JP2008099693A - Composite filter manufacturing equipment and manufacturing method - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a composite filter-manufacturing equipment and a manufacturing method thereof. <P>SOLUTION: The composite filter to be attached to the point end of a cigarette is produced on a double track type filter-manufacturing machine having two equipment parts. The groups of filter plugs having different filtration properties are systematically end-to-end connected and mutually advance in the longitudinal direction along almost parallel feed, and individual filer plugs pass along the equipment tongue part together with a plugwrap, further fed to the station where they are formed into continuous rods. A pair of rods are sent to the head of the rotary cutter and divided into single composite filters with the cutter head on the cutting line. In order to make the composite filters on the double track surely same, the shaft positions of individual rods are adjusted with the feedback loop near the cutter head. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a machine and method for the manufacture of composite filters.

  Conventionally, the harmful effect of inhaling cigarette smoke can be formed by combining multiple filters, ie two or more filter plugs made of materials with different filtration characteristics, and enclosed in a single plug wrapping paper This can be mitigated by attaching a filter to the tip of the cigarette that is then permanently bonded together.

  Plugs removed from each container are transferred to a common take-out roller having peripheral grooves by an assembly mechanism having a row of grooved rollers.

  Each take-out groove is fitted with a unit composite filter element that constitutes a group of two or more plugs having different characteristics, and is arranged in an axial alignment and in an end-to-end contact.

  The assembled filter element is then transported to the fixture part by rotary transfer means and formed into a composite filter rod.

  The filter element advances in a direction parallel to the long axis of the filter element in an end-to-end contact state while traveling independently and continuously along the fixture part, and is wrapped by a piece of paper material and is continuous filter rod Form.

  The filter rod is then divided into a single composite filter by a rotating cutter that operates at the discharge end of the fixture section.

  In practice, these conventional type composite filter making machines expose serious limitations with respect to production tempo.

  More specifically, it has been found that conventional composite filter making machines are unable to accommodate the production rates produced by cigarette making machines and the last production filter chip mounting machines and therefore cannot be directly connected to these machines.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a composite filter manufacturing machine that is not adversely affected by the above-mentioned drawbacks.

  Another object of the present invention is to provide a composite filter forming machine that can ensure that the continuous rod is accurately cut and that the same composite filter is continuously and accurately formed.

  The above object is achieved by the present invention in a composite filter manufacturing machine having the features described in the claims.

That is, the composite filter manufacturing machine according to the present invention includes two fixture tapes that advance two continuous filter rods parallel to each other at a predetermined degree along a supply direction by a driving means.
A periodic cutting means configured to divide the two filter rods into a single filter, the operation setting by a driving means;
Control means for controlling the position of the unit group of the filter rod with respect to the stroke of the cutting means;
Each of the filter rods is formed from a series of regularly arranged unit groups of composite filter plugs and packaged in a series of paper, each of the unit groups including at least two plugs having different filtration characteristics; It is characterized by that.

  In a preferred form of the composite filter manufacturing machine, the control means occupies a predetermined position along the path of the equipment tape and generates a first signal after detecting a unit group, and a first signal is sent to the cutting means. A control unit for comparing with a second signal indicating timing is included, and correction means for correcting the axial position of the equipment tape and / or the timing of the cutting means is included.

  In a preferred form of the composite filter manufacturing machine, the correcting means includes adjusting means for adjusting the speed of the driving means connected to the equipment tape.

  In a preferred form of the composite filter manufacturing machine, the correcting means includes adjusting means for adjusting the speed of the driving means connected to the cutting means.

  In a preferred embodiment of the composite filter manufacturing machine, the sensor comprises means capable of detecting the presence of at least one of the filter plugs forming a unit group.

A method of manufacturing a composite filter according to the present invention comprises supplying two continuous filter rods using two fixture tapes,
Each of the filter rods is formed from a series of regularly arranged group of composite filter plugs and packaged in a series of papers.
Dividing the two filter rods into a single composite filter using periodic cutting means;
Detecting the passage of the unit group forming each filter rod using a sensor at a predetermined position, and adjusting the speed of the equipment tape so as to adjust the position of the unit group of the filter rod relative to the stroke of the cutting means; Including the step of:

Another method of manufacturing a composite filter according to the present invention includes supplying two continuous filter rods using two fixture tapes,
Each of the filter rods is formed from a series of regularly arranged group of composite filter plugs and packaged in a series of papers.
Dividing the two filter rods into a single composite filter using periodic cutting means;
Detecting the passage of unit groups forming each filter rod using a sensor at a predetermined position;
Adjusting the speed of at least one of the fixture tapes so that the axial position of the unit group of filter plugs is the same as the cutting means; and forming the filter rod with respect to the periodic stroke of the cutting means And adjusting the speed of the cutting means to adjust the position of the unit group.

