Method and device for operating a machine of the tobacco processing industry

Abstract

Process and device for operating a machine of the tobacco processing industry that includes a wrapping material strip supply and a garniture device, in which a conveyor path is defined between the wrapping material strip supply and the garniture device. The process includes suctioning at least one wrapping material strip that is provided for wrapping a material into a suction channel that branches off from the conveyor path, fixing the at least one wrapping material strip in at least one predetermined position along the conveyor path, and conveying the at least one wrapping material strip along the conveyor path from the at least one predetermined position. The instant abstract is neither intended to define the invention disclosed in this specification nor intended to limit the scope of the invention in any way.

Description

[0001] The present application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. .sctn. 119 of European Patent Application No. 03 013 931.5 filed Jun. 20, 2003, the disclosure of which is expressly incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.[0002] 1. Field of the Invention[0003] The present invention relates to a process for operating a machine of the tobacco processing industry, in which at least one wrapping material strip that is provided for wrapping a rod of smokeable material or filter material is fixed in at least one predetermined position on its conveyor path from a wrapping material strip supply to a garniture device of the machine in order subsequently to be conveyed further from the predetermined position.[0004] The present invention further relates to a device for feeding at least one wrapping material strip on a conveyor path to a feed element that feeds the at least one wrapping material strip to at least one rod of smokeable material or filter material of the tobacco processing ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0013] Through the process according to the invention, the wrapping material strips are kept at uniform tension before they are fixed so that a defined fixing is possible. After the defined fixing, the reliable feed to the smokeable material or the filter material is possible.

[0020] The invention provides a device for feeding at least one wrapping material strip on a conveyor path to a feed element that feeds the at least one wrapping material strip to at least one rod of smokeable material or filter material of the tobacco processing industry. In this way, a first severing element splitting the at least one wrapping material strip is provided and a fixing element is provided by which one end of the split wrapping material strip can be fixed. A suction channel is provided that branches off from the conveyor path.

[0021] By using the suction channel, it is possible to suction off wrapping material strips in a defined manner at a cut or a paper tear, so that no wrapping material strip remnants remain on the conveyor path to a feed element so that there are few breakdowns in the operation of the machine of the tobacco processing industry.

Problems solved by technology

This is relatively time-intensive and disruptive, particularly with twin-rod machines, and also leads to defective cigarette rods or filter rods.

Furthermore, it is disadvantageous that, with an unintended tear in the wrapping material strip, an undefined amount of wrapping material strip can remain in the machine in the event of a stoppage of the same.

DE 102 05 055.4, it is difficult to remove the wrapping material strip that lies between the fixing point and the garniture belt.

Through the air curtain, the wrapping material strip is prevented from unintentionally reaching the suction channel or hitting a corresponding edge of the suction channel so that a defined conveying of the wrapping material strip would be no longer possible.

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