WO2018020576A1 - Filter manufacturing device and filter manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

This filter manufacturing device 1 is provided with a transfer path 30 that transfers filter elements WF for a smoking article, and an additive supply unit 36 that is provided directly over the transfer path 30 and that supplies a granular additive AC to the filter elements WF or between the filter elements on the transfer path 30. The additive supply unit 36 includes a classifier 38 that classifies the additive AC into coarse grains CG and fine grains FG on the basis of granularity and removes the fine grains FG immediately before supplying the additive AC to the filter elements WF or between the filter elements.

Description

Filter manufacturing apparatus and filter manufacturing method

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

As a filter manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a filter for smoking articles such as cigarettes, an apparatus for manufacturing a filter by supplying a plasticizer or an additive to a flat filter web (filter element) formed from a tow is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).
There is also known an apparatus for manufacturing a filter by supplying an additive between filter parts (filter elements) formed by cutting a filter rod (see, for example, Patent Document 2).

Additives are, for example, menthol crystals, fragrance capsules, sepiolite, activated carbon, hydrotalcite, silica granules, etc., mainly to modify the mainstream smoke components of smoking articles, or in some cases to the appearance of smoking articles Supplied between filter elements or between filter elements to give the above features.

JP-A-6-327455 JP 2014-36661 A

In the production of a filter containing an additive, when the additive is supplied between filter elements or between filter elements, fine particles (fine powder) resulting from crushing or pulverization of the granular additive may be scattered around. Many of such fine particles are generally recovered and removed by the suction air of a ventilation unit arranged in the additive supply section of the filter manufacturing apparatus. However, since some of the fine particles float in the air and fall at a low speed, they reach not only the additive supply section of the filter manufacturing equipment but also other sections of the filter manufacturing equipment and are used in the filter manufacturing equipment. Dirty these by adhering to the equipment that does.

Specifically, the fine particles of the additive easily adhere to the plasticizer discharge port provided in the plasticizer supply section of the filter manufacturing apparatus. There is a problem that the fine-grained deposit deposited on the discharge port grows and falls off, and the apparatus used in the filter manufacturing apparatus becomes extremely dirty.
This invention is made | formed in view of such a subject, The place made into the objective is the filter manufacturing apparatus and filter which can suppress scattering of the fine particle contained in an additive, and can suppress dirt of an apparatus. It is to provide a manufacturing method.

In order to achieve the above object, a filter manufacturing apparatus of the present invention is provided with a transfer path for transferring a filter element for a smoking article, and a filter element in the transfer path, or a granular addition between the filter elements in the transfer path. An additive supply unit for supplying the additive, the additive supply unit classifying the additive into coarse and fine particles based on the particle size immediately before supplying the additive between the filter elements or between the filter elements, Includes a classifier that removes fine particles.

The filter manufacturing method of the present invention also provides an additive for supplying a granular additive between filter elements or between filter elements immediately above the transfer path in a process in which the filter element for a smoking article is transferred along the transfer path. A filter manufacturing method including a supply step, wherein the additive supply step classifies the additive into coarse particles and fine particles based on the particle size immediately before supplying the additive between the filter elements or between the filter elements, Includes a classification process to remove fine particles.

According to the filter manufacturing apparatus and the filter manufacturing method of the present invention, scattering of fine particles contained in the additive can be suppressed, and contamination of the apparatus can be suppressed.

It is the schematic of the filter manufacturing apparatus which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing when the additive supply unit of FIG. 1 is seen from the side. FIG. 3 is a front view of the screen of FIG. 2. It is the photograph of the suction device used for the experiment for verification of the effect of this invention.

Hereinafter, a filter manufacturing apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
As shown in FIG. 1, the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 of this embodiment includes a tow processing section 2, an additive supply section 4, a molding section 6, and a wrapping section 8 as sections for manufacturing a filter rod.

