Rod-shaped article manufacturing in tobacco-processing industry

Abstract

To provide a multi-segment article bored which is especially of a non-combustion heating type with predetermined degree of ventilation held so that time and effort becomes the smallest possible in a multi-segment article manufacturing machine.SOLUTION: According to a manufacturing method for multi-segment article, at least 2 to 4 rod-shaped article segments are arranged back and forth in a longitudinal direction of an article group respectively, are covered with cover strips, and are carried back and forth only in a horizontal axis direction. After the article groups are aligned, in an inspection drum 72 of a conveyance mechanism, real suction resistance is individually calculated by a pneumatic inspection device 80. In carrying conveyance drums 76, 77 of another conveyance mechanism, the cover strips of article segments are provided with individual boring (compensation) patterns in an area of the article segment, depending on the real suction resistance calculated by using laser devices 86, 87 of a punching device.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 2

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for the production of rod-shaped articles for the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented articles or multi-segment articles, having a plurality of rod-shaped article segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article. [Background technology]

[0002] Furthermore, the invention relates to an apparatus for the production of rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented products or multi-segment products, having a plurality of rod-shaped product segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped product. Additionally, the present invention relates to the arrangement of groups of rod-shaped, multi-segment products of the tobacco processing industry in packages, particularly lidded boxes.

[0003] For the production of multi-segment products in the tobacco processing industry, different rod-shaped segments in the form of base rods or strand portions are supplied and aligned into rod-shaped multi-segment products using a drum machine.

[0004] In machines in the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter fitting machines or machines for the production of alternative smoking products, such as non-combustion heated products or electronic cigarettes, transport drums are loaded for transporting cigarettes, filter plugs or components thereof.

[0005] The transport of the above-mentioned rod-shaped objects during the production of cigarettes, filters and filter cigarettes or so-called non-combustion heating products or electronic cigarettes is generally carried out in modern production machines of the tobacco processing industry by means of transport drums, The outer surface of these transport drums or the drum body of these transport drums is provided with grooves or storage troughs for accommodating rod-shaped objects (cigarettes, filter rods or filter plugs, filter cigarettes) for transporting these objects in the transverse axial direction.

[0006] It is known from the prior art to produce base rods and to feed them to the processing process of a drum machine by means of a feeding module, or to connect the drum machine directly to a continuous body production machine for direct further processing of the strand portions.

[0007] US Pat. No. 5,399,433, for example, discloses a drum machine for the tobacco processing industry for the production of multi-segment products, which is equipped with a number of feeding modules which prepare and feed the rod-shaped segments to a transport section.

[0008] Furthermore, in the manufacture of cigarettes, in particular filter cigarettes, it is known to insert secondary air passages in the form of perforations or perforated holes in the region of the filter, through which secondary air is supplied to the smoke during drawing on the cigarette. In so doing, the aim is to provide a relatively large secondary air flow, which should remain at a predefined, as constant as possible, ratio to the total flow leaving the cigarette, this ratio being called the total ventilation degree. It is already known to provide cigarettes with perforations, i.e. to pierce these cigarettes, for example by rolling along a rolling surface covered with needles.

[0009] A certain brand of cigarettes, In order to keep as constant as possible, on the one hand, the condensate, nicotine and carbon monoxide (CO) in the smoke, and on the other hand, the behaviour observed by the smoker in smoking (flavor, number of draws per puff and drawing resistance), The partial ventilations, from which the total ventilation degree is made up, should be as constant as possible, the total ventilation degree being made up of the filter ventilation degree and the tobacco stock ventilation degree.

[0010] During the preparation of cigarettes on a filter application machine, perforations consisting of holes are made in the coating material or coating strip of the rod-shaped article in the produced filter cigarettes using a perforation device. In particular, uniform perforations are inserted into the covering strips of the filter cigarettes, so that these have a predetermined, desired air permeability during smoking, and thus, depending on the inserted perforation pattern, secondary air is drawn into the covering strip, which influences the proportion of nicotine and condensate in the smoke. In particular, perforations in the covering strip are inserted using a laser beam as a coherent light beam, thereby providing very precise, consistent zones of the desired breathability within the covering of the smoking article.

[0011] In order to mix a predetermined amount of fresh air with the smoke in each puff of a cigarette, the covering is provided with predetermined, breathable zones by the formation of perforations in the covering material of the rod-shaped article, the covering material or covering strip of which usually consists of paper, the covering material or covering strip being perforated at predetermined intervals in order to produce the desired breathability. In filter cigarettes, it is generally customary for the perforations in the covering paper strip or covering strip to be made at the end of the filter facing the mouthpiece.

