WO2020021430A1

WO2020021430A1 - Continuous tape material for inductive heating of tobacco materials comprising reduced strength areas, feeding apparatus and feeding method thereof

Info

Publication number: WO2020021430A1
Application number: PCT/IB2019/056242
Authority: WO
Inventors: Leszek Sikora; Bartosz Cieslikowski
Original assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp zoo
Current assignee: International Tobacco Machinery Poland Sp zoo
Priority date: 2018-07-24
Filing date: 2019-07-22
Publication date: 2020-01-30
Anticipated expiration: 2021-01-24
Also published as: PL426421A1; PL243959B1

Abstract

The object of the invention is a feeding apparatus for feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material wherein the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material, such feeding apparatus comprising a supplying unit for supplying the continuous tape material; a feeding unit for feeding the continuous tape material to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material provided with guiding surfaces for guiding the tape material; whereas the feeding apparatus is adapted so that the feeding unit is situated in the machine for manufacturing rod-like articles between an aerosol generating tobacco material preparation unit and a forming unit for forming a continuous rod; characterised by comprising a unit (17) adapted to form reduced strength areas (30) in the continuous tape material (9). The object of the invention is also a method of feeding the continuous tape material (9) and the continuous tape material (9).

Description

CONTINUOUS TAPE MATERIAL FOR INDUCTIVE HEATING OF TOBACCO MATERIALS COMPRISING REDUCED STRENGTH AREAS, FEEDING APPARATUS AND FEEDING METHOD THEREOF

The object of the invention is a tape for inductive heating of tobacco materials, a feeding apparatus and a feeding method.

In the tobacco industry factories, various articles intended for smokers are manufactured. Most popular are cigarettes comprising a tobacco part and a filter part, but the„heat non burn” tobacco products, i.e. products in which the aroma generating material is heated, are encountered with increasing frequency. Such products are characterised by a smaller emission of substances which are harmful to the smoker compared to traditional cigarettes in which the tobacco is burnt.

In the„heat non burn” products, the tobacco which may occur in different forms, for example: cut tobacco, corrugated paper, tobacco foil or homogenized tobacco sheet, is usually used as the aroma generating material. There may also occur other materials not mentioned here which during the heating will also generate an aerosol which is inhaled into the smoker's lungs.

An element in the form of a small plate or a rod which is placed inside the cigarette part made of a material to be heated is usually used to heat the aerosol generating material. The heating element may be placed into such product directly by the smoker by inserting it, usually from the front side of a cigarette, into the part in which the aerosol generating material is situated, or it may be placed into such product already at the stage of manufacturing of such cigarette.

In the first case, the heating element has an external power supply source for the purpose of electric heating to a specific temperature required for the aerosol to be released from the tobacco material.

If the heating element is placed into the tobacco part of a cigarette at the manufacturing stage, an external power source is used to heat it, usually the electromagnetic radiation, for example inductive radiation from which the heating element absorbs the electromagnetic energy and transforms it into the thermal energy required to heat the tobacco material. Such materials as: metals, non-metals, organic materials, inorganic materials and any other materials which are capable of absorbing the electromagnetic energy and transforming it into the heat may be used to manufacture the heating elements. The heating element is placed into the tobacco part of the cigarette on machines for manufacturing rod-like articles used in the tobacco industry. The heating element is usually inserted into a not yet formed continuous rod made of an aerosol generating material by inserting means whose task is to appropriately position the heating element in the continuous rod, usually centrally so that it is on each side uniformly surrounded by the aerosol generating material.

The heating element may be inserted into the not yet formed continuous rod as an already finished element with a finite length or as a tape with an infinite length which, after forming the continuous rod, will be cut together with it into rods.

The cutting of such continuous rod with the heating element placed inside it by means of a cutting head causes fast wear and blunting of the head's knife, which adversely affects the cutting quality and the product quality. It forces frequently production downtimes for replacing the head's knives and brings large financial losses.

Tapes for inductive heating of tobacco products and apparatuses for placing such tapes into the tobacco industry products are known in the prior art.