The tow processing section 2 includes, for example, a cellulose acetate fiber filter material, that is, a bail 10 (not shown) that accommodates the tow T, and a tow path 12 of the tow T extends from the bund 10. From the side of the package 10 to the toe path 12, a primary banding jet 14, a guide 16, a secondary banding jet 18, a pair of pre-tension rollers 20, a pair of blooming rollers 22, a tertiary banding jet 24, a plasticizer supply unit 26, a pair The delivery rollers 28 are sequentially arranged.

When the tow T passes through the primary banding jet 14, the primary banding jet 14 ejects compressed air toward the tow T from the side of the package 10. The jetted compressed air opens the tow T and appropriately stretches the crimp (crimp) of the tow T.

When the tow T reaches the guide 16, the guide 16 directs the supply direction of the tow T toward the secondary banding jet 18, and then the tow T passes through the secondary banding jet 18. Similar to the case of the primary banding jet 14, the secondary banding jet 18 further opens the tow T by the jetted compressed air and further stretches the tow T. Thereafter, the tow T passes between the pair of pretension rollers 20. At this time, the pre-tension rollers 20 press the tow T that has been spread, apply a predetermined tension to the tow T in cooperation with the pair of blooming rollers 22, and further stretch the tow T.

Thereafter, when the tow T passes between the pair of blooming rollers 22, the blooming rollers 22 divide the opened tow T into a plurality of bundles and supply these bundles toward the tertiary banding jet 24.
When the split bundle of tows T passes through the tertiary banding jet 24, the tertiary banding jet 24 ejects compressed air toward the split bundle, and the compressed air opens the split bundle. As a result, the divided bundle spreads in the width direction of the tow path 12 and forms a flat filter web (filter element) WF. Thereafter, the filter web WF reaches the plasticizer supply unit 26 provided immediately above the transfer path 30.

The plasticizer supply unit 26 has a chamber 26A for storing a plasticizer (triacetin) and a brush roll (not shown) that rotates in the chamber 26A. The brush roll rotates in the chamber 26A, so that the liquid plasticizer is splashed and made into a mist to be discharged from the discharge port of the chamber 26A, and the plasticizer is attached to the filter web WF (plasticizer supply step). The filter web WF to which a plasticizer is added is given tackiness by the dissolution effect of cellulose acetate fibers by the plasticizer.

Bonding points bonded by adhesive force are formed at a plurality of positions between adjacent cellulose acetate fibers. These strong bonding points of the filter web WF give the filter sufficient hardness when the filter is later molded. Thereafter, the filter web WF passes between the pair of delivery rollers 28 and is supplied from these delivery rollers 28 to the additive supply section 4.

The additive supply section 4 has a transfer path 30 for the filter web WF, which extends from the delivery roller 28 to the trumpet guide 32 of the forming section 6.
In the transfer path 30, a pair of nip rollers 34 and an additive supply unit 36 are sequentially arranged from the delivery roller 28 side.

When the filter web WF passes between the pair of nip rollers 34, the nip rollers 34 cooperate with the trumpet guide 32 to apply a predetermined tension to the filter web WF to define the transfer path 30, and supply the filter web WF as an additive. Supply toward the unit 36.
The additive supply unit 36 is provided immediately above the transfer path 30, and supplies a granular additive, for example, granular activated carbon AC, uniformly dispersed on the filter web WF of the transfer path 30.

Then, immediately before supplying the activated carbon AC to the filter web WF, the additive supply unit 36 of the present embodiment classifies the activated carbon AC into coarse particles CG and fine particles FG based on the particle size, and removes the fine particles FG. A classifier 38 is provided.
Specifically, in the additive supply unit 36, a feeder 40 and a classifier 38 are sequentially arranged from the upper side.
The feeder 40 includes a hopper 40A in which the activated carbon AC is stored, and a vibrating conveyor 40B that transfers the activated carbon AC dropped from the outlet formed at the lower end of the hopper 40A toward the classifier 38.

