EP2550875B1 - Device for distributing tobacco, such as tobacco fibres, tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a device for distributing tobacco, such as tobacco fibers, tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves having the features of the preamble of claim 1.

Devices for distributing tobacco, such as tobacco fibers, tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves are generally used when the tobacco is to be distributed in a mass flow with a narrow width and uneven thickness to a greater width with a uniform thickness for delivery to another device ,

Such a further device may e.g. be a device for the detection of foreign bodies, in which the tobacco should be performed in a thin and even layer so that the foreign body or foreign particles can be detected as well as possible.

An exemplary magnitude of the distribution of the tobacco is e.g. a supplied mass flow of tobacco, which is heap-shaped in cross-section, and has a width of 800 mm and is to be distributed to a mass flow to a width of 1700 mm with a uniform and small thickness.

From the patents DE 364 507 and DE 599 552 are each known devices for distributing tobacco, with which the tobacco can be distributed more evenly and also tobacco fibers can be separated from coherent clumps.

The devices are each formed by profiled rollers which singulate the tobacco fibers or distribute them over a greater width.

The from the patent DE 599 552 For example, known tobacco cutting machine has a spherical feed roller with arrow-shaped corrugations, which displace the tobacco fibers from the center to the outside, so that the tobacco fibers are distributed by a mass flow in cross-section mass flow to a more uniform mass flow.

Both devices are common in that the tobacco fibers are passed under the rollers and displaced due to the profiling of the rolls in the width and / or isolated.

The object of the invention is to provide a device with which the tobacco fibers can be spread evenly and gently over the shortest possible distance to the widest possible width.

According to the invention, a device with the features of claim 1 is proposed for achieving the object. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the subclaims, the figures and the associated description.

According to the basic idea of the invention, a device for distributing tobacco, such as tobacco fibers, tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves with a rotationally driven about its longitudinal axis of the first profile drum, which is a tobacco fibers from the center outwardly distributing arrangement of to the longitudinal axis of the profile drum has obliquely directed guide bodies, and is provided in the at least one second profile drum with inclined guide bodies, which is arranged in the transport direction of the tobacco fibers behind the first profile drum, proposed in which the guide body on at least one of the profile drums at least in a section as parallel aligned single ribs are formed, which are interrupted in the circumferential direction. The advantage of the proposed solution is the fact that the tobacco is taken over at least in a partial stream after distribution over the first profile drum of the second profile drum and is further distributed to an even greater width. Due to their orientation, the obliquely directed guide bodies effect a distribution of the tobacco out of the center into the edge areas, so that the tobacco as a whole is distributed to a mass flow having a greater width and a smaller thickness. The proposed design of the guide body of the tobacco can be particularly evenly distributed, without causing the risk that accumulates the tobacco and hinders the onward transport. The tobacco is distributed by the proposed shape of the guide evenly outward to a greater width, each single rib displaced for itself a subset of the tobacco. Due to the interruptions of the baffle in the circumferential direction, conductive body-free sections are deliberately created in which the composite of the tobacco displaced to the outside can loosen again before the tobacco is distributed by the intervention in the next lattice structure of the same profile drum or the next profile drum farther out.

It is also proposed that the second profile drum is driven in the same direction as the first profile drum. The same direction of rotation of the second profile drum is of particular advantage, since the tobacco is thereby further transported at the output of the first profile drum of the top of a rectilinear motion exporting guide bodies of the second profile drum, so that at least a portion of the tobacco fibers is passed at the top of a profile drum to the next profile drum. Furthermore, the guide bodies are moved in the opposite direction in the region of the gap between the profile drums, that is, the guide body of the first profile drum perform a downward movement, while the guide body of the following profile drum perform an upward movement in the region of the gap. By this oppositely directed movement, the amount of tobacco fibers falling through the gap can be reduced by the tobacco fibers falling down on the first profiled drum being conveyed upwards again by the guide bodies of the second profiled drum.

It is further proposed that the guide bodies are arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis of the profile drum. Due to the angled orientation of the single ribs, the tobacco is automatically displaced to the task on the profile drum to the outside. How far the tobacco is distributed to the outside can be adjusted by measuring the angle between the individual ribs and the longitudinal axis.

