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(11) | EP 3 363 303 A1 |
| (12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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| (54) | MACHINE FOR MAKING AT LEAST ONE CONTINUOUS ROD OF FILTER MATERIAL OR TOBACCO |
| (57) This invention relates to a machine (1) for making at least one continuous rod (100)
of filter material (F) or tobacco (T), comprising a preforming device (3) adapted
to receive at least one semi-finished, continuous stream (101) in order to make at
least one continuous stream (102). The preforming device (3) comprises at least one
oblong tile-shaped member (10) having an inside surface (10') which is configured
to progressively reduce the transverse cross section of the semi-finished, continuous
stream (101) feeding along it and to channel it into a forming channel (5) of a garniture
tongue (4) along which the at least one continuous rod (100) is progressively formed.
The machine (1) also comprises suction means for extracting particles of filter material
(F) or tobacco (T) from the semi-finished, continuous stream (101). The preforming
device (3) has a plurality of openings (11) connected to the suction means to extract
the particles of filter material (F) or tobacco (T). [Figure 3]
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[0001] This invention relates to a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco.
[0002] In other words, the object of this invention is applicable both to cigarette making machines and filter making machines.
[0003] Machines for making continuous rods of tobacco generally involve the use of a substantially vertical duct which is fed from below with a continuous flow of tobacco particles and at the top end of which there is a suction conveyor belt on which a semi-finished, continuous stream of tobacco is formed.
[0004] The suction belt is adapted to feed the semi-finished, continuous stream of tobacco along a predetermined path defined by the conveyor itself to a preforming device, which produces a continuous stream, and then to a station for forming a continuous tobacco rod where a web of paper is wrapped around the continuous tobacco rod to form a continuous cigarette rod or cylinder which is then cut into individual cigarettes by a cutting device.
[0005] More specifically, before being sent into the forming channel of the garniture tongue, the semi-finished, continuous stream is suitably preformed and progressively compacted by the preforming device comprising a tile-shaped member which gives the advancing semi-finished, continuous stream the correct transverse dimension.
[0006] In other words, while the semi-finished, continuous stream is being transferred to the forming channel of the garniture tongue, the tile-shaped member controls and guides the semi-finished, continuous stream, compressing it after it has been deposited on the web of paper with which the continuous tobacco rod will be made.
[0007] As is known, the production of cigarette filters, on the other hand, involves processing a continuous strip of filter material, for example cellulose acetate, obtained from a bale of compressed filter material. The strip is made to advance along a predetermined path through processing stations where it is stretched lengthways and crossways and then sprayed with chemical additives such as, for example, triacetin.
[0008] Preforming devices located at a specific station then preform the semi-finished, cylindrical streams of filter material to make continuous streams of filter material.
[0009] In known solutions, each preforming device comprises a substantially funnel shaped duct with an end portion having the shape of an oblong tile into which the semi-finished, continuous stream is fed. The tile-shaped end portion progressively reduces the transverse cross section of the stream until it becomes a continuous stream of predetermined diameter.
[0010] Downstream of the funnel-shaped element, the continuous stream is channelled into the respective forming channel of a garniture tongue where the continuous streams advance in defined, parallel directions in such a way as to form continuous rods of filter material which a rotary cutting device then cuts into separate filter sticks.
[0011] Each filter stick may have the length of one or more filter tips, depending on requirements, which will be applied to the cigarettes in the filter tip attachment machine.
[0012] It should be noted therefore that both in the case of machines for making continuous rods of tobacco and in the case of machines for making continuous rods of filter material, the device which preforms the semi-finished, continuous stream comprises an oblong tile-shaped member in which the semi-finished, continuous stream is channelled in order to progressively reduce the size of its transverse cross section until obtaining a continuous stream whose transverse cross section is substantially equal in diameter to the cigarettes or filters to be made.
[0013] In other words, the two machines have in common the fact of having a tile-shaped member designed to constrain and simultaneously compress the material (whether tobacco or filter material in the form of a semi-finished, continuous stream) into a forming channel of the garniture tongue so as to give it the transverse cross section of the size it needs to have in the garniture tongue.
