WO2012131901A1

WO2012131901A1 - Apparatus for laser perforation of filter cigarette and method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2012131901A1
Application number: PCT/JP2011/057807
Authority: WO
Inventors: 誠仙道; 道明高津
Original assignee: 日本たばこ産業株式会社
Priority date: 2011-03-29
Filing date: 2011-03-29
Publication date: 2012-10-04

Abstract

An apparatus for laser perforation of a filter cigarette using a laser perforation method of the present invention comprises: a conveyance drum (12) which conveys a target double filter cigarette (DFC); a kicker drum (20) which rolls the double filter cigarette (DFC) around a shaft line at a perforation position (P) of the conveyance drum (12) when the double filter cigarette (DFC) passes through the perforation position (P); a laser device (24) which forms a plurality of holes in the double filter cigarette (DFC) during the rolling of the double filter cigarette (DFC); and a cutter device (26) disposed at the perforation position (P). The cutter device (26) comprises an expandable cover wall (40) which blocks a cigarette edge of the double filter cigarette (DFC) in a state in which the rolling of the double filter cigarette (DFC) is allowed.

Description

Laser drilling apparatus and method for filter cigarette

The present invention relates to a laser drilling apparatus and method for providing vent holes in a filter cigarette.

This type of laser perforation apparatus is a type in which a large number of vent holes are formed in advance in a chip paper web for a filter cigarette, and the vent holes are formed in a double filter cigarette or the filter cigarette itself in the process of manufacturing the filter cigarette. Broadly divided into types.
The latter type of laser perforation apparatus is disclosed, for example, in Patent Document 1 below. The laser perforation apparatus of this Patent Document 1 intermittently irradiates a laser beam to the outer peripheral surface of the double filter cigarette while rolling the double filter cigarette around its axis, and there is an interval in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface. Vent holes are formed.

JP2003-199549 (JP 2003-199549 A)

In the case of the latter type of laser drilling apparatus described above, rolling of a double filter cigarette is indispensable for forming a vent hole. However, the double filter cigarette has cigarette ends at both ends thereof, and the cigarettes filled in the double filter cigarette are exposed to the outside at the cigarette ends. For this reason, rolling of the double filter cigarette tends to cause the tobacco to fall off from the end of the cigarette.

Such dropping of cigarettes leads to insufficient filling of cigarettes in the filter cigarette, while other cigarettes are contaminated due to the dropping cigarettes around the laser drilling device, and such filling Insufficiency and dirt reduce the quality of the filter cigarette.
An object of the present invention is to provide a laser perforation apparatus that can reliably prevent the cigarette from dropping off due to the rolling described above and enables the manufacture of a filter cigarette with excellent quality.

The above object is achieved by the laser perforation apparatus for a filter cigarette according to the present invention. This laser perforation apparatus has a filter cigarette when one of the filter cigarette and the double filter cigarette corresponding to two filter cigarettes is the target cigarette. A transport section that forms part of a transport path for transporting the target cigarette in a direction intersecting the axis in the manufacturing machine;
A rolling device for rolling the target cigarette around its axis at the drilling position when the target cigarette passes the drilling position defined in the transport section;
During the rolling of the target cigarette, a laser device that intermittently irradiates a laser beam to the paper layer that wraps the filter portion of the target cigarette, and forms a large number of holes aligned in the circumferential direction of the target cigarette on the paper layer
And a cover device that closes a cigarette end of the target cigarette in a state where the cigarette is allowed to roll.

Since the cover device described above closes the cigarette end of the target cigarette during rolling of the target cigarette, the cigarette is surely prevented from falling off from the cigarette end.
Specifically, the cover device includes a cover wall that should cover the cigarette end of the target cigarette, and a drive mechanism that moves the cover wall in a direction of moving toward and away from the cigarette end. Preferably, the cover wall is inflatable to be close to the cigarette end, and the drive mechanism controls the air pressure applied to the cover wall to inflate the cover wall.

