EP3923747B1 - Collecting container for connecting sheets - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a collecting container for connecting sheets in the tobacco processing industry, wherein the collecting container can be or is arranged on a conveyor drum for conveying connecting sheets in the tobacco processing industry, having an interior space for receiving connecting sheets and having an inlet opening for the connecting sheets, wherein the connecting sheets can be or are fed into the interior space via or through the inlet opening from an exterior space of the collecting container, wherein the interior space is connected to a suction line for sucking connecting sheets out of the interior space, wherein a suction device is connected to the suction line, and/or wherein the interior space is or can be pressurized with compressed air by means of a compressed air source.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a conveyor arrangement for conveying smoking article components for rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry with a rotatable or rotationally driven conveyor drum for conveying connecting sheets as well as a drum machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a filter segment manufacturing machine or filter attachment machine, for the production of rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry.

Furthermore, the invention relates to a use of the collecting container for connecting sheets in the tobacco processing industry.

In filter attachment machines, a filter piece or mouthpiece of twice the length is inserted between cut and longitudinally spaced tobacco pieces, whereby a glued tipping paper sheet or connecting sheet is then attached to the assembled cigarette-mouthpiece-cigarette group.

For example, in DE 39 18 137 A1 A tipping paper device for a filter assembly machine is described. The glued tipping paper is fed in as a continuous strip and cut into individual sheets or tipping paper sheets by a cutting device. During the production process of a filter assembly machine, it can happen that tobacco pieces or filter plugs are missing, so the connecting sheet intended for this purpose is not used and continues to be conveyed on the cutting drum or conveyor.

In order to avoid disruptions during the processing of connecting sheets that are not being used, the prior art provides for a collecting container to be provided on the conveyor drum for the connecting sheets, into which the unused connecting sheets are removed from the surface of the conveyor drum by the application of air and are collected in a collecting container.

For example, in DE 2 254 971 A1 A device for removing unused connecting sheets from a conveyor of a filter attachment machine is described. A collecting container is arranged on a conveyor drum.

In DE 10 2011 077 265 A1 a vacuum cleaner with a suction nozzle is disclosed, wherein the suction nozzle has an opening in the form of a suction mouth, which picks up dirt particles with the aid of a suction air stream and carries them away to a connection piece.

Furthermore, DE 10 2005 031 701 A1 a drum arrangement of a filter attachment machine with a rolling device, wherein a conveyor channel is provided on a rolling drum in order to receive disturbing articles or groups of articles.

In addition, EP 2 517 582 A2 An arrangement of a suction ring with a suction head designed as a suction nozzle. Circular channels are formed inside the suction ring, with two opposite channel openings of the respective channels communicating with each other, so that when a channel opening is subjected to negative pressure, the channel opening of the same channel communicating with the negative pressure of the applied channel opening is subjected to negative pressure.

The object of the invention is to increase the process reliability of a production machine for the manufacture of rod-shaped articles in the tobacco processing industry, e.g. a filter attachment machine, while keeping the design effort for this to a minimum.

This object is achieved by a collecting container for connecting sheets of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the collecting container can be arranged or is arranged on a conveyor drum for conveying connecting sheets of the tobacco processing industry, with an interior space for receiving connecting sheets and with an inlet opening for the connecting sheets, wherein the connecting sheets can be or are fed via or through the inlet opening from an exterior space of the collecting container into the interior space, wherein the interior space is connected to a suction line for sucking connecting sheets out of the interior space, wherein a suction device is connected to the suction line, and/or wherein the Interior space is or can be pressurised with compressed air by means of a compressed air source, which is further developed in that an air table is provided in the region of the inlet opening to which compressed air can be applied, wherein the air table has a preferably displaceable perforated plate provided with holes, and/or that a side wall provided with air passage openings is arranged on one side of the interior space of the collecting container and/or that at least one nozzle or several nozzles are provided in the interior space of the collecting container, preferably on one side of the interior space, wherein the nozzle or the nozzles are arranged in such a way that when the nozzle or the nozzles are pressurised with compressed air, the air emerging from the nozzle or the nozzles flows from one side wall of the interior space to the other side wall of the interior space.

