Crimping roller, pair of crimping rollers, crimping device and machine for tobacco processing industry, and method for crimping flat webs and producing rods, rod-shaped articles

Abstract

The invention relates to a crimping roller (6), a crimping roller pair (10), a crimping device (4) and a machine (2) in the tobacco processing industry, a method for crimping a flat web (14) and for producing a rod (28), and a rod-shaped article (68). A crimping roller (6) for a crimping device (4) in the tobacco processing industry has closed circumferential grooves (38) and teeth (40) alternately on a side surface (36) in the circumferential direction of the crimping roller (6). The crimping roller (6) is designed to be rotatable about an axis of rotation (42). The groove (38) has a groove bottom (44) which is curved parallel to the axis of rotation (42) and the teeth (40) have an at least partially flat tooth top (46).

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The invention relates to a compression roller for a compression device of the tobacco processing industry, which has, on its mantle surface, in the circumferential direction of the compression roller, alternatingly arranged closed circumferential grooves and teeth. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a compression roller pair and a compression device of the tobacco processing industry. The invention also relates to a machine of the tobacco processing industry, which has a compression device. Furthermore, the invention also relates to a method for compressing a flat web and a method for producing a rod of the tobacco processing industry. Finally, the invention relates to a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry. BACKGROUND

[0002] Flat webs are used in the tobacco processing industry for various purposes and are usually processed to endless rods in a continuous process. From such rods rod-shaped sections or articles of the tobacco processing industry can be manufactured. For example, the flat web can be a paper web, wherein the sections made from the respective rod are paper filters or paper filter sections. Other examples, in which rod-shaped sections of the tobacco processing industry are manufactured from rods, are: processing of flat webs made from RECON (reconstituted tobacco material) or from PLA film. The rod-shaped sections, which are cut to length from the respective rods, can be used as tobacco sections or as cooling sections in so-called HNB articles, i.e. "Heat-Not-Burn", which are also called THP articles, i.e. "Tobacco-Heated-Product", or as tobacco sections or cooling sections. Such products of the tobacco processing industry are heated but not combusted. Due to the heating, the constituents of the tobacco material are released and provide an airflow for smoking.

[0003] An important process step in the processing of a flat web to a rod, from which one of the above-mentioned rod-shaped articles can be cut to length, is the shaping of the flat web from a flat, unfolded state to a folded or pleated intermediate state and the subsequent compression to a rod having a substantially circular cross section. In order to facilitate the gathering of the flat web from a flat, unfolded state to a pleated intermediate state and also for the further processing to a rod, it is known to compress the flat web. In the compression, the material of the flat web is intentionally weakened, deformed or even partially separated along a compression line. The compression line can extend in the longitudinal direction of the flat web (longitudinal compression) or also in a direction transverse to the longitudinal direction (transverse compression).

[0004] The flat web is processed, i.e. calendered, in the action area between a pair of intermeshing calender rollers. The calender rollers introduce, for example, calender lines extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat web into the continuous web. Along the calender lines, the material of the flat web can be stretched in order to achieve, for example, a targeted weakening of the material along the calender lines. The flat web can also be given a three-dimensional structure, i.e. be deformed, in a plane perpendicular to its longitudinal extension, for example, in a wave shape or a zigzag shape. This three-dimensional structure facilitates the gathering of the flat web transversely to its longitudinal direction and also the subsequent strand formation. A calendering device is known, for example, from EP 3 624 615 B1.

[0005] Another calendering device is known from WO 2021 / 136612 A1. In this device, the properties of the flat web being calendered are evaluated and the calendering depth, which is a measure of how far or how deep the calender rollers intermesh, is varied in dependence on these properties. SUMMARY

[0006] It is an object of the present application to provide a calender roller for a calendering device, a pair of calender rollers, a calendering device and a machine for the tobacco industry, and a method for calendering a flat web, a method for producing strands and a rod-shaped article for the tobacco industry, in which the calendering quality of the flat web is to be improved with regard to the product properties of the rod-shaped articles for the tobacco industry made from the flat web.

[0007] This object is solved by a calender roller for a calendering device for the tobacco industry, which, on its preferably one-piece side, has alternatingly arranged in the circumferential direction of the calender roller closed encircling grooves and teeth, wherein the calender roller is designed to be rotatable about an axis of rotation, wherein the improvement of the calender roller is that the grooves have a groove bottom curved parallel to the axis of rotation and the teeth have an at least sectionwise flat tooth top.

[0008] The grooves and the teeth of the calender roller are arranged alternatingly and in particular directly side by side in the axial direction of the axis of rotation. The teeth and the grooves of the calender roller are closed in the circumferential direction, i.e. at always the same axial position of the axis of rotation, encircling, i.e. along the complete circumference. The grooves and the teeth have a constant distance to the axis of rotation at their axial position, respectively. The calender roller is therefore an object of rotational symmetry in particular with regard to its axis of rotation.

[0009] In the tobacco industry, calender rollers are known which have different profiles. It has turned out, however, that there is currently no profile which is suitable for a plurality of different flat webs for the tobacco industry in the sense that equally good calendering results are achieved for the different flat webs, respectively.