[0012] To maintain such a zone of desired air permeability with pre-given values ​​for nicotine and condensate within the smoke of a smoking article or filter cigarette, The provision of a smoking article with a zone of desired breathability in the region of the mouthpiece end, the so-called ventilation zone, provides the article with a predetermined (total) degree of ventilation. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0013] [Patent Document 1] European Patent Specification No. 1 691 633B1 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0014] The object of the present invention is to To provide a perforated multi-segment product, in particular a non-combustion heat-and-burn product, with a predetermined degree of ventilation during the production of the multi-segment product in a multi-segment product production machine in the tobacco processing industry, In so doing, the effort and time required for this should be kept as low as possible. [Means for solving the problem]

[0015] This issue is The problem is solved by a method for the production of rod-shaped articles, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented articles or multi-segment articles, for the tobacco processing industry, which has a plurality of rod-shaped article segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article, in which the item groups are arranged or are being arranged with at least two, three, or four rod-shaped item segments each; the rod-shaped product segments are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the product group, and at least one product segment or several, in particular all, of the product group are covered by a covering strip, the groups of articles are preferably transported one after the other exclusively in the direction of the transverse axis, After alignment of each of said groups of articles in rod form, in a conveying mechanism, in particular a conveying drum, in the conveying direction of the transversely conveyed article groups, the article groups being individually inspected by means of a pneumatic inspection device, Using the pneumatic testing device, the actual suction resistance of each of the groups of articles, in particular each individual one, is calculated, and Then, in a further conveying mechanism, in particular a conveying drum, in the conveying direction of the transversely conveyed article groups, (i) the covering strip of the item segment or of an item segment or of each of the item groups comprises: Using a drilling device, in particular a laser device, Depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual said item group, an individual drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, is provided in the area of ​​said item segments or in particular exclusively in the area of ​​one item segment, or (ii) The covering strip of the product segment attached to each such product group is Advantageously, in the region of the added article segment, a perforation device, in particular a laser device, is used to Depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual article group, an individual drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, is provided. Effect of the Invention

[0016] The invention is based on the idea that in the production of rod-shaped goods, such as multi-segment goods or non-combustion heated products, finished or ready-to-use rod-shaped goods are provided with a constant degree of ventilation over the production time or the entire production charge. For this purpose, the rod-shaped articles are conveyed in a transverse axial direction, for example in a multi-segment article-making machine, After the alignment of the rod-shaped article groups (as rod-shaped intermediate products), it is then possible, first of all, to determine the respective, in particular individual, actual suction resistance using a pneumatic testing device, and Subsequently, after a further transport in the transverse axial direction in the multi-segment article-producing machine, the pneumatically inspected article group is replenished around the at least one further article segment with a further, in particular longer, article group (as a further rod-shaped intermediate product or as a rod-shaped final product) by means of a corresponding feed module for the further article segment, Subsequently, each is coated with a coating strip and In a further step, a perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, for a certain degree of ventilation of the item group is provided using the perforation device as a function of the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of the item group.

[0017] By means of the method according to the invention, it is achieved that rod-shaped multi-segment products, in which the flow resistance with respect to air varies strongly in the respective product segments, are supplied with a constant degree of ventilation (for all manufactured multi-segment products). Based on the non-constant flow resistance of air in the item segments, the actual suction resistance of each item group having item segments is subsequently calculated in order to form the manufactured rod-shaped multi-segment items with a constant degree of ventilation using a drilling device.

[0018] In another embodiment of the method according to the invention, a multi-segment product, e.g. a non-combustion-heated product, is arranged with a plurality of product segments having a certain final length and is covered by a covering strip, In this case, the manufactured multi-segment articles are tested for consumption or use with the aid of a pneumatic testing device, taking into account the respective, in particular individual, actual suction resistance, and In the subsequent steps, The multi-segmented products are provided with respective individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation compensation patterns, by means of a perforation device, Thus, the finished manufactured multi-segment article has the same, or nearly the same, and consistent (total) ventilation degree. That is what is intended.

[0019] A further advantage of this method is that a respective perforation pattern is determined for each multi-segment item depending on the calculated actual suction resistance of the respective multi-segment item in order to provide a predetermined, in particular constant or approximately constant, degree of ventilation of the respective multi-segment item; The point is...

[0020] The calculation of the actual suction resistance of each article group is carried out, for example, on a test drum, In this inspection drum, a pneumatic inspection device (for a row of article groups arranged one behind the other in the transverse axial direction and transported) or a pneumatic inspection device (for two or more adjacently arranged rows of article groups arranged one behind the other in the transverse axial direction and transported) is arranged.

[0021] In this method, the group of conveyed items is In particular, by means of a software-based production tracking device, the group of articles is pneumatically checked during the lateral transport along the multi-segment article manufacturing machine, and Provided with individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation compensation patterns, That is what is intended.

[0022] Furthermore, within the scope of the invention, it is also possible to provide for the transport of two (or more) rows of groups of articles arranged coaxially one behind the other and arranged side by side, For each row of the item group, independently of each other, The actual suction resistance of each individual item group in both rows is calculated. That is what is intended. Moreover, in a further configuration, the downstream drilling devices for these rows also operate independently of one another. In particular, the perforation device is formed as a laser device, ie, for example, with one laser light source each for one row of the article groups.

