EP1834531A1 - Treatment of a filter material rod of the tobacco processing industry - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves conveying filter tow strips (2) along a conveying path, and applying a liquid additive e.g. triacetin, on the strips by using an application device (47). The stretching of the strips is terminated during or after the initiation of a production stop of the application of the additive based on the condition of a filter storage. The strips are bundled at a point in an inner side of an application track (7) during or after initiation of the stop.

Description

The invention relates to a method for processing a strip of filter material of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular filter tow, which is conveyed along a conveying path, wherein in a job path by means of an applicator a, preferably liquid, additive is applied to the strip.

For the production of filter rods for the tobacco processing industry, a strip of filter material, in particular filter tow, of interconnected fibers, such as cellulose acetate, continuously withdrawn from a stock, eg from a bale, spread, stretched and with a plasticizer, such as triacetin, sprayed, laterally shirred, fed to a blown air nozzle and then fed to a hopper, fed from which the processed and compressed filter strip a filter rod machine becomes. In a filter rod machine, the strip formed into a filter strand is enveloped continuously with a wrapping material strip, with further compression, so that filter rods are cut off from the wrapped filter strand.

A generic device or arrangement for processing a filter material strip is made EP-B-0 654 224 known.

Proven processing equipment of the type described above are built and sold under the name AF2, AF3 and AF4 by the patent applicant. Proven filter rod machines of the type described are built and sold under the name KDF2, KDF3 and KDF4 by the patent applicant.

Furthermore, in DE-A-100 31 848 and EP-A-1 325 685 Apparatuses for producing filter rods for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco-processing industry are described in which filter tow strips are passed along a stretching line, application line and gathering line.

During the production or preparation of a filter tow strip, triacetin deposits in the interior of the housing of an application device or spraying chamber in the form of mist. The Triacetinnebel can thereby emerge from the inlet and outlet columns of the housing and wet in the area of the order range filter material strips leading areas in the drafting system.

In an interruption of the treatment process, ie at a machine stop, for example, to carry out maintenance, the promotion of the filter tuck is interrupted, whereby the stopped Towstreifen in the order range due to the deposition in the spray chamber or outside the spray chamber with triacetin in contact.

After a period of a few minutes, for example 10 minutes, the tow strip, which comes in contact with triacetin, begins to dissolve. In a subsequent start of production or machine start, it may therefore come to demolish the tow.

Based on this prior art, the object of the present invention is to improve the treatment process, in particular after a production stop or an interruption, wherein it should be possible that after a business interruption production in the simplest possible way can be started trouble-free ,

This object is achieved by a method for processing a strip of filter material of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular filter tow, which is conveyed along a conveying path, wherein in a job path by means of an applicator a, preferably liquid, additive is applied to the strip, which further developed is that on or after initiation of a production stop, the stretching of the strip is terminated.

The invention is based on the idea that a strip of filter material which is sprayed with triacetin in the normal production operation, is no longer stretched when shutting down the machine in a waiting state or after reaching the waiting state or is. Due to the suspension or interruption of the stretching process, the fibers of the filter material strip are not separated, so that there is a narrower and thicker strip of filter material in the order path than during production, so that the thicker, non-processed filter material strips less quickly compared to a stretched strip of filter material at a standstill dissolves when the unstretched strip of filter material strip at corresponding contact points, for example in a spray chamber, with triacetin deposits in contact.

Due to the slowed-down dissolution process or the delayed softening of the non-stretched filter material strip section in the area of the application line, the corresponding strip section can remain longer in a spray chamber or the like, without causing a tear or an impurity in the strip which, when a treatment device restarts, arises could cause disruption in the production process.

Thus, according to the invention, it is no longer necessary for the operator to open, for example, the hood or housing of a spray chamber and remove the strip from the chamber to prevent wicking or picking up of triacetin by a stretched strip of filter material. Overall, there is a much better and more effective handling of such treatment equipment, since it is unnecessary that with shorter life of such a device, the filter material strip must be handled manually by the operator.

In addition, the invention has the advantage that when restarting the filter production or production of the filter material strip can be used without further handling for production. As a result, an automatic commissioning of a production machine is realized.

In addition, it is further envisaged that the strip in the phase out, that is, in the transition from the production phase to the waiting state, for a predetermined period of time is continued to its standstill, preferably when the Triacetinauftrag is switched off or will.

For this purpose, it is further proposed that the stretching of the strip in the stoppage phase of the strip is finished or is. According to this development, the stretching of a conveyed filter material strip is therefore terminated only when the conveying speed of the strip is almost zero, wherein after completion of the stretching an unstretched strip section is conveyed further into the application path, so that, for example, in the spray chamber a non-processed or not stretched Strip section is present.