[0010] It has been shown that the calender rollers according to some aspects of the present application are advantageously suitable for calendering different flat webs, in particular flat webs made of different materials of the tobacco processing industry, with them. Advantageously, for example, flat webs made of paper can be calendered. This flat web can be a single-layer flat web made of paper or a multi-layer flat web made of paper. Furthermore, this flat web can be a single-layer or multi-layer web made of nonwoven material, in particular made of paper. This flat web can also be a PLA film (poly lactic acid) or also a tobacco film. This tobacco film can be made according to the pulp method (also referred to as CLT film (Cast Leaf Tobacco)) or it can be made according to the paper method. The aforementioned flat webs of the tobacco processing industry are merely exemplary and not exhaustive. The calender rollers according to some aspects of the present application have proven to be suitable for the calendering of these materials. Thus, the contour of the calender roller can be used universally for various materials of the tobacco processing industry.

[0011] Tobacco processing industry rod-shaped articles or segments made of flat webs calendered with such a calender roller exhibit advantageous properties. For example, only slight fluctuations in the tensile strength (Zugwiderstand) occur in continuous production. In other words, with this calender roller a very constant manufacturing process can be achieved, in which high-quality products can be continuously produced. This is, for example, advantageous when manufacturing filters or filter segments from paper webs as exemplary flat webs of the tobacco processing industry. For paper filters or paper filter segments, a tensile strength that is as constant as possible is desirable. Slight fluctuations in the tensile strength are also advantageous when processing PLA films or tobacco films. Rod-shaped segments made of calendered tobacco films or PLA films are often processed into HNB articles. Slight fluctuations in the tensile strength of these segments can improve the quality of the HNB articles as a whole.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, the calender roller is improved in that the tooth tips each have a flat section, wherein the flat section extends in an imaginary cylinder side surface built around the rotation axis. According to another embodiment, the calender roller is improved in that, viewed in a plane in which the rotation axis extends, the groove bottom describes a curve whose slope is continuous. In this context, it is in particular provided that, viewed in the mentioned plane, the groove bottom describes a conical section, in particular a circular arc, preferably having a radius of 0.15 mm to 4.0 mm, particularly preferably 0.18 mm to 0.35 mm, or describes an elliptical arc or a parabola.

[0013] The combination of a flattened tooth tip and a rounded, in particular circular-arcuate, groove bottom has proven to be an advantageous combination. With this profile of the calender roll a variety of different flat webs can be processed. In the region of the groove bottom compression of the flat web takes place. In the region of the tooth face of the tooth the flat web is stretched. The flat section or top face of the tooth causes the flat web to be subjected to only a slight stretching or not to be stretched in this region. Furthermore, at the transition between the tooth face and the flat section, a crease or a targeted material weakening can be introduced into the flat web, up to a through-going opening, a crack or the like which extends partially in the longitudinal direction of the flat web. This targeted treatment of the flat web by means of the calender roll, i.e. the partial upsetting, the local weakening and furthermore the local deformation or scoring, viewed in the transverse direction of the flat web, leads to a structure of the flat web which has a positive effect in subsequent process steps. For example, the flat web can be better gathered and processed into a rod. The calendering thus has a positive effect on the properties of the rod section made from such a flat web.

[0014] For example, the partial targeted introduction of material weakening, for example a crack or a through-going opening, leads to a reduced occurrence or to the avoidance of channel formation in the section made from such a flat web. Although it is desirable for the section to have longitudinal channels through which air flow can flow through in the longitudinal direction of the section, it is undesirable for channels to extend through the section along its entire length. In the region of these through-going channels, the air flow has only a small interaction with the material of the section. Correspondingly, the transition of, for example, aerosol escaping from the flat web into the air flow is also small. This applies to the case in which a tobacco film is processed as a flat web. Similar considerations also apply to the filtering action if a paper web is processed as a flat web. If such a paper filter has through-going channels along its entire longitudinal direction, the filtering action will be small in this region. By the aforementioned measures channel formation can be reduced, thereby improving the quality of the tobacco industry section made from such a calendered flat web.

[0015] According to another advantageous embodiment, the calender roll is improved in that the tooth face angle of the teeth is between 15° and 40°, in particular between 16° and 22° or between 25° and 35°. The mentioned tooth face angle is measured between the two tooth faces of one tooth. Thus, viewed in the plane in which the rotation axis of the calender roll extends, the two tooth faces of one tooth enclose an angle which lies in the mentioned interval. The tooth face angle is the opening angle which is enclosed by the two tooth faces of a tooth in the mentioned plane. It has been shown that the mentioned interval of the tooth face angle is advantageous with respect to the desired properties of the flat web which is calendered.

[0016] According to one embodiment, the improvement of the crimping roller is that the tooth tip, viewed in the direction parallel to the axis of rotation, has a tooth tip width, preferably between 0.05 mm and 0.7 mm, in particular between 0.08 mm and 0.2 mm or between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm, and the tooth tip together with the adjacent groove has a structure width, wherein the tooth tip width is between 8% and 50%, in particular between 10% and 30% or between 25% and 38% of the structure width. The mentioned ratios between the tooth tip width and the structure width, which is the sum of the tooth tip width and the width of the adjacent groove, have also proven to be advantageous.

