Machine for the tobacco processing industry, method for operating same, and rod-shaped articles

Abstract

Machine 100 for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit 102 and a downstream strand forming unit 104. The distribution unit 102 has a nozzle trough 13 and a suction strand conveyor 17 and is configured to convey tobacco material or aerosol-forming material 50 fluidically along a guide surface 15 of the nozzle trough 13 to the suction strand conveyor 17. The suction strand conveyor 17 provides a material stream and transfers it to the strand forming unit 104, which forms a material strand from the material stream and encases it with a wrapping material strip 21. The machine 100 further comprises: a supply device 216, a comminution device 226, and a feed device 234. The supply device 216 is configured to provide a flat web 218 and feed it to the comminution device 226.The comminution device 226 is configured to comminute the flat web 218 into a plurality of flat web segments 206, and the feed device 234 is configured to convey a stream of flat web segments 206 to an addition point 200. The addition point 200 is integrated into the nozzle trough 13, so that the stream of flat web segments can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material 50, which is guided fluidically along the guide surface 15 of the nozzle trough 13.

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a machine for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit and a downstream strand forming unit, wherein the distribution unit has a nozzle trough and a suction strand conveyor and is designed and configured to convey tobacco material or aerosol-forming material to the distribution unit fluidically along a guide surface of the nozzle trough to the suction strand conveyor, to provide a material flow with the suction strand conveyor and to transfer it to the strand forming unit, wherein the strand forming unit is designed and configured to form a strand of material for the tobacco processing industry from the material flow and to encase it in a format unit with a strip of wrapping material. The invention further relates to a method for operating such a machine for the tobacco processing industry and to a rod-shaped article for the tobacco processing industry.

[0002] Rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry are widely known. Examples include cigarettes, cigars, or tobacco sticks, filters, or filter segments. In addition to these long-established rod-shaped products, products of the tobacco processing industry in rod form that do not require combustion during consumption should also be considered rod-shaped products. Such products are often referred to as THP (Tobacco Heated Product) or HnB (Heat-not-Burn) products. These alternative rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry are heated during consumption but not burned. When an HnB product is consumed, vapor is generated by the transfer of heat, for example, from an electrically powered heat source, to an aerosol-forming substrate within the product.This vapor is intended for consumption and contains flavorings and other ingredients. A tobacco-based substance is often used as the aerosol-forming substrate, but unlike conventional smoking products, it is not burned. In many cases, the tobacco-based substance is made from a film of reconstituted tobacco material (recon film).

[0003] Even in classic, rod-shaped products of the tobacco processing industry, such tobacco-containing foils are frequently added as an additive, often to influence the taste or aroma. For this purpose, the tobacco-containing foil is, for example, cut into strips and added to the continuous manufacturing process, in which tobacco fibers are primarily processed. The tobacco foil can also be mixed with the fibrous tobacco material as shredded material, i.e., in the form of small tobacco particles, and processed together with it.

[0004] In the production of rod-shaped articles for the tobacco processing industry, a distribution unit is arranged upstream of a stranding machine, which forms a strand of tobacco products and from which individual rod-shaped articles or segments are cut downstream. The distribution unit serves to meter and classify the tobacco stream, which is usually supplied via an airflow, and to form one or more strands from the classified tobacco material. These strands are then transferred downstream to the stranding machine for further strand formation. For this purpose, the distribution unit is typically supplied with tobacco material consisting of a mixture of different tobacco varieties.The tobacco material enters the distribution unit via an input device, for example a feed sluice, is inspected and separated there, and then fed, for example via a nozzle trough, to a suction conveyor to form one or more material strands. A distribution unit is described, for example, in DE 43 24 280 A1.

[0005] As mentioned above, reconstituted tobacco material is often added to the tobacco material used as the starting material for this process. If the tobacco foil is in the form of small pieces, these are mixed with the tobacco material processed in the distribution unit and undergo the process described above together. The small pieces made from tobacco foil are distributed statistically within the fibrous tobacco material. In the final stage of the tobacco processing process, the small pieces from tobacco foil are also present in a statistically distributed manner. However, since small pieces from tobacco foil behave differently than tobacco fibers, particularly during pneumatic transport within the process, it can happen that small tobacco pieces accumulate in certain areas of the processing machine, for example, adhering more readily to walls or forming so-called nests.From such accumulations, tobacco particles enter the processing chain for an extended period and are therefore also found in the manufactured tobacco strand. This complicates precise brand changes or leads to undesirable quality losses. Furthermore, tobacco particles can accumulate in dust return systems, hindering their function and the general return of tobacco dust to the processing chain. Finally, due to their different mechanical properties compared to tobacco fibers, tobacco particles can become entangled in the seam of the encasing material strip during the tobacco processing industry's wrapping process, resulting in visual defects in the rod-shaped product manufactured from this wrapped tobacco strand.

[0006] It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for the tobacco processing industry, a method for operating such a machine, and a rod-shaped article for the tobacco processing industry, wherein an improvement in the manufacturing process or an improvement in the quality of the manufactured rod-shaped articles is to be achieved.

[0007] The problem is solved by a machine for the tobacco processing industry, wherein this machine is further developed by a distribution unit and a downstream strand forming unit, wherein the distribution unit has a nozzle trough and a suction strand conveyor and is designed and configured to convey tobacco material or aerosol-forming material that can be fed to the distribution unit fluidically along a guide surface of the nozzle trough to the suction strand conveyor, to provide a material stream with the suction strand conveyor and to transfer it to the strand forming unit, wherein the strand forming unit is designed and configured to form a material strand for the tobacco processing industry from the material stream and to encase it in a format unit with a wrapping material strip, further comprising a supply device, a comminution device and a feed device.wherein the supply device is configured and equipped to supply a flat web from the tobacco processing industry and to feed it to the comminution device, the comminution device is configured and equipped to comminute the flat web into a plurality of flat web parts and to supply it to the feed device, and wherein the feed device is configured and equipped to convey a stream of flat web parts to at least one addition point, the addition point being integrated into or adjacent to the nozzle trough, so that the stream of flat web parts can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided fluidically along the guide surface of the nozzle trough.

[0008] By adding the flat web sections at a defined point, it is possible to prevent them from being randomly distributed throughout the material strand produced from the tobacco processing industry. Instead, the flat web sections remain in a defined position within the material strand, which offers several advantages. For example, the flat web sections are located in a central area of ​​the material strand and are completely surrounded by tobacco material. This prevents the flat web sections from entering the seam of the wrapping material. It also prevents the flat web sections from coming into contact with the wrapping material. This is particularly advantageous if the flat web sections contain an aerosol-forming substance. If such flat web sections do come into contact with the wrapping material, discoloration of the wrapping material can occur at the contact points. This phenomenon is also known as "spotting."This may represent a visual defect in articles manufactured from such a material strand. This phenomenon can be advantageously avoided. The quality of the coated material strand, and likewise of the rod-shaped articles manufactured from it, can be improved.

[0009] The flat sheet can, for example, be a gel film coated with glycerin and / or propylene glycol. Such a gel film can be used, for instance, to deliver the desired amount of vapor-forming glycerin in HNB products. The flat sheet can also be a tobacco film made from reconstituted tobacco material. This tobacco material can also be additionally coated with an aerosol-forming substance, such as propylene glycol and / or glycerin. The flat sheet can be made from a carrier material whose base material is, for example, tobacco, cellulose, or another plant-based material or substance. The flat sheet can be designed to deliver flavorings and / or active ingredients, particularly during the consumption of a product manufactured from a corresponding branch of the tobacco processing industry.It is also possible that the flat web contributes to the type or quality of the tobacco strand in some other way. For example, the flat web could be a web sprinkled with activated charcoal.

[0010] Another advantage of adding the flat web sections at a defined point is that it prevents the formation of accumulations ("nests") of these sections within the machine. These nests can occur, for example, in the dust return area. Furthermore, flat web sections can adhere to internal machine walls. Such "nest formation" can be advantageously avoided. During a changeover, flat web sections from these accumulations enter the ongoing process, complicating a precise changeover. This disadvantage, common in conventional machines, is effectively eliminated. Maintenance requirements, particularly for dust extraction, can also be reduced, as there is no longer a need to remove accumulations or nests of flat web sections from within the machine.

