EP1847185B1 - Manufacture of fibre filters - Google Patents

Abstract

The method involves unmixing fibers (12, 13) e.g. bi-component fibers and carbon fibers, of two different fiber types and accumulating the unmixed fibers. The fibers of finite length of two different fiber types are combined and mixed. The combined fibers are conveyed to a separating device by a flow of transport air (42). The combined and mixed fibers are separated by accelerating the fibers in a teasel and loosening the fibers, where the combining and mixing occurs directly before the separating process. A fiber web (41) is formed after the separating process. An independent claim is also included for a device for producing filter rods of the tobacco processing industry.

Description

The invention relates to a method for producing and an apparatus for producing filter rods of the tobacco-processing industry.

• Zuführen von vereinzelten Filtermaterialien zu einem Fließbett,
• Transportieren des Filtermaterials in dem Fließbett im Wesentlichen mittels eines Transportluftstromes in Richtung einer Strangaufbauvorrichtung und
• Aufschauern des Filtermaterials auf der Strangaufbauvorrichtung.

From the EP 1 464 241 A1 The applicant is a method for producing a nonwoven fabric for the production of filters or filter rods of the tobacco processing industry known. There is also disclosed a Filterstrangherstelleinrichtung the tobacco processing industry, wherein the Filterstrangherstelleinrichtung comprises at least one Filtermaterialzuführvorrichtung from which the dosed material is dispensable and a strand-building device in which the filter material is knit into a strand. The from the EP 1 464 241 A1 The known filter strand production device also has the feature that the filter material can be conveyed in a fluidized bed from the filter material supply device to the strand construction device. The method disclosed in this document characterized by the following process steps:

• Supplying isolated filter materials to a fluidized bed,
• Transporting the filter material in the fluidized bed essentially by means of a transport air flow in the direction of a strand-building device and
• Shuddering of the filter material on the strand building apparatus.

• Vereinzeln von Fasern wenigstens einer Sorte Filtermaterials in einer Vereinzelungsvorrichtung,
• Zuführen der vereinzelten Fasern zu einem Förderer, der sich in einer Förderrichtung bewegt,
• Aufschauern der vereinzelten Fasern auf dem Förderer, wodurch sich ein Vlies bildet, wobei die Vereinzelungsvorrichtung wenigstens ein Vereinzelungselement umfasst, das um eine Rotationsachse rotiert, wobei die Rotationsachse im Wesentlichen parallel der Förderrichtung des Förderers ausgerichtet ist.

From the EP 1 464 240 A1 the applicant is a method and an apparatus for producing a nonwoven fabric for the production of filter rods is known, wherein the method is characterized by the following method steps:

• Separating fibers of at least one sort of filter material in a separating device,
• Feeding the singulated fibers to a conveyor moving in a conveying direction,
• Churning of the separated fibers on the conveyor, whereby a fleece forms, wherein the separating device comprises at least one separating element which rotates about an axis of rotation, wherein the axis of rotation is aligned substantially parallel to the conveying direction of the conveyor.

The device described there is characterized in that separating devices are provided, which are separated from each other are designed.

The devices in the two cited European patent applications process finite fibers, so that nonwovens, filter rods and filters are made of finite fibers and optionally other filter components such as granules.

US 4,785,830 A discloses a method and apparatus for producing tobacco rods. A current generated by accumulation of fibrous material is converted to a strand which can be divided into filter rod sections.

US 4,185,644 A discloses a distributor for use in a cigarette machine with a relatively long stowage, from which stagnant tobacco is removed by means of a tapping roller. With a bat roller, the extracted tobacco is knocked out and fed to a strand production.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an efficient variant of a filter rod manufacturing method and a device for producing filter rods.

The object is achieved by a method for producing filter rods of the tobacco-processing industry comprising fibers of finite length of at least one type of fiber, wherein a step of singulating the fibers is provided in a separating device, wherein the separated fibers emerging from the singulation device counteract a component of movement of gravity towards a conveyor which is a suction belt conveyor. This makes it possible that the amount the air flow, which in the prior art, for example, according to the EP 1 464 241 A1 is needed, is significantly reduced and that less air must be removed from the process process, which allows a simplification of the process.