The classifier 38 includes a hopper 42 that receives the activated carbon AC conveyed by the vibration conveyor 40B, a main body 44 of the classifier 38 connected to the lower portion of the hopper 42, a discharge portion 46 connected to the lower portion of the main body 44, and a discharge portion 46 A spraying part (supplying means) 48 connected to the lower part, a high-pressure blower (dispersed air supply means) 50 connected to the side of the discharge part 46, a dust collector (collecting means) 52 connected to the main body 44, and a pusher blower (push-in) Air supply means) 54. The main body 44 has a cylindrical shape whose upper and lower sides are in the radial direction.

As shown in FIG. 2, a dispersion chamber 56 and a capture chamber 58 are formed adjacent to each other in the main body 44. Activated carbon AC is introduced into the dispersion chamber 56 from an outlet formed at the lower end of the hopper 42. A pipe 50 </ b> A extending from the high-pressure blower 50 is connected to the discharge unit 46. The high-pressure blower 50 supplies the dispersion air having a high pressure to the dispersion chamber 56 through the pipe 50 </ b> A and the discharge unit 46 in order. The dispersed air that has flowed into the discharge unit 46 forms an updraft, and the dispersed air that has flowed into the dispersion chamber 56 forms a swirling airflow that swirls in the vertical direction. scatter.

A screen 60 that divides the main body 44 into a dispersion chamber 56 and a capture chamber 58 is disposed in the main body 44. The screen 60 is a circular wire net having a fine mesh made of metal such as stainless steel. The screen 60 is large enough to prevent the coarse particles CG of the activated carbon AC from passing from the dispersion chamber 56 to the capture chamber 58 and to allow the fine particles FG of the activated carbon AC to pass from the dispersion chamber 56 to the capture chamber 58. Has a wide opening.

As shown in FIG. 1, the dust collector 52 includes a main body 52A, a dust collecting material 52B built in the main body 52A, a suction pump 52C connected to the upper side of the dust collecting material 52B of the main body 52A, and a lower side of the main body 52A. A rotary valve 52D provided, a recovery box 52E arranged immediately below the rotary valve 52D, and a pipe 52F extending from the lower side of the dust collecting material 52B of the main body 52A to the capture chamber 58 of the main body 44 are provided.

The suction pump 52C sucks the dispersion chamber 56 in the main body 44 from the trapping chamber 58 side through the main body 52A, the dust collecting material 52B, and the pipe 52F sequentially. As a result, the dust collector 52 collects the fine particles FG that have passed through the screen 60 in the dispersion chamber 56 on the capture chamber 58 side, and further passes the collected fine particles FG sequentially through the pipe 52F, the main body 52A, and the rotary valve 52D. Collect in the collection box 52E.

On the other hand, the coarse particles CG that have fallen against the swirling airflow of the dispersed air in the dispersion chamber 56 and fallen against the ascending airflow of the dispersed air at the discharger 46 are dispersed by the classifier 38. Supplied to the unit 48.
As shown in FIG. 1, the spreading unit 48 includes a hopper 48A that stores coarse particles CG, and the hopper 48A has an outlet at the lower end thereof. The outlet has a slit shape that opens downward, and extends in the width direction of the filter web WF.

A spraying roller 48B is disposed immediately below the outlet of the hopper 48A. The spreading roller 48B rotates to receive the coarse particles CG discharged from the hopper 48A on its outer peripheral surface, and uniformly spread it on the filter web WF.
Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the classifier 38 of the present embodiment further includes a cleaner 62 that cleans the screen 60. The cleaner 62 includes an air brush 62A, a motor 62B, and the above-described pusher blower 54.

