U.S. patent application number 10/427990 was filed with the patent office on 2003-11-06 for curling device.
Invention is credited to Draghetti, Fiorenzo.
Application Number | 20030205235 10/427990 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 11440105 |
Filed Date | 2003-11-06 |
United States Patent
Application |
20030205235 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Draghetti, Fiorenzo |
November 6, 2003 |
Curling device
Abstract
A curling device for a filter tip attachment comprises an
element placed in contact with a strip of paper material advancing
continuously along a given path, and serving to deform the strip in
such a way that single tipping papers obtained by cutting the strip
are invested with a curled profile; the curling device is
associated with a mechanism such as will cause it to vibrate,
describing rectilinear or looped trajectories at a predetermined
frequency, so as to reduce friction between the curling element and
the strip.
Inventors: |
Draghetti, Fiorenzo;
(Medicina, IT) |
Correspondence
Address: |
Klima & Jackson LLP
Suite 920
4501 North Fairfax Drive
Arlington
VA
22203
US
|
Family ID: |
11440105 |
Appl. No.: |
10/427990 |
Filed: |
May 2, 2003 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
131/33 ; 242/370;
242/410 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A24C 5/471 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
131/33 ; 242/370;
242/410 |
International
Class: |
A24C 001/04; B65H
075/00; B65H 023/00; B65H 059/00; B65H 077/00; A24C 003/00 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
May 3, 2002 |
IT |
BO 2002A 000259 |
Claims
What is claimed:
1) a device for curling a continuous strip of paper material
advancing along a predetermined feed path toward at least one
cutting unit by which the selfsame strip is divided into discrete
lengths, comprising: at least one curling element operating on one
surface of the advancing strip at a contact zone, in such a way as
to deform the strip relative to its longitudinal dimension;
vibrator means associated with the curling element.
2) A device as in claim 1, wherein the curling element is set in
motion by the vibrator means at a predetermined frequency and in a
substantially rectilinear direction, transverse to the strip.
3) A device as in claim 1, wherein the curling element is set in
motion by the vibrator means at a predetermined frequency and in a
direction substantially parallel to the direction followed by the
strip through the contact zone.
4) A device as in claim 1, wherein the curling element is set in
motion by the vibrator means at a predetermined frequency and in
such a way as to describe a trajectory determined by two
directional components transverse one to the other.
5) A device as in claim 1, wherein the curling element is set in
motion by the vibrator means at a predetermined frequency and in
such a way as to describe a closed loop trajectory.
6) A device as in claims 1 to 5, wherein the vibrator means are
electrical, mechanical or pneumatic in operation.
7) A device as in claim 6, wherein the vibrator means consist in an
ultrasound vibrator device.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to a curling device preferably
for cigarette making machines.
[0002] The invention finds application to advantage in the art
field of cigarette making machinery, and in particular of filter
tip attachments, that is to say machine units by which filters and
cigarettes are assembled. Reference is made explicitly to this art
field in the following specification, albeit with no limitation in
general scope implied.
[0003] Conventionally, cigarettes and filter tips are assembled by
interposing a double length filter plug between two axially aligned
cigarette sticks, then joining the filter to the sticks on each
side by applying a previously gummed tipping paper, and ultimately
cutting the double assembly in half to create two single
filter-and-cigarette assemblies.
[0004] A filter tip attachment generally comprises a feed station
from which a continuous strip of paper material is advanced at a
predetermined velocity and under a predetermined degree of tension
along a feed path, likewise predetermined; the feed path passes
both through a gumming station at which an adhesive substance is
applied to one surface of the strip destined to engage the
filter-and-cigarette assembly, and through a cutting unit by which
the continuous strip is divided into discrete tipping papers ready
for application.
[0005] Each tipping paper separated by the cutting unit is
positioned at an intermediate transfer station and there associated
initially with a respective filter-and-cigarette assembly, before
being affixed permanently to the selfsame assembly at a further
station. The step of affixing the tipping paper permanently to the
filter-and-cigarette assembly is accomplished normally by wrapping
the paper around the assembly.
