Multi-segment Article Manufacturing Pushing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
The tobacco industry faces challenges in maintaining the consistent length of multi-segment articles during manufacturing, as segments made of varying materials expand differently, leading to uncontrolled variations and potential protrusion beyond wrapping material edges, especially during transportation and wrapping processes.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus featuring a cam mechanism with supporting elements and rollers on a conveying and pushing together drum that allows segments to be pushed together with controlled gaps, ensuring they remain in contact and aligned, while a wrapping module integrates with the conveying drum to maintain the segment group's parameters by wrapping them immediately after assembly.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Length of moving object
If segments are pushed together to form a compact group, then the total length is reduced, but the segments made of varying materials expand differently causing uncontrolled variations in total length
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus performs preliminary pushing together of segments immediately after assembly before wrapping. The pushing together mechanism compresses the segment group while it is still on the conveying drum, establishing a controlled total length before the wrapping material is applied. This preliminary action prevents subsequent expansion variations from affecting the final product dimensions.
Solution Approach 2:
The apparatus changes the physical state of the segment group from a loose assembled configuration to a compressed compact configuration through the pushing together mechanism. This parameter change in density and compactness establishes a controlled total length that compensates for the different expansion characteristics of segments made from varying materials.
2Ease of manufacture
If segments are conveyed over multiple drums, then the assembly process is simplified, but the risk of uncontrolled shifts between segments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus merges the functions of multiple separate drums into a single integrated conveying and pushing together drum. This drum simultaneously performs conveying, alignment, and compression of the segment group, eliminating the need for multiple separate drums and reducing the risk of uncontrolled shifts that would occur with multiple drum transitions.
3Ease of manufacture
If wrapping is delayed after pushing together, then the wrapping process can be performed separately, but the segment group loses its parameters such as total length
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus performs the pushing together action as a preliminary step immediately after segment assembly and before wrapping. This timing ensures that the segment group achieves its controlled total length while still on the conveying drum, and the wrapping material is then applied to this pre-compressed configuration, preserving the dimensional parameters.
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 solution effectively maintains the total length of the segment group, ensuring the quality parameters of the finished multi-segment articles by minimizing uncontrolled shifts and maintaining the correct dimensions throughout the manufacturing process.
Implementation Method 1
the pushing together mechanism is a cam mechanism situated on the conveying and pushing together drum
Implementation Method 2
supporting elements for holding and conveying the segments in a direction parallel to the axis of the segments
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 1a~1b
Figure 1c~1d
AI summary
An apparatus (1) for manufacturing multi-segment articles comprising feeding modules (20), the feeding modules (20) being adapted to cut rods (MA, MB, MC, MD) into segments (A, B, C, D) and to feed the segments (A, B, C, D) to an assembling unit (30). The feeding unit comprises a hopper (21) for storing the rods (MA, MB, MC, MD), a receiving drum (22) for receiving the rods (MA, MB, MC, MD) from the hopper (21), a cutting head (24), situated at the conveying drum (23), for cutting the rods (MA, MB, MC, MD) into individual segments (A, B, C, D), a shifting drum (25) for varying the mutual position of the segments (A, B, C, D), an aligning drum (26) for forming at least one stream of the segments (A, B, C, D). Furthermore, the apparatus comprises an assembling unit (30) provided with assembling drums (31) and conveying drums (32) for receiving the segments (A, B, C, D) from the feeding modules (20) and forming a group (G1) of the segments, and a first wrapping module (40) for feeding a section of a first wrapping material (W1) and wrapping a the segment group (G1) fed from the assembling unit (30) so as to form a multi-segment rod (R). The apparatus according to the invention is characterized in that the first wrapping module (40) comprises a conveying and pushing together drum (44) which is adapted to receive the group (G1) of the segments (A, B, C, D) with gaps, the first wrapping module (40) being provided with a pushing together mechanism (45, 46, 47, 48) for pushing the group (G1) of the segments (A, B, C, D) together so that the segments (A, B, C, D) in the segment group (G1) after pushing together are in contact with one another, furthermore, the conveying and pushing together drum (44) is adapted to convey the group (G2) of the segments (A, B, C, D) pushed together, along with a section of the first wrapping material (W1).