Equipment and method for aligning rod-shaped aerosol generating articles

Abstract

An apparatus and method for aligning a rod-shaped aerosol-generating article (1) with a susceptor band (10). The apparatus comprises a conveyor (2) for receiving and transporting the aerosol-generating article (1) with a susceptor band (10) and a holding means for holding the aerosol-generating article (1) in the conveyor (2), the holding means being adapted to allow temporary rotation of the aerosol-generating article (1). The apparatus further comprises a magnetic positioning unit (6) for rotating the aerosol-generating article (1) held by the holding means about its longitudinal axis to a defined position, and a cutting device (3) for cutting the aerosol-generating article (1) at the defined position, the magnetic positioning unit comprising at least one rotatable magnetic shaft (61).

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to equipment and methods for aligning rod-shaped aerosol generating articles comprising susceptor bands.

Background Art

[0002] In an electronically heated non-combustion device using induction heating, a rod-shaped consumable comprises a susceptor band that is inductively heated by an alternating magnetic field to heat an aerosol-forming substrate in the vicinity of the susceptor band. When manufacturing the consumable, a continuous susceptor band is inserted into the aerosol-forming substrate. A continuous rod is formed and then cut into individual segments, which are combined with other segments to form the consumable used in the induction heating device.

[0003] In the rod, the susceptor band should be centrally assigned. The susceptor band should not be damaged or deformed by the cutting process. Both the location and integrity of the susceptor can change the heating efficiency, temperature distribution, or lead to a lack of consistency in the performance of the consumable.

[0004] To cut the rod, the rod may be placed in the circular groove of a conveyor drum and cut with a circular knife. However, since the rod typically comes from a mass flow, e.g., from a hopper to the conveyor drum, the position of the rod on the conveyor drum is random, and thus the rotational position of the susceptor band inside the rod relative to the axis of the conveyor drum is random. As a result, the cutting angle at which the susceptor band is cut by the circular knife is random.

[0005] From European Patent Publication No. EP 3461352, it is known to rotate articles in the tobacco processing industry, such that all magnetic bands within the article have the same vertical or horizontal position relative to its circular groove. The magnetic band is rotated by a magnetization device that interacts with the magnetic band within the article.

Summary of the Invention

[0006] It is desirable to provide equipment and methods for aligning rod-shaped articles by magnetic means, wherein the rotational position of the susceptor band within the articles is defined for all articles and optimized for cutting the articles. Specifically, it is desirable to have such equipment and methods having a simple setup. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] According to the present invention, equipment is provided for aligning rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands. The equipment comprises a conveyor for receiving and transporting aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, and a holding means for holding the aerosol-generating articles within the conveyor, the holding means being adapted to allow temporary rotation of the aerosol-generating articles. The equipment further comprises a magnetic positioning unit for rotating the aerosol-generating articles held by the holding means around the longitudinal axis of the articles to a defined position, and a cutting device for cutting the aerosol-generating articles at the defined position, the magnetic positioning unit comprising at least one rotatable magnetic shaft. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0008] [Figure 1] A cross-sectional view of an aerosol-generating object equipped with a susceptor band is shown. [Figure 2] This diagram schematically illustrates the cutting process of rod-shaped articles on a conveyor drum with a circular groove. [Figure 3] This demonstrates a cutting process using a magnetic positioning unit. [Figure 4] A perspective view of a guide element having an integrated magnetic shaft is shown. [Figure 5] A schematic cross-section of the magnetic shaft is shown. [Figure 6]This shows the different relative orientations of the magnetic shaft and the aerosol-generating article. [Figure 7] This shows the different relative orientations of the magnetic shaft and the aerosol-generating article. [Figure 8] A detailed diagram of the aerosol-generating object at the cutting location is shown. [Figure 9] This shows an aerosol-generating article that has been cut. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0009] Aerosol-generating articles are transported by a conveyor. The conveyor is preferably equipped with a holding mechanism. The holding mechanism may be incorporated into the conveyor. The articles are held by the holding mechanism while being transported on the conveyor, for example, from a receiving location to a magnetic positioning unit located downstream.

[0010] For example, in articles having susceptor bands that are to be cut or otherwise processed for assembly with other segments, where a specific relative position of the susceptor bands with other segments is desirable or essential, the position of the susceptor bands should be defined and consistent for all articles. For instance, it has been found that random orientation of susceptor bands within an article can lead to irregular cuts, deformation of the susceptor, or even a reduction in the lifespan of the cutting knife. Therefore, it may be beneficial for a magnetic positioning unit to interact with the susceptor bands within an aerosol-generating article to achieve optimized rotational positioning of the article before cutting. The magnetic force of the magnetic positioning unit acting on the susceptor bands causes the article to rotate around its longitudinal axis until the rotational position of the susceptor bands within the article corresponds to a defined position. The use of a magnetic positioning unit is advantageous because the magnetic positioning unit interacts with the susceptor bands regardless of their original rotational position. The applied magnetic force rotates the susceptor band and aligns it with the magnetic field lines. The magnetic positioning unit, equipped with a rotatable magnetic shaft, is positioned so that the defined position of the article corresponds to the optimized cutting angle of the susceptor band relative to the cutting device.

[0011] In short, the magnetic force of a magnetic positioning device is coupled to a susceptor band within an article. If necessary, a magnetic shaft is rotated to rotate the susceptor band and the article containing the susceptor band. This invention utilizes magnetic field heterogeneity to rotate the susceptor band to a desired position based on its original position relative to the magnetic field lines of the magnetic shaft. This adjustable rotational orientation of the magnetic shaft may allow for any alignment of the susceptor band relative to the cutting device.

