Mandrel for use in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes, a method for manufacturing the mandrel, and a manufacturing apparatus and method for hollow acetate tubes

Abstract

Provided is a mandrel used in a device for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube to be used in a heating type smoking article, said mandrel comprising a metallic mandrel body and a composite resin coating film which is formed on the surface of the mandrel body by melting a composite resin comprising one or more resins selected from the group consisting of a PEEK resin, a PEKK resin, a PPS resin and a PES resin together with a fluorine resin, wherein the composite resin coating film has bubbles in the film.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes, a method for manufacturing the mandrel, and an apparatus and method for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, in the field of flavor inhalers, hollow filters, which constitute a part of the consumable product to be smoked, are manufactured by manufacturing a hollow acetate tube and cutting it. The manufacturing equipment for the hollow acetate tube uses a metal core called a mandrel. For example, see Patent Document 1. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Special table number 2019-502369 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the mandrel may deteriorate during the manufacturing process of hollow acetate tubes. Specifically, wear on the surface of the mandrel may cause the tow, which is the material for the hollow acetate tubes, to clog the manufacturing equipment, causing the manufacturing equipment to stop or resulting in defective hollow acetate tubes.

[0005] The present disclosure provides a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes, which has improved durability as a component and quality of manufactured products, a manufacturing method thereof, and a manufacturing apparatus and method for hollow acetate tubes. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] A first aspect of the present disclosure is a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for producing hollow acetate tubes for use in heated tobacco products, comprising a metal mandrel body and a composite resin coating formed on the surface of the mandrel body by melting a composite resin composed of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin, wherein the composite resin coating has air bubbles within the film.

[0007] In the first aspect, the surface of the mandrel is coated with a composite resin film made of a predetermined material, and air bubbles are formed within the composite resin film. According to the first aspect, favorable results are obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0008] A second aspect of the present disclosure is the mandrel of the first aspect, wherein the composite resin film has a thickness of 50 μm to 200 μm.

[0009] In the second aspect, the thickness of the composite resin film layer formed on the mandrel surface is 50 μm to 200 μm. According to the second aspect, more preferable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0010] A third aspect of the present disclosure is the mandrel according to the first or second aspect, wherein the minimum diameter of the bubbles is 5 μm or more.

[0011] In the third aspect, the minimum diameter of the bubbles formed in the layer of the composite resin coating is 5 μm or more. According to the third aspect, more preferable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0012] A fourth aspect of the present disclosure is the mandrel according to any one of the first to third aspects, wherein the surface roughness Ra of the composite resin film is 15 μm to 40 μm.

[0013] In the fourth aspect, the surface roughness Ra of the composite resin film is 15 μm to 40 μm. According to the fourth aspect, more preferable results can be obtained in terms of the durability time of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0014] A fifth aspect of the present disclosure is a mandrel in the fourth aspect, wherein the composite resin film exhibits a surface roughness Ra of 15 μm to 40 μm after being abraded for 10 hours by the hollow acetate tube moving at a speed of 200 m / min to 300 m / min by driving the manufacturing apparatus.

[0015] In the fifth aspect, after the manufacturing apparatus is operated for N hours to manufacture hollow acetate tubes, the composite resin film maintains a surface roughness Ra of 15 μm to 40 μm. According to the fifth aspect, more preferable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the rejection rate of the hollow acetate tubes.

[0016] A sixth aspect of the present disclosure is a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes used in heated tobacco products, the mandrel comprising a metal mandrel body and a carbonized hard chromium plating film formed on the surface of the mandrel body.

[0017] In the sixth embodiment, the surface of the metal mandrel body is coated with hard chrome carbide plating. According to the sixth embodiment, favorable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0018] A seventh aspect of the present disclosure is an apparatus for manufacturing a hollow acetate pipe, comprising the mandrel of any one of the first to sixth aspects.

[0019] According to the seventh aspect, it is possible to provide an apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes that achieves favorable results in terms of the removal rate of hollow acetate tubes.

[0020] An eighth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube applied to a heated tobacco product, the method including scraping the surface of a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the hollow acetate tube, the fiber as the material of the hollow acetate tube moving within the manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the hollow acetate tube, the mandrel comprising: a metal mandrel body; and a composite resin coating formed on the surface of the mandrel body by melting a composite resin composed of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin, the composite resin coating having air bubbles within the film.