From the publication WO 2016 184928 an apparatus for inserting a continuous tape material strand made of stainless steel into a tobacco material strand which is then formed into a continuous tobacco rod and cut by means of a cutting head into rods with a specific length is known.

The publication WO 2016 184929 presented an apparatus for inserting a heating element in the form of segments with a specific length made of a ferromagnetic metal, whereas such segments are placed into the tobacco material strand. After forming such material into a continuous tobacco rod, it is cut into rods with a specific length so that the cutting takes place between the heating elements placed inside.

From the publication WO2018091483 an apparatus for embedding a tape in a continuous fibrous material strand is known. The tape embedded in the continuous rod made of a fibrous material may have a decorative, or taste function, or it may change the direction of flow of the tobacco smoke. It may be made of paper, acetate, fibre, fabric or other materials fulfilling their function in the filter.

The object of the invention is a feeding apparatus for feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material wherein the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material, such feeding apparatus comprising a supplying unit for supplying the continuous tape material; a feeding unit for feeding the continuous tape material to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material provided with guiding surfaces for guiding the tape material; whereas the feeding apparatus is adapted so that the feeding unit is situated in the machine for manufacturing rod-like articles between an aerosol generating tobacco material preparation unit and a forming unit for forming a continuous rod. The apparatus according to the invention is characterised by comprising a unit adapted to insert reduced strength areas in the continuous tape material.

The apparatus is further characterised in that the unit is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material, reduced strength areas by processing the tape material to reduce its cross-sectional surface area in relation to the nominal value.

The apparatus according to the invention is further characterised in that the unit is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material, reduced strength areas in the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations.

The apparatus according to the invention is further characterised in that unit is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material, reduced strength areas in the form of creases or notches. The object of the invention is further a method of feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material strand in a machine for manufacturing rod-like articles of the tobacco industry wherein the aerosol generating tobacco material strand is formed so as to create a continuous rod wherein the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material wherein the continuous tape material is fed to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material strand, and the continuous rod is cut into rod-like articles using a cutting head. The method according to the invention is characterised in that before feeding the continuous tape material to the aerosol generating tobacco material strand, areas with a reduced strength in the continuous tape material are formed, and the cutting head is synchronised with the reduced strength area in the continuous tape material.

The method according to the invention is further characterised in that the cutting head is synchronised with the reduced strength area in the continuous tape material after feeding the tape material to the aerosol generating tobacco material strand.

The method according to the invention is further characterised in that the cutting head is synchronised with the reduced strength area in the continuous tape material after forming the continuous tobacco rod.

The method is further characterised in that in the continuous tape material, reduced strength areas are formed to reduce its cross-sectional surface area relative to the nominal value by processing the tape material.

The method according to the invention is further characterised in that reduced strength areas in the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations in the continuous tape material are formed.

The method according to the invention is further characterised in that reduced strength areas in the form of creases or notches in the continuous tape material are formed.

The object of the invention is further a method of feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material strand in a machine for manufacturing rod-like articles of the tobacco industry wherein the aerosol generating tobacco material strand is formed so as to manufacture a continuous tobacco rod in which the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material wherein the continuous tape material is fed to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material strand, the aerosol generating tobacco material strand is formed with the continuous tape material into a continuous rod, the continuous rod is cut into rod-like articles by means of a cutting head. The method according to the invention is characterised in that the fed continuous tape material contains reduced strength areas, and the cutting head is synchronised with the reduced strength area in the continuous tape material.

The method according to the invention is further characterised in that the continuous tape material is made of a material capable of absorbing the electromagnetic energy and transforming it into heat, for example: metals, non-metals, ceramics, organic materials, inorganic materials.

The object of the invention is further a continuous tape material for inductive heating of tobacco materials to be embedded inside the fibres of the tobacco material. The tape material according to the invention is characterised by comprising areas of reduced strength as related to the nominal strength of the tape material, whereas the reduction of strength is such that it facilitates cutting with a knife for cutting tobacco products, whereas the areas facilitating the cutting are situated at the places of predetermined cutting of the tobacco industry product.