Preferably, the singulated fibers are spun directly from the singulation device into a suction chute. Preferably, the Saugstrangförderer connects to the suction shaft, in particular directly, so that after the separating device a very short distance for the fibers is traversed to be in the Saugstrangförderer, for example, on one or more Saugbändern crud.

In a preferred embodiment, in the conveying direction downstream of the separating device, the fibers are mixed with a further filter material, such as granules of activated carbon and / or binder, which has a component of movement in the direction of a Saugstrangförderers, in particular against gravity. This results in particular in a good mixing of the fibers with the other filter material and also the possibility of transport with as little suction air or transport air.

If two juxtaposed suction chutes or a division of a suction chute are provided in two juxtaposed Teilaugschächte, two filter strands can be made simultaneously, so that the throughput or the production amount of filter rods can be increased. The suction shafts are in this case preferably substantially parallel and have an angle between 0 ° and 15 ° to each other. Preferably, the method for producing filter rods of the tobacco processing industry is further developed in that two different types of fiber are provided, which are brought together and mixed immediately prior to the singulation step.

This ensures that a separation of fiber materials is avoided before the separating step. In the context of the invention, immediately prior to a separating step, the mixing and merging without any further intermediate step means the separation step or processing step-free, or directly followed by the merging and mixing, a separating step. In the context of the invention, in particular finite fibers are processed from two or at least two different fiber types. Preferably, the mixing occurs with the merging or begins with the merging. This also includes, in particular, that the mixing begins with the merging and is continued on a predefinable conveying path.

When a step of shuddering to a nonwoven fabric occurs after the step of blending, a very homogeneous filter rod can be made. The separating step preferably comprises an acceleration of the fibers, whereby a very homogeneous separation and also a very homogeneous filter rod can be achieved. In a particularly simple procedure, the acceleration takes place in or by means of a card. Under carding is understood in the context of the invention, a carding or a part of a carding or a carding, in particular carding is understood to include one or more rollers, which are formed on the peripheral surface similar to a natural card. These can also be configured with sawtooth or Trapezzahngarnituren. There may also be correspondingly fine spiked rollers.

Preferably, the fibers of two different fiber types are combined unmixed prior to the step of merging and mixing. In the context of the invention, the term unmixed includes in particular pure type. If the fibers are dammed up unmixed before merging, a particularly good dosage of the fibers is possible. They can then be first pretreated or singulated, then combined and mixed and then separated again to be able to produce homogeneous filter rods. Before the final separation step, a damming up of the fiber mixture can also be provided.

A particularly preferred embodiment is when the merged fibers are conveyed by means of a transport air flow to a separating device. The promotion by means of a transport air flow is preferably carried out in the field of mixing of the fibers. This can, however, too already happened shortly before the merging of the different fiber types or immediately before.

A particularly efficient embodiment of the separating device is present if it comprises a plurality of rollers arranged one behind the other, whose rotational speeds increase in the fiber conveying direction. This can be very efficient separation take place, which prevents segregation of the fibers.

The object is further achieved by a device for producing filter rods of the tobacco-processing industry with at least two Faserzuführschächten, which open into a shaft, wherein adjoining the one slot a separating device, wherein the separating device is formed so that the separated by the separating device Fibers leave the separating device with a movement component against gravity in the direction of a conveyor, wherein the separated fibers of finite length on the conveyor, in particular Saugstrangförderer, are aufschauerbar. In this case, in particular, one shaft and the separating device lie directly behind one another in the conveying direction of the fibers or in the vicinity of one another. By the device according to the invention a particularly simple mixing of different fiber types is possible, with a segregation in the further process or in the further processing of the fiber mixture is avoided. Furthermore, a very small-sized device is made possible.

Preferably, a device for generating an air flow in the one shaft is provided, which is particularly suitable for conveying the fiber mixture. By providing a device for generating an air flow in the one shaft, which may preferably be a fan passing through the one shaft, a very efficient mixing of the material is also possible. For this purpose, for example, the fan may have one or more fan impellers, pass through the fibers, whereby a rotational component is supplied to the fiber mixture, which just allows a very good mixing.

