Machine of the tobacco processing industry, feed device and use thereof for feeding a heating strip, method for producing a strand, and rod-shaped articles of the tobacco processing industry

Abstract

The invention relates to a machine of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit (102) and a strand-forming device (104) arranged downstream, wherein the distribution unit (102) comprises a suction strand conveyor (17) with a suction belt (16) guided along a suction channel (16), wherein the distribution unit (102) is configured to scatter small parts from an aerosol-forming material (124) of the tobacco processing industry on the suction belt (16), and wherein the strand-forming device (104) is configured to form a strand (28) of the tobacco processing industry from the scattered material (124), further comprising a feed device (108) which is configured to feed an inductively heatable endless heating strip (110) to the scattered material (124) in the region of the suction belt (16) of the suction strand conveyor (17).

Description

Machine of the tobacco processing industry, feeding device and use thereof for feeding a heating strip, method for producing a rod and rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry Description The invention relates to a machine in the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit and a downstream strand-forming device, wherein the distribution unit comprises a suction strand conveyor with a suction belt guided along a suction channel. Furthermore, the invention relates to a feed device for feeding an endless heating strip into a strand in the tobacco processing industry. The invention further relates to the use of a feed device for feeding an endless heating strip made of an inductively heatable material in a machine in the tobacco processing industry. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for producing a strand from an aerosol-forming material in the tobacco processing industry, in which an inductively heatable endless heating strip is arranged. Finally, the invention relates to a rod-shaped article in the tobacco processing industry produced by such a method.Rod-shaped articles from the tobacco processing industry that comprise a heating strip can be used and referred to as so-called heat-not-burn products (HNB products). The heating strip can be heated inductively in a smoking device, whereby the heating strip in turn releases its heat to the surrounding material. If the heating strip is arranged in an aerosol-forming material from the tobacco processing industry, flavorings present in the material can be made available to a consumer in an air stream without a combustion process taking place. The heating strip preferably extends along the entire length of a tobacco rod in a longitudinal direction of the HNB article. The aerosol-forming material can be tobacco-containing material, for example reconstituted tobacco material (RECON). However, other aerosol-forming materials can also be provided, in particular those that do not comprise tobacco.The term “tobacco stick” is therefore not to be understood as being limited to the use of tobacco material. The heating of the heating strip is controlled so that the surrounding material expels the aerosol, but the temperature of the material remains below the ignition temperature. The material in which the heating strip is embedded should be heated as efficiently as possible. For this reason, a strip-shaped, flat material is often used as the heating strip, which is narrow in one transverse direction and wide in the other transverse direction perpendicular to it. The tobacco rod is assembled with other rod-shaped segments, such as filter segments, cooling sections or flavor-influencing segments, to form a ready-to-use rod-shaped article for the tobacco processing industry and is then fixed in place using a wrapping strip. From EP 3 297 459 B1 a device is known with which a A flat sheet of an aerosol-forming tobacco-containing material is gathered together with a heating strip to form a strand. It is an object of the invention to provide a machine for the tobacco processing industry, a feed device for feeding an endless heating strip into a strand of the tobacco processing industry, the use of such a feed device, a method for producing a strand from an aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry and a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, wherein the production process is to be made more flexible with regard to the processed aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry and the machine used is to be simplified. The object is achieved by a machine of the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit and a strand forming device arranged downstream, wherein the distribution unit comprises a suction strand conveyor with a suction belt guided along a suction channel, wherein the machine is further developed in that the distribution unit is designed to spread small parts of an aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry on the suction belt in order to form a spread material, and wherein the strand forming device is designed to form a strand of the tobacco processing industry from the spread material, wherein a feed device is further included which is designed to feed an inductively heatable endless heating strip to the spread material in the region of the suction belt of the suction strand conveyor. The heating strip is a so-called susceptor strip or susceptor band, i.e. a material that has the property of absorbing electromagnetic energy and converting it into heat. In many cases, the heating strip preferably comprises an electrically conductive metal as a susceptor, which is used to transfer the induced heat to another metal surrounding the actual susceptor, or even a non-metallic material. The heat is therefore preferably first transferred between two solid bodies and then at least partially converted into radiant heat. The material of the heating strip comprises, for example, a ferromagnetic material, or further, for example, a ferromagnetic alloy, such as ferromagnetic iron, ferromagnetic steel, or even stainless steel. Other suitable susceptor materials can, for example, be made of aluminum or comprise an aluminum alloy. The susceptor material can be selected so that it can be heated to temperatures exceeding 250 °C. The susceptor material can also be constructed from a non-metallic core with a metallic cladding. For example, metallic sections can be formed on the surface of a ceramic core. Furthermore, the susceptor material can be provided with a protective layer, for example, made of ceramic or glass, which surrounds the susceptor and protects it, for example, from corrosion. It can further be provided that the susceptor material is constructed from two different materials, with the first material being optimized with regard to the desired heat loss and the associated efficiency of heat conversion. This material can be, for example, aluminum or a ferritic material such as stainless steel. The second material can be selected so that it has a Curie temperature that is matched to a desired maximum heating temperature. Upon reaching the Curie temperature, the second material changes its properties from ferromagnetic to paramagnetic, thus changing the electromagnetic This is accompanied by a significant resistance. The Curie temperature, for example, is chosen so that it is below the ignition temperature of the aerosol-forming material, so that its combustion can be avoided with a very high degree of probability. Suitable materials for this second susceptor material include nickel or nickel alloys. The geometric profile of the heating strip is generally freely selectable. However, heating strips with a constant cross-section are generally used, whereby this cross-section can be, for example, oval, elliptical, round, square, rectangular, triangular, or polygonal. In many cases, strip-shaped heating strips with a rectangular cross-section are used, for example a metal strip. A strip-shaped heating strip has two opposing large flat sides and two connecting small flat sides, which are also arranged opposite one another. For example, the strip-shaped heating strip has a width measured transversely to its longitudinal direction and along the large flat sides, which is between 3 mm and 7 mm, preferably between 4 mm and 6 mm.The thickness or material strength of the heating strip, which is also measured transversely to its longitudinal direction but along the small flat sides, is, for example, between 20 pm and 130 pm, preferably between 30 pm and 100 pm, for example, 50 pm. The heating strip is processed as a continuous material in the machine of the tobacco processing industry. The heating strip is provided, for example, on a reel, which is positioned on a reel unwinder. The heating strip is guided from the reel to the feed device using corresponding, well-known deflection rollers, such as those used for web guidance in the tobacco processing industry. Advantageously, for the machine of the tobacco processing industry according to aspects of the invention, which produces a strand into which a The design of a conventional cigarette machine can be used to a large extent, as is the case with the heating strip embedded in the cigarette maker. Such a machine is known, for example, under the applicant's product name "PROTOS." As in conventional cigarette production, material is showered onto a suction belt. Unlike a conventional cigarette machine, however, this material can be not only cut tobacco, but generally a small-scale aerosol-forming material from the tobacco processing industry. This is showered onto the suction belt, with the heating strip also being embedded in the material during this process step. The material encloses the heating strip during the showering process. In the subsequent strand-forming device, the contact between the aerosol-forming material from the tobacco processing industry and the heating strip is intensified or increased, and a strand is formed into which the heating strip is embedded. This strand is now ready for further processing. The strand preferably has a density DaM (density of the aerosol-forming material in the strand) between 150 mg / cm 3 and 300 mg / cm 3or more than 300 mg / cm 3 , where only the mass of the aerosol-forming material is taken into account. The mass of the wrapping paper and the heating strip are not taken into account. If a strand segment has a length of 2 cm and a diameter of 8 mm, this strand segment has a volume of approximately 1 cm 3 If this strand segment contains 200 mg of aerosol-forming material, this strand segment has a density DaM of 200 mg / cm 3 . Due to such a density DaM, the heating strip is sufficiently fixed in the coated strand and, particularly during the cutting process, a counterforce is generated by a knife