[0012] The relative position of the susceptor band to the cutting knife is known to have a significant impact on the quality of the cut. It is generally recognized that for clean cuts of rod-shaped articles, the plane of the cutting knife and the longitudinal axis of the rod-shaped article should be perpendicular to each other. Furthermore, it has been found that an optimized cutting angle between the susceptor band and the cutting blade improves not only the quality of the cut but also the lifespan of the cutting knife.

[0013] At a defined location on the aerosol-generating article, the cutting angle at which the susceptor band within the article is cut by the cutting device is preferably less than 90 degrees, and more preferably between 20 and 70 degrees. The cutting angle is more preferably between 30 and 60 degrees, for example, 45 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees.

[0014] The cutting angle is defined between the plane of the susceptor band and the position of the cutting edge of the cutting device at the moment the cutting device begins to cut the susceptor band. If the cutting device is a straight knife, the cutting angle is defined between the plane of the susceptor band and the straight cutting edge of the straight knife. If the cutting device is a rotary cutting knife, the cutting angle is defined between the plane of the susceptor band and the tangent to the cutting edge of the rotary cutting knife at the moment the cutting edge begins to cut the susceptor band.

[0015] Preferably, at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is magnetized in the diametrical direction. Therefore, the magnetic poles extend along the length of the magnetic shaft. Preferably, each magnetic pole extends over half of the magnetic shaft.

[0016] Preferably, at least one rotatable magnetic shaft has the form of a rod. A longitudinally symmetrical form of the magnetic shaft is advantageous for acting consistently over the length, preferably the entire length, of the rod-shaped article. The rotatable magnetic shaft in the form of a rod may have at least one slit. The slit extends circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of rotation of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft so that a component of the cutting device passes through at least one slit to cut the aerosol-generating article. The slit is intended for a cutting knife to pass through. This allows the cutting device to be positioned close to the article to be cut. Therefore, the structure of the cutting device and magnetic positioning unit can be kept very compact. In addition, the positioning of the article may occur immediately before cutting the article, so that the article may be cut before it is inadvertently displaced from a defined position.

[0017] The magnetic shaft is rotatable to bring the shaft to an optimized rotational position, thereby the interaction with the susceptor band leads to an optimized rotational position of the article and an optimized cutting angle relative to the susceptor. The rotatability of the magnetic shaft is preferable to allow adjustment of the rotational position of the magnetic shaft during the running alignment process. For example, the rotatability of the magnetic shaft is preferable to allow fine adjustments during the running process or adjustments at the start of the positioning process, such as during equipment ramp-up. Appropriate process controls and actuators may be provided for at least one, preferably several, magnetic shafts, as described in more detail below.

[0018] The longitudinal rotation axis of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is preferably arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article held on the conveyor. Therefore, the rotation axis of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is preferably arranged parallel to the longitudinal axis of the seat in the conveyor. The rotatable magnetic shaft may preferably be arranged so as to extend over the entire width of the conveyor, preferably over the entire width, so that the rotatable magnetic shaft may extend accordingly over the entire length of the article.

[0019] Typically, the rotation axis of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged perpendicular to the moving direction of the conveyor, and the longitudinal axis of the article is also arranged perpendicular to the moving direction of the conveyor.

[0020] The equipment preferably comprises guide elements arranged at a distance from and parallel to the conveyor to prevent the aerosol-generating article from falling from the conveyor. The guide elements may also prevent the article from sliding into the next seat or round groove within the conveyor. The guide elements may be part of the holding means. The guide elements are arranged and constructed so as to allow the article within the conveyor to pass below the guide elements, but to hold the article within the conveyor, for example within the round groove of the conveyor drum.

[0021] In the equipment of the present invention, the magnetic positioning unit is arranged outside the conveyor. The magnetic positioning unit is preferably arranged completely outside the conveyor. The external position of the magnetic positioning unit relative to the conveyor may simplify the structure of the conveyor and the interaction between the conveyor and the magnetic positioning unit. For example, the positioning unit may be arranged completely stationary and independent of the form or structure of the conveyor.

[0022] In some embodiments of the present invention, the magnetic positioning unit or at least one rotatable magnetic shaft may be mounted on the guide element. Preferably, the entire magnetic positioning unit is mounted on the guide element.

[0023] The cutting device may also be mounted on a guide element. A compact and space-saving structure of the equipment may be achieved by combining different components of the equipment, such as mounting a magnetic positioning unit, a cutting device, or both a magnetic positioning unit and a cutting device on a guide element.

[0024] The system includes a cutting device for cutting aerosol-generating articles. The cutting device is located downstream of a magnetic positioning unit. This arrangement may ensure that the aerosol-generating articles are positioned in a defined location before being cut by the cutting device. The articles may be cut by a knife having a straight cutting edge or a knife having a circular cutting edge. The cutting device preferably comprises at least one circular cutting knife. In some embodiments, the cutting device comprises several cutting knives, preferably several circular cutting knives.

[0025] The cutting device preferably comprises a series of circular cutting knives. The series of circular cutting knives may be arranged parallel to each other. The series of circular cutting knives may be arranged consecutively to each other. The series of cutting knives may be arranged consecutively offset from each other and parallel to each other. In a typical cutting process for a rod-shaped aerosol generating article, the rod is cut in parallel once, twice, or three times simultaneously. The cut rod is then transported further downstream and preferably cut again (preferably several times) by further cutting knives until the cut article has a desired length. The desired length may be the final length of the article to be used as a segment of a consumable. The desired length may be longer than the final length because there may be further cutting processes further downstream in the production line, for example, after the article with the desired length has been attached to other segments.

[0026] The apparatus preferably comprises several rotatable magnetic shafts arranged in a continuous manner, with the rotatable magnetic shafts positioned upstream of the circular cutting knife. Having several rotatable magnetic shafts arranged in a continuous manner allows the rod-shaped aerosol-generating article to be properly positioned in a defined location before being cut in a subsequent cutting step. For example, the article may be slightly displaced by the cutting step, or the susceptor band may be irregularly positioned within the article along the length of the article being cut. The updated positioning of the article or the cut article may reduce the amount of waste that may be generated in the apparatus by defective cutting of the susceptor band, preferably before each subsequent cutting step.