In this case, the drive mechanism can include a regulating ring that regulates the maximum diameter of the expanded portion of the cover wall.
Further, the drive mechanism is disposed in the pneumatic path, the pneumatic path that pneumatically connects the pneumatic source, the pneumatic source and the surface of the cover wall opposite to the end of the cigarette, An electromagnetic inlet valve that controls the flow of compressed air from the source to the cover wall, an exhaust path that is connected to the pneumatic path and opens the pneumatic path to the atmosphere, and is arranged in this exhaust path, from the pneumatic path to the atmosphere And an electromagnetic outlet valve that controls the flow of the compressed air toward it.
The present invention also provides a laser drilling method for filter cigarettes, and details of this drilling method and drilling device will be apparent from the following description.

The laser drilling apparatus and the drilling method of the present invention prevent the cigarette from dropping from the cigarette end of the target cigarette by the cover device when the target cigarette is punched while rolling the target cigarette of the double filter cigarette or the filter cigarette. . Therefore, the apparatus and method of the present invention enables the production of a filter cigarette with excellent quality without causing the filter cigarette to be defective due to the dropping of tobacco.

It is a figure which shows schematically the manufacturing procedure of a filter cigarette. It is the schematic which showed the laser perforation apparatus of one Example. It is the front view which showed the cover device in a non-operation state. FIG. 5 is a side view partially showing a movable wall assembly of the cover device. It is the side view which partially showed the movable wall assembly in the operation state, and was shown. It is the front view which showed the cover device in an operation state.

Referring to FIG. 1, a series of manufacturing procedures for a filter cigarette is schematically shown, and this manufacturing procedure is performed in a filter cigarette manufacturing machine.
The filter cigarette manufacturing machine first receives cigarette rods CR sequentially from the cigarette manufacturing machine, and these cigarette rods CR are transported along the transport path of the filter cigarette manufacturing machine. In this conveying process, the cigarette rod CR is cut from the center in the axial direction and separated into two cigarettes C.

These cigarettes C are separated from each other, and a filter plug FP is disposed between the cigarettes C. Thereafter, each cigarette C is moved toward the corresponding end of the filter plug FP, and is brought into close contact with this end to form an aggregate CP of the cigarette C and the filter plug FP.
After the double chip paper DT is affixed to the assembly CP, the assembly CP rotates about its axis, and the double chip paper DT is wound around the assembly CP. At this point, a double filter cigarette DFC is formed.

Thereafter, the double filter cigarette DFC passes through the laser perforation apparatus 10 disposed in the conveyance path. At this time, the laser perforation apparatus 10 has at least a pair of perforations on the outer peripheral surface of the double filter cigarette DFC, that is, the double chip paper DT. A row, that is, a vent hole row V is formed. Each vent hole row V includes a large number of fine holes, and these fine holes are arranged at intervals in the circumferential direction over the entire circumference of the double filter cigarette DFC.
The double filter cigarette DFC that has passed through the laser perforation apparatus 10 is cut from the center in the axial direction, that is, from the center of the filter plug FP, and separated into two filter cigarettes FC, each of which has a vent hole row V.

Thereafter, of the two filter cigarettes FC, the filter cigarette FC on one side is conveyed toward the packaging machine, but the direction of the filter cigarette FC on the other side is reversed, and then the filter on one side Incorporated into the transport flow of Cigarette FC. Therefore, the filter cigarette manufacturing machine supplies these filter cigarettes FC to the packaging machine with all the directions of the filter cigarettes FC aligned. The packaging machine forms, for example, a cigarette package containing 20 filter cigarettes FC.

FIG. 2 shows an outline of the laser drilling apparatus 10 described above.
The laser perforation apparatus 10 includes a transport drum 12 that forms a part of the transport path of the filter cigarette manufacturing machine. Specifically, the conveyance path is formed of a drum row, and this drum row includes a number of conveyance drums that are connected in the horizontal direction, and the cigarette rod CR, cigarette C, and the like described above are conveyed from the upstream conveyance drum to the downstream conveyance drum. It is transported while sequentially transferring to.

