EP1691632B1 - Oscillator for a printing group of the tobacco-processing industry - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for treating and/or inspecting an article of the tobacco-processing industry (21), especially to a method for applying and/or inspecting print marks (DM) on a wrapping strip (21), whereby the article (21) is moved past a treatment element (71, 75), especially a printing device (71, 75) and/or an inspection element (72). The inventive method is characterized in that the transport speed of the article (21), especially in the effective range of the treatment element (71, 75) and/or of the inspection element (75), is varied in an oscillating manner. The invention also relates to a device (50) for treating and/or inspecting an article of the tobacco-processing industry (21), especially a device (50) for applying and/or inspecting print marks (DM) on a wrapping strip (21), whereby the article (21) is moved past a treatment element (71, 75), especially a printing device (71, 75) and/or an inspection element (72), at a defined transport speed.

Description

The invention relates to a method for applying and / or checking printing marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip is moved past a printing device and / or a checking device at a predetermined conveying speed, wherein the conveying speed of the wrapping strip is within the effective range of the printing device and / or or the Prüforgans oscillating varies. Furthermore, the invention relates to a device for applying and / or checking print marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip with a predetermined conveying speed on a printing device and / or a Prügangan over movable, wherein the conveying speed of the wrapping strip in the effective range of the printing device and / or the Prüforgans oscillating variable.

From the prior art printing units for the application of print marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular a cigarette paper strip, known. For example, a print is applied to cigarette paper strips in a cigarette rod machine with a pressure roller.

In the stranding machine rod-shaped smoking articles such as cigarettes, cigarillos, cigars or filter rods or the like are produced in the strand process. By means of the wrapping strip, the tobacco rod is wrapped in the stranding machine, wherein the wrapping strips used have printed images, e.g. Cigarette brands, manufacturer names or other indications.

The built-in the strand machines printing units according to the prior art generally consist of a roller assembly, wherein between the rollers, the web to be printed is guided. For applying the print marks or printed images, a so-called pressure roller is provided, which is synchronized with the continuously moving material web. In general, the pressure roller is in contact with a counter-pressure roller, wherein the enveloping strip is guided between the pressure roller and the counter-pressure roller.

As a smoking article in the context of the invention are cigarettes with and without filters and all other rod-shaped smoking articles to understand their wrapper strip is printed, the appearing on the smoking article imprint primarily refers to a brand. Such an imprint or stamp is a conspicuous quality feature of such smoking articles and requires special attention with regard to the components and production conditions required for the preparation, such as the type and condition of the ink used and its supply, transfer, distribution to the application on the wrapping strip.

There is a general desire to increase the production speed of machines in the tobacco processing industry. The wrapping strip provided for the wrapping of the formed strand is therefore optionally supplied with an increased conveying speed to the strand to be wrapped. However, since the printing devices can no longer afford high-quality imprints from a certain conveying speed of the wrapping strip, this limits the performance of the printing unit and the stranding machine.

Furthermore, in DE-A-199 14 609 a method and an apparatus for printing material webs, in particular film webs for outer sheaths of cigarette packs described. In this case, a material web is passed continuously past a printing unit, wherein for the print transfer, a web section of the material web is temporarily stopped in the region of the printing unit for applying the printing. Outside the web section, the web is continuously transported continuously. After application of the printing, the web section is continuously transported. In this case, the material web runs on reciprocating pendulum arms mounted pendulum rollers which are movable back and forth together, so that in one of the conveying direction of the continuously conveyed material web opposite movement of the pendulum rollers between them a temporarily stationary track section is generated in the area of the Printing unit is effective.

Starting from this prior art, it is an object of the present invention to enable the printing and / or testing of printed images on wrapping strips of the tobacco processing industry at high conveying speeds of the article.

This object is achieved in methods for applying and / or checking print marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip is moved past a printing device and / or a Prüforgan with a predetermined conveying speed, wherein the conveying speed of the wrapping strip in the effective range of the printing device and / or the test element is oscillatingly varied, which is further developed in that the conveying speed by means of at least two oscillator elements, which are designed as rotating cam elements, is varied.