[0023] Further embodiments of this method include: Prior to the transport to the pneumatic inspection device, the aligned groups of items are characterized in that they each have at least one, or exclusively one, item segment for one perforation pattern to be provided or for the perforation pattern to be provided. It is therefore possible for the pre-perforated article groups to be fed individually to the pneumatic inspection device.Within the scope of the invention it is also possible, for example, for a feed module for one article segment to pre-perforate the article segments which are fed to the article groups by this feed module.

[0024] Additionally, in a further configuration of the method, during or during the alignment of the item groups in a transverse axial conveying direction of the item segments of the item groups to be aligned or aligned prior to the conveyance to the pneumatic inspection device, no perforation of the item segments of each of the item groups and / or no perforation of the covering strips of each of the item groups is performed; It is advantageous. After alignment of the article groups, and possibly the coating, a coating strip is used to test the article groups upstream of the pneumatic test device, without any perforation of the respective article groups.

[0025] Further, one embodiment of this method comprises: downstream of the pneumatic inspection device for said group of articles and upstream of the punching device in the conveying direction of said group of articles, at least one further, advantageously, item segment in which the perforation pattern should not be provided or in which the perforation pattern should be provided, respectively, is added to the item group; and / or downstream of the punching device in the conveying direction of the group of articles, at least one further item segment, which advantageously should not be provided with a perforation pattern, is added to said item group, respectively; It is characterized by: In this case, within the scope of the present invention, after individual perforation of the respective item group (as intermediate product), further item segments are subsequently added to the respectively perforated item group, e.g. by one or more supply modules for further item segments, in a further production step, e.g. in a multi-segment item production machine, in order to produce a ready-to-use multi-segment item, e.g. a non-combustion-heated product.

[0026] According to yet another aspect of this method, in the conveying direction of the group of items, downstream of the pneumatic inspection device for the group of items and upstream of the punching device for the group of items, at least one item segment is respectively added to the group of items, and after the addition of the further item segments to the respective item groups, the added further item segments are provided with the perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, by means of the perforation device. That is what is intended.

[0027] In one embodiment of this method, upstream of the perforation device, the added further item segments of the item group are covered by a covering strip, In particular, the covering strip of the further product segments of the product group is provided with the perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, by means of the perforation device. It is advantageous.

[0028] Additionally, the method may, in a further configuration, downstream of the punching device in the conveying direction of the group of articles, the group of articles provided with a perforation pattern formed by the laser device have a substantially constant or substantially the same resistance to suction; It is characterized by:

[0029] In an advantageous embodiment of the method, moreover, For the alignment of the item groups, in the conveying direction of the item segments: The item segments upstream of the pneumatic inspection device and / or upstream of the perforation device are not provided with a perforation pattern or are not provided with a perforation pattern, or For the alignment of the item groups, in the conveying direction of the item segments: Upstream of the pneumatic inspection device and / or upstream of the punching device, at least one of the item segments for the item group is provided with: A perforation pattern is provided, That is what is intended.

[0030] In particular, in this method, the calculated actual suction resistance of each of the item groups is transmitted to a control device, in particular to a preferably central machine control unit, and After the transmission of the actual suction resistance of the respective item group, a comparison of the respective actual suction resistance with a predetermined, preferably common, setpoint value for the suction resistance of the item group is carried out by means of the control device, and deviation of the actual suction resistance of each of the individual article groups from the setpoint value below or above a predetermined deviation limit value, in particular below, the control device transmits corresponding control commands to the perforation device for generating the individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, in each of the article groups; It is advantageous.

[0031] Furthermore, in a preferred embodiment, the method further comprises the aligned groups of articles are or have been provided with a coating strip at least partially upstream of the pneumatic inspection device, That is what is intended.

[0032] In addition, according to one aspect, the method Two preferably parallel rows of article groups arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and aligned are transported in the transverse direction to a pneumatic inspection device in each case and to a perforation device in each case, preferably by means of a drum assembly having several transport drums, In particular, the aligned groups of items of both rows with item segments are or are configured identically, in particular symmetrically, It is characterized by:

[0033] Furthermore, this issue The problem is solved by an apparatus for the production of rod-shaped products, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented products or multi-segment products, for the tobacco processing industry, which has a plurality of rod-shaped product segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped product, At that time, This device, a plurality of supply modules for supplying the rod-shaped article group having a plurality of article segments and at least one covering strip, This device, a drum assembly for lateral axial transport of said groups of rod-shaped articles, each drum assembly having at least two, three, or four rod-shaped article segments; In the transverse axial direction of transport of the group of items within the drum assembly, a pneumatic inspection device for determining the suction resistance of the individual, preferably individual, article groups and a drilling device, in particular a laser device, downstream of the pneumatic inspection device for drilling individual holes in the article groups with a drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, The punching device comprises: (i) depending on the calculated, preferably individual, actual suction resistance of each said individual group of items, The covering strips of the item segments or of the item segments of the individual item groups are so that individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, are provided in the area of ​​the product segments or in particular exclusively in the area of ​​one product segment, or (ii) The covering strip of the product segment attached to each such product group is Advantageously, in the region of the added article segment, a perforation device, in particular a laser device, is used to so that an individual drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, is provided depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual article group, has been formed.

