JP3741554B2 - Web embossing device used in the manufacture of smoking articles - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention embosses a cigarette, a filter thereof, and a web used for manufacturing a smoking article such as a cigarette with a filter, that is, a web used as a cigarette or a cigarette with filter or a web of filter. It is related with the embossing apparatus for.
[0002]
[Related background]
In recent years, many smokers tend to prefer lighter smoking. For this reason, a typical smoker prefers a cigarette with a filter, and in the cigarette with a filter, a plurality of aperture rows for ventilation are formed in the tip paper, while the web surrounding the outside of the filter is formed on the web. Some are given breathability. According to such a cigarette with a filter, air is introduced into the filter through a hole array of tip paper and a web when smoking. This introduced air dilutes the cigarette smoke flowing from the cigarette through the interior of the filter, thereby providing the smoker with a light smoking feeling.
[0003]
Air inflow rate In the cigarettes of the above filter from the aperture rows of the filter, so-called filter ventilation (hereinafter, simply referred to as Vf) thus is large field variability of greatly alter its taste.
Here, the variation in Vf depends on the adhesiveness between the web and the tip paper rather than the air permeability of the web in the filter. Therefore, in the cigarette with a filter disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 6-90728, It is disclosed that the variation in Vf can be suppressed by embossing and relaxing the adhesion between the web and the chip paper. Therefore, the use of embossed webs in filter cigarettes has attracted attention as a significant contribution to quality improvement.
[0004]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
By the way, in order to further stabilize Vf, it is necessary to make the degree of adhesion between the web and the tip paper constant in addition to the above-mentioned relaxation of the adhesion, and this is because the uneven thickness of the embossed web is constant. Must.
Usually, the embossed web is obtained by embossing the web with an embossing device, and the thickness of the unevenness is determined by the distance between the pair of embossing rolls in the embossing device.
[0005]
However, the spacing between the embossing rolls is affected by the temperature of the embossing rolls, and it is difficult to keep the spacing constant from the start of operation of the embossing apparatus. More specifically, after the operation of the embossing apparatus is started, the temperature of the embossing roll rises rapidly and stabilizes after a predetermined time. Such an increase in the temperature of the embossing roll increases its outer diameter due to thermal expansion, so that the thickness of the unevenness of the embossed web is increased, and the thickness of the unevenness is kept constant from the start of operation of the embossing device. It is difficult.
[0006]
Further, when the operation is resumed after the operation of the embossing apparatus is stopped, the same problem occurs if the temperature of the embossing roll is reduced when the operation is resumed. On the other hand, if the above-mentioned embossing apparatus is directly connected to the filter manufacturing apparatus, the embossed web can be directly supplied to the filter manufacturing apparatus. In this case, the filter manufacturing apparatus uses the embossing web supplied from the embossing apparatus. The filter material is continuously rolled up to continuously form a rod-shaped filter stream, and the filter stream is cut into filter rods of a predetermined length.
[0007]
In such a direct-coupled filter manufacturing apparatus, it is necessary to synchronize the web traveling speed in the filter manufacturing apparatus with the web sending speed sent from the pair of embossing rolls. However, during the transition period from the start of operation of the filter manufacturing apparatus to the transition to steady operation, or during the transition period when the operation speed is switched between the low speed mode and the high speed mode, the web traveling speed and The speed balance with the sending speed will be lost.
[0008]
Such a loss of speed balance greatly changes the tension of the web between the pair of embossing rolls and the filter manufacturing apparatus, which makes it impossible to stably form the filter rod, and in the worst case the embossing itself Make it impossible. Specifically, if the web tension is too strong, after forming the filter rod, the filter rod warps due to the shrinkage difference between the glued portion of the web and other parts, The slip between the garnish tape used for filter stream hoisting and the web becomes large, the length of the filter rod after cutting becomes non-uniform, and the web is broken by the embossing roll.
[0009]
On the other hand, if the web tension is too weak, the web travels in the filter manufacturing apparatus, resulting in poor gluing. Such a failure is a major factor that degrades the quality of the filter.
The present invention has been made based on the above circumstances, and an object, in order to stabilize the quality of smoking articles such as cigarettes or filters, the web thickness to be used in the manufacture of smoking articles while keeping constant, the web can be embossed, moreover, is to provide an embossing device which can stabilize the web tension to be supplied to the manufacturing apparatus of the smoking article.