The invention is based on the idea of temporarily adjusting the conveying speed of an article designed as a wrapping strip to the process speed of a testing device or processing device designed as a printing device in a simple manner and with relatively inexpensive mechanical engineering means, so that in the case of an otherwise high conveying speed of the article of the processing member and / or is lowered in the region of the Prüforgans, for example, to apply a print on the article or to examine. After being processed by the processing or inspection body, the article is accelerated again after the processing member or the test element, so that the article is forwarded to another article, e.g. a tobacco rod, can be supplied.

With the method according to the invention, it is in particular possible to print a cigarette paper strip using an inkjet printer cartridge and / or to check the applied print mark with a suitable device, wherein the printing speed or test speed of the processing operation is lower than the transport or conveying speed of the paper strip. The conveying speed of the paper strip corresponds, for example, substantially to the strand speed of a tobacco rod to be wrapped.

According to the invention, it is possible to convey at a high conveying speed an article which is being processed and / or tested, the possible processing speed of the testing and / or processing elements being less than the conveying speed of the article. In the context of the invention, it is also possible to use fast-acting testing and / or processing organs, even if the article to be conveyed has a low conveying speed, since in the area of the organs the article, in particular wrapping paper strips, is accelerated.

According to the invention, the article is accelerated or braked for processing and / or testing. In addition, an oscillating conveying speed of the article in the region of the processing member means that the conveying speed is alternating, that is to say, the conveying speed. alternately slow and fast.

In this case, the conveying speed is varied by means of two oscillator elements, wherein the oscillator elements are designed as rotating cam elements, so that only small masses have to be moved for this purpose.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the wrapping strip is conveyed at a constant conveying speed to the printing device and / or to the checking device and is conveyed away at a constant conveying speed by the printing device and / or by the checking device. In the field of processing, for example, the application of a print mark on a strip of material, and / or in the field the test element, eg for checking the print mark, the conveying speed of the material strip or article is oscillating varies according to the invention. The strip of material is drawn off a reel at a high conveying speed and conveyed to a printing unit with the processing and testing devices. After applying the print mark, the material strip is preferably transported away at the same high conveying speed as during the feeding of the article to the printing unit and conveyed to a tobacco rod to be wrapped. This tobacco rod also has an approximately high constant conveying speed.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the invention, it is provided that the wrapping strip is printed and / or tested at a reduced or increased conveying speed. The increased or decreased conveying speed or its variation is carried out only in the region of the processing member or the test element.

To ensure even processing of the article, e.g. Applying a print mark on a strip of material to perform, according to the invention, the conveying speed is cyclically varied.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the varied conveying speed is kept constant over the time average. As a result, fluctuations in the conveying speed when feeding a strip of material to a tobacco rod to be wrapped occur because the conveyor speed varied in the region of the processing or averaged averaged over time or in a certain time cycle of the conveying speed at the feeding of the article before processing or Examination and during the routing of the article after processing or testing.

Favorable conditions for processing and / or testing an article arise when the oscillator elements are synchronized and / or phase-shifted.

In a preferred development of the invention, a cigarette paper strip is printed by a printing device as a wrapping strip. Here, a printing device is provided as a processing member.

Further processing of the conveyed article takes place in that the article is dried by means of a drying device, in particular after applying print marks to the article. The targeted drying of the previously printed article ensures that the applied ink dries faster to form print marks on the article, and thus the article immediately, e.g. for wrapping tobacco strips to be wrapped, for further processing. This shortens the drying times of the print marks. The drying device can also be understood in the sense of the invention as a processing member for the article.

The object is also achieved by means of a device for applying and / or checking printed marks on a wrapping strip of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip with a predetermined conveying speed on a printing device and / or a Prüforgan over past, the conveying speed of the wrapping strip in the effective range the oscillating means of the pressure device and / or the test element is variable, which is further developed by an oscillator device having at least two oscillator elements, which are designed as rotatable cam elements comprises.

In order to vary the conveying speed of the article in the region of the processing element, in particular printing device or printing unit, and / or a test element, an oscillator device is provided.

For this purpose, it is particularly advantageous if the oscillator elements are designed as rotatable cam elements, since this represents a mechanically very simple structure and dynamically easy-to-control construction.

A preferred embodiment of the device is characterized in that the oscillator elements are synchronized and / or can be driven out of phase.

Furthermore, it is preferred if the conveying speed in front of and behind the printing device and / or the test element is constant. This constant conveying speed preferably corresponds to the transport speed of the tobacco rod to be wrapped on a cigarette rod machine.