[0027] Preferably, each of the several rotatable magnetic shafts is assigned to a different circular cutting knife from a series of circular cutting knives.

[0028] This arrangement of magnetic positioning units eliminates the need for visual or other detection systems for detecting the orientation of the susceptor band, both upstream of the cutting process and during subsequent cutting steps.

[0029] It is preferable that all of the rotatable magnetic shafts are magnetized in the diametrical direction.

[0030] All of the rotatable magnetic shafts have the form of rods with slits, and it is preferable that the slits extend circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the rotatable magnetic shafts. It is preferable that the slits are equally spaced from one another.

[0031] A magnetic positioning unit may be equipped with permanent magnets or electromagnets. It is preferable that the magnetic positioning unit be equipped with only permanent magnets. Permanent magnets are advantageous because they are independent of the power supply otherwise required to operate an electromagnet.

[0032] The conveyor may be a conveyor band or conveyor drum, preferably having several seats for accommodating rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles.

[0033] A conveyor having seats may transport articles individually and safely from a receiving location (where the articles are received within the seats of the conveyor and held therein by holding means) to a positioning location and a cutting location located further downstream.

[0034] Preferably, the conveyor is a grooved conveyor drum having several rounded grooves, each groove being for containing aerosol-generating articles. Typically, aerosol-generating articles are semi-finished products and components, or consumables of multiple components. Through the rotation of the conveyor drum, articles may be transported to different locations along the perimeter of the conveyor drum in a safe and space-saving manner.

[0035] Preferably, the axis of rotation of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged parallel to the round groove of the round groove conveyor drum.

[0036] The holding means is preferably equipped with a suction means. The suction means is preferably applicable to a seat in the conveyor, which is a seat for holding the aerosol-generating article. The holding means is preferably designed to allow temporary rotation of the aerosol-generating article. This may be achieved, for example, by reducing the suction force while the article is rotating, or by preventing the suction force at the location where the article is rotating.

[0037] The equipment may include output control to detect the state of the susceptor band in the cut aerosol-generating article, to compare the detected state with quality specifications, to reject the cut aerosol-generating article as waste if it does not meet the quality specifications, and to trigger a magnetic positioning unit to adjust at least one rotatable magnetic shaft if the rejected cut aerosol-generating article exceeds a predetermined waste threshold.

[0038] Output control may be used to adjust the magnetic positioning unit, which may result in further improvements to the cut material and a reduction in waste.

[0039] The condition of the susceptor band within the cut article must meet the specified quality specifications in order to be acceptable and not rejected as waste.

[0040] The output control may detect, for example, the rotational position of the susceptor band within a severed aerosol-generating article, or the absolute position of the susceptor band within the article. For example, the output control may detect the displacement of the susceptor band in a direction around a rod-shaped article, away from the center of the article. The output control may also detect the shape of the susceptor band, for example, if the susceptor band has a deformed (e.g., bent) shape. These parameters must be within a certain predetermined threshold for them to be acceptable. If they exceed the predetermined threshold, the article is detected as not meeting the predetermined quality specifications, and the article is rejected as waste.

[0041] The output control preferably includes a rejection system that rejects defective articles, including those with susceptor band conditions that do not meet quality specifications.

[0042] If the waste ratio (the ratio of defective articles to submitted articles) exceeds a predetermined waste threshold, the output control triggers a magnetic positioning unit using information detected about the state of the susceptor band to adjust at least one rotatable magnetic shaft. The output control may include a camera positioned to, for example, provide an image of at least one end of a cut rod-shaped aerosol-generating article. The camera may detect the morphology and position of the susceptor band within the cut article, which may be compared to predetermined parameters of the susceptor band within the cut article. If any one of the detected parameters deviates from a pre-set quality specification, the defective article is rejected as waste. The waste threshold for this waste is preferably set to trigger the adjustment of at least one magnetic shaft to reduce waste. The acceptable amount of waste for the entire cutting process may be, for example, 1 percent. If the waste increases and exceeds this 1 percent threshold, the magnetic shaft adjustment is triggered to reduce waste.

[0043] A magnetic positioning unit may include an actuator for rotating at least one rotatable magnetic shaft. A magnetic positioning unit may include several actuators for rotating several rotatable magnetic shafts. Preferably, each of the several rotatable magnetic shafts is provided with an actuator for individually rotating one of the several rotatable magnetic shafts.

[0044] A rotatable magnetic shaft allows for dynamic adjustment of the rotational position of the article and, accordingly, the susceptor angle within the article, so that an optimized cutting angle for the susceptor can be achieved by stepwise adjustment of the magnetic shaft. This is advantageous in many ways. For example, an article may be displaced during transport or during a previous cutting process, so that the initial position of the susceptor band in an article that was not cut when fed into the conveyor no longer corresponds to the actual position of the susceptor band before cutting. Another example is that the planar position of the susceptor band may not be uniform across the length of the article. Therefore, if the position of the susceptor band is measured only at the end of an uncut article, this may not correspond to the position of the susceptor band in a cut article, for example, if the article is cut from the middle of an uncut article. Yet another embodiment may be a ramp-up of the cutting process, where the transport speed of the article changes while the conveyor has not yet reached its final operating speed and is being received by and cut on the conveyor. During cutting, there is generally a small spinning effect applied to the rod by the circular knife. Since this spinning of the rod is related to the time required to cut the rod, it is therefore preferable to have an adjustable cutting angle so that the acceleration of the machine can be compensated for during the machine's ramp-up.

[0045] The equipment may include a speed sensor for measuring the conveyor's movement speed. Preferably, the speed sensor is connected to a controller that controls the magnetic positioning unit.