The continuous tape material is further characterised in that the reduced strength area has a cross-sectional surface area smaller than the cross-sectional surface area situated outside this area.

The continuous tape material according to the invention is further characterised in that the reduced strength areas have the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations.

The continuous tape material according to the invention is further characterised in that the reduced strength areas have the form of creases or notches.

The continuous tape material according to the invention is further characterised by being made of materials capable of absorbing the electromagnetic energy and transforming it into heat, for example: metals, non- metals, ceramics, organic materials, inorganic materials.

Machines for manufacturing rods containing a tape material are known in the prior art, however, they do not solve the problem of wear of cutting head knives. An advantage of the invention is a reduction of wear of the knives cutting tobacco products if such tobacco products are provided with tapes made of a hard material causing their destruction. The invention increases the life span of the cutting knives so that they do not have to be so frequently replaced, which at the same time increases the time of machine operation.

The object of the invention was shown in detail in a preferred embodiment in a drawing in which:

Fig. 1 shows a machine for manufacturing tobacco rods of a continuous tobacco material strand provided with a unit;

Fig. 2 shows the machine for manufacturing tobacco rods of a continuous tobacco material strand in the second embodiment;

Fig. 3 shows a machine for manufacturing tobacco rods of tobacco fibres;

Fig. 4 shows the synchronisation of a cutting head with a reduced strength area in the continuous tape material;

Fig. 5 shows the cross-section of a format slat at the place of inserting the continuous tape material into the aerosol generating tobacco material strand in the first embodiment;

Fig. 6 shows a cross-section of the format slat at the place of inserting the continuous tape material into the aerosol generating tobacco material strand in the second embodiment;

Fig. 7 shows the continuous tape material with an area facilitating the cutting in the first embodiment;

Fig. 7a shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in the first embodiment in a cross-sectional view;

Fig. 7b shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in the second embodiment in the cross-sectional view;

Fig. 8 shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in another embodiment; Fig. 9 shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in another embodiment;

Fig. 10 shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in another embodiment;

Fig. 11 shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in another embodiment;

Fig. 12 shows the continuous tape material with the area facilitating the cutting in another embodiment;

Fig. 1 shows a machine 1 for manufacturing tobacco rods R of a continuous tobacco material strand 2 provided with a unit 17. A strand of tobacco material 2, for example homogenised tobacco, in the form of a continuous strand may be fed from a hopper 3. The tobacco material strand 2 is stretched and pressed lengthwise with rollers in a tobacco material strand preparation unit 4. As a result of lengthwise stretching and pressing, it is easier to form the tobacco material strand 2 into a continuous rod. In the tobacco material strand preparation unit 4, the material may be moistened in order to make the pressing easier. The machine 1 for manufacturing the tobacco rods R is provided with a guiding element 5 in the shape of a funnel through which passes the tobacco material strand 2 from the a tobacco material strand preparation unit 4. When the tobacco material strand passes through the guiding element 5 the strand is pre-compacted. The inserting element 5 may be provided with holes facilitating the discharge of excess air from between the compacted layers of the tobacco material 2. Behind the guiding element 5, there is situated a guiding element 6 for guiding the tobacco material strand 2 in which the strand 2 is preformed. The element 6 is adapted to work with a feeding element 7 of a feeding apparatus 8 for feeding the continuous tape material 9 by a feeding unit 11, whereas the continuous tape material 9 is supplied from a feeding unit 10. As a feeding element 7 of the feeding apparatus 8, in this case a wheel was used on whose circumference, at its bottom edge, the continuous tape material 9 is inserted into the preformed tobacco material strand 2 in the guiding element 6. The feeding element 7 may be also a roller, a stationary bar or guide which will insert the continuous tape material 9 into the preformed tobacco material strand 2 in the element 6.

