EP1813535A1 - Method and apparatus for recycling tea from scrap tea-bags - Google Patents

Abstract

Method involves firstly cutting up the faulty teabag into essentially parallel strips, which was filled with tea by a teabag production machine from a particular tea batch. The tea contained therein is sieved out from the teabag, tag and label parts. The tea sieved out is put back into the raw material pipe of the tea production machine to be handled again. Faulty tea bag is led to next step, where it is recognised and thrown away. Device has cutting tool with cutting cylinders meshing into one another on two parallel shafts, with first edge of cylinder acting as blade, second acting as counter blade; also has sieving tool.

Description

The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for recovering tea from malformed tea bags.

Teabags have been industrially manufactured for a long time in so-called tea bag production machines. Today, these are usually able to produce a package of teabags from a continuous feed of loose tea of a given batch of the machine, as well as from a continuous supply of tea bag paper, labels, thread and cardboard. The tea is usually supplied by means of a continuous stream of air from the bag in which the tea batch was transported and stored, the machine in the so-called Rohwarenzuführung. Teabag paper, already printed label paper and thread run continuously from rolls into the machine, and the (still flat) cardboard packaging for the outer packaging of the packaging unit to be produced slips continuously from a ready-made stack into the machine. Usually controlled electronically and mechanically, the machine uses folding, cutting and knotting to fabricate the individual tea bags in an extremely complex manner and then packs a certain number of them into the (automatically unfolded) cardboard box. This machine and the associated tea bag manufacturing process are not the subject of this patent.

In the described manufacturing process self-checks are performed in the machine. For example, there are (known) criteria by which the machine controller can detect a faulty knot on the teabag so far produced. Such malformed tea bags, the machine is already known to be able to eject automatically from the production line. Traditionally, these defective tea bags are ejected into a sump. The contents of this collection container is then either added to the waste or separate tea bag cutting and processing machines such. B. according to GB 1 494 627 from Tingey.

This handling of discarded teabags has proven to be costly and therefore somewhat uneconomical, especially in the large-scale production of teabags. A particular problem with the recycling of tea from such defective teabags is in particular the so-called "Batch Purity", which is also in accordance with the Regulation (EC) No 178/2002 of 28 January 2002 laying down the general principles and requirements of food law, establishing the European Food Safety Authority and establishing procedures for the food safety of producers in the EU. Because the tea bag production machine described above usually processes a tea batch in less than a day. However, since the recovery of the ejected, defective tea bags is known to be collected and therefore delayed, as described, it is extremely difficult, if not impossible, to ensure that the recovered tea is returned to the batch from which it originated. In addition, conventional recovery is made more difficult by the fact that erroneous tea bags have been processed not only from one, but from several tea bag production machines in the machine provided to date. This makes secure batch assignment economically almost impossible.

The present invention has for its object to provide a method and apparatus for recovering tea from malformed tea bags, which is more economical, especially in terms of batch purity.

This object is achieved by a method having the features of claim 1 and a device having the features of claim 6. Preferred embodiments are specified in the subclaims.

According to the invention, in the process of recovering tea from malformed tea bags, a malformed tea bag, which has been filled with tea from a particular tea batch by a tea bag making machine, is cut into substantially parallel strips. The tea bag, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel are sieved from the tea previously contained in the tea bag. And the sieved tea is returned directly, possibly delayed, but in any case during the processing of the tea batch from which the defective tea bag originates, to the tea bag production machine for re-processing.

Particularly preferably, in the method, a tea bag produced as faulty is first automatically recognized as such and automatically ejected from the tea bag production machine.

It is also preferable to carry out these steps in the greatest possible proximity to the tea bag production machine automatically and / or with the least possible delay in order to ensure on the one hand the batch purity and, on the other hand, to keep the transport paths between the individual steps of the method as short and uncomplicated as possible ,

It is therefore particularly preferred that a teabag recognized as faulty is passed directly from the tea bag production machine into a cutting unit of a tea recovery device, e.g. B. by the teabag falls into the automatic ejection directly into a filler neck of the cutting, and that the cut tea bag then falls directly into a screening, where the teabags, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel are screened from the tea, and that finally the tea - immediately or at adjustable time intervals - is sucked back into a feed line of the tea batch for raw material supply of the tea bag production machine. The teabags, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel can be removed directly after screening by suction and fed, for example, a briquette press.