[0046] The present invention also provides a method for aligning rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands. The method includes receiving the aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands into a seat on a conveyor, transporting and holding the aerosol-generating articles within the seat on the conveyor, and non-contact rotating the aerosol-generating articles to a predetermined position about the longitudinal axis of the articles using a magnetic positioning unit equipped with a rotatable magnetic shaft. The method further includes cutting the aerosol-generating articles at a defined position, thereby cutting the susceptor bands at a cutting angle of 20 to 70 degrees, preferably 30 to 60 degrees, for example, 45 plus or minus 5 degrees.

[0047] The method includes temporarily releasing an aerosol-generating article to allow it to rotate to a defined position, and then fixing the aerosol-generating article in the defined position.

[0048] Holding and rotating an article may occur simultaneously if the force rotating the article overcomes the force holding it. It is preferable that the holding force is reduced or hindered in order to allow the article to rotate. For example, the suction force applied to an article may be temporarily reduced to allow the article to rotate. The applied suction force may also be temporarily hindered to release the article. However, in some embodiments of the present invention, even the holding means itself may be modified, for example, from a suction force applied to an article to a holding surface or guide element provided to prevent the article from coming loose from its seat, preferably without interfering with the rotation of the article. When the article has rotated to its defined position about its longitudinal axis, it is preferable that the article is fixed in place for further processing steps, for example, by applying a suction force to the article.

[0049] This method preferably includes fixing the aerosol-generating article in a defined position and cutting the aerosol-generating article. Fixing allows the cutting to be performed at the defined position. Therefore, the article is kept in the defined position before and during cutting. Depending on further processing of the article, the article may also be kept in the defined position after cutting.

[0050] This method preferably includes providing a magnetic positioning unit equipped with a rotatable magnetic shaft outside the conveyor.

[0051] The method typically involves transporting an aerosol-generating article from a receiving location where the article is received on a conveyor to a positioning location where the article is rotated and positioned, and to a cutting location where the article is cut, wherein the positioning location is located downstream of the receiving location, and the cutting location is located downstream of the positioning location.

[0052] The method may include at least a further cutting location located downstream of the cutting location. The article may be cut into several segments in the same cutting process and in several subsequent cutting processes, as already described above.

[0053] If several subsequent cutting steps are provided, the method preferably includes rotating the aerosol-generating article to a defined position upstream of each of the cutting locations and at least one further cutting location. A rotatable magnetic shaft may be provided upstream of each of the cutting locations and further cutting locations. This is advantageous because any deviation in the rotational position of the susceptor band within the article from the defined position may be adjusted immediately before the article is cut or cut again.

[0054] The method preferably includes providing a guide element arranged parallel to a conveyor, wherein the guide element prevents aerosol-generating articles from falling from the conveyor, and installing a magnetic positioning unit on the guide element.

[0055] The method preferably includes conveying the aerosol-generating article within the grooves of a grooved conveyor drum. When using a grooved conveyor drum, the method preferably includes continuously supplying the aerosol-generating article into the grooves of the grooved conveyor drum.

[0056] The method preferably further includes rotating each of the aerosol-generating articles individually to a defined position. Some aerosol-generating articles may be rotated simultaneously.

[0057] The method may include adjusting the rotation of a rotatable shaft according to the conveying speed of the aerosol-generating article.

[0058] The method preferably includes holding the aerosol-generating article on a conveyor drum by a suction force applied to the article.

[0059] The method may further include output control for detecting the condition of the susceptor band in the final severed aerosol-generating article and rejecting the final severed aerosol-generating article having a defective susceptor band as waste. If the waste exceeds a predetermined waste threshold, the method includes using information on the detected output conditions of the susceptor band in the severed aerosol-generating article to rotate a rotatable magnetic shaft, thereby adjusting the rotation of the aerosol-generating article.

[0060] Therefore, it is preferable that any defective articles, and therefore any articles in which the detected susceptor band does not meet the predetermined quality specifications, are rejected as waste, while it is preferable that the adjustment of the magnetic positioning unit is initialized only when the waste ratio exceeds a predetermined waste threshold.

[0061] As used herein, the term "susceptor" refers to a material that has the ability to convert electromagnetic energy into heat. When located in an alternating electromagnetic field, eddy currents are typically induced, and hysteresis losses may occur within the susceptor, potentially causing it to heat up. Because the susceptor is located in thermal contact with the aerosol-forming substrate, the aerosol-forming substrate is heated by the susceptor, causing it to release aerosol-forming material.

[0062] The susceptor may be formed from any material that can be inductively heated to a temperature sufficient to release material from the aerosol-forming substrate. Preferred susceptors include metal or carbon. Preferred susceptors may include or consist of iron or ferromagnetic materials (e.g., ferrite iron, ferromagnetic alloys such as ferromagnetic steel, stainless steel, or aluminum). The susceptor preferably contains more than 5 percent, preferably more than 20 percent, preferably more than 50 percent or 90 percent of ferromagnetic or paramagnetic material. Preferred susceptors may be heated to a temperature of about 150 degrees Celsius to about 300 degrees Celsius. Preferably, the susceptor may be heated to a temperature of about 200 degrees Celsius to about 270 degrees Celsius, for example, 235 degrees Celsius.

[0063] The susceptor sheet material is preferably a metal band.

[0064] The susceptor sheet material is preferably a stainless steel band. However, the susceptor material may also include, or be made from, graphite, molybdenum, silicon carbide, aluminum, niobium, Inconel alloy (austenitic nickel-chromium superalloy), metallized film, ceramic (e.g., zirconia), transition metal (e.g., iron, cobalt, nickel), or semimetallic components (e.g., boron, carbon, silicon, phosphorus, aluminum).