As shown also in FIG. 3, the airbrush 62A has a rectangular parallelepiped shape when viewed from the front, and is arranged so as to be movable along the back surface 60A of the screen 60 on the capture chamber 58 side. The motor 62B is connected to the center in the longitudinal direction of the air brush 62A, and rotates the air brush 62A along the back surface 60A in the direction of the broken line arrow in FIG.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 2, the pipe 54 </ b> A extending from the pusher fan 54 is communicated with a plurality of air ejection holes 62 </ b> C (see FIG. 3) opened on the back surface 60 </ b> A side of the air brush 62 </ b> A. The pushing air is ejected from 62 </ b> C toward the back surface 60 </ b> A of the screen 60. The pushing air is intermittently blown to each part of the screen 60 by the rotation of the air brush 62A, and therefore does not hinder the collecting ability of the fine particles FG in the screen 60.

As described above, the classifier 38 of this embodiment discharges the coarse particles CG that have fallen against the dispersed air and the main body 44 that filters the fine particles FG with the screen 60 while dispersing the activated carbon AC with the swirling dispersed air. The above-described spraying unit 48 that is supplied to the filter web WF via the unit 46 is integrally provided. Thus, immediately before supplying the activated carbon AC to the filter web WF, the additive supply unit capable of performing a classification process for classifying the activated carbon AC into coarse CG and fine FG based on the particle size and removing the fine FG. 36 is realized (additive supply step).

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, the filter web WF supplied with the coarse particles CG is transferred toward the trumpet guide 32 of the molding section 6 and passes through the trumpet guide 32. At this time, the filter web WF is squeezed into a rod shape by the trumpet guide 32 and formed into a rod member WR. The trumpet guide 32 supplies the rod member WR to the wrapping section 8.

In the wrapping section 8, the paper web WP is supplied on a not-illustrated garniture tape, and the rod members WR supplied from the trumpet guide 32 are superimposed on the paper web WP and bonded to each other. Thereafter, the rod member WR and the paper web WP are sequentially passed through a tongue (not shown), a wrapping former, a heater, a cooler and the like while running on a molding bed (not shown) together with the garnish tape, thereby forming a continuous body of charcoal filter rods. The continuum of charcoal filter rods is cut into individual charcoal filter rods by a rotary knife (not shown), and the manufacture of the filter as the final product is completed.

<Experiment>
Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 4 and Tables 1 to 3, the result of calculating the reduction rate of the dust collection amount of the scattered fine particles FG in actual filter manufacturing after application of the present embodiment will be described. When using an additive supply unit that does not perform conventional fine particle removal processing and using an additive supply unit that performs fine particle removal processing according to this embodiment The dust collection amount of the fine particles FG floating around was measured using a suction device, and the reduction rate of the dust collection amount was calculated.

As shown in FIG. 4, the suction device 66 used for collecting fine particles FG in this experiment uses a handy type vacuum cleaner, and a suction cylinder 70 is attached to the suction surface 66 </ b> A of the vacuum cleaner via a filter paper 68. It was formed by abutting and fixing. The specifications of the aspirator 66, the suction cylinder 70, and the filter paper 68, and the additives (three types) used in this experiment are as follows.

(Aspirator)
・ Suction capacity: 10 liters / second ・ Suction surface: circular, diameter 60 mm
(Suction cylinder)
・ Dimensions: cylinder length 120mm, inner diameter 75mm

(Filter paper)
・ Dimensions: length 100mm, width 100mm, thickness 0.17mm
・ Weight: 0.5g
・ Air permeability: 15,000 cu (Cholesta unit)
(Additive)
・ Additive A: Granular hydrotalcite ・ Additive B: Granular coconut shell activated carbon (Washing and drying are performed in the final process of manufacturing, and processing for removing fine particles is performed)
Additive C: granular coconut shell activated carbon (without washing)

Table 1 below shows the results of measuring the physical properties of the additives A to C.

In addition, the center particle size and the particle size distribution in Table 1 were measured using a dry sieving method. In addition, the apparent specific gravity to jet property index were measured in order from the top of Table 1 using Powder Tester, PT-X, Hosokawa Micron Corporation. Moreover, the activated carbon test method hardness of Table 1 was measured based on JIS K1474 7.6.