In particular, the stretching of the strip is terminated in a stretching section upstream of the order section.

According to a preferred development, the production stop is initiated as a function of a state of a device, in particular a filter store, outside the application device, as a result of which the machine is brought to a standstill from the production operation. In this case, for example, a production stop is initiated when a machine center, z. B. from a filter magazine, receives a signal that the filter memory is filled and the production should be interrupted or must. If the volume of the filled filter store falls below a level, the production of filter rods is then resumed.

Furthermore, it is provided in one embodiment of the method that is terminated during or after the initiation of the production stop the order of the additive, in particular triacetin, whereby a non-stretched, ie non-processed filter strip section, is introduced into an application device or spray chamber of the application path, so that this dry filter strip section receives the Triacetinablagerungen within the spray chamber.

Another solution to the above-mentioned method for preparing a strip of filter material of the tobacco-processing industry is that at or after initiation of a production stop the strip is bundled at least at one point within the order path.

Here, the invention is based on the idea that the dormant, d. H. non-promoted strip of filter material, is summarized in the order range after interruption of promotion at critical points with particularly large amounts of Triacetinablagerungen so as to avoid sticking over the entire strip or tow width in production. As a result, the service life of a filter material strip section in the application path is likewise lengthened, without the corresponding strip section dissolving rapidly when receiving triacetin deposits.

Of course, it is conceivable within the scope of the invention for the strip section to be combined at several points within the application path.

By extending the life of a bundled stationary filter material strip, without this dissolves significantly by the inclusion of Triacetinablagerungen, manual handling of the strip, for example, during short maintenance on a filter manufacturing machine is not required.

For this purpose, in particular the strip by means of at least one Bundling device, in particular one or more slides or the like, bundled.

Preferably, the strip is bundled after completion of the promotion within the Auftragsstrecke, wherein it is possible in embodiments that the housing of a spray chamber is opened for this purpose.

According to a further preferred embodiment, it is preferred if, during or after initiation of the production stop, the application of the additive, in particular triacetin, is terminated, so that a dry strip of filter material within the application path exists within the application path when the production is at a standstill.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Aufbereitungseinrichtung gemäß dem Stand der Technik und

Fig. 2

eine Ansicht einer Auftragseinrichtung während der laufenden Produktion von Filtersträngen in einem Querschnitt;

Fig. 3

eine Ansicht einer Auftragseinrichtung während eines Produktionsstopps in einem Querschnitt;

Fig. 4

eine Ansicht einer weiteren Ausführungsform einer Auftragseinrichtung während des Produktionsstopps in einem Querschnitt und

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf die Auftragseinrichtung aus Fig. 4.

The invention will now be described by way of example without limitation of the general inventive idea by means of embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings, to which reference is expressly made with respect to the disclosure of all unspecified in the text details of the invention. Show it:

Fig. 1

schematically a processing device according to the prior art and

Fig. 2

a view of an applicator during the ongoing production of filter strands in a cross section;

Fig. 3

a view of an application device during a production stop in a cross section;

Fig. 4

a view of a further embodiment of an application device during the production stop in a cross section and

Fig. 5

a plan view of the applicator of FIG. 4th

In the following figures, identical or similar elements or corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding renewed idea is dispensed with.

Referring to Fig. 1, the processing means for a bale strip 2 of filter tow, e.g. Cellulose acetate, with continuous fibers following main assemblies that passes through the strip 2 below, on: a withdrawal line 3, a Vorreckstrecke 4, a stretching line 6, a Auftragsstrecke 7, a Raffstrecke 8 and a feed path 9. The feed line 9 is used to feed a strip section an inlet device of a filter rod machine 11 shown schematically, for example Known from the tobacco processing industry known type KDF2, KDF3 or KDF4 the patent applicant.

The withdrawal line 3, in which the withdrawn from a bale not shown here filter material strip 2 is conveyed, has a spreader nozzle 16, which receives compressed air from a compressed air source. The compressed air is used to spread the extracted filter fabric in this section. A controllable spreader nozzle is eg in the US-A-4,259,769 described.

Via a deflection plate 19 of the filter tow 2 passes into the pre-stretch 4, on the one hand by a pair of rollers 21 with the rollers 22, 23, on the other hand by a pair of rollers 24 with motor driven rollers 26, 27 is limited. The rollers 22, 23 are towed from the tow strip, ie they run empty with more or less resistance. If necessary, they can be powered by a motor. They can also be pressed in a manner known per se with controllable force against each other. In the Vorreckstrecke 4, in which the strip portion is conveyed obliquely down, the filter tow 2 is vorgereckt.