[0034] For the alignment of the article groups to be inspected, a supply module for the article groups, for individual or multiple article segments, is arranged upstream of the pneumatic inspection device, for example in a multi-segment article production machine, Thus, after alignment of the groups of items to be inspected, they are transported in a transverse axial direction to this or these inspection devices with the use of a transport drum of a drum assembly.

[0035] Further, one embodiment of the device comprises: at least one further supply module is provided downstream of the pneumatic inspection device for the item group and upstream of the punching device in the conveying direction of the item group for the supply of further item segments for the item group, It is characterized by:

[0036] In this device, downstream of the pneumatic inspection device for the item group and upstream of the perforation device in the conveying direction of the item group, a coating device is provided for the further item segment or for coating a further item segment added to the respective item group. This is further advantageous.

[0037] Further, in one embodiment of the device, a supply module is provided downstream of the punching device in the conveying direction of the item groups for the supply of item segments for the item groups, It is advantageous.

[0038] According to an advantageous aspect, the device further comprises: A control device, in particular a preferably central machine control unit, is provided, In particular, the calculated actual suction resistance of each of the item groups is transmitted to the control device; and After the transmission of the actual suction resistance of the respective item group, a comparison of the respective actual suction resistance with a predetermined, preferably common, setpoint value for the suction resistance of the item group is performed or can be performed by means of the control device, and deviation of the actual suction resistance of each of the individual article groups from the setpoint value below or above a predetermined deviation limit value, in particular below, The control device transmits corresponding control commands to the are transmitted or can be transmitted to the perforation device for the generation of the individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, within each of the groups of articles, respectively; That is what is intended.

[0039] Advantageously, the machine is configured for at least two, advantageously parallel, rows of groups of articles arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and aligned, The two rows of article groups are transported side by side to one pneumatic inspection device and one perforation device in the transverse axial direction, preferably by means of a drum assembly having several transport drums.

[0040] Advantageously, said machine implements the method as described above, in particular according to any one of claims 1 to 11. In order to avoid repetitive description here, explicit reference is made to the above embodiments. In particular, the apparatus is configured as a multi-segment article manufacturing machine or as a multi-segment filter manufacturing machine.

[0041] Furthermore, this issue The solution is provided by the arrangement of groups of rod-shaped, multi-segmented articles of the tobacco processing industry in packages, in particular in boxes with lids, The multi-segment articles each have a covering strip with a perforation pattern, in particular a perforation compensation pattern, At least two of the perforation patterns of the multi-segment items of the package or the perforation patterns are different; In particular, the multi-segment article is produced by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 11 as described above. The package for rod-shaped multi-segment items has a predetermined volume, and the multi-segment items, e.g., non-combustion heating products, that are placed within the package are arranged within the packing, for example, in a closely packed linear arrangement or in a hexagonal arrangement.

[0042] In one embodiment of this arrangement, further comprising: said perforation patterns each having a plurality of perforations, advantageously in the circumferential direction of the multi-segment article; The number of holes of the drilling pattern is between 10 and 30, preferably between 10 and 20, and / or the total area of ​​the holes of the drilling pattern is less than 0.4 mm 2 from 1.0 mm 2 Between now and then, That is what is intended.

[0043] Further features of the invention are evident from the description of embodiments according to the invention in conjunction with the claims and the attached drawings.Embodiments according to the invention can feature individual features or a combination of features.

[0044] The invention will now be described on the basis of examples, without any restriction of the general inventive idea, with reference to the figures, to which reference should be made explicitly as to all details according to the invention which are not described in detail in this specification. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0045] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram of a multi-segment product manufacturing machine according to the invention for the production of rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry according to a first embodiment. [Diagram 2] FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram of a multi-segment product manufacturing machine according to the invention for the production of rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry according to a second embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0046] In the figures, the same or similar elements and / or components are respectively indicated with the same reference numerals, and therefore no updated notion is taken into account respectively.

[0047] Within the scope of the invention, features characterized with "particularly" or "advantageously" are to be understood as optional features.

[0048] 1 shows diagrammatically a machine 10 according to the invention for the production of rod-shaped articles for the tobacco processing industry. The machine 10 has two feed modules 61, 62 for the alignment of article groups and for the feeding of rod-shaped articles.

[0049] In a first supply module 61 , multi-length rod-shaped articles are removed by an unloading drum 12 from a magazine or stocker (not shown here).

