper plunger 20 and a column bottom (not shown).
- compressed column 160 of processed tobacco 130 may represent several container portions of a processed tobacco puck 140 .
- Compression levels may be adjustable over a wide range to allow for varying conditions and product configuration.
- FIG. 3A illustrates the following stage of dispensing a processed tobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- the shuttle pocket 110 may be located between the collection column 55 and shuttle plate 60 , during the compression phase of the filling cycle.
- the collection column 55 , shuttle pocket 110 and inner shuttle plate hole may be in line with respect to each other.
- a cutter or knife 70 may slice the compressed column 160 of processed tobacco 130 at a point between the bottom of the collection column 55 and the top of the shuttle pocket 110 ( FIG. 3B , line AA), leaving a determined volume, height, and/or weight of processed tobacco 130 in the shuttle pocket 110 ( FIG. 5 , 510 ).
- FIG. 4 illustrates the following stage of dispensing a processed tobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention.
- a horizontal member 80 such as a cam may move the shuttle pocket 110 and its portioned processed tobacco puck 140 outward to position over an outer hole in the shuttle plate 60 ( FIG. 5 , 512 ).
- the horizontal member 80 may be adapted to engage the bottom of the collection column 55 and/or insert 50 when used to prevent remaining processed tobacco 130 from falling without another shuttle pocket 110 properly disposed below the collection column 55 .
- a second shuttle pocket may move into position immediately following the removal of first shuttle pocket 110 .
- the container deck 90 Disposed beneath an outer hole 82 is the container deck 90 , which supports a container 120 in a position to receive the processed tobacco puck 140 .
- the portioned processed tobacco puck 140 may be placed in the container 120 with, for example, a downward stroke of a tamper 100 ( FIG. 5 , 514 ).
- the tamper 100 may provide an additional compression to the processed tobacco puck 140 according to need.
- a secondary cam may be used to return the shuttle pockets 110 to their previous position in preparation for a repeat cycle.
- the shuttle pockets 110 may not be moved to their previous position, but may be moved to another position instead, where the processed tobacco 130 may be disposed in the shuttle pockets 110 from another collection column 55 .
- portioning and filling methods in accordance with various embodiments may also be used to fill more coarsely ground tobacco (such as chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, roll-your own cigarette tobacco, and other non-processed rolled tobacco products) into various containers 120 , such as tins, pouches, etc., which are being filled vertically, or horizontally, or otherwise.
- coarsely ground tobacco such as chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, roll-your own cigarette tobacco, and other non-processed rolled tobacco products
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Abstract
Description
- This application is a non-provisional application of, and claims priority to,
provisional application 60/892,224, filed on Feb. 28, 2007, entitled “A METHOD FOR PORTIONING AND DEPOSITING GROUND TABACCO INTO CONTAINERS.”The specification of the provisional application is hereby incorporated in its entirety, except for those sections, if any, that are inconsistent with this specification. - Embodiments of the invention pertain to methods for dispensing smokeless tobacco into containers, and in particular to filling ground, shredded, or other processed tobacco into various containers including but not limited to containers such as tins described specifically herein or pouches that may be filled vertically, horizontally or otherwise.
- The tobacco industry has evolved over the years to include, in addition to cigarettes and cigars, smokeless tobacco products such as shredded tobacco leaves (chew) and more concentrated ground tobacco, and other smokeless products such as snuff. The portioning and depositing of snuff product has proven particularly difficult due to its physical nature as a finely ground material. The product is not easily portioned by hand or placed into shallow tins, which are containers constructed of metal or plastic, and which are the preferred method of packaging for this product.
- Historical methods of filling snuff have typically utilized the tin as the portioning vessel with tamping of the product being performed after receipt in the tin. Another technique is creating a sheet of product (akin to a cookie dough-like substance) and stamping out portions for placing into the tin. In both cases a precise portion is not volumetrically formed in a separate vessel prior to transfer into the tin. Such historical processes result in significantly inconsistent fill weights as the ground tobacco being filled into the tin absent compression in a staging vessel does not eliminate air voids within the product causing inconsistent levels of compression and fill.
- Embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example and not by way of limitation in the figures of the accompanying drawings.
-
FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 2 illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 3A illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 3B illustrates a cross-section of an apparatus in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; -
FIG. 4 illustrates a compressed column in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention; and -
FIG. 5 illustrates a flowchart of dispensing ground tobacco into a container in accordance with various embodiments of the present invention. - In the following detailed description, reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part hereof wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout, and in which is shown by way of illustration embodiments in which the invention may be practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be utilized and structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention. Therefore, the following detailed description is not to be taken in a limiting sense, and the scope of embodiments in accordance with the present invention is defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.
- Various operations may be described as multiple discrete operations in turn, in a manner that may be helpful in understanding embodiments of the present invention; however, the order of description should not be construed to imply that these operations are order dependent.
- The description may use perspective-based descriptions such as up/down, back/front, and top/bottom. Such descriptions are merely used to facilitate the discussion and are not intended to restrict the application of embodiments of the present invention.
- For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “A/B” means A or B. For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “A and/or B” means “(A), (B), or (A and B).” For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “at least one of A, B, and C” means “(A), (B), (C), (A and B), (A and C), (B and C), or (A, B and C).” For the purposes of the present invention, the phrase “(A)B” means “(B) or (AB),” that is, A is an optional element.
- The terms “coupled” and “connected,” along with their derivatives, may be used. It should be understood that these terms are not intended as synonyms for each other. Rather, in particular embodiments, “connected” may be used to indicate that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact with each other. “Coupled” may mean that two or more elements are in direct physical or electrical contact. However, “coupled” may also mean that two or more elements are not in direct contact with each other, but yet still cooperate or interact with each other.
- The description may use the phrases “in an embodiment,” or “in embodiments,” which may each refer to one or more of the same or different embodiments. Furthermore, the terms “comprising,” “including,” “having,” and the like, as used with respect to embodiments of the present invention, are synonymous.
- Embodiments of the present invention may include methods for filling containers 120 (including tins, pouches, or other tobacco holding containers) with processed tobacco products by volumetrically creating a more exact volume for weight control portion (processed tobacco puck or cake 140). As used herein, the term “processed tobacco” may include, but is not limited to tobacco that has been ground, shredded, pulverized or otherwise reconfigured (including, e.g. snuff, chew, pipe tobacco, roll-your own cigarette tobacco, and other non-processed rolled tobacco products). The processed tobacco puck or
cake 140 may form a column shape. Methods and devices used in accordance with various embodiments use pre-compression/staging in a separate staging vessel independent of theproduct container 120 itself. Here generally compressed processed tobacco may be formed into weight controlled portions prior to depositing the processed tobacco cake orpuck 140 into thecontainer 120. Using intermediate staging vessels in accordance with various embodiments may result in relatively accurate weight controls being more routinely achieved. - Various embodiments may include a compression process in a staging vessel prior to depositing the processed
tobacco 130 into theproduct container 120. In various embodiments, an inclusive and/or separate device may be used to accomplish such pre-portioning under compression and pre-staged in a separate vessel. In such embodiments, a collection bore 58 defined by acollection column 55 and/or aninsert 50, and ashuttle pocket 110 may help deposit a relatively precise volumetrically/weight controlled cake/puck of processedtobacco 130 into theproduct container 120. One embodiment for accomplishing this volumetric pre-portioning and depositing is described below and illustrated in the attached drawings. - Several variations whereby a compressed processed tobacco puck or
cake 140 may be created prior to depositing into theproduct container 120. In one embodiment, conveying by way of a transfer mechanism, such as a conveyor or auger, of loose processedtobacco 130 material into a filling basin 10 (e.g., either rotating or in line) may be used. Such mechanisms may have bottom holes with tubes suspended there from, thereby creating acollection bore 58 whose height may contain from one to several portions tall of processedtobacco puck 140. The processed tobacco may be channeled into the collection bore 58 through a variety of means, including but not limited to baffles, tapered walls, etc. - Once material is deposited into the collection bore 58, a first or