To the pair of rollers 24, the stretching line 6 connects, in which the filter tow 2 is conveyed vertically or with a vertical component from top to bottom. At the end of the stretching section 6 is another pair of rollers 39 of motor-driven rollers 41, 42 whose peripheral speeds are slightly greater than the peripheral speeds of the rollers 26, 27, so that the elastic filter tow 2 is defined stretched. The roller pairs 24 and 39 thus form the actual stretching device. The rollers 26 and 41 have a rigid, grooved surface, each contacting a compliant surface of the rollers 27 and 42, respectively. Such roll configurations are known from the aforementioned filter tup processing devices AF 2, AF 3 and AF 4 of the applicant and, for example, in US-A-3,317,965 and US-A-3 255 506 described.

The roller pair 39 is followed by a further pair of rollers 43 with rollers 44, 46 whose peripheral speeds are lower than those of the rollers 41, 42, so that the filter tow 2 is slightly relaxed in its promotion. The pair of rollers 43 has a smooth rubber roller 44, which is in contact with the steel roller 46. The roller pairs 39 and 43 thus limit the application path 7, which in the present case is arranged approximately horizontally, in which an application device (FIG. 2, reference 47) is arranged in the form of a spraying device.

The applicator 47 sprays the transported filter tow 2 from one or both sides with fine droplets of solvent for the filter tow material, e.g. Triacetin.

The application device 47 may be arranged upstream of the applicator section 7 (not shown here) spreader nozzle, so that the stretched filter tow 2 is further spread and the solvent wets a larger surface of the filter tow 2. The upstream of the roller pair 21 of the Vorreckstrecke 4 spreader nozzles 16, 17 and optionally the spreader nozzle in the order path 7 are pressurized with compressed air.

The order path 7 is a shirring 8 downstream, in which the filter tow 2 is conveyed with predominantly vertical component of a motor-driven roller 53 from bottom to top.

The roller 53 is arranged downstream of a feed path 9. In the feed line 9 also known per se so-called. Stopfdüse is present. After passing through the Stopfdüse the filter tow is fed to a filter rod machine 11.

For more details is expressly on US-A-5 590 449 directed.

FIG. 2 shows an application device 47 for applying a plasticizer, eg triacetin, to the spread-out filter tow 2 in a schematic cross-sectional view during ongoing production. The strip 2 of filter material is transported according to the conveying direction F from right to left. In the lower part of the applicator 47 are several application nozzles 31, of which only one nozzle is shown, which produce a spray cone 32 with softener droplets of triacetin during ongoing production. By means of the application nozzles 31, a fine, mist-like atomization of a plasticizer, for example triacetin, is achieved.

The strip 2 is guided through lower stripping plates 33, 34 by the applicator 47. The lower stripping plates 33, 34 are arranged in the lower region of the application device 47 or of the lower housing part 13. Above the filter tow 2, three stripping plates 15 are arranged in the closed housing of the application device 47 on the upper housing part 12.

The upper Abstreifbleche 15 are hook-shaped or V-shaped or formed in the manner of a parabola. On the underside of the stripping plates 15, the spread-out filter tow strip 2 is transported past according to the marked conveying direction F. In this case, touching the filter tow 2 and the stripping plate 15 in the lowest point of the stripping plate 15.

In addition, a further stripper plate 14 is disposed above the filter tow 2 in the entry region of the strip 2 in the applicator 47.

For example, by applying triacetin to the filter tow 2, by means of an applicator nozzle or an application brush, which is not shown here, droplets of triacetin are applied to the filter tow 2. Due to the volatility of the triacetin droplets, the atmosphere in the applicator housing 47 is enriched with triacetin droplets.

In the embodiments shown in Fig. 3 to Fig. 5 at break In production, the supply of triacetine was stopped via the application nozzles 31 and a production stop was initiated on a filter material processing machine.

In Fig. 3, an inventive arrangement of an applicator 47 is shown according to a first embodiment in cross section. In this case, the order of triacetin over the application nozzles 31 is completed and the strip 2 stopped. In the illustrated embodiment, the housing of the application device with the upper housing part 12 and the lower housing part 13 after reaching the standstill or the production interruption is shown open. In the context of the invention, it is possible in a further embodiment that the housing of the applicator 47 is closed.

