WO2022118245A1 - Operating machine to process smoking articles with an elastic component made by additive manufacturing - Google Patents

Operating machine to process smoking articles with an elastic component made by additive manufacturing Download PDF

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Publication number
WO2022118245A1
WO2022118245A1 PCT/IB2021/061241 IB2021061241W WO2022118245A1 WO 2022118245 A1 WO2022118245 A1 WO 2022118245A1 IB 2021061241 W IB2021061241 W IB 2021061241W WO 2022118245 A1 WO2022118245 A1 WO 2022118245A1
Authority
WO
WIPO (PCT)
Prior art keywords
operating machine
component
along
main direction
drum
Prior art date
Application number
PCT/IB2021/061241
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
Stefano COPERTINO
Gianluca Rocchi
Massimo MAZZINI
Dario MONTANARI
Angelo RONDINELLI
Giuliano Gamberini
Original Assignee
G.D Societa' Per Azioni
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by G.D Societa' Per Azioni filed Critical G.D Societa' Per Azioni
Priority to EP21830773.4A priority Critical patent/EP4255732A1/en
Publication of WO2022118245A1 publication Critical patent/WO2022118245A1/en

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Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B19/00Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
    • B65B19/02Packaging cigarettes
    • B65B19/22Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
    • B65B19/223Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers in a curved path; in a combination of straight and curved paths, e.g. on rotary tables or other endless conveyors
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24CMACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/32Separating, ordering, counting or examining cigarettes; Regulating the feeding of tobacco according to rod or cigarette condition
    • A24C5/322Transporting cigarettes during manufacturing
    • A24C5/327Construction details of the cigarette transport drum
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B33ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING TECHNOLOGY
    • B33YADDITIVE MANUFACTURING, i.e. MANUFACTURING OF THREE-DIMENSIONAL [3-D] OBJECTS BY ADDITIVE DEPOSITION, ADDITIVE AGGLOMERATION OR ADDITIVE LAYERING, e.g. BY 3-D PRINTING, STEREOLITHOGRAPHY OR SELECTIVE LASER SINTERING
    • B33Y80/00Products made by additive manufacturing
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B19/00Packaging rod-shaped or tubular articles susceptible to damage by abrasion or pressure, e.g. cigarettes, cigars, macaroni, spaghetti, drinking straws or welding electrodes
    • B65B19/02Packaging cigarettes
    • B65B19/22Wrapping the cigarettes; Packaging the cigarettes in containers formed by folding wrapping material around formers
    • B65B19/228Preparing and feeding blanks
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B41/00Supplying or feeding container-forming sheets or wrapping material
    • B65B41/02Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks
    • B65B41/04Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers
    • B65B41/06Feeding sheets or wrapper blanks by grippers by suction-operated grippers
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B51/00Devices for, or methods of, sealing or securing package folds or closures; Devices for gathering or twisting wrappers, or necks of bags
    • B65B51/02Applying adhesives or sealing liquids
    • B65B51/026Applying adhesives or sealing liquids using rotating applicators
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B59/00Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/001Arrangements to enable adjustments related to the product to be packaged
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B59/00Arrangements to enable machines to handle articles of different sizes, to produce packages of different sizes, to vary the contents of packages, to handle different types of packaging material, or to give access for cleaning or maintenance purposes
    • B65B59/04Machines constructed with readily-detachable units or assemblies, e.g. to facilitate maintenance
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65BMACHINES, APPARATUS OR DEVICES FOR, OR METHODS OF, PACKAGING ARTICLES OR MATERIALS; UNPACKING
    • B65B61/00Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages
    • B65B61/20Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents
    • B65B61/202Auxiliary devices, not otherwise provided for, for operating on sheets, blanks, webs, binding material, containers or packages for adding cards, coupons or other inserts to package contents for attaching articles to the outside of a container
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/84Star-shaped wheels or devices having endless travelling belts or chains, the wheels or devices being equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/846Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements
    • B65G47/848Star-shaped wheels or wheels equipped with article-engaging elements the article-engaging elements being suction or magnetic means
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G47/00Article or material-handling devices associated with conveyors; Methods employing such devices
    • B65G47/74Feeding, transfer, or discharging devices of particular kinds or types
    • B65G47/90Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials
    • B65G47/91Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers
    • B65G47/914Devices for picking-up and depositing articles or materials incorporating pneumatic, e.g. suction, grippers provided with drive systems incorporating rotary and rectilinear movements
    • AHUMAN NECESSITIES
    • A24TOBACCO; CIGARS; CIGARETTES; SIMULATED SMOKING DEVICES; SMOKERS' REQUISITES
    • A24CMACHINES FOR MAKING CIGARS OR CIGARETTES
    • A24C5/00Making cigarettes; Making tipping materials for, or attaching filters or mouthpieces to, cigars or cigarettes
    • A24C5/47Attaching filters or mouthpieces to cigars or cigarettes, e.g. inserting filters into cigarettes or their mouthpieces
    • A24C5/478Transport means for filter- or cigarette-rods in view of their assembling
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65CLABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C1/00Labelling flat essentially-rigid surfaces
    • B65C1/02Affixing labels to one flat surface of articles, e.g. of packages, of flat bands
    • B65C1/021Affixing labels to one flat surface of articles, e.g. of packages, of flat bands the label being applied by movement of the labelling head towards the article
    • B65C1/023Affixing labels to one flat surface of articles, e.g. of packages, of flat bands the label being applied by movement of the labelling head towards the article and being supplied from a stack
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65CLABELLING OR TAGGING MACHINES, APPARATUS, OR PROCESSES
    • B65C9/00Details of labelling machines or apparatus
    • B65C9/08Label feeding
    • B65C9/12Removing separate labels from stacks
    • B65C9/14Removing separate labels from stacks by vacuum
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B65CONVEYING; PACKING; STORING; HANDLING THIN OR FILAMENTARY MATERIAL
    • B65GTRANSPORT OR STORAGE DEVICES, e.g. CONVEYORS FOR LOADING OR TIPPING, SHOP CONVEYOR SYSTEMS OR PNEUMATIC TUBE CONVEYORS
    • B65G29/00Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones
    • B65G29/02Rotary conveyors, e.g. rotating discs, arms, star-wheels or cones for inclined or vertical transit