The invention is based on the idea that the unused connecting plates are removed from a conveyor or conveyor drum, for example by means of blown air, and conveyed into the interior of the collecting container via the inlet opening of the collecting container, wherein the connecting plates entering the interior are removed from the interior by means of the suction device and/or by means of compressed air. The unused connecting plates are therefore removed from the interior so that the connecting plates do not fly around in the area of the other conveyor drums of a production machine and do not accumulate on their parts or devices. Furthermore, the removal of the connecting plates from the interior prevents an accumulation of connecting plates, so that connecting plates entering the interior are removed from the interior immediately after they enter.

An air table is provided in the area of the inlet opening, which can be pressurized or is pressurized with compressed air. To guide the loose, unused connecting sheets safely into the interior of the collecting container, an air table is provided at the inlet side, whereby the connecting sheets do not stick in the area of the inlet opening. After entering the interior, the connecting sheets are then removed from the interior of the collection container via a suction line, such as a suction pipe or a hose. The air table, which is arranged between the conveyor drum and the interior, ensures that the inlet opening of the collection container remains or is kept free of connecting sheets. The additional air flow through the air table by means of the compressed air source safely conveys the connecting sheets further into the interior. In one embodiment, the air table is provided, for example, with one or more air nozzles.

According to the invention, the air table comprises a preferably movable perforated plate provided with holes. In particular, the holes in the perforated plate are designed such that, when pressurized air is applied, the flow direction of the air emerging from the holes in the perforated plate is substantially perpendicular or perpendicular to the surface of the perforated plate. This ensures that the loose connecting plates located above the perforated plate are lifted by the air flow emerging from the holes in the perforated plate and carried into the interior and into the extraction line. This prevents clogging of the interior or the housing of the collecting container. Overall, this results in trouble-free production on a production machine in the tobacco processing industry for processing and manufacturing rod-shaped articles in the tobacco processing industry.

A further advantageous embodiment of the collecting container is characterized by the provision of a common compressed air source for supplying compressed air to the interior and the air table, or by the provision of one compressed air source for the interior and one compressed air source for the air table. In a further development, the compressed air sources are preferably adjustable or controllable.

Advantageously, according to a further aspect, the suction line is connected to the interior of the collection container on one side. This ensures that the connecting plates entering the interior of the collection container are safely removed on one side of the collection container.

According to the invention, a side wall provided with air passages is arranged on one side of the interior of the collecting container. In particular, the side wall provided with air passages is arranged opposite the suction line.

Furthermore, in one embodiment of the collecting container, at least one nozzle or several nozzles are provided in the interior of the collecting container, preferably on one side of the interior. In particular, the nozzle or nozzles are arranged on the side of the collecting container opposite a laterally provided opening of the suction line. Preferably, the one nozzle or several nozzles are provided in the side wall opposite the suction line or its opening. Furthermore, it is provided within the scope of the invention that the nozzle or nozzles are integrated into the side wall.

Because, according to the invention, the nozzle or nozzles are arranged in such a way that when the nozzle or nozzles are pressurized with compressed air, the air emerging from the nozzle or nozzles flows from one side wall of the interior to the other side wall of the interior, a flow profile is formed in the interior which guides the connecting plates entering the interior to the suction device.

In order to prevent glued connecting sheets from sticking to the interior, a further development of the collecting container provides that the interior has a wave-shaped inner contour, preferably in the cross-section. This minimizes the possible contact area of a connecting plate with the inner wall.

Furthermore, an embodiment of the collecting container is characterized in that the at least one nozzle or several nozzles, which can be or are acted upon by compressed air from the compressed air source, are arranged laterally in the region of a valley of the wave-shaped inner contour.

Advantageously, in a further development of the collecting container, it is provided that the collecting container has a bore for receiving a compressed air pipe connected to the compressed air source.