[0011] Tobacco material, such as fine-cut tobacco made from tobacco leaves, is fed into the distribution unit. Reconstituted tobacco material, which has been appropriately shredded, can also be fed into the distribution unit. Alternatively or additionally, an aerosol-forming material can be fed into the distribution unit. This material can be tobacco-based or can consist of a different base substance.

[0012] Tobacco material or aerosol-forming material is fed to the distribution unit, which is then conveyed fluidically along the guide surface of the nozzle trough to the suction conveyor. In the context of this description, it should always be assumed that the distribution unit is fed either tobacco material or aerosol-forming material, or a mixture of both. Even where only tobacco material is mentioned, this should be understood to mean either aerosol-forming material or a mixture of both.

[0013] According to an advantageous embodiment, the machine is further developed in that the addition point has a discharge opening through which the stream from flat web sections can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided in the nozzle trough, wherein the discharge opening has a predetermined dimension in a direction transverse to a transport direction of the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough, wherein the addition point extends in particular in a region of the nozzle trough or adjacent to the nozzle trough, at the beginning of which 10%, in particular 40%, and at the end of which 90%, in particular 60%, of a target height of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material scooped up transversely in the transport direction on the suction line conveyor is reached.

[0014] The tobacco material or aerosol-forming material is shuffled onto the suction conveyor. The length over which the material is shuffled on the suction conveyor and the mass of the material fed are dimensioned so that 150% of a desired target height is reached at the end of the shuffling section. The excess shuffled material on the suction conveyor is removed by a trimmer and returned to the process. The aforementioned target height refers to the desired 100%, which is reached after two-thirds of the shuffling section. In other words, the percentages mentioned refer only to the first two-thirds of the shuffling section. The above information will be briefly explained using an example. The entire shuffling section is assumed to have a length of 1500 mm. Within this length, 150% of the desired material is shuffled.This means that after 1000 mm, 100% of the filler has been applied. If the start of the filler point is at 10%, this would be at 100 mm, measured from the start of the filler section. If the start of the filler point is at 40%, this would be at 400 mm. The filler point extends, for example, to a position of 90%. This would be at 900 mm, measured from the start of the filler section. Accordingly, if the filler point is at 60%, the end of the filler point would be at 600 mm.

[0015] Furthermore, it is specifically provided that the addition point has a further predetermined dimension in the direction of transport of the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough. The dimension of the addition point in this direction is chosen to be as small as possible. The rationale behind this is to design the nozzle trough in such a way that it disturbs the fluidic flow present in the nozzle trough as little as possible. For example, the dimension of the addition point is less than 15 mm, and in particular less than 10 mm.

[0016] By feeding the flat web sections through a discharge opening of a defined size, their position within the manufactured material strand can be precisely controlled. The specified values ​​represent a good compromise between guiding the flat web sections and ensuring reliable transport. If the discharge opening is too small relative to the size of the flat web sections, blockages could occur. Conversely, if the discharge opening is too large, the desired precise arrangement of the flat web sections within the manufactured strand cannot be achieved.

[0017] According to the embodiments described above, the addition point is located at a specific length, viewed in the transport direction of the suction belt and measured from the beginning of the suction channel or the beginning of the nozzle recess, with the value referring to the length of the suction channel until 100% of the desired material has been applied. As mentioned above, the position of the addition point is, for example, between 10% and 90%, and in particular between 40% and 60%.

[0018] According to another embodiment, the machine comprises exactly one single feed point. This allows for a defined arrangement of the flat web sections within the material strand used in the tobacco processing industry. Further embodiments allow for multiple feed points. A version of the machine with multiple feed points enables targeted distribution of the flat web sections within the material strand.

[0019] The addition of the flat web sections takes into account the fact that the material stream formed in the suction conveyor, consisting of tobacco material or aerosol-generating material and flat web sections, is always lofted with an excess. For example, 150% of the target height is lofted. As already mentioned, the excess is trimmed off using a trimmer, which is usually controlled or regulated. When positioning the flat web sections in the material stream, their position is chosen so that they are present at the desired position in the material stream transferred from the distributor unit to the strand forming unit, from which the strand is produced in the strand forming unit.

[0020] According to a further embodiment, the machine for the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the nozzle trough has at least one nozzle bar which is designed and configured to provide a blowing air stream which at least supports the fluidic guidance of the tobacco material, wherein the addition point, viewed in the direction of a transport direction of the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough, is arranged in front of the nozzle bar.

[0021] Feeding the flat web sections shortly before the nozzle bar reduces their distribution within the flared material stream. In this context, the material stream is considered in cross-section, starting from the suction belt and extending towards the flared height. This feeding method results in a defined position of the flat web sections within the produced material strand. Furthermore, feeding the flat web sections in an area shortly before the first nozzle bar allows the use of the short tobacco recirculation infrastructure already present in many tobacco processing machines. Compared to conventional machines, this advantageously avoids the need for costly redesign or modification.

[0022] The nozzle trough has one or more nozzle bars. In a machine with multiple nozzle bars, the addition point is located before the first nozzle bar, viewed in the transport direction of the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough.

[0023] According to a further embodiment, the machine for the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the nozzle recess has a sealing strip at a transition to a suction channel of the suction conveyor, wherein the addition point is integrated into the sealing strip.

[0024] The sealing strip provides a step-free transition between the nozzle recess and the suction channel. In the context of this description, a step-free transition is understood to mean a transition that has no step capable of increasing flow resistance. Therefore, if a step is present that slopes downwards or downwards in the direction of transport, i.e., in the direction of the fluid flow, it does not increase flow resistance. Such a nozzle recess design is considered "step-free." In particular, the sealing strip provides a step-free transition between a guide surface of the nozzle recess and the inner side of a channel wall of the suction channel. The sealing strip is a separate component of the nozzle recess, which can be removed with manageable effort.The feed point can be integrated into the sealing strip without requiring any structural modifications to the nozzle recess itself. Therefore, integrating the feed point into the sealing strip is advantageous and can be implemented with manageable effort, even on existing machines. Furthermore, arranging the feed point in the sealing strip is beneficial because the flat web sections are added to the tobacco material immediately before the swelling process in the strand conveyor. This allows for a particularly precise arrangement of the flat web sections in the material flow and thus also in the subsequently produced strand. In conjunction with the arrangement of the feed point in the sealing strip, exactly one feed point can be provided. Likewise, multiple feed points can be provided in the sealing strip – according to further embodiments. This allows for a defined distribution of the flat web sections in the material flow.

[0025] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the machine for the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the suction conveyor has a suction channel, wherein the suction channel, viewed in the transport direction of the material flow, has a sudden widening of the cross-section, wherein the sudden widening of the cross-section in particular increases the width of the suction channel by 10% to 80%. Thus, if, for example, the width of the suction channel before the sudden widening of the cross-section is 10 mm, it is 11 mm or 18 mm after the sudden widening of the cross-section.

[0026] The width of the suction channel is the clear span between the inner sides of the channel walls. This increases in the form of a step or an approximate step, i.e., in a short section of the suction channel in the direction of transport. In this sense, the widening is abrupt and should also be referred to as a step.

[0027] According to a further embodiment, it is particularly provided that the addition point, viewed in the transport direction of the suction belt, is arranged in front of the addition point.

[0028] The flat web sections are shuffled upstream of the discontinuity. Immediately downstream of the discontinuity, tobacco material can be shuffled directly next to the flat web sections, i.e., in the newly created space in the suction channel between the flat web sections and the channel walls. Thus, downstream of the abrupt widening of the suction channel, the flat web sections can be shuffled around by the tobacco material or the aerosol-generating material. The flat web sections are embedded in the material flow in such a way that, even in a transverse direction between the channel walls (viewed in the cross-section of the material flow), they are positioned at a distance from the periphery of the material flow. Therefore, in the material strand produced from the material flow, no flat web sections are located near the coating material with which the material strand is surrounded in the strand forming unit.This prevents the flat web sections from coming into contact with the wrapping material, thus avoiding the so-called "spotting." If the flat web sections contain an aerosol-forming substance, they will have a certain amount of moisture. If these sections come into contact with the wrapping material, discoloration, or "spotting," can occur. This effect can be considered a visual defect in the rod-shaped articles made from the tobacco strand. However, if the flat web sections are completely surrounded by tobacco material, this effect can be significantly reduced, if not completely eliminated.