[0050] In the first supply module 61, the multiple-length product rods arranged in a trough and transported in the transverse axial direction on the take-up drum 12 are cut into product rod segments using a cutting cutter 113 and delivered onto the stair-stair drum 13. On the stair-stair drum 13, the cut product rod segments are stair-staired. The stepped product rod segments are delivered onto the sliding drum 14 and there moved in the longitudinal direction so that they are arranged flush alongside one another in the transverse direction. These goods rod segments, arranged flush alongside one another in the longitudinal axial direction, are then passed onto a cutting drum 15, on which a cutting cutter 113 is arranged for cutting the goods rod segments, particularly in the middle. The cut filter rod segments are then transferred to a further cutting drum 16, on which preferably double-length or double-length product rod segments are cut off, preferably in the middle, by a cutting cutter 113, from which product segments for the product group to be formed are generated, the product segments being arranged longitudinally relative to one another, for example in the trough of the cutting drum 16. From the cutting drum 16, the article segments are transferred onto a further transport drum 17, on which a further cutting cutter 113 can optionally be arranged in order to cut the article segments again. The cutting cutter 113 on the cutting drum 16 can also be arranged selectively. From the conveying drum 17, the article segments from the supply module 61 are then transferred to an expanding drum 18, on which the article segments are transferred and spaced apart or spread apart in the longitudinal axial direction from one another.

[0051] From the spreading drum 18, the corresponding, longitudinally spaced article segments for the article group to be formed are transferred onto the alignment drum 27, with the aid of the second feed module 62 respectively inserting one article segment, in particular of double or multiple length, between the article segments fed by the first feed module 61. This is shown diagrammatically below the alignment drum 27 and within the illustrated article group.

[0052] In the second supply module 62, multiple-length goods rods are removed from a magazine or stocker (not shown here) by means of an unloading drum 22 and cut by a cutting cutter 113 arranged on the unloading drum 22 into goods rod segments to be delivered onto and stair-stair-staging drum 23 where they are stair-stated. The goods rod segments are subsequently delivered to the sliding drum 24 and there moved flush in the transverse axial direction into correspondingly provided troughs. Subsequently, the product rod segments arranged flush in the transverse axial direction are passed onto a cutting drum 25 so that the product rod segments, in particular of multiple length or double length, are cut into product rod segments by means of a cutting cutter 113 arranged on this cutting drum 25. The item rod segments from the second supply module 62 are subsequently delivered via the conveying drum 26 to the alignment drum 27, on which an item group is or has been formed having item segments from both supply modules 61, 62.

[0053] In this way, an arrangement of article groups is formed which, in the longitudinal axial direction, consists of the article segments of both supply modules 61, 62. The article groups with the article segments are brought together and subsequently transferred to the transport drum 53 for applying covering strips cut from the covering paper strip 50 to the respective article groups and for winding these covering strips around the article groups. For this purpose, the transport drum is provided with a covering roll 52 and a cutter roll 51 cooperating with said covering roll 52 for cutting the covering strip of final length from the coated paper strip 50 and for applying said covering strip to the group of articles by means of the covering roll 52. Following this, the group of articles is transferred to a subsequent rolling drum 54, on which a rolling hand 55 is arranged for winding the applied covering strip around the group of articles.

[0054] From the rolling drum 54, the wrapped or wrapped article group is transported via further transport drums 56, 57 to a cutting drum 58, whereupon the wrapped article group is cut in the middle using a cutting cutter 113. The cut article groups are then transferred to a spreading drum 59 so that the individual and cut article groups are separated or spread apart from one another in the longitudinal direction in each receiving trough.

[0055] Subsequently, from the spreading drum 59, the pairs of article groups spaced apart from one another in the direction of the longitudinal axis are transferred to a conveying drum 71 and then to an inspection drum 72. In order to pneumatically detect or calculate the suction resistance of the individual article groups, a pneumatic inspection device 80 is arranged on the inspection drum 72 for each row of pairs of article groups conveyed next to each other. Within the scope of the present invention, it is intended that for each row of item groups (having a plurality of, in particular, enclosed item segments) arranged one behind the other in the transverse axial direction, one pneumatic testing device 80 is provided in each case for calculating the individual suction resistance of the individual item groups.

[0056] The respective actual resistance to suction of the respective individual item groups is transmitted from the pneumatic inspection device 80 to the machine control device 100. The machine control device 100 comprises a calculator with which an actual-target value comparison is respectively carried out between the respective actual resistance to suction of the respective individual item groups and a predetermined target value for the respective individual item group.

[0057] The pneumatically inspected article groups (as intermediate products) are subsequently transferred from the inspection drum 72 to a subsequent transport drum 73 and to an alignment drum 47 arranged downstream of this transport drum.

[0058] A third supply module 64 is arranged on the alignment drum 47, by means of which the pneumatically inspected groups of items are each fed with one further item segment by means of this supply module 64.

[0059] In the third supply module 64, the multiple-length goods rods are removed from a magazine or stocker (not shown here) using an extraction drum 42 and then transported in the transverse axial direction via a number of conveying drums 43, 44 to a cutting drum 45, in which a cutting cutter 113 is arranged to cut the goods rods into goods segments. The item segments supplied from the third supply module 64 are subsequently transported from the cutting drum 45 via the spreading drum 46 to the alignment drum 47, whereupon the item segments from the third supply module 64 are abutted against the outside of the item segments on the alignment drum 47.

