WO2012017850A1 - Filter manufacturing device, filter manufacturing method, and filter - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention provides a filter manufacturing device (11) comprising a tow bale (12) of folded bands of tow (13); a transport jetter (46) for feeding tow (13) drawn out from the tow bale (12) to a molding section together with air; a cutter (25) for splitting the tow (13) in a medial section along the widthwise direction (W) of the tow (13) and forming half-width tow (13A) having half the width of the tow (13), the cutter (25) being provided at a location between the tow bale (12) and the transport jetter (46); and the molding section for molding the half-width tow (13A) into a cylindrical shape.

Description

Filter manufacturing apparatus, filter manufacturing method, and filter

The present invention relates to a filter manufacturing apparatus, a filter manufacturing method, and a filter for manufacturing a filter for tobacco.

For example, a multi-width filter tow strip provided with at least one or more tear lines is disclosed. The multi-width filter tow strip is provided with several zones that extend in the longitudinal direction to become individual filter strips in the future and at least one tear line that extends longitudinally between the zones. In the tear line of the multi-width filter tow strip, the interlaced state (the state where the filaments are entangled in a net shape to form a filter tow strip having a binding force) is low. Thus, this multi-wide filter tow strip can be divided into two or more parts when intended. This multi-width filter tow strip is manufactured by combining two or more filter tow strips (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Also, an apparatus for dividing a multi-width filter tow strip provided with one or more tear lines in this way into two or more filter tow strips is disclosed. In this apparatus, a wedge-shaped separating device is provided in the vicinity of the upstream side of a pair of brake rolls that applies a braking force to the filter tow strip flowing on the line. In this apparatus, by providing the separating device in the vicinity of the upstream side of the pair of brake rolls, the multi-width filter tow strip can be separated into two or more filter tow strips along the tear line (for example, Patent Document 2). reference).

JP 7-48771 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-23762

Incidentally, as described above, it is inefficient in manufacturing to combine two or more filter tow strips that are originally used individually and then divide them into two in the subsequent steps. However, it is necessary for the filter tow strip to be subjected to a crimping process in which the fibers are twisted (crimped) in advance between the pair of rollers so as to obtain a desired airflow resistance in the finished filter. There is. When the filter tow strip before joining the two or more filter tow strips is narrow, when the crimping process is performed on the filter tow strip, the narrow width of the filter tow strip and the total number of fibers are reduced. There is a problem of causing a crimp failure due to the small amount. This crimp failure is generally considered to occur in a filter tow having a total denier of approximately 15000 or less and a total number of fibers of approximately 2000 or less. Therefore, it is difficult to manufacture a filter tow strip having a total denier of approximately 15000 or less and a total number of fibers of approximately 2000 or less. Have difficulty.

An object of the present invention is to provide a filter manufacturing apparatus capable of improving manufacturing efficiency.

In order to achieve the above object, a filter manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention includes a tow veil in which a band-shaped tow is folded, and a transport jet unit that sends the tow drawn from the tow bale together with air to a forming unit. And a half-width tow having a half width of the tow by dividing the tow at an intermediate portion in the width direction of the tow. A cutting portion to be formed, and the forming portion for forming the half-width tow into a cylindrical shape.

The perspective view which showed the filter manufacturing apparatus of 1st Embodiment. The schematic diagram which showed typically the inside of the filter manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. The side view which showed the cutting part shown in FIG. The front view which showed the cutting part shown in FIG. The schematic diagram which showed the filter manufacturing apparatus of 2nd Embodiment. The top view which expanded and showed the cutting part vicinity of the filter manufacturing apparatus shown in FIG. The schematic diagram which showed the filter manufacturing apparatus of 3rd Embodiment.