[0029] According to a further embodiment, the machine for the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the shredding device has a cutting unit which is designed and equipped, a) to cut the flat web into longitudinal strips as flat web parts and / or b) to cut the flat web into discrete small flat web parts as flat web parts, wherein the cutting unit is in particular designed and equipped, a) to divide the flat web into longitudinal strips of different widths, and / or b) to divide the flat web into elongated strips of a predetermined length and width as flat web small parts, in particular into elongated strips of different widths and / or different lengths.

[0030] The shredding device includes, for example, a pair of cutting rollers as a cutting unit for shredding the flat web. Different widths of longitudinal strips can easily be achieved by exchanging and adjusting the cutting rollers. Intermittent cutting rollers are used to produce the longitudinal strips. These, too, can be easily adapted by replacement. Changing the interval allows for adjustment of the longitudinal strip lengths, whereby rollers with different intervals can be used to produce longitudinal strips of varying lengths.

[0031] Varying the length and width of the elongated strips allows for adjusting and varying the fill power of the flat web sections. A similar variation allows for combining elongated strips with discrete tobacco particles. Furthermore, by appropriately designing the cutting rollers, a stream of flat web sections containing both elongated strips and discrete tobacco particles can be provided. The width of the elongated strips can also be adjusted, for example, to achieve a desired fill power in the flat web sections, as can the ratio between elongated strips and discrete tobacco particles. Another variation, achievable by changing the width and length of the elongated strips, or by adjusting the width of the elongated strips, is the dispensing quantity, duration, or timing of an aerosol-forming material present in the flat web material.This parameter can also be modified via the available options of the shredding device. This allows for the provision of an extremely flexible machine.

[0032] According to a further embodiment, the machine for the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the comminution device is designed and arranged such that the exit of the flat web parts from an effective area in which the flat web can be comminuted occurs at least approximately in the direction of gravity, wherein a collecting funnel for receiving the flat web parts is provided below the effective area, wherein in particular an ejector is provided at an inlet of the collecting funnel, which is designed and equipped to effect a transport of the flat web parts into the collecting funnel and at least partially to effect a transport in the direction of the addition point.

[0033] The transport of the longitudinal strips or the discrete small pieces of tobacco is gravity-assisted, with the injector being able to support the transport.

[0034] According to another embodiment, the shredding device is designed separately from the distribution unit. This allows for flexible integration of the shredding device. According to yet another embodiment, the shredding device is integrated into the distribution unit, thus minimizing the required installation space.

[0035] The machine for the tobacco processing industry, according to the aforementioned embodiments, is in particular a single-strand machine. The machine can also be designed as a double-strand machine.

[0036] According to one embodiment, the machine is a double-strand machine, wherein the distributor unit has a split nozzle trough comprising a first partial nozzle trough and a second partial nozzle trough, and is designed and configured to convey the tobacco material or the aerosol-forming material fluidically along a first guide surface of the first partial nozzle trough to a first suction strand conveyor and fluidically along a second guide surface of the second partial nozzle trough to a second suction strand conveyor, and to provide a first material stream with the first suction strand conveyor and a second material stream with the second suction strand conveyor, and to transfer each to the strand forming unit, wherein the strand forming unit is designed and configured toto form a first material strand from the first material stream and a second material strand from the second material stream for the tobacco processing industry and to wrap each strand with a wrapping material strip in the format unit, wherein the supply device is designed and configured to supply the one flat web of the tobacco processing industry, to separate it into a first partial flat web and into a second partial flat web and to feed the separated partial flat webs to the comminution device, and wherein the comminution device is designed and configured to comminute the first partial flat web into a first fraction of flat web parts and the second partial flat web into a second fraction of flat web parts, wherein the feed device is designed and configured toto convey the stream from flat web sections of the first fraction to at least a first addition point and to convey the stream from flat web sections of the second fraction to at least a second addition point, wherein the first addition point is integrated into or adjacent to the first partial nozzle trough and the second addition point is integrated into or adjacent to the second partial nozzle trough, so that the stream from flat web sections of the first fraction can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided fluidically along the first guide surface of the first partial nozzle trough and the stream from flat web sections of the second fraction can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided fluidically along the second guide surface of the second partial nozzle trough.

[0037] A double-strand machine allows for higher production speeds and increased output. In the machine according to the aforementioned design, these advantages can be combined with the previously described advantages regarding the addition of flat web sections.

[0038] According to a further embodiment, the twin-strand machine is further developed in that the supply device has a position control device which is designed and configured to change the width of the first and second partial flat web, so that a quantity ratio between the first fraction of flat web parts and the second fraction of flat web parts can be adjusted.

[0039] The positioning control allows for precise feeding of the flat web sections to the two strands of the twin-strand machine. The two partial flat webs can be guided through a common shredding device. According to a further embodiment, separate shredding devices can be provided, i.e., a first shredding device for the first partial flat web and a second shredding device for the second partial flat web. According to such an embodiment, the aforementioned possible configurations of the shredding device apply independently to the first and second shredding devices, respectively.

[0040] The flat web from which the flat web components are manufactured is, in particular, a flat web made of a gel material, reconstituted tobacco material, or a tobacco-derived, cellulose-derived, or plant-derived carrier material. Furthermore, the flat web is, in particular, a flat web coated with an aerosol-forming substance. For example, between 10% and 30% of the total mass of the flat web consists of an aerosol-forming substance, such as glycerin or propylene glycol. The flat web thus comprises a significant proportion by weight of propylene glycol or glycerin. The flat web components can be used, for example, in HnB products for aerosol formation. In conventional tobacco products, they can serve to influence taste, aroma, and / or active ingredient content.

[0041] The problem is further solved by a method for operating a machine for the tobacco processing industry, wherein this method is further developed by comprising a distribution unit and a downstream arranged strand forming unit, wherein the distribution unit has a nozzle trough and a suction strand conveyor and conveys tobacco material or aerosol-forming material supplied to the distribution unit fluidically along a guide surface of the nozzle trough to the suction strand conveyor, provides a material stream with the suction strand conveyor and transfers it to the strand forming unit, wherein the strand forming unit forms a material strand for the tobacco processing industry from the material stream and encases it in a format unit with a wrapping material strip, wherein the machine comprises a supply device, a comminution device and a feed device.wherein the supply device provides a flat web of tobacco processing material and feeds it to the comminution device, the comminution device comminutes the flat web into a plurality of flat web parts and provides it to the feed device, and wherein the feed device conveys a stream of flat web parts to at least one addition point, the addition point being integrated into or adjacent to the nozzle trough, such that the stream of flat web parts is added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material fluidically guided along the guide surface of the nozzle trough.

[0042] The same or similar advantages and further training opportunities apply to the operating procedure of the machine in the tobacco processing industry as were previously mentioned with regard to the machine itself, so repetition will be omitted.

[0043] According to an advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the flow from flat web sections is fed at the addition point to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided in the nozzle trough in an area which has a predetermined dimension in a direction transverse to a transport direction of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided in the nozzle trough, wherein the addition point extends in particular in an area of ​​the nozzle trough or adjacent to the nozzle trough, at the beginning of which 10%, in particular 40%, and at the end of which 90%, in particular 60%, of a target height of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material, which is scooped up transversely in the transport direction on the suction line conveyor, is reached.

[0044] According to a further embodiment, the current from flat web sections is fed at the addition point to the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough in an area which has a predetermined further dimension in the direction of the transport direction of the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough, wherein this further predetermined dimension is in particular less than 15 mm, and furthermore in particular less than 10 mm.

[0045] Furthermore, it is specifically provided that the current from flat web sections is fed to the tobacco material guided in the nozzle trough at only a single addition point.

[0046] According to an advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the nozzle recess has at least one nozzle bar which provides a blowing air stream which at least supports the fluidic guidance of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material, wherein the addition point, viewed in the direction of a transport direction of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided in the nozzle recess, is arranged in front of the nozzle bar and the flat web parts are added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material in front of the nozzle recess.

[0047] According to another advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the nozzle recess has a sealing strip at a transition to a suction channel of the suction conveyor, wherein the addition point is integrated into the sealing strip and the flat web parts are added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material at the sealing strip.

[0048] The sealing strip guides the tobacco material smoothly from the nozzle recess into the suction channel. Specifically, the tobacco material flows smoothly from the guide surface to the inner side of the channel. As previously mentioned, "smooth" means a design in which there are no steps that could increase flow resistance.

[0049] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the suction conveyor has a suction channel, wherein the suction channel, viewed in the transport direction of the material flow, has a sudden widening of the cross-section and the flat web parts present in the suction channel are surrounded by the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material in a region of the suction channel downstream of the widening of the cross-section.