Moreover, it is advantageous if the varied conveying speed is constant over the time average.

Furthermore, in an advantageous embodiment of the device, a drying device for the article, in particular for print marks on the article, is provided, wherein the print marks are applied to the article by another processing device, eg printing device for applying print marks. In this case, the article can be transported past the drying device by means of the variations of the conveying speed according to the invention.

Preferably, the device is designed as a printing unit for a machine of the tobacco processing industry. Such a printing unit, which can be used in the present invention is in the European patent application with the file number 03 020 292.3 described in full in the present patent application. For details of the printing unit used, reference is expressly made to this European patent application.

Moreover, the object is achieved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular cigarette rod machine, which is equipped with a device according to the invention described above. To avoid repetition, reference is expressly made to the above statements.

Fig. 1

eine Zigarettenstrangmaschine in perspektivischer Darstellung;

Fig. 2a, 2b

eine erfindungsgemäße Einrichtung in jeweils unterschiedlichen Arbeitspositionen;

Fig. 3

ein Geschwindigkeitszeitdiagramm;

Fig. 4a, 4b

eine weitere erfindungsgemäße Einrichtung in einer linearen Anordnung und

Fig. 5a, 5b

eine alternative Ausführung der linear angeordneten Einrichtung (Fig. 4a, 4b).

The invention without any limitation of the general inventive concept is described by way of example with reference to exemplary embodiments with reference to the accompanying schematic drawings, which are expressly referred to in the rest with respect to the disclosure of all unspecified in the text details of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1

a cigarette rod machine in perspective view;

Fig. 2a, 2b

an inventive device in each different working positions;

Fig. 3

a speed time chart;

Fig. 4a, 4b

another inventive device in a linear array and

Fig. 5a, 5b

an alternative embodiment of the linearly arranged device ( Fig. 4a, 4b ).

In the figures, identical or similar elements or corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding renewed idea is omitted and only deviations are explained.

At the in Fig. 1 shown cigarette rod machine is fed from a lock 1 a pre-distributor 2 in portions with tobacco. A removal roller 3 of the pre-distributor 2 added controlled a reservoir 4 with tobacco, from which a steep conveyor 5 takes tobacco and fed a stowage 6 controlled.

From the storage shaft 6 takes a pin roller 7 a uniform stream of tobacco, which is knocked out by a rollover roller 8 of the pins of the pin roller 7 and thrown on a circulating at a constant speed spreading cloth 9. A tobacco fleece formed on the spreading cloth 9 is thrown into a sighting device 11, which consists essentially of an air curtain, the larger or heavier tobacco particles pass, while all other tobacco particles from the air in a funnel formed by a pin roller 12 and a wall 13 14th be steered.

From the pin roller 12, the tobacco is thrown into a tobacco channel 16 against a rope conveyor 17, where the tobacco held by means sucked into a vacuum chamber 18 air and a tobacco rod is aufauert.

An equalizer 19 removes excess tobacco from the tobacco rod, which is then placed on a run in synchronized cigarette paper strip 21. The cigarette paper strip 21 is from a reel 22 withdrawn, passed through a printing device 23 and placed on a driven format tape 24. The format strip 24 transports the tobacco rod and the cigarette paper strip 21 through a format 26, in which the cigarette paper strip 21 is folded around the tobacco rod, so that still protrudes an edge which is glued in a known manner by a Glimapparat, not shown. Then the bond is closed and dried by a Tandemnahtplätte 27.

A thus-formed cigarette rod 28 passes through a strand density meter 29 which controls the leveler 19, and is cut by a knife apparatus 31 into double-length cigarettes 32. The double-length cigarettes 32 are transferred from a transfer device 34 having a controlled arm 33 to a transfer drum 36 of a filter attachment machine 37, onto the cutting drum 38 of which they are divided into single cigarettes with a circular blade.

Conveyor belts 39, 41 promote excess tobacco in a arranged from the reservoir 4 container 42, from which the recycled tobacco is removed from the vertical conveyor 5 again.

In Fig. 2a and FIG. 2b shows in each case a device 50 for printing and checking applied print marks on a cigarette paper strip 21 in two different working positions.

The cigarette paper strip 21 is supplied at a transport speed v _{1 of} the device 50 according to the invention. The cigarette paper strip 21 is looped through rollers 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56 through the device 50 and deflected. Between the pulleys 52 and 53 is a rotating molded Cams 61 and 55 disposed between the pulleys 54, 55, a second rotating cam 62.