[0021] In the eighth aspect, the surface of a metal mandrel body is scraped, and the fiber used as the material for the hollow acetate tube is coated with a composite resin film made of a predetermined material, and air bubbles are formed within the composite resin film. According to the eighth aspect, favorable results are obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0022] A ninth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube applied to a heated tobacco product, the method comprising scraping a surface of a mandrel used as a part of a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the hollow acetate tube, the mandrel comprising a metal mandrel body and a carbonized hard chromium plating film formed on the surface of the mandrel body, with fibers as the material of the hollow acetate tube moving within the manufacturing apparatus.

[0023] In the ninth embodiment, the fibers forming the hollow acetate tube scrape against the surface of the metal mandrel body coated with a hard chromium carbide plating film. According to the ninth embodiment, favorable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0024] A tenth aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes applied to heated tobacco products, the method comprising blasting the surface of a metal mandrel body, and applying a mixture of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin to the blasted surface, and then melting the mixture to form a composite resin coating.

[0025] In the tenth aspect, the surface of the metal mandrel body is blasted and then coated with a composite resin film formed by a predetermined process. According to the tenth aspect, favorable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube.

[0026] An eleventh aspect of the present disclosure is a method for manufacturing a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes applied to heated tobacco products, the method including blasting the surface of a metal mandrel body and forming a carbonized hard chromium plating film on the blasted surface.

[0027] In the eleventh aspect, the surface of the metal mandrel body is blasted and then coated with a hard chromium carbide plating film. According to the eleventh aspect, favorable results can be obtained in terms of the durability of the mandrel and the removal rate of the hollow acetate tube. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0028] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional side view showing an example of a consumable material for a flavor inhaler. [Figure 2] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a hollow acetate tube. [Figure 3] 1 is a conceptual diagram showing the manufacturing process of a hollow acetate tube. [Figure 4A] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a defective hollow acetate tube. [Figure 4B]FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a defective hollow acetate tube. [Figure 4C] FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a defective hollow acetate tube. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a top view showing the mandrel. [Figure 6A] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 6B] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 6C] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the main parts of a hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus. [Figure 7A] FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing the surface of the mandrel before use. [Figure 7B] FIG. 1 is an enlarged view showing the surface of a mandrel after use. [Figure 8] FIG. 1 is a conceptual diagram showing a coating on a mandrel surface. [Figure 9] 1 is a table showing experimental results when a hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrels according to the first to third embodiments and a hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrels according to the first to second comparative examples are driven to the mandrel's usage limit. [Figure 10] 10 is a table showing the experimental results when a hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrel according to the first embodiment and a hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrel according to the first comparative example are operated for six hours. [Figure 11] FIG. 2 is a conceptual diagram showing the surface of a mandrel according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12A] FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing the surface of a mandrel according to the first embodiment. [Figure 12B] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the surface of a mandrel according to a second embodiment. [Figure 12C] FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing the surface of a mandrel according to a third embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0029] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the drawings described below, identical or corresponding components are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

[0030] FIG. 1 is a schematic side cross-sectional view of a consumable product 110, which is an example of a consumable product used in a flavor inhaler. The flavor inhaler and the consumable product 110 can form a smoking system. In the example shown in FIG. 1, the consumable product 110 has a smokable article 111, a tubular member 114, a hollow filter portion 116, and a filter portion 115. The smokable article 111 is wrapped in a first wrapping paper 112. The tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115 are wrapped in a second wrapping paper 113 that is different from the first wrapping paper 112. The second wrapping paper 113 also wraps a portion of the first wrapping paper 112 that wraps the smokable article 111. This connects the tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115 to the smokable article 111. However, the second cigarette paper 113 may be omitted, and the tubular member 114, hollow filter portion 116, and filter portion 115 may be connected to the smokable article 111 using the first cigarette paper 112. A lip release agent 117 is applied to the outer surface of the second cigarette paper 113 near the end on the filter portion 115 side, to prevent the user's lips from sticking to the second cigarette paper 113. The portion of the consumable product 110 to which the lip release agent 117 is applied functions as the mouthpiece of the consumable product 110. The consumable product 110 is an example of a heated tobacco product of the present disclosure.

