Rod-like multisegment article group for the tobacco-processing industry

Abstract

The invention relates, inter alia, to a rod-like multisegment article group (1) for the tobacco-processing industry having a plurality of, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, rod-like, cylinder-shaped, in particular cylindrical, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40), wherein the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction of the rod-like multisegment article group (1), preferably without spacings, wherein at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) each have different diameters and different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40).

Description

[0001] Rod-shaped multi-segment article group of the tobacco processing industry

[0002] Description

[0003] The invention relates to a rod-shaped multi-segment article group for the tobacco processing industry and to a method for producing, in particular non-coated, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups for the tobacco processing industry.

[0004] To produce multi-segment articles for the tobacco processing industry, such as multi-segment filter rods, various rod-shaped segments, in the form of base rods or strand sections, are provided and assembled by means of a drum machine to form a rod-shaped multi-segment article, which is then wrapped by means of a wrapping material strip.

[0005] It is known from the prior art to produce base rods and feed them to the processing process of the drum machine using individual feed modules, or to connect the drum machine directly to a rod machine for further processing of rod sections. EP 1 691 633 B1, for example, discloses a drum machine used in the tobacco processing industry for producing multi-segment articles, wherein the drum machine comprises several feed modules that provide rod-shaped segments and feed them to a transport line.

[0006] One object of the present invention is, inter alia, to provide a rod-shaped multi-segment article group for the tobacco processing industry for improved further processing of the multi-segment article group, e.g. when wrapping the rod-shaped multi-segment article group.

[0007] This object is achieved by a rod-shaped multi-segment article group of the tobacco processing industry with several, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, rod-shaped cylindrical, in particular cylindrical, article segments, wherein the article segments are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group, preferably without spacing, wherein at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments have different diameters, in particular outer diameters, and different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments.

[0008] The invention is based on the idea that a preferably unwrapped multi-segment article group is prepared, for example, for further processing on a drum machine by wrapping the multi-segment article group. The multi-segment article group has a longitudinal axis along which several cylindrical or cylindrical article segments are arranged side by side or one behind the other. In particular, the article segments are arranged without spacing along the longitudinal axis of the multi-segment article group, i.e., without spacing, so that the head ends of the adjacent article segments touch each other.

[0009] According to the invention, at least two or more or all article segments of the multi-segment article group each have different diameters, wherein the article segments have different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments or the multi-segment article group, i.e. in a plane perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the article segments or the multi-segment article group. For example, the multi-segment article group has cylindrical article segments of different hardness and different softness, as a result of which the radial elastic properties of the article segments differ. Due to the different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments, it is possible for the article segments to be deformed differently in a processing step, e.g. when rolling the provided multi-segment article group with a wrapping material strip in a rolling channel.

[0010] Within the scope of the invention, it is particularly provided that two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments have different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments when subjected to a force, in particular a predetermined and / or constant force.

[0011] A measure of the different elastic properties of the article segments in the radial direction of the article segments is given, for example, by the respective elastic modulus of the article segments, preferably in the radial direction. The different elastic moduli of the article segments allow the hardness or stiffness, preferably in the radial direction of the article segments, or the softness of the article segments to be classified or described.

[0012] During further processing of the, particularly non-wrapped, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups, e.g., in a wrapping process with a wrapping material strip, the article segments of varying hardness or softness, or of varying radial elasticity, are pressed and / or deformed due to their different diameters as a result of a shaped or linear contact with a pressing device, such as a rolling hand. The contact pressure for soft, preferably flexible, article segments is lower than the contact pressure on harder article segments in the rolling hand.

[0013] In the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups according to the invention, the diameters of the article segments and the, preferably radially elastic, properties in the radial direction are coordinated with one another in the individual article segments in such a way that when a force is applied or when deformed, e.g. when pressed in a rolling hand during a rewinding process for attaching a wrapping material strip to the rod-shaped multi-segment article group, the wrapped rod-shaped multi-segment article groups finished after rewinding have a continuously constant diameter in the longitudinal axial direction.

[0014] Due to their inherent radially elastic properties, the (outer) diameters of the individual article segments are predetermined during assembly or provision of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group by the radially elastic properties of the hardest article segment. This determines, for example, the contact pressure on a suction roll, by means of which the material strips are attached to the, in particular non-coated, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups, and the contact pressure for the multi-segment article group in a rolling device. When providing the multi-segment article group formed from several different article segments, the diameters of the softer segments are or will be adapted to the hardest article segment of the multi-segment article group.This makes it possible for the softer, more flexible article segments with the larger diameter to experience greater deformation during the wrapping of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group during a rewinding process than for the harder article segments with smaller diameters. Within the scope of the invention, the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups and the provided article segments are continuously conveyed on a drum machine on conveyor drums or conveyor devices in the transverse axial direction.