upper plunger 20 or other tamping device may be introduced to the column of product to provide compression and to eliminate air voids. This may tend to not only normalize and create relatively precise weight control of the processedtobacco pucks 140, but also serve as a way of moving product through the system. In various embodiments, an additional compression may be performed after receipt of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in acontainer 120 by atamper 100. In such embodiments, pre-compression by theupper plunger 20 may serve to improve weight or volume control and reduce air voids in the processedtobacco pucks 140. Additional compression after receipt of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in acontainer 120 may serve to provide desired density of the processed tobacco pucks 140 in thecontainer 120. - At the bottom of the collection column 55 a
shuttle pocket 110 may be positioned in line with thecollection bore 58. In various embodiments,shuttle pockets 110 may be disposed around a circumference of a rotary carousel basin, or in various embodiments, along a line of a linear basin transfer mechanism.Shuttle pockets 110, having an opening at a top and a bottom, may be sized to cooperate with thecollection column 55 and/orinsert 50 to help define and/or extend the collection bore 58 in an amount generally equal to the weight and/or volume portion of processedtobacco puck 140, resulting in processedtobacco column 160. The bottom of the shuttle pocket may be temporarily closed in order to allow receipt of thetobacco puck 140. - In various embodiments, the bottom opening of the
shuttle pocket 110 may temporarily closed by asecond plunger 40, which ascends from the bottom into theshuttle pocket 110. In various embodiments, thelower plunger 40 may dictate the target volume within theshuttle pocket 110. In some embodiments thesecond plunger 40 may ride on anadjustable cam 150 allowing it to move up into theshuttle pocket 110 to a desired position and move away to allow theshuttle pocket 110 to move away from thecollection column 55 to a transfer station. In various embodiments, other pushing and/or compressing techniques may be used, and may be adapted to engage the processedtobacco 130 from a variety of directions and in a variety of configurations. - Between each assembly of
shuttle pocket 110 having a desired compressed volume of processedtobacco puck 140 and the upper portion of compressed processedtobacco column 160 contained in the collection bore 58, a cutter such as aknife 70 may be passed above the upper opening of theshuttle pocket 110, which may serve to separate the upper and lower portions of the compressedtobacco column 160 and allow theshuttle pocket 110 to pass away from thecollection column 55, thereby “shuttling” the specified portion to a transfer station. - In a rotary embodiment of the device, the
knife 70 may be stationary, while in a linear version theknife 70 may be activated by way of, for example, an electronic motor, or air or hydraulic piston. With its compressed portion of processedtobacco puck 140,shuttle pocket 110 may be shuttled out/over to the transfer station, which in various embodiments may be an opening in theshuttle plate 60 upon which theshuttle pocket 110 rides. A pushing member such as atamper 100 may descend through theshuttle pocket 110 and shuttle plate opening moving the pre-staged compressed (thus generally volumetrically and weight controlled) portion into theproduct containers 120. In various embodiments, thetamper 100 may not descend through the shuttle plate opening when the compressing device is independent from the transfer station. In such embodiments, theshuttle pocket 110 may be placed over thecontainer 120 through acontainer deck 90 and/or other suitable support. In various embodiments, theupper plunger 20,shuttle pocket 110,tamper 100 andlower plungers 40 may all move to their respective starting positions by way of cams, for example, in the rotary version or combinations of cams and motors or variously driven pistons in the in-line version. It may be appreciated that other mechanisms may be used to control the movement of such components. - Complementing the above descriptions, a more detailed process explanation of one embodiment follows, with reference to
FIGS. 1-5 :FIG. 1 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a filling apparatus in accordance with various embodiments.Processed tobacco 130 may be transported to a fillingbasin 10 by a variable speed conveyor (not shown) that may be regulated by a control system (FIG. 5 , 502). The controller may utilize a sensor in the fillingbasin 10, which monitors the level of processedtobacco 130. The conveyor speed may be adjusted based on the amount of processedtobacco 130 in the filling basin. One ormore baffles 30 may help channel the processedtobacco 130 into openings of the collection bore 58 (FIG. 5 , 504), which in various embodiments may be adjustable in diameter through the use of aninsert 50. In various embodiments, aninsert 50 may not be required. - A