The transport drum 12 includes a number of segment protrusions 14 on the outer peripheral surface thereof. These segment protrusions 14 are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the transport drum 12 and divide the outer peripheral surface of the transport drum 12 into a number of regions. Specifically, each segment protrusion 14 has a front surface 16 facing forward and a rear surface 18 facing rear as viewed in the rotational direction of the transport drum 12. When each segment projection 14 is in the upstream and downstream rotation angle regions when viewed in the rotation direction of the transport drum 12, the front surface 16 or the rear surface 18 of the segment projection 14 becomes a suction surface for the double filter cigarette DFC.

Specifically, when the double filter cigarette DFC is transferred from the upstream transport drum to the transport drum 12, the transport drum 12 receives the double filter cigarette DCF at every other segment protrusion 14 and receives the received double filter cigarette. The DFC is adsorbed on the rear surface 18 of the segment protrusion 14. In this state, the double filter cigarette DCF is conveyed toward the punching position P. Here, it should be noted that a part of the outer peripheral surface of the double filter cigarette DCF received by the segment protrusion 14 protrudes from the segment protrusion 14 as apparent from FIG.

At the perforation position P, the kicker drum 20 is disposed in the vicinity of the transport drum 12, and the kicker drum 20 is rotated in the direction opposite to the rotation direction of the transport drum 12. The kicker drum 20 includes a plurality of kickers 22 on its outer peripheral surface, and these kickers 22 have a claw shape and are arranged at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the kicker drum 20.

Specifically, the peripheral speed of the kicker drum 20 is such that, at the punching position P, the kicker 22 meets every other segment protrusion 14 of the transport drum 12, that is, the segment protrusion 14 that has received the double filter cigarette DFC. Is set. When the kicker 22 and the segment protrusion 14 meet each other, a predetermined gap is secured between the kicker 22 and the segment protrusion 14. Further, the kicker drum 20 and the transport drum 12 cooperate with each other and are separated from each other so as to sandwich the double filter cigarette DFC.

When the double filter cigarette DFC passes through the piercing position P, the adsorption of the double filter cigarette DFC to the segment protrusion 14 is released, while the double filter cigarette DFC is kicked out of the segment protrusion 14 by the kicker 22 of the kicker drum 20, Separate from the segment protrusion 14. Immediately after this, the double filter cigarette DFC rolls on the outer peripheral surface of the transport drum 12 about its axis at the punching position P while being sandwiched between the kicker drum 20 and the transport drum 12. Thereafter, when the next segment protrusion 14, that is, the empty segment protrusion 14, reaches the drilling position P, the double filter cigarette DFC is received by the empty segment protrusion 14 and is adsorbed by the front surface 16 of the segment protrusion 14.

On the other hand, a laser device 24 is disposed above the drilling position P, and this laser device 24 is electrically connected to the controller. During the rolling of the double filter cigarette DFC, the laser device 24 receives a command from the controller, and intermittently irradiates the outer peripheral surface of the double filter cigarette DFC, that is, the double chip paper DT with a laser beam, and the pair of vent holes described above. Form row V.

Thereafter, the double filter cigarette DFC in which the vent hole row V is formed is transported along the outer periphery of the transport drum 12 together with the segment protrusions 14, and is transported while sequentially transferring from the transport drum 12 to the downstream transport drum. The above-described processing after the drilling processing is received.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 3, a cover device 26 is further arranged at the drilling position P. The cover device 26 includes a pair of movable wall assemblies 28, and these movable wall assemblies 28 are arranged so as to sandwich the double filter cigarette DFC at the piercing position P from both sides when viewed in the axial direction thereof.

Since the pair of movable wall assemblies 28 have the same structure, one movable wall assembly 28 will be described below with reference to FIG.
The movable wall assembly 28 includes a roller 30. The roller 30 is arranged so as to be aligned with the double filter cigarette DFC at the punching position P, and is rotatably supported by a frame 32 of the filter cigarette manufacturing machine via a pair of bearings 34. The roller 30 has a protruding end 36 that protrudes from the frame 32 toward the movable wall assembly 28 on the other side. When the double filter cigarette DFC is positioned at the punching position P, a predetermined interval is secured between the protruding end 36 and the cigarette end CE on the corresponding side of the double filter cigarette DFC.