Definitions

  • the present invention relates to an operating machine to process smoking articles , for example a packing machine for the production of packs of cigarettes , a manufacturing machine for the production of cigarettes or cigarette filters , or a filterinserting machine for applying filters to cigarettes .
  • An operating machine to proces s smoking articles comprises numerous components assembled together .
  • Some of these components must be elastic, namely, they must have elasticity along at least one main direction ( or working direction) ; in other words , an elastic component must have the ability to elastically deform along the main direction .
  • an elastic component is an application head which is configured to apply a sheet to a pack and has a sucking seat designed to house and hold the sheet ( in this case the main direction is perpendicular to the sucking seat ) .
  • the application heads are provided in a packing machine to apply sheets (normally tax or closing stamps ) to corresponding packs of cigarettes ; in particular, a linear conveyor , which is configured to move the packs of cigarettes along a path and a rotatable drum, which supports at least one application head to cyclically move the application head between a pick-up station in which the application head picks up a sheet and a release station in which the application head presses the sheet (previously provided with glue ) against a corresponding pack of cigarettes carried by the conveyor are provided .
  • the application head is made elastic (namely, capable of elastically deforming) by inserting a rubber part ; however, rubber has a relatively fast aging (particularly when it is subj ected to continuous mechanical stresses as occurs in a packing machine that performs hundreds of processing cycles per minute ) and therefore must be replaced frequently with consequent machine downtimes (for maintenance ) which are particularly expensive as they reduce the ef ficiency of the packing machine . It is important to note that the frequent replacement of rubber parts entails a high cost not due to the cost of the rubber parts (which per se have a very low cost ) , but to the cost of the speciali zed operator who must intervene on the packing machine and, above all , for the cost of nonproduction when the packing machine is stopped . Furthermore , the coupling of the rubber part with the application head requires a complex procedure , as the rubber part must be assembled or vulcani zed (with the aid of a speci fic mould) directly on the application head .
  • the patent application DE102019107313A1 describes a handling or gripping device , in particular a suction clamp, provided with a suspension element which comprises a base body and a connection element elastically connected to the base body by means of a spring element .
  • the aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks , namely, to provide an operating machine to process smoking articles which is free from the drawbacks described above .
  • Figure 1 is a schematic and front view of a filter-inserting machine produced in accordance with the present invention
  • Figure 2 is a perspective and partially exploded view of part of a drum of a rotating conveyor of the filter-inserting machine of Figure 1 ;
  • Figures 3 and 4 are two di f ferent perspective views of a circular sector of the rotating conveyor of Figure 2 ;
  • Figure 5 is a schematic and front view of a labelling unit which is part of a cigarette packing machine ;
  • Figure 6 is a schematic and front view of a di f ferent embodiment of the labelling unit of Figure 4 ;
  • Figure 7 is a perspective and longitudinal section view of an application head of the labelling unit of Figure 5 or 6 ;
  • Figure 8 is a sectional view of the application head of Figure 7 .
  • number 1 denotes as a whole a filterinserting machine for applying filters to cigarettes (namely, an operating machine to process smoking articles ) .
  • the filter-inserting machine 1 comprises a plurality of rotating conveyors 2 , each of which is mounted so as to rotate with continuous motion around a central rotation axis 3 and supports laterally a series of sucking seats 4 ( illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 ) each designed to hold at least one corresponding cigarette and/or at least one corresponding filter .
  • At least one rotating conveyor 2 comprises a central drum 5 (only partially illustrated in Figure 2 ) which is mounted so as to rotate around the rotation axis 3 ( namely, it is rotatably fixed to a frame of the filter-inserting machine 1 ) and a plurality of circular sectors 6 (only one of which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 ) which are fixed all around the periphery of the drum 5 so as to form a ring that surrounds the drum 5 itsel f . That is , the circular sectors 6 form a ring that covers the drum 5 and forms a shell that covers the drum 5 .