[0060] From the alignment drum 47, the replenished groups of articles (as finished products) are subsequently transferred to a transport drum 93 for application of a covering strip cut from the covering paper strip 90 to each group of articles formed as a finished product and for winding the covering strip around the groups of articles.

[0061] In order to cut the final length of the covering strip for the aligned groups of items from the covering paper strip 90 and to apply this covering strip to the groups of items using the covering roll 92, a covering roll 92 and a cutter roll 91 cooperating with this covering roll 92 are provided on the conveying drum 93 for each track of the aligned groups of items.

[0062] Following this, the article group with the applied coating strip is transferred to a subsequent rolling drum 94, on which a rolling hand 95 is arranged for winding the applied coating strip around the article group. In the transport area between the alignment drum 47 and the transport drum arranged downstream, groups of articles are transported spaced apart from one another in two tracks or rows.

[0063] From the rolling drum 94, the wound or wrapped article groups are transported via further transport drums 96, 97 to the transport drum 75, on which the transport drums 76, 77 are arranged in the transport direction of the article groups, onto which the article groups are transferred from the transport drum 75 and are transported back. During the transport of the article groups onto the transport drums 76, 77, the article groups are provided with individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, at corresponding positions on the covering strip with the help of laser devices 86, 87 arranged on these transport drums.

[0064] In order to provide, in the multi-segment article manufacturing machine 10, article groups having a constant or approximately constant degree of ventilation, in particular within a predetermined tolerance range, by means of perforations having an individual perforation pattern to be introduced into the covering of the article groups, the individual perforation pattern for each individual article group, in particular the perforation correction pattern, is calculated based on a comparison, carried out by the machine control device 100, of the respective individual actual suction resistance of the article group with a predetermined target suction resistance.

[0065] Subsequently, the groups of articles provided with their respective perforation patterns are transferred from the transport drum 75 to the following transport drums 78, 79.

[0066] In FIG. 2, yet another embodiment according to the invention for a multi-segment article manufacturing machine 10 is diagrammatically illustrated. For the supply of the article groups to be processed, the multi-segment article manufacturing machine 10 has three feed modules 61, 62, 63, by means of which article segments are respectively fed for the aligned article groups. In the conveying direction of the article segments or article groups, the feed modules 61, 62, 63 are arranged one behind the other.

[0067] 1, reference is therefore made to said description, which applies in a corresponding manner to the embodiment under consideration here. In the conveying direction of the article segments, the article groups (as intermediate products) aligned on the alignment drum 27 are transferred to the subsequent conveying drum 28.

[0068] The third supply module 63 is configured such that multiple-length article rods are taken from a magazine or stocker (not shown here) by the take-up drum 32, and cut into article rod segments by a cutting cutter 113 arranged on the take-up drum 32, so that the multiple-length rod-shaped articles are delivered onto the alignment drum 33 and aligned there. The goods rod segments are subsequently delivered onto the sliding drum 34 and there moved flush in the transverse axial direction into correspondingly provided troughs. Subsequently, the product rod segments arranged flush in the transverse axial direction are passed onto the cutting drum 35 so that the product rod segments, in particular the multiple-length or double-length ones, are cut into product segments using a cutting cutter 113 arranged on the cutting drum 35. The item rod segments from the third supply module 63 are subsequently delivered via the conveying drum 36 to the alignment drum 37, on which an item group is thus formed or has been formed having item segments from the three supply modules 61, 62, 63.

[0069] A covering strip cut from the covering paper strip 50 is then applied to the formed group of articles on the transport drum 53 and this covering strip is wound around the group of articles on the rolling drum 54.

[0070] The wound double-length article group is then further transported in the transverse axial direction on subsequent transport drums 56, 57 to a cutting drum 58, so that the double-length article group is cut in the middle. The cut article groups are subsequently spaced apart in the longitudinal direction on the spreading drum 59 and transported further to the inspection drum 72, where for each track or row of coated article groups (as final products) a pneumatic inspection device 80 is provided in each case for detecting or calculating the individual actual suction resistance of the individual article groups.

[0071] After detection or calculation of the actual suction resistance of the article groups, these are further transported in two rows side by side from the inspection drum 72 via the transport drums 73, 147, 148, 149 to the transport drum 75.

[0072] The individual actual suction resistances of the item groups are transmitted to the machine control 100, which uses a calculator to determine individual perforation patterns for each item group based on a comparison of the detected actual suction resistance with a predetermined target suction resistance, which perforation patterns are then introduced into the covering strip of the item groups using laser devices 86, 87 on the transport drums 76, 77.