Before inserting the continuous tape material 9 into the tobacco material strand 2, the tape material 9 passes through a unit 17 which forms reduced strength areas 30 (shown in Fig. 7-12) on the continuous tape material. The reduction of strength of the continuous tape material 2 may take place by making constrictions, incisions, holes, perforations, creases or notches on the material transversely to the direction of transport of the tape material 2, between its edges. The purpose of this is to weaken the continuous tape material 2 so that it can be more easily cut into smaller sections. As the unit for forming reduced strength areas there may be used for example: a laser, an extruder, a grinder, a pressing roller, a press or another apparatus which will be adapted to make structural changes weakening the tape material.

The term of reduced strength area 30 is understood as such place on the continuous tape material 9 at which its strength is smaller relative to its nominal strength, i.e. the strength before forming these areas on the continuous tape material 9.

Further behind the feeding apparatus 8 in the direction of the movement of the tobacco material strand 2 there is situated a glue feeding unit 12 and a unit 13 for wrapping the strand 2 into a wrapping material 14, whereas the glue feeding unit 12 and the wrapping unit 13 provided with guides for guiding the wrapping material (paper wrapper) 14 belong to a forming unit 15. The wrapping material 14 is fed by a feeding unit 18. In the region of the forming unit 15, there are situated detecting means 21 adapted to detect reduced strength areas 30 situated on the continuous tape material 2 placed in the continuous tobacco rod CR. The detecting means 21 send a signal to a processing apparatus 24 (shown in Fig.4) which then sends the signal indirectly or directly to a cutting head 16 in order to synchronise the place of cutting of the continuous tobacco rod CR with a reduced strength area 30. After detecting a reduced strength area 30 of the continuous tape material 9 and synchronising the cutting head 16, the continuous tobacco rod CR is cut at a determined place into tobacco rods R.

An optical apparatus, a microwave or another apparatus using the electromagnetic radiation may be used as detecting means. The detecting means must be placed on the machine 1 in the section between the feeding unit 11 and the cutting head 16. Preferably they may be placed on the machine in the region of the forming unit 15 where the continuous tobacco rod CR has already been formed and the position of the continuous tape material 9 inside the tobacco rod CR or earlier just behind the feeding unit 11 before the forming unit 15 has been stabilised before forming the continuous tobacco rod CR. The continuous tape material 9 is such material which is usually a rectangle in the cross-section and has the width greater than the height, preferably has the width at least twice greater than the height. The tape material may have the shape of a circle or an ellipse in the cross-section.

Fig. 2 shows the machine 1 , in the second embodiment, for manufacturing tobacco rods R of the continuous tobacco material strand 2. The machine 1 is provided with the feeding apparatus 8 for feeding the continuous tape material 9 by the feeding unit 11, whereas the continuous tape material 9 is supplied from the feeding unit 10. In this embodiment, the continuous tape material 9 placed in the feeding unit 10 already has reduced strength areas 30, which is why there is no unit for forming reduced strength areas 30. After inserting the continuous tape material 9 through the feeding element 7 into the preformed filter material strand at the edges of the paper wrapper 14, the glue is applied by a glue head 12 and the continuous tobacco rod CR in the forming unit 15 is formed. In the areas of the forming unit 15, there are situated the detecting means 21 which detect the reduced strength area 30 of the continuous tape material and transmit the signal to the processing apparatus 24 (Fig.4) in order to synchronise the place of cutting by the cutting head knife with the reduced strength area 30.

Fig.3 shows another embodiment of the machine 1 for manufacturing tobacco do rods R of shredded tobacco. The tobacco material is supplied by the feeding unit 17'. The continuous tobacco material strand is supplied onto the paper wrapper 14 and passes through the area of operation of the feeding unit 8. Similar to the preceding embodiments, the continuous tape material 9 may be subjected to processing in the unit 17 in order to form the reduced strength areas 30, or it may already have such areas, then the machine 1 will not comprise the unit 17.

After inserting the tape material 9 into the tobacco material strand situated in the element 6, in the forming unit 15 there is formed the continuous tobacco rod CR which then passes through the area of operation of the detecting means 21 by means of which the reduced strength area 30 of the continuous tape material 9 is determined and the cutting head 16 is synchronised with the area 30.