[0014] The Applicant has observed that particles of tobacco or filter material (especially if this includes charcoal) often come away from the semi-finished, continuous stream for any of a number of different reasons: for example, because they are in excess, are not well bonded or adherent to the other particles making up the stream or because some of the particles are accidentally expelled when the stream is compressed.
[0015] Disadvantageously, the particles that come away are scattered in the surrounding atmosphere and can settle on the surface of the paper web opposite to the surface to be wrapped round the continuous stream to form the continuous rod.
[0016] Thus, when the paper is wrapped round the continuous stream, the scattered particles find their way onto the overlap between the two longitudinal edges of the paper web, preventing them from being glued together properly, thus incorrectly closing the rod which will tend to open during subsequent processing.
[0017] Thus, the particles that come away might also result in the production of cigarettes which lose particles of tobacco or filter material (for example, particles of charcoal if the filters are made at least partly of charcoal).
[0018] The scattered particles might also settle in other zones of the cigarette, creating zones which are more dense or others which are incomplete, thus preventing the paper from being wrapped correctly in the forming channel or resulting in irregular or misshapen cigarettes with zones where the tobacco or filter material is not uniformly distributed.
[0019] The quality of the end product would thus be negatively affected by the failure to properly control or dispose of the scattered particles.
[0020] The drawbacks described above, besides negatively affecting the quality of the continuous rods of tobacco or filter material, can also result in waste of material and reduced efficiency of the production process.
[0021] In this context, the technical purpose which forms the basis of this invention is to propose a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco to overcome the above mentioned drawbacks of the prior art.
[0022] More specifically, this invention has for an aim to provide a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco and which allows controlling scattered particles, thereby improving the process by which the continuous streams are formed and preventing loose particles of filter material or tobacco from hindering the rod forming process.
[0023] Another aim of this invention is to provide a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco and which allows improving the efficiency of the continuous rod production process.
[0024] The technical purpose indicated and the aims specified are substantially achieved by a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco comprising the technical features set out in one or more of the accompanying claims.
[0025] The dependent claims, which are incorporated herein by reference, correspond to different embodiments of the invention.
[0026] Further features and advantages of this invention are more apparent in the non-limiting description of a preferred but non-exclusive embodiment of a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:
- Figure 1 is a functional diagram of a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco according to this invention;
- Figure 2 is a schematic cross section, with some parts hidden to better illustrate others, of a portion of a machine according to this invention;
- Figure 3 is a schematic perspective view of a preforming device according to this invention;
- Figure 4 is a schematic side view of the preforming device of Figure 3; and
- Figure 5 is a schematic transverse cross section of the preforming device di Figure 3.
[0027] With reference to the accompanying drawings, the numeral 1 denotes in its entirety a machine for making at least one continuous rod of filter material or tobacco made according to the teachings of this invention and hereinafter referred to simply as machine 1.
[0028] In other words, the machine 1 is configured to make continuous rods 100 of filter material "F" or continuous rods 100 of tobacco "T", both suitable for use in making cigarettes.
[0029] The term "cigarette" is used to generally denote a plurality of products or smoking articles such as, for example, cigarettes, cigars, cigarillos and the like.
[0030] With reference to Figure 1, the machine 1 comprises a process station 2 for processing filter material "F" or tobacco "T" to make at least one semi-finished, continuous stream 101 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T". More specifically, the process station 2 is adapted to receive the filter material "F" or the tobacco "T" to be processed. Preferably, in a first variant embodiment of the machine 1, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the process station 2 for processing filter material "F" is configured to process the filter material "F" along a predetermined path along which the filter material "F" is processed to make at least one semi-finished, continuous stream 101 of filter material "F". More specifically, the process station 2 for processing filter material "F" comprises forming means used to obtain at least one continuous strip of filter material "F" which is in turn fed to longitudinal and transverse stretching means. Downstream of the stretching means, the process station 2 comprises a chemical unit for chemically treating at least one continuous strip of filter material "F", where the at least one strip is sprayed with chemical additives such as, for example, triacetin. Downstream of the chemical unit, the at least one strip is fed by a plurality of transfer rollers to pneumatic suction devices which transform the strip into a semi-finished, continuous stream 101 of filter material "F".