device and by the mechanical action on the heating strip, which counteracts incorrect positioning. The strand can be produced, for example, in a formatting unit in which the aerosol-forming material is provided with a wrapping paper and the strand is formed. The The strand can be cut to the desired length, creating rod-shaped segments or tobacco sticks. These can be combined with additional segments to produce a rod-shaped product for the tobacco processing industry, particularly a tobacco product. The tobacco processing industry's machinery is advantageously very flexible, particularly with regard to the use of aerosol-forming material. Both conventional tobacco material, such as cut tobacco, which is provided with an aerosol-forming substance such as propylene glycol and / or glycerin, and reconstituted tobacco material (RECON), which is also provided with aerosol-forming additives, can be used and processed. If reconstituted tobacco material is used, it can be produced using the paper process or the so-called slurry process. RECON material is usually provided in webs, for example on reels. This material undergoes a shredding process so that RECON small pieces can be provided as aerosol-forming material to the tobacco processing industry.Furthermore, it is provided, for example, that a tobacco-free aerosol-forming material, for example a material produced on the basis of corn, which in turn is provided with corresponding aerosol-forming substances, is processed as an aerosol-forming material in the tobacco processing industry. In summary, according to aspects of the invention, the machine for the tobacco processing industry can be realized with minimal design effort using the design principles of a conventional cigarette machine. The key changes concern the distribution unit, in particular the integration of the feed unit into the distribution unit in the area of ​​the rod conveyor. The machine is further advantageous in that it allows for the flexible processing of various aerosol-forming materials. According to one embodiment, the machine is advantageously further developed by a feed device which is configured to guide the heating strip along its longitudinal extension direction up to a transfer end of the feed device, wherein the transfer end is arranged behind the beginning of the suction channel of the distribution unit in a material flow direction, wherein in particular the transfer end is arranged behind the beginning of the suction channel in the material flow direction by a distance which amounts to one quarter, in particular one third, and furthermore in particular half of a total length of the suction channel in the material flow direction. The position of the transfer end is measured between this and the beginning of the suction channel, wherein the distance between the beginning of the suction channel and the transfer end is measured in the material flow direction. In other words, the feed device overlaps the suction channel located below the suction belt, viewed in the direction of the flow of the aerosol-forming material being showered. This ensures that the feed device embeds the heating strip so deeply into the cake of aerosol-forming material forming on the suction belt that it does not tip over as the aerosol-forming material continues to shower, but is held in place by the material already present in the cake form. This makes it possible for additional material to be showered on both sides of the heating strip even without mechanical guidance. According to a further embodiment, the feed device comprises a guide rail with an open or closed recess, in particular with a groove, in which the heating strip, designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, can be guided such that the large flat sides of the heating strip extend transversely, in particular at least approximately perpendicularly, to a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located. According to this embodiment, the heating strip is designed as a band with a rectangular cross-section. The large flat sides of the heating strip are located on the large sides of this rectangle. In other words, the heating strip is placed at least approximately upright on the suction belt, so that the aerosol-forming material can be sprayed on both sides of the heating strip, i.e., adjacent to its large flat sides. The heating strip is placed at a shallow angle to the surface of the suction belt, viewed in a plane that at least approximately includes the direction of material flow. In a plane perpendicular to this, the heating strip is at least approximately perpendicular to the surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the sprayed material is located. This orientation of the heating strip allows the material to be sprayed on without any problems. The suction belt has two opposing large flat sides, namely a support surface of the suction belt, on which the material being sprayed is located or is being sprayed, and a running surface or running side. The two large flat sides can be designed differently or identically. To enable the spraying on the suction belt, the suction belt has, for example, openings or pores. The suction channel preferably has a width between 6 mm and 12 mm, preferably between 6.5 mm and 10 mm, particularly preferably between 7.2 mm and 9.2 mm. The heating strip is fed, for example, from the rear side, i.e., perpendicular to the direction of movement of the suction belt, using appropriate deflection rollers. It is also possible for the heating strip to be fed in line with the movement of the suction belt, without the need for corresponding deflection devices. According to a further embodiment, the machine of the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that the distribution unit comprises a divided suction line conveyor which is designed to convey the material along a first section of the suction channel onto the suction belt and which is further configured to spray further material onto the suction belt in a second section located further downstream in the material flow direction, wherein the first and the second section are spaced apart in the material flow direction, and wherein the feed device is configured to feed the heating strip between the first and the second region. In particular, it is provided in this context that the feed device is designed to feed the heating strip, designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, to the exuded material in such a way that the large flat sides of the heating strip extend in the direction of a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the exuded material is located, in particular are oriented at least approximately parallel to the surface of the suction belt. Between the two sections in which material is sprayed onto the suction belt, there is a gap for the heating strip to be fed in. If the heating strip is designed as a belt-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, this can be inserted horizontally into the material. The horizontal guidance of the heating strip allows the heating strip to be easily fed from below to the suction belt. The width of the heating strip is selected such that in the second section, in which the heating strip is placed on the sprayed material, a sufficiently large amount of air is still pumped through the suction belt. In other words, the heating strip is selected to be narrow enough that a sufficiently large amount of air can reach the cake underneath at its side edges, so that the air flow passing through the suction belt is sufficient to spray up further material. According to one embodiment, at the end of the first section, the excavated material is trimmed. In other words, the machine comprises a further trimming device, which is arranged at the end of the first section and trims the material showered onto the suction belt to a predetermined height. This height is selected, for example, so that in the first section between 30% and 50% of the final material thickness (of the cake), also referred to as the target height, is showered onto the suction belt, or the material showered onto the suction belt is trimmed accordingly. This ensures that the heating strip is at the desired position within the strand. The term target height is explained in more detail below. The trimming device can be designed to provide local thickenings, local elevations or head reinforcements in the showered material. For example, these local elevations can be approximately 110% or more than 110% of the target height. According to a further advantageous embodiment, it is provided that the feed device is adjustable such that the heating strip can be fed to the material sprayed onto the suction belt at different positions in the material flow direction and / or the heating strip, designed as a belt-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, can be fed to the sprayed material at a variable angle to a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the sprayed material is located, wherein the angle between a large flat side of the heating strip and the surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the sprayed material is located, is measured or defined in a plane perpendicular to the material flow direction. The heating strip can, for example, be introduced into the aerated material at different positions in the material flow direction. This particularly applies to an embodiment in which the heating strip is introduced between the first and second sections. Since the amount of aerated material on the suction belt increases with increasing material flow direction, the heating strip is thus, viewed in a plane perpendicular to the surface of the The heating strip is fed to the aerated material via the suction belt's supporting surface, on which the aerated material is located, and preferably positioned on the underside of the aerated material. The heating strip can, for example, be positioned precisely centrally in the strand and / or in the aerated material. The feed device can also be adjustable such that the heating strip can be or is fed to the aerated material at a distance from the suction belt. In other words, the heating strip is not positioned on the underside of the aerated material facing the suction belt. This is the case if, with a vertical orientation of the heating strip, it is positioned directly on the suction belt before the aeration begins in the suction channel. If, starting from such a position, the feed device is moved in a plane in which the material flow direction extends at least approximately, such that the transfer end of the feed device is at a certain distance from the suction belt, a certain amount of aerosol-forming material can be arranged above the heating strip (i.e. between the suction belt and the narrow side of the heating strip) even with a vertical positioning of the heating strip.Even