[0015] Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it is preferably provided that the article segments are made of different materials and / or have different cross-sectional shapes. Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it is provided that the article segments also have different lengths, relative to the longitudinal extent of the article segments or the longitudinal extent of the multi-segment article groups. For example, the article segments of the multi-segment article groups can be formed as solid-cylindrical article segments or as hollow-cylindrical article segments, such as paper tubes or tubes, or from article segments with crimped materials, such as PLA film.In addition, the article segments can also be designed as cylindrical heating elements or as segments made of plastic or as article segments for heat-burn products or as alternative smoking products or the like with cylindrical or cylindrical article segments of the tobacco processing industry.

[0016] The rod-shaped multi-segment article groups according to the invention can be produced on a multi-segment rod production machine of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the article segments and the multi-segment article groups are conveyed transversely axially on the machine, in particular continuously.

[0017] By means of the provided, in particular non-wrapped, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups, it is achieved during the further processing of the multi-segment article groups, e.g. in a wrapping device of the machine, that after wrapping the produced wrapped multi-segment article groups have a consistently constant diameter, since during the wrapping process the elastic deformation, e.g. in a rolling channel by a rolling hand or the like, causes a uniform pressing of the individual article segments of a multi-segment article group and thus the shape of the wrapping strip is uniformly cylindrical in the processed rod-shaped wrapped multi-segment article groups.Due to the uniform pressing of the individual article segments of the multi-segment article groups during the wrapping process, kinks or constrictions or other mechanical and optical defects are avoided, since the wrapping process achieves a uniform pressing of the individual article segments with their different radial elastic properties on the wrapping material strip.

[0018] To this end, an advantageous embodiment provides that the radially elastically hardest article segment has the smallest diameter of the article segments in the multi-segment article group and / or the radially elastically softest article segment has the largest diameter of the article segments in the multi-segment article group. The radially elastically hardest article segment is an article segment that has the lowest elastic property in the radial direction of the multi-segment article group and / or the highest modulus of elasticity. Accordingly, the radially elastically softest article segment has the greatest elastic property in the radial direction of the multi-segment article group and / or the lowest modulus of elasticity.For example, an article segment with a lower elastic property in the radial direction has a larger elastic modulus than an article segment with a larger elastic property in the radial direction that has a smaller elastic modulus.

[0019] Furthermore, a further development of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group is characterized in that a radially elastically softer article segment has a larger diameter than a radially elastically harder article segment. Preferably, the provided multi-segment article group is wrapper-free. This allows provided, unwrapped, entire multi-segment article groups to be wrapped with a wrapping material strip in a subsequent process. In the provided, wrapper-free multi-segment article groups, the individual article segments of the multi-segment article group are not surrounded by a wrapping material strip for the entire multi-segment article group and are not connected by this.

[0020] In another embodiment, it is provided that at least one or more article segments of the provided, preferably non-wrapped, multi-segment article group are wrapped.

[0021] Furthermore, in the multi-segment article group, it is preferred that at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, article segments consist of different materials and each have different radially elastic properties.

[0022] Furthermore, an embodiment of the multi-segment article group is characterized in that at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, article segments consist of the same material and each have a different, preferably inner, cross-sectional shape, wherein the at least two article segments each have different radial elastic properties in the radial direction.

[0023] Within the scope of the invention, it can be provided that the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups comprise several article segments of the same type. For example, it is possible for the multi-segment article groups to each comprise rod-shaped segment subgroups with individual article segments, wherein the segment subgroups are configured similarly in the arrangement of the respective article segments. In particular, it is also possible for the segment subgroups of the provided multi-segment article groups to be configured symmetrically to one another.Furthermore, the object is achieved by a method for producing, in particular non-coated, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups of the tobacco processing industry with several, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, rod-shaped cylindrical, in particular cylindrical, article segments, wherein the article segments and / or the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups are conveyed, preferably continuously, transversely axially, wherein the article segments are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction of the respective multi-segment article groups, wherein at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments of one or each multi-segment article group have different diameters and different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments, in particular when subjected to a, in particular predetermined and / or constant, force.Within the scope of the invention, the multi-segment manufacturing article groups are provided on an assembly device or multi-segment article manufacturing machine, such as for filter rods or the like. In particular, the article segments of individual modules are provided individually or in groups and assembled on the manufacturing machine into unwrapped multi-segment article groups.