For this purpose, it is further advantageously provided that a compressed air pipe is arranged in the bore of the collecting container, wherein in particular compressed air can be or is supplied to the interior of the collecting container and the air table via one or more openings in the compressed air pipe. In particular, the compressed air is supplied to the interior of the collecting container via nozzles on a side wall which is arranged opposite the suction pipe. At the same time, in one embodiment, compressed air from the same compressed air source is also supplied to the air table. Furthermore, the compressed air pipe arranged in the bore of the collecting container is designed as a holder for the collecting container, so that by sliding the collecting container onto the compressed air pipe designed as a holder, simple positioning of the collecting container on a conveyor drum is achieved.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by an arrangement for conveying smoking article components for rod-shaped articles in the tobacco processing industry, comprising a rotating or rotationally driven conveyor drum for conveying connecting sheets, wherein a collecting container according to the invention, as described above, is arranged on the conveyor drum. To avoid repetition, express reference is made to the above statements.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by a drum machine for the tobacco processing industry, in particular a filter segment manufacturing machine or filter attachment machine, for producing rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry, with a rotating or rotationally driven conveyor drum for conveying connecting sheets and with a collecting container arranged on the conveyor drum, as described above. In this regard, express reference is made to the above explanations.

Furthermore, the object is achieved by using a collecting container described above for connecting sheets in the tobacco processing industry in a drum machine in the tobacco processing industry, in particular a filter segment manufacturing machine or filter attachment machine, for producing rod-shaped products in the tobacco processing industry. By using the collecting container according to the invention, it is possible to easily retrofit existing drum machines, thereby increasing the process reliability of the drum machine. The collecting container according to the invention removes excess connecting sheets from the housing of the collecting container, thereby preventing clogging of the housing of the collecting container. Furthermore, no glued connecting sheets adhere to the inner walls of the collecting container. Overall, this reduces contamination of the housing of the collecting container and simultaneously ensures trouble-free operation in the production of a drum machine. For further details, express reference is made to the above explanations.

Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments of the invention together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention are defined in the claims.

Fig. 1

schematisch eine Filteransetzmaschine in einer Vorderansicht,

Fig. 2

schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Auffangbehälters für Verbindungsblättchen gemäß einer ersten Ausführungsform,

Fig. 3

schematisch eine perspektivische Ansicht eines Auffangbehälters gemäß einer weiteren Ausführungsform und

Fig. 4

schematisch eine perspektivische Querschnittsansicht des in Fig. 3 gezeigten Auffangbehälters.

The invention is described below, without limiting the general inventive concept, using exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, whereby express reference is made to the drawings for all details of the invention not explained in more detail in the text. They show:

Fig. 1

schematically a filter attachment machine in a front view,

Fig. 2

schematically a perspective view of a collecting container for connecting sheets according to a first embodiment,

Fig. 3

schematically a perspective view of a collecting container according to a further embodiment and

Fig. 4

schematically a perspective cross-sectional view of the Fig. 3 shown collection container.

Within the scope of the invention, features marked with "in particular" or "preferably" are to be understood as optional features.

In the drawings, identical or similar elements and/or parts are provided with the same reference numbers, so that a repeated presentation is omitted.

In Fig. 1 A filter-making machine is shown in a partial front view, with the filter-making machine receiving tobacco rods of double usable length from a schematically drawn cigarette-rod making machine P via a drum assembly T for feeding tobacco rods. A cigarette-rod making machine is known under the name "PROTOS" by the patent applicant.

The drum assembly T comprises a transfer drum 15, by means of which tobacco rods of double usable length are received from the cigarette rod machine P and transferred transversely to a subsequent conveyor drum 16. Following the conveyor drum 16, the tobacco rods are delivered to a subsequent cutting drum 17, so that the tobacco rods of double usable length are cut into tobacco rods of single usable length by means of a cutting blade 18 arranged on the cutting drum 17.

The tobacco rods of single usable length are then transferred in pairs to a subsequent spreading drum 19, so that the tobacco rods of a tobacco rod pair are spread on the spreading drum 19 in the longitudinal axial direction and spaced apart from one another. The distance between the opposite head ends of the longitudinally spaced tobacco rods is sufficiently large that, in a subsequent step, a filter plug, preferably twice as long, is inserted between the longitudinally spaced tobacco rods of a tobacco rod pair. Following the spreading drum 19, the tobacco rods are transferred to a collating drum 21 via a conveyor drum 20.