[0010]
[Means for Solving the Problems]
Embossing apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object (claim 1) is driven to rotate the pair of embossing rolls, and a drive means for delivering the web, interval adjustment for adjusting the spacing between a pair of embossing rolls A thickness detecting means for optically detecting the thickness of the unevenness of the embossed web at a detection position defined downstream of the pair of embossing rolls as viewed in the web delivery direction, and detection by the thickness detecting means On the basis of the result, there is provided an interval control means for controlling an interval between the pair of embossing rolls via an interval adjusting means.
[0011]
According to embossing equipment, the thickness of the web unevenness is fed back to the interval control means after the embossing interval control means, to maintain the thickness of the web of uneven constant pair of through gap adjusting means Controls the spacing between embossing rolls.
Moreover, the embossing apparatus (Claim 1 ) of this invention is provided in the manufacturing apparatus which manufactures the article for smoking using the web after embossing, The speed which detects the running speed of the web in this manufacturing apparatus Deviation detection means for detecting a deviation between the web traveling speed in the manufacturing apparatus and the web delivery speed from the embossing roll, and the rotational speed of the embossing roll by the driving means is controlled based on the deviation. And a speed control means for synchronizing the web delivery speed with the traveling speed.
[0012]
According to such embossing equipment, for example, when the operating state of the manufacturing apparatus in transition as described above, the speed control means, the web running speed in the manufacturing device and the delivery rate from the pair of embossing rollers The rotational speed of the embossing roll is controlled based on the deviation between the two, and the speed balance between the traveling speed and the delivery speed is maintained, and the web tension supplied to the manufacturing apparatus is kept constant.
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to FIG. 1, a filter manufacturing apparatus 2 is schematically shown. As is well known, the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 uses an endless garniture tape 4 so that the filter material is continuously wrapped by the web W, and both side edges thereof are overlapped with each other and glued together. That is, first, the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 continuously rolls up and forms the filter stream, and then cuts the filter stream into filter rods having a predetermined length by the cutting unit 6.
[0015]
The web W is fed out from a roll R mounted on the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, and a reservoir and a connecting device are sequentially arranged in the feeding path. Further, the feeding path of the web W extends to the outside of the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, whereby the web W passes through the embossing apparatus 8, is returned to the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, and is supplied onto the garniture tape 4. .
[0016]
The embossing device 8 includes a pair of upper and lower embossing rolls 10 and 12. When the web W passes between these embossing rolls 10 and 12, the web W is embossed. That is, the protrusions 14 having a truncated quadrangular pyramid shape as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 are provided on the outer peripheral surfaces of the embossing rolls 10 and 12 in a silk pattern, respectively. The protrusions 14 are arranged so as to mesh with each other. Accordingly, unevenness is uniformly distributed on the web W that has passed through the embossing rolls 10 and 12.
[0017]
As is apparent from FIG. 4, both ends of the upper embossing roll 10 are rotatably supported by the fixed base 16, while the lower embossing roll 12 has both ends of the roll shaft supporting the movable base 18. It is supported so that it can move up and down. The movable base 18 is pressurized upward by an air cylinder 19. A worm jack 20 is interposed between the fixed base 16 and the movable base 18, and these worm jacks 20 are operated by a gear motor 22. Therefore, forward rotation or reverse rotation of the gear motor 22 moves the lower embossing roll 12 up and down via the worm jack 20, whereby the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 can be adjusted.
[0018]
Although not shown in FIG. 4, the pair of embossing rolls 10 and 12 receive a driving force from the servo motor and are rotated in the opposite directions at the same peripheral speed.
As shown in FIG. 1, the embossing device 8 includes a dancer roller 24 downstream of the embossing rolls 10 and 12, and the web W that has passed between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is guided by the dancer roller 24. Tension is applied and after passing through the laser sensor 26, it is supplied onto the garniture tape 4 of the filter manufacturing apparatus 2.
[0019]
Referring to FIG. 5, the laser sensor 26 includes a light projector 28 and a light receiver 30, which are disposed to face each other. As shown by hatching in FIG. 5, the projector 28 emits a vertical laser beam band B toward the light receiver 30.