According to the invention, it is also preferred that the tea bag recognized as faulty be cut into strips of 4 to 8 mm, in particular 6 mm, in width. Because on the one hand then falls the tea usually processed to tea with a grain size between 0.2 and 2 mm (fannings, fine cut) from teabag strips of this width, as has been found according to the invention, particularly safe, without even further cut to a significant extent to become. And on the other hand, teabag and Ettikettenschnitzel this width, as has been found according to the invention, less bulky than in other latitudes, so that these teabag shreds siege and carry away space-economical and in particular also better suck.

Also according to the invention is a device for recovering tea from malformed tea bags with a cutting unit of intermeshing cutting cylinders. These cutting cylinders are arranged on at least two parallel, rotationally driven shafts - in such a way that a cutting cylinder has a first and a second radially encircling edge, which shears each axially against a radially encircling edge of another cutting cylinder on another shaft as a counter-blade. Particularly easy to imagine and according to the invention well executable such a cutting cylinder is formed as a circular cylindrical disc with a cylinder height (Axial expansion) of preferably 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 6 mm. The two (circular in accordance with the mathematical shape of a circular cylinder) cylinder edge of such a cutting cylinder axially shear against each such cutting edge of a cutting cylinder of the same shape on a parallel shaft from. Since these two circular cylindrical cutting cylinder on the parallel shaft have a second (circular) radially encircling cutting edge, followed on the shaft of the first described circular cylindrical cutting cylinder in both axial directions in each case a cutting cylinder of this same shape - again, preferably by 4 mm 8 mm, in particular 6 mm spaced. Thus, the second cutting edges of the two cutting cylinders described on the parallel shaft against the two cutting cylinders last described also shear off in the manner described. Arranged alternately on the two parallel waves, then mesh on each of the waves a larger number, z. B. 10 such circular cylindrical cutting cylinder of the described shape into each other, so that an axial length of this cutting between 8 cm and 16 cm, in particular 12 cm results between the two outermost cutting cylinders.

By thus configured cutting cylinder creates an embodiment of the invention, which can be particularly easily produced by machine. In addition, the space that occupies this cutting, advantageously small, so that arranging a device equipped therewith for recovering tea directly in a tea bag production machine can accomplish space economically easier.

Except as far as already described by the preferred embodiment cutting unit, the device according to the invention also has a screening plant for screening the teabag, thread and label shreds.

Figur 1

zeigt schematisch eine räumliche Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung und des Materialflusses dort hindurch,

Figur 2

zeigt eine räumliche Ansicht einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Rückgewinnen von Tee,

Figur 3

zeigt eine räumliche Ansicht der Siebvorrichtung der Vorrichtung nach Figur 2 aus derselben Blickrichtung wie Figur 2,

Figur 4

zeigt eine Draufsicht auf die Siebvorrichtung nach Figur 3,

Figur 5

zeigt eine Seitenansicht der Siebvorrichtung gemäß Figur 3 und 4, geschnitten entlang A-A in Figur 4,

Figur 6

zeigt eine geschnittene Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 2, geschnitten entlang A-A in Figur 4,

Figur 7

zeigt eine Seitenansicht des Schneidwerks aus einer der Vorrichtungen gemäß Figur 1 bis 6 und

Figur 8

zeigt eine schematische Draufsicht auf das Schneidwerk gemäß Figur 7.

These and other features of the invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1

shows schematically a spatial view of a device according to the invention and the material flow therethrough,

FIG. 2

shows a spatial view of a device according to the invention for recovering tea,

FIG. 3

2 shows a spatial view of the screening device of the device according to FIG. 2 from the same viewing direction as FIG. 2,

FIG. 4

shows a plan view of the screening device of Figure 3,

FIG. 5

shows a side view of the screening device according to Figures 3 and 4, taken along AA in Figure 4,

FIG. 6

2 shows a sectional side view of the device according to FIG. 2, cut along AA in FIG. 4, FIG.

FIG. 7

shows a side view of the cutting unit of one of the devices according to Figures 1 to 6 and

FIG. 8

shows a schematic plan view of the cutting mechanism according to FIG. 7.

Figure 6 is a side sectional view of a device 2 for recovering tea from malformed tea bags (not shown). Spatially, this device 2 can be seen in FIG. A malformed teabag was automatically identified as defective within a teabag production machine (not shown) and ejected from the teabag production machine. This ejection movement preferably causes the tea bag to fall directly into the upper inlet 4 (see again FIG. 6) of a cutting unit 6 of the device 2 . A funnel (not shown) or a chute (not shown) may assist in the aiming safety of this transport into the cutting unit 6 .