If in each case one stowage shaft is arranged upstream of the at least two fiber feed shafts or is included in the at least two fiber feed shafts, a very homogeneous fiber mixture and also a very good predosing is possible.

Preferably, the one shaft is designed as a storage shaft. The variant in which a fan passes through a shaft means, in particular, that the fan is integrated into the shaft.

Preferably, the separating device comprises a plurality of rollers arranged one behind the other, whose rotational speeds increase in the fiber conveying direction. Preferably, at least one roller is designed like a card. For this purpose, the roller on the peripheral surface preferably has a structure such as a natural card, ie in particular engliegende pins or spikes. The roller may also be configured as a sawtooth or trapezoidal tooth on the circumferential surface. The sets of successive rolls can be configured ever finer in the fiber conveying direction, so that fibers which are transported by rollers lying one behind the other, a longitudinal alignment, parallelization and separation Experienced.

Preferably, a suction shaft adjoins the separating device directly, which is aligned vertically and is closed with a suction belt conveyor. As a result, a very compact device is possible. Preferably, the Saugstrangförderer is disposed at the upper end of the suction shaft, resulting in a very uniform fiber web formation in Saugstrangförderer so that very homogeneous filter rods can be produced. Preferably, two Saugstrangförderer or two suction belts are provided in a Saugstrangförderer to allow a very high throughput and a high production amount of filter rods.

If two suction shafts are provided or a suction chute in the fiber conveying direction is divided into two shafts shortly before the Saugstrangförderern or Saugstrangförderer with two suction belts, a uniform distribution of the fibers is possible.

A uniform distribution of the amounts of fibers that are absorbed by the suction belts or Saugstrangförderern, for example, by adjusting the air flow or the Saugluftstromes done by the respective suction belts or Saugstrangförderer.

Fig. 1

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung,

Fig. 2

eine schematische Schnittdarstellung einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in einer weiteren Ausführungsform,

Fig. 3

einen Ausschnitt aus einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in einer weiteren Ausführungsform in schematischer Darstellung,

Fig. 4

einen Ausschnitt aus einer erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung in noch einer weiteren Ausführungsform in schematischer Darstellung.

The invention will be described below without limiting the general inventive idea by means of embodiments with reference to the drawings. With respect to all details of the invention not explained in detail, reference is expressly made to the drawings. Show it:

Fig. 1

a schematic sectional view of an inventive Contraption,

Fig. 2

a schematic sectional view of a device according to the invention in a further embodiment,

Fig. 3

a section of a device according to the invention in a further embodiment in a schematic representation,

Fig. 4

a section of a device according to the invention in yet another embodiment in a schematic representation.

In the following figures, identical or similar elements or corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals, so that a corresponding renewed idea is dispensed with.

Fig. 1 shows a sectional view through a device according to the invention in a first embodiment. In a fiber processing apparatus 10, fibers 12 of a first type of fiber and fibers 13 of a second type of fiber are fed by a first feed tube 14 and a second feed tube 15 into a first stowage bay 11 and a second stowage bay 11 'by means of, for example, transport air. The first type of fiber 12 may be, for example, a multiple-component fiber, in particular bicomponent fiber, and the second type of fiber 13 fibers of cellulose acetate, cellulose or carbon fibers. Various fiber materials, which have a finite length, can be provided. Regarding the different fiber materials is fully on the DE 102 17 410.5 referred to the applicant. The length of the fibers can preferably be smaller than the length of the filter rod to be produced. Accordingly, this may be between 0.1 mm and 60 mm and in particular preferably between 0.2 mm and 10 mm. For man-made fibers, the fiber thickness should be 1 to 20 dtex, preferably 2 to 6 dtex. The average fiber diameter may be in the range of preferably 10 to 40 .mu.m, in particular 20 to 38 .mu.m and in particular preferably between 30 and 35 microns. The fibers are preferably crimped, in particular zigzag-shaped and have 10 sheets per 10 mm.