For applying a print mark on the cigarette paper strip 21 between the deflection rollers 53 and 54, the cigarette paper strip 21 is guided past a print head 71 which imprints a print mark corresponding to a cigarette brand or the like on the transported strip 21. Subsequently, the cigarette paper strip 21 provided with a print mark is guided past a sensor 72 for checking the print mark on the cigarette paper strip 21. Thereafter, the cigarette paper strip 21 is led away from the device 50 via the rollers 54 and the second cam 62 and the rollers 55, 56, and is fed to a tobacco rod of the cigarette rod machine (FIG. Fig. 1 ).

The rotating cams 61, 62 are synchronously moved so that the cigarette paper strip 21 is constantly stretched between the roller 51 and the roller 56.

By a synchronous movement of the two rotating cams 61, 62, the cigarette paper strip 21 is guided past the print head 71 at a reduced transport speed and printed. After the printing operation with continuous rotation of the cams 61 and 62, the cigarette paper strip 21 between the deflection rollers 52, 53 is accelerated.

The cams 61, 62 have the function of oscillators, so that the conveying speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 between the cams 61, 62 is varied, with no change of the transport speed v ₁ to the outside, ie outside the device 50 occurs. This means that after applying a print mark of the cigarette paper strip 21, the device 50 at the same transport speed v ₁ as in the supply of the strip 21 to the device 50 leaves.

In Fig. 3 the time behavior and the variation of the transport speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 in the device 50 according to the invention or between the cams 61, 62 is shown for a period or cycle in which the cams 61, 62 make a complete revolution through 360 °.

In the Fig. 2a and Fig. 2b illustrated working positions of the cams 61, 62 find their correspondence in the timing diagram of Fig. 3 , Here, the conveying speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 between the rotating cams 61, 62 oscillates. The minimum of the oscillating conveying speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 is reached at time t ₁ . The corresponding at this time t ₁ position of the cam 61; 62 is in Fig. 2a shown. With continuous rotation of the cams 61, 62, the conveying speed is continuously increased until the conveying speed reaches a maximum. This situation is shown at the time t ₂ corresponding to in Fig. 2b. As a result of the rotation of the cams 61, 62, the transport speed oscillates cyclically between the two extreme values.

In a speed range Δv over a period Δt with a slowed down conveyor speed, it is possible to apply a print mark DM to the cigarette paper strip 21 by means of the print head 71.

By the rotating cams 61, 62, an oscillation device for the cigarette paper strip 21 is formed, by means of which the conveying speed or transport speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 oscillating in the region of the processing member or the printing device 71 and the test element or sensor 72 is varied. By achieving a lower speed range, in which the application of a print mark on the cigarette paper strip 21 is possible, it is achieved that the cigarette paper strip has two adjacent print marks DM, which later form the mouth-side region of the subsequently formed tobacco sticks. Between the two print marks DM, a cut is made in a later step on the cigarette rod maker.

Preferably, the print head 71 and the sensor 72 are arranged at a distance of a double cigarette or a double-length tobacco rod DZ. The distance of the print head 71 and the sensor 72 is dependent on the conveying speed of the cigarette paper strip 21.

As a result of the oscillatory movements, the average speed of the cigarette paper strip 21 is kept constant over the time average and corresponds to the transport speed v ₁ . For example, the cigarette paper is fed at a speed of about 720 meters per minute, the speed reduction being to about 300 meters per minute in the area of the printhead 71, so that imprinting a print mark on the cigarette paper strip 21 is possible using ink jet printer cartridges.

In addition, it is possible to apply a multi-color print image on the cigarette paper strip 21 by using an ink jet printer cartridge. In this case, a printing unit can be used, as described in the European patent application with the file reference 03 020 292.3.

In the FIGS. 4a, 4b and 5a, 5b, respectively, a linear arrangement of the device 50 is shown, wherein the rollers 52, 53 and the rollers 54, 55 are arranged on the other side of the cigarette paper strip 21 as the cams 61, 62 and thus the cigarette paper strip 21 during transport of the Strip against the cams 61 and 62, respectively. Thus, the number of required deflections of the cigarette paper strip 21 is kept low and thus reduces the mechanical load.