shuttle pocket 110 may be positioned below thecollection column 55, such that processedtobacco 130 may be disposed in the collection bore 58 and theshuttle pocket 110, creating processed tobacco column 160 (FIG. 3B ). A second orlower plunger 40 may be disposed within theshuttle pocket 110 to help control the weight and/or volume ofpuck 140. The processedtobacco 130 may be compressed between anupper plunger 20 and alower plunger 40. -
FIG. 2 illustrates the next stage of dispensing a processedtobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. A column bottom, for example,lower plunger 40 may be forced up into theshuttle pocket 110 at a predetermined distance. The movement of thelower plunger 40 may be controlled in a variety of ways. For example, thelower plunger 40 may ride on anadjustable cam 150 and cause thelower plunger 40 to rise a specified height in order to help determine the target fill weight or the target column height. Thelower plunger 40 may pass through sized holes in a shuttle plate 60 (FIG. 5 , 506). In various embodiments, such movements of thelower plunger 40 may not be required to determine the target fill weight or the target column height, and a column bottom may be placed below thecollection column 55, which closes an opening of theshuttle pocket 110. Fill weight variances may be reduced and/or eliminated through controlled compression of the processedtobacco 130 between the lower andupper plungers 40 and 20 (FIG. 5 , 508), or in other embodiments betweenupper plunger 20 and a column bottom (not shown). - As shown in
FIG. 3B ,compressed column 160 of processedtobacco 130 may represent several container portions of a processedtobacco puck 140. Compression levels may be adjustable over a wide range to allow for varying conditions and product configuration. In various embodiments, it may be also possible to have an additional compression stage after receipt of the processedtobacco pucks 140 in acontainer 120 to provide or adjust a final desired density or more accurate density. -
FIG. 3A illustrates the following stage of dispensing a processedtobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Theshuttle pocket 110 may be located between thecollection column 55 andshuttle plate 60, during the compression phase of the filling cycle. Thecollection column 55,shuttle pocket 110 and inner shuttle plate hole may be in line with respect to each other. A cutter orknife 70 may slice thecompressed column 160 of processedtobacco 130 at a point between the bottom of thecollection column 55 and the top of the shuttle pocket 110 (FIG. 3B , line AA), leaving a determined volume, height, and/or weight of processedtobacco 130 in the shuttle pocket 110 (FIG. 5 , 510). -
FIG. 4 illustrates the following stage of dispensing a processedtobacco 130 in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention. Ahorizontal member 80, such as a cam may move theshuttle pocket 110 and its portioned processedtobacco puck 140 outward to position over an outer hole in the shuttle plate 60 (FIG. 5 , 512). Thehorizontal member 80 may be adapted to engage the bottom of thecollection column 55 and/or insert 50 when used to prevent remaining processedtobacco 130 from falling without anothershuttle pocket 110 properly disposed below thecollection column 55. In various embodiments, a second shuttle pocket may move into position immediately following the removal offirst shuttle pocket 110. - Disposed beneath an
outer hole 82 is thecontainer deck 90, which supports acontainer 120 in a position to receive the processedtobacco puck 140. The portioned processedtobacco puck 140 may be placed in thecontainer 120 with, for example, a downward stroke of a tamper 100 (FIG. 5 , 514). Thetamper 100 may provide an additional compression to the processedtobacco puck 140 according to need. In some embodiments, a secondary cam may be used to return the shuttle pockets 110 to their previous position in preparation for a repeat cycle. In various embodiments, according to the configuration of the rotary carousel basin or the line of a linear basin transfer mechanism, the shuttle pockets 110 may not be moved to their previous position, but may be moved to another position instead, where the processedtobacco 130 may be disposed in the shuttle pockets 110 from anothercollection column 55. - It may be appreciated that portioning and filling methods in accordance with various embodiments may also be used to fill more coarsely ground tobacco (such as chewing tobacco, pipe tobacco, roll-your own cigarette tobacco, and other non-processed rolled tobacco products) into
various containers 120, such as tins, pouches, etc., which are being filled vertically, or horizontally, or otherwise. - Although certain embodiments have been illustrated and described herein for purposes of description of the preferred embodiment, it will be appreciated by those of ordinary skill in the art that a wide variety of alternate and/or equivalent embodiments or implementations calculated to achieve the same purposes may be substituted for the embodiments shown and described without departing from the scope of the present invention. Those with skill in the art will readily appreciate that embodiments in accordance with the present invention may be implemented in a very wide variety of ways. This application is intended to cover any adaptations or variations of the embodiments discussed herein. Therefore, it is manifestly intended that embodiments in accordance with the present invention be limited only by the claims and the equivalents thereof.