By means of the feed rollers 16 and 16 ', the fibers 12 and 13 are taken from the accumulated area of the fibers of the storage spaces 11 and 11' and with a racket roller 17 and 17 'knocked out and into the first Faserzuführschacht 19 and the second Faserzuführschacht 19' transferred. In a merging region 20, the different fiber types 12 and 13 are combined to form a fiber mixture 32. The fiber mixture 32 enters a conveyor shaft 21 and can accumulate shortly before the feed roller 22 of a carding device or a part of a carding device. The dosage of the fiber types 12 and 13 is done by, for example, controlling the removal rates of the fibers by means of the feed rollers 16, 16 'and / or racket roller 17, 17'. The feed rollers 16, 16 'can be made slowly running, such that they promote the fibers against a spring-mounted trough, which is not shown. In this case, the fibers are drawn in and compacted into a thin compact fiber cake, which is not shown.

The fibrous cake conveyed down between draw-in rollers 16, 16 'and trough is then milled off or knocked out at the lower end of the trough by a respective fast-running drum 17, 17'. The fibers are loosened, isolated and entered into the shafts 19, 19 '. In this case, a supporting air flow can be used, which in Fig. 1 but not shown. At the end of the conveyor shaft 21, the fiber mixture is detected by the feed roller 22 and conveyed against the trough 23 and then a leaf spring battery 24. The trough 23 is spring-loaded. The result is a thin, compact fiber cake, which is not shown, and which is promoted and compressed between the feed roller 22, the trough 23 and the Biattfederbatterie 24.

Leaves the fiber cake the effective range of the leaf spring battery 24, it is detected by the high-speed roller 25 and taken over. The rollers 25, 26 and 27 are designed as a card or equipped with sawtooth or Trapezzahngarnituren. The rolling speeds are increasing from roller 25 to roller 27.

After the fibers of the fiber mixture 32 have been held for a rotation of approximately 180 ° in the clothing of the roller 25, the fibers 32 are transferred tangentially to the counter-rotating roller 26. Since the roller 26 rotates faster than the roller 25 and in particular has a finer card structure or a finer sawtooth or Trapezzahngarnitur, there is a longitudinal alignment, parallelization and separation of the fibers in the transfer.

After the fibers 32 have been held in the clothing of the roller 26 about 180 ° on the circumference, the fibers 32 are tangentially transferred to the turn in opposite directions rotating roller 27. Since the roller 27 rotates faster than the roller 26 and in particular has a finer card-like structure or a finer Sägezahn- or Trapezzahngarnitur, is again a longitudinal alignment, parallelization and separation of the fibers in the transfer. After the fibers 32 are held in the set of the roller 27 by 180 ° were the fibers 32 tangentially upwards in an air flow 44 of the channel or suction shaft 28 passed. Subsequently, the fiber mixture 32 reaches a suction belt 29 of a suction belt conveyor 30. The air flow 44 can additionally via a lateral exhaust 45 (or 45 'in Fig. 4 ) are deposited in front of the suction strand conveyor 30 from the fiber mixture or fiber / granule mixture.

What is not shown in the FIGURE is followed by a conventional strand forming device, for example as shown in FIG. 10, of the suction strand conveyor EP 1 464 241 A1 , In this respect, reference is made in full to the disclosure of this European patent application. After producing a fiber cake on the suction belt 29 of the Saugstrangförderers 30 of the fiber cake is usually trimmed, fed to a formatting device to produce from the fibers forming, from the formed fiber cake or nonwoven fabric a fiber strand with desired cross-sectional geometry and possibly to envelop a wrapping material to be subsequently cut into filter rods.

Instead of an immediate Einschießens the fibers 32 in the suction shaft 28 may first be dropped onto a spreader cloth and then sucked into a suction shaft according to the EP 1 584 248 A1 happen, in which case in the carding preferably a roller more or less use a roller.