[0017] The previously mentioned advantages for the tooth face angle of the teeth or for the mentioned ratios between the tooth tip width and the structure width can be achieved for different materials of the flat web to be crimped.

[0018] According to another advantageous embodiment, it is also provided that the tooth tip is sharp-edged at its edge, at which the surface of the crimping roller transitions from the tooth tip into the adjacent groove, or has a chamfer or a rounding, or the number of tooth tips is greater than 150 or 200 or 250 or 300. The transition between tooth tip and adjacent groove can be designed more or less sharp-edged. A sharp transition promotes the formation of deformations or even cracks in the flat web, while a rounded transition significantly weakens this effect. In this context, a chamfer can be a good compromise in order to achieve deformations or crack formation on the one hand, but not too intensively.

[0019] According to another advantageous embodiment, the improvement of the calendering roller consists in that the surface of the calendering roller has an average roughness depth (Rz) of better than Rz = 10, in particular of better than Rz = 8, and further in particular of better than Rz = 6. Moreover, it is in particular provided that the surface of the calendering roller has a roughness depth of Rz = 4. The surface roughness of the calendering roller determines, inter alia, the strength of the interaction between the calendering roller and the flat web to be processed. A high roughness leads to a high frictional resistance between the surface of the calendering roller and the flat web. Correspondingly, a relative movement of the flat web with respect to the surface of the calendering roller is more easily avoided or prevented. Conversely, a smaller surface roughness of the calendering roller leads to a low frictional resistance and thus to a more permissive relative movement between the surface of the calendering roller and the flat web. This can be a desired effect. A relative movement of the flat web with respect to the surface of the calendering roller, i.e. a slip of the flat web transversely to its longitudinal direction, can be desired, since the calendering process always leads to an increase in the width of the flat web. The flat web has a greater width in the calendered state than in the uncalendered state. In other words, it is then necessary to move the outer regions of the flat web transversely to the longitudinal direction of the flat web during the calendering process in order to compensate for the increase in width caused by the calendering process. This deflection movement is facilitated by the low surface roughness of the calendering roller.

[0020] The task is also solved by a pair of calendering rollers having a first and a second calendering roller according to one or more of the preceding embodiments, wherein the first and the second calendering roller of the pair of calendering rollers are arranged such that the teeth of the first calendering roller engage into the grooves of the second calendering roller and vice versa, wherein in particular the pair of calendering rollers having the mutually engaging teeth of the first and the second calendering roller has a calendering depth of between 100 micrometers and 1100 micrometers, preferably between 150 micrometers and 400 micrometers or between 500 micrometers and 800 micrometers.

[0021] This pair of calendering rollers is advantageously suitable for processing a variety of different flat webs of the tobacco processing industry. In this respect, the same or similar advantages apply for the pair of calendering rollers as have been mentioned for the calendering roller itself, so that a repeated description should be omitted.

[0022] The first and the second calendering roller of the pair of calendering rollers are in particular arranged such that their axes of rotation are oriented parallel to each other. Moreover, the pair of calendering rollers in particular has a calendering depth control device with which the calendering depth can be adjusted. The calendering depth is a measure of how far the teeth of the first calendering roller engage into the grooves of the second calendering roller and vice versa. The calendering depth can be measured, for example, according to the distance between the tooth tips of the first calendering roller and the tooth tips of the second calendering roller in a plane in which the two axes of rotation of the calendering rollers extend.

[0023] Preferably, the ratio of the structure width of the tooth minus twice the tooth width to twice the crimping depth is greater than 1 or greater than 0.5.

[0024] A measure of the local deformation or local drawing of the web material or flat web is, for example, an air permeability of more than 3000 CU (Corresta Units) or 3500 CU or 4000 CU according to ISO 2965 and / or a web thickness of the flat web of 50 micrometers to 600 micrometers, preferably between 400 micrometers and 600 micrometers, and / or a paper Grammatur of between 20 g / m2and 100 g / m2, preferably between 40 g / m2and 80 g / m2.

[0025] The flat web is preferably a paper web or a flat web made of paper, wherein the web has a proportion or content of paper or cellulose of more than 70% or 80% or 90%. In particular, the flat web is free of tobacco or is configured as a paper web without tobacco.

[0026] The task is also solved by a tobacco processing plant for processing a flat web of a tobacco processing industry, having a flat web supply device, at least one crimping roller according to one or more of the preceding embodiments, a counter bearing (Gegenlager) in cooperation with the crimping roller, and a transfer device. The flat web supply device is configured to supply the flat web into an action area between the at least one crimping roller and the counter bearing in cooperation with the crimping roller. The transfer device is configured to supply the crimped flat web from the action area to a processing device arranged downstream, in particular a rod forming device.

[0027] The flat web supply device is in particular configured to supply the flat web as a continuous flat web. To this end, the flat web supply device has, for example, at least one reel holder and a reel changer, including a flat web connection device, for example a splicer. With the flat web connection device, an end of a nearly finished flat web can be connected to a beginning of a new flat web, so that a continuous flat web can be provided for processing.