[0006] This wrapping operation is much facilitated by a curling
device installed between the feed station and the cutting unit,
which engages the advancing strip and brings about a plastic
deformation of the internal fibers. The material thus assumes a
given curvature, when relieved of longitudinal tension, with the
result that the application of the papers to the respective
filter-and-cigarette assemblies is made easier.
[0007] Notwithstanding the application of tipping papers to
filter-and-cigarette assemblies is assisted thus by the use of
conventional curling devices, which consist essentially in a
sharp-edged or blade-like element offered in contact to the
continuous strip and designed to weaken the material transversely,
it has been found that such devices betray certain drawbacks
attributable principally to the friction generated at the area of
contact between the device and the strip.
[0008] In particular, it has been observed that the deforming
action of the curling device generates high frictional forces
tending often to degrade or to break the strip material at the high
operating speeds of filter tip attachments now in service.
[0009] The object of the present invention is to address and
overcome the problems encountered in prior art solutions by setting
forth a curling device for cigarette makers capable of deforming
the fibers of a continuous strip in such a way as to facilitate the
operation by which tipping papers are wrapped around
filter-and-cigarette assemblies, while at the same time
guaranteeing the integrity of the continuous strip and the quality
of the finished cigarettes even at high operating tempos.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0010] The stated object is realized according to the invention in
a device for curling a continuous strip of paper material caused to
advance along a predetermined feed path toward at least one cutting
unit by which the selfsame strip is divided into discrete lengths.
Such a device presents at least one curling element operating on
one surface of the advancing strip at a contact zone in such a
manner as to deform the strip relative to its longitudinal
dimension, and includes vibrator means associated with the curling
element.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0011] The invention will now be described in detail, by way of
example, with the aid of the accompanying drawing, which is a
schematic illustration showing one portion of a cigarette maker
equipped with a curling device according to the present
invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0012] Referring to the drawing, 1 denotes a curling device, in its
entirety, embodied in accordance with the present invention. The
curling device 1 is associated with a given portion 2 of a
cigarette maker, and in particular with a filter tip attachment
comprising at least one feed station A from which a continuous
strip 3 of paper or similar material is advanced steadily toward
successive stations of the machine.
[0013] The continuous strip 3 is decoiled from a roll 4, subject to
a predetermined tension and at a given velocity, and advanced along
a predetermined feed path P that passes in succession through a
gumming station 5, where one or more adhesive substances are
applied to at least one adhesion surface 3a of the continuous strip
3, and a cutting unit 6 by which the gummed strip 3 is divided into
discrete lengths, or tipping papers 7, each serving to join at
least one filter permanently to a respective cigarette stick.
[0014] The adhesive substances in question are applied at the
gumming station 5 by means of at least one gumming device 8
comprising an applicator roller 9 that acts directly on the
adhesion surface 3a of the continuous strip 3, and a reaction
roller 10 acting on the surface of the strip opposite from the
applicator roller 9.
[0015] As discernible from the accompanying drawing, the strip 3
passes over a guide roller 11 positioned upstream of the curling
device 1, then through a pair of pinch rolls 12 downstream of the
selfsame device 1.
[0016] The cutting unit 6 generates the aforementioned tipping
papers 7 utilizing a suction roller 14 and an auxiliary roller 15
of which the respective axes of rotation 14a and 15a are disposed
substantially horizontal and parallel one with another.
[0017] The continuous strip 3 is taken up by the suction roller 14,
and directed through a cutting zone 16 at which the selfsame roller
14 interacts with the auxiliary roller 15 in such a way as to
divide the strip 3 into single tipping papers 7.
[0018] The suction roller 14, which presents a diameter greater
than that of the auxiliary roller 15 and rotates at a peripheral
velocity higher than the linear velocity of the advancing strip 3,
carries a plurality of angularly equispaced blades 17 with
substantially straight cutting edges set skew to the axis of
rotation 14a.