  • the sucking seats 4 are obtained in the circular sectors 6 and openings lead into the periphery of the drum 5 , said openings couple with the circular sectors 6 to provide the circular sectors 6 with the necessary suction .
  • a set of spare parts for a new cigarette/ filter format is signi ficantly cheaper and more compact (the circular sectors 6 alone require much less material than complete rotating conveyors 2 ) .
  • the corresponding drum 5 becomes part of a standard machine which is completely disconnected from the format of the smoking articles (namely, it is never replaced or adj usted during a format change ) while only the circular sectors 6 are parts of a format machine that must vary according to the format of the smoking articles (namely, they must be replaced during a format change ) .
  • Each circular sector 6 has a series of sucking seats 4 ( each designed to hold a substantially cylindrical smoking article ) and is configured to be mounted in a separable manner and with an interlocking system on the periphery of the drum 5 .
  • the interlocking system is a dovetail j oint , namely, one single trapezoidal-shaped slot 7 ( female or mortise ) is obtained inside each circular sector 6 while one single trapezoidal-shaped tooth 8 (male or tenon) , which reproduces the shape of the slot 7 is obtained on the drum 5 ; in this way, the interlocking system only allows an axial sliding, namely, parallel to the rotation axis 3 , of a circular sector 6 relative to the drum 5 .
  • Each circular sector 6 has a geometric shape which gives the circular sector 6 itsel f an ability to elastically deform more along a main direction DI ( directed circumferentially and therefore perpendicularly to the rotation axis 3 ) than along two secondary directions D2 ( directed radially and therefore perpendicularly to the rotation axis 3 ) and D3 ( directed axially therefore parallel to rotation axis 3 ) which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction DI . That is , each circular sector 6 has a greater elasticity along the main direction DI than along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
  • Each circular sector 6 is elastically deformed along the main direction DI so as to axially slide relative to the drum 5 and when the circular sector 6 is mounted on the drum 5 it presses elastically against the drum 5 along the main direction DI ; in other words , each tooth 8 of the drum 5 has a minimum circumferential interference with the slot 7 obtained in the circular sector 6 and therefore to fit the slot 7 on the tooth 8 it is necessary to elastically deform the circular sector 6 along the main ( circumferential ) direction DI , namely, it is necessary to circumferentially " widen” the slot 7 .
  • each main circular sector 6 has a plurality of axially oriented incisions 9 .
  • each circular sector 6 has an outer surface 10 which is opposite the drum 5 and has an alternation of troughs in the area of the sucking seats 4 and crests arranged between two troughs , or between two sucking seats 4 ; furthermore , each circular sector 6 has an inner surface 11 which is opposite the outer surface 10 , is arranged in contact with the drum 5 and has the plurality of incisions 9 , each of which is placed in the area of a crest of the outer surface 10 (namely, is aligned with a crest of the outer surface 10 ) .
  • the circular sector 6 has a through channel 12 which is axially oriented and is af fected by a respective incision 9 ; namely, each incision 9 leads into a respective through channel 12 .
  • each circular sector 6 gives the circular sector 6 a certain circumferential elasticity independently of the presence of the incisions 9 ; the presence of the incisions 9 considerably increases the circumferential elasticity of a circular sector 6 .
  • DI main direction
  • Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a labelling unit 13 ( according to two di f ferent embodiments ) that is part of a packing machine 14 , which produces packs of cigarettes or applies transparent overwraps to packs of cigarettes .
  • the packing machine 14 comprises a belt conveyor 15 which moves the packs of cigarettes along a straight and hori zontal path P and the labelling unit 13 cooperates with the belt conveyor 15 to apply sheets 16 (typical tax or closing stamps ) to the packs of cigarettes carried by the belt conveyor 15 .
  • the labelling unit 13 comprises a rotating conveyor 17 which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis 18 and supports at least one application head 19 to cyclically move the application head 19 between a pick-up station in which the application head 19 picks up a sheet 16 and a release station in which the application head 19 presses the sheet 16 (previously provided with glue ) against a pack of cigarettes carried by the belt conveyor 15 .