[0028] The area of action between the two compression rollers is at least the area in which the two compression rollers engage with one another, i.e. in which the grooves and the teeth overlap, viewed in cross section. This cross section can be observed in a plane in which the two axes of rotation of the compression rollers extend. In order to supply the flat web to the area of action, the flat web supply device has, for example, suitable and generally known web guide rollers or generally web guiding means, like, for example, Rinden or chutes. The transfer device likewise can have suitable guide rollers or one or more of the aforementioned flat web guiding means in order to take the compressed flat web from the area of action and supply it to the processing device arranged downstream.

[0029] According to another embodiment, the improvement of the compression device is that the carrier is a compression roller according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments or that the compression device has a pair of compression rollers according to the application as described above. According to this embodiment, the compression device has a pair of compression rollers according to aspects of the application.

[0030] The task is also solved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry having a compression device with at least one compression roller according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments and a carrier that cooperates with the compression roller or with the pair of compression rollers as described above. The machine of the tobacco processing industry also has a flat web supply device that is provided for supplying a flat web of the tobacco processing industry to an area of action between the compression roller and the carrier that cooperates with the compression roller, a transfer device, and a rod formation device arranged downstream, wherein the transfer device is provided for taking the compressed flat web from the area of action and supplying it to the rod formation device, and the rod formation device is provided for forming rods of the tobacco processing industry from the compressed flat web.

[0031] According to another embodiment, in this machine of the tobacco processing industry, the second compression roller is likewise configured according to one or more of the embodiments mentioned previously with respect to the compression roller.

[0032] The machine of the tobacco processing industry can also have a cutting device with which segments of the tobacco processing industry are cut to length from the rods produced. These segments can be supplied to further processing steps. For example, these segments can be combined with other segments and processed into rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry. Such articles of the tobacco processing industry are in particular HNB articles.

[0033] Advantageously, with this machine of the tobacco processing industry, articles of improved quality, for example in terms of their tensile strength, can be produced. The tensile strength of the rod-shaped articles produced with this machine is very constant in a continuous production process. The root of this improved quality lies in the improved compression quality of the flat web of the tobacco processing industry used as a raw material.

[0034] An advantageous improvement to the machinery of this tobacco processing industry is that the support is a pressing roller according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments, and the pressing roller and the support are arranged such that the teeth of the pressing roller engage with the grooves of the support at a pressing depth, and vice versa, wherein the pressing device has a pressing depth control device configured and arranged to change the pressing depth, wherein the pressing depth control device is also configured to receive a value of the tensile strength of a segment of tobacco processed by the tobacco processing industry, and to change the pressing depth according to a linear relationship based on the value of the tensile strength.

[0035] The machinery in this tobacco processing industry can also, in particular, be equipped with a tensile strength measuring device, which can be used to selectively measure tensile strength at the strip or at rod-shaped segments cut to a fixed length from the strip manufactured using the machine. Similarly, the tensile strength can also be measured at finished tobacco products having segments cut to a fixed length from the strip manufactured using the machine. The profile of the crimping roller advantageously allows for adjustment of tensile strength by varying the crimping depth, which can advantageously be based on a linear relationship. This significantly simplifies machine control and allows for simple and precise feedback-based quality assurance.

[0036] The task is also solved by a method for pressing flat sheets for the tobacco processing industry, the method comprising the steps of: supplying flat sheets for the tobacco processing industry to an action area between a pressing roller constructed according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments and a support cooperating with the pressing roller; pressing the flat sheets in the action area; and removing the pressed flat sheets from the action area and transferring the pressed flat sheets to a downstream processing device, particularly to a strip forming device.

[0037] Furthermore, the task is solved by a method for manufacturing tobacco strips, comprising the steps of: supplying a flat strip for tobacco processing to an action region, particularly between a pressing roller and a support cooperating with the pressing roller, according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments; pressing the flat strip in the action region; removing the pressed flat strip from the action region and transferring the pressed flat strip to a strip forming device arranged downstream; forming a tobacco strip from the pressed flat strip in the strip forming device, wherein the flat strip has a width B1 before the action region and a width B2 after the action region, and wherein the ratio B1 / B2 is greater than 1.2 or 1.3.

[0038] The improvement of this method is particularly that the support is a crimping roller according to one or more of the foregoing embodiments, and the crimping roller and the support are arranged such that the teeth of the crimping roller engage with the grooves of the support at a crimping depth, and vice versa, wherein the crimping depth is variable and / or is changed linearly according to the tensile strength of the tobacco processing industry segment manufactured from tobacco processing industry strips.

[0039] The same or similar advantages already mentioned for the crimping device and the tobacco processing machine are applicable to both the method for crimping flat sheets and the method for manufacturing strips for the tobacco processing industry, and therefore, repeated descriptions are unnecessary.

[0040] The improvement of this method lies, in particular, in the pressing of the paper web as a flat web. This flat web can be either a single-layer flat web or a multi-layer flat web made of paper. Furthermore, the flat web can be a single-layer or multi-layer web made of nonwoven materials (especially nonwoven materials made of paper). The flat web can also be a PLA film (polylactic acid) or a tobacco film. The tobacco film can be made according to a pulping method (also known as CLT film (cast leaf tobacco)) or it can be made according to a papermaking method.