with this arrangement it is possible to position the heating strip as centrally as possible in the strand. The feed device is furthermore designed to be rotatable, for example, so that the angle at which the heating strip is positioned in the strand or the extruded material can be changed. The adjustment of this angle can be relevant for the subsequent cutting process of the strand when it is cut to length. For example, the feed device can be adjustable such that the heating strip is embedded in the strand at an angle that lies between 45° and 135° or between 135° and 225°, in each case measured to the vertical and viewed in the clockwise conveying direction of the strand. The adjustability of the feed device is realized, for example, via a rotatable holder. This holder is an automatic control system mentioned below, for example motor-controlled. The feed device is also designed to be rotatable, for example, so that the angle at which the heating strip is positioned in the extruded material can be changed. The adjustment of this angle can be relevant for the subsequent cutting process of the strand, when it is cut to length. For example, the feed device can be adjustable such that the heating strip is embedded in the extruded material at an angle lying between 45° and 135° or between 135° and 225°, in each case measured to the vertical or to the vertical of a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the extruded material is located, and viewed clockwise in the direction of material flow.For example, the machine of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a machine according to at least one of the claims, further comprises a rotationally driven knife device for cutting the strand, having a rotational axis and a center point located on the rotational axis. For example, the feed device can be adjustable such that the heating strip is embedded in the strand at an angle such that the angle between an imaginary connecting line, created by orthogonally projecting the center point located on the rotational axis of the knife device onto a strand center line, and the large flat side 120 of the heating strip 110 is between -45° and +45°. The adjustability of the feed device is realized, for example, via a rotatable holder. This holder can be controlled, for example, by a motor in the case of an automatic control system mentioned below. Preferably, the conveying direction of the strand is parallel or identical to or with the material flow direction M. In this context, parallel or identical includes a maximum angular difference of + / - 10°, preferably + / - 5°. By choosing the right angle between the heating strip and the knife cut, excessive wear of the cutting blade can be avoided. At the same time, excessive force can be prevented from being exerted on the heating strip during the cut, which could impair the quality of the cut. According to a further embodiment, it is further provided that the heating strip is a metal strip with pre-notches, as described, for example, in EP 3 552 500. When using such a heating strip, the cut made when cutting the strand to length is made at the positions of the notches. This further reduces wear on the cutting blades. Such a heating strip is also understood as a strip-shaped heating strip for the purposes of this application, even though it has local notches. According to a further embodiment, the machine is provided with a sensor device which is configured to detect a position and / or an angle of the heating strip in the strand and / or in the extruded material, wherein the feed device is adjustable with an adjusting device which is configured to adjust the feed device as a function of the detected position and / or the detected angle of the heating strip in the strand or in the extruded material. The sensor device allows for feedback control (automatic control) of the position and / or angle of the heating strip in the strand. This applies to both the arrangement of the heating strip in the strand and in the extruded material, for example, its central positioning, as well as its angular orientation with respect to the cut being made or to be made. The sensor device comprises, for example, an optical sensor as described in the unpublished German patent application with the official file number DE 10 2022 124 016.9 and the title: “Method and device for checking a cutting surface of a rod-shaped A heat-not-burn product of the tobacco processing industry, a machine of the tobacco processing industry, and a use thereof is disclosed. Such a sensor optically detects the frontal cut surface of the tobacco rod in the drum area of ​​a rod-making machine and thus identifies the position of the heating strip in the rod. Both the absolute position and the angular position can be determined. Based on these measured values, a feedback control of the position and angular position of the heating strip in the rod can be carried out. According to a further embodiment, the machine is further developed by a propulsion unit which is designed to feed the endless heating strip to the feed device at a predeterminable speed. Using such a propulsion unit, the feed speed of the heating strip can be adjusted. By controlling the propulsion speed, the orientation and position, as well as, for example, the tension under which the heating strip is integrated into the strand or the extruded material, can be controlled or regulated. By controlling the propulsion speed or the feed speed of the heating strip into the strand or the extruded material, the strip position can be further improved. The object is further achieved by a feed device for feeding an endless heating strip into exfoliated material in the tobacco processing industry, which can be produced with a machine in the tobacco processing industry according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments, wherein the feed device is designed to be integrated into the distribution unit of the machine in such a way that the heating strip can be fed to the exfoliated material in the region of the suction belt of the suction strand conveyor. The object is further achieved by the use of a feed device for feeding an endless heating strip made of an inductively heatable material in a machine of the tobacco processing industry according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments or in a method according to the embodiments described below. The use of the feed device offers the same or similar advantages as those already mentioned with regard to the machine of the tobacco processing industry or to the method itself, so repetition is omitted. The object is also achieved by a method for producing a strand of an aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry, in which an inductively heatable endless heating strip is arranged, this method being further developed by the following steps: Showering of small particles of the aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry onto a suction belt of a suction line conveyor of a distribution unit, wherein the suction belt is guided along a suction channel of the distribution unit, Feeding the inductively heatable endless heating strip to the aerosol-forming material showered on the suction belt with a feeding device, Forming the strand from the extruded material and the heating strip present therein using a strand forming device. The same or similar advantages apply to the process as those already mentioned with regard to the machine in the tobacco processing industry itself, so repetition will be avoided. According to an advantageous embodiment, the method is characterized in that the heating strip in the feed device along its longitudinal direction up to its transfer end of the feed Device is guided, wherein the transfer end is located behind the beginning of the suction channel in a material flow direction and wherein the material is showered up to a target height on the suction belt and the transfer end is located at a position at which at least 5%, in particular 10%, furthermore in particular 15%, furthermore in particular 30% and furthermore in particular 40% of the target height has been showered up. Furthermore, it is particularly provided that the feed device comprises a guide rail with an open or closed recess, in particular a groove, in which the heating strip is guided in such a way that the flat sides of the heating strip extend transversely, in particular at least approximately perpendicularly, to a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt, on which the showered material is located. According to a further advantageous embodiment, the method is characterized in that the distribution unit comprises a split suction line conveyor, with which the material is sprayed onto the suction belt along a first section of the suction channel, and in a second section located further downstream in the material flow direction, further material is sprayed onto the suction belt, wherein the first and the second section are spaced apart in the material flow direction, and wherein the feed device feeds the heating strip between the first and the second region, wherein in particular the heating strip is guided in the feed device along its longitudinal direction up to its transfer end of the feed device, wherein the transfer end lies behind the beginning of the suction channel in a material flow direction, and wherein the material is sprayed onto the suction belt up to a target height and the transfer end is located at a position,at which at least 30%, in particular 40% and furthermore in particular 50% of the target height has been reached. Furthermore, it is particularly provided that the supply device supplies the heating strip, designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large Flat sides, such that the large flat sides of the heating strip extend in the direction of a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, in particular are oriented at least approximately parallel to the surface of the suction belt. According to an advantageous development of the method, it is provided that the feed device is adjusted in order to feed the heating strip to the extruded material at different positions in the material flow direction and / or to feed the heating strip to the extruded material at a variable angle to a surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the extruded material is located, wherein the angle between a large flat side of the heating strip and the surface of the suction belt, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the extruded material is located, is defined in a plane perpendicular to the material flow direction. Furthermore, according to an advantageous embodiment, the method is further developed in that the feed device is adjusted with an adjustment device, and furthermore a sensor device is present which detects a position and / or angle of the