[0065] The susceptor band preferably has a basic rectangular shape with a width of about 2 mm to about 8 mm, more preferably about 3 mm to 5 mm, for example 4 mm, and a thickness of about 0.03 mm to about 1 mm, more preferably about 0.05 mm to about 0.5 mm, for example about 0.07 mm to 0.2 mm. The width of the susceptor band is smaller than the width or diameter of the rod-shaped aerosol generating article in which the susceptor band is disposed.

[0066] As a general rule, whenever the term “approximately” is used throughout this specification in relation to a particular value, it is understood that the value following the term “approximately” does not need to be that specific value precisely, due to technical considerations. However, it is understood that whenever the term “approximately” is used in relation to a particular value, it shall always include and expressly disclose the specific value following the term “approximately.” The aerosol generating article has the form of a rod, preferably in the range of about 3 mm to about 12 mm, more preferably in the range of about 4 mm to about 8 mm, for example, 7 mm. The rod preferably has a circular or elliptical cross-section. However, the rod may also have a rectangular or polygonal cross-section.

[0067] The aerosol-generating article comprises an aerosol-forming substrate having the ability to form aerosols. The aerosol-forming substrate is solid and may contain a tobacco-containing material that includes volatile tobacco-flavored compounds released from the substrate upon heating. Alternatively, the aerosol-forming substrate may contain a non-tobacco material. The aerosol-forming substrate may further contain an aerosol-forming body. Examples of suitable aerosol-forming bodies include glycerin and propylene glycol.

[0068] The aerosol-forming substrate may include one or more homogenized tobacco material sheets assembled on a rod, provided with a susceptor band, and surrounded by a wrapper. Preferably, the aerosol-forming substrate includes an aggregate of crimped sheets of homogenized tobacco material.

[0069] The tobacco sheet forming the aerosol-forming substrate may include tobacco particles, fiber particles, aerosol-forming materials, binders, and, for example, flavorings.

[0070] The aerosol-forming tobacco substrate is preferably a crimped tobacco sheet comprising tobacco material, fibers, a binder, and an aerosol-forming body. The tobacco sheet is preferably a cast leaf. The cast leaf is a form of reconstituted tobacco formed from a slurry comprising tobacco particles, fiber particles, an aerosol-forming body such as glycerol or propylene glycol, a binder, and, for example, flavorings.

[0071] The present invention is defined in the claims. However, a non-exclusive list of non-limiting embodiments is provided below. One or more features of these embodiments may be combined with one or more features of other embodiments, forms, or aspects described herein.

[0072] Example 1: Equipment for aligning rod-shaped aerosol generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, A conveyor for containing and transporting aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, A holding means for holding an aerosol-generating article within a conveyor, the holding means being adapted to allow temporary rotation of the aerosol-generating article, A magnetic positioning unit for rotating an aerosol-generating article, held by a holding means, to a defined position about the article's long axis, A cutting device for cutting an aerosol-generating article at a defined location, A magnetic positioning unit comprising at least one rotatable magnetic shaft. Example 2: The apparatus according to Example 1, wherein at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is magnetized in the diametrical direction. Example 3: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 2, wherein at least one rotatable magnetic shaft has the form of a rod having at least one slit extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of rotation of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft for a portion of the cutting apparatus through which at least one slit passes to cut an aerosol-generating article. Example 4: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 3, wherein the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction of a seat in the conveyor. Example 5: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 4, further comprising a guide element positioned at a certain distance from and parallel to the conveyor in order to prevent an aerosol-generating article from falling off the conveyor. Example 6: The equipment according to either Example 5 or Example 6, wherein the magnetic positioning unit is located outside the conveyor. Example 7: The apparatus according to Example 5 or Example 6, wherein a magnetic positioning unit is mounted on a guide element. Example 8: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 5 to 7, wherein the cutting device is mounted on a guide element. Example 9: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 8, wherein the cutting device comprises at least one circular cutting knife. Example 10: The apparatus according to Example 9, wherein the cutting device comprises a series of circular cutting knives arranged parallel to each other. Example 11: The apparatus according to Example 9 or Example 10, wherein the cutting device comprises a series of circular cutting knives arranged in a continuous manner with respect to each other. Example 12: The apparatus according to Example 11, further comprising several rotatable magnetic shafts arranged in a continuous manner, wherein the rotatable magnetic shafts are positioned upstream of a circular cutting knife. Example 13: The apparatus according to Example 12, wherein each of several rotatable magnetic shafts is assigned to a different circular cutting knife of a series of circular cutting knives. Example 14: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 12-13, wherein several rotatable magnetic shafts are all magnetized in the diametrical direction. Example 15: The apparatus according to Example 14, wherein several rotatable magnetic shafts have the form of rods with circumferential slits, the slits extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of the several rotatable magnetic shafts. Example 16: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 15, wherein the magnetic positioning unit is equipped with a permanent magnet. Example 17: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 16, wherein the magnetic positioning unit is equipped with an electromagnet. Example 18: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 17, wherein the conveyor has several seats, each seat for containing an aerosol-generating article. Example 19: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 18, wherein the conveyor is a grooved conveyor drum having several round grooves, each round groove for containing an aerosol-generating article. Example 20: The apparatus according to Example 19, wherein the axis of rotation of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged parallel to the grooves of the grooved conveyor drum. Example 21: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 20, wherein the holding means comprises a suction means applicable to a seat in the conveyor. Example 22: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 21, comprising output control for detecting the state of a susceptor band in a cut aerosol-generating article, comparing the detected state with a quality specification, rejecting the cut aerosol-generating article as waste if it does not meet the quality specification, and triggering a magnetic positioning unit to adjust at least one rotatable magnetic shaft if the rejected cut aerosol-generating article exceeds a predetermined waste threshold. Example 23: The apparatus according to Example 22, wherein the output control includes a camera positioned to provide an image of at least one end of a cut rod-shaped aerosol generating article. Example 24: The apparatus according to any one of Examples 1 to 23, wherein the magnetic positioning unit comprises an actuator for rotating at least one rotatable magnetic shaft. Example 25: The apparatus according to Example 12, wherein each of several rotatable magnetic shafts is provided with an actuator for individually rotating each of the several rotatable shafts. Example 26: A method for aligning rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, The conveyor base is designed to receive an aerosol-generating article equipped with a susceptor band, Transporting and holding aerosol-generating items within the conveyor belt, A magnetic positioning unit equipped with a rotatable magnetic shaft allows for contactless rotation of an aerosol-generating article around its long axis to a defined position. A method comprising cutting an aerosol-generating article at a defined location, thereby cutting the susceptor band at a cutting angle of 20 to 70 degrees. Example 27: The method according to Example 26, wherein the aerosol generating article is temporarily released to allow it to rotate to a defined position, and then the aerosol generating article is fixed in the defined position. Example 28: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 27, wherein the cutting angle is 30 to 60 degrees, for example, 45 degrees plus or minus 5 degrees. Example 29: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 28, wherein a magnetic positioning unit is installed outside the conveyor. Example 30: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 29, wherein an aerosol-generating article is transported from a receiving location to a positioning location and to a cutting location, the positioning location being located between an upstream receiving location and a downstream cutting location. Example 31: The method according to Example 30, further comprising at least one further cutting location located downstream of the cutting location. Example 32: The method according to Example 31, wherein the aerosol-generating article is rotated to a defined position upstream of each cutting location and at least one further cutting location. Example 33: The method according to Example 32, wherein a rotatable magnetic shaft is provided upstream of each cutting location and at least one further cutting location. Example 34: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 33, wherein a guide element is provided which is arranged parallel to the conveyor to prevent aerosol-generating articles from falling from the conveyor, and a magnetic positioning unit is installed on the guide element. Example 35: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 34, wherein an aerosol-generating article is conveyed within the round groove of a conveyor drum with a round groove. Example 36: The method according to Example 35, wherein aerosol-generating articles are continuously supplied to the grooves of a conveyor drum with grooves, and each aerosol-generating article is individually rotated to a defined position. Example 37: The method according to Example 36, wherein several aerosol-generating articles are rotated simultaneously. Example 38: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 37, wherein the rotation of a rotatable shaft is adapted according to the conveying speed of an aerosol-generating article. Example 39: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 38, wherein an aerosol-generating article is held by a suction force applied to the article. Example 40: The method according to any one of Examples 26 to 39, further comprising output control, which includes detecting the state of the susceptor band in the final cut aerosol-generating article, rejecting the final cut aerosol-generating article having a defective susceptor band as waste, and if the waste exceeds a predetermined waste threshold, rotating a rotatable magnetic shaft using information regarding the detected output conditions of the susceptor band in the cut aerosol-generating article to adjust the rotation of aerosol generation.