Hereinafter, a first embodiment of the filter manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. As shown in FIG. 1, the filter manufacturing apparatus according to the present embodiment is for manufacturing a filter used for tobacco, for example, from cellulose acetate fiber or other materials. Moreover, in this embodiment, the example of the filter manufacturing apparatus used for manufacture of the super slim filter used for a super slim cigarette as an example of a filter manufacturing apparatus is disclosed below. The circumferential length of cigarettes of normal size is 24.6 mm to 20.0 mm, whereas the circumferential length of Super Slim Cigarette is, for example, 18.0 mm to 16.0 mm. That is, the length of the super slim cigarette is almost the same as the length of a normal size cigarette, but the diameter of the super slim cigarette is smaller than the diameter of a normal size cigarette.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the filter manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a tow pull-out portion 14 for pulling out a band-shaped tow 13 (cellulose acetate tow) from a tow veil 12 and individual filaments (single fibers) in a ribbon-shaped tow band. ) Are spread uniformly in the width direction, the pre-crimped filaments are stretched moderately, the plasticizer is uniformly attached to each filament, and the tow processing unit 15 and the tow 13 are sent to the winding mechanism unit 16. And a hoisting mechanism 16 for winding the web 61 around it.

For example, the tow drawer 14 guides the tow veil 12 formed by folding a long tow 13 into a rectangular block shape and the tow 13 pulled out of the tow bale 12, and the tow 13 vibrates greatly when the tow 13 is pulled out. A ring guide 21, a first banding jet (BJ) portion 22, a roller 23 that rotates together with the tow 13 fed forward to guide the tow 13, and a second banding jet (BJ). ) Portion 24 and a cutting portion 25 for dividing the tow 13 into two. In addition, in FIG. 1, illustration of the cutting part 25 is abbreviate | omitted.

The tow 13 is used for manufacturing a normal filter used for cigarettes of a general size (circumferential length of 24.6 mm to 20.0 mm). For example, the total denier is about 20000 to 40,000 and the total number of fibers Is about 10,000 cellulose acetate tow. The tow 13 in the state of the tow veil 12 has been subjected to a crimping process in advance for twisting each fiber.

The first banding jet section 22 and the second banding jet section 24 have nozzles that inject air toward the half-width tow 13A. The first banding jet portion 22 and the second banding jet portion 24 widen the half-width tow 13A in the width direction W perpendicular to the longitudinal direction by the air volume and the wind pressure from the nozzle, thereby increasing the distance between the fibers. be able to.

The cutting unit 25 is provided at a position between the tow veil 12 and a transport jet unit 46 of the tow processing unit 15 described later. More specifically, the cutting part 25 is provided between the ring guide 21 and the first banding jet part 22. In the first embodiment, the cutting unit 25 is configured by a mechanical type. That is, as shown in FIG. 3 and FIG. 4, the cutting portion 25 includes a cylindrical first roll 31 that rotates in contact with the tow 13, and a first arm portion that rotatably supports the first roll 31. 32 and a disc-shaped cutter 33 (rotary cutter) provided in the intermediate portion in the width direction of the first roll 31 and the first roll 31 so as to sandwich the tow 13 and rotate. A cylindrical second roll 34, a second arm part 35 that rotatably supports the second roll 34, and a groove part 36 provided in an intermediate part in the width direction W of the second roll 34 are provided. is doing.

The cutting part 25 can divide the tow 13 into two at the intermediate part in the width direction W to form a half-width tow 13 </ b> A having a half width of the tow 13. The groove portion 36 is provided so as to be recessed along the shape of the cutter 33, and the groove portion 36 prevents the cutter 33 and the second roll 34 from interfering with each other.

In the present embodiment, a mechanical structure is disclosed as an example of the cutting unit 25. However, the cutting unit 25 may be a CO ₂ laser, a YAG laser, a semiconductor laser, and an excimer, as in the _second embodiment. A laser type using a laser transmitter 71 such as a laser and other types of lasers may be used.

As shown in FIG. 2, the tow processing unit 15 includes, for example, a pre-tension roll unit 41 that sends the tow 13 toward the downstream side in the feed direction so as to pull out the tow 13 from the toe bale 12, a blooming roll unit 42, 3 banding jet (BJ) part 43, plasticizer addition device 44, delivery roll (DR) part 45 for sending half-width tow 13A to hoisting mechanism part 16, transport jet part 46, and transport jet part 46 and a trumpet guide 47 provided adjacently.