Table 2 below shows the results of measuring the classification ability twice when each of the additives A to C of about 13 to 20 kg is classified using the classifier 38 of the present embodiment.

As is apparent from Table 2, even when any of the additives A to C was classified, it was determined that the classification state was good.
Table 3 below shows that the suction unit 66 is fixedly installed at a position 20 cm away from the site where the additive is added to the filter web WF by the additive supply unit during the manufacture of the filter, and the suction unit 66 is operated for 2 minutes. This is a result of measuring the dust collection amount of the fine particles FG adsorbed by 68 and calculating the conventional reduction rate. In Table 3, the measurement results when additives A to C are added using an additive supply unit that has not been subjected to conventional fine particle removal treatment are referred to as Comparative Examples 1 to 3, respectively. The measurement results when the additives A to C are added using the additive supply unit for performing the removal treatment are shown as Examples 1 to 3.

　以上説明したように、本実施形態のフィルタ製造装置１によれば、添加剤供給ユニット３６は、活性炭ＡＣをフィルタウエブＷＦに供給する直前に、活性炭ＡＣの微細粒ＦＧを分級して除去する分級機３８を備えている。これにより、微細粒ＦＧの飛散を抑制し、フィルタ製造装置１及びその周囲の汚れを抑制することができる。

As described above, according to the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, the additive supply unit 36 classifies and removes the fine particles FG of the activated carbon AC immediately before supplying the activated carbon AC to the filter web WF. A machine 38 is provided. Thereby, scattering of the fine particle FG can be suppressed, and the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 and surrounding dirt can be suppressed.

Further, the classifier 38 filters the fine particles FG with the screen 60 while dispersing the activated carbon AC with the swirling dispersion air, and classifies the fine particles FG into the coarse particles CG and the fine particles FG. As a result, compared with, for example, classification of activated carbon AC by a vibration sieve, the activated carbon AC is coarsened while suppressing the pulverization of activated carbon AC particles resulting from the application of mechanical vibration and the generation of new fine particles FG. It can classify | categorize efficiently to the grain CG and the fine grain FG. This is also clear from Table 2 above. Further, as apparent from Table 3 above, the scattering of the fine particles FG during manufacturing of the filter can be significantly reduced. Therefore, it is possible to more effectively suppress the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 and the surrounding dirt due to the scattered fine particles FG.

Further, the classifier 38 includes a cleaner 62 that cleans the screen 60, and has an air brush 62A that ejects pushing air while the cleaner 62 rotates. As a result, the activated carbon AC clogged in the screen 60 by the pushed air can be removed, and clogging of the screen 60 can be suppressed. Accordingly, it is possible to further improve the ability of collecting the fine particles FG by the screen 60.

Further, the pushing air is supplied from the air brush 62A to the back surface 60A of the screen 60 and then pushed into the dispersion chamber 56, whereby further dispersion of the activated carbon AC particles in the dispersion chamber 56 is promoted. The accuracy can be further improved.
Further, the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 includes the plasticizer supply unit 26, but when the plasticizer adheres to the discharge port of the chamber 26A of the plasticizer supply unit 26, the fine particles FG scattered to the discharge port adhere to the discharge port. The filter manufacturing apparatus 1 may be significantly soiled by accumulating and growing off.

However, in the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 of the present embodiment, since the fine particles FG are removed just before the activated carbon AC is supplied to the filter web WF as described above, the scattering of the fine particles FG itself can be suppressed. It is possible to effectively suppress the generation of deposits of the above-described fine grains FG, and consequently the contamination of the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 and its surroundings accompanying the growth dropout of the deposits.