[0050] According to a further embodiment, the method can be further developed by the fact that the comminution device has a cutting unit with which a) the flat web is cut into longitudinal strips as flat web parts and / or b) the flat web is shredded into discrete small flat web parts as flat web parts, with the cutting unit in particular a) the flat web is split into longitudinal strips of different widths, and / or b) the flat web is split into elongated strips of a predetermined length and width as flat web small parts, in particular into elongated strips of different widths and / or different lengths.

[0051] According to a further embodiment, the method is further developed in that the comminution device is arranged such that the flat web parts exit from an effective area in which the flat web is comminuted at least approximately in the direction of gravity, wherein a collecting funnel for receiving the flat web parts is provided below the effective area and the flat web parts enter the collecting funnel from the effective area, wherein in particular an ejector is provided at an inlet of the collecting funnel with which the flat web parts are transported into the collecting funnel and at least partially transported in the direction of the addition point.

[0052] The aforementioned method for operating a machine in the tobacco processing industry relates to the operation of a single-strand machine. According to a further embodiment, a method for operating a double-strand machine is described. Accordingly, the method is further developed in that the machine is a double-strand machine, wherein the distributor unit has a split nozzle trough, comprising a first partial nozzle trough and a second partial nozzle trough, and conveys the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material fluidically along a first guide surface of the first partial nozzle trough to a first suction conveyor and fluidically along a second guide surface of the second partial nozzle trough to a second suction conveyor, providing a first material stream with the first suction conveyor and a second material stream with the second suction conveyor, and transferring each to the strand forming unit.wherein the strand forming unit forms a first material strand from the first material stream and a second material strand from the second material stream for the tobacco processing industry and wraps each with a wrapping material strip in the formatting unit, wherein the supply device supplies the one flat web of the tobacco processing industry and separates it into a first partial flat web and a second partial flat web and feeds the separated partial flat webs to the comminution device, and wherein the comminution device comminutes the first partial flat web into a first fraction of flat web parts and comminutes the second partial flat web into a second fraction of flat web parts, wherein the feed device conveys the stream of flat web parts of the first fraction to at least a first feed point and conveys the stream of flat web parts of the second fraction to at least a second feed point,wherein the first addition point is integrated into or adjacent to the first partial nozzle trough and the second addition point is integrated into or adjacent to the second partial nozzle trough, such that the stream from flat web parts of the first fraction is added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided fluidically along the first guide surface of the first partial nozzle trough, and the stream from flat web parts of the second fraction is added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material guided fluidically along the second guide surface of the second partial nozzle trough.

[0053] This method for operating the twin-strand machine can be further developed in particular by the fact that the supply device has a position control device that changes the width of the first and second part of the flat web, so that a quantity ratio between the first fraction of flat web parts and the second fraction of flat web parts is set.

[0054] In the context of this description, a material stream of the tobacco processing industry is a stream consisting of tobacco material and / or aerosol-generating material and flat web components. The same applies to a strand of the tobacco processing industry.

[0055] The problem is further solved by a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, which is manufactured according to a method according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments.

[0056] The problem is also solved by a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry with at least one segment comprising tobacco material or aerosol-forming material and surrounded by a covering material, characterized in that the segment comprises tobacco material or aerosol-forming material and flat web sections made from a flat web of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the flat web sections, viewed in a cross-section of the segment, are arranged in a central area surrounded by a peripheral area in which the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material is arranged, wherein the central area does not extend to the covering material, wherein in particular the flat web sections (206) are made from a tobacco material and are provided with a humectant, wherein furthermore in particular the flat web sections (206) are provided with propylene glycol and / or glycerin and furthermore in particular the humectant,Propylene glycol and / or glycerin constitute a mass greater than 10%, 20% or 30% of the total mass.

[0057] In particular, the central area always maintains a specified minimum distance from the surrounding material. The outer area, therefore, always completely surrounds the central area when viewed in cross-section as part of the segment of the rod-shaped article. Furthermore, the outer area always has a minimum thickness, which is, for example, greater than 1 mm.

[0058] Further features of the invention will become apparent from the description of embodiments according to the invention, together with the claims and the accompanying drawings. Embodiments according to the invention may fulfill individual features or a combination of several features.

[0059] The invention is described below, without limiting the general concept of the invention, with reference to exemplary embodiments and the drawings, whereby for all details of the invention not explained in detail in the text, explicit reference is made to the drawings. The drawings show: Fig. 1 a PROTOS-type cigarette machine as an exemplary machine of the tobacco processing industry, Fig. 2 a sectional drawing through a distribution unit of a machine of the tobacco processing industry, Fig. 3 a simplified perspective view of a detail of the distribution unit in the area of ​​a dispensing roller and beater roller as well as the adjoining channel, Fig. 4 a simplified perspective view of a detail of the distribution unit in the area of ​​the nozzle trough, Fig. 5 another simplified perspective view of a detail of the distribution unit in the area of ​​the nozzle trough, Fig. 6 a simplified partially cutaway side view of a detail of the distribution unit in the area of ​​a sealing strip at the transition between the nozzle trough and a suction conveyor, Fig.7a simplified perspective view of a suction conveyor for a twin-strand machine and the adjoining nozzle trough of a distributor unit, wherein the suction conveyor has stepped suction channels, Fig. 8a) a schematically simplified sectional view through a suction channel along section AA in . Fig. 7 , before the gradation, and Fig. 8b) a schematically simplified sectional view through the suction channel along the in Fig. 7 Section BB shown, after the gradation, Fig. 9 a further schematically simplified sectional view through the suction channel of a suction strand conveyor, Fig. 10 a further schematically simplified sectional view through a strand forming unit, Fig. 11 a further schematically simplified sectional view through a strand forming unit in the area of ​​the seam closure, Fig. 12 a schematic representation of a supply device, the comminution device and a feed device for flat web parts, Fig. 13 a rod-shaped article in a schematic longitudinal section and Fig. 14 a rod-shaped article in a schematic cross-section.

[0060] Within the scope of the invention, features marked with "in particular" or "preferably" are to be understood as optional features.

[0061] In the drawings, identical or similar elements and / or parts are provided with the same reference numbers, so that a re-presentation is omitted.

[0062] Fig. 1 Figure 100, a simplified representation of the PROTOS cigarette machine from Hauni Maschinenbau, is shown as an example of machine 100 in the tobacco processing industry. Machine 100 comprises a distribution unit 102 and a strand forming unit 104. From a feeder 1, a pre-distributor 2 is fed with tobacco material, for example, cut tobacco or tobacco fibers. It is further provided that the pre-distributor 2 is fed with an aerosol-forming material, for example, reconstituted tobacco material containing an aerosol-forming substance. For the sake of readability, the following description will refer only to tobacco material. However, this always implies that aerosol-forming material or a mixture of tobacco material and aerosol-forming material can also be used.A discharge roller 3 of the pre-distributor 2 feeds the tobacco material, which is supplied to the distribution unit 102, to a storage container 4. From the storage container 4, the tobacco material is removed by means of a steep conveyor 5 and fed to a damming chute 6.

[0063] From the storage chute 6, a removal roller 7, which is designed, for example, as a pin roller, extracts the tobacco material. This material is then knocked out of the removal roller, for example, from the pins of the pin roller, by a knockout roller 8 and flung onto a fluttering cloth 9 rotating at a constant speed. A tobacco fleece formed on the fluttering cloth 9 is fed to a classifying device 11. The classifying device 11 is described in detail in connection with Fig. 2 described. It provides an air curtain through which larger and heavier portions of the tobacco material pass, while the remaining components of the tobacco material are directed by the air into a nozzle trough 13.

[0064] The tobacco material is guided fluidically along a guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 and thus reaches a suction conveyor 17. This fluidic guidance is achieved, for example, with compressed air. The tobacco material is guided along the guide surface 15 together with an airflow and behaves similarly to a liquid. In the suction conveyor 17, a suction belt 18 runs as an endless loop in a suction channel bounded by lateral suction channel walls. On the side of the suction belt 18 facing away from the tobacco material, there is a vacuum chamber. The suction belt 18 is permeable to air, so the generated vacuum causes the tobacco material to be drawn up against the suction belt 18. In this way, a material flow 16 of tobacco material can be provided.A trimmer 19 removes excess tobacco material from the tobacco stream 16, so that a tobacco stream of a defined quantity is transferred from the distribution unit 102 to the strand forming unit 104. This is done by placing the tobacco stream 16 downstream onto a synchronously guided strip of wrapping material 21.