The pre-tension roll section 41 is formed of a steel-made third roll 51 having a cylindrical outer shape (contact surface) and a rubber having a cylindrical shape and a flat outer surface (contact surface). The fourth roll 52 is paired up and down. The pretension roll portion 41 rotates while pressing the half-width toe 13A, and can draw the half-width toe 13A toward the tongue 65 on the downstream side in the feeding direction.

The blooming roll portion 42 has a fifth roll 55 made of rubber having a cylindrical shape and a flat outer peripheral surface (contact surface), and an outer peripheral surface (contact surface) grooved in a cylindrical shape. And a sixth roll 56 made of iron. On the outer peripheral surface of the sixth roll 56, a non-contact portion which is formed in a narrow groove shape so as not to grip the half-width tow 13A, and is provided around the non-contact portion so as to grip the half-width tow 13A. For example, the contact portions are provided alternately. The blooming roll unit 42, together with the pretension roll unit 41, stretches the half-width tow 13A that has been crimped in advance. At the same time, during this stretching, the bundle of tows 13 sandwiched between the contact portions of the fifth roll 55 and the sixth roll 56 and the tows 13 that have entered the non-contact portion of the sixth roll 56. A difference in the acting tension occurs between the bundles of the fibers and the tow 13 is separated into small fiber bundles. This further promotes the effect of opening the spacing between the fibers in the next third banding jet portion 43.

The third banding jet (BJ) unit 43 can inject air from the nozzle toward the tow 13 and widen the tow 13 in the width direction W by the air volume and the wind pressure, thereby further opening the distance between the fibers. it can.

The plasticizer addition device 44 includes a chamber 53 in which a plasticizer is stored and a brush roll that rotates in the chamber 53. The brush roll can rotate in the chamber 53 to splash the liquid plasticizer into a mist and attach the plasticizer to the tow 13.

The acetate fiber (tow 13) to which the plasticizer is added is imparted with flexibility to its surface and is tacky by the mild catalytic effect of the plasticizer. Between adjacent acetate fibers, bonding points bonded by an adhesive force are formed at a plurality of locations. By aging, the plasticizer diffuses inside the fiber and the fiber surface becomes inflexible. A firm bond point provides sufficient hardness as a single filter.

The delivery roll unit 45 has a pair of upper and lower iron rolls that are cylindrical and have a flat outer peripheral surface (contact surface). The delivery roll unit 45 can send the half-width tow 13 </ b> A in which the distance between the fibers is opened to the hoisting mechanism unit 16.

The transport jet unit 46 can send the half-width tow 13 </ b> A expanded in a cotton shape with an interval between fibers to the winding mechanism unit 16 using wind pressure. The trumpet guide 47 is provided in the vicinity of the entrance of the tongue 65 (to be described later) of the hoisting mechanism 16 and in front of the entrance. The half-width tow 13A is discharged from the transport jet 46 together with air into the trumpet guide 47 and expands. In the trumpet guide 47, due to the dissipation of air in the inside, both the effect of further opening the space between the fibers of the half-width tow 13A and the effect of tangling the single yarn tows are produced. By these steps, the ventilation resistance of the filter 54 is expressed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the hoisting mechanism unit 16 applies a first paper for adhering the web 61, the feeding unit 62 (roller) for feeding the web 61, and the web 61 to the filter 54 to the inner surface of the web 61. A first spray gun 63, a second spray gun 64 for applying a second paste to the inner surface of the web 61 by bonding the webs 61 to each other, a tongue 65 as an example of a molding part, It has a heater 66, a cooler bar 67, a cutting mechanism 68 for cutting a rod-like filter into a predetermined length, and an inner box filling portion 69.

