A METHOD OF BONDING THE WINNOWER (STEM) AND DUST WASTES RELEASED AT THE CIGARETTE PRODUCTION STAGES ON A TOBACCO WINNOWER

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a tobacco winnower processing method that recycles tobacco crumbs and powders leading to the central vacuum line.

BACKGROUND

[0002] The winnower and dust waste released during the cigarette production phases are collected in the dust collection and vessel collection zones of the factories. Since these wastes, which are the 7% of the total production, constitute great financial losses, some factories cut the winnowers by collecting them in one place and make their volume reduce. The reduced waste is mixed into the tobacco that will be put into cigarettes. However, as a result of these processes, the gain does not exceed 30%.

[0003] US 4 672 982 A relates to a process for converting cigarette tobacco winnowings into usable form for cigarette making, comprises crushing the winnowings, which have a moisture content compatible with cigarette making, effecting a first sieving operation on the resulting crushed winnowings, and effecting a second sieving operation on the smaller fraction resulting from the first sieving operation to remove particles unsuitable for direct use. Any larger fraction resulting from the first sieving operation may be subjected to cutting and thereafter a third sieving operation. Suitable apparatus for converting cigarette tobacco winnowings having a moisture content compatible with cigarette making into usable form for cigarette making, comprises crushing rollers to which the winnowings are fed, a sieve arranged to receive the crushed winnowings from the crusher, and a second sieve provided to separate the tobacco usable for cigarette making from tobacco dust. That is, the tobacco dust is not re-used.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0004] Object of the present invention is to provide a method which processes the tobacco winnowings with a higher recycling rate.

[0005] This object is achieved by the method of claim 1.

[0006] Thus, the invention has the advantage that it leads to a tobacco winnower processing system and method that recycle tobacco crumbs and powders going to the central vacuum line. It is included in the prior art that during the processing of the tobacco winnower, all the crumbs and powders formed in the machine are collected in a center. However, the present invention relates to a method that re-uses these crumbs and powders, which are considered as waste and have never been tried to be bonded to a winnower before by sticking them on a tobacco winnower.

FIGURE LIST

[0007] 

Figure 1

Serrated Cylinder

[0008] Equivalent of the number given in the figure is:

1

Cylinder

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] The principle of operation of a cigarette machine;

[0010] Processed tobacco, which is transported from a tobacco processing section of the factories to a cigarette machines with the help of vacuum, is vacuumed from a warehouse of the cigarette machine with the help of a spiral. The ones with high weight and volume cannot be transported, falls down and thrown into a waste bucket with a winnower collection system. In other words, it does not go through any recycling process. The tobacco separated from the winnower combines with a cigarette paper and a filter to form the cigarette and is collected in a reservoir for packaging.

[0011] The invention relates to the conveying of the winnowers to the tobacco chopper / shredder unit with the help of vacuum from a pipe connected to the exit line of the cigarette machine which has a working principle as described above. In the separator unit inside the unit, the winnowers, which are large, heavy or with unusable size, passing through the air lock are separated and directed to a waste bucket. These redirected and heavy parts with unusable size can be considered as waste. The winnowers to be used are carried to the chopper unit again with the help of vacuum. The winnowers chopped in the desired size in the chopper unit are directed to the separator unit again. The winnowers are directed to the crushing unit with free fall by means of an air lock. Simultaneously, in order to stick on the winnowers directed to the crushing unit, the waste dust and crumb-like tobacco pieces collected in the central dust collection system are carried with the help of a horizontal cyclone and an air lock by free fall right on to the chopper / shredder unit by a pipe. Tobacco dust and crumbs poured between the crushing cylinder 1 with the winnowers, where in the crushing cylinders 1 are used to crush the tobacco winnowers sent into the unit, are squeezed with the winnower between the rolls and stick together. The crushing rollers are at least one of the serrated and flat forms in order to make the bonding process more efficient. Stuck tobacco winnowers and tobacco powders coming out of the crushing unit are conveyed to the transfer drum unit (separator with air) with the help of vacuum. The product passing through the sieves on the transfer drum is fed to the cigarette machine with free fall. The final product is included in the online process in this way.

[0012] There is a section that ensures the humidification of the winnowers before the waste dust and crumb-like tobacco pieces collected in the central dust collection system are carried with the help of the horizontal cyclone and the air lock by free fall right on to the chopper / shredder unit by the pipe. In the method of humidifying the winnowers, the moisture of the outcoming product is measured by a moisture sensor. As a result of the measurement, the winnowers that have less humidity than the desired humidity level are moistened by steam spraying on them. The adhesion rate of tobacco dust and crumbs to be poured on the moistened winnowers is much higher.

[0013] A manual pouring unit is placed at the point where the waste dust and crumb-like tobacco pieces collected in the central dust collection system are poured on the chopper / shredder unit with the help of the horizontal cyclone and the air lock by free fall. When this manual pouring unit is activated, automatic pouring is disabled and the dust and crumbs carried in the horizontal cyclone are allowed to be poured at the user's desired intervals. The dosing buttons on the manual pouring unit determine how much dust and crumbs will be poured when the pouring is allowed. The dosing buttons determine how much the lids, keeps dust and crumbs, will remain open. When the dosage amount is desired to be increased by the user, the lids are opened more, allowing more dust and crumbs to be poured. Microprocessor connected to the dosing button controls the motors connected to the dosing lids. Each setting level controls the opening of the doors by making the motor run less or more.

