Rotary Insert Wheel with Air Transfer for Tobacco Filter Production
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing devices for inserting objects into tobacco filter components operate at slower speeds than desired, limiting production efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A device with a storage system and rotating insert wheels, featuring transfer chambers with air sources to accelerate objects into filter material belts, allowing for high-speed insertion of objects into tobacco sticks.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional object insertion devices are used, then objects can be inserted into filter components, but the production speed is limited to approximately 85 m per minute
Solution Approach 1:
The filter component production is divided into multiple strands, with each strand forming unit independently producing filter rods. Multiple insert wheels are distributed around the common axis, each serving specific strands. This segmentation allows parallel processing of multiple strands simultaneously, increasing overall production speed while maintaining reliable insertion through dedicated insert wheels for each strand.
Solution Approach 2:
Transfer chambers with air sources serve as intermediaries between object storage and insert wheels. The air sources accelerate objects through transfer chambers to the insert wheels, enabling high-speed object delivery that matches the increased strand formation speed. This intermediary mechanism ensures reliable object transfer at high velocities without direct mechanical contact between storage and insertion points.
2Productivity
If the number of strands is increased to higher values, then production efficiency increases, but the complexity of the device increases
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple insert wheels share a common axis of rotation, and all are driven by a single drive mechanism. The object storage system serves all insert wheels through the transfer chamber network. This universal design allows multiple strands to be served by a coordinated system rather than completely independent insertion mechanisms, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining high production efficiency through parallel strand processing.
3Productivity
If objects are accelerated to high speeds for insertion, then production speed increases, but the precision of object placement may deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Transfer chambers with controlled air sources act as intermediaries that accelerate objects in a controlled manner. The air sources provide precise control over object acceleration and delivery timing, ensuring that objects reach the insert wheels at the correct moment with appropriate velocity. This intermediary control mechanism maintains placement precision even at high insertion speeds by regulating the acceleration process rather than relying on uncontrolled mechanical transfer.
Solution Approach 2:
Objects are accelerated through transfer chambers before reaching the insert wheels, preparing them for high-speed insertion. The air sources pre-accelerate objects to the required velocity before they enter the insertion point, ensuring that by the time objects are deposited into the filter material, their placement precision is maintained. This preliminary acceleration separates the speed-building phase from the precise placement phase.
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
Enables reliable and efficient insertion of objects into tobacco filter components at higher production speeds, significantly increasing output compared to prior art devices.
Implementation Method 1
at least one air source which accelerates the objects around the inner circumference of the transfer chamber
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3
AI summary
The invention relates to a device (10, 110, 210) for inserting one or more objects into a filter component of at least one tobacco stick, comprising a storage device (22, 122) that stores a plurality of the objects, each object having a predetermined volume, an insertion wheel (50, 150, 250a, 250b) that receives the objects stored in the storage device (22, 122) and inserts the objects into a filter material band, wherein the insertion wheel (50, 150, 250a, 250b) has an outer circumference (50a, 150a) with a plurality of pockets (52, 152, 252a, 252b) arranged on the outer circumference (50a, 150a) and distributed around the outer circumference (50a, 150a). A method for inserting one or more objects into a filter component of at least one tobacco stick is also described.