Fig. 2 shows a further embodiment according to the invention of an apparatus for the production of filter rods, wherein compared to Fig. 1 a fan 31 is provided in direct connection to the Zusammenführbereich 20. The fan 31 generates a transport air stream 42 in the production well 21. It can take measures be provided to ensure a closed circuit of the transport air flow, for example, 21 transport air openings are provided in the lower part of the conveyor shaft, which ensure that transport air is discharged from the feed chute 21, without carrying fibers, and then fed back to the fan.

In Fig. 2 Furthermore, a drive belt 36 is further provided, which indicates, for example, a drive of the roller 25. However, the rollers 25 to 27 and the other rollers used can also be driven by a motor with a direct drive.

Compared to the embodiment according to Fig. 1 is in Fig. 2 still another option, namely the supply of a granulate 43 to the fiber mixture. This happens shortly before the filter material shudders on a suction belt of a suction belt conveyor 30 in the suction shaft 28.

For this purpose, 33 granules 43 metered with a metering roller 34 is fed from a granule container 33, which ends in a chamber with an accelerator roller 35, which flings the granules tangentially in the direction of the Saugstrangförderers 30 in the suction shaft 28. This results in a good mixing of the granules with the fibers. A fiber fleece 41 or filter material fleece 41 then forms on a suction belt of the suction strand conveyor 30.

In order to enable a higher production speed or a higher throughput of material and to increase the number of filter rods per unit of time, it is possible to use two suction belts 29, 29 ', as in FIG FIG. 3 and FIG. 4 is suggested to provide.

This can be done as in Fig. 3 is indicated, a suction shaft 28 in two sub-shafts 39 and 39 'be divided, which then pass into two substantially parallel sub-shafts 39, 39' just before the suction belts 29, 29 'of the Saugstrangförderers 30. In Fig. 3 is also the bullet portion 37 for granules, which in Fig. 3 not shown, provided.

According to Fig. 4 two complete suction ducts 28, 28 'are provided, which are slightly tilted against each other, in this case at an angle of approximately 3 °. The suction wells 28 and 28 'may be configured so that these relative to the plane of the Fig. 4 are arranged perpendicular to the plane one behind the other, so that the depth or width of the rollers 27 and 35 are each provided in half to supply the conveyor wells 28 and 28 'with filter material. The bullet area 37 is then for the relative to the plane of the Fig. 4 front conveyor shaft 28 provided with a relatively short granule shaft 40 and with the relative to the plane of the Fig. 4 rear conveyor shaft 28 'provided with a slightly longer granule shaft 40'. The accelerator roller 35 may be formed as a kind of brush roller. Due to the centrifugal force, the granulate is thrown into the respective suction shaft and mixes with the fiber stream. It is preferred if the speeds of the mass flow and of the fed-in granules are different relative to one another. As a result, a good mixing is generated.

As a result of the structure according to the invention, the stranding machine for the filter rod production decreases considerably, since a suction strand conveyor can be arranged directly on the separating device. In addition, the air consumption is reduced because the transport stream and the mixing process in a usual long channel accounts.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

10

Fiber processing device

11, 11 '

accumulating shaft

12

first type of fiber

13

second type of fiber

14

first feed tube

15

second feed tube

16, 16 '

feed roller

17, 17 '

Beater roller

19

first fiber feed shaft

19 '

second fiber feed shaft

20

Merging area

21

production well

22

feed roller

23

trough

24

Leaf spring battery

25

roller

26

roller

27

roller

28, 28 '

suction well

29, 29 '

suction belt

30

suction rod

31

fan

32

fiber mixture

33

granule units

34

metering

35

accelerator roller

36

drive belts

37

bullet area

38

crotch

39, 39 '

supply bay

40, 40 '

granules shaft

41

non-woven fabric

42

transport air

43

granules

44

conveying direction

45, 45 '

suction

Claims (24)