The tongue 65 is provided, for example, in a cylindrical shape at a position closest to the trumpet guide 47, and a sheet-like half-width tow 13A can be formed into a cylindrical shape inside the tong 65. On the other hand, the web 61 fed by the feeding section 62 is supplied to the outer peripheral portion of the half-width tow 13A having a cylindrical shape, and the tow 13 is wound up on a rod-shaped filter. Either hot melt or vinyl acetate emulsion is used for the first paste and the second paste.

The heater 66 applies heat to the web 61 to melt the first paste and the second paste. The cooler bar 67 again cools the rod-shaped filter heated by the heater 66 to cure the first paste and the second paste. The cutting mechanism 68 is provided with, for example, a knife or the like, and the filter wound up in a rod shape can be cut as a filter 54 having a predetermined length. The inner box filling unit 69 includes, for example, a pusher and an inner box 69A (tray), and a predetermined number of filters 54 can be stored in the inner box 69A using the pusher.

Subsequently, the manufacturing process of the filter 54 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. First, the tow 13 that is a raw material of the filter 54 is pulled out from the tow bale 12 by the pulling force by the pretension roll unit 41, and is pulled out downstream in the feeding direction while being guided by the ring guide 21. The total denier of the tow 13 is, for example, about 20,000 to 40,000, and the total number of fibers is, for example, about 10,000. The tow 13 is cut at the cutting portion 25 so as to be divided into two at the intermediate portion in the width direction W, thereby forming a half-width tow 13A. The total denier of the half-width tow 13A is, for example, about 10000 to 20000, and the total number of fibers is, for example, about 4000 to 7000. The half-width tow 13A flows separately on the line on the filter manufacturing apparatus 11, and is finally processed as a cylindrical filter 54, respectively.

The half-width tow 13A is sent to the pre-tension roll unit 41 while increasing the spacing between the fibers by the first banding jet unit 22 and the second banding jet unit 24. Furthermore, the half-width tow 13A is separated into small fiber bundles by the blooming roll part 42, and the third banding jet part 43 further widens the distance between the fibers. A plasticizer is attached to the half-width tow 13A in the plasticizer addition device 44, and a bonding point is formed by bonding the fibers. The half-width tow 13 </ b> A to which the plasticizer is attached is sent toward the winding mechanism 16 by the delivery roll unit 45. The half-width tow 13 </ b> A is further sent together with air in the transport jet 46 and the trumpet guide 47, so that the distance between the fibers is further expanded and the single yarn tows are entangled with each other. A half-width tow 13A is formed into a cylindrical shape in the tongue 65, and a web 61 is wound around the cylindrical tow 13 to form a rod-shaped filter. The rod-like filter is heated by the heater 66 to melt the first paste and the second paste, and further returned to the original temperature by the cooler bar 67 to cure the first paste and the second paste. Then, the rod-shaped filter is cut by the cutting mechanism 68 to complete the filter 54 having a predetermined length.

According to this embodiment, the filter manufacturing apparatus 11 includes a tow veil 12 in which a band-like tow 13 is folded, a transport jet unit 46 that sends the tow 13 drawn from the tow bale 12 together with air to the forming unit, and the tow veil 12. And the transport jet portion 46, and a cutting portion that divides the tow 13 at an intermediate portion in the width direction of the tow 13 to form a half-width tow 13 A having a half width of the tow 13 25 and a molding part for molding the half-width tow 13A into a cylindrical shape.

Further, in the filter manufacturing method of the present embodiment, the band-like tow 13 drawn out from the tow veil 12 is divided by the cutting portion 25 at the intermediate portion in the width direction W, and the half-width tow 13A having a half width of the tow 13 is obtained. In the transport jet portion 46, the half-width tow 13A is sent to the forming portion together with air, and the half-width tow 13A is formed into a cylindrical shape in the forming portion.

According to these configurations, it is possible to omit an inefficient manufacturing process, such as combining two or more tows 13 to be used individually and then dividing them into two in a subsequent process. Further, since the crimping process is added to the tow 13 having the normal width, problems such as a crimping failure do not occur.