This is the end of the description of the embodiment of the present invention. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.
For example, the classifier 38 described in the above embodiment is not strictly limited to the configuration described. For example, the dispersed air flowing into the dispersion chamber 56 forms a swirling airflow that swirls in the vertical direction. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the dispersed air may form a swirling airflow in the horizontal direction.

In the above embodiment, the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 that forms the filter by supplying the activated carbon AC to the flat filter web WF formed from the tow T has been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to a case where a filter is formed by supplying activated carbon AC between filter parts (filter elements) formed by cutting a filter rod.

Moreover, the additive which can be used with the filter manufacturing apparatus 1 of the said embodiment is not restricted to activated carbon AC and hydrotalcite mentioned above, For example, the mainstream smoke of smoking articles, such as a menthol crystal | crystallization, a fragrance | flavor capsule, a sepiolite, and a silica granule. Various additives may be envisaged for modifying the components or for imparting appearance features to the smoking article.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Filter manufacturing apparatus 26 Plasticizer supply unit 30 Transfer path 36 Additive supply unit 38 Classifier 48 Spreading part (supply means)
50 High-pressure blower (distributed air supply means)
52 Dust collector (collection means)
54 Pushing blower (pushing air supply means)
56 Dispersion chamber 58 Capture chamber 60 Screen 60A Rear surface 62 Cleaner 62A Air brush 62B Motor 62C Air ejection hole AC Activated carbon (additive)
CG Coarse grain FG Fine grain WF Filter web (filter element)

Claims (8)

A transfer path for transferring a filter element for a smoking article;
An additive supply unit that is provided immediately above the transfer path, and that supplies granular additives between the filter elements in the transfer path or between the filter elements,
The additive supply unit classifies the additive into coarse particles and fine particles based on the particle size and removes the fine particles immediately before supplying the additive between the filter elements or between the filter elements. Filter manufacturing equipment including machine. The classifier filters the fine particles while dispersing the additive with swirling dispersed air, and supplies the coarse particles dropped against the dispersed air between the filter elements or the filter elements. Item 2. The filter manufacturing apparatus according to Item 1. The classifier is
A dispersion chamber into which the additive is charged;
A dispersion air supply means for supplying the dispersion air into the dispersion chamber;
A screen that partitions a capture chamber adjacent to the dispersion chamber, the screen preventing passage of the coarse particles from the dispersion chamber to the capture chamber and allowing passage of the fine particles;
A collection means for sucking the dispersion chamber from the capture chamber side and collecting the fine particles that have passed through the screen from the dispersion chamber through the capture chamber;
The filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising: supply means that receives the coarse particles that have fallen against the dispersion air in the dispersion chamber and supplies the coarse particles between the filter elements. The classifier further includes a cleaner for cleaning the screen,
The cleaner is
An airbrush arranged so as to be movable along a back surface of the screen on the trapping chamber side;
A motor connected to the center of the airbrush in the longitudinal direction and rotating the airbrush along the back surface;
A pushing air supply means for feeding pushing air from the air brush toward the back surface;
The filter manufacturing apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of openings are formed on the back side of the air brush, and the air ejection holes through which the pushing air is ejected. The filter manufacturing apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a plasticizer supply unit that supplies a plasticizer to the filter element of the transfer path. In the process of transferring a filter element for a smoking article along a transfer path, the filter manufacturing method includes an additive supply step of supplying a particulate additive between the filter elements or between the filter elements immediately above the transfer path. And
The additive supplying step classifies the additive into coarse particles and fine particles based on the particle size immediately before supplying the additive between the filter elements or between the filter elements, and removes the fine particles. A filter manufacturing method including a classification process. The classifying process filters the fine particles while dispersing the additive with swirling dispersed air, and supplies the coarse particles dropped against the dispersed air between the filter elements or the filter elements. 6. The filter manufacturing method according to 6. The filter manufacturing method according to claim 6 or 7, further comprising a plasticizer supply step of supplying a plasticizer to the filter element of the transfer path.

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