The cutting unit 6 can be seen schematically in FIG. 7 and FIG. The cutting unit 6 has two rows of cutting cylinders 8, 10 , which mesh with each other on two parallel, rotationally driven shafts 12, 14 (the rotary drive in the form of an electric motor 15 can be seen in FIG. 6). A first radially encircling edge 16 of one of the cutting cylinders 8.4 on the first shaft 12 shears off as a cutting edge 16 against a radially encircling edge 18 of one of the cutting cylinders 10.4 on the other shaft 14 as a counter-blade 18 . The second radially encircling edge 20 of the cutting cylinder 8.4 - which as a shoulder axially in an opposite direction (in Figure 8 upward) to the first edge 16 (in Figure 8 downwards) - shears as a second cutting edge 20 of this cylinder 8.4 axially against a radial circumferential edge 22 of a third cylinder 10.3 (again on the second shaft 14). Characterized in that the cutting cylinders 8, 10 are formed according to all figures as circular cylindrical discs, all cutting edges 16 to 22 are circular - which is particularly well recognizable in Figure 7.

The intermeshing cutting cylinders 8, 10 on the shafts 12, 14 rotate in opposite directions in the direction of the arrows 24, 26 in Figure 7 and thus pull a tea bag, which falls from above into the cutting mechanism 4 in the described meshing cutting geometry. This introduced by the opposite direction of rotation 24, 26 feeder is additionally supported in the illustrated embodiment by axial corrugations 28 on the cylinder jacket surfaces of all cutting cylinders 8 and 10. In addition, the collection of tea bags in the cutting gap 4 by a moving device, for example in the form of rotating mixing arms ( not shown) supporting the space 30 (see FIG. 6) above the cutting unit 6. As a result, tea bags, which fall from above into the cutting unit 6 and perhaps coincidentally horizontally on the two cutting shafts 8, 12; 10, 14 come to rest, so that the corrugations 28 can not take them moved to another position, but finally to be fed into the cutting unit feed 4. The function of this intake into the gap 4 is also dependent on the depth at which the cutting cylinders 8, 10 mesh with each other, so also from the distance of the parallel shafts 12, 14 from each other. According to the invention, this distance can be adjustable.

Teabags, which now so fall into the cutting gap 4 between the cutting cylinders 8, 10 are cut into substantially parallel strips. Their width depends on the cylinder height of the cutting cylinders 8, 10, it corresponds to the cylinder height substantially and is preferably between 4 mm and 8 mm, in particular 6 mm. These tea bag strips as well as thread and label chips, together with the tea contained in the tea bag, fall out of the cutting unit 6 on the underside and end up in a sieve-chute 32 (FIG. 6). The shape of the vibrating chute 32 is also apparent from Figure 3, 4 and 5. It is in cross-section substantially V-shaped with high edges, so that the cut material remains safe in the gutter. Through the bottom of the vibrating chute 32 screen holes go through with a diameter of preferably 2 mm to 5 mm, in particular 3 mm.

With reference to Figures 3 and 5, the vibratory drive of the vibrating chute 32 can be seen: A rotating with imbalance electric motor 34 is fixed to a chassis 36, which on four coil springs 38 stands. As a result of the oscillation of the chassis 36 thus produced, the vibrating chute 32 is also caused to oscillate, which is fastened to the chassis 36 via four obliquely upward-oriented leaf springs 40 . Due to the orientation obliquely upward of the leaf springs 40 results in a movement shape of the vibration of the vibrating chute 32 with an obliquely upward discharge phase of the goods located in the vibrating chute 32 and with a subsequent return phase. The mechanics and dynamics of such Schüttelrinnen drives are well known in mechanical engineering and are therefore not further deepened here.

By this shaker the cut in the cutting unit 6 Good in the vibrating chute 32 is transported to the right in Figure 6. In this case, tea bag and label paper strips as well as larger filament shreds are sieved by means of the sieve bores 33 . Namely, through the sieve bores 33 , the smaller chips and in particular also the tea fall into a collecting vibrating channel 42. The collecting vibrating channel 42 runs parallel to the sieve vibrating channel 32 directly below its sieve bores 33 . Also, the collecting chute 42 is suspended by means of the leaf springs 40 on the chassis 36 , so that the fallen there well goods is also transported to the right in Figure 6.

The paper strips and shreds of thread transported to the right in the sieve-chute 32 finally end up in a suction device 44 (also recognizable in a spatial representation in FIG. 2) and are supplied from there through a pipeline 46 leading from the screening plant to disposal.