[0073] Here, we will further describe the examples with reference to the following figures.

[0074] Figure 1 shows a cross-section of a rod-shaped aerosol-generating article 1 equipped with a susceptor band 10. The continuous, planar susceptor band 10 is arranged along the center of a continuous aerosol-forming substrate 11. The substrate 11 may be an assembly of sheets of homogenized tobacco material. Article 1 is wrapped in wrapping material 12, such as a paper wrapper. Article 1 is cut from a continuous rod and typically has a length that is a multiple of the length of the final plug, which is then combined with other segments to create the final consumable. The final consumable may be used in an electronic induction heating device for aerosol generation by inductively heating the susceptor band 10 and thereby inductively heating the aerosol-forming substrate 11 in the vicinity of the susceptor band 10.

[0075] Typically, the original rod has a length of 120 mm and is cut into 10 plugs through several cutting processes, each plug then having a length of 12 mm.

[0076] As shown in detail in Figure 2, the cutting of the aerosol-generating article 1 is carried out in three cutting steps using three different cutting knife configurations. Two cuts are applied to the article in the first cutting configuration 30, three cuts are applied in the second cutting configuration 31, and four cuts are applied to the article 1 in the third and final cutting configuration 32.

[0077] The aerosol-generating article 1, equipped with a susceptor band 10, is supplied into a hopper 4 located above the conveyor drum 2. The article is then fed into the round groove 21 of the round groove conveyor drum 2 at the receiving location using gravity and suction.

[0078] Article 1 is held in the circular groove 21 by a suction force applied from the conveyor drum 2 to the circular groove.

[0079] Article 1 is transported to subsequent first, second, and third cutting locations by the rotation of the conveyor drum 2 (indicated by arrow 22), where the article is cut transversely by a rotating circular knife 33.

[0080] The cutting device 3 comprises three cutting arrangements 30, 31, and 32. Each cutting arrangement comprises at least one, but preferably two or more, circular knives 33 arranged in parallel on a common rotatable cutting shaft 300, 310, and 320. The three cutting arrangements 30, 31, and 32 are arranged successively and preferably at equal distances from each other around the conveyor drum 2 and along its direction of movement.

[0081] The cutting device 3 is incorporated into the guide element 5. The guide element 5 is a curved plate positioned parallel to the perimeter of the conveyor drum 2. The guide element 5 prevents the article 1 to be cut, either in the front or the back, from falling out of the round groove 21. The guide element 5 has a slit through which the cutting knife 33 passes in order to cut the article 1 in the round groove 21.

[0082] Suction force may be provided only below the hopper 4. Suction force may also be provided from the hopper 4 to the guide element 5.

[0083] As can be seen in Figure 2, article 1 is fed into drum 2 in a random rotational orientation. This also results in a random orientation of the susceptor band within article 1. This random orientation of the susceptor can lead to improper cutting of the susceptor band (displaced, bent, or deformed susceptor band), resulting in high rejection rates on the machine, for example, exceeding 15 percent. In addition, good orientation of the susceptor band and cutting angle helps extend the life of the circular knife.

