EP2364263B1 - Device and method for metering tobacco in portions suitable for packaging - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for dosing tobacco in packaging-suitable portions, comprising a feed element for the tobacco and a device for forming and dispensing at least one tobacco portion suitable for packaging. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for dosing tobacco, in particular moist tobacco, in packaging-suitable portions.

Such devices and methods are used in the tobacco processing industry to process so-called snus tobacco and in particular to dose. Snus tobacco is so-called oral tobacco (or tobacco mixtures) which is introduced into the mouth, directly or in a suitable packaging, eg a bag of cellulose or the like, the term tobacco not being exclusively the actual tobacco but also includes tobacco with additives, flavors or the like. When taking unpackaged snus tobacco, it is filled into cans, boxes, combination packs or the like directly into these. The actual consumable or ready-to-use portioning is done by the consumer himself. The snus tobacco, which is taken in packaged form, namely, for example, in individual sealed-edge bags or the like, must first be portioned and bottled. The tobacco portions, the weight and size of each may vary and is usually in the range of milligrams and grams are separated from a continuously or intermittently supplied tobacco stream by means of metering devices and usually by means of so-called sealed edge bag machines, as shown in DE 10 2005 017 474 A1 are known, packed.

Dosing devices are known in practice, in which the feed element is a funnel, by means of which the tobacco is transported into the region of a device for forming and dispensing a packaging-compliant tobacco portion. The known devices for forming and dispensing the tobacco portions usually comprise a pre-portioning chamber or expansion chamber, which is connected to the funnel via a hose or the like. Within the expansion chamber, the tobacco flowing out of the hopper is stored intermediately. Below the expansion chamber usually a micro cylinder is arranged. By retracting the piston, tobacco is virtually drawn from the expansion chamber into the cylinder, wherein the volume of the portioning chamber formed by the retracted piston corresponds to a tobacco portion suitable for packaging. When the portioning chamber is filled, the expansion chamber is moved relative to the microcylinder (or vice versa), so that the contents of the portioning chamber, namely a portion of tobacco, e.g. can be delivered to a transport chamber or the like. This transport chamber may e.g. form a unit with the expansion chamber. After filling the transport chamber with the metered tobacco portion, the transport chamber is moved to an issue position via an exit opening so that the tobacco portion is directed downwardly to a downstream device, e.g. the sealed-edge bag machine drops. While the transport chamber is above the outlet opening, the microcylinder can already be filled again with a next tobacco portion. Such metering devices are suitable for single-lane and multi-lane sealed bag machines.

However, such metering devices have the disadvantage that only free-flowing tobacco, ie tobacco with a low residual moisture content, is processable. In other words, only tobacco that has a residual moisture content of less than about 20% can be reliably processed. Also, tobacco with a residual moisture content of less than about 20%, the additives are mixed, difficult or impossible to process, since the additives, flavors and the like increase the moisture content, for example, by oils or the like. During the processing of such moist tobaccos, the tobacco adheres or sticks in particular in the region of the (partially bent) tubes as well as the microcylinders and leads after a short time to block the device and thus to a standstill of the subsequent seal bag machine.

The invention is therefore based on the object to provide a simple and reliable device for dosing tobacco, especially wet tobacco with a residual moisture content of greater about 20%. Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to propose a corresponding method.

This object is achieved by a device having the features mentioned in claim 1. The fact that the tobacco is already pre-compressed by the brushing and is compacted by the volume change of the Portionierungskammer, creating a kind of tobacco stick as tobacco-appropriate tobacco portion, the targeted and - based on the device - can be applied almost residue-free. In other words, the inventive design ensures that the tobacco portion formed in the portioning chamber by means of the element for dispensing the end-compacted tobacco portion completely from the device z. B. can be promoted in a downstream sealed bag. By compacting the tobacco portion on the one hand and the active spreading of the tobacco portion on the other hand, especially moist tobacco or moist tobacco mixtures can be dosed reliably, so that such a device can be integrated into a continuous packaging process. Due to the rotation of the coating element in both directions, the tobacco can be coated particularly reliably in the portioning chamber by turning the coating element back and forth, so that an exact filling / metering is ensured. The turning back and forth can be done in a fast oscillating motion, which can also have different speeds for each rotation.