[0065] Thus, at the inlet of the strand forming unit 104, a shriveled and trimmed tobacco stream 16 is present, which then passes through the strand forming process in a format unit 26 of the strand forming unit 104 and is enclosed by the wrapping material strip 21. This leaves the strand forming unit 104 as a wrapped material strand 28.

[0066] The wrapping material strip 21 is unwound from a reel 22, guided through a printing unit 23, and placed onto the driven formatting belt 24 of the formatting unit 26. The formatting belt 24 transports the wrapping material strip 21 together with the material stream 16 through the formatting unit 26. In a formatting channel, which has an upper and a lower format, the wrapping material strip 21 is folded around the material stream 16, and the wrapped material strand 28 for the tobacco processing industry is formed from the material stream 16. The wrapping material strip 21 is folded around the tobacco strand in such a way that an edge 25 protrudes, which is glued by a gluing apparatus (not shown) in a manner known per se. Subsequently, the glue or adhesive seam is closed and dried in a seam plate 27.

[0067] The coated material strand 28 produced in this way for the tobacco processing industry then passes through an optional strand density measuring device 29, which controls the trimmer 19. This makes it possible to process a material stream 16 with a defined density and mass into the material strand 28 at all times during strand forming. The material strand 28 is then fed to a cutting device 31 and cut, for example, into single or double-length rod-shaped segments. The rod-shaped segments are fed by the controlled arms 33 of the transfer device 34 to a receiving drum 36. From the receiving drum 36, the rod-shaped articles proceed to further processing. They can, for example, be combined with other segments to form a rod-shaped article.For example, the rod-shaped segments are fed to a filter forming machine 37 and cut from their original double length to a single length on its cutting drum 38. The rod-shaped articles or segments, or a combination of one or more segments, can then be fed to further processing steps.

[0068] Fig. 2 shows a simplified representation of a cross-section through the distribution unit 102 of the Fig. 1 well-known machine 100 of the tobacco processing industry. As already mentioned in connection with Fig. 1 As explained, the tobacco material 50 is fed into the distribution unit via the hopper 6. The tobacco material 50 is taken from the hopper 6 by the discharge roller 3. The discharge roller 8 knocks the tobacco material 50 out of the discharge roller 3 and transfers it into a shower 52 of tobacco material 50. The shower 52 comprises light tobacco fibers 54 and heavy tobacco fibers 56, such as ribs. While the light tobacco fibers 54 are schematically represented as lines, the heavy tobacco fibers 56 are shown as small filled circles. The tobacco material can also be aerosol-forming material. Both are to be designated by the reference numeral 50. Accordingly, the tobacco fibers 54 and 56 can also be small pieces of aerosol-forming material.The light tobacco fibers 54 can therefore be light small parts 54 made of aerosol-forming material and the heavy tobacco fibers 56 can be heavier small parts 56 made of aerosol-forming material.

[0069] The tobacco shower 52 is fed via a funnel-shaped feed chute 58 to a deflection zone 60, where a blast air nozzle 62a generates a classifying air stream perpendicular to the conveying direction of the tobacco shower 52. This classifying air stream separates the lighter tobacco fibers 54 from the heavier tobacco fibers 56 and conveys them transversely in the direction of the arrow shown. Some of the lighter tobacco fibers 54 sink downwards along with the heavier tobacco fibers 56 due to the classifying air stream and enter a rotary valve 64. This valve conveys the tobacco material 50 further into a classifying chute 66, where the heavier tobacco fibers 56 sink further downwards and are discharged, while the lighter tobacco fibers 54 rise upwards due to the injector effect of a blast air jet present in the classifying chute 66. A further blast air nozzle 62b is provided to generate this blast air jet.Supported by the airflow generated in the viewing shaft 66 by the blowing air nozzle 62b, the light tobacco fibers 54, as shown by an arrow, move towards the nozzle trough 13.

[0070] In the nozzle recess 13, together with the light tobacco fibers 54 transported by the classifying air stream, and with the support of the air stream generated by the further blowing air nozzle 62c, they form a thin fleece 68 or a thin carpet of tobacco fibers. This fleece 68 is conveyed fluidically along the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 in the direction of the suction conveyor 17.

[0071] In the representation of Fig. 2 For illustrative purposes, the fleece 68 made of lightweight tobacco fibers 54 is depicted as exaggeratedly thick and loose. In reality, it is a thin fleece 68 made of tobacco fibers, which follows the blowing airflow closely along the guide surface 15, forming a wall flow. To support and fluidically convey the tobacco fleece 68 along the guide surface 15, one or more nozzle bars 70 are provided. These each generate an airflow that assists the transport of the fleece 68. The nozzle bars 70 thus support the airflow present along the guide surface 15 and transporting the tobacco fibers. The nozzle bars 70 extend in one direction at least approximately parallel to the suction belt 18. They are perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Fig. 2 longitudinally extended. The nozzle bar 70 shown is fed via a pressure chamber 72 and supplied with compressed air via a supply line 74, originating from a compressed air source.

[0072] The nozzle recess 13 can be designed to pivot about the axis 76, possibly only in sections or areas, to allow better accessibility in the case of service or maintenance work.

[0073] The tobacco fleece 68 reaches the suction conveyor 17 without any steps. In this context, "steps" refers only to protruding steps that are capable of increasing flow resistance. Steps that do not increase flow resistance are considered a step-free transition. The nozzle recess 13 includes a sealing strip 78 in the transition area to the suction conveyor 17, which provides the step-free transition. The sealing strip 78 provides a seamless transition between the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 and an inner side of the channel wall 80 of the suction conveyor 17. The channel walls 80 laterally delimit the suction channel in which the suction belt 18 circulates.

[0074] The tobacco material passes through this seamless and smooth transition to the suction belt 18 circulating in the suction conveyor 17. On the rear side of the suction belt 18 is the vacuum chamber 81, which is connected to a suitable vacuum source via a vacuum line 82. The vacuum generated on the rear side provides a suction airflow to the front side of the suction belt 18. This causes the tobacco material to be scooped up onto the suction belt 18 in the form of a tobacco stream 16. The tobacco stream 16, scooped up onto the suction belt 18 in this way, is trimmed to the desired height downstream by the trimmer 19 and fed further downstream to the strand forming unit 104.

[0075] The nozzle recess 13 comprises at least one addition point 200, at which a stream of flat web sections is added to the tobacco material 50, which is guided fluidically along the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13. The position of the addition point 200 is in Fig. 2 schematically indicated by an arrow. The addition point 200 can be located at the position additionally designated with reference numeral 200a or at the position additionally designated with reference numeral 200b. According to a further embodiment, two addition points 200 are provided by way of example: a first at the position designated with reference numeral 200a and a second at the position additionally designated with reference numeral 200b.

[0076] The flat web sections are transported to the feed point 200 by a supply device, a shredding device, and a feeding device. Details of these units will be explained later.

[0077] The flat web sections enter the fluidically guided nonwoven fabric 68 made of tobacco material 50 through a discharge opening at the addition point 200. This discharge opening is spatially limited in a direction transverse to a transport direction T of the tobacco material 50 guided in the nozzle trough 13. The direction in which the discharge opening of the addition point 200 is spatially limited lies perpendicular to the plane of the drawing in the figure. Fig. 2 The transport direction T of the tobacco material 50 is indicated by an arrow. Due to the spatial limitation in the direction of movement of the suction belt of the discharge opening, the tobacco material is also added to the nonwoven fabric 68 made of tobacco material 50, which strictly speaking consists of the light tobacco fibers 54, within a spatially limited area. In this way, the flat web sections can be arranged in a targeted manner in the material stream 16 that is applied to the suction belt 18, for example, approximately in the middle of the material stream 16.

[0078] For this purpose, the discharge opening has defined dimensions. The addition point, designed as a discharge opening, extends, for example, in a region of the nozzle trough or adjacent to it, such that at its beginning, 10% or, for example, 40%, and at its end, 90% or, for example, 60% of the target height of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material, which is spread transversely on the suction conveyor in the direction of transport, is reached. Further details of this design are described earlier in the text.