[0031] Preferably, in a second variant embodiment of the machine 1, not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the process station 2 for processing tobacco "T" comprises, instead, a suction conveyor belt which is looped around end rollers, rotatable about parallel axes, and which has a lower section adapted to use suction to hold down particles of tobacco "T" coming from a vertical duct which is not illustrated and which is mounted under the lower section of the conveyor, to form a semi-finished, continuous stream 101 of tobacco "T". The semi-finished, continuous stream 101 of tobacco "T" is suitable for being fed continuously by the lower section of the conveyor belt along a feed direction transverse to the axes of rotation of the end rollers.
[0032] According to this invention, the machine 1 comprises a preforming device 3 located downstream of the process station 2 and adapted to receive at least one semi-finished continuous stream 101 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" in order to make at least one continuous stream 102 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T", as will become clearer as this description continues.
[0033] Downstream of the preforming device 3, the machine 1 then comprises a garniture tongue 4 adapted to receive the at least one continuous stream 102 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" and configured to form at least one continuous rod 100 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T".
[0034] The garniture tongue 4 has a forming channel 5, illustrated in Figure 2, along which the at least one continuous rod 100 is progressively formed as it feeds along a forming feed direction "X".
[0035] Preferably, the machine 1 comprises a wrapping station 6 configured to feed into the forming channel 5 a continuous strip of paper "C" which is progressively wrapped by the garniture tongue 4 around the continuous stream 102 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" to make the continuous rod of filter material "F" or tobacco "T".
[0036] At the outfeed end of the forming channel 5, the machine 1 preferably also comprises a cutting device 7 - a rotary cutting device, for example - configured to cut the continuous rod 100 into individual segments, not illustrated.
[0037] With reference to Figure 2, the garniture tongue 4 for forming the continuous rod 100 has an infeed station with an endless conveyor 8, one portion of which extends under the conveyor belt of the process station 2 for processing the tobacco "T" or under the outfeed station of the pneumatic suction devices of the strip of filter material "F". The endless conveyor 8 of the garniture tongue 4 is adapted to run along a feed direction parallel to the forming feed direction "X", at least partly inside a groove 9 of the garniture tongue 4 defining the bottom surface 5a of the forming channel 5. The endless conveyor 8 thus forces the continuous strip of paper "C", if present, to be wrapped progressively round the continuous stream 102 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T".
[0038] The continuous stream 102 is fed to the garniture tongue 4 by the preforming device 3 which is interposed between the feed station 2 and the garniture tongue 4 itself.
[0039] With reference to Figures 2-5, the preforming device 3 comprises at least one oblong tile-shaped member 10, hereinafter referred to simply as tile 10, having a directrix "D" which makes a first defined angle "α" with the forming feed direction "X".
[0040] In other words, the first defined angle "α" defines the inclination of the tile 10 relative to the forming feed direction "X".
[0041] Preferably, the first defined angle "α" between the directrix "D" of the tile 10 and the forming feed direction is between 0° and 2°, and still more preferably, 0.5°.
[0042] It should be noted that in Figure 2, the proportions of the components and the proportions between the components have been varied for graphical purposes. Thus, in the drawings, the first defined angle "α" looks larger than it actually is without thereby causing the invention to become meaningless.
[0043] It should be noted that the term "directrix" is used herein to denote the axis tangent to the surface of revolution of the ideal cylinder or frustum that determines the development of a component.
[0044] The tile 10 has an inside surface 10' which is configured to progressively reduce the transverse cross section of the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 feeding along it between an infeed portion 10a and an outfeed portion 10b of the tile 10 itself and to channel the stream into the forming channel 5. The outfeed portion 10b of the tile 10 defines with the groove 9 the transverse cross section of the continuous rod 100 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" to be made.
[0045] Advantageously, with reference to Figures 3-5, the machine 1 according to this invention also comprises suction means for extracting particles of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" from the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 and the preforming device 3 has a plurality of openings 11 connected to the suction means to extract the particles.
[0046] Thanks to the provision of specific openings 11, therefore, as will become clearer as this description continues, it is possible to remove scattered or excess particles of the semi-finished, continuous streams 101 moving through the preforming device 3.