An expedient development of the invention is characterized in that the portioning chamber is formed from two slide elements, which are spaced from each other and guided within a base plate, wherein the two slide elements are formed linearly toward and away from each other movable. By means of these slide elements, the compression of the tobacco and the release of the compressed tobacco can be realized in a particularly effective manner.

Advantageously, the two slide elements at the ends facing each other in each case a semi-circular contour in plan view, such that the Portionierungskammer is formed when pulled apart slide elements in plan view slot-shaped and co-pushed slide elements to form a cylindrical tobacco portion cylindrical. On the one hand, this creates a volume which corresponds to the desired tobacco portion, and on the other hand achieves a shape of the tobacco portion which is particularly suitable for handling or further processing, ie for transporting the tobacco portion from the metering device into a packaging machine or the like, with the result that an impeding the dosing impurity or even clogging of the device can be avoided by tobacco residues.

An advantageous development of the invention is characterized in that the filling element is associated with a detection means for monitoring the level. With this development according to the invention, an excess supply of tobacco, which could lead to constipation, and a deficiency of tobacco, which could lead to a standstill of the downstream device, effectively prevented.

The object is also achieved by an aforementioned method according to claim 12. The resulting advantages have already been described in connection with the device according to the invention, so that reference is made to avoid repetition on the corresponding passages.

Fig. 1

eine Seitenansicht einer schematischen Darstellung der erfindungsgemäßen Vorrichtung zum Dosieren von Tabak im Teilschnitt,

Fig. 2

eine Draufsicht auf die Vorrichtung gemäß Figur 1,

Fig. 3

eine Draufsicht auf eine erfindungsgemäße Vorrichtung zum Dosieren von Tabak mit Schieberelementen in unterschiedlichen Positionen,

Fig. 4

eine Seitenansicht der Vorrichtung im Schnitt entlang der Schnittlinien A-A, B-B, C-C und D-D,

Fig. 5

eine Draufsicht auf einen Drehstern als Einstreichelement, und

Fig. 6

eine Seitenansicht eines Drehsterns im Schnitt entlang der Schnittlinie VI-VI gemäß Figur 5.

Further expedient and / or preferred features and developments of the invention will become apparent from the dependent claims and the description. Particularly preferred embodiments and the method principle are explained in more detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawing shows:

Fig. 1

a side view of a schematic representation of the device according to the invention for dosing tobacco in the partial section,

Fig. 2

a plan view of the device according to FIG. 1 .

Fig. 3

a top view of an inventive device for dosing tobacco with slide elements in different positions,

Fig. 4

a side view of the device in section along the section lines AA, BB, CC and DD,

Fig. 5

a plan view of a rotary star as Einreichelement, and

Fig. 6

a side view of a rotary star in section along the section line VI-VI according to FIG. 5 ,

The devices shown in the drawing are used for dosing moist tobacco into packaging-suitable portions. Of course, the operations are also suitable for dosing tobacco with a residual moisture content less than 20% and of tobacco mixtures.

The in the FIG. 1 illustrated device 10 for dosing tobacco 11 in packaging suitable portions comprises a feed element 12 for the tobacco 11 and a device 13 for forming and dispensing at least one packaging tobacco portion suitable. Of course, the device 13 for forming and dispensing tobacco portions can also be filled manually. In the context of automation, however, a feed element 12 is a matter of course. The device 13 has a coating element 14 for applying tobacco 11 into a portioning chamber 15. The coating element 14 can in further embodiments (see, eg FIG. 3 ) are also designed and set up to coat tobacco 11 into a plurality of portioning chambers 15. The or each portioning chamber 15 is variable in volume, on the one hand for compacting the tobacco 11 and on the other hand for releasing the compressed tobacco portion. Furthermore, the or each portioning chamber 15 is movable relative to the coating element 14. The relative movement is preferably aligned linearly. As a result of the relative movement between the coating element 14 and the portioning chamber 15, the portioning chamber 15 or the tobacco portion contained therein can be moved from a filling position B into an output position A and vice versa. Furthermore, the device 10 in the region of the dispensing position A comprises an element 16 for dispensing the compressed tobacco portion.