[0079] The nozzle recess 13 has, by way of example, a single nozzle bar 70. According to further embodiments not shown, the nozzle recess 13 can have more than one nozzle bar 70. The nozzle bar 70 provides a blowing air stream that at least supports the fluidic guidance of the tobacco material 50 along the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13.

[0080] The addition point 200, in the illustrated embodiment the addition point which is additionally designated by reference numeral 200a, is located, viewed in the transport direction T of the tobacco material 50 guided in the nozzle recess 13, in front of the nozzle bar 70.

[0081] The nozzle recess 13 has a sealing strip 78 at a transition between the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 and the suction conveyor 17. The sealing strip 78 extends the guide surface 15, thus providing a step-free transition between the guide surface 15 and an inner side of the channel wall 80. According to a further embodiment, the feed point 200 is integrated into the sealing strip 78. This is also indicated by an arrow. This is the feed point additionally designated 200b.

[0082] Fig. 3 Figure 1 shows a simplified perspective view of a detail of the distribution unit 102. A discharge roller 7 and a discharge roller 8 are shown, which transfer tobacco material 50, fed via a chute (not shown), into a nozzle trough 13. The tobacco material 50 is not inspected, contrary to the illustration in Figure 2. Fig. 2 In this embodiment, the following is omitted. Flat web sections are fed into the shower 52 of tobacco material 50 provided by the discharge roller 7 and the discharge roller 8 at the feed points 200. The feed points 200 are located at the beginning of the nozzle trough 13.

[0083] Two example addition positions of 200 are provided, which are additionally labeled 200x and 200y. In the case of the Fig. 3 The nozzle trough 13 shown is an example of a two-part nozzle trough 13, comprising a first partial nozzle trough 13x and a second partial nozzle trough 13y. The nozzle trough 13 belongs to a twin-strand machine. The tobacco material 50 is conveyed fluidically along a first guide surface 15x of the first partial nozzle trough 13x to a first suction conveyor 17x. Additionally, tobacco material 50 is conveyed fluidically along a second guide surface 15y of the second partial nozzle trough 13y to a second suction conveyor 17y. The first suction conveyor 17x provides a first material stream 16, and the second suction conveyor 17y provides a second material stream 16, which are then transferred to the respective strand forming units 104.

[0084] Fig. 4 This shows another perspective view of a detail of a distributor unit 102 in the area of ​​the nozzle recess 13. As already mentioned in connection with Fig. 3 As explained, a shower 52 is produced from tobacco material 50. The addition points 200 are located further downstream, integrated into the nozzle recess 13, but in front of a first nozzle bar 70. In the Fig. 3 In the illustrated embodiment, the nozzle trough 13 has a further nozzle bar 70, the first nozzle bar also being designated by reference numeral 70a and the second nozzle bar also by reference numeral 70b. The addition points 200 are arranged upstream of the first nozzle bar 70a, viewed in the transport direction T of the tobacco material 50 guided fluidically in the nozzle trough 13. This is again a split nozzle trough 13, which is part of a two-strand machine, and with which the tobacco material 50 guided in the nozzle trough 13 is fed to a first and a second suction strand conveyor 17x, 17y (see also Fig. 7 ).

[0085] Fig. 5 This shows another perspective view of a detail of the distributor unit 102 in the area of ​​the nozzle recess 13, in a simplified representation. Already in connection with Fig. 4 Components already explained and bearing the same reference numbers should not be explained again. This deviates from the above. Fig. 4 In the illustrated embodiment, the addition points 200, 200x, 200y are located in a sealing strip 78 of the nozzle recess 13, so that the flat web sections are located directly near the suction belt, which is in Fig. 5 which is not visible, can be added to the material flow that has been scooped up onto this suction belt. Also, the in Fig. 5 The nozzle trough 13 shown is an example of a two-part nozzle trough 13 of a two-strand machine.

[0086] Fig. 6 shows a simplified sectional view of a detail of such a distribution unit 102 in the area of ​​the sealing strip 78. Likewise, the Fig. 3 bis 5 This detail also shows a two-strand machine. The sealing strip 78 provides a seamless transition between the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 and an inner side of the channel walls 80. This applies to both partial nozzle recesses 13x, 13y, the associated guide surfaces 15x, 15y, and the inner sides of the channel walls 80 of the two suction line conveyors 17x, 17y.

[0087] A feed channel 204 is integrated into the sealing strip 78 (shown as an example for the sealing strip 78 of the first partial nozzle trough 13x), through which the flat web sections 206 are added to the tobacco material 50 (not shown) guided along the guide surface 15x of the nozzle trough 13x. The feed channel 204 opens at the discharge opening 208. In this way, the flat web sections 206 are fed to the material flow scooped onto the suction belt in a very defined manner.

[0088] Fig. 7 Figure 1 shows a simplified perspective view of a suction strand conveyor 17, as used, for example, in a twin-strand machine. Below this is the nozzle trough 13, which is, for example, a split nozzle trough, as found in one of the Fig. 3 bis 5 As shown by the arrows, the tobacco material is guided in the transport direction T along the guide surface 15 of the nozzle recess 13 to the respective suction channels of the suction conveyors 17x, 17y.

[0089] Fig. 8a Figure 1 shows a schematically simplified sectional view through the suction channel 202 of the suction conveyor 17x, 17y. The suction belt 18 runs inside the suction channel 202 between the channel walls 80. Tobacco material 50 is first applied to one upper surface of the suction belt 18, followed by the application of flat web sections 206. The suction channel 202 widens abruptly between the position along the section line AA shown and the section line BB shown. For example, the clear width between the inner surfaces of the channel walls 80 increases from a first value B1 to a larger second value B2.

[0090] This is in the Fig. 8b ) shown in the further schematically simplified sectional view through the suction duct 202, along the in Fig. 7 The section line BB is visible.

[0091] The preferably abrupt widening (other transition forms are possible) results in a gap forming shortly after the abrupt widening between the scooped-up flat web sections 206 and the inside of the channel walls 80. Tobacco material 50 can be introduced or scooped into this gap so that the flat web sections 206 are surrounded or scooped around by the tobacco material 50. In the material stream 16 scooped onto the suction belt 18, the flat web sections 206 are surrounded on all sides by tobacco material 50. The material stream 16 is further reduced downstream by means of the trimmer 19 (see Figure 1). Fig. 7 ) trimmed to a desired height. This is in Fig. 8b ) indirectly represented. The outlined part of the material flow 16 is the excess 210 to be trimmed off by means of the trimmer 19.

[0092] Fig. 9 Figure 1 shows a further schematically simplified cross-sectional view through the suction channel 202 of a suction strand conveyor 17. The material stream 16, comprising tobacco material 50 and flat web sections 206 suspended on the suction belt 18, is located in the suction channel 202. The area where flat web sections 206 are predominantly present is indicated by a dashed line. This area maintains a distance from the boundaries of the material stream 16. This prevents the flat web sections 206 from coming into contact with a coating material 21 during the subsequent strand forming process.

[0093] Fig. 10 Figure 1 shows another schematically simplified sectional view, in this case through the strand forming unit 104. A format belt 24 is guided in a sub-format 212, on which a wrapping material strip 21 rests. A strand of material is formed from the material stream 16 with the help of the sub-format 212 and a suitable upper format 214.

[0094] Fig. 11 Figure 1 shows another cross-sectional view through the strand forming unit 104 in the area of ​​its format channel in the seam closure area. Meanwhile, between the lower format 212 and the upper format 214, there is a wrapped material strand 28, in the central area of ​​which, which is surrounded by a dashed line, predominantly flat web sections 206 are present. The flat web sections 206 are surrounded in all directions by tobacco material and do not come into contact with the surrounding wrapping material strip 21. This is subsequently closed at the edge 25. Due to the central arrangement of the flat web sections 206, it is partially prevented that flat web sections 206 enter the seam closure.

[0095] Fig. 12 Figure 1 shows a schematically simplified representation of a supply device 216 for providing a flat web 218 for the tobacco processing industry. The flat web 218 is supplied, for example, on a reel 220. The supply device 216 can have a reel-changing device 224 so that the flat web 218 can be supplied continuously. The flat web 218 is, for example, a web made of reconstituted tobacco material. Furthermore, the flat web 218 is treated, for example, with an aerosol-forming substance or an aroma or ingredient. The flat web 218 can also be a web made of a gel material that is provided with an aerosol-forming substance. From the supply device 216, it reaches the shredding device 226. The shredding device 226 comprises, for example, a pair of cutting rollers 228 with which the flat web 218 is shredded into flat web segments 206.The flat web sections 206 enter a collection hopper 230, which is located below the shredding device 226. The flat web sections 206 emerge from an operating area of ​​the shredding device 226, for example, an area in which the cutting rollers of the cutting roller pair 228 interlock, and enter the collection hopper 230 under the influence of gravity.