  • each application head 19 has a sucking seat 20 (better illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 ) designed to house and hold a corresponding sheet 16 .
  • the rotating conveyor 17 supports a plurality of application heads 19 while in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 , the rotating conveyor 17 supports a single application head 19 .
  • each application head 19 has a geometric shape which gives the application head 19 itsel f the ability to elastically deform more along a main direction DI ( directed perpendicularly to the sucking seat 20 and therefore radially relative to the rotation axis 18 ) than along to two secondary directions D2 and D3 (both directed parallel to the sucking seat 20 ) which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction DI . That is , each application head 19 has a greater elasticity along the main direction DI than along two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
  • each application head 19 has an intermediate portion 21 which is shaped like a bellows and extends along the main direction DI ; consequently, the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 gives the application head 19 an adequate ability to deform elastically along the main direction DI .
  • the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 gives the application head 19 an adequate ability to deform elastically along the main direction DI .
  • each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is one single monolithic piece , consists of one single indivisible body manufactured as a whole seamlessly and is manufactured by means of additive manufacturing .
  • each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) has a geometric shape which gives the component an ability to deform more elastically along the main direction DI than along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 ; namely, the elasticity of each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is not obtained using more elastic materials , but is obtained solely, thanks to the shape ( i . e . , the geometric shape ) that generates the desired elasticity . Consequently, each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) has a greater elasticity only along the main direction DI and not along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
  • Each component is made by additive manufacturing (also called 3D printing) , or by an industrial process that starting from a digital 3D model creates the piece by adding one layer on top of the other ( some examples of technologies that can be used in additive manufacturing are stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modelling also called FDM or Selective Laser Sintering also called SLS , Direct Laser Microfusion or DLM) .
  • additive manufacturing also called 3D printing
  • FDM Fused Deposition Modelling
  • SLS Selective Laser Sintering
  • DLM Direct Laser Microfusion
  • At least one component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is made entirely of plastic material (plastic or resin) , namely, not of metal material ( essentially to reduce the production cost and weight ) , as each component in use is not subj ected to signi ficant mechanical stresses .
  • plastic material plastic or resin
  • the plastic material with which each component is made could be loaded ( reinforced) with carbon or glass to increase the structural characteristics (for example Nylon 12CF is a carbon- f illed thermoplastic composite for 3D printing with excellent structural characteristics ) .
  • At least one component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is made entirely of metal material .
  • the circular sector 6 is preferably made (by additive manufacturing) of a metal material since in use it is subj ected to greater mechanical stresses
  • the application head 19 is preferably made (by additive manufacturing) of plastic material since , in use , is subj ected to lesser mechanical stresses .
  • the operating machine described above has numerous advantages .
  • the components ( circular sectors 6 or appl ication heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above which require a certain elasticity, obtain the desired elasticity without using rubber elements and therefore have an extremely long operating li fe ( therefore they do not need to be frequently replaced) .
  • the construction of the operating machine described above is particularly simple and inexpensive since the components ( circular sectors 6 or application heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above , which require a certain elasticity, can be manufactured quickly and inexpensively thanks to the manufacturing additive ; in fact the components ( circular sectors 6 or application heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above , which require a certain elasticity, are all manufactured in one piece without requiring any further mounting, assembly or co-moulding operations .