heating strip in the strand and / or in the extruded material, wherein the feed device is adjusted as a function of the detected position and / or the detected angle of the heating strip in the strand and / or in the extruded material. Finally, the object is achieved by a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, which is produced according to a method according to one or more of the aforementioned embodiments. The rod-shaped article also has the same or similar advantages as those already mentioned with regard to the machine of the tobacco processing industry itself, so repetition is omitted. Finally, the object is achieved by a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, in particular a A heat-not-burn article comprising a segment with small parts of an aerosol-forming material and a heating strip, in particular a band-shaped heating strip. In particular, the rod-shaped article comprises a wrapping material with an overlap seam, wherein the overlap seam faces a large flat side of the band-shaped heating strip, in particular is arranged approximately centrally in relation to the large flat side. As a result, the strand on which the segment is produced can be advantageously glued and / or sealed, since mechanical influences have only a minor effect on the position of the heating strip. The segment preferably has a density DaM (density of the aerosol-forming material in the segment) of between 150 mg / cm 3 and 300 mg / cm 3 or more than 300 mg / cm 3, taking into account only the mass of the aerosol-forming material. The mass of the wrapping paper and the heating strip are not taken into account. If a strand segment or segment has a length of 2 cm and a diameter of 8 mm, this strand segment or segment has a volume of approximately 1 cm 3 If this strand segment or segment contains 200 mg of aerosol-forming material, this strand segment has a density DaM of 200 mg / cm 3 . Due to such a density DaM, the heating strip is sufficiently fixed in the coated strand and, particularly during the cutting process, a counterforce is generated by a knife device and by the mechanical action on the heating strip, which counteracts incorrect positioning. 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. The invention is described below without limiting the general inventive concept by means of exemplary embodiments with reference to the drawings, whereby with regard to all details of the invention not explained in more detail in the text, reference is expressly made to The drawings show: Fig. 1 shows a cigarette rod machine of the PROTOS type as an exemplary machine of the tobacco processing industry with a distribution unit and a downstream strand forming unit, Fig. 2 shows a distribution unit of a machine in the tobacco processing industry with a feeding device for feeding a heating strip, Fig. 3 is a cross-sectional view through the suction channel of the machine shown in Fig. 2 along the section plane AA indicated there, Fig. 4 is a further cross-sectional view through the suction channel of the machine shown in Fig. 2, shown in the section plane BB designated there, Fig. 5 shows a longitudinal section through a rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, in whose tobacco rod a heating strip is embedded, Fig. 6 is a cross-sectional view through the rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry shown in Fig. 5 in the area of ​​the tobacco rod, Fig. 7 is a schematic detailed view of the section indicated in Fig. 2 in the area of ​​the suction channel of the distributor unit shown in Fig. 2, Fig. 8 shows another distribution unit of a machine in the tobacco processing industry with a feeding device for feeding a heating strip, wherein the distribution unit has a split nozzle recess, Fig. 9 is a cross-sectional view through the suction channel of the machine shown in Fig. 8 along the section plane AA indicated there, Fig. 10 is a further cross-sectional view through the suction channel of the machine shown in Fig. 8, shown in the section plane BB designated there, Fig. 11 a longitudinal section through another rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry, in whose tobacco rod a heating strip is embedded, and Fig. 12 is a cross-sectional view through the rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry shown in Fig. 11 in the area of ​​the tobacco rod. Within the scope of the invention, features marked with “in particular” or “preferably” are to be understood as optional features. In the drawings, identical or similar elements and / or parts are provided with the same reference numbers, so that a repeated presentation is omitted. Fig. 1 shows a schematic representation of a cigarette rod machine PROTOS from Hauni Maschinenbau GmbH, which is configured as an example as a machine 100 of the tobacco processing industry for embedding a heating strip into a rod produced with the machine 100. The machine 100 comprises a distribution unit 102 and a downstream strand forming device 104. Starting from a From lock 1, a pre-distributor 2 is fed, for example, in portions with small parts made of an aerosol-forming material used in the tobacco processing industry. For example, conventional cut tobacco, which is provided with an aerosol-forming substance such as propylene glycol and / or glycerin, can be fed in. Likewise, small parts made of reconstituted tobacco material (RECON small parts), which is also provided with aerosol-forming additives, can be fed in and processed. Before this material is fed in, it undergoes a comminution process so that RECON small parts can be fed to the tobacco processing industry as an aerosol-forming material.Furthermore, tobacco-free aerosol-forming material, for example a material made from corn, which in turn is provided with corresponding aerosol-forming substances and processed into small parts, can also be processed as aerosol-forming material in the tobacco processing industry. A removal roller 3 of the pre-distributor 2 supplements a storage container 4 with the aerosol-forming material, from which the material is removed with the help of an inclined conveyor 5 and thus fed into a storage chute 6. From the storage chute 6, a pin roller 7 removes a uniform stream of small parts of the aerosol-forming material, which are knocked out of the pins of the pin roller 7 by a knock-out roller 8 and thrown onto a spreading cloth 9 rotating at a constant speed. A web of small parts formed on the spreading cloth 9 is fed to a sifting device 11, which essentially consists of an air curtain, which larger orHeavier small parts pass through, while all other particles are guided by the air into a funnel 14 formed by another pin roller 12 and a wall 13. Depending on the quality of the small parts fed in, screening may also be omitted. From the further pin roller 12, the material is fed into a channel and from there thrown against a suction belt 18 of a suction line conveyor 17. The small parts adhere to the suction belt 18, which runs along a suction channel 16, due to a negative pressure generated in the suction channel 16. The small parts are Air sucked in through the suction channel 16 is sprayed onto the suction belt 18 and forms a so-called cake there. An arrow labeled A indicates that at this point or in this area of ​​the machine 100, i.e., in the area of ​​the suction line conveyor 17, more precisely at its suction belt 18, there is a transfer end of a feed device with which a heating strip is introduced into the cake of small parts that has been showered on the suction belt 18. The feed device is configured to feed an inductively heatable, endless heating strip to the material that has been showered on the suction belt 18. The exact position at which the feed device is located can be flexibly changed and adjusted depending on the desired properties of the rod-shaped articles produced by the machine 100 or the strand produced by it. The material that is showered onto the suction belt 18 in the area of ​​the suction strand conveyor 17 is further processed together with the heating strip. A trimmer 19 removes excess material from the showered material so that the showered cake of small pieces achieves a target height. The target height is measured between a surface of the suction belt 18 facing the showered material, namely the support surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, and an opposite side or surface of the showered material, on which it is trimmed to the desired target height. The showered and trimmed cake of small pieces is placed further downstream onto a paper strip 21 guided at a coordinated speed as wrapping material and enters the strand forming device 104 arranged downstream.The speed of the suction belt can be greater than, less than or equal to the speed of the format belt or the paper strip 21. In the strand forming device 104, the material is shredded and trimmed, then the material undergoes strand forming in a formatting unit. The paper strip 21 is drawn off a reel 22, guided through a printing unit 23, and placed on a driven formatting belt 24. The formatting belt 24 transports the strand, in which the heating strip is arranged, and the paper strip 21 through a formatting unit 26. In the formatting unit 26, the paper strip is wrapped around the strand so that an edge protrudes, which is glued in a conventional manner by a gluing device (not shown). The glued seam is then closed and dried in a seaming plate 27. The strand is formed in the strand forming device 104. A strand 28 produced in this way then passes through an optional strand density measuring device 29, which controls the trimmer 19, and is cut into rod-shaped segments by a knife device 31. The segments are then fed by a transfer device 34, which has controlled arms 33, to a receiving drum 36, for example, a collating device 37. On the collating drum 38, the rod-shaped segments, in which the heating strip is embedded, can be combined with other segments, such as filter segments or cooling sections, to form a rod-shaped article. This article can be fed for further processing. Furthermore, a sensor device (not shown) can be arranged in the area of ​​the transfer device 34, for example, an optical sensor that detects the end-face cut surfaces of the rod-shaped segments. With the help of such a sensor, as is disclosed, for example, in the unpublished German patent application with the official file number DE 10 2022 124 016.9, both the absolute position and the angular orientation of the heating strip embedded in the rod-shaped segment can be determined. Another sensor suitable for this measuring task is disclosed, for example, in DE 695 15 482 T2, and is described therein in connection with Fig. 3. Such a sensor operates using a transmitted-light method. Another sensor which can be integrated into the machine 100 for the purposes mentioned is known from EP 3 497 438 B1, in particular paragraph