[0031] The smokable article 111 may include a flavor source, such as tobacco, and an aerosol source. Furthermore, the first wrapping paper 112 that wraps the smokable article 111 may be a breathable sheet member. The tubular member 114 may be a paper tube or a hollow filter. In the example shown in FIG. 1 , the consumable product 110 includes the smokable article 111, the tubular member 114, the hollow filter portion 116, and the filter portion 115, but the configuration of the consumable product 110 is not limited to this.

[0032] The tubular member 114 and the hollow filter portion 116 of the consumable product 110 may be integrally formed. Hereinafter, in this disclosure, the tubular member 114 and the hollow filter portion 116 will be described as an integral hollow filter. A hollow filter in which the tubular member 114 and the hollow filter portion 116 are integrally formed is an example of a filter of the present disclosure.

[0033] The hollow filters are formed by cutting a hollow acetate tube 20 to a predetermined length. Figure 2 is a perspective view of the hollow acetate tube 20. As an example, three hollow filters are obtained by dividing the hollow acetate tube 20 into three equal parts along the longitudinal direction.

[0034] The hollow acetate tube 20 is a hollow tube made from a material called acetate. The raw material for the hollow acetate tube 20 is cellulose. For example, cellulose obtained from wood can be used. Cellulose is reacted with acetic acid to produce cellulose acetate (also called acetyl cellulose or acetate). The cellulose acetate is then dissolved in a solvent such as acetone, sprayed through a small hole, and dried using hot air to form fibers. These fibers are then spun to form bundles called tows.

[0035] The manufacturing process of the hollow acetate tube 20 using the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 will be described below. Fig. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing the manufacturing process of the hollow acetate tube 20. Figs. 4A to 4C are perspective views showing an example of a defective hollow acetate tube 20. Fig. 5 is a top view of the mandrel 34. Figs. 6A to 6C are perspective views showing the main parts of the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30.

[0036] As shown in Fig. 3, acetate tow 1 unwound from a package is uniformly spread to a predetermined width by receiving air discharged from a first banding jet 21 and a second banding jet 22. The acetate tow 1 then passes through a pretension roller 11, a blooming roller 12, a stretch roller 13, and a third banding jet 23, and heads toward a liquid addition booth 4. In the liquid addition booth 4, the acetate tow 1 is pretreated by being impregnated with triacetin as a plasticizer, to become pretreated acetate tow 5. The pretreated acetate tow 5 is sent to a transport jet 31 via a nip roll 15 and a delivery roller 14.

[0037] In the transport jet 31, the pretreated acetate tow 5 is subjected to compressed air. As a result, the pretreated acetate tow 5 is homogenized and transported within the internal space extending along the longitudinal direction of the transport jet 31. As the pretreated acetate tow 5 is transported through the transport jet 31, it is transformed from a wide band shape into a substantially cylindrical rod shape by the mandrel holder 35. The internal space of the transport jet 31 extends substantially parallel to the transfer direction A of the uncut continuous hollow acetate tube 6 manufactured by the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30.

[0038] The pretreated acetate tow 5 flows out from the outlet opening of the transport jet 31, passes through the trumpet guide 26, and is introduced into the tongs 32 where it is compressed, roughly determining the outer shape of the uncut, continuous, hollow acetate tube 6. A mandrel holding section 35 and a mandrel 34 held by the mandrel holding section 35 are arranged inside the transport jet 31, the trumpet guide 26, the tongs 32, and the thermoforming section 33, thereby forming the hollow portion of the uncut, continuous, hollow acetate tube 6. In the thermoforming section 33, steam is applied to the pretreated acetate tow 5, and the heat rapidly plasticizes and solidifies the pretreated acetate tow 5 into the uncut, continuous, hollow acetate tube 6.

[0039] In the filter cutting section 7 located downstream of the thermoforming section 33, the uncut continuous hollow acetate tube 6 is cut to a predetermined length by a knife to form a hollow acetate tube 20 which is then sent to an inspection unit 8.