[0047] That way, the scattered particles of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" can be effectively extracted to prevent them from settling on other parts of the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 or of the continuous stream 102 while it is being wrapped in the paper "C". These extracted particles are preferably sent to the process station 2 and recycled.
[0048] Preferably, the plurality of openings 11 comprises first openings 12 made on the inside surface 10' of the tile 10 and the preforming device 3 comprises first suction ducts 13 leading to the first openings 12 and connected to the suction means.
[0049] Advantageously, therefore, first openings 12 are made to directly face the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 moving along the tile 10 and to immediately extract the particles which come away during the preforming process, thus guaranteeing that the resulting continuous stream 102 is of high quality.
[0050] It should be noted that the intensity of the suction through the first openings 12 is such as not to undo or loosen the bonds between the well adhered parts of the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 and only removes those particles or fibres of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" which are loose and not well adherent to the particles under them.
[0051] As shown clearly in Figure 3, the first openings 12 are preferably arranged in series along the directrix "D" so as to define at least one row of first openings 12.
[0052] In other words, the first openings 12 are arranged in series on the inside surface 10' in such a way that the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 passes sequentially by each one of them as it moves along in the tile 10.
[0053] Preferably, with reference to the embodiment illustrated in Figures 3-5, the tile 10 has only one row of first openings 12.
[0055] Still more preferably, the width of the first openings 12, measured along a direction perpendicular to the directrix "D", is smaller than the width of the tile 10.
[0056] Still more preferably, the first openings 12 are positioned centrally on the inside surface 10'.
[0057] Preferably, in addition to, or instead of, the first openings 12, the plurality of openings 11 comprises second suction openings 14 made on at least one lateral outside surface 3a of the preforming device 3 above the tile 10 and the preforming device 3 comprises second suction ducts 15 leading to the second openings 14 and connected to the suction means.
[0058] Advantageously, the second openings 14 allow removing the scattered particles of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" which come away from the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 as it moves along the tile 10.
[0059] Preferably, in a possible embodiment of this invention not illustrated in the accompanying drawings, the second openings 14 are made on two lateral outside surfaces 3a of the preforming device 3 on opposite sides of the directrix "D", preferably symmetrically about the directrix "D".
[0060] The second openings 14 are preferably arranged in series along a direction parallel to the directrix "D" so as to define at least one row of second openings 14.
[0061] Still more preferably, with reference to the embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figures 3-5, the second openings 14 define three distinct rows (14a, 14b, 14c) of second openings 14 located in parallel on the lateral outside surface 3a of the preforming device 3. More specifically, each row 14a, 14b, 14c of second openings 14 preferably has five second openings 14.
[0062] More specifically, each second opening 14 of each row 14a, 14b, 14c is associated with a respective second duct 15a, 15b, 15c of the second ducts 15.
[0063] Preferably, the second openings 14 are positioned at a height above the first openings 12 and, still more preferably, the second openings 14 are aligned with the first openings 12.
[0064] Preferably, the length of the second openings 14, measure along a direction parallel to the directrix "D" is equal to the length of the first openings 12.
[0065] With reference to Figure 5, the first ducts 13 and the second ducts 15 converge in a main suction duct 16 connected to the suction means.
[0066] As illustrated in Figures 3 and 4, the preforming device 3 according to this invention preferably comprises a guide portion 17, which is located upstream of the tile 10, at the infeed section 10a of the tile 10, and which urges the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 into the tile 10.
[0067] The guide portion 17 is provided with a connecting inside surface 17' which converges with the inside surface 10' of the tile-10 and has a respective directrix "D1" which makes a second defined angle (β) with the forming feed direction "X".
[0068] In other words, upstream of the tile 10, there is an element, also oblong and substantially tile shaped, which defines the guide portion 17, where the directrix "D1" is more inclined to the forming feed direction "X" in order to convey and facilitate entry of the semi-finished, continuous stream 101 into the tile 10, so as to prevent loosening up at the infeed portion 10a of the tile 10 itself.
[0070] This invention achieves the preset aims by overcoming the above mentioned disadvantages of the prior art and providing the user with a machine 1 which allows making excellent quality continuous rods 100 of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" obtained from continuous streams 102 formed in preforming devices 3 which allow effective removal of excess or scattered particles of filter material "F" or tobacco "T" from the semi-finished, continuous stream 101.