Further, an axial hole, that is, a pressure chamber 38 is formed in the roller 30, and the pressure chamber extends from the protruding end 36 toward the other end of the roller 30 after being reduced in diameter. Such a pressure chamber 38 provides a tapered opening at the protruding end 36.
The tapered opening is closed by a thin cover wall 40, which has a high sealing performance and is formed of a material that can be expanded or contracted, that is, expandable. Specifically, the cover wall 40 has a rim 42 on the outer periphery thereof. The rim 42 surrounds the protruding end 36 and is sandwiched between the outer periphery of the protruding end 36 and the mounting ring 44. Further, the mounting ring 44 has an inner flange 46 at the end on the cover wall 40 side. The inner flange 46 has an inner diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the double filter cigarette DFC, and overlaps the outer peripheral portion of the cover wall 40 from the outside.

To expand the cover wall 40 described above, the movable wall assembly 28 further includes a pneumatic drive circuit, which will be described below.
Two

radial holes

48 and 50 extend from the pressure chamber 38 in the roller 30 and the frame 32, and these

radial holes

48 and 50 open on the outer surface of the frame 32, respectively. Three O-rings 52 are disposed between the roller 30 and the frame 32, and these O-rings 52 pneumatically separate the radial holes 48 and 50 from each other and the outside air.

An electromagnetic inlet valve 54 is disposed at the open end of the radial hole 48, and this electromagnetic inlet valve 54 is connected to an air pressure source 56 to control the supply of compressed air from the air pressure source 56 into the pressure chamber 38. To do. On the other hand, an electromagnetic outlet valve 58 is disposed at the opening end of the radial hole 50, and this electromagnetic outlet valve 58 controls communication between the outside air and the pressure chamber 38.
Accordingly, when the electromagnetic inlet valve 54 is opened for a predetermined time with the electromagnetic outlet valve 58 closed, compressed air is supplied from the pneumatic pressure source 56 into the pressure chamber 38, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 38 increases. . As a result, the above-described cover wall 40 receives the high pressure in the pressure chamber 38 and forms an expanded portion 40e that expands so as to jump out from the inner flange 46 of the mounting ring 44 as shown in FIGS. 46 regulates the maximum diameter of the expanded portion 40e.

At this time, if the double filter cigarette DFC is positioned at the perforation position P, the end surface of the expanded portion 40e of the cover wall 40 is close to the cigarette end CE on the corresponding side of the double filter cigarette DFC, and this cigarette end CE Block. In FIG. 5, the cigarette end CE and the expanded portion 40e of the cover wall 40 are shown partially enlarged in a circle A indicated by a one-dot chain line, and there is a slight gap between the cigarette end CE and the expanded portion 40e. A gap G is ensured, so that the double filter cigarette DFC can be rolled around its axis without being obstructed by the expanded portion 40e of the cover wall 40.

Thereafter, when the electromagnetic outlet valve 58 is opened for a predetermined time, the high pressure in the pressure chamber 38 is released to the outside through the electromagnetic outlet valve 58, and the pressure in the pressure chamber 38 is reduced to atmospheric pressure. As a result, the cover wall 40 returns to its original state with its own restoring force, and the above-described interval is secured again between the cover wall 40 and the cigarette end CE.
In order to expand the cover wall 40 at an appropriate timing, as shown in FIG. 4, the electromagnetic inlet valve 54 and the electromagnetic outlet valve 58 are electrically connected to the controller 60 described above. The controller 60 opens the electromagnetic inlet valve 54 for a predetermined time at the timing when the double filter cigarette DFC starts rolling at the piercing position P, while setting the electromagnetic outlet valve 58 at a timing when the rolling of the double filter cigarette DFC is completed. Open time.

Therefore, during rolling of the double filter cigarette DFC, if the bulging portion 40e of the cover wall 40 is close to the cigarette end CE on the corresponding side of the double filter cigarette DFC and covers the cigarette end CE, rolling will occur. Occurrence of cigarettes from the cigarette end CE is reliably prevented. As a result, insufficient filling of the cigarette in the filter cigarette FC and contamination of the filter cigarette FC due to the dropping of the cigarette are avoided, and it is possible to manufacture the filter cigarette FC with excellent quality.