The present invention will now be described in detail by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Referring to FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 indicates an overall filter manufacturing machine having a two-row track equipped to manufacture a composite filter 2.

  The filter manufacturing machine 1 includes an assembly unit including a feeding roller 3 having a function of forming a plurality of groups 4 of a plurality of filter plugs 5 having different filtration characteristics.

  In the illustrated example of FIGS. 1 to 7, each group 4 is composed of three plugs 5, each plug having a predetermined filtering characteristic, which is indicated by 5 a, 5 b, 5 c when viewed from left to right in FIG. 1. However, each group may be plugs 5 in any number and in any combination.

  The filter manufacturing machine 1 includes two fixture parts 6 that form continuous rods of the composite filter 2, and each rod is composed of a series of plural groups 4 of filter plugs 5.

  The two fixture parts 6 respectively extend along the longitudinal directions X1 and X2 parallel to each other and are supplied by the assembly unit described above, the assembly units being aligned end to end in the axial direction. A group composed of three filter plugs 5, that is, a unit group 4 is positioned.

  In particular, each fixture section 6 includes an electric motor 7 that drives an endless fixture tape 8 that forms a loop around the return pulley 9, as shown in FIG.

  Reference numeral 10 indicates a continuous strip of paper that is unwound from the roll 11 and fed onto each fixture tape 8, and the filter plug 5 is packaged with this strip of paper.

  In the preferred embodiment of FIG. 1, a single strip 10a of paper plug wrap material is unwound from a single roll 11 and divided longitudinally by a disc cutter 12 into a two-row track filter making machine. 10 is provided.

  Each of the two strips 10 is fed onto a common idler element 13 before being placed on the respective fixture tape 8.

  The purpose of the idler element 13 is to ensure that the two strips are supplied on the fixture tape 8 with the same and predetermined tension.

  The paper strip 10a is drawn from the roll 11 at a steady tangential speed determined by the linear supply speed of the equipment tape 8.

  The continuous group 4 of filter plugs 5 is released by the assembly unit onto a strip of paper 10 drawn forward by the fixture tape 8.

  Each fixture tape 8 includes a corresponding strip 10 and associated group 4 of filter plugs 5 by gradually wrapping the strips around the filter plug to form a tube, thereby forming two rods 15 to filter The group 4 of plugs 5 is transported to the station 14 where it is united.

  The station 14 illustrated in FIG. 1 includes a pair of fixture tongue devices 14a (represented in blocks) by which the continuous strip 10 of paper is bent around the filter plug 5 by this device. The two longitudinal edges of the piece 10 are glued together by the adhesive device 14b.

  The continuous rod 15 formed in this way moves forward toward the periodic cutting means constituting the cutter head 16, and cuts the cut line formed along the predetermined line T by the cutter head 16 into a plurality of single composite filters 2. Each composite filter 2 is divided into a group 4 formed by three plugs 5a, 5b, 5c. The important thing that can be recognized from the drawing is that the cut line must be precisely formed on the line T coinciding with the coupling between the plugs 5a and 5c of each continuous rod 15.

  In particular, the cutter head 16 includes a rotating drum 17 that is driven counterclockwise by a motor 24, as can be observed from FIG. The rotary drum 17 is equipped with two blades 18 that rotate about an axis X3 substantially parallel to the feed directions X1 and X2 of the continuous rod 15 and that diametrically oppose on the plane of rotation.

  Each blade 18 is inclined with respect to the supply directions X1 and X2 of the two continuous rods 15 by a conventional method.

  The composite filter 2 formed in this way is then transported to another machine, i.e., a filter chip mounting machine (not shown), and each composite filter 2 is coupled to a cigarette stick by each filter chip mounting machine. .

  The means 19 forming part of the filter manufacturing machine 1 adjusts the position of the filter plug 5 forming the continuous rod 15 with respect to the stroke of the cutter head 16.

  The adjusting means 19 is interlocked with the control means 20 for monitoring the position of the plug 5 which is a component in the unit group 4 of each continuous rod 15 with respect to the stroke of the periodic cutting means.

  In a preferred embodiment, the adjusting means 19 operate on two fixture parts 6 and include tension means 21 provided by the motor 7, which tension means 21 act on the paper strip 10 by means of the fixture tape 8. .

  In response to a signal from the control means 20, the rotational position of the motor 7 and the axial position of the rod 15 is managed and made accurate by pulling or loosening one or two of the paper strips 10.

  Importantly, as described above, the strip 10 is drawn from the roll 11 at a constant tangential speed, and the speed at which the continuous rod 15 advances sequentially to the cutter head 16 at the same speed, and thus is produced per unit time. The number of composite filters 2 to be determined is determined.

