Cigarette Filter Cleaning Device for Carbon Particle Removal

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Solution Overview

Problem

The existing methods for manufacturing cigarettes with filtering parts containing cellulose acetate fibers and active carbon particles often result in unsatisfactory quality and connection issues, leading to around 10% of produced cigarettes being discarded.

Innovation Solution

A machine and method that incorporates a cleaning device to detach and remove loose active carbon particles from cellulose acetate fibers before wrapping, and a coupling device to securely bind the filtering and active parts, using a conveying system to improve the quality and consistency of the smoking articles.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Ease of manufacture

If loose particles are present in the filtering portion, then the filtering material can be easily applied, but the quality of the smoking article deteriorates due to particle interference during wrapping

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveease of applying filtering materialVSAvoidquality of smoking article
Core Design Contradiction:
Ease of manufactureVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device removes loose particles from the filtering portion before the wrapping operation occurs. This preliminary cleaning action prevents particles from interfering with the wrapping process and ensures high-quality finished products while maintaining ease of manufacturing

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

2Device complexity

If loose particles remain on the filtering portion, then the production process is simpler, but the connection between filter and active part becomes unreliable

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvesimplicity of production processVSAvoidconnection between filter and active part
Core Design Contradiction:
Device complexityVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device performs particle removal as a preliminary step before wrapping and coupling operations. This ensures that loose particles do not interfere with the connection between the filter and active part, maintaining reliability without significantly complicating the production process

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

3Productivity

If no cleaning step is implemented, then the production speed is higher, but the number of defective cigarettes increases

Engineering Contradiction:
Improveproduction speedVSAvoidnumber of defective cigarettes
Core Design Contradiction:
ProductivityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The cleaning device removes particles before wrapping, preventing defects that would require discarding cigarettes. This preliminary cleaning action reduces waste and improves overall productivity by ensuring higher quality output without significantly slowing down the production line

Inventive Principle:
Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

This approach enhances the quality of smoking articles by reducing particle interference during wrapping and improves the connection between filtering and active parts, thereby reducing the number of defective cigarettes.

Implementation Method 1

a cleaning device (10), which is arranged in the area of a cleaning station (11) and is designed to force at least part of the particles (7) to detach themselves from the first material (6) and be removed from the first material (6) itself

Methodology Applied
Scientific EffectMechanical force: Mechanical Force

Data Source

PatentEP3231299B1Method and machine for the production of smoking articles
Publication Date: 2020.05.27 GD SPA
  • EP3231299B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP3231299B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP3231299B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

Method and machine (1) for the production of smoking articles (2), each comprising at least one filtering part (3) and at least one active part (4), containing tobacco; the filtering part (3) has at least one filtering portion (5) containing a mass of a first material (6) and loose particles (7) of a second material; a part of the particles (7) are forced to detach themselves from the mass (6) and are removed from the mass (6) itself in the area of a cleaning station (11) upstream from a covering station (26) in the area of which the filtering portion (5) is wrapped by a strip (9) of paper material.