[0041] The tobacco processing industry produces tobacco strips, especially filter strips.

[0042] The task is also solved by a rod-shaped product for the tobacco processing industry, which has at least one rod-shaped segment made by a fixed-length cut according to one or more of the methods described in the foregoing embodiments.

[0043] Advantageously, this rod-shaped product exhibits improved stability in tensile strength values. In other words, fluctuations in tensile strength caused by the process must be accepted, which improves the quality of the rod-shaped product. This rod-shaped segment is particularly suitable for filter segments, and more particularly for filter segments made of paper, i.e., paper filter segments.

[0044] The description of embodiments according to the invention, together with the claims and appendices, is provided below. Figure One This allows for the deriving of other features of the invention. Embodiments of the invention can satisfy individual features or combinations of multiple features. Attached Figure Description

[0045] The invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments, without limiting the overall inventive concept, wherein all specific details of the invention not elaborated herein are clearly referred to in the drawings. Wherein: Figure 1A schematic simplified illustration of a machine used in the tobacco processing industry is shown, which has a crimping device with a pair of crimping rollers, the pair of crimping rollers having crimping rollers according to one embodiment. Figure 2 The outline of a crimping roller according to one embodiment is shown, which is partially illustrated in a schematic simplified cross-section. Figure 3 and Figure 4 A schematic simplified side view of a pair of crimping rollers, partially illustrated according to two embodiments, is shown, and Figure 5 and Figure 6 A schematic simplified side view of the pair of crimping rollers, partially illustrated, is also shown, in which the orientation of the flat sheet being crimped in the working area between the crimping rollers is shown in cross-section. Detailed Implementation

[0046] Within the scope of this invention, features indicated by "especially" or "preferred" should be understood as optional features.

[0047] In the accompanying drawings, the same or similar elements and / or parts are given the same reference numerals, thus eliminating the need for reintroduction.

[0048] Figure 1 A simplified schematic diagram of a tobacco processing machine 2 is shown. Machine 2 has a pressing device 4 with a pressing roller 6 and a support 8 that works in conjunction with the pressing roller 6. The support 8 is specifically implemented to have the same structure as the pressing roller 6. In this case, the pressing roller 6 and the support constitute a pressing roller pair 10. Machine 2 also has a flat web supply device 12, which is configured to supply flat webs 14 of the tobacco processing industry along the transport direction T to the working area 16 between the pressing roller 6 and the support 8. The flat web 14 is, for example, a paper web.

[0049] In the working area 16, the crimping roller 6 cooperates with the support 8, for example, the crimping roller 6 engages with the support 8. The flat web supply device 12 exemplarily has a bobine 18 on which the flat web 14 is supplied. In an alternative design, the flat web or paper web is supplied by a bundle of paper, wherein the flat web or paper web is stacked on top of each other in a zigzag manner (Festoonen).

[0050] To enable a continuous production process, the flat web supply device 12 may also include a roll changer (not shown), and in particular, a flat web connecting device, such as a splicer. The flat web connecting device may be configured to connect the near-end of one flat web to the beginning of another flat web, thereby allowing the flat web 14 to be continuously supplied into the crimping device 4 and to units further downstream along the transport direction T. Exemplarily, in addition to the roll 18, the flat web supply device 12 also includes one or more transport rollers 20, which can be used to supply the flat web 14 to the working area 16.

[0051] In the working area 16, the flat web 14 is crimped. The crimping device 4 is exemplarily implemented as a longitudinal crimper. The crimping device 4 introduces a crimp line extending in the longitudinal direction of the flat web 14 into the flat web 14. Along the crimp line, the material of the flat web 14 is selectively weakened, deformed, or even partially separated, for example. The flat web 14 leaves the crimping device 4 as the crimped flat web 22. The crimped flat web is supplied by a transfer device 24 (exemplarily shown by two transport rollers 20) to a strip forming device 26 arranged downstream. The transfer device 24 may also be configured as a chute or channel, for example, to guide the crimped flat web 22, and may also be configured to gather the crimped flat web 22 laterally in its longitudinal direction. The transfer device 24 removes the crimped flat web 22 from the working area 16 and supplies it to the strip forming device 26. The strip forming apparatus 26 is configured to form tobacco processing strips 28 from a pressed flat web 22. For this purpose, the strip forming apparatus 26 has, for example, a shaping unit 30 (not described in detail), which has a shaping channel and forms the strip 28 from the pressed flat web 22 in a manner known per se. The machine 2 also includes, for example, a cutting device 32 configured to cut individual segments 34 from the strip 28 to a fixed length. These segments 34 can be further processed with other segments into tobacco processing rod-shaped articles 68, such as HNB articles. This further processing is schematically indicated by arrows.

