Classifications

• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
  • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
  • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
  • A24C5/20—Reels; Supports for bobbins; Other accessories
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter tips or filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces of cigars or cigarettes
  • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
  • A24D3/0275—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters for filters with special features
  • A24D3/0287—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters for filters with special features for composite filters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
  • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
  • A24C5/10—Machines with wrapping rollers
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24C—MACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
  • A24C5/00—Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
  • A24C5/14—Machines of the continuous-rod type
  • A24C5/28—Cutting-off the tobacco rod
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter tips or filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces of cigars or cigarettes
  • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
• • A—HUMAN NECESSITIES
  • A24—TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
  • A24D—CIGARS; CIGARETTES; TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS; MOUTHPIECES OF CIGARS OR CIGARETTES; MANUFACTURE OF TOBACCO SMOKE FILTERS OR MOUTHPIECES
  • A24D3/00—Tobacco smoke filters, e.g. filter tips or filtering inserts; Filters specially adapted for simulated smoking devices; Mouthpieces of cigars or cigarettes
  • A24D3/02—Manufacture of tobacco smoke filters
  • A24D3/025—Final operations, i.e. after the filter rod forming process
  • A24D3/0254—Cutting means
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B65—CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
  • B65G—TRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
  • B65G29/00—Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones
  • B65G29/02—Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones for inclined or vertical transit