[0032] , known. This sensor operates as an eddy current sensor. Based on these measured values, feedback control of the position / position and / or angular orientation of the heating strip in the strand and thus in the rod-shaped article can be performed. To adjust or correct the position of the heating strip, the position and / or angular orientation of the feed device is changed accordingly. Such adjustment can be performed feedback-based and / or automatically, allowing for automatic quality adjustment and optimization. Fig. 2 shows a distribution unit 102 of a machine 100 of the tobacco processing industry in a simplified schematic representation. The distribution unit 102 comprises a suction rod conveyor 17 with a suction belt 18. This suction belt 18 is guided along a suction box 39 (not shown in detail), in which a negative pressure prevails so that a continuous air flow passes through the suction belt 18 and small particles of the aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry on the suction belt 18 can be showered out from the underside. On the opposite side of the suction belt 18 extends the suction channel 16 of the suction rod conveyor 17, which is delimited by the channel cheeks 118. A feed device 108 projects into this from the end side. This feed device is designed to feed an inductively heatable endless heating strip to the material showered on the suction belt 18.The heating strip 110 is provided on a reel 112 of a supply device 114. In order to feed the heating strip 110 to the processing process at the desired conveying speed, it can be conveyed through the supply device 108 with the aid of a suitable drive unit for axial drive. In the exemplary embodiment shown schematically in simplified form in Fig. 2, the feed device 108 is configured to guide the heating strip 110 along its longitudinal direction L to a transfer end 136 (see also Fig. 7), which is located, for example, at the position designated by A in Fig. 1. The transfer end 136 is located behind the beginning of the suction channel 16 in the material flow direction M of the machine 100. According to a further exemplary embodiment, the feed device 108 is designed such that it comprises a guide rail with a recess 128, in which the belt-shaped heating strip 110 can be guided such that the large flat sides of the heating strip 110 extend transversely to a surface of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located. For example, it is provided that the large flat sides of the heating strip extend at least approximately perpendicular to a surface of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located. The recess 128 can be designed as a closed recess, for example as a channel, or as an open recess, for example as a groove. Fig. 3 shows a schematically simplified cross-sectional view through the suction channel 16 of the suction rod conveyor 17 along the plane designated AA in Fig. 2. The suction belt 18 runs between the channel cheeks 118 of the suction rod conveyor 17. Above the suction belt 18 is the suction box 39. Below the suction belt 18 is the suction channel 16. On the suction belt 18 is the belt-shaped heating strip 110, the large flat sides 120 of which extend at least approximately perpendicular to a surface 122 of the suction belt 18, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located. On both sides of the heating strip 110, adjacent to its large flat sides 120, there is showered material consisting of small pieces of an aerosol-forming material 124 from the tobacco processing industry. Fig. 4 shows a schematically simplified further cross-sectional view through the suction channel 16 of the suction line conveyor 17, in this case in the plane designated BB in Fig. 2. In comparison to the illustration shown in Fig. 3, Fig. 4 shows an earlier process time, which lies further upstream, i.e. in the material flow direction M, before the process time shown in Fig. 3. The cake of aerosol-forming material 124 has not yet expanded as far as in Fig. 3. In order to prevent the band-shaped heating strip 110 from tipping over in this state, it is guided by the feed device 108. This is designed, for example, as a feed lance 126 and comprises a closed recess 128 in which the heating strip 110 is guided. The heating strip 110 is guided in the feed lance 126, which ends at a transfer end 136, in the material flow direction M up to the point designated by A in Fig. 1.At point A, the cake of aerosol-forming material 124 has reached between 30% and 70% of its target height. Falling over of the heating strip 110 or an undesirable change in the position of the heating strip 110 can advantageously be avoided. Fig. 5 shows a simplified schematic view of a longitudinal section through a rod-shaped article 130, which was manufactured using a machine 100 comprising a distribution unit 102, as described in connection with the preceding Figs. 2 to 4. The rod-shaped article 103 comprises the heating strip 110, which is embedded in the aerosol-forming material 124. Since the heating strip 110, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4, is placed directly onto the surface 122 of the suction belt 18, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the sprayed material is located, it extends to the periphery of the rod-shaped article 130. The rod-shaped article 130 comprises a tobacco rod 134 in which the heating strip 110 is embedded. The tobacco rod is a rod-shaped segment of the tobacco processing industry. The term "tobacco rod" is not intended to be limiting in the context of this description. It should be understood that it must be a rod-shaped segment which necessarily contains tobacco material. As already explained above, the aerosol-forming material 124 can contain tobacco or, for example, can be tobacco-free. The tobacco rod 134 is a rod-shaped segment into which the heating strip 110 is embedded and which comprises an aerosol-forming material 124. The rod-shaped article 130 can comprise further rod-shaped segments 132, for example a filter segment, a cooling section, or the like. A single rod-shaped segment 132 is shown in Fig. 5 purely as an example. The rod-shaped article 130 can also comprise a plurality of additional rod-shaped segments 132. The arrangement of the heating strip 110 in the aerosol-forming material 124 is also visible in the schematically simplified cross-sectional view of Fig. 6. The section shown extends in the plane designated VI-VI in Fig. 5 and shows a cross-section through the rod-shaped article 130 in the region of its tobacco rod 134. Fig. 7 shows a schematic detailed view of the area indicated by VII in Fig. 2. The channel cheeks 118 of the suction line conveyor 17 are indicated by a dash-dotted line. Furthermore, the feed device 108, in which the heating strip 110 is guided, is indicated. On the suction belt 18 (not shown), the aerosol-forming material 124 is spread in the form of a so-called cake with increasing height or thickness in the material flow direction M. The heating strip 110 is embedded in this material, which is distributed around the two large flat sides 120 (see also Fig. 3) of the heating strip 110. The feed device 108 can be designed to be adjustable. For this purpose, a particularly motor-driven adjustment device (not shown) is provided. The adjustability of the feed device 108 includes an adjustability in the material flow direction M, so that the transfer end 136 of the feed device 108 can be adjusted or shifted in the material flow direction M. This corresponds to a shift of point A in Fig. 1 in the material flow direction M. Both a shift in the positive and negative material flow direction M is possible. By means of this shift, the transfer point