[0052] For example, the flat web 14 is a paper web from which paper filter strips are manufactured. In this case, the fixed-length cut segments 34 are paper filter segments, which can, for example, be combined with tobacco sticks and further processed into conventional stick products 68 for the tobacco processing industry. The paper filter segments can also be further processed with other segments into HNB products as stick products 68 for the tobacco processing industry. The flat web 14 is, for example, a single-layer or multi-layer paper web. The flat web 14 can be a paper web made of a single-layer or multi-layer nonwoven material (especially paper). The flat web 14 can also be a flat web made of recycled tobacco material, for example, a web made of recycled tobacco material manufactured according to the pulping method or the papermaking method. In this case, tobacco strips 28 are manufactured from the flat web 14, from which individual tobacco segments or tobacco sticks as segments 34 are cut to a fixed length. These can also be combined with other segments and further processed into, for example, HNB products. The flat web 14 can be a PLA film from which strips 28 composed of pressed PLA films are correspondingly made. The segments 34 cut from this strip 28 at a fixed length can be used as cooling segments in HNB products, and can be combined with other segments and further processed into HNB products. Machine 2 is advantageously suited for processing different flat webs 14.

[0053] The following text exemplarily assumes that the support 8 is designed to have the same structure as the pressing roller 6.

[0054] Figure 2 A partially illustrated outline of the crimping roller 6 is shown in a schematic simplified cross-section. The crimping roller 6 has alternately arranged closed, surrounding grooves 38 and teeth 40 in the circumferential direction on its side surface 36. The crimping roller 6 is designed to be rotatable about a rotation axis 42, which is located at... Figure 2 The text is represented by a dotted line, and its position is only illustrative.

[0055] In having Figure 1 In the crimping device 4 of the machine 2 shown, the crimping roller 6 and the support 8 are arranged such that the teeth 40 of the crimping roller 6 engage in the grooves 38 of the support 8, and vice versa.

[0056] exist Figure 2 In the outline of the pressing roller 6 shown, the groove 38 has a curved groove bottom 44. The tooth 40 has a flat tooth tip 46, which has a flat section 48. The flat section 48 of the tooth tip 46 extends in an imaginary cylindrical side surface constructed around the axis of rotation 42. Thus, the flat section 48 is respectively cylindrical. In a plane—in which the axis of rotation 42 extends and in which the plane at least approximately corresponds Figure 2When viewed in the drawing plane, the groove bottom 44 depicts a curve with a continuous slope. In other words, the slope of the groove bottom 44 does not change abruptly. In particular, the curved groove bottom 44 is not acute-angled, or otherwise does not exhibit abrupt changes in slope in the observed plane. When viewed in the described plane, the groove bottom 44 has a tapered cross-section shape and is depicted, for example, as a circular arc, elliptical arc, or parabola. In the illustrated embodiment, the groove bottom 44 depicts a circular arc.

[0057] The teeth 40 of the pressing roller 6 have a tooth surface angle α, which is between 15° and 40°, particularly between 20° and 35°. Figure 2 The angle between lines extending in the tooth surface 50 of the tooth, indicated by dashed lines and observed in the plane described, is given. The tooth surface angle α is measured between the opposing tooth surfaces 50 of the tooth 40. The crimping roller 6 is also designed such that, in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation 42, the tooth tip 46 has a tooth tip width 52, and the tooth tip 46, together with the adjacent groove 38, has a structural width 54. The tooth tip width 52 is between 20% and 50% of the structural width 54, particularly between 30% and 40%, and even more particularly between 35% and 40%.

[0058] Furthermore, the crimping roller 6 is designed such that the tooth tip 46 is implemented as a sharp ridge at its edge 56—where the surface 58 of the crimping roller 6 transitions from the tooth tip 46 into the adjacent groove 38. Additionally, a chamfer or a rounded edge with a small radius may be provided at this edge 56, for example. The surface 58 of the crimping roller 6 has, for example, an average roughness depth of Rz=10 or better. Furthermore, the surface 58 has an average roughness depth better than Rz=8 or better than Rz=6. In particular, the groove bottom 44, the tooth surface 50, and the flat section 48 of the tooth tip 46 are considered part of the surface 58 of the crimping roller 6.

[0059] Figure 3 A schematic, simplified perspective side view of the pressing roller pair 10, partially illustrated, is shown. The first pressing roller 6a and the second pressing roller 6b are arranged such that the teeth 40 of the first pressing roller 6a engage in the grooves 38 of the second pressing roller 6b, and vice versa. The two pressing rollers 6a and 6b are arranged opposite each other such that they engage with each other at a pressing depth 60.

[0060] Figure 4 Another pair of crimping rollers 10 is shown, which has a first crimping roller 6a and a second crimping roller 6b. Similarly, the two crimping rollers 6a and 6b are arranged such that the teeth 40 of the first crimping roller 6a engage in the grooves 38 of the second crimping roller 6b, and vice versa. Figure 3 neutralization Figure 4 The difference between the pressing roller pair 10 shown is the width of the tooth tip 46. According to...Figure 3 The teeth 40 of the crimping rollers 6a and 6b in the illustrated embodiment have a relatively small tooth tip width 52 (see also...). Figure 2 ),and Figure 4 The pressing rollers 6a and 6b of the pressing roller pair 10 shown are constructed with a relatively large tooth tip width 52. The tooth tip width 52 can affect the deformation and stretching of the flat surface 14 that occurs in the action area 16 between the pressing rollers 6a and 6b (i.e., especially in the area where the pressing rollers 6a and 6b mesh with each other). Figure 5 and Figure 6 This is illustrated in a schematic simplified side view of the first and second crimping rollers 6a and 6b, which are partially shown. In the working region 16 between the crimping rollers 6a and 6b, the flat section 14 is shown in cross-section.