In addition, according to the present embodiment, the tow 13 having no tear line can be divided at the intermediate portion to form a half-width tow 13A. Therefore, using a normal tow 13, for example, a filter for a super slim cigarette, etc. Small filters can be manufactured. For this reason, for example, in order to manufacture a filter for a super slim cigarette, it is not necessary to use a super slim tow variety which is a dedicated product, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

In general, super slim tow varieties have a small number of fibers, so it takes time to produce the same weight as normal tow 13, and because the number of fibers is small, the full production line of normal tow 13 is used. I can't. For this reason, productivity deteriorates, and there is a situation where the price is higher than that of a normal product. According to this embodiment, it is not necessary to use this super slim tow variety, and the manufacturing cost is reduced.

Further, in this embodiment, if a normal tow with a total denier of 25000 and a number of fibers of 3000 is used, a tow of 1500 fibers with a total denier of 12500 can be used by dividing, and the filter ventilation resistance is particularly low. It is possible to design a filter for tobacco.

In addition, the cutting unit 25 includes a first roll 31 that rotates in contact with the tow 13, a disc-shaped cutter 33 provided in an intermediate portion in the width direction W of the first roll 31, and the first roll 31 A second roll 34 that rotates in contact with the tow 13 so as to sandwich the tow 13 therebetween, and a groove portion that is provided in the middle portion in the width direction W of the second roll 34 and that is recessed along the shape of the cutter 33 36. According to this configuration, since the cutter 33 is configured to rotate, it is possible to prevent a situation in which fibers are wound around the cutter 33 and the tow 13 is not cut off, and the tow 13 can be stably cut.

Subsequently, a second embodiment of the filter manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS. The filter manufacturing apparatus of the second embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the position of the cutting unit 25 and the configuration of the cutting unit 25, but the other parts are the same as those in the first embodiment. For this reason, a different part from 1st Embodiment is mainly demonstrated, a common code | symbol is attached | subjected about a common location, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the second embodiment, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between the tow veil 12 and the transport jet part 46. More specifically, the cutting part 25 is located between a first banding jet part 22 that is an example of one banding jet part and a second banding jet part 24 that is an example of the other banding jet part. Is provided. Further, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between them at a position downstream of the roller 23 in the feeding direction.

In the second embodiment, the cutting part 25 is of a laser type. The cutting unit 25 is constituted by a laser transmitter 71 that can oscillate a laser beam of a CO ₂ laser, for example. The cutting part 25 can irradiate the intermediate part of the tow 13 in the width direction W with a laser beam to divide the tow 13 into a half-width tow 13A having a half width. The energy amount of the CO ₂ laser, the number of shots, and the like can be appropriately set under conditions sufficient for cutting the tow 13. In this embodiment, a CO ₂ laser is used, but the type of laser that can be used is not limited to the CO ₂ laser. For example, a laser transmitter 71 such as a YAG laser, a semiconductor laser, an excimer laser, and other types of lasers can naturally be used as the cutting unit 25.

Further, the cutting unit 25 may be a mechanical type as in the first embodiment.

According to the second embodiment, the cutting unit 25 includes the laser transmitter 71. According to this configuration, the structure of the cutting part 25 can be further simplified.

Further, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between one banding jet part and the other banding jet part. According to this configuration, since the tow 13 is sufficiently widened in the width direction W in both banding jet portions, the width of the tow 13 is stable between them. In the present embodiment, since the tow 13 is cut by providing the cutting portion 25 at this position, the half-width tow 13A having a stable width dimension can be formed with high accuracy, and as a result, a highly accurate filter 54 can be manufactured. .

Subsequently, a third embodiment of the filter manufacturing apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. The filter manufacturing apparatus 11 of the third embodiment is different from the first embodiment in the position of the cutting part 25, but the other parts are common to the first embodiment. For this reason, a different part from 1st Embodiment is mainly demonstrated, a common code | symbol is attached | subjected about a common location, and description is abbreviate | omitted.