After initiation of a production stop, the stretching of the filter strip in the stretching section is terminated by the fact that the contacting rollers of the roller pairs 24, 39 are spaced from each other. This is indicated in FIG. 3 by a arrow pointing to the right on the roller 27 and by an arrow pointing to the left on the roller 42. In addition, at a standstill of production, the rotation of the conveyor rollers 26, 27, 41, 42, 44, 46 terminated.

In the phase-out phase, ie during or during the shutdown of the machine, the unstretched or untreated strip 2 is conveyed through the processing device 47, so that in the application path 7 when reaching standstill there is a non-stretched or untreated strip section. Because the fibers of the unstretched strip are not singulated, the strip portion that comes into contact with triacetin deposits may not be as fast as a stretched strip of filter material 2 dissolve. As a result, the service life of the strip section and thus the entire machine is significantly extended.

In the case of a standstill, the rollers of the roller pairs 24, 39 and 43 do not rotate.

In the exemplary embodiments in FIGS. 4 and 5, arrangements for carrying out a method according to the invention in cross-section and in plan view (FIG. 5) are shown. Upon initiation of a production stop, the delivery of triacetin from the application nozzles 31 is stopped. At the same time or after the promotion of the strip 2 is also terminated. In a further step, the upper housing part 12 of the applicator 47 is then raised.

The strip section, which comes into contact with deposited amounts of triacetin at the contact points of the stripping surface 33, 34, is opened after opening the housing of the application device 47 by means of laterally arranged slides 18.1, 18.2 in the entry region of the spray chamber and with L-shaped slides 20.1, 20.2 laterally pushed together in the exit area of the spray chamber from both sides.

By the T-shaped slide 18.1, 18.2 and by the L-shaped slide 20.1, 20.2 a bundling device is formed so that pushed together or bundled by the movable mechanical slide 18.1, 18.2, 20.1, 20.2 of the filter strip portion in the order line 7 without the filter strip 2 essentially changing its horizontal position.

By pushing the filter strip 2 together, the contact area between the preferably non-stretched filter strip 2 and contact points with triacetine deposits on the wiper surfaces is minimized, thereby reducing triacetin deposits and thus substantially extending the life of a manufacturing machine since the fibers of the strip are not as fast , d. H. slows down, softens when they come into contact with triacetin droplets or the like during the waiting or standstill.

The various embodiments according to the invention have the significant advantage that an automatic restart of the production process without or with little manual intervention is possible, since despite lingering of filter strip sections in areas with triacetin deposits slows down the section when receiving triacetin softens, which softened places when restarting a Do not cause the machine to malfunction.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

2

strip

3

extraction path

4

pre-stretching

6

stretching section

7

coating section

8th

gathering section

9

supply route

11

Filter rod machine

12

Upper housing part

13

lower housing part

14

stripper

15

stripper

16

spreading nozzle

17

spreading nozzle

18.1, 18.2

pusher

19

baffle

20.1, 20.2

pusher

21

roller pair

22

roller

23

roller

24

roller pair

26

roller

27

roller

31

applicator

32

spray cones

33

stripper

34

stripper

37

inlet slot

38

outlet slot

39

roller pair

41

roller

42

roller

43

roller pair

44

squeegee

46

steel roll

47

applicator

53

roller

F

conveying direction

Claims (10)

Method for processing a strip (2) from filter material of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular filter tow strips (2), which is conveyed along a conveying path (6, 7, 8), wherein in an application path (7) by means of an application device (47, 31) a, preferably liquid, additive (32) is applied to the strip (2), characterized in that at or after the initiation of a production stop, the stretching of the strip (2) is terminated. A method according to claim 1, characterized in that the strip (2) is further promoted in the discharge phase for a predetermined period of time to its standstill. Method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the stretching of the strip (2) is stopped in the stoppage phase of the strip (2). Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the stretching of the strip (2) in one of the order section (7) upstream stretching section (6) is terminated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the production stop depending on a state of a device, in particular filter memory, outside of the application device (31, 47) is initiated. Method according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at or after initiation of the production stop the order of the additive (32), in particular triacetin (32), is terminated. Method according to the preamble of claim 1, characterized in that at or after initiation of a production stop, the strip (2) is bundled at least at one point within the application path (7). A method according to claim 7, characterized in that the strip (2) by means of at least one bundling device (18.1, 18.2; 20.1, 20.2), in particular one or more slides (18.1, 18.2, 20.1, 20.2) is bundled. A method according to claim 7 or 8, characterized in that the strip (2) after the completion of the promotion of the strip (2) is bundled. Method according to one of claims 7 to 9, characterized in that at or after initiation of the production stop the order of the additive, in particular triacetin (32), is terminated.

Images