The or each portioning chamber 15 is formed in the embodiment shown of two slide elements 17, 18. These slide elements 17, 18 are guided in a base plate 19. This means that within the base plate 19, for example, a groove 20 is formed, in which the two rod-shaped slide elements 17, 18 are guided. The two mutually spaced slide elements 17, 18 are formed by suitable drive means, for example hydraulically, pneumatically, mechanically and / or via servo motors towards each other and away from each other movable. The slide elements 17, 18 are preferably in the same, continuous formed groove 20 is arranged. The sliding in the groove 20 back and forth slide elements 17, 18 have at the mutually facing ends 21, 22 each have a plan view (see, eg FIG. 3 ) semi-circular contour. In other words, the ends 21, 22 are each concave, that is, curved inward. This results in that the portioning chamber 15 when pulled apart slide elements 17, 18 in plan view slot-shaped (see, eg FIG. 2 ) and, when the slide elements 17, 18 are pushed together, in a plan view, circular to form a cylindrical body (see eg FIG. 3 below) is formed. Thus, a filled or subdivided into the portioning chamber 15 tobacco portion can be formed into a cylindrical tobacco stick, wherein the size of the portioning chamber 15 in pushed together state of the slide elements 17, 18 is variable or adjustable and, for example, to form a tobacco stick with a length of about 14mm and a diameter of about 6mm is selected. Of course, the dimensions of the tobacco stick may also vary and the ends 21, 22 may also have a different contour. Also, the guidance of the slide elements 17, 18 or other compression elements can be realized in a manner not explicitly shown, for example by guide rails, profiles or the like.

The portioning chamber 15 is laterally limited by the latter and downward by the base plate 19 in the described embodiment with the slide elements 17, 18 pushed together. Collapsed in this context means that the ends 21, 22 of the slide elements 17, 18 are in contact, so that the concave contours of the slide elements 17, 18 form a circle in plan view. When the slide elements 17, 18 are pulled apart, the portioning chamber 15 is bounded laterally on the one hand by the slide elements 17, 18 and additionally by the base plate 19, more precisely by the side walls of the groove 20. Down the portioning chamber 15 is limited by the base plate 19. Towards the coating element 15, in this example upward, the portioning chamber 15 is designed to be open in the region of the filling position B and the dispensing position A. The structural design of the portioning chamber 15 can also be done in other ways, for example by the portioning chamber 15 after is bounded below by a separate plate or the like or by additional folding or sliding elements.

As already mentioned, the portioning chamber 15 can be moved from a filling position B into an output position A. More precisely, the tobacco portion located in the portioning chamber 15 is movable linearly and preferably horizontally by displacing the slide elements 17, 18 from the filling position B below the coating element 14 into the dispensing position A above an outlet opening 23. The outlet opening 23 is formed within the base plate 19. The outlet opening 23 lies within the guide, namely the groove 20 for the slide elements 17, 18. In other words, the outlet opening is in the path of movement of the slide elements 17, 18. The diameter of the outlet opening 23 corresponds at least to the diameter of the cylindrical in the dispensing position Portionierungskammer 15 and is preferably slightly larger than the diameter of the final compressed cylindrical tobacco portion.

As described above, the coating element 14 is arranged on the base plate 19. In the filling position B for the portioning chamber 15, this is arranged directly below the coating element 14. In the dispensing position A of the portioning chamber 15, the coating element 14 is bounded or closed downwards by the base plate 19 or the slide elements 17, 18 guided in the groove 20, so that no tobacco 11 can be removed downwards from the coating element 14. The coating element 14 is designed to be movable relative to the base plate 19. This relative movement can be carried out by moving the coating element relative to the stationary base plate 19, by moving the base plate 19 relative to the coating element 14 or by a superimposed movement of the coating element 14 and the base plate 19. Preferably, the coating element 14 is rotatably driven about an axis M in both directions for performing an oscillating movement. The axis M is substantially perpendicular to the base plate 19. In other embodiments, the coating element 14 may also be circumferentially reciprocated in one direction or linearly. Also, the coating element 14 or its center axis M inclined to the base plate 19 may be aligned.