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  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Manufacturing Of Cigar And Cigarette Tobacco (AREA)
  • Agricultural Chemicals And Associated Chemicals (AREA)

Abstract

An operating machine (1; 14) to process smoking articles and having at least one component, which is one single monolithic piece, consists of one single indivisible body manufactured as a whole seamlessly, and is manufactured by means of additive manufacturing. The component has a geometric shape, which gives the component itself an ability to elastically deform more along a main direction (D1) than along two secondary directions (D2, D3) which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction (D1).

Description

"OPERATING MACHINE TO PROCESS SMOKING ARTICLES WITH AN ELASTIC
COMPONENT MADE BY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING . "
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This patent application claims priority from Italian patent application no . 102020000029408 filed on December 2 , 2020 , the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference . TECHNICAL FIELD
The present invention relates to an operating machine to process smoking articles , for example a packing machine for the production of packs of cigarettes , a manufacturing machine for the production of cigarettes or cigarette filters , or a filterinserting machine for applying filters to cigarettes .
PRIOR ART
An operating machine to proces s smoking articles comprises numerous components assembled together .
Some of these components must be elastic, namely, they must have elasticity along at least one main direction ( or working direction) ; in other words , an elastic component must have the ability to elastically deform along the main direction .
An example of an elastic component is an application head which is configured to apply a sheet to a pack and has a sucking seat designed to house and hold the sheet ( in this case the main direction is perpendicular to the sucking seat ) . Normally, the application heads are provided in a packing machine to apply sheets (normally tax or closing stamps ) to corresponding packs of cigarettes ; in particular, a linear conveyor , which is configured to move the packs of cigarettes along a path and a rotatable drum, which supports at least one application head to cyclically move the application head between a pick-up station in which the application head picks up a sheet and a release station in which the application head presses the sheet (previously provided with glue ) against a corresponding pack of cigarettes carried by the conveyor are provided .
Currently, the application head is made elastic ( namely, capable of elastically deforming) by inserting a rubber part ; however, rubber has a relatively fast aging (particularly when it is subj ected to continuous mechanical stresses as occurs in a packing machine that performs hundreds of processing cycles per minute ) and therefore must be replaced frequently with consequent machine downtimes ( for maintenance ) which are particularly expensive as they reduce the ef ficiency of the packing machine . It is important to note that the frequent replacement of rubber parts entails a high cost not due to the cost of the rubber parts (which per se have a very low cost ) , but to the cost of the speciali zed operator who must intervene on the packing machine and, above all , for the cost of nonproduction when the packing machine is stopped . Furthermore , the coupling of the rubber part with the application head requires a complex procedure , as the rubber part must be assembled or vulcani zed (with the aid of a speci fic mould) directly on the application head .
The patent application DE102019107313A1 describes a handling or gripping device , in particular a suction clamp, provided with a suspension element which comprises a base body and a connection element elastically connected to the base body by means of a spring element .
DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The aim of the present invention is to overcome the aforementioned drawbacks , namely, to provide an operating machine to process smoking articles which is free from the drawbacks described above .
This aim is achieved by proposing an operating machine to process smoking articles according to the attached claims . The claims describe preferred embodiments of the present invention forming an integral part of the present description .
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The present invention will now be described with reference to the annexed drawings , which illustrate some non-limiting embodiments thereof , wherein :
• Figure 1 is a schematic and front view of a filter-inserting machine produced in accordance with the present invention;
• Figure 2 is a perspective and partially exploded view of part of a drum of a rotating conveyor of the filter-inserting machine of Figure 1 ;
• Figures 3 and 4 are two di f ferent perspective views of a circular sector of the rotating conveyor of Figure 2 ;
• Figure 5 is a schematic and front view of a labelling unit which is part of a cigarette packing machine ;
• Figure 6 is a schematic and front view of a di f ferent embodiment of the labelling unit of Figure 4 ;
• Figure 7 is a perspective and longitudinal section view of an application head of the labelling unit of Figure 5 or 6 ; and
• Figure 8 is a sectional view of the application head of Figure 7 .
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
With reference to Figure 1 , number 1 denotes as a whole a filterinserting machine for applying filters to cigarettes (namely, an operating machine to process smoking articles ) .