Claims (22)
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US12/038,646 US20080202532A1 (en) | 2007-02-28 | 2008-02-27 | Method for portioning and depositing ground tobacco into containers |
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US89222407P | 2007-02-28 | 2007-02-28 | |
US12/038,646 US20080202532A1 (en) | 2007-02-28 | 2008-02-27 | Method for portioning and depositing ground tobacco into containers |
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Cited By (14)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
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WO2011042207A1 (en) * | 2009-10-09 | 2011-04-14 | Philip Morris Products S.A. | Apparatus and method for forming and packaging molded tobacco pieces |
WO2011097019A1 (en) * | 2010-02-03 | 2011-08-11 | Altria Client Services Inc. | Method and apparatus for dispensing moist smokeless tobacco |
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US20150183532A1 (en) * | 2013-12-26 | 2015-07-02 | Altria Client Services Inc. | Slide measuring system for filling pouches and associated method |
US20160152356A1 (en) * | 2013-06-21 | 2016-06-02 | I. M. A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. | Unit and method for filling containing elements of single-use capsules for extraction or infusion beverages |
US10888108B2 (en) | 2015-07-30 | 2021-01-12 | Altria Client Services Llc | Slide measuring system for filling pouches and associated method |
WO2021116920A1 (en) * | 2019-12-09 | 2021-06-17 | Nicoventures Trading Limited | Pouched products |
US11192668B2 (en) * | 2018-05-09 | 2021-12-07 | Altria Client Services Llc | Gas-based material compression and portioning |
US20210402724A1 (en) * | 2020-06-25 | 2021-12-30 | Altria Client Services Llc | Gas-based material compression and portioning |
US11213967B2 (en) * | 2018-05-09 | 2022-01-04 | Altria Client Services Llc | Material compression and portioning |
WO2022177621A1 (en) * | 2021-02-19 | 2022-08-25 | Altria Client Services Llc | Apparatuses and methods for loading containers with products |
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WO2010112220A1 (en) * | 2009-04-01 | 2010-10-07 | Hauni Maschinenbau Ag | Device and method for dispensing oral tobacco in intake-friendly portions |
US20100252056A1 (en) * | 2009-04-01 | 2010-10-07 | Hauni Maschinenbau Ag | Apparatus and method for metering oral tobacco in portions suitable for consumption |
US8752558B2 (en) | 2009-10-09 | 2014-06-17 | Philip Morris Usa Inc. | Apparatus and method for forming and packaging molded tobacco pieces |
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US20160152356A1 (en) * | 2013-06-21 | 2016-06-02 | I. M. A. Industria Macchine Automatiche S.P.A. | Unit and method for filling containing elements of single-use capsules for extraction or infusion beverages |
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US20150183532A1 (en) * | 2013-12-26 | 2015-07-02 | Altria Client Services Inc. | Slide measuring system for filling pouches and associated method |
US11832640B2 (en) | 2014-12-05 | 2023-12-05 | R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company | Capsule-containing pouched product for oral use |
US11744275B2 (en) | 2015-07-30 | 2023-09-05 | Altria Client Services Llc | Slide measuring system for filling pouches and associated method |
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