[0073] All the above features, as well as the individual features which can be seen alone from the figures, as well as those disclosed in combination with other features, are considered essential to the invention both alone and in combination, and the embodiments according to the invention can be realized by means of individual features or by means of a combination of several features. Within the scope of the invention, features characterized with "particularly" or "advantageously" are to be understood as optional features. [Explanation of symbols]

[0074] 10 Multi-segment product manufacturing machine 12 Removal drum 13 Stepped drum arrangement 14 Sliding drum 15 Cutting drum 16 Cutting drum 17 Transport drum 18 Expanding drum 22 Removal drum 23 Stepped drum arrangement 24 Sliding drum 25 Cutting drum 26 Transport drum 27 Alignment Drum 28 Transport drum 32 Removal drum 33 Alignment Drum 34 Sliding drum 35 Cutting drum 36 Transport drum 37 Alignment Drum 42 Removal drum 43 Transport drum 44 Transport drum 45 Cutting drum 46 Expanding drum 47 Alignment Drum 50 coated paper strips 51 Cutter Roll 52 Covering roll 53 Transport drum 54 Rolling drum 55 Rolling Hand 56 Transport drum 57 Transport drum 58 Cutting drum 59 Expanding drum 61 Supply Module 62 Supply Module 63 Supply Module 64 Supply Module 71 Transport drum 72 Inspection drums, transport drums 73 Transport drum 75 Transport drum 76 Transport drum 77 Transport drum 78 Transport drum 79 Transport drum 80 Inspection Equipment 86 Laser Equipment 87 Laser Equipment 90 Covered paper strips 91 Cutter Roll 92 Covering roll 93 Transport drum 94 Rolling drum 95 Rolling Hand 96 Transport drum 97 Transport drum 100 Machine control device 113 Cutting drum 147 Transport Drum 148 Transport Drum 149 Transport Drum

Claims

1. 1. A method for the manufacture of rod-shaped articles for the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented articles or multi-segment articles, comprising a plurality of rod-shaped article segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped article, the method comprising the steps of: the item groups are arranged or are arranged with at least two, three, or four rod-shaped item segments each; the rod-shaped product segments are arranged one behind the other in the longitudinal direction of the product group, and at least one product segment or a plurality of product segments, in particular all product segments, of the product group are covered by a covering strip, the groups of articles are preferably transported one after the other exclusively in the direction of the transverse axis, After alignment of each of said groups of articles in rod form, in a conveying mechanism (72), in particular an inspection drum (72), in the conveying direction of the transversely conveyed groups of articles, the groups of articles are each individually inspected by means of a pneumatic inspection device (80), Using the pneumatic testing device (80), the actual suction resistance of each of the groups of items, in particular each individual one, is calculated, and Then, in a further conveying mechanism (76, 77), in particular a conveying drum (76, 77), in the conveying direction of the transversely conveyed group of articles, (i) the covering strip of the item segment or of an item segment or of each of the item groups comprises: Using a drilling device (86, 87), in particular a laser device, Depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual item group, an individual drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, is provided in the area of ​​the item segment or in particular exclusively in the area of ​​one item segment, or (ii) a covering strip for each of the item segments attached to each of said item groups, Advantageously, in the region of the added article segment, a perforation device (86, 87), in particular a laser device, is used to depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual article group, an individual perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, is provided; A method comprising:

2. Prior to said transport to said pneumatic inspection device (80), said aligned group of articles is 2. The method according to claim 1, characterized in that for each of the perforation patterns to be provided there is at least one or exclusively one article segment.

3. during or during the alignment of the item groups in a transverse axial conveying direction of the item segments of the item groups to be aligned or aligned prior to the conveyance to the pneumatic inspection device (80); 3. A method according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that no perforation of the item segments of each of the item groups and / or no perforation of the covering strips of each of the item groups is performed.

4. downstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) for said group of items and upstream of the perforation device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of said group of items, At least one further, advantageously, item segment in which the perforation pattern should not be provided or in which the perforation pattern should be provided, respectively, is added to the item group; and / or downstream of the punching device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of the group of articles, at least one further item segment, which advantageously should not be provided with a perforation pattern, is added to said item group, respectively; 4. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in a first direction.

5. downstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) for said item group and upstream of the punching device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of said item group, at least one item segment is respectively added to said item group, and after said addition of the further item segments to the respective item groups, said further added item segments are provided with said perforation pattern, in particular with a perforation correction pattern, by means of said perforation devices (86, 87); 5. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are arranged in a first direction.

6. Upstream of the perforation device (86, 87) the added further item segments of the item group are covered by a covering strip, In particular, the covering strips of the further product segments of the product group are provided with the perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, by means of the perforation devices (86, 87).

6. The method of claim 5 .

7. downstream of the punching device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of the group of articles, the groups of articles provided with a perforation pattern formed by the laser device (86, 87) have a substantially constant or substantially the same resistance to suction; 7. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are connected to a first electrode.

8. For the alignment of the item groups, in the conveying direction of the item segments: the article segments upstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) and / or upstream of the perforation devices (86, 87) are not provided with a perforation pattern or are not provided with a perforation pattern, or For the alignment of the item groups, in the conveying direction of the item segments: Upstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) and / or upstream of the perforation device (86, 87), at least one of the item segments for the item group is provided with: A perforation pattern is provided, 8. The method according to claim 1, wherein the first and second electrodes are connected to a first electrode.