[0084] Figure 3 shows the setup of Figure 2, including three magnetic positioning units 6, each having a magnetic shaft 61. The magnetic shafts 61 extend across the width of the conveyor drum 2 and are positioned parallel to the circular grooves 21 within the conveyor drum. The magnetic shafts 61 are positioned parallel to the longitudinal axis of the article 1 within the circular grooves 21 and, accordingly, essentially parallel to the susceptor band 10 of the article 1. The magnetic force of the magnetic shafts 61 acting on the susceptor band may force the article to rotate, as the susceptor tends to physically align with the magnetic field lines.

[0085] The optimal orientation of the susceptor band 10 relative to the position of the cutting knife 33 is set as a defined position. The magnetic shaft 61 is rotated around its longitudinal axis of rotation to a position where the magnetic force of the magnetic shaft 61 can rotate the article to the defined position before the article is cut. A suitable actuator for rotating the magnetic shaft 61 exists but is not shown in the drawings. It is preferable that one actuator is provided for each magnetic shaft 61 to rotate the magnetic shafts individually and in isolation.

[0086] The magnetic shaft 61 is a permanent magnet that is magnetized in the diametrical direction and divided along the long axis at the two magnetic poles.

[0087] Each magnetic shaft 61 is positioned immediately upstream of the cutting arrangements 30, 31, and 32. This allows article 1 to be rotated to a defined position regardless of displacement due to article transport or inadvertent cutting. In the embodiment shown in Figure 3, rotating each magnetic shaft by gradual adjustment makes it possible to align the susceptor band before cutting to achieve the optimal orientation.

[0088] The positioning unit 6 is incorporated into the guide element 5. Specifically, the magnetic shaft 61 is mounted on the guide element 5.

[0089] The system is provided with an output control 7 located downstream of the final cutting arrangement 32. The output control detects a defective cut of the susceptor band, or generally, misplacement or deformation of the susceptor band within the article. The output control 7 includes, for example, a camera or other (preferably optical) device to detect the position and shape of the susceptor band within the ultimately cut article. The output control may provide, for example, an image of at least one end of the cut rod-shaped aerosol-generating article 1, or images of both ends of the article, or an image of the entire susceptor band within the cut article.

[0090] The susceptor band should be straight and positioned at the center of the cross-section of the article. If the susceptor band deforms or displaces during cutting, the amount of deformation and displacement is detected by comparing the output control's detected values ​​with predetermined quality specifications. For example, each of the detected parameters, such as the shape, rotational position, and lateral displacement of the susceptor band, must not exceed a predetermined threshold. For example, the susceptor band should not be closer than 1 millimeter to the circumference of the article. If the susceptor band is displaced, such as being closer than 1 millimeter to the circumference of the article, the article is considered defective and rejected as waste. Therefore, information regarding the condition of the susceptor band in the finally cut article is used to accept the article or reject defective articles, and therefore articles containing defective susceptor bands. The equipment may be equipped with a corresponding rejection system (not shown).

[0091] The output control communicates with the magnetic positioning unit 6, specifically with one or all of the magnetic shafts 61 of the positioning unit 6. If the amount of rejected defective articles, and therefore waste, exceeds a certain predetermined waste threshold, the information detected by the output control 7 is then used to rotate the rotatable magnetic shafts 61, thereby adjusting the rotation of the aerosol-generating articles.

[0092] Output control may be used to control and adjust the magnetic positioning unit based on the final result of the entire cutting process. This may result in further improvement of the cut articles and reduction of waste. Output control 7 may be used specifically or additionally as a final control unit to provide information to a discharge unit (not shown) for discharging damaged or defective cut articles 1.

[0093] In Figure 4, the guide element 5 is shown separately. The inside of the guide element is equivalent to the curved shape corresponding to the circumference of the conveyor drum 2. The guide element 5 is provided with a circumferential slit 61 through which the cutting knife 33 of the cutting device 3 passes. A groove 52 is provided on the outside of the guide element 5. The groove 52 is arranged parallel to the round groove 21 in the conveyor drum. Not only the magnetic shaft 61 but also the cutting arrangements 30, 31, 32 (not shown in Figure 4) are housed in the groove so that the magnetic shaft 61 is arranged parallel to the articles in the round groove. The provision of the groove 52 on the guide element 5 for housing the magnetic shaft 61 allows the magnetic shaft 61 to be positioned very close to the articles in order to optimize the magnetic effect of the magnetic shaft on the articles. This arrangement allows for a very compact setup of the equipment of the present invention.

[0094] It is preferable that not only the material of the guide element 5, but also the materials of further elements of the equipment, such as the conveyor drum and cutting device, be made of non-magnetic and non-magnetizable materials so as not to interfere with the magnetic positioning unit.

[0095] Figure 5 shows a cross-section along the long axis of an exemplary magnetic shaft 61 having a rod shape with a diameter of 20 mm. The length 610 of the magnetic shaft 61 is approximately 118 mm. In Figure 5, the magnetic shaft in the form of a permanent magnet is magnetized diametrically at one pole on the upper half of the magnetic shaft 61 and at the other pole on the lower half of the shaft 61. The magnetic shaft is provided with several, in this case nine, slits 611 extending circumferentially around the axis of rotation in the long axis direction of the magnetic shaft 61.

[0096] The slit 611 has a width of 2 mm, allowing the cutting knife 33 to enter the magnetic shaft 61, and enables a compact structure for the magnetic positioning unit 6 and cutting device 3. In addition, cutting may be performed immediately after the article 1 is positioned, leaving no time for unforeseen displacement of the article.