The filter-inserting machine 1 comprises a plurality of rotating conveyors 2 , each of which is mounted so as to rotate with continuous motion around a central rotation axis 3 and supports laterally a series of sucking seats 4 ( illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 ) each designed to hold at least one corresponding cigarette and/or at least one corresponding filter . According to what is illustrated in Figures 2 , 3 and 4 , at least one rotating conveyor 2 comprises a central drum 5 ( only partially illustrated in Figure 2 ) which is mounted so as to rotate around the rotation axis 3 ( namely, it is rotatably fixed to a frame of the filter-inserting machine 1 ) and a plurality of circular sectors 6 ( only one of which is illustrated in Figures 3 and 4 ) which are fixed all around the periphery of the drum 5 so as to form a ring that surrounds the drum 5 itsel f . That is , the circular sectors 6 form a ring that covers the drum 5 and forms a shell that covers the drum 5 . The sucking seats 4 are obtained in the circular sectors 6 and openings lead into the periphery of the drum 5 , said openings couple with the circular sectors 6 to provide the circular sectors 6 with the necessary suction .
In the event of a format change, namely, when the filterinserting machine 1 has to process cigarettes ( and filters ) of various si zes ( in particular with a di f ferent diameter ) , it is necessary to modi fy the shape of the sucking seats 4 (which must reproduce the shape of the cigarettes/ filters in negative ) ; this operation requires the replacement of only the circular sectors 6 ( in which the sucking seats 4 are obtained) and does not require the replacement of the drums 5 and consequently is much faster and simpler ( it is much eas ier to disassemble/mount only the circular sectors 6 rather than a whole rotating conveyor 2 ) . In addition, a set of spare parts for a new cigarette/ filter format is signi ficantly cheaper and more compact ( the circular sectors 6 alone require much less material than complete rotating conveyors 2 ) . In other words , in each rotating conveyor 2 the corresponding drum 5 becomes part of a standard machine which is completely disconnected from the format of the smoking articles (namely, it is never replaced or adj usted during a format change ) while only the circular sectors 6 are parts of a format machine that must vary according to the format of the smoking articles (namely, they must be replaced during a format change ) .
Each circular sector 6 has a series of sucking seats 4 ( each designed to hold a substantially cylindrical smoking article ) and is configured to be mounted in a separable manner and with an interlocking system on the periphery of the drum 5 . According to a preferred embodiment illustrated in Figures 2 , 3 and 4 , the interlocking system is a dovetail j oint , namely, one single trapezoidal-shaped slot 7 ( female or mortise ) is obtained inside each circular sector 6 while one single trapezoidal-shaped tooth 8 (male or tenon) , which reproduces the shape of the slot 7 is obtained on the drum 5 ; in this way, the interlocking system only allows an axial sliding, namely, parallel to the rotation axis 3 , of a circular sector 6 relative to the drum 5 .
Each circular sector 6 has a geometric shape which gives the circular sector 6 itsel f an ability to elastically deform more along a main direction DI ( directed circumferentially and therefore perpendicularly to the rotation axis 3 ) than along two secondary directions D2 ( directed radially and therefore perpendicularly to the rotation axis 3 ) and D3 ( directed axially therefore parallel to rotation axis 3 ) which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction DI . That is , each circular sector 6 has a greater elasticity along the main direction DI than along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
Each circular sector 6 is elastically deformed along the main direction DI so as to axially slide relative to the drum 5 and when the circular sector 6 is mounted on the drum 5 it presses elastically against the drum 5 along the main direction DI ; in other words , each tooth 8 of the drum 5 has a minimum circumferential interference with the slot 7 obtained in the circular sector 6 and therefore to fit the slot 7 on the tooth 8 it is necessary to elastically deform the circular sector 6 along the main ( circumferential ) direction DI , namely, it is necessary to circumferentially " widen" the slot 7 . According to a possible embodiment , each main circular sector 6 has a plurality of axially oriented incisions 9 . In particular , each circular sector 6 has an outer surface 10 which is opposite the drum 5 and has an alternation of troughs in the area of the sucking seats 4 and crests arranged between two troughs , or between two sucking seats 4 ; furthermore , each circular sector 6 has an inner surface 11 which is opposite the outer surface 10 , is arranged in contact with the drum 5 and has the plurality of incisions 9 , each of which is placed in the area of a crest of the outer surface 10 (namely, is aligned with a crest of the outer surface 10 ) . Preferably, in the area of each crest the circular sector 6 has a through channel 12 which is axially oriented and is af fected by a respective incision 9 ; namely, each incision 9 leads into a respective through channel 12 .
The open shape of each circular sector 6 gives the circular sector 6 a certain circumferential elasticity independently of the presence of the incisions 9 ; the presence of the incisions 9 considerably increases the circumferential elasticity of a circular sector 6 . By appropriately dimensioning the thickness of a circular sector 6 and the number/width of the incisions 9 , it is possible to change the elasticity of the circular sector 6 along the main direction DI (which, as already mentioned, is oriented circumferentially) .
It is important to underline that the circumferential elasticity of the circular sectors 6 also allows the circular sectors 6 to be created with a greater constructive tolerance , since the deviations from the nominal s i ze can be compensated by the elastic deformation of the circular sectors 6 .
Figures 5 and 6 illustrate a labelling unit 13 ( according to two di f ferent embodiments ) that is part of a packing machine 14 , which produces packs of cigarettes or applies transparent overwraps to packs of cigarettes . The packing machine 14 comprises a belt conveyor 15 which moves the packs of cigarettes along a straight and hori zontal path P and the labelling unit 13 cooperates with the belt conveyor 15 to apply sheets 16 ( typically tax or closing stamps ) to the packs of cigarettes carried by the belt conveyor 15 .