Referring again to FIG. 6, the screened product moved to the right in FIG. 6 in the collecting chute 42 ends up in a small hopper 48, which leads into a second screening unit 50 . This is now even better seen in Figure 5 because of the larger magnification. The second screening unit 50 is housed in an elongated, rectangular box 52 (see also FIG. 3). By a side flap 54 (see also Figure 5 again) are flat sieve sheet metal strips 56, 58, 60, 62 plan-parallel one above the other inserted into the housing 52 - and about in the manner of baking trays, which are inserted into a stovepipe. In the box 52 of the second screening 50 are thus in the side walls guides (not shown), which hold the screen plates 56, 58, 60, 62 plane-parallel one above the other, without slipping in the housing 52 .

As can be seen particularly well with regard to the schematic figure 1 spatially, the four screen plates 56 to 62 each have a rectangular array of screen holes 64 . In this case, the rectangular field of sieve holes 64 in the top sieve plate surface 56 in the transport direction of the shaker - the on the leaf springs 66 (Figure 3) on this second screening 50, but in the opposite direction, ie in Figure 5 and 6 to the left , acts - arranged in front of the rectangular field 64 of the sieve holes in the underlying sieve plate surface 58 . This arrangement of the fields 64 of sieve bores in front of each other continues into the underlying sieve plate surfaces 60, 62 . In this way, a cascade of sieves is formed, by which the tea to be recovered is finally safely separated from the remaining thread cuttings and small shreds of paper and other impurities which have been screened off from the sieve plate surfaces 56 to 62 . In Figure 5, the fields 64 of the screen holes are only indicated as vertical bore centerlines, but there as well as cascade recognizable.

The thus recovered tea eventually falls through a window 66 in the bottom 68 of the housing 52 into a suction device 70. This redirects the recovered tea through a re-processing pipe 72 back into the raw material feed of the teabag production machine (not shown), which is still is charged with the same particular tea batch from which the tea originated in the malformed tea bag.

The screened in the second sieve 50 remnants, however, fall from the respective sieve sheet metal strip, driven in Figure 5 and 6 at the left edge of the housing 52 from the same of the shaker 34 , out and fall again into a suction device 74 for the waste, with the Suction device 44, 46 is in communication and also these remaining impurities of disposal.

Claims (14)

Method of recovering tea from malformed teabags characterized by the steps of: Slicing a malformed tea bag filled with tea from a given tea batch by a tea bag making machine into substantially parallel strips, - Sifting the teabags, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel from previously contained tea, Returning the sieved tea to the raw material feed of the tea bag production machine fed with the particular tea batch for reprocessing. Method according to the preceding claim, characterized by the preceding step: - Automatic or manual feeding as erroneously recognized and ejected from the tea bag production machine tea bags to the next step. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the preceding step: - Automatic as faulty detection and ejection of the defective tea bag from the tea bag production machine. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the tea bag is cut into strips of 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 6 mm wide. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the feedback is carried out at regulatable time intervals. Method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the step: - Suction of sieved teabag, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel and their removal. Device for recovering tea from malformed tea bags, in particular for carrying out the method according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a cutting unit with cutting cylinders, which mesh with each other on at least two parallel, rotationally driven shafts so that a first radially encircling edge of a cutting cylinder, on a shaft is mounted as a cutting edge axially against a radially encircling edge of another cylinder which is mounted on another shaft shears as a counter-blade and that a second radially encircling, axially in an opposite direction to the first facing edge of the one cylinder as the second Cutting edge of this cylinder axially shears against a radially encircling edge of a third cylinder on another shaft, as well as by a screening. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that the distance between the first and the second radially circumferential edge of the cutting cylinder is 4 mm to 8 mm, in particular 6 mm. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the shafts are arranged horizontally with a movement device through which the tea bags, which rest on the cutting cylinders above the cutting unit before cutting, are set in motion [to promote the entry into the cutting unit ]. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the screening has at least one Schüttelrinne with Siebbohrungen through the bottom of the vibrating chute and with a shaker drive for transporting the tea and the teabags, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel along the Schüttelrinne. Device according to the preceding claim, characterized in that at least two Sieb-Schüttelrinnen are arranged parallel to each other directly above one another and that the Siebbohrungen are arranged in the upper Sieb-Schüttelrinne in the transport direction of the shaker drive in front of the screen holes in the lower Sieb-Schüttelrinne. Device according to one of the two preceding claims, characterized in that the cutting unit and the at least one sieve-chute are arranged one above the other, so that the tea and the teabag, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel fall into the screening. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a suction device with a in the raw material supply of the tea bag production machine leading pipeline for returning the screened tea for re-processing. Device according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by a suction device with a pipe leading from the screening plant for removing the screened teabag, thread and Ettikettenschnitzel.

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