[0024] Furthermore, a further development of the method is characterized in that, after the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups have been provided, the article segments of one or each multi-segment article group are wrapped, preferably jointly, by a wrapping material strip in a wrapping process in order to connect the article segments of one or each multi-segment article group to one another. For example, the wrapping of the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups takes place on a wrapping device of a further processing machine with a rolling device for the multi-segment article groups. The rolling device may, for example, have a suction roller for attaching a wrapping material strip to the respective (unwrapped) multi-segment article groups and / or a rolling device with a rolling drum and a rolling hand arranged on the rolling drum.A rolling channel is formed between the rolling drum and the rolling hand for the multi-segment article groups to be wrapped, wherein within the rolling channel the multi-segment article groups are each wrapped by the wrapping material strip, wherein during the wrapping the individual article segments of the multi-segment article groups, which differ in diameter, are uniformly pressed and / or deformed in the radial direction due to the different elastic properties, wherein the shape of the wrapped wrapping material strip and the wrapped multi-segment article groups subsequently have a uniform cylindrical shape after wrapping.

[0025] For this purpose, a further development provides that during the wrapping process, all article segments of the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups are each subjected to the same, in particular predetermined and / or constant, force and / or are deformed to an equal, preferably constant and predetermined, diameter

[0026] Furthermore, in one embodiment, the method is characterized in that after the wrapping process, the wrapped multi-segment article groups have a consistently constant diameter in the longitudinal axial direction.

[0027] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments of the invention together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments of the invention may incorporate individual features or a combination of several features.

[0028] The invention is described below, without limiting the general inventive concept, using an exemplary embodiment with reference to the drawing. For all details of the invention not explained in more detail in the text, express reference is made to the drawing. It shows: Fig. 1 schematically shows a cross-section through a rod-shaped multi-segment article group.

[0029] Within the scope of the invention, features marked with “in particular” or “preferably” are to be understood as optional features.

[0030] Fig. 1 shows a cross-sectional view of an exemplary embodiment of a non-coated, rod-shaped multi-segment article group 1 comprising a plurality of article segments 10, 20, 30, 40, schematically and not to scale. The article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 each have different outer diameters. The article segments 10, 20, 30 have a fully cylindrical shape. In this exemplary embodiment, the article segment 40 is designed as a hollow cylinder with a cavity inside the article segment 40. The fully cylindrical article segments 10, 20, 30 are made, in particular, from different materials.

[0031] The rod-shaped multi-segment article group 1 shown in Fig. 1 is not wrapped by a wrapping material strip. In Fig. 1, the shape of a multi-segment article group 1 wrapped by a wrapping material strip 50 is schematically shown in cross-section with dashed lines.

[0032] The illustration in Fig. 1 is not to scale. As can be seen from Fig. 1, the article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 have different outer diameters. After wrapping the multi-segment article group 1 with the wrapping material strip 50, the multi-segment article group 1 is smaller in (outer) diameter than the individual (outer) diameters of the article segments 10, 20, 30, 40.

[0033] During wrapping, the respective multi-segment article group 1 is pressed together, for example, in a rolling channel between a rolling drum and a rolling hand, wherein the outer diameters of the article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 not wrapped by the wrapping material strip 50 in the initial state are determined as a function of their respective individual radially elastic properties such that all article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 exert the same external pressure or pressing pressure on the wrapping material strip 50 in the compressed final state after being wrapped with the wrapping material strip 50.

[0034] Along the longitudinal axis of the wrapped multi-segment article group 1, the (outer) diameter is constant throughout the entire length in the longitudinal axial direction. For clarity, the article segments 10, 20, 30, and 40 are shown individually, with the head ends of the adjacent article segments 10, 20, 30, and 40 touching before the wrapping of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group 1. The article segments 10, 20, 30, and 40 are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction without any gaps.

[0035] The following sample table summarizes the properties of article segments 10, 20, 30, and 40. Article segments 10, 20, and 30 are designed as solid cylinders and therefore have no inner diameter. Article segment 40 is designed as a hollow cylinder and has an inner diameter of 3.5 mm, for example.

[0036] The article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 have corresponding elastic moduli. For clarity, only the respective elastic moduli (E-modules) are shown in relation to the elastic modulus E1 of the article segment 10. The elastic modulus represents a material property of the respective article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 and represents the elastic property of the respective article segment in the radial direction. Furthermore, the table also lists the initial outer diameters of the individual article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 (before forming an enclosed multi-segment article group).

[0037] Table

[0038] In the exemplary embodiment, the outer diameter after wrapping the multi-segment article group 1 is 6.90 mm. A contact pressure is set accordingly when wrapping the multi-segment article group 1, e.g., in a rolling device.