The labelling unit 13 comprises a rotating conveyor 17 which is mounted so as to rotate around a rotation axis 18 and supports at least one application head 19 to cyclically move the application head 19 between a pick-up station in which the application head 19 picks up a sheet 16 and a release station in which the application head 19 presses the sheet 16 (previously provided with glue ) against a pack of cigarettes carried by the belt conveyor 15 . In particular, each application head 19 has a sucking seat 20 (better illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 ) designed to house and hold a corresponding sheet 16 .
In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 5 , the rotating conveyor 17 supports a plurality of application heads 19 while in the embodiment illustrated in Figure 6 , the rotating conveyor 17 supports a single application head 19 .
As illustrated in Figures 7 and 8 , each application head 19 has a geometric shape which gives the application head 19 itsel f the ability to elastically deform more along a main direction DI ( directed perpendicularly to the sucking seat 20 and therefore radially relative to the rotation axis 18 ) than along to two secondary directions D2 and D3 (both directed parallel to the sucking seat 20 ) which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction DI . That is , each application head 19 has a greater elasticity along the main direction DI than along two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
According to a preferred embodiment , each application head 19 has an intermediate portion 21 which is shaped like a bellows and extends along the main direction DI ; consequently, the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 gives the application head 19 an adequate ability to deform elastically along the main direction DI . By appropriately si zing the extension and thickness of the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 , it is possible to change the elasticity of the application head 19 along the main direction DI ; in particular, the more extended the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 , the greater the length of the maximum elastic deformation and the thinner the bellowslike intermediate portion 21 , the lower the elastic constant of the bellows-like intermediate portion 21 .
The circular sectors 6 of the filter-inserting machine 1 and the application heads 19 of the packing machine 14 are examples of components of an operating machine to process smoking articles which are advantageously manufactured by means of additive manufacturing; namely, each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is one single monolithic piece , consists of one single indivisible body manufactured as a whole seamlessly and is manufactured by means of additive manufacturing . As previously stated, each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) has a geometric shape which gives the component an ability to deform more elastically along the main direction DI than along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 ; namely, the elasticity of each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is not obtained using more elastic materials , but is obtained solely, thanks to the shape ( i . e . , the geometric shape ) that generates the desired elasticity . Consequently, each component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) has a greater elasticity only along the main direction DI and not along the two secondary directions D2 and D3 .
Each component is made by additive manufacturing ( also called 3D printing) , or by an industrial process that starting from a digital 3D model creates the piece by adding one layer on top of the other ( some examples of technologies that can be used in additive manufacturing are stereolithography, Fused Deposition Modelling also called FDM or Selective Laser Sintering also called SLS , Direct Laser Microfusion or DLM) .
According to a possible embodiment , at least one component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is made entirely of plastic material (plastic or resin) , namely, not of metal material ( essentially to reduce the production cost and weight ) , as each component in use is not subj ected to signi ficant mechanical stresses . Eventually the plastic material with which each component is made could be loaded ( reinforced) with carbon or glass to increase the structural characteristics ( for example Nylon 12CF is a carbon- f illed thermoplastic composite for 3D printing with excellent structural characteristics ) .
According to a di f ferent embodiment , at least one component ( circular sector 6 or application head 19 ) is made entirely of metal material .
Generally, the circular sector 6 is preferably made (by additive manufacturing) of a metal material since in use it is subj ected to greater mechanical stresses , while the application head 19 is preferably made (by additive manufacturing) of plastic material since , in use , is subj ected to lesser mechanical stresses .
The operating machine described above has numerous advantages .
Firstly, the components ( circular sectors 6 or appl ication heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above , which require a certain elasticity, obtain the desired elasticity without using rubber elements and therefore have an extremely long operating li fe ( therefore they do not need to be frequently replaced) .
Furthermore , the construction of the operating machine described above is particularly simple and inexpensive since the components ( circular sectors 6 or application heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above , which require a certain elasticity, can be manufactured quickly and inexpensively thanks to the manufacturing additive ; in fact the components ( circular sectors 6 or application heads 19 ) of the operating machine described above , which require a certain elasticity, are all manufactured in one piece without requiring any further mounting, assembly or co-moulding operations .