[0096] An ejector 232 is provided at the inlet of the collecting hopper 230, which transports the flat web sections 206 into the collecting hopper 230. The ejector 232 also transports at least part of the flat web sections 206 towards the feed point 200. For this purpose, the flat web sections 206 are guided, for example pneumatically, in a feed device 234, which is schematically represented by a pipe.

[0097] The shredding device 226 is, for example, a cutting unit comprising the pair of cutting rollers 228. By selecting suitable cutting rollers, the shredding device 226 is configured, for example, to cut the flat web 218 into longitudinal strips. Alternatively or additionally, the shredding device 226 is designed and configured to shred the flat web 218 into discrete flat web segments. Both the longitudinal strips and the tobacco fragments are to be referred to as flat web segments 206. The pair of cutting rollers can be designed and configured to produce either longitudinal strips or discrete tobacco fragments, or both longitudinal strips and tobacco fragments from the flat web 218. Furthermore, the shredding device 226 can, again by selecting a suitable pair of cutting rollers 228, be designed and configured to cut the flat web 218 into longitudinal strips of different widths.Alternatively or additionally, the shredding device 226 can cut the flat web 218 into elongated strips of a predetermined length and width as tobacco particles. Again, the length and width of these tobacco particles can be varied and adjusted by selecting the appropriate cutting rollers.

[0098] Fig. 13 Figure 236 shows a rod-shaped article 236 for the tobacco processing industry, comprising several segments. For example, the rod-shaped article 236 includes a filter segment 235 at each of its two ends. Furthermore, the rod-shaped article 236 includes a spacer segment 237 and a segment 238, which contains tobacco material 50. Flat web sections 206 are also present in a central area 240 of this segment 238. The central area 240 need not consist exclusively of flat web sections 206; tobacco material 50 may also be present in the central area 240. Viewed in cross-section, the central area 240 is surrounded, in the direction of the rod-shaped article 236's outer surface, by a boundary area 242, which consists almost exclusively of tobacco material 50. This prevents contact between the flat web sections 206 and the wrapping material strip 21 of the rod-shaped article 236.

[0099] Fig. 14 shows a schematic cross-section along the in Fig. 13 The section line is labelled XIV-XIV. The central area 240 does not extend to the encapsulation material 21. It is surrounded by a boundary area 342 and, as indicated by the dashed line, always maintains a minimum distance 244 from the encapsulation material 21.

[0100] All features mentioned, including those discernible from the drawings alone as well as individual features disclosed in combination with other features, are considered essential to the invention, both individually and in combination. Inventive embodiments may be fulfilled by individual features or by a combination of several features. Bezugszeichenliste

[0101] 1 Lock 2 Pre-distributor 3 Discharge roller 4 Storage hopper 5 Steep conveyor 6 Exchange chute 7 Discharge roller 8 Discharge roller 9 Scattering cloth 11 Classifying device 13 Nozzle trough 15 Guide surface 16 Material flow 17 Strand conveyor 18 Suction belt 19 Trimmer 21 Wrapping material strip 22 Bobbin 23 Printing unit 24 Formatting belt 25 Edge 26 Formatting unit 27 Seam plate 28 Wrapped material strand 29 Strand density measuring device 31 Knife assembly 33 Arms 34 Transfer device 36 Receive drum 37 Filter setting machine 38 Cutting drum 50 Tobacco material or aerosol-forming material 52 Shower 54 Light tobacco fibers 56 Heavy tobacco fibers 58 Feed chute 60 Deflection zone 62a, 62b, 62c Blown air nozzles 64 Rotary valve 66 Inspection shaft 68 Fleece 70 Nozzle bar 70 First nozzle bar 72 Pressure chamber 74 Supply line 76 Axle 78 Sealing strip 80 Channel side 81 Vacuum chamber 82 Vacuum line 100 Machine of the tobacco processing industry 102 Distribution unit 104 Strand forming unit 200, 200a, 200b, 200x,200y Feed point 202 Suction channel 204 Feed channel 206 Flat web sections 208 Discharge opening 210 Excess 212 Undersized 214 Oversized 216 Preparing device 218 Flat web 220 Reel 224 Reel changing device 226 Shredding device 228 Cutting roller pair 230 Hopper 232 Ejector 234 Feed device 235 Filter segment 236 Rod-shaped article 237 Spacer segment 238 Segment 240 Central area 242 Edge area 244 Minimum distance TTransport direction B1, B2 clear width

Claims

1. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit (102) and a downstream strand forming unit (104), wherein the distribution unit (102) has a nozzle trough (13) and a suction strand conveyor (17) and is designed and configured to convey tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) to the distribution unit (102) fluidically along a guide surface (15) of the nozzle trough (13) to the suction strand conveyor (17), to provide a material flow with the suction strand conveyor (17) and to transfer it to the strand forming unit (104), wherein the strand forming unit (104) is designed and configured to form a material strand for the tobacco processing industry from the material flow and to encase it in a format unit (26) with a wrapping material strip (21), further comprising a supply device (216), a comminution device (226) and a feed device (234),wherein the supply device (216) is configured and equipped to supply a flat web (218) of the tobacco processing industry and to feed it to the comminution device (226), the comminution device (226) is configured and equipped to comminute the flat web (218) into a plurality of flat web parts (206) and to supply them to the feed device (234), and wherein the feed device (234) is configured and equipped to convey a stream of flat web parts (206) to at least one addition point (200), the addition point (200) being integrated into or adjacent to the nozzle trough (13) so that the stream of flat web parts (206) can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the guide surface (15) of the nozzle trough (13).

2. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to claim 1, characterized by the fact thatthe addition point (200) has a discharge opening through which the stream from flat web sections (206) can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle trough (13), wherein the discharge opening has a predetermined dimension in a direction transverse to a transport direction (T) of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle trough (13), wherein the addition point (200) extends in particular in a region of the nozzle trough (13) or adjacent to the nozzle trough (13), at the beginning of which 10%, in particular 40%, and at the end of which 90%, in particular 60%, of a target height of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) that is scooped out transversely in the transport direction (T) on the suction line conveyor (17) is reached.

3. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the fact thatthe nozzle recess (13) a) has at least one nozzle strip (70) which is designed and configured to provide a blowing air stream which at least supports the fluidic guidance of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50), wherein the addition point (200), viewed in the transport direction (T) of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle recess (13), is arranged upstream of the nozzle strip (70), and / or b) has a sealing strip (78) at a transition to a suction channel (202) of the suction conveyor (17), wherein the addition point (200) is integrated into the sealing strip (78).

4. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatthe suction conveyor (17) has a suction channel (202), wherein the suction channel (202), viewed in the transport direction of the material flow (16), has a sudden widening of the cross-section, wherein the sudden widening of the cross-section in particular increases the width of the suction channel (202) by 10% to 80%.

5. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatThe comminution device (226) comprises a cutting unit which is designed and configured to a) cut the flat web (218) into longitudinal strips as flat web parts (206) and / or b) comminute the flat web (218) into discrete flat web small parts as flat web parts (206), wherein the cutting unit is in particular designed and configured to a) cut the flat web (218) into longitudinal strips of different widths, and / or b) cut the flat web (218) into elongated strips of a predetermined length and a predetermined width as flat web small parts, in particular into elongated strips of different widths and / or different lengths.

6. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatThe comminution device (226) is designed and arranged such that the flat web parts (206) exit from an operating area in which the flat web (218) can be comminutated at least approximately in the direction of gravity, wherein a collection hopper (230) for receiving the flat web parts (206) is provided below the operating area, wherein in particular an ejector (232) is provided at an inlet of the collection hopper (230), which is designed and equipped to effect a transport of the flat web parts (206) into the collection hopper (230) and at least partially to effect a transport in the direction of the addition point (200).

7. Machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry according to one of the preceding claims, characterized by the fact thatThe machine (100) is a double-strand machine, wherein the distributor unit (102) has a split nozzle trough (13) comprising a first partial nozzle trough (13x) and a second partial nozzle trough (13y), and is designed and configured to convey the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) fluidically along a first guide surface (15x) of the first partial nozzle trough (13x) to a first suction strand conveyor (17x) and fluidically along a second guide surface (15y) of the second partial nozzle trough (13y) to a second suction strand conveyor (17y), and to provide a first material stream (16) with the first suction strand conveyor (17x) and a second material stream (16) with the second suction strand conveyor (17y), and to transfer each to the strand forming unit (104), wherein the strand forming unit (104) is designed and configured toto form a first material strand from the first material stream (16) and a second material strand from the second material stream (16) for the tobacco processing industry and to wrap each strand with a wrapping material strip (21) in the format unit (26), wherein the supply device (216) is designed and configured to supply the flat web (218) for the tobacco processing industry and to separate it into a first partial flat web and a second partial flat web and to feed the separated partial flat webs to the comminution device (226), and wherein the comminution device (226) is designed and configured to comminute the first partial flat web into a first fraction of flat web parts (206) and the second partial flat web into a second fraction of flat web parts (206), wherein the feed device (234) is designed and configured toto convey the stream from flat web sections (206) of the first fraction to at least a first addition point (200) and to convey the stream from flat web sections (206) of the second fraction to at least a second addition point (200), wherein the first addition point (200) is integrated into or adjacent to the first partial nozzle trough (13) and the second addition point (200) is integrated into or adjacent to the second partial nozzle trough (13), such that the stream from flat web sections (206) of the first fraction can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the first guide surface (15) of the first partial nozzle trough (13) and the stream from flat web sections (206) of the second fraction can be added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the second guide surface (15) of the second partial nozzle trough (13),furthermore, in particular the supply device (216) has a position control device which is designed and configured to change the width of the first and second partial flat web so that a quantity ratio between the first fraction of flat web parts (206) and the second fraction of flat web parts (206) can be set.

8. Method for operating a machine (100) for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit (102) and a downstream strand forming unit (104), wherein the distribution unit (102) has a nozzle trough (13) and a suction strand conveyor (17) and conveys tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) supplied to the distribution unit (102) fluidically along a guide surface (15) of the nozzle trough (13) to the suction strand conveyor (17), provides a material stream with the suction strand conveyor (17) and transfers it to the strand forming unit (104), wherein the strand forming unit (104) forms a material strand for the tobacco processing industry from the material stream and encases it in a format unit (26) with a wrapping material strip (21), wherein the machine (100) comprises a supply device (216), a comminution device (226) and a feed device (234) shows,wherein the supply device (216) provides a flat web (218) from the tobacco processing industry and feeds it to the comminution device (226), the comminution device (226) commins the flat web (218) into a plurality of flat web parts (206) and provides it to the feed device (234), and wherein the feed device (234) conveys a stream of flat web parts (206) to at least one addition point (200), the addition point (200) being integrated into or adjacent to the nozzle trough (13), so that the stream of flat web parts (206) is added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the guide surface (15) of the nozzle trough (13), and furthermore, in particular, the stream of flat web parts (206) is added at the addition point (200) to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle trough (13). is supplied to an areathe addition point (200) has a predetermined dimension in a direction transverse to a transport direction (T) of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle trough (13), wherein the addition point (200) extends in particular in a region of the nozzle trough (13) or adjacent to the nozzle trough (13), at the beginning of which 10%, in particular 40%, and at the end of which 90%, in particular 60%, of a target height of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) that is sprayed transversely in the transport direction (T) onto the suction conveyor (17) is reached.

9. Method according to claim 8, characterized by the fact thatthe nozzle trough (13) a) has at least one nozzle bar (70) which provides a blowing air stream which at least supports the fluidic guidance of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50), wherein the addition point (200), viewed in the direction of a transport direction (T) of the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided in the nozzle trough (13), is arranged upstream of the nozzle bar (70) and the flat web sections (206) are added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) upstream of the nozzle bar (70), and / or b) has a sealing strip (78) at a transition to a suction channel (202) of the suction conveyor (17), wherein the addition point (200) is integrated into the sealing strip (78) and the flat web sections (206) are added to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) in the area of ​​the sealing strip (78).

10. Method according to claim 8 or 9, characterized by the fact thatThe suction conveyor (17) has a suction channel (202), wherein the suction channel (202), viewed in the transport direction of the material flow (16), has a sudden widening of the cross-section and the flat web parts (206) present in the suction channel (202) are scooped around by the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) in a region of the suction channel (202) downstream of the widening of the cross-section, wherein the sudden widening of the cross-section in particular increases a width of the suction channel (202) by 10% to 80%.

11. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, characterized by the fact thatthe comminution device (226) comprises a cutting unit with which a) the flat web (218) is cut into longitudinal strips as flat web parts (206) and / or b) the flat web (218) is comminuted into discrete flat web small parts as flat web parts (206), wherein the cutting unit in particular a) the flat web (218) is cut into longitudinal strips of different widths, and / or b) the flat web (218) is cut into elongated strips of a predetermined length and a predetermined width as flat web small parts, in particular into elongated strips of different widths and / or different lengths.

12. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 11, characterized by the fact thatThe comminution device (226) is arranged such that the flat web parts (206) exit from an operating area in which the flat web (218) is comminuted, at least approximately in the direction of gravity, wherein a collection hopper (230) for receiving the flat web parts (206) is provided below the operating area and the flat web parts (206) enter the collection hopper (230) from the operating area, wherein in particular an ejector (232) is provided at an inlet of the collection hopper (230) with which the flat web parts (206) are transported into the collection hopper (230) and at least partially transported in the direction of the addition point (200).

13. Method according to any one of claims 8 to 12, characterized by the fact thatthe machine (100) is a double-strand machine, wherein the distributor unit (102) has a split nozzle trough (13) which has a first partial nozzle trough (13) and a second partial nozzle trough (13) and conveys the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) fluidically along a first guide surface (15) of the first partial nozzle trough (13) to a first suction strand conveyor (17) and fluidically along a second guide surface (15) of the second partial nozzle trough (13) to a second suction strand conveyor (17) and provides a first material stream with the first suction strand conveyor (17) and a second material stream with the second suction strand conveyor (17) and transfers each to the strand forming unit (104),wherein the strand forming unit (104) forms a first material strand from the first material stream and a second material strand from the second material stream for the tobacco processing industry and wraps each with a wrapping material strip (21) in the formatting unit (26), wherein the supply device (216) supplies the flat web (218) for the tobacco processing industry and separates it into a first partial flat web (218) and a second partial flat web (218) and feeds the separated partial flat webs (218) to the comminution device (226), and wherein the comminution device (226) commins the first partial flat web (218) into a first fraction of flat web parts (206) and commins the second partial flat web (218) into a second fraction of flat web parts (206),wherein the feed device (234) conveys the flow from flat web sections (206) of the first fraction to at least a first addition point (200) and conveys the flow from flat web sections (206) of the second fraction to at least a second addition point (200), wherein the first addition point (200) is integrated into or adjacent to the first partial nozzle recess (13) and the second addition point (200) is integrated into or adjacent to the second partial nozzle recess (13), such that the flow from flat web sections (206) of the first fraction is fed to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the first guide surface (15) of the first partial nozzle recess (13) and the flow from flat web sections (206) of the second fraction is fed to the tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) guided fluidically along the second guide surface (15) of the second partial nozzle recess (13). is addedfurthermore, in particular the supply device (216) has a position control device which changes the width of the first and second partial flat web (218) so that a quantity ratio between the first fraction of flat web parts (206) and the second fraction of flat web parts (206) is set.

14. Rod-shaped article (236) of the tobacco processing industry, manufactured according to a method according to any one of claims 8 to 13.

15. Rod-shaped article (236) of the tobacco processing industry comprising at least one segment (238) which has tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) and is surrounded by a covering material (21), characterized by the fact thatThe segment (238) comprises tobacco material or aerosol-forming material (50) and flat web parts (206) produced from a flat web (218) of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the flat web parts (206), viewed in a cross-section of the segment (238), are arranged in a central area (240) surrounded by a peripheral area (242) in which the tobacco material or the aerosol-forming material (50) is arranged, wherein the central area (240) does not extend to the wrapping material (21), wherein in particular the flat web parts (206) are made of a tobacco material and are provided with a humectant, wherein furthermore in particular the flat web parts (206) are provided with propylene glycol and / or glycerin and furthermore in particular the humectant, propylene glycol and / or glycerin constitute a mass greater than 10%, 20% or 30% of a total mass.

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