A guide roller 32 is disposed between the light projector 28 and the light receiver 30, and the embossed web W is guided through the guide roller 32. Here, as apparent from FIG. 5, the guide roller 32 is in a state where its axis is inclined toward the laser beam band B at a predetermined angle, for example, an angle of 30 ° to 60 °.
[0020]
The width of the laser beam band B emitted from the projector 28 is sufficiently wider than the diameter of the guide roller 32, so that the central portion of the laser beam band B is blocked by the guide roller 32 and the web W. As a result, the laser beam band B is divided into _two laser beams B ₁ and B ₂ and received by the light receiver 30. The light receiver 30 outputs a detection signal S ₁ corresponding to the interval between the laser beams B ₁ and B ₂ , and this detection signal S ₁ is supplied to the arithmetic unit 34 shown in FIG.
[0021]
Here, since the detection signal S ₁ corresponds to a length L obtained by adding the thickness T of the unevenness of the web W to the diameter D of the guide roller 32 as shown in FIG. A portion corresponding to the diameter D of the guide roller 32 is subtracted from S _1, and a thickness signal S ₂ corresponding to the thickness T of the unevenness of the web W is output.
More specifically, in obtaining the thickness signal S ₂ , first, the guide roller 32 is rotated without guiding the web W to the guide roller 32, and in this state, the calculation unit 34 outputs the detection signal S ₁ from the light receiver 30. receive. In this case, the detection signal S ₁ indicates a portion S ₀ corresponding to the diameter D of the guide roller 32. Therefore, the diameter D of the guide roller 32 is calculated from the average value of the portion S ₀ , and the calculated diameter D is stored in the memory in the calculation unit 34. Thereby, the zero set of the calculating part 34 is implemented.
[0022]
After the good Una zero setting of the arithmetic unit 34, the embossed web W is guided via a guide roller 32, the value computation unit 34 minus the S ₀ from the detected signals S ₁ from the light receiver 30, that is, outputs a thickness signal S ₂ corresponding to the thickness T of the irregularities of the web W, the thickness signal S ₂ is supplied to the controller 36 (FIG. 4). The thickness signal S ₂ output from the arithmetic unit 34 is also an average value.
[0023]
Here, as described above, since the guide roller 32 is inclined with respect to the laser beam band B emitted from the projector 28 of the laser sensor 26, even if the unevenness of the web W is distributed in a silk pattern, As shown in FIG. 7, the unevenness of the web W necessarily blocks the laser beam band B. As a result, the detection signal S ₁ accurately indicates the length L obtained by adding the thickness T of the unevenness of the web W to the diameter D of the guide roller 32. As a result, the thickness signal S ₂ output from the calculation unit 34 is The thickness T of the web W is shown accurately.
[0024]
As shown in FIG. 4, the controller 36 is also connected to a target value setting unit 38, which sets a target thickness T _O of unevenness in the web W, and sets this target thickness T _O. It supplies to the controller 36. The controller 36 compares the thickness signal S ₂ with the target thickness T _O and controls the operation of the gear motor 22 described above via the relay 40 based on the deviation E (= S ₂ −T _O ). Is moved up and down, that is, the distance between the pair of embossing rolls 10 and 12 is adjusted.
[0025]
Specifically, the controller 36 controls forward, stop, and reverse rotation of the gear motor 22 in accordance with the deviation E as follows.
a) If the deviation E is greater than or equal to the positive threshold T _H (E ≧ T _H )
The gear motor 22 is continuously driven in the reverse direction, and the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is continuously increased.
[0026]
b) When the deviation E is between the threshold _TH and the threshold _TL ( _TL <E < _TH )
The gear motor 22 is driven at intervals in the reverse direction, and the interval between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is intermittently increased.
c) When the deviation E is between the threshold value T _L and the threshold value −T _L (−T _L ≦ E ≦ T _L ),
The drive of the gear motor 22 is stopped, and the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is maintained.
[0027]
d) When the deviation E is between the threshold −T _L and the threshold −T _H (−T _H <E <−T _L ),
The gear motor 22 is intermittently driven in the forward rotation direction, and the interval between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is intermittently reduced.
e) If when the deviation E is less than the threshold value -T _H of (E ≦ -T _H),
The gear motor 22 is continuously driven in the forward direction, and the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is continuously reduced.