Claims

1. An operating machine (1; 14) to process smoking articles and comprising at least one component, which is one single monolithic piece, consists of one single indivisible body manufactured as a whole seamlessly and is manufactured by means of additive manufacturing; wherein the component has a geometric shape, which gives the component the ability to elastically deform more along a main direction (DI) than along two secondary directions (D2, D3) , which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction (DI) .
2. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 1, wherein the component has a greater elasticity along the main direction (DI) than along two secondary directions (D2, D3) .
3. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the component has an intermediate portion (21) , which is shaped like a bellows and extends along the main direction (DI) .
4. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the component is an application head (19) , which is configured to apply a sheet (16) to a pack and has a sucking seat (20) which is designed to house and hold the sheet (16) .
5. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 4, wherein the main direction (DI) is perpendicular to the sucking seat (20) .
6. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 4 or 5 and comprising : a first conveyor (15) , which is configured to move the pack along a path (P) ; and a second conveyor (17) , which supports the application head (19) so as to cyclically move the application head (19) between a pick-up station in which the application head (19) picks up the sheet (16) , and a release station, in which the application head (19) presses the sheet (16) against the pack carried by the first conveyor (15) .
7. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 1, 2 or 3, wherein the component is a circular sector (6) , which has at least one sucking seat (4) designed to hold a cylindrical smoking article and is configured to be mounted, in a separable manner and with an interlocking system, on the periphery of a drum (5) , which can rotate around a rotation axis (3) .
8. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 7, wherein the interlocking system only allows for an axial sliding, namely, parallel to the rotation axis (3) , of the circular sector (6) relative to the drum (5) .
9. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 8, wherein the interlocking system is a dovetail joint.
10. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 8 or 9, wherein the circular sector (6) is elastically deformed along the main direction (DI) so as to axially slide relative to the drum (5) and, when the circular sector (6) is mounted on the drum (5) , it elastically presses against the drum (5) along the main direction (DI) .
11. The operating machine (1; 14) according to one of the claims from 7 to 10, wherein the main direction (DI) is circumferential and, hence, perpendicular to the rotation axis (3) .
12. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 11, wherein the main circular sector (6) has a plurality of axially oriented incisions ( 9 ) .
13. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 12, wherein the circular sector (6) has: an outer surface (10) , which is opposite the drum (5) and has an alternation of troughs in the area of sucking seats (4) and of crests arranged between two troughs, namely between two sucking seats (4) ; and an inner surface (11) , which is opposite the outer surface (10) , is in contact with the drum (5) and has the plurality of incisions (9) , each placed in the area of a crest of the outer surface (10) .
14. The operating machine (1; 14) according to claim 13, wherein in the area of each crest the circular sector (6) has a through channel (12) , which is axially oriented and is affected by a respective incision (9) .
15. A method for the production of a component of an operating machine (1; 14) to process smoking articles; the component is one single monolithic piece, consists of one single indivisible body manufactured as a whole seamlessly and is manufactured by means of additive manufacturing; wherein the component has a geometric shape, which gives the component the ability to elastically deform more along a main direction (DI) than along two secondary directions (D2, D3) , which are perpendicular to one another and to the main direction (DI) .
PCT/IB2021/061241 2020-12-02 2021-12-02 Operating machine to process smoking articles with an elastic component made by additive manufacturing WO2022118245A1 (en)

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IT102020000029408A IT202000029408A1 (en) 2020-12-02 2020-12-02 OPERATING MACHINE FOR PROCESSING TOGANIC ITEMS WITH AN ELASTIC COMPONENT MADE BY ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING
IT102020000029408 2020-12-02

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Citations (8)

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Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4181561A (en) * 1976-12-13 1980-01-01 G. D. Societa Per Azioni Labelling device
EP0956239B1 (en) * 1997-12-02 2001-10-24 G.D. S.p.A. A device and a method for the application of detachable coupons to substantially parallelepiped packets
US20080190739A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2008-08-14 Lanfranchi S.R.L. Star Wheel Conveyor for Empty Plastic Bottles or Conveyors
DE102006022855B4 (en) * 2006-05-16 2009-11-12 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. gripper device
DE102009009829B4 (en) * 2009-02-18 2011-09-15 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Process for the production of format parts for extrusion machines of the tobacco processing industry, format part and format device with format part
CN109168605A (en) * 2018-10-26 2019-01-11 苏州工业园区新国大研究院 A kind of apery hand flexible pneumatic grabbing device
US10342253B2 (en) * 2014-05-20 2019-07-09 Tobacco Research And Development Institute (Proprietary) Limited Apparatus comprising a tipping paper suction drum
DE102019107313A1 (en) * 2019-03-21 2020-09-24 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Handling and / or gripping device

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4181561A (en) * 1976-12-13 1980-01-01 G. D. Societa Per Azioni Labelling device
EP0956239B1 (en) * 1997-12-02 2001-10-24 G.D. S.p.A. A device and a method for the application of detachable coupons to substantially parallelepiped packets
US20080190739A1 (en) * 2005-09-12 2008-08-14 Lanfranchi S.R.L. Star Wheel Conveyor for Empty Plastic Bottles or Conveyors
DE102006022855B4 (en) * 2006-05-16 2009-11-12 Fraunhofer-Gesellschaft zur Förderung der angewandten Forschung e.V. gripper device
DE102009009829B4 (en) * 2009-02-18 2011-09-15 Hauni Maschinenbau Ag Process for the production of format parts for extrusion machines of the tobacco processing industry, format part and format device with format part
US10342253B2 (en) * 2014-05-20 2019-07-09 Tobacco Research And Development Institute (Proprietary) Limited Apparatus comprising a tipping paper suction drum
CN109168605A (en) * 2018-10-26 2019-01-11 苏州工业园区新国大研究院 A kind of apery hand flexible pneumatic grabbing device
DE102019107313A1 (en) * 2019-03-21 2020-09-24 Krones Aktiengesellschaft Handling and / or gripping device

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IT202000029408A1 (en) 2022-06-02

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