9. the calculated actual suction resistance of each of the article groups is transmitted to a control device, in particular to a machine control unit, which is preferably central, and After the transmission of the actual suction resistance of the respective item group, a comparison of the respective actual suction resistance with a predetermined, preferably common, setpoint value for the suction resistance of the item group is carried out by means of the control device, and deviations of the actual suction resistance of each of the individual article groups from the setpoint value below or above a predetermined deviation limit value, in particular below, from the control device corresponding control commands are transmitted to the perforation devices (86, 87) for the generation of the individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, in each of the article groups.

9. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 8.

10. the aligned groups of articles are or have been provided with a coating strip at least partially upstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80); 10. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 9.

11. Two preferably parallel rows of article groups arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and aligned are transported in the transverse direction to a pneumatic inspection device (80) and to a perforation device (86, 87), preferably by means of a drum assembly having several transport drums, In particular, the aligned groups of items of both rows with item segments are or are configured identically, in particular symmetrically, 11. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 10.

12. 1. An apparatus (10) for the production of rod-shaped products for the tobacco processing industry, in particular filter rods or filter rod segments or segmented products or multi-segment products, comprising a plurality of rod-shaped product segments arranged one after the other in the longitudinal direction of the rod-shaped product, comprising: The device (10) a plurality of supply modules (61, 62, 63, 64) for supplying article segments for an article group having a rod shape and a plurality of article segments and at least one covering strip, The device (10) a drum assembly for lateral axial transport of said groups of rod-shaped articles, each of said drum assemblies having at least two, three or four rod-shaped article segments; In the transverse axial direction of transport of the group of items within the drum assembly, a pneumatic inspection device (80) for calculating the suction resistance of the individual, preferably individual, article groups and, downstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80), a perforation device (86, 87), in particular a laser device, for perforating the individual article groups with a perforation pattern, in particular a perforation correction pattern, The punching device (86, 87) (i) depending on the calculated, preferably individual, actual suction resistance of each said individual group of items, The covering strips of the item segments or of the item segments of the individual item groups are so that individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, are provided in the area of ​​the item segments or in particular exclusively in the area of ​​one item segment, or (ii) a covering strip for each of the item segments attached to each of said item groups, Advantageously, in the region of the added article segment, a perforation device (86, 87), in particular a laser device, is used to so that an individual drilling pattern, in particular a drilling correction pattern, is provided depending on the calculated, in particular individual, actual suction resistance of each individual article group, An apparatus (10) comprising:

13. at least one further supply module (64) is provided downstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) for the item group and upstream of the perforation device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of the item group for the supply of further item segments for the item group, 13. Apparatus (10) according to claim 12.

14. downstream of the pneumatic inspection device (80) for the item groups and upstream of the perforation device (86, 87) in the conveying direction of the item groups, a coating device is provided for the further item segments or for coating of further item segments added to the respective item groups.

14. Apparatus (10) according to claim 12 or 13.

15. a supply module (64) for supplying item segments for said item groups is provided downstream of said punching devices (86, 87) in the conveying direction of said item groups, 15. Apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 12 to 14.

16. A control device, in particular a preferably central machine control unit (100), is provided, In particular, the calculated actual suction resistance of each of the item groups is transmitted to the control device; and After the transmission of the actual suction resistance of the respective item group, a comparison of the respective actual suction resistance with a predetermined, preferably common, setpoint value for the suction resistance of the item group is performed or can be performed by means of the control device, and deviations of the actual suction resistance of each of the individual article groups from the setpoint value below or above a predetermined deviation limit value, in particular below, The control device transmits corresponding control commands to the is transmitted or can be transmitted to the perforation devices (86, 87) respectively for the formation of the individual perforation patterns, in particular perforation correction patterns, within the respective article groups; 16. Apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 12 to 15.

17. said machine (10) being configured for at least two, preferably parallel, rows of groups of articles arranged side by side and spaced apart from one another in the longitudinal direction and aligned, the two rows of groups of articles are transported side by side in the transverse direction to a pneumatic inspection device (80) and a perforation device (86, 87), preferably by means of a drum assembly having several transport drums, 17. Apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 12 to 16.

18. 18. Apparatus (10) according to any one of claims 12 to 17, characterized in that the machine (10) is adapted to carry out the method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

19. 1. The arrangement of a group of rod-shaped multi-segment products of the tobacco processing industry in a package, in particular a box with a lid, comprising: the multi-segment article each having a covering strip with a perforation pattern, in particular a perforation compensation pattern, at least two of the multi-segment items of the package have different perforation patterns, or the perforation patterns are different; In particular, the multi-segmented product is manufactured by a method according to any one of claims 1 to 11.

23. The arrangement characterized by:

20. said perforation patterns each having a plurality of perforations, advantageously in the circumferential direction of the multi-segment article; The number of holes of the drilling pattern is between 10 and 30, preferably between 10 and 20, and / or the total area of ​​the holes of the drilling pattern is less than 0.4 mm ２ from 1.0 mm ２ Between now and then, 20. The arrangement according to claim 19 .

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