[0061] Figure 5 Roughly corresponding to the Figure 3 The known configuration. The first crimping roller 6a and the second crimping roller 6b are configured with a relatively small tooth tip width 52. The orientation of the flat web 14 in the action area 16 between the crimping rollers 6a and 6b is schematically and simplified. In the region of the tooth tip 46, the flat web 14 is locally deformed, for example, bent, thereby giving it a serrated shape. There is a stretching region 62 in the region between adjacent tooth tips 46 of the first and second crimping rollers 6a and 6b, in which the flat web 14 is stretched. The degree of this stretching, and the degree of deformation introduced into the flat web 14 at the edge 56 of the tooth tip 46, can be varied by the tooth tip width 52. Exemplarily in Figure 6 The embodiment shown illustrates this point, and it roughly corresponds to the embodiment composed of Figure 4 The known situation. The two pressing rollers 6a and 6b have the same characteristics as... Figure 5 The embodiment described above has a larger tooth tip width 52. This results in stronger stretching of the flat section 14 in the stretching region 62 at the same crimping depth 60. Stronger deformation of the flat section 14 also occurs in the edge 56 region of the tooth tip 46.

[0062] like Figure 1The tobacco processing machine 2 shown may be equipped with a crimping depth control device 64, which is constructed and configured to change the crimping depth 60. The crimping depth control device 64 may also be configured to receive the tensile strength value of the tobacco processing segment 34 manufactured from the tobacco processing strip 28. Based on this tensile strength value, the crimping depth control device 64 changes the crimping depth 60, more precisely, according to a linear relationship. In other words, the crimping depth 60 can be adjusted to change the tensile strength of the manufactured segment 34. To measure the tensile strength, the machine 2 may, for example, have a tensile strength measuring device 66. Its measured value M can be provided to the crimping depth control device 64, thereby enabling feedback control of the crimping depth based on the measured tensile strength of the segment 34.

[0063] The rod-shaped article 68, which has segments 34, can be manufactured from segment 34 through other processing steps indicated by arrows. These segments 34 are obtained by cutting the prepared strip 28 to a fixed length. Such rod-shaped segments 34 are, for example, filter segments, and more specifically, paper filter segments.

[0064] All mentioned features, as well as those individually deriveable from the accompanying drawings and those disclosed in combination with other features, are considered essential to the invention, both individually and in combination. Embodiments according to the invention can be satisfied through individual features or combinations of features.

[0065] List of reference signs: 2. Machinery in the tobacco processing industry 4. Crimping device 6. Crimping rollers 6a First pressing roller 6b Second pressing roller 8 supports 10 pairs of crimping rollers 12 Flat-format supply device 14 Flat format 16. Area of ​​Scope 18 rolls 20 transport rollers 22. Flat sheet that has been crimped 24 Transfer device 26 forming devices 28 articles 30 standardized units 32. Cutting Tool Equipment 34 paragraphs 36 Side View 38 grooves 40 teeth 42. Rotation axis 44. Bottom of the tank 46 Tooth tip 48 Flat Section 50 tooth surface 52 Tooth tip width 54 Structural width 56 Edge 58 Surface 60 crimping depth 62 Stretching Zone 64. Crimping Depth Control Device 66. Tensile Strength Measuring Device 68 Rod-shaped products T transport direction M measurement value α is the tooth surface angle.

Claims

1. A crimping roller (6) for a crimping device in the tobacco processing industry, wherein closed, circumferential grooves (38) and teeth (40) are alternately arranged on its preferably integrally constructed side surface (36) in the circumferential direction, wherein the crimping roller (6) is designed to be rotatable about a rotation axis (42), characterized in that, The groove (38) has a groove bottom (44) that is curved parallel to the axis of rotation (42), and the tooth (40) has a tooth top (46) that is at least partially flat.

2. The pressing roller (6) according to claim 1, characterized in that, The tooth tip (46) of each tooth (40) has a flat section (48) that extends in an imaginary cylindrical side surface constructed around the axis of rotation (42).

3. The pressing roller (6) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that, When viewed in a plane in which the axis of rotation (42) extends, the bottom of the groove (44) traces a curve with a continuous slope.

4. The pressing roller (6) according to claim 3, characterized in that, When viewed in the plane, the bottom of the groove (44) is depicted as a conical cross section, particularly a circular arc, preferably having a radius of 0.15 mm to 0.4 mm, especially preferably 0.18 mm to 0.35 mm, or as an elliptical arc or a parabola.

5. The pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that, The tooth surface angle (α) of the tooth (40) is between 15° and 40°, particularly between 16° and 22° or between 25° and 35°.