[0028]
Here, as apparent from FIG. 8, when the distance between the pair of embossing rolls 10, 12 is increased, the meshing amount K of the protrusions 14 on these embossing rolls 10, 12 decreases, resulting in the uneven thickness of the web W. T is decreased. On the other hand, when the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is decreased, the meshing amount K is increased, and as a result, the uneven thickness T of the web W is increased.
[0029]
Based on the thickness T of the unevenness of the web W detected as described above, the distance between the embossing rolls 10 and 12, that is, the engagement amount K of these protrusions 14 is controlled. Regardless of the temperature rise of the rolls 10 and 12, that is, the increase in the outer diameter due to the thermal expansion, the rolls 10 and 12 are within a certain range (−T _L ≦ E ≦ T _L ).
[0030]
As a result, the uneven thickness T of the web W is stabilized from the start of operation of the embossing device 8. This means that when a cigarette with a filter is manufactured using the filter rod formed by the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, the degree of adhesion between the tip paper and the filter paper (embossed web W) is reduced. This means that the quality of the cigarette with a filter can be improved .
[0031]
On the other hand, in the embossing device 8, as shown in FIG. 1 , an ultrasonic displacement sensor 42 is disposed above the dancer roller 24 described above, and this displacement sensor 42 detects the vertical position of the dancer roller 24. Then, the detection signal is supplied to the calculation unit 44 shown in FIG . The calculation unit 44 detects the vertical displacement of the dancer roller 24 from the reference position based on the detection signal from the displacement sensor 42, and supplies a position signal P corresponding to the vertical displacement to the controller 46. Here, when the dancer roller 24 rises from the reference position, the position signal P takes a positive value. Conversely, when the dancer roll 24 falls from the reference position, the position signal P takes a negative value.
[0032]
On the other hand, the speed signal V of the web W in the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 is also supplied to the controller 46. Here, the speed signal V can be obtained from the cutting timing at the cutting unit 6 in the filter manufacturing apparatus. That is, the cutting knife 6a of the cutting unit 6 receives power from the same drive source as the main shaft (not shown) for running the garniture tape 4 and is rotated in synchronization with the running of the garniture tape 4, that is, the web W. Therefore, by connecting the rotary encoder 50 to the rotating shaft of the cutting knife 6a, the rotary encoder 50 can detect the cutting cycle of the cutting knife 6a, and the cutting cycle is supplied to the calculation unit 52. The calculation unit 52 includes an F / V converter, calculates a speed signal V corresponding to the traveling speed of the web W from the cutting cycle, and supplies the speed signal V to the controller 46.
[0033]
The controller 46 adds the deviation between the position signal P of the dancer roller 24 to the speed signal V of the web W, that is, the traveling speed of the web W and the speed at which the web W is sent from the pair of embossing rolls 10 and 12. Based on the addition result, a control signal is supplied to the servo motor 56 for the pair of embossing rolls 10 and 12 via the servo amplifier 54 to adjust the rotation speed of the servo motor 56, that is, the peripheral speed of the embossing rolls 10 and 12. .
[0034]
Now, when the position signal P takes a positive value, the circumferential speed of the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is increased, and the dancer roller 24 descends toward the reference position. On the other hand, when the position signal P takes a negative value, the circumferential speed of the embossing rolls 10 and 12 is decelerated, and the dancer roller 24 is raised toward the reference position. In other words, delivery speed of the web W which is delivered from the embossing roll 10 and 12 is controlled to be synchronized to the running speed of the web W in in the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, thereby, dancer rollers 24 to be maintained in its reference position become.
[0035]
Accordingly, in the transition period from the start of operation of the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 and the embossing apparatus 8 to the steady operation, the transition period when the operation mode is switched between the low speed mode and the high speed mode, and the like. However, the tension of the web W supplied from the pair of embossing rolls 10 and 12 toward the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 is maintained at a constant value determined by the weight of the dancer roller 24, and the tension of the web W varies. There is nothing.
[0036]
As a result, the web W does not become slack due to insufficient tension, and the meandering of the web W in the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 and poor pasting of the web W due to this meandering are avoided. On the other hand, since nor tension of the web W becomes excessive, it of course that the fracture is avoided, after molding of the filter rod as described above, contraction of the gluing unit and the other portions of the web W The filter rod does not warp due to the difference, and the length of the filter rod does not become uneven due to the slip between the garniture tape 4 and the web W. Contributes greatly to improving the quality of attached cigarettes.