The present invention is not limited to the laser drilling apparatus 10 described above or the drilling method performed by the apparatus 10, and various modifications are possible.
For example, the cover wall 40 may not be a simple plate shape, but may be in the form of a bellophram or a bellows, and the cover wall 40 can be expanded by mechanical means without depending on air pressure.
Furthermore, the laser perforation apparatus and the perforation method of the present invention can be similarly applied to the filter cigarette FC.

12 Conveying drum (conveying section)
14 segment protrusion 20 kicker drum (rolling device 22 kicker (rolling device)
24 laser device 26 cover device 28 movable wall assembly 38 pressure chamber (pneumatic path)
40 Cover wall 40e Expansion part 46 Inner ring (regulation ring)
48 radial hole (pneumatic path)
50 radial hole (exhaust path)
54 Electromagnetic inlet valve 56 Pneumatic pressure source 58 Electromagnetic outlet valve 60 Controller
CE cigarette end
FC filter cigarette
DFC double filter cigarette

Claims

When one of the filter cigarette and the double filter cigarette corresponding to two filter cigarettes is the target cigarette, a part of the transport path for transporting the target cigarette in the direction intersecting the axis in the filter cigarette manufacturing machine A transport section to form a
A rolling device for rolling the target cigarette about its axis at the perforation position when the target cigarette passes the perforation position defined in the transport section;
During rolling of the target cigarette, a laser device that intermittently irradiates a laser beam to a paper layer that wraps the filter portion of the target cigarette, and forms a large number of holes in the circumferential direction of the target cigarette in the paper layer;
A laser drilling apparatus for a filter cigarette, comprising: a cover device that is disposed at the drilling position and covers a cigarette end of the target cigarette in a state where the cigarette is allowed to roll.
The said cover device contains the cover wall which should cover the said cigarette end of the said object cigarette, and the drive mechanism which moves this cover wall in the direction which contacts / separates with respect to the said cigarette end. The laser perforation apparatus described.
The cover wall is inflatable to be close to the cigarette end;
The laser drilling apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the drive mechanism controls the air pressure applied to the cover wall to expand the cover wall.
4. The laser perforation apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the drive mechanism includes a regulation ring that regulates a maximum diameter of an expansion portion in the cover wall.
The drive mechanism is
An air pressure source,
A pneumatic path that pneumatically connects the air pressure source and the surface of the cover wall opposite the cigarette end;
An electromagnetic inlet valve disposed in the pneumatic path for controlling a flow of compressed air from the pneumatic source toward the cover wall;
An exhaust path connected to the pneumatic path and opening the pneumatic path to the atmosphere;
The laser perforation apparatus according to claim 3, further comprising an electromagnetic outlet valve disposed in the exhaust path and controlling a flow of compressed air from the pneumatic path toward the atmosphere.
When one of the filter cigarette and the double filter cigarette corresponding to two filter cigarettes is a target cigarette, a transporting step of transporting the target cigarette in a direction crossing its axis in a filter cigarette manufacturing machine;
A rolling step of rolling the target cigarette around its axis at the perforation position when the target cigarette passes through the perforation position during conveyance of the target cigarette;
During the rolling of the target cigarette, a laser irradiation step of intermittently irradiating the paper layer surrounding the filter portion of the target cigarette with a laser beam to form a plurality of holes arranged in the circumferential direction of the target cigarette on the paper layer;
A laser drilling method for a filter cigarette, comprising: a cover step of closing a cigarette end of the target cigarette in a state in which the rolling of the target cigarette is allowed during the rolling of the target cigarette.
The laser drilling method according to claim 6, wherein in the covering step, the cigarette end is covered with a cover wall close to the cigarette end of the target cigarette.
The laser drilling method according to claim 7, wherein in the covering step, air is applied to the cover wall to expand the cover wall so as to be close to the end of the cigarette.
9. The laser drilling method according to claim 8, wherein the cover step expands the cover wall in a state where a maximum diameter of an expanded portion of the cover wall is regulated.