of the heating strip 110 into the showered material can be changed. Such a change or optimization of the transfer position can be made, for example, with regard to the behavior of the showered material and its distribution in the suction channel 16 on the one hand, and the risk of the heating strip 110 tipping over due to insufficient guidance during the showering process on the other. Furthermore, the feed device 108 can be adjustable such that the heating strip 110 is not placed directly on the surface 122 of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located. In this way, a positioning of the heating strip 110 as shown in Figs. 5 and 6 can be avoided.By moving the feed device 16, in particular its transfer end 136, away from the surface 122 of the suction belt 18, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, the heating strip 110 can be positioned, for example, exactly centrally in the tobacco rod 134. By maintaining an appropriate distance, aerosol-forming material 124 passes between the surface 122 of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, and the heating strip 120. Furthermore, the feed device 108 can be provided with a rotatable holder so that the angle of the heating strip 110 in the tobacco rod 134 can be changed. Thus, an orientation of the heating strip 110 can be realized which deviates from the vertical orientation shown in Figs. 3, 4 and 6. For example, an orientation of the heating strip 110 can be provided in which a surface 122 of the suction belt 18, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt, on which the showered material is located, and a flat side 120 of the heating strip 110 enclose an angle between 45° and 135° or between 135° and 225°, depending on where the cutting device or the knife apparatus 31 (cf. Fig. 1) is arranged. It is intended that the angle between an imaginary connecting line, created by orthogonally projecting the center point located on the axis of rotation of the knife assembly onto a strand center line, and the flat side 120 of the heating strip 110, is between -45° and +45°. If the knife assembly is arranged to the right of the strand in the material flow direction M, this results in an angular range between 45° and 135° to the vertical, viewed clockwise. If the knife assembly is arranged below the strand, this results in an angular range between 135° and 225°, again to the vertical and viewed clockwise. This angle can be adjusted, for example, with regard to the cut performed by the knife device 31 (see Fig. 1). The angular position of the band-shaped heating strip 110 with regard to the cut to be performed can be optimized, for example, to optimize the cutting behavior of the knife device 31. This optimization affects, for example, the service life of the knives used and / or the quality of the cut performed. Fig. 8 shows a simplified schematic of a further distribution unit 102, as can be provided in a machine 100 of the tobacco processing industry according to one exemplary embodiment. The distribution unit 102 comprises a split suction line conveyor 17, which is configured to shower the aerosol-forming material 124 along a first section 138 of the suction channel 16 onto the suction belt 18. The split suction line conveyor 17 is further configured to shower additional aerosol-forming material 124 onto the suction belt 18 in a second section 140 located further downstream in the material flow direction M. The first and second sections 138, 140 are spaced apart from one another in the material flow direction M. The feed device 108 is arranged between the two sections 138, 140. This is designed to feed the heating strip 110 between the first and second areas 138, 140 to the material showered on the suction belt 18. The heating strip 110 is provided by a supply device 114, as already described in connection with Fig. 2. The distribution unit 102 shown in Fig. 8 comprises, as a supply device 108, a deflection roller device which is configured to supply the heating strip 110 to the extruded material in such a way that the flat sides 120 of the heating strip 110 extend at least approximately parallel to a surface 122 of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the extruded material is located. Fig. 9 shows a schematically simplified cross-sectional view along the plane designated AA in Fig. 8 through the suction channel 16 of the suction line conveyor 17. The heating strip 110 is embedded in the aerosol-forming material 124, specifically in an orientation rotated by 90° compared to the exemplary embodiment explained in connection with Figs. 2 to 6. The flat sides 120 of the heating strip 110 extend at least approximately parallel to a surface 122 of the suction belt 18, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the aerated material is located. Fig. 10 shows a schematically simplified further cross-sectional view through the suction channel 16 of the suction rod conveyor 17, along the sectional plane designated BB in Fig. 8. The situation is shown shortly after the heating strip 110 has been placed on the material 124 that has already been showered onto the suction belt 18 in the suction channel 16. The feed device 108 can, for example, place the heating strip 110 at a position designated A in Fig. 1. This position A can be designed to be movable / changeable. This makes it possible to vary the amount of showered material 124 onto which the heating strip 110 is placed. This allows the position of the heating strip 110 in the tobacco rod to be changed. The amount of showered material is usually between 30% and 50% of the target height intended for the showered cake of material 124. Fig. 11 shows a simplified schematic view of a longitudinal section through another rod-shaped article 130. This is manufactured using a machine 100 comprising a distribution unit 102, as shown in Fig. 8. The heating strip 110 is located centrally in the aerosol-forming material 124 of the tobacco rod 134, rotated by 90°. This is also shown in the cross-sectional view through the tobacco rod 134 shown in Fig. 12, which shows the situation in a sectional plane designated Xll-Xll in Fig. 11. Between the two sections in which material 124 is showered onto the suction belt 18, a further trimming device can be provided so that the heating strip 110 is always placed on a tobacco cake of defined height. The feed device 108 explained in connection with Figs. 8 to 12 can also be designed such that an angle between a surface 120 of the heating strip 110 and a surface 122 of the suction belt 16, namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, can be changed. All mentioned features, including those revealed solely in the drawings 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 1 lock 2 pre-distributors 3 removal roller 4 storage containers 5 steep conveyors 6 storage shaft 7 pin roller 8 Knock-out roller 9 Spreading cloth 11 Viewing device 12 additional pin rollers 13 Wall 14 funnels 16 suction channel 17 suction line conveyors 18 suction belt 19 trimmers 21 paper strips 22 reels 23 printing unit 24 format tape 26 format unit 27 seam plates 28 strands 29 Strand density meter 31 Knife apparatus 33 arms 34 Transfer device 36 Transfer drum 37 Assembly device 38 assembly drum 39 Suction box 100 machines of the tobacco processing industry 102 Distribution unit 104 Strand forming device 108 Feed device 110 heating strips 112 reels 114 Provisioning device 118 canal cheeks 120 flat sides 122 Surface, wing 124 aerosol-forming material 126 Feed lance 128 recess 130 rod-shaped items 132 rod-shaped segment 134 tobacco sticks 136 End of handover 138 first section 140 second cut L Longitudinal direction A Position M Material flow direction