[0040] The hollow acetate tubes 20 are optically inspected in the inspection unit 8. The inspection unit 8 is a component for rejecting defective hollow acetate tubes 20. The inspection unit 8 optically detects the condition of the ends of the hollow acetate tubes 20 to inspect for molding defects.

[0041] 4A to 4C show examples of defective hollow acetate tubes 20 with manufacturing defects at the ends. In FIG. 4A, fuzzing has occurred on the inner periphery of the hollow acetate tube 20. In FIG. 4B, a protrusion has occurred on the inner periphery of the hollow acetate tube 20, resulting in a molding defect. In FIG. 4C, the inner periphery of the hollow acetate tube 20 deviates from the specified shape (indicated by the thick line).

[0042] The inspection unit 8 only inspects one end of the hollow acetate tube 20, and therefore cannot completely eliminate defective products. That is, defective products in which molding defects occur only near the center of the hollow acetate tube 20 in the longitudinal direction and no molding defects are apparent at the end cannot be detected by the inspection unit 8. Such defective hollow acetate tubes 20 that do not pass inspection by the inspection unit 8 are eliminated in a subsequent process in the hollow filter manufacturing process, for example by manual sample inspection.

[0043] Hereinafter, in this disclosure, the rejection of defective hollow acetate tubes 20 refers to those that are judged to be poorly formed by the inspection unit 8 and rejected, and the rejection rate of defective tubes refers to the percentage of hollow acetate tubes 20 that are judged to be poorly formed by the inspection unit 8 and rejected out of the total number of hollow acetate tubes 20.

[0044] The hollow acetate tubes 20 that pass through the inspection unit 8 are sent to a defective product holding storehouse or a normal product holding storehouse (not shown). Hollow acetate tubes 20 that are determined to be defective in the inspection unit 8 are sent to the defective product holding storehouse, while hollow acetate tubes 20 for which no molding defects are detected in the inspection unit 8 are sent to the normal product holding storehouse. Only the hollow acetate tubes 20 stored in the normal product holding storehouse are sent to the subsequent hollow filter forming process.

[0045] As shown in FIG. 5, the mandrel 34 is a metal core and is used in the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 to form the hollow portion of the hollow acetate tube 20 .

[0046] The configuration of the main parts of the hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus 30 shown in Figure 3 will be described with reference to Figures 6A to 6C. Figure 6A is a diagram selectively showing the transport jet 31, trumpet guide 26, and tongue 32. Hereinafter, the transport jet 31, trumpet guide 26, and tongue 32 will be collectively referred to as the tongue section. Figure 6B is a diagram selectively showing the mandrel holding section 35 and mandrel 34. Figure 6C is a diagram selectively showing the tongue section and thermoforming section 33.

[0047] 6A to 6C, the transport jet 31, the trumpet guide 26, and the tongues 32 are arranged in this order, substantially parallel to the transfer direction A. The mandrel 34 is held by a rod-shaped portion of the mandrel holding portion 35, and extends substantially parallel to the transfer direction A. Here, the mandrel holding portion 35 and the mandrel 34 held by the mandrel holding portion 35 are arranged inside the transport jet 31, the trumpet guide 26, the tongues 32, and the thermoforming portion 33.

[0048] The pre-treated acetate tow 5 is introduced from the inlet opening of the transport jet 31 and is homogenized by receiving compressed air. When the pre-treated acetate tow 5 is transported through the transport jet 31, it is evenly arranged around the mandrel holding portion 35 by the influence of the compressed air, and changes from a wide band shape to a substantially cylindrical rod shape before flowing out from the outlet opening of the transport jet 31.

[0049] Next, as the pretreated acetate tow 5 is conveyed through the trumpet guide 26 and the tongs 32, it is squeezed around the mandrel holding portion 35 by the trumpet guide 26, and compressed around the mandrel holding portion 35 by the tongs 32, thereby defining a hollow space. Thereafter, as the pretreated acetate tow 5 is conveyed through the thermoforming section 33, it is plasticized and solidified around the mandrel 34 by steam sprayed from a plurality of holes (not shown) arranged in the thermoforming section 33, and an uncut continuous hollow acetate tube 6 is formed.