[0037]
The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiments, and various modifications can be made. For example, the unevenness to be formed on the web W is not limited to the silk pattern, and various uneven patterns can be considered. Here, the concavo-convex pattern is not limited to the entire surface of the web W, and can also be formed except for both side edges that are overlapped and glued together when the filter stream is rolled up.
[0038]
Further, instead of the position signal P, the calculation unit 44 may supply the controller 46 with one or both of the vertical fluctuation speed and the acceleration / deceleration speed of the dancer roller 24. In this case, the controller 46 can further improve the followability of the web W sending speed with respect to the web W traveling speed. Further, the speed signal V may be obtained via a rotary encoder from a main shaft on which the garniture tape 4 runs.
[0039]
Further, instead of the dancer roller 24, a spring that applies an urging force corresponding to the weight of the web W may be used.
The embossing apparatus of the present invention can be applied not only to the filter rod web W but also to a web used as a cigarette web. In this case, as shown in FIG. 10, the embossing apparatus 8 of the present invention is directly connected to a cigarette manufacturing apparatus so-called hoisting machine 58. The hoisting machine 58 has substantially the same configuration as the filter manufacturing apparatus 2, and the web W ₁ fed out from the web roll R ₁ passes through the embossing apparatus 8 and is placed on the signature tape 60 of the hoisting machine 58. Led. In this case, the tobacco rod obtained rolled up time of tobacco by the web W ₁ since embossing is applied to the wrapping paper, greatly contributes in preventing the tip off of time from the cigarette.
[0040]
Further, in the above-described embodiment, the web rolls R and R1 are both provided in the filter manufacturing apparatus 2 and the hoisting machine 58. However, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, an automatic web supply device 70 may be provided. In this case, the automatic web supply device 70 may include a bobbin for a web roll, a reservoir, and a connection device.
[0041]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the embossing device of the present invention (Claim 1) can maintain the thickness of the embossed web constant regardless of the temperature rise of the pair of embossing rolls, and the smoking article using the web can be maintained. Quality can be improved.
Also, embossing equipment of the present invention, in producing a smoking article using the embossed web, because the web tension is kept constant, smoking articles obtained using the web Can improve the quality.
[Brief description of the drawings]
FIG. 1 is a schematic front view of an embossing apparatus directly connected to a filter manufacturing apparatus.
FIG. 2 is a concavo-convex pattern formed on the peripheral surface of an embossing roll.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a part of the embossing roll.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view of a control mechanism that adjusts a distance between a pair of embossing rolls.
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view of a laser sensor.
FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a zero set of a laser sensor.
FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the laser beam width of the laser sensor and the unevenness of the web.
FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which a pair of embossing rolls is engaged.
FIG. 9 is a schematic view of a control mechanism for adjusting the peripheral speed of a pair of embossing rolls.
FIG. 10 is a diagram showing an embossing apparatus applied to a hoisting machine.
FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing a modified example.
[Explanation of symbols]
10,12 Embossing roll 20 Worm jack (space adjustment means)
22 Gear motor (interval adjustment means)
26 Laser sensor (thickness detection means)
36 controller (interval control means)
38 Target setter 42 Displacement sensor (deviation detection means)
46 Controller (Speed control means)
50 Rotary encoder (speed detection means)
56 Servo motor (drive means)

Claims (1)

A pair of embossing rolls for embossing a web used for the manufacture of smoking articles;
Drive means for rotationally driving the embossing roll and delivering the web;
An interval adjusting means for adjusting an interval between the pair of embossing rolls;
A thickness detecting means for optically detecting the thickness of the unevenness of the web after the embossing at a detection position defined downstream of the pair of embossing rolls as viewed in the web delivery direction ;
Based on the detection result of the thickness detection means, an interval control means for controlling the interval via the interval adjustment means,
Speed detecting means provided in a manufacturing apparatus for manufacturing the article for smoking using the embossed web, and detecting a traveling speed of the web in the manufacturing apparatus;
Deviation detecting means for detecting a deviation between the running speed of the web in the manufacturing apparatus and the feeding speed of the web from the embossing roll;
Speed control means for controlling the rotational speed of the embossing roll by the driving means based on the deviation and synchronizing the delivery speed with the traveling speed, manufacturing a smoking article Embossing device for webs used in

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