Claims

Machine of the tobacco processing industry, feeding device and use thereof for feeding a heating strip, method for producing a rod and rod-shaped article of the tobacco processing industry Patent claims 1. A machine for the tobacco processing industry, comprising a distribution unit (102) and a strand forming device (104) arranged downstream, wherein the distribution unit (102) comprises a suction strand conveyor (17) with a suction belt (16) guided along a suction channel (16), characterized in that the distribution unit (102) is designed to fan small parts of an aerosol-forming material (124) of the tobacco processing industry onto the suction belt (16), and wherein the strand forming device (104) is designed to form a strand (28) of the tobacco processing industry from the fanned material (124), further comprising a feed device (108) designed to feed an inductively heatable endless heating strip (110) to the fanned material (124) in the region of the suction belt (16) of the suction strand conveyor (17).

2. Machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein the feed device (108) is designed to guide the heating strip (110) along its longitudinal direction (L) to a transfer end of the feed device (108), wherein the transfer end is arranged behind the beginning of the suction channel (16) in a material flow direction (M), wherein in particular the transfer end is arranged behind the beginning of the suction channel (16) in the material flow direction (M) by a distance which is one quarter, in particular one third and furthermore in particular half of a total length of the suction channel (16) in the material flow direction (M).

3. Machine (100) according to claim 2, wherein the feed device (108) comprises a guide rail with an open or closed recess (128), in particular with a groove, in which the heating strip (110), designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides (120), can be guided in such a way that the large flat sides (120) of the heating strip (110) extend transversely, in particular at least approximately perpendicularly, to a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt, on which the showered material is located.