Fig. 4 shows the method of synchronisation of the place of cutting C, with the knife 16' of the cutting head 16, the continuous tobacco rod CR with the reduced strength area 30 of the continuous tape material 9.

Once the continuous tobacco rod CR has entered the area of operation of the detecting means 21 , a signal 21 ¹ is sent to the processing apparatus 23 which directly through other (not shown) apparatuses or indirectly sends and receives a signal 23' from/to the cutting head in order to synchronise the place at which the continuous tobacco rod CR is to be cut, together with the continuous tape material 9 placed inside, with the knife 16' of the cutting head 16 with the reduced strength area 30. Following such synchronisation, the continuous tobacco rod CR is cut into the tobacco rod R containing a segment of the tape material 9'. The length of the tape material 9' segment substantially corresponds to the length of the tobacco rod R.

Fig. 5 and Fig. 6 show the guiding element 6 in the cross-section at the place of inserting the continuous tape material 9 into the tobacco material strand 2. The element 6 is adapted to work with the feeding unit 7 adapted to feed the continuous tape material 9. As the feeding element 7, in Fig. 5 a wheel was used on whose circumference, at its bottom edge 7a, the continuous tape material 9 is inserted, substantially parallel to the paper wrapper 14, into the preformed tobacco material strand 2 in the guiding element 6. Then the tobacco material strand 2 together with the continuous tape element 9, situated substantially centrally, is wrapped into the paper wrapper 14 transported on the format tape 19. The feeding element 7 may be also a roller, a bar, a guide or another stationary or movable element which will be able to insert the continuous tape material 9 into the preformed tobacco material strand 2 in the element 6.

An embodiment with the feeding element 7' in the form of a guide was shown in Fig.6. In this embodiment, the continuous tape element 9 is placed substantially transversely to the paper wrapper 14 at the central position of the tobacco material strand 2. The presented embodiments do not limit other possibilities of placing the continuous tape element 9 in the tobacco material strand 2.

Further figures show the embodiments of the reduced strength area 30 in the continuous tape material 9. The reduced strength area 30 may have the form of perforations or holes 31 extending substantially in a row one after another from one edge 9a towards another edge 9b. The holes in the tape material 9 may be made by extruding, cutting out, burning, puncturing or with the use of other known material processing techniques.

The holes 31 may be through holes 31 a or non-through holes 31 b, which was shown in the cross-sectional view at the point A-A in Fig. 7a and Fig. 7b, respectively.

Fig. 8 shows another embodiment of the reduced strength area 30 in the continuous tape material 9 wherein it has the form of an oblong through or non-through hole 32 extending from one edge 9a towards another edge 9b.

It is also possible to make several oblong holes 33 situated substantially one after another and extending from one edge 9a towards another edge 9b, which was shown in Fig. 9.

In Fig. 10, the reduced strength area 30 was made in the form of an oblong incision 34 forming a groove in the tape material 9. The incision 34 runs in a direction being substantially transverse to the tape material 9 from one edge 9a towards another edge 9b.

In Fig. 1 1 , in order to reduce the strength of the tape material 9, the reduced strength area 30 was made in the form of cut-outs 35 in the tape material 9 on the side of the edges 9a and 9b.

The cut-outs 35 are situated substantially oppositely, each on one of the edges 9a, 9b. The deeper the cut out into the tape material 9, the deeper the reduction of its strength.

In Fig. 12, in order to form reduced strength areas 30 in the continuous tape material 9, on the surface of the continuous tape material a crease 36 extending substantially transversely from the edge 9a towards the edge 9b was made.

Claims

Patent claims

1. Feeding apparatus for feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material wherein the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material, comprising:

a supplying unit for supplying the continuous tape material;

a feeding unit for feeding the continuous tape material to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material provided with guiding surfaces for guiding the tape material; whereas

the feeding apparatus is adapted so that the feeding unit is situated in the machine for manufacturing rod-like articles between an aerosol generating tobacco material preparation unit and a forming unit for forming a continuous rod;

characterised by

comprising a unit (17) adapted to form, reduced strength areas (30) in the continuous tape material (9).