On the assembly drum 21, double-length filter plugs are transported via a further drum arrangement M, each of which is inserted between two tobacco rods spaced apart along the longitudinal axis. This forms a sequence of tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups arranged transversely one behind the other on the assembly drum 21 as a rod-shaped article group.

The drum arrangement M comprises a removal drum 11, by means of which filter rods of multiple usable length, which are wrapped by a first wrapping strip, are removed from a filter rod magazine (not shown here) and are cut into filter plugs of double usable length by means of one or more cutting knives 11a arranged on the removal drum 11, while being conveyed transversely axially, so that that the filter plugs are then staggered on a staggering drum 12. Following the staggering drum 12, the filter plugs are arranged transversely axially in a row one behind the other on a sliding drum 13 and transferred to the assembly drum 21 by means of a subsequent insertion drum 14 designed as an accelerator drum.

The assembled rod-shaped article groups, consisting of tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups, are transferred from the assembly drum 21 to a conveyor drum 22, so that the assembled tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups are transported to a coating apparatus 110, which has a conveyor drum 112 or suction roller designed as a cutting drum 112 and a knife drum 113 or knife roller interacting with the cutting drum 112.

A glued and conveyed tipping paper strip 111 is cut into tipping sheets or connecting sheets by the knives of the knife drum 113 in the tipping device 110 on the cutting drum 112. The cut connecting sheets are transferred or attached to the article groups or tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups on the conveyor drum 22.

After the cut and individual connecting sheets are attached to each article group, the rod-shaped article groups are transported further to a subsequent rolling drum 26 and a rolling device 27, by means of which the connecting sheets (as a second wrapping strip) are completely wrapped around the tobacco rod-filter plug-tobacco rod groups. The rolling device 27 consists, in one embodiment, of a web wheel, a rolling hand with a rolling surface, and, on the output side, a rolling roller. The rolling surface and the rolling drum 26 form a rolling channel in which the article groups are wrapped with the connecting sheets, thus forming double-length filter cigarettes.

The double-length filter cigarettes are then transferred to a conveyor drum 28 and then to another conveyor drum 29 and prepared for further processing on a filter attachment machine.

From the conveyor drum 29, the double-length filter cigarettes are conveyed via a conveyor drum 30 to a cutting drum 31, on which a cutting knife 32 is arranged, which produces filter cigarettes of single usable length from the double-length filter cigarettes by means of a central separating cut.

The filter cigarettes are then transferred from the cutting drum 31 to a spreading drum 33. On the spreading drum 33, the pairs of filter cigarettes are spaced apart longitudinally and then transferred to a first testing drum 34. A first testing device 44 is arranged on the testing drum 34, which subjects the filter cigarettes to a first test, e.g., a head-end test.

Within the scope of the invention, it is possible for the produced filter cigarettes to be subjected to a leak test and/or a head-end test and/or a ventilation test on the first testing device 44. Furthermore, it is possible within the scope of the invention for a visual inspection of the cigarettes on the drum 34 to be carried out using the testing device 44.

The filter cigarettes are then transferred from the testing drum 34 to a subsequent second testing drum 35, on which a second testing device 45 is arranged in order to subject the cigarettes to further quality tests and/or at least one of the previously mentioned tests not carried out on the testing drum 34.

A collecting container 50 is arranged on the cutting drum 112 in the area of the cutting drum 112 which is not wrapped with the connecting belt or tipping paper strip 111. In the conveying area in which the The cutting drum 112 is provided with suction air holes arranged inside the collecting container 50 and supplied with blown air to remove unused or unattached connecting sheets from the surface of the cutting drum 112. A pulsed air stream removes the connecting sheets that are not attached to a smoking article group from the surface of the cutting drum 112.