[0050] As described above, only the hollow acetate tubes 20 stored in the regular product storage are sent to the subsequent hollow filter formation process. The manufactured hollow filter is then combined with a smokable article 111 wrapped in a first cigarette paper 112 and a filter portion 115, each prepared according to a predetermined configuration, and wrapped in a second cigarette paper 113, thereby joining the components together. Furthermore, a lip release agent 117 is applied to the outer surface of the second cigarette paper 113 near the end on the filter portion 115 side, thereby producing the consumable product 110 shown in FIG. 1.

[0051] Next, the surface structure of the mandrel 34 will be described with reference to Figures 7A, 7B, and 8. Figure 7A is an enlarged view showing the surface of the mandrel 34 before it is used in the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30. Figure 7B is an enlarged view showing the surface of the mandrel 34 after it has been used in the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30. Figure 8 is a conceptual diagram showing the coating on the surface of the mandrel 34.

[0052] As shown in Figure 7A, the surface of an unused metal mandrel body 34A has irregularities due to blasting. The mandrel body 34A can maintain a certain level of irregularity even after use for a certain period of time, or it can maintain a certain level of irregularity even after wear. As shown in Figure 7B, after the mandrel body 34A is attached to the mandrel holder 35 and the hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus 30 is operated for a certain period of time, the irregularities on the surface of the mandrel body 34A are reduced due to wear caused by contact with the pretreated acetate tow 5.

[0053] In the present disclosure, various coatings 34B are applied to the surface of a metal mandrel body 34A, as shown in Figure 8. In the embodiment of the present disclosure, three types of processing were applied to the surface of the mandrel body 34A, and three types of mandrels 34 were manufactured. Each of these three examples will be described below.

[0054] (Example 1: PEEK fluorine composite coating) In the first example, the surface of a metal mandrel body 34A is blasted, and then a composite resin treatment described in a document by Nikken Paint Industries Co., Ltd. (Patent No. 3905730) is applied to form a coating 34B on the mandrel 34. The manufacturing process for the coating 34B according to the first example will be described below.

[0055] First, the surface of the metal mandrel body 34A is pretreated. In the first pretreatment step, the mandrel body 34A is pre-baked, for example, at 400°C. This removes oil and other contaminants adhering to the surface of the mandrel body 34A. In the second pretreatment step, for example, alumina blasting is performed. This removes other impurities remaining on the surface of the mandrel body 34A and forms the irregularities shown in FIG. 7A. Note that the blasting is not limited to alumina, and any method of striking fine particles such as sand, metal, or ceramic can be used.

[0056] Next, the surface of the mandrel body 34A is subjected to a surface treatment. In the first step of the surface treatment, a primer is applied to the surface of the mandrel body 34A to adhere the composite resin. In the second step of the surface treatment, the mandrel body 34A to which the primer has been applied is baked, for example, at 400°C for 60 minutes. This causes the surface of the mandrel body 34A and the primer layer to adhere to each other.

[0057] Next, a composite resin is applied to the surface of the mandrel body 34A. The composite resin is a mixture of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin. As an example, PEEK resin and PFA resin as a fluororesin can be used as the composite resin, with a blend ratio of PEEK resin:PFA resin of approximately 80:20.

[0058] Next, this composite resin is applied onto the primer layer formed on the surface of the mandrel body 34A. The application can be performed by a known coating method such as electrostatic powder coating, fluidized bed dipping, or spray coating. By adjusting the compounding ratio of the composite resin and the thickness of the film, the surface roughness of the composite resin film as the coating 34B can be adjusted to a desired value. In the first embodiment, the compounding ratio of the composite resin and the thickness of the film are adjusted so that the surface roughness Ra of the composite resin film as the coating 34B is in the range of 15 μm to 40 μm. As an example, the thickness of the composite resin film is set to 50 μm to 200 μm.

[0059] Next, the applied composite resin is baked in a baking furnace. The composite resin is baked, for example, at 420°C (melting temperature) for 60 minutes. This melts the composite resin and causes it to adhere to the primer layer. Finally, the composite resin film that is integrally and adhered to the primer layer is cooled, hardening the composite resin and completing the coating 34B according to the first embodiment. The composite resin film as coating 34B has an uneven surface and is provided with slipperiness by the fluororesin, and is formed integrally and adhered to the surface of the mandrel body 34A.