2. Apparatus as in claim 1 characterised in that the unit (17) is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material (9), reduced strength areas (30) by processing the tape material (9) to reduce its cross-sectional surface area in relation to the nominal value.

3. Apparatus as in claim 1 or 2 characterised that the unit (17) is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material (9), reduced strength areas (30) in the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations.

4. Apparatus as in any of the claims 1 to 3 characterised in that the unit (17) is adapted to form, in the continuous tape material (9), reduced strength areas (30) in the form of creases or notches.

5. Method of feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material strand in a machine for manufacturing rod-like articles of the tobacco industry wherein the aerosol generating tobacco material strand is formed so as to create a continuous rod wherein the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material wherein: the continuous tape material is fed to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material strand,

characterised in that before feeding the continuous tape material (9) to the aerosol generating tobacco material strand (2), reduced strength areas (30) in the continuous tape material (9) are formed , and

the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength areas (30) in the continuous tape material (9).

6. Method as in claim 5 further characterised in that the continuous rod is cut into rod-like articles and the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength area (30) in the continuous tape material (9) after feeding the tape material (9) to the aerosol generating tobacco material strand (2).

7. Method as in claim 5 further characterised in that the continuous rod is cut into rod-like articles and the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength area (30) in the continuous tape material (9) after forming the continuous tobacco rod CR.

8. Method as in any of the claims 5 to 7 characterised in that in the continuous tape material (9), reduced strength areas (30) are formed to reduce its cross-sectional surface area relative to the nominal value by processing the tape material (9).

9. Method as in any of the claims 5 to 8 characterised in that reduced strength areas (30) in the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations in the continuous tape material (9) are formed.

10. Method as in any of the claims 5 to 8 characterised in that reduced strength areas (30) in the form of creases or notches in the continuous tape material (9) are formed.

11. Method of feeding a continuous tape material into an aerosol generating tobacco material strand in a machine for manufacturing rod-like articles of the tobacco industry wherein the aerosol generating tobacco material strand is formed so as to manufacture a continuous tobacco rod in which the continuous tape material is enwrapped by the aerosol generating tobacco material wherein:

the continuous tape material is fed to the central part of the aerosol generating tobacco material strand,

the aerosol generating tobacco material strand with the continuous tape material is formed into a continuous rod,

characterised in that

the fed continuous tape material (9) contains reduced strength areas (30), and the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength area (30) in the continuous tape material (9).

12. Method as in claim 11, characterised in that the continuous rod (CR) is cut into rod-like articles and the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength area (30) in the continuous tape material (9) after feeding the tape material (9) into the aerosol generating tobacco material strand (2).

13. Method as in claim 11, characterised in that the continuous rod is cut into rod-like articles and the cutting head (16) is synchronised with the reduced strength area (30) in the continuous tape material (9) after forming the continuous tobacco rod CR.

14. Method as in any of the claims 4-13, characterised in that the continuous tobacco material (9) is made of a material capable of absorbing the electromagnetic energy and transforming it into heat, for example: metals, non-metals, ceramics, organic materials, inorganic materials.

15. Continuous tape material (9) for inductive heating of tobacco materials to be embedded inside the fibres of the tobacco material,

characterised by comprising

areas of reduced strength (30) as related to the nominal strength of the tape material (9), whereas the reduction of strength is such that it facilitates cutting with a knife for cutting tobacco products, whereas

the areas facilitating the cutting are situated at the places of predetermined cutting of the tobacco industry product.

16. Continuous tape material as in claim 15, characterised in that the reduced strength area (30) has a cross-sectional surface area smaller than the cross-sectional surface area situated outside this area.

17. Continuous tape material as in claim 15 or 16, characterised in that the reduced strength areas (30) have the form of constrictions, incisions, holes or perforations.

18. Continuous tape material as in claim 15 or 16, characterised in that reduced strength areas (30) have the form of creases or notches.

19. Continuous tape material as in any of the claims 15 to 18, characterised by being made of materials capable of absorbing the electromagnetic energy and transforming it into heat, for example: metals, non-metals, ceramics, organic materials, inorganic materials.