The coating element 14 is designed as a turnstile 24. The turnstile 24 is formed from a cylindrical hollow body 25 as a shell part. The interior of the hollow body 25 is divided by partitions 26 or the like. The hollow body 25 may have one or two chambers 27 (see, eg FIG. 3 ). Preferably, however, the turnstile 24 has four chambers 27 (see, eg FIG. 5 ). Each chamber 27 serves to receive the supplied tobacco 11. As mentioned, the chambers 27 are separated from each other by the partition walls 26. For equalization of the tobacco 11 within the hub 24, however, the partitions 26 may extend only over part of the height of the cylindrical shell part, as is apparent from the FIG. 6 evident. The partitions 26 may also extend over the entire height. Other designs and in particular the division of the interior and the design and arrangement of the partitions 26 are possible.

The coating element 14 and in the embodiment described the turnstile 24 is associated with a (not explicitly) illustrated detection means for monitoring the level. The detection means can operate optically, mechanically or in another conventional manner and is preferably connected to a (likewise not explicitly shown) control. About the controller, the detection means is in operative connection with the feed element 12. The feed element 12 is preferably a vibratory trough, but may also be a simple chute, a vibrating element or the like. The controller can also be connected to the drives for the slide elements 17, 18 and for the coating element 14. The element 16 for discharging the final compressed tobacco portion from the portioning chamber 15 may e.g. be a nozzle for ejecting by means of compressed air. The element 16 may also be a mechanical plunger or the like. Other elements 16 for pushing, pushing, sucking, etc. are also usable.

Such devices 10 according to the invention can be used as a separate unit, for example as a retrofit kit for existing machines or plants. However, the described devices 10 can also be part of, for example, a sealed-edge bag machine for producing sealing-edge bags filled with tobacco. Furthermore, the described device 10, which is used for dosing tobacco is designed for a single-lane sealing bag machine, be adapted for multi-lane sealing bag machines.

• Es wird Tabak 11 unabhängig von seinem Restfeuchtegehalt, insbesondere jedoch auch Tabak 11 mit einem Restfeuchtegehalt von größer 20%, der Vorrichtung 10 zugeführt.
• Dies erfolgt manuell oder über das Zuführelement 12. Der Tabak 11 fällt in das Einstreichelement 14 bzw. genauer in die Kammern 27 des Drehkreuzes 24. Das Drehkreuz 24 wird rotierend, und zwar vorzugsweise oszillierend, (auch mit unterschiedlichen Geschwindigkeiten) angetrieben, so dass der Tabak 11 in die unterhalb des Drehkreuzes 24 in der Befüllposition B befindliche Portionierungskammer 15 eingestrichen wird (siehe z.B. Figuren 3 und 4a)). Dadurch wird in der Portionierungskammer 15 eine Tabakportion gebildet und (geringfügig) vorkomprimiert. Sobald die Portionierungskammer 15 eine vollständige Tabakportion beinhaltet, also wenn die Portionierungskammer 15 gefüllt ist, bewegen sich die Schieberelemente 17, 18 gemeinsam (ohne eine Volumenänderung) aus dem Bereich der Befüllposition B in Richtung der Ausgabeposition A (siehe z.B. Figuren 3 und 4b)).
• Damit wird die Portionierungskammer 15, die ja im Wesentlichen durch die Schieberelemente 17, 18 definiert wird, linear und horizontal gegenüber dem Drehkreuz 24 verschoben, wodurch die Tabakportion von dem nachströmenden Tabak 11 quasi abgeschert wird.