Definitions

• the object of the invention is an apparatus for the manufacturing of multi-segment rods in the tobacco industry products, and a conveying unit for the transferring of a rod-like elements train.
• This invention relates to the transferring of rod-like elements among conveying devices of the tobacco industry machines, whereas rod-like elements are to be understood in this document as among others tobacco segments, tobacco rods, filter segments, filter rods, multi-segment filter rods containing filter segments and additional components varying the elements' flavour or giving it to them, multi-segment filter rods containing filter segments and additional objects varying the filtering properties of filter materials used, multi-segment rods containing both filter and non-filter segments, multi-segment elements with reduced tobacco content as well as cigarettes with a stuck-on single-segment or multi-segment filter tip.
• rod-like elements may be both cylindrical and non-cylindrical, and may have undercuts or hollows in both frontal and circumferential surfaces. It is common in the tobacco industry to put rod-like elements together in groups with a finite number of elements or endless trains of alternately different or the same elements. Furthermore, these may be non- filter and filter elements with different filtering properties or alternately non-filter, filter elements and tobacco rods. Continuous elements trains are wrapped into the paper wrapper forming a continuous rod and are subjected to further processing, whereas they are first cut into rods with a repeatable component sequence.
• the tobacco industry manufacturers have expressed the demand for the rod-like elements to be put together without gaps between elements or with precisely defined gaps.
• a difficult and very significant problem in case of putting the elements without gaps is to meet the expectation that the rod-like elements be pushed close to one another, generally placed next to one another, in a repeatable way.
• the feeding in a repeatable way is to be understood as placing the elements in such a way which eliminates the influence of random factors on the final position of the elements in the elements train.
• An undesirable effect which may be caused by random factors is the formation of random gaps between the elements or an excessive compression of the elements causing a deformation of the elements, which influences the quality of finished products.
• a device for the transferring of groups of rod-like elements, in this case filter segments, and the formation of an endless elements train is known.
• gaps among individual elements groups are maintained because they are necessary for the correct transfer of rod-like elements among successive rotational members in the form of wheels provided with lugs on the circumference, whereas the groups of rod-like elements are placed in spaces between the lugs.
• the transferring belt moves with a smaller speed than the circumferential speed of the last wheel of the transferring device.
• rod-like elements arranged on the belt are not arranged in a repeatable way, may be excessively compressed, or random gaps among the elements may be formed.
• the WO 2010/076653 document has also presented a device for the transferring of the elements groups between two conveying devices.
• the document has disclosed a method for the elimination of gaps among elements groups which remain after the separating members between the notches on the transferring wheels. It takes place by selecting the speed of the conveyor belt of the conveying device receiving the elements groups. The speed of this belt is smaller than the circumferential speed of the wheel so that the elements delivered by the last transferring wheel are pushed close to the elements delivered before.
• the elements are moved along the paper wrapper moving with the belt speed.
• the glue which is usually applied on the paper wrapper may hinder the movement of elements and accumulate among the elements. It happens that the paper wrapper of moved elements is improperly stuck on, which may influence the correctness of the final position of the moved group and the repeatability of location of adjoining elements from successive elements groups relative to one another.
• the object of this invention is to develop an improved apparatus for the transferring of rod-like elements among the conveying devices, where the said apparatus will make it possible to deliver the rod-like elements to the exit conveying device in such a way that the displacement of the elements relative to the paper wrapper will be reduced or eliminated.
• the substance of the invention is the apparatus for the manufacturing of multi-segment rods, comprising: a feeder delivering the rod-like elements in the form of a rod-like elements train; a wrapping device situated downstream of the feeder in the direction of movement of the elements train, for the wrapping of the rod-like elements train into a wrapping material thereby forming a continuous rod; a conveying unit situated between the feeder and the wrapping unit, for the formation of a train of axially positioned rod-like elements and for the transferring rod-like elements by means of a number of conveying wheels to the wrapping device, whereas the rod-like elements are moved along guides.
• An apparatus according to the invention also comprises cutting means used for the cutting the continuous rod into rods, whereas each of the rods comprises a set of rod-like elements.
• An apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that at least the last of the wheels in the unit conveying the rod-like elements to the wrapping device is a wheel whose circumferential surface has no lugs.
• an apparatus is characterised in that the conveying unit is adapted to the variation of the relative position of rod-like elements between one another in axial direction.
• an apparatus is characterised in that the conveying unit is adapted to the variation of the distance between rod-like elements.
• an apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that the smooth wheel has a smaller diameter than the other wheels of the assembling unit. Furthermore, an apparatus according to the invention is characterised in that the wheels of the conveying unit and the guides are made of materials selected depending on the material of which the outside coating of conveyed rod-like elements was made so that the coefficient of friction between rod-like articles and the circumferential surface of the wheels is smaller than the coefficient of friction between rod-like elements and the guiding surface of the guides.
• the substance of the invention is also a conveying unit for the transferring a rod-like elements train in the tobacco industry having an inlet for receiving the rod-like elements train, a number of conveying wheels, a number of guides for guiding of rod-like elements, an outlet for transferring the rod-like elements train.
• a unit according to the invention is characterised in that at least the last of the wheels in the conveying unit is a wheel whose circumferential surface has no lugs.
• a unit according to the invention is characterised in that the unit is adapted to the variation of the relative position of rod-like elements between one another in the axial direction.
• the application of the last smooth wheel resulted in an increase of the quality of manufactured rods.
• One of the quality parameters is that the length of the halves of cut segments is within a narrow tolerance range. Due to the reduction of stresses occurring during the transfer of segments onto the segment train receiving conveyor, an increased accuracy of rod cutting was noticed. Furthermore, the absence of lugs on the last wheel eliminates the risk of tearing the segments off the conveyor and improper positioning of the segments relative to adjoining segments.
• Fig. 1 shows an embodiment of a rod-like elements train
• Fig. 2 shows another embodiment of the rod-like elements train
• Fig. 3 shows a fragment of a machine for the manufacturing of multi-segment rods; and Fig. 4 shows a conveying unit of the rod-like elements train.
• Fig. 1 and 2 show the fragments of embodiments of continuous multi-segment rods CR1 and CR2 formed of rod-like elements trains prepared during the production, S1 , S2, S3 and S4, respectively, manufactured as a result of the operation of the apparatus according to the invention.
• Presented continuous rods are cut into multi-segment rods, Fig. 1 and 2 show with the broken lines X1 and X2 the examples of cutting points at the continuous rods. The distance between successive lines X1 , X2, respectively, shows the length of manufactured rods.
• Fig. 3 shows a fragment of the machine for the manufacturing of multi-element filter rods.
• the machine has feeding units 3 and 4 for the delivery of rod-like elements S1 and S2 onto the feeder 2 (generally a conveying device).
• the machine has a conveying unit 1 according to the invention whose task is to transfer the rod-like elements S1 , S2 delivered by the feeder 2 from the feeding units 3 and 4 in the form of the train ST1 , whereas the elements S1 , S2 move at certain intervals to one another i.e. are not in contact with one another.
• the conveying unit 1 is provided with three wheels 9, 10, 11 , whereas the wheel 9 receives the elements S1 , S2 from the feeder 2 in the form of the elements train ST1.
• the wheel 11 delivers the transferred rod-like elements S1 , S2 onto the formatting conveyor 5, whereas the wrapping material 7 is delivered onto the belt of the formatting conveyor 5, and the elements S1 , S2 are placed onto the wrapping material 7.
• the elements S1 and S2 received by the formatting conveyor 5 form the train ST2 of rod-like elements S2, whereas these elements are arranged in such a way that successive elements keep the contact with one another.
• the train ST2 of rod-like elements S1 and S2 moving on the belt of the formatting conveyor 5 is wrapped into the wrapping material 7 by means of the formatting device 6.
• the formatting conveyor 5 is usually a part of the formatting device 6.
• the manufactured continuous rod CR moves further and is cut by means of a cutting head 8 into individual multi-segment rods R.
• the elements S1 , S2 are transferred in the area A from the feeder 2 onto the wheel 9, whereas the area A constitutes the inlet of the conveying unit 1.
• the elements S1 , S2 are transferred from the wheel 9 to the wheel 10, respectively in the area C the elements are transferred from the wheel 10 to the wheel 11 , and in the area D from the wheel 11 onto the formatting conveyor 5, whereas the area D constitutes the outlet of the conveying unit.
• the wheel 9 rotating around the axis of rotation X is provided with circumferentially disposed lugs 12 with a thickness smaller than the distances d among the elements S1 and S2 on the feeder 2.
• the elements S1 , S2 in one elements group conveyed in the notches 13 between adjoining lugs 12 on the circumferential surface 9A may be in contact with one another.
• the lugs 14 on the circumferential surface 10A of the wheel 10 rotating around the axis of rotation Y have a thickness close to the lugs 12 on the wheel 9, similarly the notches 15 on the wheel 10 have a length close to the notches 13.
• the wheel 11 rotating around the axis of rotation Z has a smooth circumferential surface 11 A without any lugs.
• the intervals between successive rod-like elements S1 , S2 in the axial direction gradually decrease, and the speed of the elements decreases so that their speed finally comes close to the speed of the belt of the formatting conveyor 5 or equals this speed.
• the distances d1 between successive elements groups S1 , S2 are reduced or completely eliminated.
• the rod-like elements S1 , S2 are transferred from the outlet of the conveying unit 1 at smaller intervals than they are delivered at the inlet. After the transfer from the outlet, the rod-like elements S2, ST2 move further in the train ST2 on the belt of the formatting conveyor 5 and the wrapping material 7.
• the elimination of the lugs resulted in further advantageous effects related to the reduction of stresses occurring among successive rod-like elements moving in groups already on the circumferential surface 11 A of the wheel 11. Namely a decrease in the speed of successive rod-like elements resulting precisely in the reduction of stresses among rod-like elements being in contact with one another was noticed.
• the slowing down effect may also be achieved by using a wheel with a reduced diameter.
• the rod-like elements S1 , S2 move on a path being a composition of three arches and are guided by the guides 20, 21 and 22 which, together with the circumferential surfaces 9A, 10A, 11 A of the wheels 9, 10 and 11 , respectively, are forming the channels for the elements S1 , S2.
• the apparatus is additionally provided with not shown guides parallel to the plane of the drawing, situated before and behind the surface of the wheels 9, 10 and 11.
• the material of the wheels 9, 10, 11 of the conveying unit 1 and the guides 20, 21 , 22 may be selected depending on the wrapping material of which the outside coating of conveyed rod-like elements S1 , S2 has been made.
• the wheels and the guides may be made of different grades of stainless steel or tool steel, may have hard coatings made for example of tungsten carbide or titanium or chromium nitride. It is also possible to use plastics approved for the contact with food products.