  The tension of the strip 10 is variable because the plug wrap material has a certain degree of elasticity.

  In fact, the extent to which the strip of paper expands and contracts is in the range of about 1 to 2%, or in other words, approximately 1% to 5% per millimeter of decimetry.

  The tension of the paper strip 10 varies with a slight increase or decrease in the supply speed of the equipment tape 8 on which the strip 10 is positioned and transported.

  Thus, when the strip 10 is continuously unwound from the roll 11 at the same tangential speed, a slight increase or decrease in the linear speed of the fixture tape 8 will cause a slight expansion or contraction of the corresponding strip 10 conveyed on that tape. Produce.

  The expansion and contraction effect of the paper strip 10 is ultimately to adjust the position of the unit group 4 of the filter plug 5 forming the continuous rod 15 so that the exact position of the cut line T can be maintained.

  The control means 20 includes a sensor 22 disposed near each continuous filter rod 15 and serving to monitor the passage of at least one plug 5 of each group 4.

  More precisely, each sensor 22 reads the position of at least one filter plug 5 in each continuous group 4 of continuous rods 15, for example the plugs indicated by 5 b, and sends a corresponding signal to the master control unit 23. To do.

  The control unit 23 includes adjusting means 25 designed to make the speed of the motor 7 driving the equipment tape 8 accurate.

  The signal received by the control unit 23 reflects the detection position of the plug 5b, is compared with a predetermined value that reflects the angular position of the cutter drum 17, and is inconsistent between the detection position of the filter plug 5b and the predetermined position. If there is, the control unit 23 responds in the feedback mode by correcting the speed of the motor 7 for driving the equipment tape 8 through the adjusting means 25.

  For this purpose, the motor 7 is equipped with a differential that allows the rotational speed to be increased or decreased.

  In order to ensure an accurate position reading of the filter plug 5, the sensor 22 is placed in the immediate vicinity of the cutter head 16, as shown in the accompanying drawings.

  Once again, the sensor 22 can detect and confirm the position of the filter plug 5 already wrapped by the plug wrap strip 10.

  One type of sensor suitable for this purpose may be, for example, a sensor 22 that is sensitive to a special material such as graphite that forms the filter plug 5.

  Alternatively, the sensor 22 may be of the type that can measure the density of each filter plug 5 and thereby detect the associated internal position of the continuous rod 15.

  Referring to FIGS. 2-7, two continuous rods 15 are shown to show the filter plug 5 in the wrap. A line indicated by T indicates a line in which the continuous rod 15 is sheared by the blade 18 of the cutter drum 17.

  2 to 7 on the right hand side of the drawings, there are shown two pieces of equipment tape 8 for transporting a strip 10 made of paper plug wrap material, and a filter plug 5 installed on the strip 10. .

  FIG. 2 shows in particular the filter plug 5 of the continuous rod 15 and more precisely the uppermost rod of the drawing is delayed with respect to the corresponding plug 5 of the other rod 15, while the plug of the other rod is cut. A state in which positioning is accurately performed with respect to T is shown.

  In this state, the two flows of the composite filter 2 generated by the cutter head 16 are different from each other, and in particular, the composite filter cut from the rod 15 on the drawing is the end plug 5c of the continuous group. Is not separated by the cutter head 16 at the contact point between 5 and 5a, resulting in a defective product.

  When a delay is detected by the sensor 22 and a signal is transmitted to the control unit 23, the control unit 23 responds by inducing the speed adjusting means 25 and the filter is not accurately positioned with respect to the cut line T. The linear speed of the equipment tape 8 carrying the rod 15 is increased.

  As a result, the paper strip 10 is pulled at predetermined intervals to induce elastic stretching and moderately attenuate to reliably prevent material rupture.

  The supply rate of the fixture tape 8 is kept slightly higher than that of the other tapes so that the continuous segment of the paper strip 10 stretches.

  Thus, the segments of strip 10 continuously stretch in small increments to align and accurately position the delayed plug 5 of the rod with the plug of the other rod 15, as shown in FIGS. effective.

  At this point, a corresponding signal is sent by the sensor 22 to the control unit 23, which responds by synchronizing the speed of the two motors 7, and hence the speed of the fixture tape 8.

  The composite filter 2 that is cut when the two rods 15 are realigned is rejected.

  FIGS. 5 to 7 show a state in which the group 4 of the filter plugs 5 in the rod 15 is incorrectly positioned, a state in which one advances and the other delays in relation to a predetermined cutting position.

  In this case, the error can be corrected in one of two ways.