[0019] The auxiliary roller 15 rotates at a peripheral velocity
substantially matching the linear velocity of the advancing strip
3, and carries a plurality of substantially radial blades 18
equispaced around its surface of revolution. These blades 18
present cutting edges set substantially parallel to the axis of
rotation 15a of the roller 15.
[0020] The cutting unit 6 is followed along the feed path P by a
conveying roller 19 of conventional embodiment, rotatable
counterclockwise as viewed in the drawing, about an axis 19a
extending parallel to the axes 14a and 15a of the cutting rollers.
The conveying roller 19 affords a plurality of fluted recesses 19b
extending parallel to the straight line generators of the revolving
surface, in which relative filter-and-cigarette assemblies 20, each
consisting in two cigarette sticks separated by a double length
filter plug, are retained by suction in conventional manner. The
filter-and-cigarette assemblies 20 are caused to advance broadside
by the conveying roller 19 through a transfer zone 21 where each
successive tipping paper 7 generated by the cutting unit 6 is
offered to the surface of a respective assembly 20.
[0021] As discernible from the accompanying drawing, the curling
device 1 is located upstream of the cutting unit 6, considered
relative to the feed direction D followed by the continuous strip
3. In a preferred embodiment, the device 1 will be positioned
between the feed station A and the cutting unit 6, and more exactly
between the feed station A and the gumming station 5.
[0022] In particular, and as intimated previously, the device 1
comprises a curling element 13, embodied as a bar 22 appearing
substantially triangular in section, of which one edge 13a is
offered to the adhesion surface 3a of the continuous strip 3 at a
contact zone denoted 23.
[0023] The aforementioned guide rollers 11 and pinch rolls 12 are
positioned along on the feed path P, relative to the curling
element 13, in such a way as to establish a leg presenting a Vee
profile of which the vertex coincides with the edge 13a of the bar
22. With the strip 3 thus constrained to make a sharp change in
direction at the contact zone 23, the structure of the material
becomes permanently deformed, assuming a predetermined curvature
such that the gummed surface 7a of each tipping paper 7 separated
by the cutting unit 6 and then offered in contact to a
filter-and-cigarette assembly 20 will be concavely profiled. In
other words, the edge 13a of the curling element 13 is applied
forcibly to the continuous strip 3 as it passes through the contact
zone 23, compressing the internal fibers beneath the surface
directed toward the curling element 13, while stretching the
internal fibers beneath the surface directed away from the selfsame
curling element.
[0024] The curling element 13 is connected by a rod 24 to vibrator
means indicated schematically as a block denoted 25, such as will
cause the bar 22 to vibrate at a predetermined frequency. Naturally
enough, the rod 24 might be replaced by any other means of
connection capable of transferring the energy from the vibrator
means 25 to the bar 22, or alternatively, the bar 22 could be
coupled direct to the vibrator means 25.
[0025] The vibrator means 25 are of conventional type, for example
electrical, mechanical or pneumatic in operation, and preferably
will take the form of an ultrasound generator.
[0026] The vibratory motion transmitted to the bar 22 by the
vibrator means 25 can be rectilinear, oriented along an essentially
rectilinear direction parallel to the rod 24, hence transverse to
the strip 3, or oriented along a direction transverse to the rod 24
and coinciding with the direction followed by the strip 3 as it
passes through the contact zone 23.
[0027] Finally, the vibratory motion can be generated by two
directional components, one transverse to the other, in which case
the trajectory described could be looped, elliptical or circular in
outline.
[0028] It has been observed that the motion transmitted by the
vibrator means 25 to the bar 22 has the effect of reducing
frictional forces in play at the contact zone 23 when the edge 13a
of the curling element engages the adhesion surface 3a of the strip
3, so that the tension values registering in the strip 3 upstream
and downstream of the curling device 1 can be rendered uniform.
[0029] Finally, with the adoption of a curling device 1 according
to the present invention, the treatment applied to the strip 3 in
producing a given depth of curl at a given rate of feed is more
delicate, and any risk of tearing the material is avoided.
* * * * *