[0060] (Second Example: PEEK Coating) In the second embodiment, the surface of a metal mandrel body 34A is blasted, and then resin-treated with PEEK resin to form a coating 34B on the mandrel 34. The manufacturing process for the coating 34B according to the second embodiment will be described below.

[0061] First, the surface of the metal mandrel body 34A is subjected to pre-treatment and priming. This pre-treatment and priming are the same as those described in Example 1. Next, PEEK resin is applied onto the primer layer formed on the surface of the mandrel body 34A by the coating method described in Example 1.

[0062] Next, the applied PEEK resin is baked in a baking oven. The PEEK resin is baked in the same manner as in the first embodiment, whereby the PEEK resin melts and adheres to the primer layer. Finally, the PEEK resin film that has adhered integrally to the primer layer is cooled, hardening the PEEK resin and completing the coating 34B according to the second embodiment.

[0063] (Third Example: Carbide Hard Chrome Plating) The third embodiment is a mandrel 34 in which a coating 34B is formed on the surface of a metallic mandrel body 34A by applying a process called Blastron (registered trademark) manufactured by Chiyoda Daiichi Kogyo Co., Ltd. The manufacturing process of the coating 34B according to the third embodiment will be described below.

[0064] First, the surface of the metal mandrel body 34A is pretreated. In the first pretreatment step, the mandrel body 34A is pre-baked, for example, at 400°C. This removes oil and other contaminants adhering to the surface of the mandrel body 34A. In the second pretreatment step, for example, alumina blasting is performed. This removes other impurities remaining on the surface of the mandrel body 34A and forms the irregularities shown in FIG. 7A.

[0065] Next, the surface of the mandrel body 34A is plated with hard chromium carbide to form a hard chromium carbide plating film. The hard chromium carbide plating film formed on the surface of the mandrel body 34A is then subjected to a blasting process using, for example, alumina, to complete the coating 34B according to the third embodiment. Specifically, the coating 34B according to the third embodiment is formed using a process called Blastron #120. The number after Blastron indicates the surface roughness of the coating 34B. For example, Blastron #200 has a surface roughness Ra of approximately 0.45 μm, and Blastron #400 has a surface roughness Ra of approximately 0.35 μm. Blastrons #120 to #440 can be used for the coating 34B.

[0066] (Experimental results) Experiments were conducted using the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrels 34 according to the first to third examples of the embodiment of the present disclosure described above, and hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatuses using the mandrels according to the first and second comparative examples. The experimental results are described below.

[0067] The mandrel in the first comparative example is an existing mandrel manufactured by Hauni Maschinenbau AG, in which a resin coating is formed on the surface of the mandrel body, while the mandrel in the second comparative example is a mandrel in which only blast processing is performed on the surface of the mandrel body.

[0068] First, the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrels 34 according to the first to third examples and the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrels according to the first and second comparative examples were each driven to the mandrel's usage limit, and the time to the usage limit, the reason for the usage limit, and the rejection rate of defective products were verified.

[0069] 9 is a table showing the experimental results when the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrels 34 according to the first to third embodiments and the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrels according to the first and second comparative examples were driven to the mandrel's usable limit. Here, the machine speed of each hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus, i.e., the hollow acetate tube moving speed, was 500 m / min, and various settings were the same.

[0070] In Figure 9, the mandrel usage limit is the time from when a new mandrel is first used until the machine becomes inoperable or a large number of defective products are rejected due to the mandrel. The defective product rejection rate indicates the rejection rate of defective products when hollow acetate pipes are produced for 15 minutes after the new mandrel is first used.

[0071] As shown in Figure 9, in Example 1 (PEEK fluorine composite coated), after 48 hours of use, frequent tow clogging occurred in the tongue unit due to wear on the mandrel surface, reaching the limit of mandrel use. The rejection rate for Example 1 was 1.02%.

[0072] In Example 2 (PEEK coated), the mandrel reached its usable limit after 4 hours of use due to frequent tow clogging in the tongue unit caused by wear on the mandrel surface. The rejection rate for Example 2 was 0.94%.