[0014] Tobacco dust and crumbs can also be bonded to winnowers and tobacco using food adhesives. The spray head in the crushing cylinder 1 section is connected to a reservoir containing food adhesive. When the tobacco winnowers come to the crushing cylinder (1) section, if the spray function is activated by the user, the adhesive is applied by spraying during the rotation of the winnower passing over the crushing cylinder 1. Afterwards, dust is added to the adhesive sprayed winnower to ensure adhesion.

Claims

1. A method of bonding winnowers and dust wastes released at cigarette production stages on a tobacco winnower, comprising the following steps:

- Taking the winnowers from a pipe connected to a winnower outlet line of a cigarette machine with a help of vacuum,

- Separating large, heavy or unusable size of the winnowers passing through an air lock in a separator unit and directing them to a waste bucket,

- Measuring the humidity of winnowers by means of a moisture sensor and moistening the winnowers by steam spraying in order to have much higher adhesion rates of tobacco dust and crumbs to be poured on the winnowers if its moisture level is less than a predefined moisture level,

- Carrying waste dust and crumb-like tobacco pieces collected in a central dust collection system with help of a horizontal cyclone and an air lock by free fall right on to a chopper / shredder unit, on which the winnowers are poured, by a pipe,

- Using a crushing cylinder (1) having at least one of serrated and flat forms to crush the winnowers sent into the unit,

- Applying an adhesive by spraying during the rotation of the winnower passing over the crushing cylinder (1),

- Squeezing of the tobacco dust and crumbs poured between the crushing cylinder (1) with the winnower and sticking to each other,

- Conveying of the tobacco winnowers and the tobacco powders stuck together from the crusher unit to a transfer drum unit with the help of a vacuum,

- Feeding the product passing through sieves on the transfer drum unit to the cigarette machine with free fall.

Ansprüche

1. Verfahren zum Anhaften von bei der Zigarettenherstellung freigesetzten Staubabfällen auf einem Tabak-Winnower, das die folgenden Schritte umfasst:

- Entnehmen der Winnower aus einem Rohr, angeschlossen an eine Winnower-Auslassleitung einer Zigarettenmaschine, mit Hilfe von Vakuum,

- Abtrennen großer, schwerer oder unbrauchbarer Winnower, die durch eine Luftschleuse in einer Trenneinheit laufen, und Weiterleiten in einen Abfallbehälter,

- Messen der Feuchtigkeit der Winnower mittels eines Feuchtigkeitssensors und Befeuchten der Winnower durch Dampfbesprühen, um deutlich höhere Haftraten von Tabakstaub und -krümeln zu erreichen, die auf die Winnower geschüttet werden, wenn der Feuchtigkeitsgehalt unter einem vordefinierten Feuchtigkeitsgehalt liegt,

- Transportieren von Abfallstaub und krümelartigen Tabakstücken, die in einem zentralen Staubsammelsystem mit Hilfe eines horizontalen Zyklons und einer Luftschleuse gesammelt wurden, durch freien Fall direkt zu einer Zerkleinerungs-/Schreddereinheit, auf die die Winnower geschüttet werden, durch ein Rohr,

- Verwenden eines Zerkleinerungszylinders (1) mit mindestens einer gezackten und flachen Form zum Zerkleinern der in die Einheit,

- Aufbringen eines Klebstoffs durch Sprühen während der Rotation des Winnowers, der über den Zerkleinerungszylinder (1) läuft,

- Auspressen des zwischen dem Zerkleinerungszylinder (1) mit dem Winnower eingefüllten und aneinander haftenden Tabakstaubs und der Krümel,

- Fördern des Tabaks und der aneinander haftenden Tabakpulver von der Zerkleinerungseinheit zu einer Übergabetrommeleinheit mit Hilfe eines Vakuums,

- Zuführen des durch Siebe auf der Übergabetrommeleinheit laufenden Produkts zur Zigarettenmaschine im freien Fall.

Revendications

1. Procédé de liaison de déchets de vannage et de poussière libérés lors des étapes de production de cigarettes sur un vannage de tabac, comprenant les étapes suivantes :

- Prélèvement des vannages d'un tuyau relié à une conduite de sortie de vannage d'une machine à cigarettes à l'aide d'un vide,

- Séparation des gros vannages lourds ou inutilisables en les faisant passer par un sas d'air dans une unité de séparation et leur acheminement vers un seau à déchets,

- Mesure de l'humidité des vannages au moyen d'un capteur d'humidité et humidification des vannages par pulvérisation de vapeur afin d'obtenir des taux d'adhésion beaucoup plus élevés de poussière et de miettes de tabac à verser sur les vannages si leur taux d'humidité est inférieur à un taux d'humidité prédéfini,

- Transport des déchets de poussière et des morceaux de tabac en forme de miettes collectés dans un système central de collecte de poussière à l'aide d'un cyclone horizontal et d'un sas d'air par chute libre jusqu'à une unité de hachage/déchiquetage, sur laquelle les vannages sont versés, par un tuyau,

- Utilisation d'un cylindre de broyage (1) ayant au moins une forme dentée et une forme plate pour broyer les vanneurs envoyés dans l'unité,

- application d'une colle par pulvérisation lors de la rotation du vanneur passant sur le cylindre broyeur (1),

- Compression de la poussière et des miettes de tabac versées entre le cylindre broyeur (1) avec le vanneur et se collant les unes aux autres,

- Transport des vanneurs de tabac et des poudres de tabac collées entre elles de l'unité de broyage vers une unité de tambour de transfert à l'aide d'un aspirateur,

- Alimentation du produit passant à travers des tamis sur l'unité de tambour de transfert vers la machine à cigarettes en chute libre.

Drawing