In the third embodiment, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between the tow veil 12 and the transport jet part 46. More specifically, the cutting part 25 is positioned between the second banding jet part 24 that is an example of one banding jet part and the third banding jet part 43 that is an example of the other banding jet part. Is provided. More specifically, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between the pretension roll part 41 and the blooming roll part 42.

The cutting part 25 is composed of a mechanical type as in the first embodiment. In addition, the cutting unit 25 is a laser type using a laser transmitter 71 such as a CO ₂ laser, a YAG laser, a semiconductor laser, an excimer laser, and other types of lasers as in the second embodiment. May be used.

According to the third embodiment, the cutting part 25 is provided at a position between one banding jet part and the other banding jet part. According to this configuration, since the tow 13 is sufficiently widened in the width direction W in both banding jet portions, the width of the tow 13 is stable between them. In the present embodiment, since the tow 13 is cut by providing the cutting portion 25 at this position, the half-width tow 13A having a stable width dimension can be formed with high accuracy, and as a result, a highly accurate filter 54 can be manufactured. .

Further, the filter manufacturing apparatus 11 is not limited to the above-described embodiment as it is, and can be embodied by modifying the constituent elements without departing from the scope of the invention in the implementation stage. That is, the configuration of the cutting unit 25 is not limited to the above-described mechanical type and laser type, and may be a type that cuts by air pressure or water pressure, for example. Further, the position of the cutting part 25 is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and any position may be provided as long as it is a position between the tow veil 12 and the transport jet part 46.

Furthermore, various inventions can be formed by appropriately combining a plurality of constituent elements disclosed in the embodiment. For example, some components may be deleted from all the components shown in the embodiment. Furthermore, you may combine the component covering different embodiment suitably.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 11 ... Filter manufacturing apparatus, 12 ... Tow bale, 13 ... Tow, 13A ... Half width tow, 22 ... 1st banding jet (BJ) part, 24 ... 2nd banding jet (BJ) part, 25 ... Cutting part, 31 ... 1st roll, 33 ... Cutter, 34 ... 2nd roll, 36 ... Groove part, 43 ... 3rd banding jet (BJ) part, 46 ... Transport jet part, 54 ... Filter, 65 ... Tongs, 71 ... Laser transmitter.

Claims (6)

A tow veil with a banded tow folded,
A transport jet section for sending the tow drawn from the tow veil together with air to a molding section;
Cutting that is provided at a position between the tow veil and the transport jet part and divides the tow at an intermediate part in the width direction of the tow to form a half-width tow having a half width of the tow And
The forming part for forming the half-width tow into a cylindrical shape;
A filter manufacturing apparatus comprising: The cutting part is
A first roll rotating in contact with the tow;
A disc-shaped cutter provided in an intermediate portion in the width direction of the first roll;
A second roll that rotates in contact with the tow so as to sandwich the tow between the first roll;
A groove portion provided in an intermediate portion in the width direction of the second roll, and recessed along the shape of the cutter;
The filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: The filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cutting unit is configured by a laser transmitter. One banding jet part provided at a position between the tow veil and the transport jet part and injecting air to the tow to widen the tow in a width direction;
It is provided at a position between the tow veil and the transport jet part and closer to the transport jet part than the one banding jet part, and injects the air to the tow so that the tow is moved in the width direction. The other banding jet section to spread,
Comprising
The filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the cutting portion is provided at a position between the one banding jet portion and the other banding jet portion. A band-like tow drawn from the tow veil is divided by a cutting portion at an intermediate portion in the width direction to form a half-width tow having a half width of the tow, and the half-width tow together with air in the transport jet portion. A filter manufacturing method, wherein the filter is fed to a forming part, and the half-width tow is formed into a cylindrical shape in the forming part. A band-like tow drawn from the tow veil is divided by a cutting portion at an intermediate portion in the width direction to form a half-width tow having a half width of the tow, and the half-width tow together with air in the transport jet portion. A filter manufactured by a method of feeding to a forming part and forming the half-width tow into a cylindrical shape in the forming part.

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