[0073] In Example 3 (hard chrome carbide plating), the hollow acetate tube began to fluff or deform frequently after 5 hours of use, reaching the mandrel's usable limit. At this time, no wear was observed on the mandrel surface. The rejection rate for Example 2 was 0.86%.

[0074] In the first comparative example (the existing mandrel manufactured by Hauni), wear on the mandrel surface caused frequent tow clogging in the tongue unit six hours after the mandrel was first used, reaching the limit of its usability. The rejection rate for the first comparative example was 1.67%.

[0075] Furthermore, in the second comparative example (surface-blasted mandrel), 0.2 hours after the start of use of the mandrel, the hollow acetate tubes frequently became frayed or deformed, and tow clogging occurred frequently in the tongue unit, reaching the limit of the mandrel's usability. Furthermore, the rejection rate for defective products in the second comparative example was 20-30%. In other words, the second comparative example had many defective products, and only 70-80% of the hollow acetate tubes 20 produced were acceptable.

[0076] As can be seen from Fig. 9, according to Examples 1 to 3, significantly better results can be obtained in terms of mandrel usage limits and defective product rejection rates than in Comparative Example 2. Furthermore, according to Example 1, better results can be obtained in terms of mandrel usage limits and defective product rejection rates than in Comparative Example 1. Furthermore, according to Examples 2 and 3, better results can be obtained in terms of defective product rejection rates than in Comparative Example 1.

[0077] Next, the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrel 34 according to the first embodiment and the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrel according to the first comparative example were each operated for six hours, and the rejection rate for each type of defective product rejection was verified.

[0078] 10 is a table showing the experimental results when the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrel 34 according to the first embodiment and the hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus using the mandrel according to the first comparative example were operated for six hours. Here, the machine speed of each hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus, i.e., the hollow acetate tube moving speed, was 500 m / min, and various settings were the same.

[0079] In Figure 10, the fuzziness of the inner circle indicates the defective product shown in Figure 4A, the deformation of the inner circle indicates the defective product shown in Figure 4B, and the roundness and wall thickness indicate the defective product shown in Figure 4C.

[0080] 10, in the first example (PEEK fluorine composite coated), the rejection rate of defective products due to fuzzing of the inner circle was 0%, the rejection rate of defective products due to deformation of the inner circle was 0.02%, and the rejection rate of defective products due to roundness and wall thickness was 0.09%. As a result, when the hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus 30 using the mandrel 34 according to the first example was operated for 6 hours, the rejection rate of defective products was 0.11% in total.

[0081] Furthermore, in the first comparative example (existing mandrel manufactured by Hauni), the rejection rate for defective products due to fuzzing of the inner circle was 0.01%, the rejection rate for defective products due to deformation of the inner circle was 0.16%, and the rejection rate for defective products due to roundness and wall thickness was 0.19%. As a result, when the hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus using the mandrel according to the first comparative example was operated for 6 hours, the rejection rate for defective products was 0.36% in total.

[0082] As can be seen from FIG. 10, according to the first embodiment, better results can be obtained than in the first comparative example for each of the exclusion contents, and better results can be obtained than in the first comparative example for the defective product exclusion rate, which is the sum of the exclusion rates for each exclusion content.

[0083] As shown in FIG. 11, the inventors of the present disclosure discovered that numerous bubbles 34C were formed within the composite resin film serving as the coating 34B of the mandrel 34 according to the first embodiment. It is believed that these bubbles 34C contribute to maintaining the surface irregularities of the mandrel body 34A against wear due to contact with the pretreated acetate tow 5. Specifically, it is believed that the collapse of bubbles 34C, which have a certain volume, causes discontinuous wear of the coating 34B rather than continuous wear, resulting in the appearance of new irregularities. The minimum diameter of the bubbles 34C is 5 μm or greater.

[0084] The composite resin film serving as coating 34B of mandrel 34 according to the first embodiment maintains the surface roughness Ra even after using mandrel 34. Specifically, after hollow acetate pipe manufacturing apparatus 30 using mandrel 34 according to the first embodiment was operated for 10 hours, the surface roughness Ra of the composite resin film serving as coating 34B was in the range of 15 μm to 40 μm.

[0085] According to the first example, the durability time until tow clogging was about 50 hours, and the rejection rate of defective products in a 15-minute evaluation was 1.02%, which is a more desirable figure compared to the second comparative example.