The following are based on the illustration in the Figures 2 to 4 various embodiments of a collecting container 50 are shown and described in detail.

Fig. 2 shows a schematic perspective view of a collecting container 50 according to a first embodiment. The collecting container 50 has a housing 52 with an interior space 58, wherein the housing 52 has an inlet opening 54 for connecting laminae. The inlet opening 54 faces the circumferential surface of the cutting drum 112 or another conveyor drum on which connecting laminae are conveyed.

The housing 52 is laterally connected to a suction pipe 56 for extracting the connecting plates, so that connecting plates are extracted from the semi-open interior 58. For this purpose, the suction pipe 56 is connected to a suction fan (not shown here). In particular, the suction pipe 56 and the connected suction fan are arranged on the machine side.

On the side of the collecting container 50 opposite the suction pipe 56, i.e. on the side facing away from the machine side, the collecting container 50 has a side wall 60 which is formed with air passage openings 62. The side wall 60 is preferably made of plastic, in particular of Plexiglas or the like. The air passage openings 62 of the side wall 60 are in the region of the Inlet opening 54 and in the area of the interior 58 in the side wall 60.

The interior 58 of the collecting container is limited by a wave-shaped inner contour 68 (see also Fig. 4 ), wherein the depressions and elevations of the inner contour 68 extend between the side wall 60 and the opposite suction pipe 56.

In the area of the depressions or valleys of the wave-shaped inner contour 68, the housing 52 has air nozzles 64 on the side wall 60, from which air exits. The air nozzles 64 are connected to a supply pipe 66, to which a compressed air source (not shown here) is connected. The supply pipe 66 for compressed air is accommodated inside a bore in the housing 52 and is connected to the air nozzles 64.

The flow direction of the air exiting the air nozzles 64 ensures that connecting plates entering the interior 58 are transported to the side in the direction of the suction pipe 56. Furthermore, the air exiting the air nozzles 64 prevents the connecting plates from contacting the surface of the inner contour 68.

For better handling of the collecting container 50, a handle 70 is arranged laterally on the side wall 60. The inlet opening 54 is defined between the side wall 60 and the suction pipe 56 by an upper plate 72 and a lower plate 74. The upper plate 72 is designed as a scraper to remove connecting sheets adhering to the surface of the cutting drum that have not been removed by the compressed air.

In Fig. 3 A further embodiment of the collecting container 50 is shown, which is essentially identical to the one shown in Fig. 2 shown collecting container 50. In Fig. 3 the sheet 74 is provided with holes 76, so that the sheet 74 is designed as a perforated plate. The holes 76 are also pressurized with compressed air via the supply line 66, so that in the area of the inlet opening 54, the incoming connecting plates are exposed to an air flow, preventing the connecting plates from depositing on the sheet 74.

In Fig. 4 is a cross section through the housing 52 of the collecting container 50 of Fig. 3 shown. The housing 52 has a bore 78 in its interior, in which the supply line 66 for supplying compressed air is accommodated. Furthermore, a bore 80 is provided in the housing 52 for conducting compressed air from the supply line 66 via an opening 82 in the supply line 66 into the bore 80 in order to guide the compressed air to the plate 74 provided with holes 76. The plate 74 or perforated plate is fastened to the housing 52 by means of screws, wherein by loosening the screws the plate 74 can be moved accordingly and positioned relative to a conveyor drum.

List of reference symbols

11

removal drum

11a

Cutting knife

12

Relay drum

13

Sliding drum

14

Insertion drum

15

Takeover drum

16

conveyor drum

17

Cutting drum

18

Cutting knife

19

Spreading drum

20

conveyor drum

21

assembly drum

22

conveyor drum

26

roller drum

27

Rolling device

28

drum

29

drum

30

conveyor drum

31

Cutting drum

32

Cutting knife

33

Spreading drum

34

Test drum

35

Test drum

44

Audit body

45

Audit body

50

Collection container

52

Housing

54

Entrance opening

56

intake manifold

58

Interior

60

side wall

62

Air passage opening

64

Air nozzle

66

feed pipe

68

inner contour

70

Handle

72

sheet metal

74

sheet metal

76

Hole

78

drilling

80

drilling

82

opening

110

Coating apparatus

111

tipping paper strips

112

Cutting drum

113

Knife drum

M

Drum arrangement (filter plug)