Preferably, the profile drums are arranged parallel to each other, in such a way that a gap of 1 mm to 20 mm between the wrapping webs is present, which are defined by the rotating during the rotation of the profile drums, radially outer edges of the guide body. The parallel arrangement of the profile drums results in a special uniform distribution of the tobacco fibers, which can be prevented by the gap that the movement of the profile drums is blocked by trapped tobacco fibers or other particles. Furthermore, part of the tobacco fibers can consciously fall through the gap, so that the amount of tobacco fibers transported on the profile drums is reduced. In the case of a plurality of profiled drums arranged one behind the other, a continuous decrease in the amount of tobacco fibers resting on the profiled drums can thereby be effected in the transport direction. The gap width represents an important design parameter, which decisively influences the distribution of the tobacco fibers. Furthermore, larger clumps of contiguous tobacco fibers in the gap can be gently dissolved into smaller lumps or individual tobacco fibers.

From various experiments it has been found that a particularly good and uniform distribution of tobacco fibers can be achieved if the profile drums have an outer diameter of 100 to 200 mm and are driven to a rotational speed of 50 to 200 U / min.

It is further proposed that at least a third profile drum is provided, which is driven in opposite directions to the first profile drum. The oppositely driven profile drum can actively support the removal of the tobacco fibers through the gap, since the opposite surfaces of the profile drums in the region of the gap in the same direction, e.g. down, to be moved.

Furthermore, the use of four parallel arranged profile drums has been found to be advantageous to distribute the tobacco fibers to the desired width of 1700 mm.

It is also proposed that the profile drums are driven synchronized. Due to the synchronized drive, the movements of the profile drums can be matched to one another, which is, for example, is useful in a possible meshing of the profile drums or a startup or shutdown of the device. The synchronized drive can e.g. be realized by the use of a common drive means or by the use of coupled individual drives.

Furthermore, it is proposed that at least one of the profile drums is formed from two individual rollers, and the individual rollers are arranged such that the longitudinal axes of the individual rollers at the feed direction of the tobacco fibers facing side enclose an angle of greater than 180 degrees between them. The individual rollers thereby form a kind of roof structure, whereby the resulting tobacco fibers are distributed by gravity automatically from the middle to the edges.

It is also proposed that the guide bodies are adjustable. Due to the adjustability of the guide bodies, the distribution process can be adapted to the different nature of the tobacco, e.g. the sheet size, to be adjusted. Further, by the adjustability of the baffles, the distribution per se, e.g. also on-line, by means of an iterative Nachverstellung be optimized.

It is particularly advantageous if the guide body are adjustable so that the angle of the guide body is variable to the longitudinal axis of the profile drum, since this for the distribution of the tobacco mass flow in the width is the decisive factor.

Furthermore, it is proposed that the guide bodies are adjustable in groups at least by a common adjusting device. By the common adjustment, the guide body can be adjusted in groups, so that the guide body of at least one group in the ideal case always have the same orientation to each other. Furthermore, thereby the entire adjustment of the guide body can be considerably simplified.

Fig. 1:

eine Vorrichtung mit vier parallelen Profiltrommeln in Schrägansicht;

Fig. 2:

eine Vorrichtung aus der Figur 1 in Sicht von oben;

Fig. 3:

eine Vorrichtung aus der Figur 1 in Sicht von vorne;

Fig. 4:

eine Profiltrommel aus zwei Einzelwalzen;

Fig. 5:

vier Profiltrommeln in Schnittdarstellung mit aufgegebenen Tabakfasern.

The invention will be explained below with reference to preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying figures. Showing:

Fig. 1:

a device with four parallel profile drums in an oblique view;

Fig. 2:

a device from the FIG. 1 in view from above;

3:

a device from the FIG. 1 in view from the front;

4:

a profile drum of two single rollers;

Fig. 5:

four profile drums in section with abandoned tobacco fibers.

In the FIG. 1 is a device according to the invention with four profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 can be seen. The profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 are arranged parallel to each other and rotatably mounted at their ends to continuous housing walls 1 and 2. The housing walls 1 and 2 are part of a parent housing or frame and can be considered as fixed to each other. Due to the mounting of the ends of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 on each of the housing walls 1 and 2, the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 are also in a fixed immutable parallel alignment with each other, the longitudinal axes of the profile drums 3.4 , 5 and 6 are arranged in a plane so that the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 in the averaging practically form a plane to which the tobacco is added as will be described below. For the purposes of the invention, the term tobacco is to be understood as meaning tobacco fibers, tobacco leaves, parts of tobacco leaves, with the term tobacco being used below for the sake of simplicity as a representative of the term tobacco.

The profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 are each driven in the same direction in the arrow directions A, B, F and G rotatory and preferably synchronized. On the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 respectively two groups of obliquely directed to the longitudinal axes of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 guide body 7 and 8 are arranged, which form an arrow shape to each other. The guide body 7 and 8 are each single ribs of equal length, which are formed for example by welded baffles with a height of 10 to 30 mm and a length of 50 mm to 200 mm. The baffles are each aligned at an angle C and D of 10 to 40 degrees to the longitudinal axis Z of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6, as in the FIG. 2 1, and include an angle E to an arrow shape of less than 180 degrees in the direction of transport T between them.

The profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 are positioned on the housing walls 1 and 2 such that between the envelopes 9 and 10 defined by the outer edges of the guide bodies 7 and 8 during the rotation, a gap S of 1 to 20 mm, preferably of 10 mm, which can reduce the likelihood that solids between the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 can clamp, and also a part of the tobacco fibers deliberately between the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 falls through. Furthermore, the tobacco fibers, which fall through the gap S and adhere to each other, are gently dissolved into individual tobacco fibers.

In the FIG. 3 the device can be seen from the front. The profiled drum 3 is formed by a drum and has, on the outside, the guide bodies 7 and 8 arranged in a grid structure 11. The guide bodies 7 and 8 are arranged in a plurality, preferably four grid structures 11 arranged parallel to one another, wherein in each case regions 15 are provided between the grid structures 11 which have no guide bodies 7 or 8.

In the Figures 2 and 5 It can be seen how a mass flow T1 of tobacco fibers is applied to the first profiled drum 3. Due to the rotation of the profile drum 3 in the direction of arrow A, the tobacco fibers are moved in the transport direction T to the second profile drum 4, wherein the tobacco fibers are distributed by the arrow-shaped guide body 7 and 8 at the same time from the center in the direction of the edges. Due to the gap S between the envelopes 9 and 10, a portion of the tobacco fibers between the profile drums 3 and 4 passes down on an underlying conveyor belt 16. The same process takes place during the further transport of the tobacco fibers from the profile drum 4 on the profile drum 5 and the profile drum 5 on the profile drum 6 instead, until finally the remaining balance of tobacco fibers falls in a widened mass flow T2 of the profile drum 6 on the conveyor belt 16.

By the described promotion of tobacco fibers, the mass flow H of tobacco fibers on the conveyor belt 16 in the transport direction T in the width and the thickness increases steadily until the tobacco fibers are finally transported away in a gleichmäßigtem and wider mass flow H on the conveyor belt 16. Decisive for the broadening of the mass flow H of tobacco fibers are the speeds of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6, the widths of the column S, the orientation of the guide body 7 and 8, and the width and distribution of the tobacco fibers in the profile drum 3 discontinued mass flow T1. Overall, the proposed values have been found to be preferred, wherein a broadening of the mass flow of tobacco fibers from a width of the supplied mass flow T1 of 800 mm to a width of the discharged on the conveyor belt 16 mass flow H of 1700 mm at a rotational speed of the profile drums 3,4, 5 and 6 of 100 U / min at a circumference of about 400 mm of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 and a width of the column S of about 10 mm with a satisfactory distribution of the tobacco fibers in the mass flow H can be realized.

For a fine distribution of the tobacco fibers may also be provided a vibrating chute, which further distributes the tobacco fibers by a vibration.

The distribution effect can be further assisted by forming the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 from two individual drums 3a and 3b, which, as in US Pat FIG. 4 can be seen, roof-like arranged at an angle V of greater than 180 degrees to the feed direction P of the tobacco fibers. Due to the arrangement of the individual drums 3a and 3b, the tobacco fibers move in this embodiment, gravitational automatically from the center out to the edges of the individual drums 3a and 3b, whereby the distribution effect can be further supported.