[0039] The hardest article segment in multi-segment article group 1 is article segment 20, as it has a modulus of elasticity three times greater than article segment 10, which has an E-modulus of elasticity E1. This makes article segment 20 significantly radially elastically stiffer or harder than article segment 10. Article segment 20 therefore has a higher modulus of elasticity than article segment 10. The third article segment 30 has a modulus of elasticity that is half the E-modulus of elasticity E1 of article segment 10. This makes article segment 30 radially elastically softer than article segment 10.

[0040] The hollow-cylindrical article segment 40, like the solid-cylindrical article segment 20, has a modulus of elasticity three times greater than that of article segment 10 with modulus of elasticity E1. Apart from numerical rounding at the decimal places, the modulus of elasticity of article segment 40 is approximately three times the modulus of elasticity E1. However, article segment 20 and article segment 40 differ in their cross-sectional shape. In other embodiments of the multi-segment article group 1, it is possible within the scope of the invention for the modulus of elasticity of article segment 40, for example, to be equal to, approximately smaller than, or approximately larger than the modulus of elasticity of article segment 20.

[0041] In order that the contact pressure by a rolling hand during the wrapping of the multi-segment article group 1 is approximately identical or the same for all article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 during the rolling of the multi-segment article group in a rolling channel for a, in particular uniform, deformation of the article segments 10, 20, 30, 40, the non-wrapped article segments 10, 20, 30, 40 of the multi-segment article group 1 have the initial outer diameters specified in the table due to their different radial stiffnesses or the different elastic properties in the radial direction, which are larger than the (final) outer diameter of the multi-segment article group 1 completely wrapped by the wrapping material strip 50.

[0042] Depending on the material of the corresponding article segments, the differences in the diameters of the article segments before wrapping with a wrapping material strip are preferably between 0.02 mm and 0.30 mm, preferably between 0.02 mm and 0.20 mm.

[0043] In other multi-segment article groups according to the invention (not shown here), these can, for example, have only three article segments. The multi-segment article group can be composed of article segment 10, article segment 20, and article segment 30, or another combination of article segments.

[0044] All mentioned features, including those shown in the drawing alone, as well as individual features disclosed in combination with other features, are considered essential to the invention, both individually and in combination. Embodiments according to the invention may be fulfilled by individual features or a combination of several features. List of reference symbols

[0045] 1 multi-segment article group

[0046] 10 item segment 20 item segment

[0047] 30 article segment

[0048] 40 article segment

[0049] 50 wrapping material strips

Claims

Rod-shaped multi-segment article group of the tobacco processing industry Patent claims 1. Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) of the tobacco processing industry with several, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, rod-shaped cylindrical, in particular cylindrical, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40), wherein the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1), preferably without spacing, wherein at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) have different diameters and different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40).

2. Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the radially elastically hardest article segment has the smallest diameter of the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of the multi-segment article group (1) and / or the radially elastically softest article segment has the largest diameter. of the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of the multi-segment article group (1). Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that a radially elastically softer article segment has a larger diameter than a radially elastically harder article segment. Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the provided multi-segment article group (1) is free of wrapping. Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that at least one or more article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of the provided multi-segment article group (1) are wrapped.Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) are each made of different materials and each have different radially elastic properties. Rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) according to one of claims 1 to 5, characterized in that at least two, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) are each made of the same material and each have a different, preferably inner, cross-sectional shape, wherein the at least two article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) each have different radial elastic properties in the radial direction. Method for producing, in particular non-coated, rod-shaped multi-segment article groups (1) of the tobacco processing industry. Industry with several, in particular more than 2, 3, 4, 5 or more, rod-shaped cylindrical, in particular cylindrical, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40), wherein the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) and / or the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups (1) are conveyed, preferably continuously, transversely axially, wherein the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal axial direction of the respective multi-segment article groups (1), wherein at least two, in particular or more than 2, 3, 4 or more or all, article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of one or each multi-segment article group (1) have different diameters and different elastic properties in the radial direction of the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40).Method according to claim 8, characterized in that after the provision of the rod-shaped multi-segment article groups (1), the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of one or each multi-segment article group (1) are wrapped by a wrapping material strip in a wrapping process in order to connect the article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of the multi-segment article group (1) to one another. Method according to claim 9, characterized in that during the wrapping process, all article segments (10, 20, 30, 40) of the rod-shaped multi-segment article group (1) are subjected to the same, in particular predetermined and / or constant, force and / or are deformed to an identical, preferably constant and predetermined, diameter. Method according to claim 9 or 10, characterized in that after the wrapping process, the wrapped multi-segment article groups (1) have a consistently constant diameter in the longitudinal axial direction.

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