The method principle is explained in more detail below with reference to the figures:

• It is tobacco 11 regardless of its residual moisture content, but in particular also tobacco 11 with a residual moisture content of greater than 20%, the device 10 is supplied.
• This is done manually or via the feed element 12. The tobacco 11 falls into the coating element 14 or more precisely into the chambers 27 of the turnstile 24. The turnstile 24 is rotating, preferably oscillating, driven (also at different speeds), so that the Tobacco 11 is in the below the turnstile 24 located in the filling position B portioning chamber 15 is coated (see, eg Figures 3 and 4a )). As a result, a tobacco portion is formed in the portioning chamber 15 and precompressed (slightly). As soon as the portioning chamber 15 contains a complete tobacco portion, ie when the portioning chamber 15 is filled, the slide elements 17, 18 move together (without a change in volume) from the region of the filling position B in the direction of the dispensing position A (see eg FIG Figures 3 and 4b )).
• In this way, the portioning chamber 15, which is essentially defined by the slide elements 17, 18, is displaced linearly and horizontally with respect to the turnstile 24, as a result of which the tobacco portion is virtually sheared off from the downstream tobacco 11.

As soon as the portioning chamber 15 is outside the effective range of the turnstile 24, the volume of the portioning chamber 15 is changed, namely in particular reduced, in order to compact the tobacco portion. This change in volume is achieved by the pushing together of the slide elements 17, 18 (see, eg Figures 3 and 4c )). In this case, a slide element 17 or 18 relative to the other slide element 18 or 17 or both slide elements 17, 18 can be moved towards each other. The guidance of the slide elements 17, 18 takes place within a groove 20 of the base plate 19. During the final compression, the portioning chamber 15 is closed at the top by a suitable device. This can be, for example, a lid-like device covering the groove 20 in this area. Once the tobacco portion is final compressed, so if the slide elements 17, 18 maximum pushed together and from the tobacco 11 have a cylindrical (or depending on the contour of the slide elements 17, 18 also differently shaped) tobacco stick shaped, the tobacco stick is moved further in the direction of the dispensing position A through the outlet opening 23 by the Slider elements 17, 18 are driven or moved together. As soon as the tobacco stick is above the outlet opening 23 (see, eg Figures 3 and 4d )), the tobacco stick is applied. This spreading can be done by the element 16 by blowing the tobacco stick. The tobacco stick can also be pushed out or otherwise removed from the portioning chamber 15. In order to simplify or assist dispensing, the slide elements 17, 18 can be easily opened during dispensing or shortly before dispensing by the slide elements 17, 18 being moved slightly away from one another. The tobacco portions dosed and dispensed in the described manner correspond to a portion suitable for packaging and form the content of a single sealed-edge bag.

In further optional process steps which further develop the invention, the final compression of the precompressed tobacco portions and the displacement of the final compressed tobacco portions may be superposed in the dispensing position A in order to shorten the processing time. The displacement of the portioning chamber 15 or the slide elements 17, 18 relative to the coating element 14 from the filling position B in the direction of the dispensing position A initially preferably takes place while maintaining the volume of the portioning chamber 15. That is, the tobacco portion before the actual final compression of the Filling position B is moved, so that a compression of the tobacco portion from the portioning chamber 15 back into the chambers 27 of the hub 24 is avoided during the final compression.

As already mentioned, it is preferable to carry out the brushing of the tobacco 11 into the portioning chamber 15 by an oscillating movement. This avoids that so-called bulk cones form in the region of the rotary star 24. By the rotation, preferably two times back and forth, each with a ½ turn, a potentially forming mountain of tobacco 11 is equal leveled again. Of course, a uniform or circumferential or linear movement can be used for painting.

Optionally, the tobacco 11 may be screened prior to feeding. The tobacco 11 can optionally be sieved directly into the rotary star 24. Alternatively, the tobacco 11 can also be screened onto the vibrating trough as a feed element 12. In any case, the invention optionally provides that the filling level of the rotary star 24 is monitored in order to control the influx of tobacco 11 in the rotary star 24.

In order to match the device 10 and the downstream machine, it may be useful to adapt the connection element, for example a pipe, to the diameter of the cylindrical tobacco portion or the outlet opening 23 in diameter. Preferably, the inner diameter of the tube is slightly larger than the diameter of the outlet opening 23. This is especially important in the variant of ejecting the cylindrical tobacco portion (tobacco stick) by means of compressed air. When ejecting the tobacco portion by means of compressed air, it may be advantageous to provide an additional volume of air in order to achieve a planar irradiation of the tobacco portion.