Another clear advantage of the solution according to the invention is the fact that the tobacco fibers, in contrast to the solutions known in the prior art, are fed onto the profile drum 3 from above, and during the distribution on the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6 or on the conveyor belt 16 are transported without being pressed together. The guide body 7 and 8, and the baffles can also be made adjustable by a common adjustment, in particular, the angle C and D should be variable to make the distribution variable. It would also be conceivable to adjust the guide bodies 7 and 8 individually or in groups, so that the distribution can be set to a predetermined distribution profile, or the distribution to the edges can be limited. A limitation of the distribution can be achieved, for example, by adjusting the guide bodies 7 and 8 at the edge to an angle C and D of 90 degrees. To adjust the guide body 7 and 8, these can be stored, for example, in each case about an axis of rotation perpendicular to the respective longitudinal axes Z of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6. Alternatively or additionally, it would also be conceivable to adjust the guide bodies 7 and 8 obliquely in the circumferential direction of the profile drums 3, 4, 5 and 6, and optionally to adjust this angle by the adjusting device, whereby the transport movement of the tobacco stream can be further changed. In this case, the guide body 7 to the right of the center axis and the guide 8 to the left of the center axis each form a group with an identical orientation at an angle C and D to the longitudinal axes Z of the profile drums 3,4,5 and 6, which be adjusted together as a group during an adjustment. The adjustment is carried out such that the angles C and D are identical in size and the symmetrical arrow profile is maintained.

The common adjusting device may preferably comprise a common adjusting mechanism which can be actuated manually or by a controllable drive device. The use of a controllable drive device would also allow the possibility of regulating the orientation of the guide body, so that the geometry of the tobacco stream according to a predetermined profile by the adjustment of the guide body 7 and 8 is controllable.

Claims (13)

1. Device for spreading tobacco, such as tobacco fibres, tobacco leaves or parts of tobacco leaves comprising a first profiled drum (3) which is rotationally driven around its longitudinal axis and comprises an arrangement of guiding bodies (7, 8) having an angular position relative to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the profiled drum (3) and spreading the tobacco fibres from the centre outwards, wherein at least one second profiled drum (4) comprising guiding bodies (7, 8) having an angular position is provided, which second profiled drum in the conveying direction (T) of the tobacco fibres is arranged behind the first profiled drum (3), characterized in that on at least one of the profiled drums (3, 4) at least in one portion the guiding bodies (7, 8) are formed as single ribs aligned parallel to each other, and that the guiding bodies (7, 8) are discontinuous in the circumferential direction of the profiled drum (3, 4).
2. Device according to claim 1, characterized in that the second profiled drum (4) is driven in the same sense of rotation as the first profiled drum (3).
3. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guiding bodies (7, 8) are arranged at an angle to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the profiled drum (3, 4).
4. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled drums (3, 4) are arranged parallel to each other.
5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled drums (3, 4) are located in such a way that a gap (S) of 1 mm to 10 mm is existent between the envelope curves (9, 10) which are defined by the radial outer edges of the guiding bodies (7, 8) revolving during the rotational movement of the profiled drums (3, 4).
6. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled drums (3, 4) have an outer diameter of 100 to 200 mm and are driven to a rotational speed of 50 to 200 r/min.
7. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one third profiled drum (5, 6) is provided which is driven in the opposite sense of rotation of the first profiled drum (3).
8. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that four profiled drums (3, 4, 5, 6) arranged parallel to each other are provided.
9. Device according any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the profiled drums (3, 4, 5, 6) are driven in a synchronized manner.
10. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the profiled drums (3, 4, 5, 6) is formed from two single drums (3a, 3b), and that the single drums (3a, 3b) are arranged in such a way that on the side facing the feeding direction (P) of the tobacco fibres the longitudinal axes (Z1 Z2) of the single drums (3a, 3b) form an angle (V) that is greater than 180 degrees.
11. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the guiding bodies (7, 8) are designed to be adjustable.
12. Device according to claim 11, characterized in that the guiding bodies (7, 8) are adjustable in such a way that the angle (C, D) of the guiding bodies (7, 8) to the longitudinal axis (Z) of the profiled drum (3) is variable.
13. Device according to one of the claims 11 or 12, characterized in that the guiding bodies (7, 8) at least in groups can be adjusted by a common adjustment device.

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