1. Method of producing filter rods for the tobacco processing industry, comprising fibres (12, 13, 32) of finite length of at least one fibre type, incorporating a step of separating the fibres (12, 13, 32) in a separating device (22, 25-27), whereby the separated fibres (12, 13, 32) leaving the separating device (22, 25-27) have a motion component opposite the force of gravity in the direction of a conveyor (30), and the conveyer (30) is a suction rod conveyor, and the separating step includes an acceleration of the fibres (32), and the acceleration takes place in or by means of a teasel (22, 25-27).
2. Method as claimed in claim 1, characterised in that the separated fibres (12, 13, 32) are flung directly out of the separating device (22, 25-27) into a suction shaft (28, 28').
3. Method as claimed in claim 2, characterised in that the suction rod conveyor (30) adjoins the suction shaft (28, 28').
4. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 3, characterised in that the fibres (12, 13, 32) are mixed with another filter material (43) which has amotion component in the direction of a suction rod conveyor (30), in particular opposite the force of gravity, downstream of the separating device (22, 25-27) in the conveying direction.
5. Method as claimed in one of claims 2 to 4, characterised in that two suction shafts (28, 28') disposed adjacent to one another are provided or a suction shaft (28) is split into two adjacent partial suction shafts (39, 39').
6. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that two different sorts of fibre are provided, which are combined and mixed directly prior to the separation step.
7. Method as claimed in claim 6, characterised in that mixing takes place at the same time as combining.
8. Method as claimed in one of claims 1 to 7, characterised in that a step of showering to form a fibre web (41) takes place after the separation step.
9. Method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 8, characterised in that the fibres (12, 13, 32) from two different sorts of fibre are unmixed prior to the step of combining and mixing.
10. Method as claimed in claim 9, characterised in that the fibres (12, 13, 32) are accumulated unmixed prior to combining.
11. Method as claimed in one of claims 6 to 10, characterised in that the combined fibres (12, 13, 32) are conveyed to a separating device (22, 25-27) by means of a conveying air flow (42).
12. Method as claimed in claim 11, characterised in that the separating device (22, 25-27) comprises several rollers (25-27) disposed one after the other, the rotation speeds of which increase in the direction in which the fibres are conveyed.
13. Device for producing filter rods for the tobacco processing industry, with at least two fibre inlet shafts (19, 19') opening into one shaft (21), and a separating device (22, 25-27) adjoins the one shaft (21), and the separating device (22, 25-27) is designed so that the fibres separated by the separating device (22, 25-27) leave the separating device (22, 25-27) with a motion component opposite the force of gravity in the direction of a conveyor (30), and the separated fibres (12, 13, 32) of finite length can be showered onto the conveyor (30), and the separating device (22, 25-27) comprises several rollers (25-27) disposed one after the other, the rotation speeds of which increase in the direction in which the fibres are conveyed.
14. Device as claimed in claim 13, characterised in that a device (31) for generating an air flow (42) in the one shaft (21) is provided.
15. Device as claimed in claim 13 or 14, characterised in that an accumulation shaft (11, 11') is disposed respectively upstream of the at least two fibre inlet shafts (19, 19') or is incorporated in the at least two fibre inlet shafts (19, 19').
16. Device as claimed in one of claims 13 to 15, characterised in that the one shaft (21) is designed as an accumulation shaft.
17. Device as claimed in one of claims 14 to 16, characterised in that a ventilator (31) extends through the one shaft (21).
18. Device as claimed in one of claims 13 to 17, characterised in that at least one roller (25-27) is of a teasel-type design.
19. Device as claimed in one of claims 13 to 18, characterised in that the conveyor (30) is a suction rod conveyor.
20. Device as claimed in claim 19, characterised in that a vertically oriented suction shaft (28, 28') terminating in the suction rod conveyor (30) directly adjoins the separating device (22, 25-27) .
21. Device as claimed in claim 20, characterised in that the suction rod conveyor (30) is disposed at the top end of the suction shaft (28, 28').
22. Device as claimed in one of claims 19 to 21, characterised in that two suction rod conveyors (30) are provided or two suction belts (29, 29') are provided in one suction rod conveyor (30).
23. Device as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that two suction shafts (28, 28') are provided.
24. Device as claimed in claim 22, characterised in that a suction shaft (28) is split into two suction shafts (39, 39') shortly before the suction rod conveyors (30) or the suction rod conveyor (30) with two suction belts (29, 29') in the direction in which the fibres are conveyed.

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