Landscapes

• Cigarettes, Filters, And Manufacturing Of Filters (AREA)
• Attitude Control For Articles On Conveyors (AREA)
• Wrapping Of Specific Fragile Articles (AREA)
• Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)

Priority Applications (7)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=52697195

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (8)

Families Citing this family (12)

Citations (7)

Family Cites Families (7)

• 2015
  • 2015-01-29 EP EP15153045.8A patent/EP3050441A1/en not_active Withdrawn
• 2016
  • 2016-01-29 KR KR1020177018781A patent/KR20170109540A/ko not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-01-29 US US15/544,280 patent/US20170360083A1/en not_active Abandoned
  • 2016-01-29 JP JP2017539255A patent/JP6745806B2/ja not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2016-01-29 RU RU2017127163A patent/RU2710767C2/ru active
  • 2016-01-29 CN CN201680004847.4A patent/CN107105763B/zh not_active Expired - Fee Related
  • 2016-01-29 BR BR112017014003-9A patent/BR112017014003B1/pt not_active IP Right Cessation
  • 2016-01-29 EP EP16703081.6A patent/EP3250058A1/en not_active Withdrawn
  • 2016-01-29 WO PCT/EP2016/051890 patent/WO2016120431A1/en not_active Ceased

Patent Citations (7)

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