T

Drum arrangement (tobacco sticks)

P

Cigarette rod machine

Claims (11)

1. A collecting container (50) for connecting sheets of the tobacco-processing industry, wherein the collecting container (50) can be arranged or is arranged on a conveyor drum (112) for conveying connecting sheets of the tobacco-processing industry, having an inner chamber (58) for receiving connecting sheets and having an inlet opening (54) for the connecting sheets, wherein the connecting sheets can be fed or are fed into the inner chamber (58) from an outer chamber of the collecting container (50) via or through the inlet opening (54), wherein the inner chamber (58) is connected to a suction line (56) for suctioning connecting sheets out of the inner chamber (58), wherein a suction device is connected to said suction line (56), and/or wherein compressed air is supplied or can be supplied to the inner chamber (58) by means of a compressed air source, characterized in that a pneumatic table (74) which can be supplied or is supplied with compressed air is provided in the region of the inlet opening (54), wherein the pneumatic table (74) has a, preferably displaceable, perforated plate (74) provided with holes (76), and/or in that a side wall (60) provided with air through-openings (62) is arranged on one side of the inner chamber (58) of the collecting container (50), and/or in that at least one nozzle (64) or multiple nozzles (64) are provided in the inner chamber (58) of the collecting container (50), preferably on one side of the inner chamber (58), wherein the nozzle (64) or the nozzles (64) are arranged in such a way that when the nozzle (64) or the nozzles (64) are supplied with compressed air, the air escaping from the nozzle (64) or the nozzles (64) streams from one side wall of the inner chamber (58) to the other side wall of the inner chamber (58).
2. The collecting container (50) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the holes (76) of the perforated plate (74) are configured in such a way that on being supplied with compressed air, the flow direction of the air escaping from the holes (76) of the perforated plate (74) is substantially configured perpendicularly to the surface of the perforated plate (74).
3. The collecting container (50) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a common compressed air source is provided for providing compressed air for the inner chamber (58) and for the pneumatic table (74), or in that a compressed air source is provided in each case for the inner chamber (58) and a compressed air source is provided in each case for the pneumatic table (74).
4. The collecting container (50) according to any one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the suction line (56) is connected to the inner chamber (58) on one side of the collecting container (50).
5. The collecting container (50) according to any one of Claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the inner chamber (58) has an undulating inner contour, preferably in cross-section.
6. The collecting container (50) according to Claim 5, characterized in that the at least one nozzle (64) or multiple nozzles (64), which can be supplied or are supplied with compressed air from the compressed air source, are in each case arranged laterally in the region of a valley of the undulating inner contour.
7. The collecting container (50) according to any one of Claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the collecting container (50) has a bore (78) for receiving a compressed air pipe (66) connected to the compressed air source.
8. The collecting container (50) according to Claim 7, characterized in that a compressed air pipe (66) is arranged in the bore (78) of the collecting container (50), wherein in particular compressed air can be supplied or is supplied via one opening (82) or via multiple openings (82) in the compressed air pipe (66) to the inner chamber (58) of the collecting container (50) and to the pneumatic table (74).
9. A conveyor arrangement for conveying smoking article components for rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry having a rotatable or rotatingly driven conveyor drum (112) for conveying connecting sheets, wherein a collecting container (50) according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 is arranged on the conveyor drum (112).
10. A drum machine of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular a filter segment production machine or a filter assembling machine, for producing rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry having a rotatable or rotatingly driven conveyor drum (112) for conveying connecting sheets and having a collecting container (50) according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 arranged on the conveyor drum (112).
11. Use of the collecting container (50) for connecting sheets of the tobacco-processing industry according to any one of Claims 1 to 8 in a drum machine of the tobacco-processing industry, in particular a filter segment production machine or a filter assembling machine, for producing rod-shaped products of the tobacco-processing industry.