The invention relates to a system for detecting and catching the damaged or defected cigarettes while feeding them to a packaging machine, which are transported by a conveyor in the mass production process and come to a multiple of vibrating feeder channels at the entrance of a cigarette packaging machine through a vertical channel.

In the whole cigarette industry, the following situations occur due to defected, damaged and different cigarettes coming from different axes at the entrance of a cigarette pusher channel in a cigarette packaging machine;

• Stopping and waste caused by defected cigarette packages,
• Stopping and waste due to no cigarettes in the hopper.

When the wastes are examined, it is seen that these stops cause an average of 6 packs (120 cigarettes) and NTM waste at each stop and start.

US3397922A discloses an apparatus conveys cigarettes from manufacturing machines to a packaging machine through dispensers, pneumatic pipe-lines, and guides. Cigarettes are fed one by one through oscillating rollers into a trough, then conveyed longitudinally by suction rollers and soft endless belts forming an air seal. They are decelerated through arcuate guides, propelled through flotation conveyer channels, and discharged into serpentine shoots equipped with photo-electric cells to control the process.

WO2012144915A1 discloses a conveyor device that utilizes a multi-belt conveyor system where the belts are forced to alternate between upward and downward movement by specially shaped input and output rollers. This method facilitates the linear arrangement of rod-like elements, such as cigarettes, and can be employed in reclaiming tobacco from cigarette waste.
US4953711A discloses a testing unit placed within a cigarette magazine includes test chutes to accommodate a vertical line of cigarettes, with guide and support elements beneath facilitating a stoppage phase for testing and subsequent delivery of the tested cigarettes.

In the mass production process, defected/damaged cigarettes get stuck in the vibrating/channel feeders at the entrance of the packaging machine, causing machine downtime and waste.

The invention is a defected/damaged cigarette catcher as defined in claim 1.

Therefore main objectives of this invention is to

• catch defected/damaged cigarettes coming from the back of the vertical channel cigarette line and removes them from the cigarette line before they come to packaging,
• catch the defected and vertical cigarettes in the cigarette line with the channels and sensor duo,
• use a vibrating feeding system driven with three different motors to stop the movement of the defected/damaged cigarettes from the system in terms of occupational safety,
• ensure that only proper (not defected/damaged) cigarettes are transferred to the packaging machine by closing the empty side by electropneumatically controlled directing flaps so that the cigarette flow is not interrupted after the defected/damaged cigarettes are caught in the channels.

• Figure 1. Front View of the General System
• Figure 2. Rear View of the General System
• Figure 3. Exploded View of the System
• Figure 4. Helix Roller
• Figure 5. Single View of the Helix Roller
• Figure 6. Detailed View of the S Channels
• Figure 7. Exploded View of the Vibrating Feeder Part
• Figure 8a. Directing Flaps with a Pneumatic System
• Figure 8b. Directing Flaps with an Electric Motor

Equivalents of the numbers given in the figures:

1. 1. Helix Roller
   1.1. Helix Roller Motor
2. 2. Channel with an S-shaped cross-section
3. 3. Vibrating Feeder
   • 3.1. Eccentric Driven Gear Rack
   • 3.2. Brass Bearing
   • 3.3. Eccentric Shaft
   • 3.4. Gear Rack Camshaft Drive Shaft
   • 3.5. Vibrating Feeder Gear
   • 3.6. Vibrating Feeder
   • 3.7. Drive Motor
4. 4. Directing Flaps
   • 4.1. Pneumatic Directing System
   • 4.2. Electric Directing System
   • 4.4. Drive Shaft
   • 4.5. Shaft Connection Parts
   • 4.6. Piston Fixing Parts
5. 5. Product Entrance
6. 6. Product Exit

The aim of the system which is the subject of the invention is to minimize the downtimes that cause the production to slow down mentioned in the background section. The working principle of the system is to catch the cigarettes which are defected, damaged and coming from different axes before they come to the packaging entrance hopper and dispose of them with user intervention.

Cigarettes enter the system from a product entrance (5). The product, which has entered from the product entrance (5), passes through a multiple of channels (2) with an S-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the cigarette flow direction and a multiple of directing flaps (4) with the help of a three-section vibrating feeders (3) and reaches a hopper at the packaging entrance from a product exit (6) channel.

During operation, horizontal cigarettes coming from the back of the cigarette channel are caught by a helix roller (1) located at the entrance of the unit and thrown into a waste station. The helix roller (1) comprises cigarette-sized and claw-shaped teeth in curved form, as can be seen in Figure 4 and Figure 5. The purpose of this is to catch cigarettes trying to enter the system in a horizontal position. A helix roller motor (1.1) ensures that the helix roller (1) rotates on its own axis during operation. Thanks to this rotation, the teeth continuously perform a catching movement. Cigarettes that come vertical, means in the right position, are not caught on these teeth. Cigarettes coming in horizontal position are held by these teeth and discarded. It is important that cigarettes enter the system in a vertical position to sit in the channels (2) with an S-shaped cross-section perpendicular to the cigarette flow direction. However, horizontal and defected/damaged cigarettes that can pass through the helix (1) without being attached are stuck in the channels (2), since the channels (2) have a design that is wide enough for only proper cigarettes to pass. Cigarettes that are bent, deformed or broken in any way get stuck in these channels. A multiple of optical sensors located between each channel (2) work with the "all-or-nothing logic" and send a signal to a control system processor if there is no product in front of it for 2-5 seconds. The processor receiving the signal gives an audible and visual warning. The visual warning is in a warning light and a sound form.

In case of jamming in three or more channels, the information of the jammed channels is collected by the processor from the optical sensors. The corresponding vibrating feeder (3), is also stopped by the processor and possible work accidents are prevented.

The directing flap (4), which is close to the jammed side and can be rotated, is activated by the processor to prevent the cigarette flow from being disrupted. The directing flap (4) is connected to a pneumatic directing system (4.1) with a drive shaft (4.4) and a shaft connection parts (4.5). With the detection of jamming by the processor and activation of a multiple of solenoid valves, the pneumatic directing system (4.1) move and move the directing flaps (4) towards the area where the jam occurs. Thus, the right or left movement of the directing flap (4) is provided. When the directing flap (4) stops the flow, intervention by the user becomes easier since all movement in the relevant section will be stopped. Since the bottom of the channels (2) will not be emptied, possible confusion in the lower hopper is avoided. With the removal of the jammed cigarette by the user and pressing a reset button brings the directing flap (4) back to its standard position by activating at least one of the pneumatic directing system (4.1) and electric directing system (4.2) by the processor. Thus, the flow is opened. When the reset button is pressed by the user, the vibrating feeder (3) in the jammed section is also started by the processor and the system returns to its normal working order.

The flow arrangement in the invention is divided into three zones and a vibrating feeder (3) is placed for each zone. The reason for this is that instead of stopping the entire system while the user is cleaning the jammed area, only the jammed part is stopped, preventing possible work accidents and the system continues to work over the remaining two sections.

The vibrating feeders (3) are divided into three zones, and each zone can operate independently from each other. A vibrating feeder gear (3.5) and a vibrating feeder (3.6) are moved by an eccentric driven gear rack (3.1), which is supported by a multiple of brass bearings (3.2). The eccentric driven gear rack (3.1), whose gear gap is adjusted by an eccentric shaft (3.3), is moved under the control of the processor by means of a gear rack camshaft drive shaft (3.4) and a drive motor (3.7). Thus, operating losses are minimized.

Cigarettes that complete their flow leave the system from the product exit (6) to be directed to another unit in the packaging or production line.