In order to accelerate the drying process of the print marks applied to the cigarette paper strip 21 by the print head 71 in the linear arrangement of the device 50, a drying device 73 can be provided downstream of the print head 71 in the conveying direction of the cigarette paper strip 21, which can be integrated as desired in the process.

In the FIGS. 5a, 5b a further linear arrangement of the device 50 according to the invention is shown, with respect to those in the FIGS. 4a, 4b shown embodiments, in addition to the print head 71, a further print head 75 is provided. The distance between the first print head 71 and the second print head 75 is dependent on the format of the cigarette paper strip 21 to be printed or printed. The print heads 71 and 75 form a cascade-like printing device, as described in the European patent application with the file reference 03 020 292.3 is shown in detail.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

1

lock

2

preliminary distributor

3

out roller

4

reservoir

5

vertical conveyor

6

accumulating shaft

7

pin roll

8th

picker roller

9

stray cloth

11

OverviewAmenitiesPicture

13

tape

14

funnel

16

tobacco channel

17

line conveyor

18

Vacuum chamber

19

Egalisator

21

Cigarette paper strip

22

reel

23

print Setup

24

format tape

26

format

27

Tandemnahtplätte

28

cigarette rod

29

Strand density meter

31

knife apparatus

32

double-length cigarettes

33

poor

34

Transfer device

36

transfer drum

37

filter attachment

38

cutting drum

39

conveyor belt

41

conveyor belt

42

container

50

Facility

51

role

52

role

53

role

54

role

55

role

56

role

61

cam

62

cam

71

printhead

72

sensor

73

drying device

75

printhead

v ₁

transport speed

.DELTA.v

speed range

.delta.t

time interval

t ₁

time

t ₂

time

DM

print mark

DZ

double cigarettes

Claims (15)

1. Method of applying and/or inspecting printed marks (DM) on a wrapping strip (21) of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip (21) is moved at a predetermined conveying speed (v1) past a printing device (71, 75) and/or an inspection organ (72), wherein the conveying speed of the wrapping strip (21) is varied in an oscillating manner in the effective range of the printing device (71, 75) and/or of the inspection organ (72), characterized in that the conveying speed is varied by means of at least two oscillator elements (61, 62), which take the form of rotating cam elements
2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the wrapping strip (21) is conveyed at a constant conveying speed (v₁) to the printing device (71, 75) and/or to the inspection organ (72) and is conveyed at a constant conveying speed (v₁) away from the printing device (71, 75) and/or from the inspection organ (72).
3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the wrapping strip (21) is imprinted and/or inspected at a reduced or increased conveying speed.
4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the conveying speed is varied cyclically.
5. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the varied conveying speed on average over time is held constant.
6. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that the oscillator elements (61, 62) are driven in a synchronized and/or phase-displaced manner.
7. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that as wrapping strip (21) a cigarette paper strip (21) is imprinted by a printing device (71, 75).
8. Method according to one or more of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that the wrapping strip (21) is dried by means of a drying device (73), in particular after the application of print marks (DM) on the wrapping strip (21).
9. Device (50) for applying and/or inspecting print marks (DM) on a wrapping strip (21) of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the wrapping strip (21) is movable at a predetermined conveying speed past a printing device (71, 75) and/or an inspection organ (72), wherein the conveying speed of the wrapping strip (21) is variable in an oscillating manner in the effective range of the printing device (71, 75) and/or of the inspection organ (72), characterized in that an oscillator device (61, 62) comprises at least two oscillator elements (61, 62), which take the form of rotatable cam elements (61, 62).
10. Device 50) according to claim 9, characterized in that the oscillator elements (61, 62) are drivable in a synchronized and/or phase-displaced manner.
11. Device (50) according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that the conveying speed upstream and downstream of the printing device (71, 75) and/or the inspection organ (72) is constant.
12. Device (50) according to one of claims 9 to 11, characterized in that the varied conveying speed on average over time is constant.
13. Device (50) according to one or more of claims 9 to 12, characterized in that a drying device (73) is provided for the wrapping strip (21), in particular for print marks (DM) on a wrapping strip (21).
14. Device (50) according to one or more of claims 9 to 13, characterized in that the device (50) takes the form of a printing unit for a machine of the tobacco-processing industry.
15. Machine of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular a cigarette rope machine, having a device (50) according to one or more of claims 9 to 14.

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