6. The pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that, Viewed in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation (42), the tooth tip (46) has a tooth tip width (52) preferably between 0.05 mm and 0.7 mm, particularly between 0.08 mm and 0.2 mm or between 0.4 mm and 0.6 mm, and the tooth tip (46) together with the adjacent groove (38) has a structural width (54), wherein the tooth tip width (52) is particularly between 8% and 50% of the structural width (54), particularly between 10% and 30% or between 25% and 38%.

7. The pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that, The tooth tip (46) at its edge (56) where the surface of the pressing roller (6) transitions from the tooth tip (46) into the adjacent groove (38) is pointed, or has a chamfer or rounding, or the number of the tooth tips is greater than 150 or 200 or 250 or 300.

8. The pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The surface (58) of the pressing roller (6) has an average roughness depth (Rz) that is better than Rz=10, particularly better than Rz=8, and even more particularly better than Rz=6.

9. A pair of crimping rollers (10) having first and second crimping rollers (6a, 6b) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the first and second crimping rollers (6a, 6b) of the pair of crimping rollers (10) are arranged such that the teeth (40) of the first crimping roller (6a) engage in the grooves (38) of the second crimping roller (6b), and vice versa, wherein, in particular, the pair of crimping rollers (10) having mutually engaging teeth of the first crimping roller (6a) and the second crimping roller (6b) has a crimping depth between 100 micrometers and 1100 micrometers, preferably between 150 micrometers and 400 micrometers or between 500 micrometers and 800 micrometers.

10. The pressing roller pair (10) according to claim 9, characterized in that, The ratio of the structural width of the tooth minus twice the tooth width to twice the crimping depth is greater than 1 or greater than 0.

5.

11. A pressing device (4) for processing flat webs (14) in the tobacco processing industry, comprising a flat web supply device (12), at least one pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, a support (8) cooperating with the pressing roller (6), and a transfer device (24), wherein the flat web supply device (12) is configured to supply the flat webs (14) into an action area (16) between the at least one pressing roller (6) and the support (8) cooperating with the pressing roller (6), and the transfer device (24) is configured to supply the flat webs (22) to be pressed from the action area (16) to a downstream processing device, particularly a strip forming device (26).

12. The crimping device (4) according to claim 11, characterized in that, The support (8) is a pressing roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, or the pressing device (4) has a pair of pressing rollers according to claim 9 or 10.

13. A machine (2) for tobacco processing industry, comprising: A crimping device (4) having at least one crimping roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and having a support (8) cooperating with the crimping roller (6) or having a pair of crimping rollers according to claim 9 or 10; A flat fabric supply device (12) is configured to supply flat fabric (14) of the tobacco processing industry to the working area (16) between the crimping roller (6) and the support (8) that works in conjunction with the crimping roller (6). The transfer device (24) and the strip forming device (26) arranged downstream, wherein the transfer device (24) is configured to take out the pressed flat strip (22) from the working area (16) and supply it to the strip forming device (26), and the strip forming device (26) is configured to form a strip (28) for the tobacco processing industry from the pressed flat strip (22).

14. The machine (2) according to claim 13, characterized in that, The support (8) is a crimping roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the crimping roller (6) and the support (8) are arranged such that the teeth (40) of the crimping roller (6) engage in the grooves (38) of the support (8) at a crimping depth (60), and vice versa, wherein the crimping device (4) has a crimping depth control device (64) configured and set to change the crimping depth (60), wherein the crimping depth control device (64) is also set to receive the tensile strength value of the tobacco processing industry segment (34) made from the tobacco processing industry bar (28), and change the crimping depth (60) according to the tensile strength value in a linear relationship.

15. A method for crimping flat sheets (14) in the tobacco processing industry, comprising the following steps: The flat sheet (14) of the tobacco processing industry is supplied to the action area (16) between the crimping roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and the support (8) that cooperates with the crimping roller (6). The flat surface (14) is pressed into the working area (16), and The pressed flat strip (22) is taken out from the working area (16) and passed to the processing device arranged downstream, in particular to the strip forming device (26).

16. A method for manufacturing a bar (28) for the tobacco processing industry, comprising the following steps: The flat sheet (14) of the tobacco processing industry is supplied to the action area (16) between the crimping roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8 and the support (8) that cooperates with the crimping roller (6). The flat surface (14) is pressed into the working area (16). The pressed flat strip (22) is taken out from the working area (16) and passed to the strip forming device (26) arranged downstream. In the strip forming apparatus (26), the flat strip (22) being pressed is used to form a strip (28) for the tobacco processing industry. The flat surface has a width B1 before the effective area and a width B2 after the effective area, and the ratio B1 / B2 is greater than 1.2 or 1.

3.

17. The method according to claim 16, characterized in that, The support (8) is a crimping roller (6) according to any one of claims 1 to 8, and the crimping roller (6) and the support (8) are arranged such that the teeth (40) of the crimping roller (6) engage in the grooves (38) of the support (8) with a crimping depth (60), and vice versa, wherein the crimping depth (60) is variable and / or is changed linearly according to the value of the tensile strength of the tobacco processing industry segment (34) manufactured from the tobacco processing industry strip (28).

18. A rod-shaped article (68) for the tobacco processing industry, having at least one rod-shaped segment (34) which is made by cutting a strip (28) manufactured according to the method of claim 16 or 17 to a fixed length.

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