[0086] In the three examples described above, when hollow acetate tubes 20 are manufactured by operating a hollow acetate tube manufacturing apparatus 30 using a mandrel 34 having a metal mandrel body 34A with a coating 34B applied to the surface thereof, the rate of occurrence of non-conforming products, which are determined to be poorly formed by the inspection unit 8 and rejected within 15 minutes, falls within the range of 0.86% to 1.67%. However, as described above, this numerical range is based on evaluation by the inspection unit 8, which optically inspects only the ends of the hollow acetate tubes 20, and it is expected that more non-conforming products will actually be generated.

[0087] Furthermore, when comparing the three examples, the third example can significantly reduce the rejection rate, but is lacking in durability, whereas the first example shows results that are significantly superior to the other two examples in durability.

[0088] 12A to 12C show cross-sectional evaluations of the coating 34B according to Examples 1 to 3, respectively. While the cross-sections depend on the cutting method, they provide a general indication of the general trends. In particular, Example 1 exhibits significant irregularities on the surface of the mandrel body 34A, which is believed to be due to the presence of the air bubbles 34C described above.

[0089] Although the embodiments of the present disclosure have been described above, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and various modifications are possible within the scope of the claims and the technical ideas described in the specification and drawings. Note that any shapes or materials not directly described in the specification and drawings are within the scope of the technical ideas of the present disclosure as long as they achieve the effects of the present disclosure. [Explanation of symbols]

[0090] 1...Acetate toe 4...Liquid addition booth 5...Pretreated acetate tow 6...Hollow acetate tube 7...Filter cut section 8...Inspection unit 11...Pretension roller 12...Blooming Lola 13...Stretch roller 14...Delivery roller 15...Nip roll 20...Hollow acetate tube 21...1st Banding Jet 22...2nd banding jet 23...3rd Banding Jet 26...Trumpet Guide 30...Hollow acetate pipe manufacturing equipment 31...Transport Jet 32...Tongs 33...Thermoforming section 34...Mandrel 34A...Mandrel body 34B...Coating 34C...bubbles 35...Mandrel holding part 110…Consumables 111...Smoking permitted 112...First scroll 113...Second Scroll 114...Cylindrical member 115...Filter section 116...Hollow filter section 117...Lip release agent

Claims

1. A mandrel for use in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube for use in a heated tobacco product, comprising: a metal mandrel body; a composite resin film formed on the surface of the mandrel body by melting a composite resin made of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin, The composite resin film has bubbles within the film. Mandrel.

2. 10. The mandrel of claim 1, The thickness of the composite resin film is 50 μm to 200 μm. Mandrel.

3. 3. The mandrel according to claim 1 or 2, The minimum diameter of the bubbles is 5 μm or more. Mandrel.

4. The mandrel according to any one of claims 1 to 3, The surface roughness Ra of the composite resin film is 15 μm to 40 μm. Mandrel.

5. 5. The mandrel of claim 4, the composite resin film exhibits a surface roughness Ra of 15 μm to 40 μm after being abraded for 10 hours by the hollow acetate tube moving at a speed of 200 m / min to 300 m / min by driving the manufacturing apparatus; Mandrel.

6. A mandrel according to any one of claims 1 to 5, Hollow acetate tube manufacturing equipment.

7. A method for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube for use in a heated tobacco product, comprising: The fibers as the material of the hollow acetate tube moving in the manufacturing device for manufacturing the hollow acetate tube are A mandrel used in the manufacturing apparatus, a metal mandrel body; a composite resin film formed on the surface of the mandrel body by melting a composite resin made of one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin, and a fluororesin, The composite resin film has bubbles within the film. abrading the surface of the mandrel; A method for manufacturing hollow acetate tubes.

8. A method for manufacturing a mandrel used in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing a hollow acetate tube applied to a heated tobacco product, comprising: Blasting the surface of a metal mandrel body; forming a composite resin film by mixing one or more resins selected from the group consisting of PEEK resin, PEKK resin, PPS resin, and PES resin with a fluororesin and applying the mixture to the blasted surface and melting the mixture; Including, The composite resin film has bubbles within the film. A method for manufacturing a mandrel.

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