[0097] Figures 6 and 7 show two magnetic shafts 61 rotated to produce different magnetic orientations for an article 1 equipped with a susceptor band. The rotation of the magnetic shafts 61 may not be used solely to cause the article to rotate to a defined position in a fixed machine setup. It may also be used to dynamically adjust the susceptor angle according to certain variable process parameters, such as the speed of a drum, which may change during machine ramp-up. In such embodiments, different equipment parameters are also taken into consideration when rotating the magnetic shafts.

[0098] Figure 8 shows a detailed view of article 1 immediately before cutting. In Figure 8, the guide element 5 is omitted. Article 1 is positioned in a circular groove 21 of the conveyor drum 2. The conveyor drum is assembled from several individual parallel-arranged discs 23, forming the circular groove 21 around their circumference. The discs 23 have slits between them so that the cutting knife 33 can enter between them when cutting article 1. The circular groove 21 has through holes 24 that communicate with the interior of the conveyor drum 2 and a suction device positioned inside the conveyor drum. Before cutting, article 1 is rotated by a magnetic positioning unit to a previously defined optimal position, which is generally defined by the relative position between the susceptor band 10 and the cutting knife 33.

[0099] As discussed in the preamble, in order to ensure the efficiency and consistency of the consumable's performance, the susceptor band 10 must not be moved, deformed, damaged, or bent during cutting. Such undesirable alterations to the shape and position of the susceptor band inside the plug alter the heating of the final consumable and produce inconsistent consumables as well as inefficiency and waste of the aerosol-forming substrate.

[0100] The orientation of the susceptor bands inside the aerosol-forming substrate rod before cutting by the circular knife 33 appears to have a very significant effect on the quality of the cut.

[0101] It has been found that the best orientation for the susceptor band to achieve efficient cutting is a cutting angle of approximately 45 degrees ± 5 degrees (150°). This optimal position is shown in more detail in Figure 9.

[0102] The orientation of the susceptor band 10 in the article is calculated based on where and when the circular knife 33 begins to cut the susceptor band 10. The 45-degree cutting angle 150 relative to the cutting knife 33 is calculated by considering the angle between the straight line 100 passing through the plane of the susceptor band 10 and the tangent 120 to the circumference 121 of the circular knife 33.

[0103] For the purposes of this specification and the appended claims, unless otherwise indicated, all numbers representing amounts, quantities, percentages, etc., should be understood in all cases as being modified by the term “approximately.” Furthermore, all ranges include the disclosed maximum and minimum points and any intermediate ranges therewith, which may or may not be specifically listed herein. Thus, in this context, the number A is understood as A ± 2%. In this context, the number A may be considered to include a number that falls within the general standard error to the measurement of the characteristic that the number A modifies. In some cases as used in the appended claims, the number A may deviate by the percentage listed above, provided that the amount of deviation does not substantially affect the basic and novel characteristics(s) of the claimed invention. Furthermore, all ranges include the disclosed maximum and minimum points and any intermediate ranges therewith, which may or may not be specifically listed herein.

Claims

1. A device for aligning rod-shaped aerosol generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, A conveyor for containing and transporting aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, A holding means for holding the aerosol-generating article within the conveyor, the holding means being adapted to allow temporary rotation of the aerosol-generating article, A magnetic positioning unit for rotating the aerosol-generating article held by the holding means to a defined position about the longitudinal axis of the article, The device comprises a cutting device for cutting the aerosol-generating article at the defined position, The magnetic positioning unit comprises at least one rotatable magnetic shaft.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is magnetized in the diametrical direction.

3. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the at least one rotatable magnetic shaft has the form of a rod having the at least one slit extending circumferentially around the longitudinal axis of rotation of the at least one rotatable magnetic shaft for a portion of the cutting device through which the at least one slit passes to cut the aerosol-generating article.

4. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged parallel to the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction of a seat in the conveyor.

5. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4, further comprising a guide element disposed at a certain distance from the conveyor and parallel to it, in order to prevent the aerosol-generating article from falling from the conveyor.

6. The apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the magnetic positioning unit is mounted on the guide element.

7. The apparatus according to any one of claims 5 to 6, wherein the cutting device is mounted on the guide element.

8. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the cutting device comprises at least one circular cutting knife.

9. The apparatus according to claim 8, comprising several rotatable magnetic shafts arranged in a continuous manner with respect to the rotatable magnetic shafts being positioned upstream of a circular cutting knife.

10. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the magnetic positioning unit comprises a permanent magnet.

11. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein the conveyor is a grooved conveyor drum having several round grooves, each round groove being for containing an aerosol-generating article.

12. The apparatus according to claim 11, wherein the axis of rotation in the longitudinal direction of at least one rotatable magnetic shaft is arranged parallel to the round groove of the round groove conveyor drum.

13. The apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 12, comprising output control for detecting the state of the susceptor band in a cut aerosol-generating article, comparing the detected state with a quality specification, rejecting the cut aerosol-generating article as waste if it does not meet the quality specification, and triggering the magnetic positioning unit to adjust the at least one rotatable magnetic shaft if the rejected cut aerosol-generating article exceeds a predetermined waste threshold.

14. A method for aligning rod-shaped aerosol-generating articles equipped with susceptor bands, The conveyor base is designed to receive an aerosol-generating article equipped with a susceptor band, The aerosol-generating article is transported and held within the seat of the conveyor, A method comprising: rotating the aerosol-generating article to a defined position about its longitudinal axis using a magnetic positioning unit equipped with a rotatable magnetic shaft; and cutting the aerosol-generating article at the defined position, thereby cutting the susceptor band at a cutting angle of 20 to 70 degrees.

15. The output control further includes detecting the state of the susceptor band in the final cleaved aerosol-generating article, The final cut aerosol-generating articles with defective susceptor bands will be rejected as waste, The method according to claim 14, further comprising, if the waste exceeds a predetermined waste threshold, rotating the rotatable magnetic shaft using information regarding the detected output conditions of the susceptor band in the cut aerosol generating article, thereby adjusting the rotation of the aerosol generation.

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