4. Machine (100) according to claim 1, wherein the distribution unit (102) comprises a split suction line conveyor (17) which is configured to spray the material (124) along a first section (138) of the suction channel (16) onto the suction belt (16), and which is further configured to spray further material (124) onto the suction belt (16) in a second section (140) located further downstream in the material flow direction (M), wherein the first and the second section (138, 140) are spaced apart in the material flow direction (M), and wherein the feed device (108) is configured to feed the heating strip (110) between the first and the second region (138, 140).

5. Machine (100) according to claim 4, wherein the feed device (108) is designed to supply the heating strip (110) ), designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides (120), to the showered material in such a way that the large flat sides (120) of the heating strip (110) extend in the direction of a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), in particular are oriented at least approximately parallel to the surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located.

6. Machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, in which the feed device (108) is adjustable such that the heating strip (110) can be fed to the material (124) sprayed onto the suction belt (16) at different positions (A) in the material flow direction (M) and / or the heating strip (110), designed as a belt-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, can be fed to the material (124) sprayed onto the suction belt (16) at a variable angle to a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the sprayed material is located, wherein the angle between a large flat side (120) of the heating strip (110) and the surface (122) of the suction belt (16) is defined in a plane perpendicular to the material flow direction (M).

7. Machine (100) according to claim 6, further comprising a sensor device which is configured to detect a position and / or an angle of the heating strip (110) in the strand (28) and / or in the extruded material, wherein the feed device (108) is adjustable with an adjusting device which is configured to adjust the feed device (108) as a function of the detected position and / or the detected angle of the heating strip (110) in the strand (28) and / or in the extruded material.

8. Machine (100) according to one of the preceding claims, further comprising a propulsion unit which is adapted to feed the endless heating strip (110) to the feed device (108) at a predeterminable speed.

9. Feed device (108) for feeding an endless heating strip (110) into a showered material of the tobacco processing industry, which can be produced with a machine (100) of the tobacco processing industry according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the feed device (108) is designed to be integrated into the distribution unit (102) of the machine (160) in such a way that the heating strip (110) can be fed in the region of the suction belt (16) of the suction strand conveyor (17).

10. Use of a feeding device (108) for feeding an endless heating strip (110) made of an inductively heatable material in a machine (100) of the tobacco processing industry according to one of claims 1 to 8 or in a method according to one of claims 11 to 17.

11. A method for producing a rod (28) from an aerosol-forming material of the tobacco processing industry, in which an inductively heatable endless heating strip (110) is arranged, characterized by the following steps: Showering small parts of the aerosol-forming material (124) of the tobacco processing industry onto a suction belt (16) of a suction line conveyor (17) of a distribution unit (102), wherein the suction belt (16) is guided along a suction channel (16) of the distribution unit (102), Feeding the inductively heatable endless heating strip (110) to the aerosol-forming material (124) showered on the suction belt (16) with a feed device (108), Forming the strand (28) from the extruded material (124) and the heating strip (110) present therein with a strand forming device (104).

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the heating strip (110) is guided in the feed device (108) along its longitudinal direction (L) up to its transfer end (136) of the feed device (108), wherein the transfer end (136) is located behind the beginning of the suction channel (16) in a material flow direction (M) and wherein the material (124) is showered up to a target height on the suction belt (16) and the transfer end (136) is located at a position at which at least 5%, in particular 10%, furthermore in particular 15%, furthermore in particular 30% and furthermore in particular 40% of the target height has been showered up.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein the feed device (108) comprises a guide rail with an open or closed recess (128), in particular a groove, in which the heating strip (110), which is designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, is guided in such a way that the large flat sides (120) of the heating strip (110) extend transversely, in particular at least approximately perpendicularly, to a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt, on which the showered material is located.

14. The method according to claim 11, wherein the distribution unit (102) comprises a split suction line conveyor (17) with which the material (124) is sprayed onto the suction belt (16) along a first section (138) of the suction channel (16), and in a second section (140) located further downstream in the material flow direction (M), further material (124) is sprayed onto the suction belt (16), wherein the first and the second section (138, 140) are spaced apart in the material flow direction (M), and wherein the feed device (108) feeds the heating strip (110) between the first and the second region (138, 140), wherein in particular the heating strip (110) is guided in the feed device (108) along its longitudinal direction (L) to its transfer end (136) of the feed device (108). wherein the transfer end (136) is located behind the beginning of the suction channel (16) in a material flow direction (M), and wherein the material (124) is showered up to a target height on the suction belt (16), and the transfer end (136) is located at a position at which at least 30%, in particular 40%, and furthermore in particular 50% of the target height has been showered up.

15. The method according to claim 14, wherein the feed device (108) guides the heating strip (110), which is designed as a band-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, in such a way that the flat sides (120) of the heating strip (110) extend in the direction of a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, in particular are oriented at least approximately parallel to the surface (122) of the suction belt (16).

16. The method according to claim 11, wherein the feed device (108) is adjusted in order to feed the heating strip (110) to the showered material at different positions (A) in the material flow direction (M) and / or to feed the heating strip (110), which is designed as a belt-shaped heating strip with two large flat sides, to the showered material at a variable angle to a surface (122) of the suction belt (16), namely the supporting surface of the suction belt on which the showered material is located, wherein the angle between a large flat side (120) of the heating strip (110) and the surface (122) of the suction belt (16) is defined in a plane perpendicular to the material flow direction (M).

17. The method according to claim 16, wherein the feed device (108) is adjusted by an adjusting device, and furthermore a sensor device is present which detects a position and / or the angle of the heating strip (110) in the strand (38) and / or in the extruded material, wherein the feed device (108) as a function of the detected position and / or the detected angle of the heating strip (110) in the strand (38) and / or in the excavated material.

18. Rod-shaped article (130) of the tobacco processing industry, in particular heat-not-burn article, comprising a segment with small parts of an aerosol-forming material and a heating strip, wherein the heating strip is designed as a band-shaped heating strip, and wherein the rod-shaped article comprises a wrapping material with an overlap seam, wherein the overlap seam of a large Flat side of the band-shaped heating strip, and in particular is arranged approximately centrally in relation to the large flat side, and / or wherein the density DaM of the segment with aerosol-forming material is between 150 mg / cm 3 and 300 mg / cm 3 or more than 300 mg / cm 3 , taking into account only the mass of the aerosol-forming material.

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