[0071] Thanks to this invention, superfluous particles can be controlled and thus prevented from constituting a hindrance to the correct production of the continuous rod 100 being formed by, for example, settling on the overlapping parts of the paper "C" being wrapped round the continuous stream 102 to form the rod.
1. A machine (1) for making at least one continuous rod (100) of filter material (F)
or tobacco (T), comprising:
- a process station (2) for processing filter material (F) or tobacco (T) to make at least one semi-finished, continuous stream (101) of filter material (F) or tobacco (T),
- a preforming device (3) located downstream of the process station (2) and adapted to receive the at least one semi-finished, continuous stream (101) in order to make at least one continuous stream (102) of filter material (F) or tobacco (T),
- a garniture tongue (4) configured to form at least one continuous rod (100) of filter material (F) or tobacco (T), located downstream of the preforming device (3) and adapted to receive the at least one continuous stream (102), the garniture tongue (4) having a forming channel (5) along which the at least one continuous rod (100) is progressively formed as it feeds along a forming feed direction (X);
the preforming device (3) comprising at least one oblong tile-shaped member (10) having a directrix (D) which makes a first defined angle (α) with the forming feed direction (X), the at least one oblong tile-shaped member (10) having an inside surface (10') which is configured to progressively reduce the transverse cross section of the semi-finished, continuous stream (101) feeding along it between an infeed cross section (10a) and an outfeed cross section (10b) of the oblong tile-shaped member (10) and to channel the stream into the forming channel (5); wherein the machine (1) comprises suction means for extracting particles of filter material (F) or tobacco (T) from the semi-finished, continuous stream (101) and wherein the pre-forming device (3) has a plurality of openings (11) connected to the suction means to extract the particles of filter material (F) or tobacco (T); the machine (1) being characterized in that the plurality of openings (11) comprises lateral suction openings (14, 14a, 14b, 14c) made on at least one lateral outside surface (3a) of the preforming device (3) located above the oblong tile-shaped member (10), the preforming device (3) comprising lateral suction ducts (15, 15a, 15b, 15c) leading to the lateral openings (14, 14a, 14b, 14c) and connected to the suction means.2. The machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of openings (11) comprises
lower openings (12) made on the inside surface (10') of the oblong tile-shaped member
(10), the pre-forming device (3) comprising lower suction ducts (13) leading to the
lower openings (12) and connected to the suction means.
3. The machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein the lower openings (12) are arranged
in series along the directrix (D) so as to define at least one row of the lower openings
(12).
4. The machine (1) according to claim 1, wherein the lateral openings (14, 14a, 14b,
14c) are arranged in series along a direction parallel to the directrix (D) so as
to define at least one row of the lateral openings (14, 14a, 14b, 14c).
5. The machine (1) according to claim 1 or 4, wherein the lateral openings (14, 14a,
14b, 14c) are made on two lateral outside surfaces (3a) of the pre-forming device
(3) on opposite sides of the directrix (D), preferably symmetrically about the directrix
(D).
6. The machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein the lateral openings (14, 14a, 14b,
14c) are located at a higher level than the lower openings (12).
7. The machine (1) according to claim 2, wherein the lower ducts (13) and the lateral
ducts (15, 15a, 15b, 15c) converge in a main suction duct (16) connected to the suction
means.
8. The machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the first
defined angle (α) between the directrix (D) of the oblong tile-shaped member (10)
and the forming feed direction (X) is between 0° and 2°, preferably 0.5°.
9. The machine (1) according to one or more of the preceding claims, wherein the preforming
device (3) comprises a guide portion (17) located upstream of the oblong tile-shaped
member (10) at the infeed cross section (10a) of the oblong tile-shaped member (10)
itself and adapted to urge the semi-finished, continuous stream (101) into the oblong
tile-shaped member (10), the guide portion (17) being provided with a connecting inside
surface (17') which converges with the inside surface (10') of the oblong tile-shaped
member (10) and having a respective directrix (D1) which makes a second defined angle
(β) with the forming feed direction (X).
10. The machine (1) according to claim 9, wherein the second defined angle (β) is greater
than the first defined angle (α).