Claims (13)

1. Apparatus (10) for metering tobacco (11) in portions suitable for packaging, comprising a feeding element (12) for the tobacco (11) and a device (13) for forming and discharging at least one tobacco portion suitable for packaging, characterised in that the device (13) has a wiping element (14) arranged on a base plate (19) for wiping tobacco (11) into a portioning chamber (15), wherein the wiping element (14), which is movable relative to the base plate (19), namely rotatable in both directions about an axis M which is directed perpendicularly to the base plate (19), is arranged above the portioning chamber (15), which is designed to be firstly variable in volume for compressing the tobacco (11) and releasing the compressed tobacco portion and secondly displaceable relative to the wiping element (14) for displacing from a filling position B into a dispensing position A and vice versa, and in that an element (16) for discharging the compressed tobacco portion is disposed in the area of the dispensing position A.
2. Apparatus according to claim 1, characterised in that the portioning chamber (15) is composed of two slide elements (17, 18) which are spaced apart from each other and guided within the base plate (19), wherein the two slide elements (17, 18) are designed to be movable linearly towards and away from each other.
3. Apparatus according to claim 2, characterised in that the two slide elements (17, 18), at the ends (21, 22) facing towards each other, each have a contour which is semicircular in plan view, such that, when the slide elements (17, 18) are pulled apart, the portioning chamber (15) is slot-shaped in plan view, and when the slide elements (17, 18) are pushed together to form a cylindrical tobacco portion, the portioning chamber (15) is cylindrical.
4. Apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, characterised in that the portioning chamber (15) is bounded laterally by the slide elements (17, 18) and at the bottom by the base plate (19) when the slide elements (17, 18) are pushed together, and additionally bounded laterally by the base plate (19) when the slide elements (17, 18) are pulled apart.
5. Apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, characterised in that the base plate (19) has within the guide for the slide elements (17, 18) in the area of the dispensing position A a downwardly directed outlet opening (23) of which the diameter is slightly larger than the diameter of the finally compressed cylindrical tobacco portion.
6. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, characterised in that the wiping element (14) is a turnstile (24) having at least one chamber (27) for receiving the tobacco (11) fed by the feeding element (12).
7. Apparatus according to claim 6, characterised in that the turnstile (24) has at least two, preferably four chambers (27) which are separated from each other by partitions (26), wherein the partitions (26) extend over only part of the height of the cylindrical shell part of the turnstile (24), starting from the end of the shell part facing towards the base plate (19).
8. Apparatus according to claim 6 or 7, characterised in that the wiping element (14) is assigned a detection means for monitoring the level.
9. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterised in that the feeding element (12) is a vibration channel, a chute, a vibrating element or the like, and the element (16) for discharging the compressed tobacco portion is a pneumatically and/or mechanically operating work element.
10. Apparatus according to claim 8 or 9, characterised in that the detection means and the feeding element (12) are operatively connected to each other by a control means.
11. Apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 10, characterised in that the portioning chamber (15) is constructed and designed for linear relative movement in relation to the wiping element (14).
12. Method for metering tobacco (11), in particular moist tobacco, in portions suitable for packaging, characterised by the following steps:

    - feeding tobacco (11),

    - forming a tobacco portion by wiping the tobacco (11) into a portioning chamber (15) by means of a wiping element (14) arranged on a base plate (19) and above the portioning chamber (15) in a filling position B of the portioning chamber (15), whereby the wiping element (14) rotates about an axis M, which is directed perpendicularly to the base plate (19),

    - displacing the portioning chamber (15) and hence the pre-compressed tobacco portion relative to the wiping element (14) out of the filling position B towards a dispensing position A,

    - finally compressing the pre-compressed tobacco portion by a change of volume of the portioning chamber (15),

    - displacing the finally compressed tobacco portion into the dispensing position A, and

    - discharging the finally compressed tobacco portion.
13. Method according to claim 12, characterised in that final compression of the pre-compressed tobacco portion is effected by two slide elements (17, 18) which are movable towards each other for closing and away from each other for opening, and which are guided within the base plate (19), and that final compression of the pre-compressed tobacco portion and displacement of the finally compressed tobacco portion into the dispensing position A are superimposed steps.

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