  The first selection is when the sensor 22 sends a relation signal to the control unit 23, the control unit 23 responds by promoting the motor 7 to the lower rod 15 (delayed) in the drawing, and the upper rod ( The motor 7 is delayed with respect to (advanced). The correction operation is continued until the error is resolved.

  The second choice is to make the two errors identical, i.e. align the plugs 5 of the two rods, so that the sensor 22 reads the amount drifted from the exact position in the two rods at the moment of the cutting stroke, The only change is the speed of the motor 7.

  In this respect, two identical errors are corrected by changing the angular velocity of the cutter drum 17.

  The speed of the cutter head 16 is changed by other control means 26 forming part of the master control unit 23, and the speed of the motor 724 that drives the cutter head 16 can be adjusted.

  In conclusion, the means 25 for adjusting the speed of the motor 7 for driving the equipment tape 8 and the means 26 for adjusting the speed of the motor 24 for driving the cutter head 16 may be used for the axial position of the equipment tape 8 and / or the periodic cutting. It functions as a means for correcting the timing of the means 17.

It is a perspective view of the composite filter manufacturing machine by this invention. It is a top view which shows the two expansion detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 1st continuous operation state. It is a top view which shows the two expansion detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 1st continuous operation state. It is a top view which shows the two expansion detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 1st continuous operation state. It is a top view which shows two enlarged detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 2nd continuous operation state. It is a top view which shows two enlarged detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 2nd continuous operation state. It is a top view which shows two enlarged detail parts of the manufacturing machine of FIG. 1 of a 2nd continuous operation state.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Double row track filter manufacturing machine 2 Composite filter 3 Delivery roller 4 Group 5 Plug 6 Equipment part 7 Electric motor 8 Equipment tape 9 Return pulley 10 Paper strip 11 Roll 12 Disc cutter 15 Filter rod 16 Cutter head 17 Cutting means 22 Sensor 25, 26 Speed adjustment means

Claims (7)

Two fixture tapes (8) for driving the two continuous filter rods in parallel with each other at a predetermined degree along the supply direction (X1, X2) by the drive means (7);
A periodic cutting means (16), which is set in operation by a drive means (24), which divides the two filter rods (15) into a single filter (2);
Control means (20) for controlling the position of the unit group (4) of the filter rod (15) with respect to the stroke of the cutting means (16);
Each of said filter rods (15) is formed from a continuous composite filter plug (5) of regularly arranged unit groups (4) and packaged in a series of paper (10), and of group (4) A composite filter making machine, each comprising at least two plugs having different filtration characteristics.   The control means (20) occupies a predetermined position along the path of the equipment tape (8) and generates a first signal after detecting the unit group (4), A correction unit (25) including a control unit (23) for comparing the second signal indicating the timing of the cutting means (16) and correcting the axial position of the equipment tape (8) and / or the timing of the cutting means (16). 26). The composite filter manufacturing machine according to claim 1, further comprising:   3. The composite filter manufacturing machine according to claim 2, wherein the correcting means includes adjusting means (25) for adjusting the speed of the driving means (7) connected to the equipment tape (8).   The composite filter manufacturing machine according to claim 2 or 3, wherein the correcting means includes adjusting means (26) for adjusting the speed of the driving means (24) connected to the cutting means (16).   The composite filter manufacturing machine according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the sensor (22) comprises means capable of detecting the presence of at least one of the filter plugs (5) forming the unit group (4). Supply two continuous filter rods (15) using two fixture tapes (8),
Each of the filter rods (15) is formed from a series of composite filter plugs (5) in a regularly arranged group (4) and packaged in a series of paper (10).
Splitting the two filter rods (15) into a single composite filter (2) using periodic cutting means (16);
Detecting the passage of the unit group (4) forming each filter rod (15) using a sensor (22) at a predetermined position;
A composite comprising the steps of adjusting the speed of the equipment tape (8) so as to adjust the position of the unit group (4) of the filter rod (15) relative to the stroke of the cutting means (16). Filter manufacturing method. Supply two continuous filter rods (15) using two fixture tapes (8),
Each of the filter rods (15) is formed from a series of composite filter plugs (5) in a regularly arranged group (4) and packaged in a series of paper (10).
Splitting the two filter rods (15) into a single composite filter (2) using periodic cutting means (16);
Detecting the passage of the unit group (4) forming each filter rod (15) using a sensor (22) at a predetermined position;
Adjusting the speed of at least one of the fixture tapes (8) in order to make the axial position of the filter plug unit group (4) the same with respect to the cutting means (16);
Adjusting the speed of the cutting means (16) to adjust the position of the unit group (4) forming the filter rod (15) with respect to the periodic stroke of the cutting means (16); A composite filter manufacturing method characterized by comprising.

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